《Domination in America, Starting from being a Boxing Champion》


 Chapter 001 Mr. Diver

    "Link! Link! Wake up!"Link opened his eyes and set aside the Playboy magazine covering his face, squinting as the brilliant Miami sunshine hit his handsome face.


    Fat James, wearing an oversized beach t-shirt and sporting a Miami Heat cap askew, looked out at the distant ocean with a heavy heart.


    "What happened?"


    Link stretched, then fished a bottle of mineral water out of the ice bucket, gulping down half of it in one go.


    "It''s that girl named Taylor. She went into the water almost two hours ago and hasn''t come up; she didn''t take an air tank. I''m worried something might have happened to her," S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fat James said, pointing towards the distant ocean.


    This place is in Miami, Florida, in the middle of Palm Bay Gold Beach at the Baker Dive Equipment Rental Shop. Link is the manager of this shop, and Fat James is his partner.


    "She''s been gone for two hours? How do you know that?"


    Link asked, looking at Fat James with a puzzled expression.


    This section is a public beach; the water is clear, the waves are mild, and there are large coral reefs nearby, making it a popular spot for diving. Therefore, numerous tourists come here daily to rent diving gear.


    During peak times, the little Baker shop can rent out more than ten sets a day. Now it''s May, the peak season for beach holidays, and the shop had already issued six sets this morning.


    With so many tourists going into the water, it''s difficult to remember everyone''s diving time.


    Fat James'' face turned red under Link''s gaze, and he stuttered, adjusting his cap''s brim, "I, I saw her, okay, I''ll admit it, she''s really beautiful, with blond hair and a great figure, like a model. I noticed her the moment she walked into the shop."


    Link chuckled lightly; so he had a crush. He yawned again and lay back down, saying, "Don''t worry, tall people generally have good diving skills. Nothing will have happened."


    "Let''s go check it out. If an accident happens nearby, it could affect our business too. For the sake of U.S. dollars, let''s go take a look."


    Fat James shook his shoulder with a pitiful look in his eyes that made Link feel a bit helpless. Are you asking me to rush to her rescue out of love? You''re such a dog.


    But considering the shop''s business, he grabbed some diving gear from the store and got into a speedboat to search the nearby shallow areas.


    The public beach has a depth of up to 60 meters nearby, with mild currents and clear water, making it suitable for diving adventures. Most tourists visiting Miami to play in the water choose this area, except for the few who like adventures.


    Link drove the speedboat in circles within 1-2 nautical miles off the coast, observing the surroundings, and at around 800 meters from the shore, he discovered a red hair tie entangled with strands of golden-brown hair.


    Link looked around but saw neither floating bodies nor living people; he could not determine the whereabouts of the girl.


    His only option was to dive in.


    He was a cross-time traveler; ever since crossing over, his strength, endurance, speed, and reaction capability had all significantly improved. In shallow waters, he needed only a few pieces of basic diving equipment to swim very quickly.


    It was between two and three in the afternoon; the temperature at the water''s surface was over 20¡ãC, making it very comfortable to soak in.


    Link dived down more than ten meters below the surface, through the light blue water he could see the coral reefs on the ocean floor, and schools of colorful ribbonfish, cutlassfish, and white-scaled fish darting around the corals.


    The underwater world was novel and stunning, sparking one''s desire to explore. However, it also harbored many dangers, such as long-thorned corals, poisonous jellyfish, and stinging fire coral clusters¡ª all of which are deadly threats to divers and common causes of accidents.


    Circling around several dangerous areas, Link saw no blood and no one trapped in the corals. The water was calm and smooth; James''s worries were unnecessary.


    Upon surfacing, a young man wearing a Baker Dive suit, clinging to the side of the speedboat, called out with a smile, "Hey, Mr. Baker, are you here for a dive too?"


    "No, I''m here looking for someone¡ªa tall girl with blond hair wearing a Baker Dive suit. Have you seen her?"


    "I ran into one about half an hour ago. She seemed to be heading that way; she was swimming really fast."


    The customer pointed towards a small island two to three nautical miles away.


    "Got it, thanks!"


    Bidding farewell to the customer, Link steered the speedboat toward the small island.


    The island was not large, rising more than ten meters above the water with a maximum width of no more than five hundred meters, shaped like a mango with black rock walls dotted with many low-growing plants. At times, it was completely submerged during high tide.


    Circling the island in the speedboat, Link spotted a tall girl on a flat patch of black rock on the eastern side.


    The girl had her wet hair draped down, and her wetsuit was taken off and placed on the rocks, wearing only a spotty bikini. Her figure was close to 180 centimeters tall, with fair and clean skin, a slenderness typical of a young girl, and also the vibrancy and sexiness of a teenager, blooming yet still reserved, which indeed offered a lot to be admired.


    The girl sat on a rock, her left calf bleeding, seemingly preparing to undo her bra to bandage the wound. Hearing the sound of the speedboat''s engine, she instead put it back on.


    "Hey, do you need some help?"


    "Yes, sir, my calf got scratched by a rock, and I need some treatment,"


    the girl responded loudly.


    Link, driving the speedboat, slowly approached the small island and stopped next to a rock, inviting the girl on board.


    As the girl got closer, he realized she looked somewhat familiar, resembling the big star Taylor Swift, with blue foxy eyes and a pert nose flanked by a few brown freckles, which made her look very fresh.


    Thinking of Fatty James who had called her Taylor, and connecting it to the beach music festival that was recently held in Miami, it was very likely that she was Taylor Swift.


    However, it was now 2008, and Swift had only debuted two years ago as a country music singer, not very famous in the pop music scene. Link could pretend not to recognize her.


    "How did you get hurt?"


    "Just my luck. I barely grazed against a coral reef, and my calf got scratched,"


    the girl complained, holding her fair and slender calf, looking at the three-centimeter-long bleeding wound.


    "Your wetsuit is not sturdy enough, not suitable for diving in areas dense with coral reefs."


    Link glanced at the wetsuit beside the girl, which was made of nylon fabric, more form-fitting but of lower quality than Lycra and cheaper to rent.


    "I understand, when I rented this wetsuit, that fat clerk told me it was robust enough to handle the nearby waters. Turns out, it''s not sturdy at all. I''m going to give him a piece of my mind."


    "You should,"


    Link chuckled lightly, spared a thought of sympathy for the fat clerk for a couple of seconds.


    The speedboat reached the public dock and stopped, and Fatty James, panting, hurried over, asking solicitously, "Miss Taylor, how did you get injured?"


    "You told me this wetsuit was very sturdy. It tore just from touching the coral reef, and also injured my calf. How are you going to compensate me?"


    The girl, with her arms folded across her chest, asked while staring at the red-faced fat man.


    Fatty James, sweating profusely, gestured desperately while explaining, "In our shop, only four wetsuits fit your size, and three were already rented out, only this one was left."


    "Then you should have told me the truth, and I could have rented from another store. There''s more than one dive shop here. Your deception caused me to miss tomorrow''s rehearsal, which has a terrible impact. How are you going to compensate me?"


    The girl asked, her presence dominating.


    "I, I..."


    Fatty retreated two steps in fear, but upon seeing Link coming up holding the diving gear, he quickly ran behind Link and exclaimed, "He''s the owner, you ask him to compensate."


    "You''re the owner?"


    Taylor turned her head in surprise, looking at the tall, handsome man who wasn''t very talkative.


    "Yes, my name is Link Baker, and I''m the owner of Baker Dive Shop. Shall we go inside and talk about it?"


    Link said with a light laugh.


    Taylor, dazzled by his bright smile and handsome face, waved her hand and said, "Let''s forget about it, you''ve already helped me."


    "Don''t mention it. The shop has a first aid kit, I''ll help you disinfect and dress the wound first. It''s not a deep wound; it should scab over in three to four days,"


    Link pointed at her calf.


    "Okay, thank you."


    Taylor, leaning on his arm, limped into Baker Dive Shop on the fine soft white sand.

 Chapter 002 Almost the Boxing Champion

    "Come on, Link! His nose is injured, attack his nose!""Link, you''re about to win, hang in there!"


    "Link, get up, damn it, that''s a million bucks, a million if you just stand up!"


    "Link¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª"


    Link abruptly opened his eyes, sat up from the bed, took a few deep breaths, suppressed the pounding heart in his chest, and felt somewhat dazed for a moment.


    He had had a dream again.


    He dreamed he was taking part in a cage fight in the underground gambling dens on the Myanmar-Thailand border, fighting for a one-million US Dollar reward, and was beaten to death in the final match.


    Since his transmigration, he had often dreamed of his past life, where he hadn''t finished high school and went to work in a private iron mine at West Mountain with his uncle, pushing carts filled with ore out every day.


    The exit tunnel was a slope, and he always had to hold his breath, grit his teeth, and rush upwards with all his might to push the heavy cart out of the mine.


    He ran back and forth seventy or eighty times a day, completely exhausted every time he finished his shift, lying in bed like a dead man.


    He continued this work for three years.


    One day at eighteen, while eating at a restaurant, he encountered a robbery and subconsciously swung a punch, making the assailant spit blood and breaking three of his ribs.


    At the time, his boxing coach, Coach Liu, was also eating at the restaurant.


    Seeing his strength and agility, Coach Liu thought he had potential and asked if he wanted to learn boxing.


    Hearing about a 3,000 Yuan stipend per month, he immediately agreed to Coach Liu''s proposal and followed him to train in boxing, participating in amateur competitions domestically.


    His amateur career record was 12 wins in 12 matches; during his thirteenth match, he got too carried away and punched his opponent to death. Though it was involuntary manslaughter, he was sentenced to three years in prison.


    This imprisonment had a profound impact on him, stripping him of the chance to represent his country and resulting in his expulsion from the provincial boxing team, while also landing him on the blacklist of other fight clubs. He could only participate in underground boxing with Coach Liu.


    At twenty-eight, there was an invitation to a no-rules fighting tournament at the Myanmar-Thailand border, where many national wrestlers and boxers competed, and the champion would get one million US Dollars.


    He accompanied Coach Liu to the tournament.


    After six elimination rounds, he successfully made it to the finals. However, the underground gambling dens'' matches cared little for rules, and misconduct was rampant, causing injuries in every match.


    In the last match, an old injury recurred, and he was killed in the arena.


    When he awoke, he found himself lying in a hospital in Miami, transformed into an American named Link Baker.


    Link Baker, twenty years old.


    At fifteen, his father was killed in a street shooting, his mother remarried, and Link Baker became a street thug, engaging in drug dealing, drag racing, theft, and frequent brawls, landing him in jail multiple times.


    Half a month ago, during a street fight, he was stabbed in the back with a dagger, bled excessively, died, and was successfully taken over by Link.


    This diving shop was a legacy from his predecessor''s grandfather, who was an old fisherman and had opened it on the beach after he was no longer able to fish. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since waking up, Link had taken over here, becoming a diver. Although he didn''t make much money, he felt his mood improving slowly while watching the sunny beaches and the ocean. The various discomforts brought by the transmigration were also fading slowly.


    He was quite satisfied with his current life.


    "Hey, welcome to Miami."


    Link smiled at the mirror. The person in the mirror had neat, short black hair, narrow double eyelids, finely sculpted facial contours, and astonishingly handsome like a statue, with deep, pure blue eyes reminiscent of the sea outside the window, profound and pristine, tinged with a hint of melancholy.


    This face and aura somewhat resembled his former life, which was another aspect he found satisfying.


    After exiting the bathroom, Link donned a set of red sports gear with letters on it and wrapped two ten-pound sandbags around his waist for a morning run on the beach.


    It was a little past four in the morning, the sky not yet fully bright, dotted with countless stars, a crescent moon hanging like a hook. Far away, the ocean surface under the night appeared calm, with only a few small islands protruding, dark and wavy like the skull of a marine giant emerging.


    Link started at the diving shop along the seaside boulevard and ran north until he reached the Palm Beach area waterfront park, covering a total of about fifteen kilometers.


    He ate two slices of ham pizza at Joisce Pizza, then continued running back.


    Passing by the public pier, a pleasant guitar sound wafted through the wind, adding a touch of elegance to the early morning by the sea.


    As he ran past the pier, he saw a girl in a long blue dress sitting on the redwood deck, holding a guitar, one knee curled up, the other leg dangling in the air, casually swinging, wrapped in white gauze.


    Golden hair lifted by the sea breeze revealed a fair and rosy side face; it was Taylor Swift whom he had seen yesterday. She was staying at the Hyatt Grand Hotel in Palm Beach, not far from here.


    "Hi, Link!"


    The girl suddenly turned her head, flashing him a smile.


    "Hi!"


    Link waved, slowing down his pace, and asked, "The wind is strong here, want to go sit inside the store?"


    "Sure!"


    Taylor nodded, set down her guitar, and, holding onto the railing, slowly stood up.


    Link walked onto the pier, helped her with her guitar case, and held her arm with one hand.


    Back at the store, Link had showered, changed into fresh clothes, and cooked two steaks and squeezed two glasses of orange juice in the kitchen, which he took to the storefront.


    Taylor, with her leg propped up, sat in the beach chair playing the guitar, with manuscript paper and a pen on the table, seemingly working on a new song. Seeing him bring over the food, Taylor put down her guitar and thanked him.


    "Do you go for a run every morning, Link?"


    Taylor eyed his muscular arms, which even a loose T-shirt couldn''t conceal, revealing his pectorals and abs, looking incredibly sexy, which made her take a few more glances.


    "Almost, unless it rains."


    "I''m the same with playing guitar every day, though I prefer rainy days. Sitting behind the window watching the rain, I feel more inspired."


    Taylor curved her lips, gesturing with her fork.


    "Writing songs on rainy days? Sounds very atmospheric."


    Link smiled, used his knife to cut the steak into pieces, and began stuffing his mouth with relentless forkfuls, swallowing an eight-hundred-gram steak within two minutes.


    Since crossing over, not only had his physical condition doubled, but so had his appetite; he needed a lot of food each meal to feel full. James called him a bottomless pit.


    By the time he had finished, Taylor had eaten only half of her small steak.


    "I don''t cook often, so the taste is average. You can leave the rest if you can''t finish it."


    Link said, looking at her plate.


    "Not at all! It''s delicious."


    Taylor shook her head, her golden ponytail swaying. She gestured towards the ocean and the beach, smiling slightly, "I just find it all very romantic. Sunrise, the ocean, white beaches, palm forests, and having breakfast face-to-face with a handsome guy¡ªit feels like I''m in a movie."


    Link gave a slight laugh. It did sound nice, but he felt the greatest romance for a man was on the boxing ring, delivering a ferocious Swing Punch that knocked the opponent out completely¡ªnow that was romantic.

 Chapter 003 She is too terrifying

    The sun came out, and a few scattered people began to appear on the beach for a stroll.Fat James rode his pedal scooter over from the seaside boulevard and was so surprised to see the two sitting together for breakfast that he almost tumbled off his scooter.


    Link didn''t bother to explain much, packed up the plates, re-hung the diving gear he had cleaned the day before in the cupboard, and the torn wetsuit needed to be sent back to the factory for repairs, yet another expense.


    After finishing breakfast, Taylor sat under the parasol, staring blankly at the distant sea, occasionally snapping back to reality and strumming a sequence of notes on her guitar, which she then jotted down on manuscript paper.


    "Link!"


    James nudged his shoulder and, looking towards the entrance at Taylor Swift, whispered, "Do you know, she''s actually a singer, and quite famous too. I saw her poster in the bar street yesterday, saying she''s participating in the beach music festival at the Hard Rock Stadium this month, with posters featuring Tim McGraw, Faith Hill¡ªall big stars."


    "I saw it too."


    Link shrugged his shoulders; the Miami Beach Music Festival was a major event with wide publicity, and posters had been visible recently all over Palm Beach''s streets and alleys.


    "Link, I checked her info online, she''s released albums, almost won the Grammy for Best New Artist this year, and the news says she''s a very talented songwriter with huge potential, will be a big star like Faith in the future."


    "She probably will."


    Link nodded his chin; Taylor would not only become a big star but also the brightest star in the music world, a billionaire, the epitome of beauty and wealth, a very successful woman.


    Fat James looked at him with sympathetic eyes, patted his shoulder, and said, "Link, she''s a big star, and we''re just ordinary people. Your meeting is destined to be a tragedy. You should be prepared mentally, and don''t be too sad when you get dumped in the future."


    "That won''t happen, I''m not an ordinary person."


    Link tossed the rag into James''s arms and walked with two bottles of water to the parasol.


    "Water!"


    "Thanks!"


    Taylor put down her guitar and tilted her head to look at him, "Do you know how to play guitar?"


    "No! I''ve never learned an instrument."


    Link looked at his hands, used for mining and pushing carts, for taking punches and throwing them, but devoid of other skills. Looking at Taylor''s pale, slender fingers, he couldn''t help but feel ashamed.


    "How about I teach you? The guitar is very simple." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor didn''t wait for his refusal, full of enthusiasm, she sat next to him, placed the guitar in her lap, took his fingers, and started explaining every string''s pitch, the high and low sound areas, and how to coordinate the fingers.


    But she quickly became disappointed, not only was Link''s sense of music poor, he didn''t understand the slightest music theory, and his fingers were stiff as steel rods, resisting any attempt to bend them.


    After half an hour of teaching, Link couldn''t even distinguish the simplest high and low notes, and Taylor was almost infuriated to death.


    "Why are your fingers so stiff, can''t you relax them a bit?"


    "Pay attention, can you stop fidgeting your legs?"


    "Wrong, you''re supposed to press the second string, that''s the low sound area, you are so clumsy."


    Taylor covered her forehead and lay back in the beach chair with a face full of despondence.


    James stood behind the counter, laughing heartily.


    "Forget it, forget it, my fingers are too stiff, not suitable for playing guitar."


    Link said with a wave of his hand and a smile.


    His level of education wasn''t high, nor was his appreciation for aesthetics. When he used to train for boxing, he''d listen to some upbeat songs but didn''t understand music theory, and he had never touched a musical instrument. Asking him to play guitar was harder than trying to compete for the boxing Golden Belt.


    Taylor saw his embarrassed face and found it amusing. Holding back laughter, he said, "How can you give up just because you''ve hit a little difficulty? If you can''t learn, you can learn slowly, but if you give up, you''ll never learn. Come on, let''s continue. Don''t worry, this time I''ll control my temper, and I won''t get angry with you."


    Link had no choice but to keep practicing. Even though Taylor had promised not to lose her temper, after only three or four minutes, her temper flared up again. She waved her fists in front of his face, almost hitting him several times.


    Link practiced until he was sweating profusely, while James, the chubby one, laughed until he bent over backward.


    Fortunately, business came to the shop¡ªa customer needed a dive guide to tour the underwater coral reefs.


    Link breathed a sigh of relief, seized the opportunity to put down the scorching guitar, let Swift continue composing, and took the customers for a dive. He would practice again when he got back.


    "Haha, Link, I told you before, she is a tough girl, very tough. I learned that myself yesterday,"


    James, the chubby one, joined in with a schadenfreude laugh.


    Link put on his diving gear, started the speedboat at the dock, and took the customers for a tour around the sea, visiting nearby coral reefs and sunken shipwrecks.


    The two customers were very entertained and gave a hundred US dollars in tips afterward.


    When Link returned, Taylor had already left. James said Taylor''s mom had come to pick her up in her car, so she''d gone home, but Taylor said she would be back tomorrow. She felt that composing by the beach was great.


    With few customers in the afternoon, Link ate a grilled meat meal at the Mexican restaurant next door, woke up from his nap, and began to practice boxing.


    In his previous life, his innate physical conditions were poor, with malnutrition, a height of only 171 centimeters, a small skeletal frame, which resulted in insufficient body storage of power and not enough explosive force.


    In boxing matches, he could only rely on tenacious willpower, nimble speed, and a super strong ability to take punches to wear out his opponents.


    At middleweight and welterweight ranks, he achieved decent results, but moving up to light heavyweight, facing taller and stronger opponents became extremely tough.


    After crossing over, his physical fitness was on par with top athletes.


    He was 186 centimeters tall, had a wingspan of 192 centimeters, weighed 78.7 kilograms, could jerk 132 kilograms, snatch 141 kilograms, swim 100 meters in under 20 seconds, and run a kilometer in 6 minutes 34 seconds.


    Moreover, in this month of training, his strength, speed, and reaction abilities were still slowly improving. His body was becoming stronger and stronger.


    Link decided to continue to train and see just how much potential he had.


    "Link, we need to pay the management fees,"


    James, the chubby one, said while munching on a hot dog as he was training, "This month''s utility bills, sanitation fees, public service fees, dock usage fees, venue fees, etc., add up to eight thousand seven hundred US dollars, and our income this month is 14,540 US dollars."


    "Sounds like it''s not too bad."


    Link did sit-ups hanging upside down from the iron rack, exercising his abdominal and lower back muscles.


    "Not too bad? How do you hear that as not too bad? I haven''t even included the equipment repair and wear and tear costs. With those, our net income this month is less than three thousand. If we pay ourselves salaries, we''re down by tens of thousands this month, do you realize that?"


    "Don''t worry, as long as we''re not losing money, that''s good,"


    Link panted as he spoke.


    "But we can''t go on like this. After October, there will be fewer divers, business will get even worse. Link, what do you think about selling hot dogs?"


    "You know how to make hot dogs? I remember that dive shops can''t sell food."


    "What about bikinis, eh? Hehe, bikinis are part of the diving gear too."


    James, supporting his double chin, imagined the scene of the shop being crammed with bikini-clad women, letting out a series of weird chuckles.


    "Stop dreaming, let''s just focus on making the dive shop work. We can earn money slowly."


    Link continued his upside-down sit-ups on the iron rack, determined to first get back the six-pack abs from his former life.

 Chapter 004 Battle in the Ring Again

    In the afternoon, Mike from the neighboring surfboard specialty store came over and said, it was the second anniversary of his shop''s opening and he invited the neighbors to celebrate at the bar, Link and James happily accepted the invitation.The bar street is one of the busiest places in Miami''s Palm Bay area, surrounded by the largest Latin community in Miami with a permanent population of over 200,000; there are also two villa resorts in the vicinity with populations around 50,000.


    The bar street features many ballrooms, casinos, nightclubs, clubs, and restaurants, densely packed with buildings and large crowds.


    Since he often hung out nearby in the past, Link was quite familiar with the area.


    As they arrived at the western end of the bar street, he suddenly remembered a nearby boxing bar that used boxing matches as its selling point, occasionally inviting boxers to compete on stage, attracting hundreds or even thousands of spectators each time.


    Link decided to take a detour and check it out.


    Hearing his suggestion, James and Danny from the neighboring hot dog shop followed him on their bikes to the boxing bar.


    The sign at the entrance of the boxing bar was a giant red boxing glove that emitted red light at night, and there were many photos of boxing champions posted on the corridor leading to the entrance.


    There were photos of classic champions such as Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Michael Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Mayweather, Roy Jones, and others.


    There were also rising champions from recent years and famous figures in the boxing world like Terence Crawford, Andre Ward, and Edison Miranda.


    Compared to the star-studded ''70s and ''80s, today''s American boxing scene was lacking in promising newcomers; active fighters were mostly in their thirties or forties.


    The reasons were complicated, related to the era, current entertainment consumption, promotional methods, boxing rules, but mainly because there was a general lack of strength and no one capable of unifying all four major organizations.


    Looking at the photos on the wall, Link said to James and hot dog shop''s Danny,


    "Do you believe that my photo will also hang here one day?"


    "Haha, stop dreaming, this isn''t your living room,"


    James said, pushing his shoulder and walking inside.


    "Link, sticking up a big headshot doesn''t count, I could do that too."


    Danny from the hot dog shop teased.


    "Just wait and see,"


    Link said, waving his fist and pushing open the glass door of the bar. A huge wave of sound accompanied by heat and the smell of alcohol hit them.


    "Hit him! Don''t let him cling!"


    "Mario, stop backing up, punch him now! F*ck, f*ck, you can''t box at all!"


    "Mario, you wuss, just quit and go home to drink milk!"


    The trio walked into the bar during a match. Two burly boxers were hugging each other, crammed against the rails, being separated by the referee in the ring. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The area around the ring was swarming with about a thousand people, mostly adult men who became very irritable after drinking; they would curse loudly and vent their dissatisfaction if the boxers were fighting passively.


    "It''s lively here, we should have come earlier. Mario you wuss, get down from there!"


    James shouted along without even recognizing who Mario was.


    "Don''t shout randomly."


    Link said, plugging his ears, and sat on a stool at the bar, observing the two fighters in the ring.


    Both were Latin, weighing around 90 kilograms, heavyweight fighters.


    One had a fierce look and a bulky body with a belly like a punching bag, this was the Mario the audience was cursing; his opponent was a muscular bald strongman.


    During the fight, the bald strongman attacked relentlessly and effectively, while Mario kept dodging and switching positions, often using clinching tactics, and only occasionally attacking, a very conservative style.


    This was the reason the audience was displeased; in a venue like this bar, people preferred a thrilling fight. The more spectacular the fight, the more they enjoyed it, and defensive tactics were unpopular here.


    However, to Link, Mario moved strategically and defended appropriately, clearly having professional boxing training, whereas the bald strongman''s approach was more amateurish, lacking plan and tactic, merely squandering his strength.


    If nothing unexpected, Mario would win this match.


    Indeed, in the fifth round, Mario launched a successful sneak attack with a jab that knocked the bald strongman to the ground, who struggled a few times but failed to stand up.


    Mario won the match.


    "Second round, who wants to challenge Mario on stage?"


    The ring referee shouted into the microphone to the entire audience.


    The boxing bar''s competition rules were interesting.


    The bar owner would place a cash box on the boxing ring containing 200 US dollars in cash.


    If patrons wanted to watch a boxing match, they would put money into the cash box, and every time the cash box accumulated 1000 dollars, the bar would announce a boxing match.


    The boxer who won three consecutive matches that night could take all the money in the prize pool, regardless of gender and weight class, the strongest took the money and left.


    "I''m in!"


    A sturdy black man took out a hundred US dollars and threw it into the cash register, with the help of the bar staff, put on a mouth guard and boxing gloves, and got on stage.


    The second match started, and the black man, obviously well-prepared, swung his fists and bombarded Mario''s head with punches after they tapped gloves.


    In the first round, Mario was knocked down twice, In the second round Mario managed not to fall, In the third round the black man''s strength gradually waned, In the fourth round he was knocked down by Mario once, and in the fifth round Mario won the match.


    The black strongman was carried off the boxing ring.


    "Next match, who else wants to challenge Mario Joao?"


    The ring referee shouted.


    After two fights, the bar patrons knew that Mario was no weakling, and those who had been ready to get on the stage were hesitating.


    "Hey, who wants to come up and challenge me?"


    Mario, having won two bouts in a row, was high on morale; he stood on a corner post, swinging his fists and shouting down to the crowd.


    "You call me a wimp, why don''t you dare come up? Ha ha, you are the wimps, all of you are wimps."


    Mario held his fists and laughed loudly.


    Link glanced at him, then at the cash register full of small change, and pulled a hundred US dollars out of his pocket.


    "Link, what are you doing, that''s not a donation box."


    James asked, puzzled.


    "I''m going up to box."


    Link pointed to the boxing ring.


    "Are you crazy?"


    James widened his eyes and said, "You don''t think that doing a few sit-ups at home and playing around with a skipping rope means you can box? Boxing isn''t as simple as you think."


    "Link, go ahead, I''m already calling you an ambulance."


    Danny from the hot dog stand took out his phone, pretending to say.


    Link gave the two a glance; he had planned to ask them to bet on him to win some pocket money, but since they looked like they deserved a beating, he let it go.


    Link squeezed through the crowd to the front, threw a hundred US dollars into the cash register, took off his shirt, put on hand wraps and boxing gloves, and climbed onto the ring.


    "Wow, it''s a pretty boy."


    "Is he going to donate money?"


    "Hey, buddy, get down, don''t embarrass yourself."


    The audience started shouting loudly.


    Link waved his fists at the crowd below to shut them up.


    "Hey kid, are you sure you want to fight me?"


    Mario crossed his arms and sized him up a few times, saying, "My punches could be deadly."


    "Mine can be too."


    Link held up his fists and said.


    "Hmph, tough-talking kid, I''ll show you what happens to braggarts in a bit."


    Mario bared his teeth and said menacingly.


    "Place your bets! Place your bets! Betting on the pretty boy to win, ten times the odds, ten times the odds! Guys, don''t miss out on a great opportunity to make money."


    The bar''s bookie shouted aloud.


    "Ten times the odds? Bet one dollar to make ten, James, should we try it?"


    Danny from the hot dog stand said, somewhat tempted.


    "Bet on who? Bet on Link? Have you gone crazy too? Do you think he can beat Mario?"


    James gestured with his hands at the two men''s builds; although Link had a muscular physique with broad chest and six-pack abs, he was clearly much smaller compared to Mario, who was bulky and resilient like a weeble.


    "Let''s try it, as a way to support Link."


    Danny took out two bills from his pocket and said.


    "Fine, I''ll also bet two dollars, I''ll eat one less hot dog tomorrow."


    "You could eat one less sandwich."


    Danny from the hot dog stand took the money to the bookie to place their bets.

 Chapter 005 The Return of the Boxing Champion

    During the intermission of the match, the bar''s betting booth allotted ten minutes for patrons to place bets, as well as for the boxers to rest.However, for Link''s match, ten minutes seemed too generous. After he stepped into the ring, the betting booth only received 13 US dollars betting on his victory, clearly everyone knew Link couldn''t win, and nobody wanted to throw their money away.


    On the boxing ring, after the rest period, Mario approached Link and the two stood face to face, both about 186 centimeters tall. Link was lean with muscles, but not bulky, whereas Mario was chubby with a barrel waist and round arms, resembling the hind legs of a bull.


    Standing together, they looked like a bodybuilder and a sumo wrestler.


    "Hehe, kid, you''re dead meat,"


    Mario adjusted his gloves and grinned chillingly as he sneered.


    "If you''re ugly, don''t smile like that; it makes you look even uglier,"


    Link said calmly.


    "What did you say, fatso?"


    Mario, enraged, swung his fist to hit him.


    Seeing this, the referee hurried over to hold him back.


    "Kid, you''re dead meat, I swear to God,"


    Mario cursed, gasping for breath.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and looked at him with disdain, which made Mario clench his mouth guard in fury, wishing he could charge over and beat him up right then.


    The referee began announcing the rules of the match.


    No pushing, pulling, biting, choking, no groin kicks, no use of head, shoulders, or elbows to strike the opponent... Allowed striking areas include the front and sides of the head, above the waist, and the front and sides of the upper body, but striking the arms doesn''t score points... When the referee shouts BREAK, one must stop and step back, otherwise, they lose.


    The coach primarily addressed Link, worried that he was too amateurish and might use forbidden moves in the heat of the match.


    Link nodded, fully understanding.


    "Boxing (start)!"


    After the announcement, the referee swung his right hand downward and the match began.


    "Mario, punch his face, I''ll buy you a drink."


    "Mario, knock him out in one round, or you''re a wuss."


    "Come on, Link, protect your nose."


    Once the match started, patrons began their wild cheers, shouting all sorts of gibberish.


    In the crowd, there were some more professional spectators, such as West Corian, who was Mario''s coach.


    Right after the match began, he could tell Link wasn''t a rookie. Seeing Link''s relaxed body, naturally hanging arms, orderly footwork, and agile movements, he appeared to be a trained boxer.


    "Mario, be careful, don''t underestimate him!"


    West Corian stood up and shouted loudly.


    Unfortunately, it was too late.


    Mario, abandoning his usual conservative style, chose to go on the offensive immediately after the match began. He pressed forward two steps in the middle of the ring, directly charging at Link.


    Seeing that Link didn''t dodge in time, Mario was overjoyed and roared as he swung his fist at Link''s handsome yet annoying face.


    It was a jab, fast and fierce, and tricky to deal with; if hit, Link''s nose could likely be broken.


    The moment Mario threw his punch, West Corian''s eyes widened in shock; he saw Link barely moving his shoulders, just slightly tilting his head, and narrowly, skillfully dodging Mario''s fist, as if he had completely anticipated Mario''s attack angle.


    However, what happened next was even more shocking to West Corian: as Mario''s fist brushed past Link''s hair, Link''s left fist eerily appeared next to Mario''s side face, which Mario was utterly unprepared for.


    "Mario..."


    Bang!


    Before West could shout ''watch out'', Link''s swing punch slammed hard into Mario''s face, causing the flesh on his face to ripple impressively.


    Spit! A pink mouthguard flew out of his mouth with saliva, glowing semi-transparent under the incandescent lighting.


    Mario''s body skewed, staggering a few steps before crashing down on the canvas, raising a cloud of dust.


    "..."


    The venue fell dead silent.


    Thousands of spectators stood in shock, necks tilted at a 45-degree angle, mouths agape in an ''O'', staring stiffly at the ring.


    "...seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!"


    As the referee counted down for the lying Mario, the audience gradually thawed from their frozen states.


    Boom!


    "That white-faced kid won?!"


    "How is that possible, he''s so skinny, how could he knock out Mario with one punch?"


    "Who is that white-faced guy?"


    "He''s called Link! Link Baker! He''s my buddy."


    James''s chubby cheeks flushed with excitement as he repeatedly shouted Link''s name, hands raised high.


    "Link won? That''s incredible."


    Danny also roared excitedly,


    "Link, you''re the best!"


    Looking at the crowded crowd beneath him and hearing their cheers, Link''s heartbeat accelerated, feeling as if he was back on the old boxing ring, with the audience, the ring, the opponent, and himself, as if nothing had changed.


    He liked this feeling, loved the sensation of knocking down his opponent, and receiving the cheers.


    Link vigorously waved his fist.


    "I declare, the winner of the first match is... Link Baker."


    The referee raised Link''s arm.


    "For the second match, does anyone want to challenge Link?"


    "I''ll go, he just got lucky knocking down Mario."


    "He won by a sneak attack, he''s not that great, I could take him down too."


    "He isn''t as strong as me, he can''t be that good, if I had 100 US dollars, I definitely could beat him badly, does anyone want to sponsor me with 100 US dollars?"


    The crowd was noisy, many wanting to go up and beat him, but only five people holding hundred-dollar bills came up to the ring, queuing up below the ring. The first to step up was a muscular Latin man with a boa constrictor tattooed on his shoulder.


    The strong man, towering over 190 centimeters, thickly muscled, and broad-shouldered like a door, approached with a daunting presence.


    "Hey, kid, beating Mario by luck means nothing, believe me if I say I''ll finish you in one round?"


    Boa Constrictor Strong Man provocatively swung his fists and said.


    "Don''t believe it? The only hard thing about you is your mouth; you are even softer than Mario."


    Link looked at him with a contemptuous gaze.


    "Fuck! Kid, you''ve pissed me off," he said, "I said one round, and one round it will be¡ªif it goes over one round, consider it my loss."


    Boa Constrictor Strong Man roared, swinging his fists.


    Link curled his lips into a smile.


    The referee came over, announced the rules of the match, and the match began.


    "I''ll kill you!"


    Without touching gloves, Boa Constrictor Strong Man, as soon as the match began, swung his fists as large as sandbags, fiercely aiming for Link''s forehead.


    "Watch this!"


    From below, West Corian yelled to Mario, who had just come around.


    Leaning in his chair with an ice bag on his forehead, Mario was dazed; his face was no longer fierce as he squinted toward the boxing ring.


    Boa Constrictor Strong Man attacked Link''s head aggressively, but Link agilely tilted his head, dodging his opponent''s straight punch.


    "Look at his right hand," West shouted.


    Mario''s eyes widened. While he was focused on Link dodging the deadly move, he suddenly noticed Link''s right fist had unexpectedly reached his opponent''s face.


    Bam!


    Link''s hook punch intimately met Boa Constrictor Strong Man''s jaw.


    Struck in the chin, Boa Constrictor Strong Man''s head jerked backward, spewing a mist of water as he stumbled three steps backward and fell onto the boxing ring, the huge man crashing down, creating an astonishing visual effect.


    "...."


    The crowd was silent for two seconds, then exploded with noise.


    "KO, another KO."


    "How is it that move again? Does he only know that one?"


    "Link, the boxing king! Link, the boxing king!"


    James and Danny were ecstatic, wrapping their arms around each other and jumping into a Cuban salsa dance in the crowd.


    "Another punch?"


    Mario stared dumfounded, his ice bag unknowingly slipping to the ground.


    "Another one-punch KO! But this wasn''t just any punch. His speed, strength, reflexes, boxing technique, and boxing awareness all came through in that one punch. He is no ordinary boxer."


    West Corian''s gaze heatedly fixed on Link in the boxing ring, recognizing that Link had the potential to be a top-tier boxer, possibly even a champion.


    He wanted to become Link''s coach, to train him to be a boxing king, but the eagerness cooled in an instant; a boxer of Link''s caliber couldn''t possibly lack coaches.


    "West, is it possible that he only knows that move? If I prepare in advance and adopt a defensive strategy, he couldn''t possibly knock me out with one punch," Mario said, feeling his coach might be ''switching allegiances.''


    West shook his head, "With his speed and strength, breaking through your defense wouldn''t be hard. With his capability, among amateur boxers I know, he could definitely rank in the top ten."


    "West, you''re exaggerating. If he were that great, would he be participating in this match?" Mario retorted with a sneer.


    West furrowed his brows, puzzled why a boxer of Link''s caliber would be here.


    The third match was about to start.


    The third challenger was a fit, muscular black man in white shorts, bouncing around the ring, appearing very agile.


    "Haha, Link has met his match; this round he won''t win so easily," Mario laughed and clapped his hands.


    In the ring, the third match began. Link touched gloves with the boxer in white shorts, who didn''t wait to be hit but quickly stepped back, circling around the edge of the ring, refusing to engage with him.


    "Johnson, keep running, don''t let him catch you!"


    "Johnson, you''re the sprint champion."


    "Link, take him down!"


    Link smiled at the man in white shorts¡ªexcept for being agile, this one was even weaker than Mario and Boa Constrictor Strong Man in other aspects; overtaking him in speed would make it easy to handle.


    Taking advantage of the moment the man in white shorts reached the corner, Link stepped forward, rushed to his opponent''s side, causing him to jump and raise his fists to guard.


    Link opened up his opponent''s defense with a jab then, taking advantage of his guard being down, followed up with a swing punch to his face.


    Bam!


    The glove struck the side of the white shorts'' temple, causing him to stagger a few steps, crash into the ropes, struggle for a few moments, then fall through the gap in the ropes onto the floor.


    "Wow!"


    "Another one-punch KO!"


    A gasp burst from the crowd.


    The audience, realizing his formidable ability and strength, started to cheer and shout his name as they applauded. No sneaky tricks were needed for him to win.


    "Link has won!"


    "The kid with the white face has won, he''s really amazing."


    "Fighting three opponents with just one punch each, I bet he''s definitely a professional boxer."


    "I declare, the champion of this month''s Red Glove Bar Boxing Match is... Link Baker!" the referee announced, raising Link''s arm.


    "Boxing king Link!"


    "Boxing king Link!" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crowd roared loudly.


    Link closed his eyes, listening to the cheer below. He felt his spirit lighter and more lively than ever.


    "I am boxer Link, not diver Link; I should walk my own path."


    Link''s eyes snapped open, and a determined look crossed his handsome brows. He decided to continue boxing, to continue the path from his past life and fulfill the goals he hadn''t achieved¡ªto become a boxing king and a legend in the boxing world.


    "Boxing king Link!!!"

 Chapter 006 Come On, The Boxing Ring Needs You

    Leaving the boxing bar, James laughed loudly on the street, having just bet two US Dollars on Link and won twenty US Dollars.In the second round, Link''s odds fell to 1:2; he continued to bet on Link, turning twenty into forty, an easy gain of forty US Dollars, and Daniel did the same.


    However, Link earned the most that evening. The base prize money for the competition was 1000 US Dollars, with a total of eight people competing, bringing the prize pool to 1800 US Dollars.


    In less than half an hour, he had earned 1800 US Dollars. Although that couldn''t match Tyson earning 20 million in 90 seconds or Mayweather making 250 million in 36 minutes, it was a good start.


    "Hey, Mr. Link Baker, please wait a moment!"


    Hearing someone shout, Link stopped his car and turned to see an elderly, thin man stepping out of a car, wearing a baseball shirt. The old man was a short, lean, Hispanic black man with sunken cheeks and age spots on his cheekbones, but a kindly face.


    Although the old man was advanced in age, he was sprightly and spoke with a loud voice.


    Following him was a fat man with a face full of fleshy folds, none other than Mario, who had just been knocked down by Link in the ring. Seeing Link, Mario snorted heavily and turned his face away.


    "Mr. Baker, can we have a chat? My name is West Corian, and I''m a coach at the West Fight Club," he said.


    West Corian handed him a business card.


    Link took the business card and said hello.


    "Link, which club do you train at? Who is your coach? Maybe I know him," West asked.


    "I don''t have a coach at the moment; I practice on my own at home."


    "Haha, nonsense! You mean to say you achieved that performance practicing on your own, and the rest of us from fight clubs are just rubbish?" Mario said, rolling his eyes.


    James chuckled, "I can testify that Link just practices casually, jumping rope and doing sit-ups. He''s never been to a fight club or even on a ring before. Today was his first time. And Link managed to beat you on his first try, so you really are a bit..."


    Mario''s face fell, and he shut his mouth, not speaking any further.


    West Corian, looking even more eager upon hearing this, said, "Link, it would be a real waste if someone with your talent didn''t pursue boxing. I would like to invite you to my gym to train. What do you think about that?"


    Link saw from the business card that West''s Fight Club was also located in Palm Beach, not far from the coast, and thought that training there might be a good option.


    Coach West, what are the fees at your boxing gym?"


    "Two thousand US Dollars per month, plus separate charges for equipment and food. Fees should be paid at the beginning of each month without any delay," West explained.


    Mario snorted.


    "No no, no charge, not one cent," said Coach West, pushing Mario aside.


    "What are you saying?!" Mario exclaimed, his eyes wide with dissatisfaction. "You said I had good potential and need to pay a thousand each month. Why doesn''t he have to pay anything?"


    "Shut up!" West shot a glance at him and, smiling, asked Link, "What do you think?"


    "Sounds good, I''ll come check out your gym tomorrow."


    "Good, I''ll be there all day tomorrow; you come anytime. I''ll wait for you," Coach West said, grabbing Link''s hand and shaking it vigorously, his attitude very sincere.


    Link and his friends had to rush to a party, so they said goodbye and rode off on their bikes.


    Mario''s voice of discontent rose again.


    "Why? Why can he train for free and I can''t? West, this isn''t fair." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t complain. He''s a genius. He managed to knock you out, someone who''s trained for three years, just through self-practice. He deserves special treatment."


    "Genius? Hmph, wait till he comes to the gym tomorrow. I''ll beat him so bad he''ll be crawling on the floor looking for his teeth, then you''ll see who the real genius is," Mario said, clenching his fists.


    West shook his head, opened his car door, and said, "If Link decides to join the gym, you''ll be his sparring partner."


    "What?!"


    Mario''s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at West, unable to accept what he was hearing. When he had joined the fight club, he had quickly become its pillar, West''s own son, with other boxers merely his sparring partners. Now that Link had arrived, he was reduced to being a sparring partner?


    Is this what life is? So cruel?


    "Yes, Link is very skilled, his speed and power are at the professional boxer''s level. You being his sparring partner will speed up your improvement. Don''t forget, champions John Ruiz was once a sparring partner for Lewis, McCall for Tyson, and Larry Holmes for Ali. Being his sparring partner isn''t a demotion, it shows how much I value and want to train you."


    "Hmph, why can''t he be my sparring partner?"


    Mario complained.


    West glanced at him and said ominously:


    "Link''s punches are quite heavy, you probably can''t handle them. Maybe I should consider finding him a more skilled sparring partner."


    Mario opened his mouth to speak, okay, so I don''t even qualify to be his sparring partner.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Link, James, and Daniel went to the Pink Lover''s Bar for the surf shop''s second anniversary celebration, where a group of people drank, hooked up, and got high. They had a blast.


    Link didn''t want to harm his body, and so he declined drugs, alcohol, and junk food. He felt somewhat out of place at the party and went home to sleep before nine o''clock.


    Ding-dong! Just as he lay down in bed, he received a MSN message from the newly added Taylor.


    "Did you go to sleep yet?"


    "No, I just came back from the bar."


    Link talked about the surf shop''s celebration next door, and Taylor shared about her rehearsals at the Hard Rock Sports Gym, saying rehearsals were exhausting, even more so than the live performance, but the thought of singing on stage made her happy.


    Link laughed, he felt the same way on the boxing ring.


    The next day, he got up early to run on the seaside boulevard, and around nine, Taylor waved at a middle-aged woman on the seaside boulevard, carrying a natural wood guitar and walking across the sandbar.


    She had changed into a white strapless dress with a light blue belt, her tall and slim figure blossoming, her hair tied into a loose ponytail, swaying as she walked. Seeing him at the door, she smiled and waved.


    "Link, are you waiting for me here?"


    "Yes, I guessed you''d come around this time,"


    Link said with a smile.


    Taylor smiled faintly and began to teach him how to play the guitar.


    The two sat on a blanket facing the sea. One patiently taught, and the other grimaced as he learned, both earnest but making slow progress. Taylor initially managed to keep her annoyance in check, but later gave up and punched him in the shoulder muscles.


    "Wow, so sweet, are they dating?"


    Danny from the hot dog stand came over licking an ice cream and asked.


    James looked up from the Playboy magazine, glanced at the man and woman on the beach, and said with a sneer, "No, they''re just having guitar lessons."


    "Doesn''t look like it. Taylor almost leans into Link''s arms. Could it be a teacher-student romance?"


    The two exchanged glances and burst out laughing.


    Link had no time to worry about the teasing behind his back, his focus entirely on the six guitar strings and dealing with Taylor to avoid her criticism.


    After two or three hours, he roughly understood the difference between the strings and the positions of the CDEFGAB notes, but he was far from being able to play a complete song.


    During practice, he noticed something odd¡ªTaylor seemed to be moving closer to him intentionally, initiating some physical contact, which made him somewhat uncomfortable, not knowing whether he should accept Taylor''s advances.


    Taylor was beautiful and a major star; having her as a girlfriend would likely be great.


    But after Taylor became famous, she''d had a prolific romantic life; her ex-boyfriends could form a soccer team, comparable to being a sea queen.


    Link didn''t think he was her match in that aspect, so he was extra careful in how he interacted with her.


    In the afternoon, Taylor''s mother, Mrs. Andrea, came to pick her up for rehearsals. Seeing Link, she gave him a deep look that made his scalp tingle; dealing with these women felt more challenging than fighting for a championship in a steel cage.


    After sending Taylor off, Link also rode his scooter to West''s fight club to check in.

 Chapter 007 Joining the Boxing Gym

    ```"Mario, did you skip breakfast or something? Put some muscle into it, be decisive with your punches. If you fight like this, you won''t be able to take a single punch from Link even after ten years of training."


    "West, don''t talk about that jerk Link. I underestimated him yesterday and wasn''t prepared. Give me another match, and I won''t lose."


    "Stop talking and focus on your practice."


    At the West Fight Club''s second-floor training area, next to the boxing ring, Mario is sparring with a boxer in a black tank top, while Coach West, wearing a white baseball shirt and holding a notebook, is instructing from below the ring.


    Link walked around the boxing gym to check out the environment and the training equipment.


    Yesterday, Coach West had chased after him to persuade him to join, and he had thought West was just a coach from a small gym. It turned out to be more formal than he''d expected.


    The facility was three stories high, with a steel frame structure and glass curtain walls, allowing plenty of natural light. The first floor contained the office space and cafeteria, the second floor was for training, and the third floor had dormitories and offices, complete with an elevator for moving between floors.


    The training area, next to the boxing ring, was equipped with rubber punching bags, speedballs, resistance bands, heavy bags, barbell racks, and more, with all the necessary equipment available. Over a dozen young people were strength training, creating a lively atmosphere in the gym.


    "Link, this is a photo of Coach West from his days as a boxer."


    An employee of the gym was following Link and explained. This person had approached Link as soon as he entered and identified himself as the gym manager, Robinson, who offered to show him around, especially the wall of honor.


    On the gym''s wall, there were photos of a young West Corian competing in boxing matches.


    In his youth, West was a middleweight boxer who trained in the same gym as Roy Jones Jr.''s father.


    He made his debut in the early seventies and, in 1978, competed against the champion, Sugar Ray Leonard, for the WBO middleweight Golden Belt, ultimately losing. Sugar Ray was the first boxer in history to accumulate over 100 million US dollars in prize money from matches, a testament to his formidable strength.


    Manager Robinson also shared that in the early eighties, Coach West retired and began coaching. Having nearly thirty years of coaching experience, he was well-seasoned.


    "Pretty good. Has the gym produced any successful boxers?" Link inquired.


    "Yes! Of course!" Robinson quickly listed several boxers'' names that Link had never heard of in either of his lives.


    Only one, Robert Allen, was somewhat well-known, having contended against the champion Bernard Hopkins for the IBF middleweight Golden Belt in 1999, but he failed and later became a second-tier boxer before retiring.


    Seeing Robinson''s disappointed expression, Link laughed and said, "No worries, now that I''m here, you''ll have a champion."


    Manager Robinson looked at him, unsure if he was serious or joking, but could only agree that it would be wonderful.


    "Haha, Link, you''re here," Coach West laughed heartily as he approached, pretending as if he had just noticed him. In fact, he had been informed of Link''s arrival as soon as he had walked in, but figured showing off the gym''s honors was more fitting for Robinson to do.


    "Link, what do you think of this place?" Coach West asked, gesturing to the clean and orderly gym. It was usually a mess, but last night he had summoned everyone in the gym along with four hourly workers to stay up and clean, making it look not so bad.


    "It''s very good, very official," Link nodded affirmatively.


    Coach West chuckled, "Link, I''m glad you like it here. Practicing boxing at home is nothing compared to training at a gym. Here we have the equipment and sparring partners. Join West Fight Club, and I''ll do everything I can to support you, providing the best training facilities and environment, as well as logistical services. What do you say?"


    Seeing him hesitate, West added, "Service at the gym will be free until you fight in professional matches, and after you start competing professionally, the coaching team will only take a 5% share of any prize money you win."


    Link thought for a moment.


    The offer from Coach West was indeed generous.


    In the boxing world, it''s standard for a boxer''s coaching team to receive between 1% to 15% of the athlete''s match prize money after turning professional, with the proportion depending on the team''s contribution.


    Moreover, a coach plays an essential role in a boxer''s development.


    Apart from regular training and developing workout plans, a coach also works to address a boxer''s weaknesses and enhance their boxing techniques.


    During matches, the coaching team develops effective fight strategies and, at critical moments, can even throw in the towel to save a boxer''s life.


    A good boxing coach can make a boxer''s career.


    For instance, Mike Tyson''s coach, Cus D''Amato, is widely considered the maker of Tyson''s career. It is often said that if D''Amato hadn''t passed away in 1985, Tyson''s peak could have extended well beyond the year 2000.


    ```


    There was also Evander Holyfield''s coach, Lou Duvall.


    Lou Duvall was one of the founding veterans of the Boxing Hall of Fame, the owner of a major event promotion company, and had produced nineteen champions including Evander Holyfield and Whitaker.


    Compared to these renowned coaches, West Corian''s track record was somewhat less impressive, but Link didn''t mind.


    His strength and speed were steadily increasing during training, and he would become stronger and stronger in the future. He didn''t need to worry too much about competitions yet; what he needed was a proficient logistics team, a guide to lead him into the boxing circle.


    Having been in the boxing ring for over thirty years, West Corian must have had an experienced operation, and even if it was lacking, it was okay. There would be time to replace him later.


    "Coach West, pleased to be working with you."


    Link reached out and said.


    "Haha, Link, the pleasure is all mine."


    Coach West grabbed his hand and gave it a firm shake, then shouted toward the boxing ring and training area, "Everyone, stop! Let me introduce this gentleman, Mr. Link Baker, He is a new member of our fight club. His boxing skills are outstanding. Last night at the Red Glove Bar, he KO''ed Mario with a single punch."


    "Wow!"


    "Really?"


    A wave of exclamations erupted from the crowd, as everyone looked at Link in surprise and then turned their curious glances to Mario, asking if it was true. Could he really not handle even one punch, was he that weak?


    Mario''s face turned beet red, he had wanted to keep this news under wraps but hadn''t expected West to publicly spill the beans, leaving him without a shred of dignity. It was too humiliating.


    He shot West an irritated glance and then looked at Link, his eyes shifting as he shouted, "Don''t laugh at me, everyone. This guy Link is very tough; he''s a heavy hitter. West said that none of us could withstand a single punch from Link, and said that Link could become a champion in the future. Do you know that Link doesn''t have to pay a US dollar for food or clothing here?


    West is planning on spending his own money to train him."


    Everyone''s expressions changed when they looked at Link, as nobody liked an outlier appearing in their group. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mario, stop talking nonsense here."


    Coach West scolded.


    "No, I''m not talking nonsense, West, that''s exactly what you told me."


    Mario crossed his arms and turned his face away in disdain.


    Link smiled slightly and picked up a pair of boxing gloves, saying, "Mario, we are boxers, talking loud doesn''t count for anything; being able to fight is what really matters. How about we have another match? I hope this time you don''t go down so easily."


    "Fine, Link, today I''ll show you what absolute defense is."


    Mario swung his thick arms excitedly and bellowed.


    Bang!


    Thirty seconds later, Mario''s face heavily hit the boxing ring.


    This time he was very careful, guarding his head with his arms from start of the match and keeping a close watch on Link''s fists, ready to defend himself with full attention at every movement of Link''s shoulders.


    Unfortunately, his defense was still not stringent enough; Link only threw a combination of punches, first hitting Mario on the ribs, which forced Mario to shift his weight down, the second punch landing on the left side of his jaw, making him off-balance, and the third punch brought him down to the ground.


    Mario lay on the ring, eyes rolling back, and less than twelve hours later, he again experienced the feeling of dizziness.


    It felt terrible.


    Fortunately, this time Link held back and didn''t inflict too much damage. After lying on the ground for a few seconds, Mario glared at Link and walked off the ring in frustration.


    West laughed heartily and said to the four adult boxers around, "Why don''t you guys go up and spar with Link? Experience what it''s like to fight a high-level boxer."


    The four adult boxers lined up to practice with Link. Since it was sparring practice, he didn''t throw hard punches and went for five or six rounds with each, outclassing them with his skill and stamina, leaving them breathless and their footwork disorganized until they had to admit defeat.


    "Link, you bastard, why do you fight four or five rounds with them, but only one round with me? Are you worried that if the fight drags on, you won''t have enough stamina and end up losing to me?"


    Mario sat below the ring, shouting as he held a water bottle.


    Link felt somewhat helpless; Mario had been KO''ed twice and still wanted to save face with words. He could only reply noncommittally, "That''s right, your stamina is strong, and I need to be quick to defeat you."


    "Haha, I knew it! Link, next time I''m going to fight you for twelve rounds."


    Mario, waving his fists, shouted excitedly.


    Link smiled. Despite his fierce look, this guy was quite endearing at heart.

 Chapter 008 Career Planning

    "Link, you''re only twenty years old? That''s surprising."In the office, Coach West Corian was looking through the filled-out data card and was surprised to see his birthdate in February 1989.


    "Don''t seem like it?"


    Nursing a citrus-flavored lollipop, Link raised his handsome eyebrows and smiled.


    "Haha, it''s not about your looks; young boxers are usually more flamboyant on stage, showing their emotions openly, but you''ve always been quiet, very composed. I thought you were older," Coach West praised.


    Link smiled lightly. He didn''t consider himself composed; he just didn''t think defeating a few ordinary people was worth boasting about. There was no need to get too excited.


    If he had beaten a current champion of the WBA-WBC-IBF-WBO, fulfilling his dream from a previous life, he would definitely have roared out in excitement.


    "West, I have two prison records. Will that affect my amateur competitions?"


    Link pointed to the criminal record section on the data card, which listed two entries: his former self had been sentenced to three months in jail and 200 hours of community service for theft and fighting.


    It was his predecessor''s crimes, and now he had to take the blame.


    West looked at it, also somewhat surprised. He had thought Link was a good kid, but seeing the criminal record, he could only sigh that appearances can be deceiving.


    "It won''t affect the amateur competition, but if you later achieve notable results in boxing, these records will be exposed by the media and add some scandals to your name."


    "Scandals are fine, notoriety is still fame," Link replied nonchalantly, not caring about how becoming famous would affect him. He continued, "West, I plan to fight in amateur competitions for six months and enter the professional boxing scene next year. What do you think?"


    "Only six months of amateur competitions?"


    West was taken aback for a moment and said, "Link, isn''t that too hasty? Although amateur boxing isn''t as tough as professional boxing, there are still some strong contenders there. Competing in amateur fights is also a form of training, just like Holyfield. He fought in 160 amateur competitions and honed his skills significantly, which is why he performed so remarkably in professional matches."


    "West, I understand what you mean, but I am confident in my abilities," Link asserted.


    Seeing West was about to advise further, Link raised his palm to stop him and said, "West, I have a suggestion. Let''s set a period of six months, and I will participate in as many amateur competitions as possible. If I lose any match, I''ll delay going into professional boxing, but if not, then we will proceed as I suggested, entering the professional scene after six months."


    West Corian thought for a while, and decided that this arrangement could work.


    If Link managed to continuously win in the next six months, it would show that his abilities were enough to handle professional matches. Staying in the amateur circle would be a waste.


    But he didn''t believe that Link would last six months undefeated, and once Link stepped into the professional ring, he would realize just how many skilled fighters there were.


    "Alright, I''ll arrange for you to participate in the amateur competitions as soon as possible. Use this time to train hard," West encouraged.


    Link nodded affirmatively.


    Boxing is divided into amateur and professional competitions.


    Amateur competitions include Olympic boxing, continental sports competitions, world championships, and the Golden Gloves event among others.


    Professional competitions mainly refer to matches initiated by international professional boxing organizations and are regulated and managed by them.


    The four major boxing organizations with the heaviest gold content in the boxing world are the World Boxing Association (WBA), World Boxing Council (WBC), and International Boxing Federation (IBF), and the World Boxing Organization (WBO).


    There are also many smaller professional boxing organizations like the IBO, WBF, IBA, NBA, and so on.


    Each professional boxing organization has its own distinct rules, constitutions, and forms of competition.


    Amateur competitions are supervised and managed by the sponsors of the sports events, whereas professional events are regulated by professional boxing organizations.


    Additionally, a clear difference between them is their degree of commercial involvement.


    Amateur competitions are not highly commercialized and boxers mainly compete for honor.


    However, professional boxing is highly commercialized, involving extensive promotion and advertising before matches, ticket sales and pay-per-view fees during events, and post-match publicity¡ªall are part of the commercial operations.


    The competition between boxers is mainly for monetary rewards; honor is secondary. Just like boxing champion Floyd Mayweather once said to his old opponent De La Hoyle, ''You want to fight me? Sure! But if it''s not for a hundred million US dollars, please don''t bother calling me.''


    The promotional boxing companies take their profit-maximizing mindset to the extreme; without money, one shouldn''t even dream about competing against their boxers. This approach is also why the American boxing scene has experienced a decline in recent years.


    Link wants to move into professional boxing sooner, to make the most of the North American boxing scene before it''s beyond salvage, and earn more US dollars. With enough money, challenging other champions would also be easier.


    ¡ª


    "Mario, are you alright?"


    On the boxing ring, Link put on his boxing gloves again, practicing boxing. When he suggested doing sparring, Mario volunteered to be his sparring partner.


    Link said his punches were quite heavy and asked him to wear a boxing headgear for protection. Mario insisted he didn''t need it, confident he could handle it, inviting Link to attack at full strength.


    But it was only a little while before Mario was sent sprawling.


    "I''m fine, I can do this,"


    Mario shook his head to clear it, struggling to rise from the ground, his knees almost giving out as he nearly collapsed again.


    "Mario, put on the protective gear. If you don''t want to, let Reggie spar with Link," Coach West called out.


    Mario snorted disdainfully and reluctantly put on a high-elasticity foam headgear and body armor, protecting his head and body. With the protective gear, Mario''s already substantial frame looked even bulkier.


    "Haha, Link, come hit me now, I can definitely take your punches," Mario taunted, tapping his padded headgear with his fists and smiling.


    Link smiled lightly, raising his fists, and continued to attack Mario.


    With the protection of the sponge headgear, Mario''s resistance to being knocked down greatly increased; he wouldn''t easily fall anymore.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Link swung his fists recklessly, using straight punches, hook punches, jabs, swing punches, and throwing punches, five basic punching techniques, along with combinations of these punches, one move after another, as he delightfully hammered away at Mario.


    After more than an hour of training, Link''s muscular back was drenched in sweat, and Mario lay straight out on the ground, gasping for breath.


    "Link, are you a beast? Why are you so strong?"


    Mario said weakly.


    Previously, when Mario had competed against Link, he thought Link''s strength was just ordinary. Having trained with Link for over an hour, he realized just how terrifying Link was. His fists were like hammers, fast and ruthless, and even with protective gear, one would be forced to keep retreating.


    This guy is a beast.


    "I''m just naturally strong."


    "You rest for now; I''ll go train on the rubber target."


    Link handed Mario a bottle of water and stepped down from the boxing ring.


    The other boxers saw Mario, even with protective gear, being thrown around by Link, and they couldn''t help but look at him with admiration.


    Mario weighed 208 pounds and was a heavyweight boxer, while Link weighed 168 pounds, fitting into the super middleweight and light heavyweight class, yet he still managed to knock down Mario across weight classes, showing incredible strength.


    Coach West saw Link knock down Mario and laughed happily.


    The power Link had demonstrated was greater than he imagined, and his speed was faster. His execution of combination punches was also very proficient, akin to that of a seasoned old boxer. His mindset and boxing awareness were extremely savvy too.


    West felt like he had struck gold, a mine with vast reserves.


    "West, you''ve seen my technique; do you have any suggestions for improvement?"


    Link wiped the sweat from his neck and chest with a towel.


    West pondered for a moment,


    "Link, your combination punches are fantastic, but there are a few minor issues. Have you noticed them?" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What issues, West? Feel free to tell me."


    "When you compete, you have these little movements like lifting your knee, swinging your elbow, or stepping up. Have you trained in mixed martial arts before?"


    West asked.


    Link nodded his head.


    These weren''t habitual movements from practicing mixed martial arts, but behaviors formed from fighting too long in underground boxing rings.


    Underground boxing matches focus more on visual spectacle and are laxer in regulation; as long as there aren''t any major fouls, most things aren''t considered violations.


    This tolerance led to boxers frequently using dirty tricks. Having fought in underground rings for nearly ten years, Link had developed some bad habits.


    But he was also trying his best to restrain them.


    "West, I used to fight a lot on the streets where I didn''t pay much attention to rules, but I''ll be more careful from now on."


    "Good, keep practicing."


    Feeling he still had strength to spare, Link continued practicing his boxing on the human-shaped rubber target.


    The human-shaped rubber target was harder than a human body; only wearing hand wraps, it was tough on the hands, yet the rubber was quite durable and needn''t worry about breaking, making it very satisfying to practice on.


    As Link practiced his punches, West and the boxing apprentices stood at a distance watching him. Seeing him unleash furiously on the rubber target with loud bangs, watching the target keep shaking, they couldn''t help but marvel.


    Legend has it that back in the day, Tyson often knocked out his sparring partners and shattered the targets during practice. Link was almost doing the same¡ªcould Link become a boxer as formidable as Tyson?


    Mario watched with a twitch in his eye; it was too brutal. If Link had fought like that in the ring just now, he would have probably been knocked down long ago.


    "Everyone, stop watching and go train."


    West waved his hands and shooed away several boxers and boxing apprentices.


    "His build doesn''t look very strong, how is he so formidable?"


    Mario said enviously.


    "That''s talent, something you can''t envy."


    West also felt envious. If only he had Link''s talent back in his day, he might not have spent ten years boxing without even winning a single Golden Belt.


    "Mario, you''ve seen Link''s strength; his power and speed are outstanding even among professional boxers. If you could train with him for three years, winning a continental boxing championship in the future wouldn''t be difficult."


    West said.


    Mario scratched the flesh on his face, "West, have you considered another possibility? If I train with him for three years, I might end up getting killed by him?"


    "It''s possible, so whether you want to be his sparring partner is up to you."


    West patted Mario''s shoulder and then left to arrange a match for Link.


    Mario watched Link''s retreating figure, clenching his fists tightly, annoyed at himself for being too weak to withstand Link''s attacks, forcing him to use the rubber man, which was a failure of a sparring partner''s duty.


    "Link, I''ll continue to be your sparring partner tomorrow."


    Mario shouted with all his might.


    "Heard you, no need to shout that loud!"

 Chapter 009 Driving for Taylor

    After training, Link got his phone in the boxing gym''s changing room. There were two messages from Taylor Swift sent an hour ago asking what he was doing and mentioning something about her rehearsal.Link thought about it and decided to call Swift directly.


    "Hello, this is Taylor''s mother; she''s in the middle of rehearsal and can''t take your call right now."


    Mrs. Andrea''s voice came through the phone receiver.


    "Hello, Mrs. Andrea, this is Link. May I know when Taylor will be finished with her rehearsal?"


    Link politely inquired.


    "I''m not sure at the moment."


    "Okay, I''ll contact her later then."


    The call ended quickly on the other end with a sound from Popo. Link felt that Mrs. Andrea didn''t quite like him, her politeness tinged with aloofness.


    But it didn''t matter; he wasn''t planning to chase Mrs. Andrea, so he didn''t need to curry favor with her.


    Link replied to Swift''s message and then rode his motorcycle around the City of Miami.


    Having been in Miami for just over a month, except for Palm Beach, he had not visited other places. With the weather being nice, he thought it would be good to look around.


    Miami is the most populous city in Florida, at the southeastern corner of the United States map, comprising three counties: Miami-Dade, Broward County, and Palm Beach County.


    The beach where Baker''s little shop is located is in the middle of the outer beaches of Palm Beach County, known as the Gold Coast for its high-quality sand.


    Miami is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Gulf of Mexico to the west, lying within the subtropical monsoon climate zone. With year-round temperatures above 15 degrees Celsius and only two seasons, winter temperatures are also relatively warm.


    With its warm and humid climate, luxuriant vegetation all year round, and air untouched by industrial pollution, Miami is known as the Garden City and the retirement center of America, "God''s Waiting Room."


    Miami is also an international metropolis and the Latin America headquarters for many multinational companies, including Disney, ExxonMobil, FedEx, Microsoft, Oracle, Sony, and others, holding significant status in finance, business, media, entertainment, arts, and international trade.


    Last May, Miami was ranked as the cleanest city in America by Forbes magazine, and this March, it was rated by UBS as the wealthiest city in the United States and the fifth wealthiest globally.


    In Palm Beach''s Gold Coast, skyscrapers, five-star hotels, upscale resort condominiums, and oceanfront villas can be seen everywhere, with luxury cars on the streets more densely packed than at a luxury car expo.


    Link rode his little motorcycle weaving through the luxury cars, and as he passed the Trump International Hotel, his phone buzzed twice.


    "You''re practicing boxing? Why are you practicing boxing?"


    "I can box too, maybe we can spar sometime (fist fist ha ha)."


    Link looked at the message and smiled. Swift was quite cute when she wasn''t angry.


    "I practice boxing because I like it, and the dive shop business is just okay¡ªI''m planning to be a part-time boxer to earn some extra money."


    "I won''t fight you, you''re a girl, and if I hit you, you''d probably cry for a long time."


    Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~


    Taylor sent several more messages in quick succession, telling him that boxing wasn''t a good choice, it was too dangerous, and also said that his voice was very nice, very magnetic, suggesting that he could consider becoming a singer.


    A singer? Link laughed out loud. It was true that he had a decent voice and could sing well, but he couldn''t read music, not even a simple score. Relying on singing for his livelihood was too difficult¡ªunless Swift invited him to team up with her, with Swift singing and him in charge of "yeah!"


    "Miss Ivanka, here is your car key."


    As he was replying to Taylor''s message, a waiter in a red shirt brushed past him, holding out a set of car keys to a woman coming out of the hotel.


    Link glanced up, and his blue eyes gleamed, a bit dazzled by her.


    The woman was tall, around 180 centimeters, almost as tall as Link in her sharp high heels. She wore elegant sunglasses, a sea-blue blouse, and a black skirt, curving strikingly both at the front and the back, the weighty parts wearisome to look at.


    Although Taylor was also 180 cm tall and had a nice figure, his development was still no match for the woman in front of him.


    Link felt that the woman looked somewhat familiar, and as she passed by, he called out, "Miss Ivanka, I''m a fan of yours, could you give me an autograph?"


    The woman stopped in her tracks, looked back at him, and seeing a handsome guy with a good-looking appearance, she laughed and said, "Are you my fan?"


    "Yes, I''ve read about you, and I think you''re a very intelligent woman."


    "Thank you!"


    The woman said politely with a smile.


    Link fumbled in his pocket and, with regret, spread his hands, "I forgot to bring a pen, Miss Ivanka, please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Link Baker, and I''m an excellent boxer."


    "A boxer? Are you any good?"


    The woman adjusted her glasses, looked him up and down with a smile, and said.


    "Yes, Miss Ivanka, before long, you''ll see me on TV and in the news, and they will call me the Boxing King."


    Link said confidently, lifting his handsome eyebrows.


    "Haha, you''re quite amusing, goodbye, Mr. Boxing King!"


    With a wave of her hand, the woman got into a red Ferrari Enzo parked at the curb, started the car, and the wind blew her blonde hair as she drove away.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, regretting not having brought a pen; Ivanka''s autograph could probably sell for a few dozen US dollars in the future.


    He suddenly hit his forehead, once he became the Boxing King, earning tens or hundreds of millions of US dollars for a match¡ªwhat would a few dozen dollars matter? Indeed, it''s hard to shake off the mindset of the poor. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The rehearsal is almost over, I''m going to grab some food. There''s an Italian seafood restaurant next to the arena; their shrimp soup is really amazing. Do you want to try it?"


    Taylor sent a message asking.


    "Sure, I''ll be there in ten minutes."


    Taylor''s rehearsal venue was at the Hard Rock Stadium, located in the wealthy community of West Palm Beach, with the best environment, convenient transport, and close to the beach, also known as Miami''s garden.


    It took Link eight minutes to reach the east gate of the Hard Rock Stadium.


    This stadium is home to the Miami Dolphins, the NFL team, making it the largest and most luxurious stadium in Miami with a capacity of 65,000 people, two to three times larger than the Miami Heat''s home, the American Airlines Arena.


    The stadium was busy with people coming and going for the music rehearsal.


    Many music fans were sitting on the grass in front of the stadium, holding posters of stars like Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, and waiting for their idols to appear from the stadium, including a few Taylor''s fans.


    After waiting for over ten minutes at the gate, Taylor emerged discreetly from the east door, wearing a pink baseball cap, a printed T-shirt with jeans.


    "I saw your fans, turns out you''re quite the star."


    "Of course, didn''t you know before?"


    Taylor said with pride, tilting her chin up a bit, a playful look on her delicate face.


    "I knew, just didn''t expect your popularity to be this high."


    Link smiled, revved the throttle hard, and with a roar, the motorbike sped off onto the street.

 Chapter 010 The First Date

    Taylor mentioned that the seafood restaurant was not close to the stadium, over three kilometers away, opposite the Hilton Hotel on West Palm Beach. It was a lobster restaurant called Joyce Brothers, with luxurious d¨¦cor and high-end style.The restaurant specialized in lobster and stone crab, sourcing ingredients straight from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico right outside.


    In the Palm Beach seafood market, a large lobster cost just over ten US Dollars per pound, but in this restaurant, a serving of stone crab and lobster soup was 180 US Dollars, a serving of baked cheese lobster was 125 US Dollars, and a serving of marinated oysters with jasmine was 35 US Dollars.


    However, the taste was indeed very good, retaining the freshness of the original ingredients while perfectly blending the flavors of the accompaniments, making the texture richer and layered.


    Listening to the violin performance in the restaurant and having a glass of Fiano white wine, spending a few hundred more US Dollars seemed very worthwhile.


    Link had trained in boxing all day and was famished. As soon as the lobster was served, he switched into glutton mode, ceaselessly stuffing food into his mouth, while Taylor ate and talked, not as interested in the food on the table as he was.


    "Link, among female singers, whose songs do you like the most?"


    Taylor asked, propping her cheeks with her hands.


    Link paused, putting down his fork, and thought for a moment, "Whitney Houston, Shania Twain, Alison Krauss, oh, and yours; all your songs are great."


    "Hmph, did you include me out of politeness? I can tell,"


    Taylor pouted slightly, dissatisfied with his answer.


    Link shook his head and chuckled, "No, I listed them in the order they debuted. Your songs are great, and I believe you will be just as awesome as they are one day."


    "Thank you!"


    Taylor smiled happily, "How''s your boxing training going?" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not bad, I''m doing intensive training. I plan to compete in amateur matches soon and enter the professional boxing scene next year. My coach says I have good technique and stand a chance at the Golden Belt," he replied.


    "That amazing? When you compete, I''ll be there to cheer you on,"


    Taylor said, shaking her fist with a laugh.


    Link clasped his fist and bumped hers.


    After eating, Link rode his motorcycle with Taylor, cruising leisurely down the streets and stopping to enjoy any pleasing scenery they came across.


    Walking hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder with her gave him the illusion of being in a relationship, but unfortunately, Taylor showed no intention of going to a hotel, and he felt it wasn''t right to bring it up himself.


    By around eight o''clock, Taylor''s phone rang for the fourth time. It was a call from Mrs. Andrea, telling Taylor that Miami was not safe at night and insisting she come back early. Her tone was stern.


    Link had no choice but to ride his motorcycle to drop Taylor off in front of the Hyatt Regency Hotel.


    Just as they reached the hotel entrance, Mrs. Andrea hurried out from the lobby, gave only a nod to Link, and pulled Taylor into the hotel.


    Link waved goodbye to Taylor, then rode off on his little motorcycle.


    "Mom, Link is my friend; you shouldn''t treat him with that attitude,"


    Taylor said angrily, throwing down her hat.


    "Taylor, I know it''s not right, I''m just very worried about you. You''ve only known Link for a few days and don''t really understand him. I don''t advise you to get too close to him,"


    Mrs. Andrea picked up the hat and followed her into the elevator.


    "Mom, are you trying to interfere with my personal life? I''m nineteen years old, I''m an adult,"


    Taylor said, pressing her lips together defiantly.


    Mrs. Andrea shook her head and said with a smile, "Taylor, I have no intention of interfering in your personal life. I''m just offering some advice from an adult''s perspective. You''re a singer, a celebrity star, in Miami only to attend a music festival, and you''ll be leaving in a few days.


    "Link is an ordinary person who will spend his life by the sea. If you like him, you should keep your distance and not get too close, to avoid giving him unrealistic hopes.


    "If you don''t like him and just want to talk to him, perhaps seeking inspiration for your songs, then forget I said anything."


    As the elevator slowly ascended, Taylor thought it over seriously and felt that she did like Link after all. First of all, he was very handsome, cool, his body covered in muscles, very strong, like a mysterious special agent from a Hollywood movie. Being with him would probably be very interesting.


    Mrs. Andrea glanced at her and gently stroked her back, saying softly, "Taylor, there''s something you have to understand. We live in Nashville and will go back once the music festival is over. Getting involved with him is not suitable. My suggestion is to maintain a distance, to stay just friends.


    If you want to find a boyfriend, you could look within the music circle, where you''ll have more in common."


    "Mom, I understand, I know what to do," Taylor replied.


    Taylor waved his hand and walked into the room.


    Mrs. Andrea watched her daughter''s retreating back and shook her head.


    She didn''t think Taylor would have a good outcome with that diver.


    Although Taylor was serious and somewhat keen on Link, she was a smart kid and would soon realize that she should invest more energy into her music. After all, music was her life, not Link.


    .....


    Upon returning to Baker Diving Shop, light shone through the glass storefront.


    "Why are you just getting back now? Went on a date?"


    James asked, holding up his dripping hands.


    Link looked at the freshly cleaned wetsuits and smiled, "Seems like business wasn''t too bad today."


    "It could have been better. Two customers needed divers, but you weren''t here."


    James cast a complaining glance at him, then suddenly sniffed and charged over with the hose still in his hand.


    "What''s that? Smells great."


    Link placed the restaurant takeaway box on the counter, which was originally packed for his breakfast the next day. Now that there was a gluttonous fatso here, tomorrow''s meal plan needed reconsidering.


    "Joyce''s restaurant takeout box? You went over to Palm Beach? I heard that restaurant is expensive. How could you afford to eat that kind of food?"


    As James spoke, he swiftly opened the box and, finding the lobster inside still hot, lifted it out and started eating it with gusto. He exclaimed how delicious it was and ended up devouring everything, soup included.


    Link shook his head; the more this guy ate, the fatter he got, and the fatter he grew, the more he ate. He was on his way to becoming spherical.


    After finishing, James sat on the sofa, patting his chubby belly contentedly, and said, "Had I known, I wouldn''t have had Danny''s discount hotdogs this afternoon. Who did you eat with? Taylor? How much did it cost?"


    "Over eight hundred,"


    said Link, rinsing salt from the wetsuits with a hose.


    "Over eight hundred? Are you out of your mind? Can''t make ends meet anymore?"


    James tried to sit up with an effort, having eaten too much. He propped himself up on the sofa like a pregnant woman trying to get up.


    "Is eight hundred a lot? Do you know how much little Roy Jones makes from a boxing match? At least two million, he won''t fight for less. Mayweather gets even more. I will earn much more in the future; there''s no need to worry about this little amount of money,"


    Link said with confidence.


    "Psh!"


    James rolled his eyes and, washing his hands under the hose, said, "I could say the same¡ªknow how much Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks get for a movie? At least fifteen million. In the future, my fees will be higher than theirs.


    But we both know that''s just a joke, Link. You can''t think you can beat professional boxers just because you''ve won against a few lousy fighters in a bar. That''s impossible; we have to face reality."


    James dried his hands with a towel, "Like with you and Taylor. She''s a star, and you''re just a regular person. There''s a huge gap in your lifestyles. Eating with her, eight hundred dollars a meal, have a few more and you''ll be on the streets."


    "Link, listen to me. Let''s just run the shop quietly, make money gradually, and not mess with other stuff. It''s all useless."


    James paused for a moment, poking his chubby face forward to look at him, "Are you listening to me?"


    "You can go now."


    Link aimed the hose at his face. James got a face full of water, looking at him with a sense of being wronged. He wiped his face with a towel, grabbed his keys, and the trash bag and left.


    After cleaning a few sets of diving equipment, Link dried and disinfected them and also took a hot shower.


    He got into bed after nine, Taylor had sent two messages. The first said she would have a full-day rehearsal tomorrow and couldn''t come to teach him guitar. The second one wished him a good night.


    Link also replied with two messages, stating he would go buy a guitar tomorrow, and wishing Taylor a good night as well.


    The next day, Link continued to wake up early, run with weights, practice boxing¡ªlife was simple, tranquil, yet peaceful.

 Chapter 011 The Golden Glove Championship

    Bang bang!Above the boxing stage, Link and Mario continued their training.


    With Mario''s cooperation, he kept changing the mode of attack: Jab, Straight Punch, Left Swing Punches, Upper Hook Punches, Lower Throwing Punches.


    He used to be short, and his best was the Jab. The Jab emphasized speed, taking opponents by surprise, not as fierce as the Straight Punch and Swing Punch. However, by quickly striking the effective areas of the opponent''s body, one could win by points.


    Now that he had grown taller and heavier, his strength had also increased, and his arms were much longer than before, so he needed to make some adjustments to his attacking methods.


    While ensuring that his Jab remained sharp, he was intentionally strengthening the training of his Straight Punch, Swing Punch, Hook Punch, and Throwing Punches.


    In Combination Punches, he also used more Straight Punches and Swing Punches, which inflicted greater damage, able to deliver a knockout blow at crucial moments.


    After training for over an hour, both were drenched in sweat.


    The weather in Miami was quite humid, and it was necessary to maintain ventilation indoors to feel refreshed.


    The ventilation in the boxing gym was comprehensive, but with a large amount of exercise, their clothes would get wet and then dry, then wet again, forming a layer of sweat salt on their T-shirts.


    After a short break, he began to be Mario''s sparring partner.


    Mario led the offensive, while he focused on defense.


    For a Boxer, offense and defense are equally important. A boxer who is good at both offense and defense tends to last longer in the professional Boxing scene.


    In the last thirty years, the boxer who did best on the offensive end was undoubtedly Tyson.


    Tyson''s offensive capability was extremely strong, always moving forward, never retreating. His Boxing moves were clean, punches fierce, and full of wildness, with great spectator appeal, and he was considered the most aggressive boxer in the history of world professional Boxing.


    On the defensive end, Tyson''s old rival, Evander Holyfield did well.


    Though Holyfield was also a power boxer, his defensive skills were exceptionally exquisite.


    In the WBA Golden Belt title defenses of 1996 and 1997, Holyfield used his powerful defensive counter-attack tactics to defeat Tyson twice in a row, driving Tyson to the point of biting ears.


    Link was a power boxer, but he wasn''t sure if he could cope with those professional boxers solely with power after switching to the professional ring.


    To be safe, he prepared to excel both offensively and defensively, shaping himself into a well-rounded hexagonal warrior.


    "Hey! Link, Mario, stop training for a second. Coach West is back with something fun."


    While they were training, a fellow boxer, Reggie, excitedly ran over and called out.


    "What is it?"


    Link and Mario stopped their hands and jumped off the boxing stage.


    The three of them headed to the training area together, where Coach West, Manager Robinson, and the apprentices were all gathered, closely observing a machine that was over two meters tall and box-shaped.


    "Wow! It''s a punching power testing machine!"


    Mario shouted exaggeratedly, pushing through the crowd, rushing excitedly to the machine, and exploring it up and down before turning around and looking at Coach West with a puzzled face.


    "West, I''ve been telling you to buy one of these for a long time, I''ve told you dozens of times but you never bought it. Why did you buy it now? Wait a minute, is it because of Link?"


    Mario sat down on the ground with a plaintive tone and said, "West, I''ve been trying to convince you dozens of times and you didn''t buy it, but the second day Link comes, you move the machine into the boxing gym. This blatant favoritism, this is discrimination, naked discrimination, do you understand?"


    West glanced at him with a dark face and said, "It was purchased a long time ago, but it was only delivered today."


    "You think I''ll believe that? It wasn''t delivered earlier or later, but precisely when Link comes, they deliver it. Did the machine manufacturer also know that a talent came to our boxing gym and urgently needed this machine for training?"


    Mario teased huffily.


    Manager Robinson laughed and said, "Mario, it''s true. The punch power testing machine factory is in Nevada. If it was bought yesterday, it definitely wouldn''t have arrived today."


    "Ah, seems so."


    Mario and the others accepted this explanation and felt much better.


    West and Robinson exchanged looks and smiled tacitly.


    The machine was indeed bought long ago, but the boxing gym was not thriving, and they were too lazy to set it up for Mario and the others to use recklessly. But it was different with Link.


    Link was a boxer with great potential. As long as it could help with his training, they didn''t mind investing more.


    "Step aside, let me check how much my punch weight is."


    Mario pushed a few onlooking apprentices away, clenched his fists the size of sandbags, roared, and smashed them heavily onto the testing target of the machine.


    Thud!


    The target rebounded, and the digits on the screen started to change, rolling up from one hundred pounds swiftly to seven hundred pounds before finally settling on a round figure of 780 pounds.


    "780 pounds? Haha, Link, come and test yours," Mario called out.


    Link waved his hand, letting the four other Reggie fellows test first. He wanted to see if this testing machine was accurate.


    The four boxers took turns to test, and apart from Reggie, who hit 620 pounds, the scores of the other three were in the five-hundreds.


    "Link, it''s your turn, hurry up and punch."


    Mario urged.


    Link put down his notebook, stood in front of the machine, clenched his right fist, and struck the punch target powerfully. The numbers on the screen tumbled quickly, and everyone stared at the screen with wide eyes.


    As the data surged past 1000 pounds, everyone shouted in surprise, with Link''s punch weight finally stabilizing at 1430 pounds.


    "Wow, 1430 pounds, I''ve heard Tyson could only hit 1800 pounds at his peak, and Holyfield 1600 pounds. Link''s almost catching up to them," Mario exclaimed.


    "No, no, Link is a Middleweight, Tyson and the others are Heavyweights. A Middleweight''s punch weight''s almost catching up to the weight of Heavyweight champions, that''s incredible," Reggie looked admiringly at Link.


    The other boxers and apprentices looked at Link with worshipful eyes, feeling as though a boxing champion was right there among them.


    Link smiled slightly, knowing that a punch strength tester could only estimate the value of a boxer''s punch at the moment of the punch. It was a measure, not the actual 1400 pounds.


    ```


    Furthermore, in a boxing match, opponents are living people, who will move, dodge, and block, unlike punch targets that just stand there waiting to be hit.


    To successfully land a 1,400-pound punch on an opponent requires a certain level of skill.


    The knockouts (KO) that occur in the ring are mostly due to failing to defend against an opponent''s heavy punch, being struck directly in the head, leading to unconsciousness.


    This is also why the boxing world places significant importance on KO probability; the more often a boxer KOs their opponents, the greater their strength and the better their technique is considered.


    Although the data from this machine is not very precise, it is a decent tool for measurement.


    As his strength slowly increased in training, having this machine would allow him to better understand his own growth and devise corresponding training plans.


    "West, I''m going to measure a few more times to see what the average is,"


    Link said.


    "Okay,"


    West took out his notebook and began recording the test results.


    On the punching power test machine, Link struck it 10 times within three minutes. His best score with the right punch was the third at 1,480 pounds; the worst was the ninth at 1,130 pounds, with an average of 1,350 pounds.


    His left hand''s best was 1,310 pounds, the worst was 880 pounds, with an average of 1,020 pounds, showing a significant disparity from his right hand.


    This means that on the boxing ring, if he were to deliver ten punches, his right hand''s power could remain above 1,100 pounds, and his left hand''s, above 1,000 pounds.


    If one of these ten punches were to hit the opponent''s head, the opponent would be knocked out.


    Given the speed and technique Link displayed, the chances of all ten punches missing were very slim. In the future, his probability of knocking out competitors in matches would be extremely high.


    Link took the notebook to review the main data, remembering them so that he could measure his progress monthly.


    "Link, I want to measure too. You record it for me,"


    Mario clamored.


    "Start."


    Drawing a deep breath, Mario roared and then pounded punch after punch.


    He, too, struck the testing machine continuously 10 times.


    The punching sounded earth-shattering, but the recorded data was less than ideal.


    The best score was 810 pounds, the worst was 420 pounds, with an average just under 600. These numbers were decent for amateur matches, but for professional competitions, the appearance fee would definitely not exceed one thousand dollars.


    "Why is there such a huge difference?"


    Mario looked at Link with envy, his average being less than half of Link''s, as if it would take two of him to equal one Link.


    "I was born strong; you don''t need to be so envious," Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link said with a smile.


    Hearing this, Mario grew even more envious. Being naturally gifted meant that no matter how much one trained, they couldn''t achieve it, just like telling a monkey that one is born intelligent. Link was really good at putting others down.


    "Don''t be envious, just train more often, and someday you''ll catch up to Link,"


    Coach West interjected, addressing the others, "Continue with the measurements, and remember to turn it off afterward. Link, let''s talk in the office."


    "Okay!"


    Link nodded and followed Coach West to the office.


    Standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in Coach West''s office, one could see the Miami Zoo and Botanical Garden, a pleasant environment.


    "Link, take a look at this,"


    Coach West handed over a document.


    It was the application form for the American Golden Gloves Championship.


    The Golden Gloves Championship is the highest level of amateur boxing in America and, along with the National Amateur Boxing Championships and the National Olympic Boxing Trials, is one of the three major amateur boxing events.


    In some ways, the Golden Gloves Championship is considered more important than the latter two.


    Famous boxing champions such as Ali, Tyson, Joe Louis, and George Foreman all achieved remarkable results in the Golden Gloves Championship before turning professional.


    The Golden Gloves Championship is also regarded as the essential pathway for young American boxers to enter the professional boxing world.


    It''s an excellent platform.


    "Link, this year''s Golden Gloves Championship starts in early June, just ten days from now. It''s a good opportunity for you if you want to become famous early,"


    West said.


    Link tapped his chin thoughtfully, pulled out a pen, and began filling out the application form.


    Participants of the Golden Gloves Championship must be American citizens, aged between 18 and 39, and non-professional boxers.


    There are four levels of competition.


    The first level is local; all registered competitors first compete in their city, with the top three moving on to the state championship.


    The state championship is the second level.


    The third level consists of regional competitions: the Eastern, Southeastern, Northwestern, and Central districts. The top four from each region qualify for the National Golden Gloves Championship.


    The first three levels are elimination rounds.


    The fourth level is the finals, where boxers from the four regions compete for the top three spots, with the champion winning the Golden Gloves Trophy.


    The competition dates are from June 3 to June 12.


    The finals are to be held at the American Airlines Arena in Miami.


    Link would not need to leave Miami to participate in the match.


    That was good news.


    ```

 Chapter 012 The Competition Begins

    After deciding to participate in the Golden Gloves Championship, Link devoted more time to training.The Golden Gloves Championship was an excellent promotional platform. During the competition, various boxing promotion companies focused on the event to pick potential newcomers for training, much like a talent or beauty pageant.


    Link wanted to achieve not just good results in the competition, but also to showcase his tremendous potential, so that major promotion companies would come to him, checks in hand, seeking collaboration.


    The better his performance, the higher the signing bonus he would command¡ªhe wanted to give it his all.


    During his training period, the Miami International Beach Music Festival was held at the Hard Rock Gym. For five days before and after the festival, country music artists from America, Canada, and Europe performed.


    According to the Miami Herald, this year''s beach music festival had 214 artists registered, attracting a total of 1.241 million visitors, making the event extremely lively.


    After his daily training, Link would visit various subvenues to listen to live performances by the singers and watch them play the guitar.


    Sometimes, he would invite Taylor along, but her frequent performances, coupled with Mrs. Andrea''s intentional and unintentional attempts to keep them apart, meant that they hardly saw each other during the festival.


    While strolling together a few days earlier, he thought they were in a relationship, but after not seeing each other for a few days, it seemed they had reverted to just being friends.


    Upon hearing this, James laughed out loud three times, saying he had expected it all along, as they were never suited for each other.


    Link couldn''t afford to wallow in disappointment¡ªthe Golden Gloves Championship was starting soon. If he wanted to establish a foothold among the plethora of talent in the American boxing scene, he had to demonstrate sufficiently eye-catching strength.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Link gripped his fists and punched the rubber bag vigorously, wearing only hand wraps. After two hours, his T-shirt was soaked with sweat and clung to his muscular back, clearly outlining his defined muscles.


    After training in the boxing gym for more than ten days, his muscles had become even firmer and more robust¡ªpectorals, scapulars, biceps, and abdominals, all prominently raised and sharply defined, as if they were cast from iron.


    Mario often urged him to eat more meat and keep some fat, suggesting that boxers need a thicker waistline and that looking like a bodybuilder served no practical purpose in boxing, where the opponents are men, not women.


    Naturally, Link didn''t listen to him.


    In this era of the internet, a handsome, sturdy, and sexy boxer could definitely attract more attention, increase web traffic, and earn more tickets, viewership, and competition prizes.


    So for a boxer, good looks and a strong physique also constituted a type of soft power.


    "Link, take a break. If you continue like this, we''ll be dead," Mario said, sitting on the ground, gasping for air, with sweat pooled around him.


    "Yeah, Link, the competition is about to start. Don''t push too hard, watch out for injuries," Reggie added, wiping away sweat, his arms trembling as he supported himself on the ground.


    "You guys take a rest; I''ll train a little more."


    Link continued to punch.


    "Link, you can''t keep this up. You''re so tough and still pushing yourself in training; how can we rest? If West sees us, he''s going to rip us apart calling us lazy," Mario said with a pained expression.


    Reggie nodded frantically.


    Before Link arrived, everyone felt that training for three to four hours a day was sufficient. After training, they would go to the bar to pick up girls or play in the water at the beach, living very fulfilling and satisfying days.


    The atmosphere in the gym was also very harmonious.


    After Link joined the boxing gym, the atmosphere completely changed.


    With Link training more than six hours a day¡ªmore than double everyone else''s sessions¡ªno one felt comfortable resting when they saw Link, who weighed 1400 pounds, still pushing hard in training.


    Now, everyone trained alongside Link; if he trained for six hours, they did too. Training any less made them feel uneasy, as if they were degenerating.


    But training six hours daily was too intense. Every day, after returning home from training, they felt pains in their backs, legs cramped up, and besides sleeping, they couldn''t muster the energy to do anything else, not even flirting.


    It was a miserable existence.


    Mario gritted his teeth and endured it for a week, feeling like death.


    But he couldn''t stop.


    If Link, who had the makings of a champion, was still training relentlessly, how could he, being so much worse, just lie down and rest? Wouldn''t that be akin to willingly degenerating?


    Mario now faced a dilemma. To endure? His body couldn''t take it. To give up? He wasn''t willing; his soul was restless.


    Caught between his body and his soul, he didn''t know what to do but felt compelled to address the cause of his dilemma, which was Link.


    "Hey, Link, wanna pick up some girls? I can introduce you to some hotties, guaranteed to have killer bodies."


    Mario grinned, showing off his white teeth.


    Blonde Reggie nodded in agreement, "Seriously, Link, don''t be fooled by Mario''s scary looks; he knows how to have fun. He''s got a lot of hot girls'' contacts in his phone. What type of girl do you like? We''ve got white, black, red-skinned¡ªall you have to do is say the word, and he can find them."


    "What do you mean I look scary? That''s just how we Mexicans are."


    Mario, with a scowl and his big nose upturned, said discontentedly.


    "Ahem!"


    West came over and glared at them both, "If you two don''t want to train, you can go outside, hang out, go shop, or hit the bars¡ªjust don''t disturb Link''s training here."


    Mario and Reggie exchanged a look, pursing their lips and continuing to punch, enduring the pain. It wasn''t that they didn''t want to go out, but thinking about Link still training, hanging out just seemed pointless.


    "Link, the competition is tomorrow. Train less today, take a couple of hours off, and rest more," West said in a gentle voice.


    He was very pleased with Link. Not only was Link talented, smart, and diligent, but he was also extremely hardworking; since he arrived, the boxers and apprentices in the gym didn''t need supervision and would train voluntarily. These days had been some of the most relaxed ones of his career.


    "Okay, I''ll pay attention," Link nodded.


    After West left, Link continued to train.


    "Hey, Link, didn''t you just say you were taking a break? Why are you still training?"


    Mario said angrily, clenching his fists.


    "I''m not tired; why should I rest?"


    Link looked at him curiously. Compared to pushing carts in mines and fighting desperately in underground fight clubs, the current training was a breeze.


    He felt his strength and speed stealthily increasing every day during training, a feeling too fulfilling to stop. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang, bang! Link continued his training.


    Mario was going crazy.


    Is this guy even human?


    "Mario, stop it, if training doesn''t kill you, keep pushing until it almost does," Reggie shouted, clenching his fists and furiously pounding the punching bag.


    Mario sighed and could only endure the pain, continuing to punch the stiff target.


    What a life.


    June 3rd, the Golden Gloves Tournament regional competition began. This year in Miami, 112 boxers registered to compete. Link, weighing 77.5 kg, entered in the super middleweight category, which had 15 people, not very difficult.


    The venue for the competition was a small stadium in the Miami Heat''s American Airlines Arena; except for the referee, there were no other spectators. The match process was straightforward, two-on-two combat, with the number 15 draw automatically advancing to the next round.


    Link was lucky; he drew number 15 in the first round, automatically advancing.


    In the second round, he drew number one, engaging with his opponent for one round, knocking him down three times consecutively. In amateur matches, both parties wore protective gear; the damage from being knocked down wasn''t severe.


    However, according to amateur match regulations, being knocked down three times consecutively indicated a significant disparity in strength, and the referee would interrupt the match, declaring the downed party the loser.


    Link easily advanced to the third round.


    The third round left four people. In a head-to-head fight, Link knocked his opponent down three times in one round, advancing to the next round.


    In the fourth round, he continued to exert himself, knocking down his opponent three times in one round, effortlessly securing his spot in the state championship.


    But his performance in the matches was too terrifying, ending all of them in one round.


    Someone took his photo and shared it in a boxing fan chat group, warning everyone to beware of him, describing him as a cold-blooded, terrifying heavy hitter whose punches were particularly hard; no one could last a round against him.


    This message was supported by several victims. They discussed heatedly in the group what to do next when encountering him? The consensus was there was no solution - not only were his punches hard, but he was also fast and had good defense, practically unsolvable.


    The super middleweight peers groaned in despair, encountering such a formidable peer was truly unfortunate.


    Link''s amateur competition record: 3 fights, 3 wins, 3 KOs

 Chapter 013 State Championship

    "Link, isn''t this too high-profile? If your opponents take note of this, they''re going to study your fighting style, and your upcoming matches will become even more difficult,"West flipped through the match records in the boxing gym''s third-floor office, voicing his worries.


    Link had won all three of his matches by knockout, performing extremely well. After the regional competitions, many in the City of Miami''s boxing circles noticed him. While this attention could be well-intentioned, it would not be without malice. To protect Link, West decided to discuss the matter with him.


    "It''s okay, fame doesn''t come without a price. I''m not afraid of being targeted."


    Link shook his head, his intention being to draw people''s attention.


    We are now in the age of the internet, with advanced communication technologies, allowing the public to collect information for free from various platforms via the internet, which also leads to their attention being easily distracted.


    In the times of Ali or Tyson, their high-profile presence among the general public was achieved merely through newspapers and television news, making them highly popular boxing champions.


    Boxing fans coveted their matches, which earned huge ticket and PPV (pay-per-view) revenue shares¡ªtens of millions to hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars per fight, equating $10 million in the sixties and seventies to forty or fifty million dollars in 2008.


    Now, to become a highly popular boxing champion like Ali, Tyson, or Holyfield and to earn even more U.S. dollars, he must become famous and find ways to garner more attention and discussion.


    Defeating opponents as quickly as possible in the ring and demonstrating overwhelming strength was one of the methods he thought of.


    "West, if the media interviews me, keep it a secret for now. Leave some suspense for the media and the public. We''ll reveal everything at the finals for even greater attention and discussion," Link suggested after some thought.


    West nodded in agreement. Having been in the boxing industry for three to four decades, he knew quite a bit about the boxing world and could understand Link''s methods and goals.


    There was no doubt that Link was right.


    This reminded him of his own debut years, when his agent brought in journalists to interview him and write press releases. He was reluctant back then, believing that boxers, unlike actors or singers, should let their fists do the talking, not meaningless publicity.


    How young and naive he was in those days. In the world of boxing, fame is not only useful but critical.


    If two boxers are of equal skill but have different levels of fame, the one with greater fame could earn a prize of 10 million U.S. dollars per fight, compared to just 10,000 U.S. dollars for the lesser-known one.


    For the sake of the prize money, the force they exhibit in the boxing ring will be entirely different, with the more famous one definitely performing better than usual.


    In his early years, as a challenger, he fought against the WBO middleweight champion Sugar Ray Leonard. As the match began, tens of thousands of spectators cheered for Sugar Ray, boosting him with home-field advantage, while West fought under pressure, eventually performing poorly and losing.


    Now, reflecting upon his past, West often thought about his match at Las Vegas'' MGM Grand. If he had also had the support of thousands of fans, could he have won?


    He believed the chances were significant, at least he wouldn''t have been knocked out by Sugar Ray in the third round.


    So now, seeing Link making clever use of the media to create public opinion and promote himself to attract public attention from the outset of his career filled West with gratification.


    "Link, focus on your matches. I''ll leave the media to Robinson. He used to be my assistant and executive agent and often dealt with the media. This will be easy for him."


    "Sure!"


    ----


    The Golden Gloves tournament schedule was tightly arranged. After the regionals, Link, West, Mario, Reggie, and others rode the Silver Star train to the City of Orlando to participate in the Golden Gloves state qualification tournament.


    Orlando is located in central Florida, just over two hundred and thirty miles from Miami. It''s a beautifully scenic city known for tourism, with famous attractions including Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Adventure Island Park.


    It''s also one of the filming locations for "Harry Potter." Inside Adventure Island, there''s the Wizarding World of Harry Potter complete with Hogwarts Castle, Hogsmeade Village, and the Hogwarts Express, making it a suitable destination for a family outing.


    Orlando''s most famous attraction is the NBA''s Orlando Magic basketball team.


    This year the Magic''s performance was mediocre. Despite having ''Superman'' Dwight Howard, Turkish power forward Hidayet Turkoglu, and one half of the ''dynamic duo'' Rashard Lewis, they lost early in the divisional matches to the Detroit Pistons and headed home, leaving their arena available for the boxers.


    The Florida qualification for the Golden Gloves tournament took place at the Amway Center, the home arena of the Orlando Magic.


    The arena can host 17,000 spectators, and the match was open to the public. Visitors from out of town could purchase tickets for fifteen U.S. dollars each, a very reasonable price.


    "Hey, did you know, I was a member of the school basketball team in middle school, and I was pretty good at basketball," Mario said, looking at the Magic''s emblem on the wall of the Amway Center''s lounge.


    "Why didn''t you continue playing basketball? Your height could''ve allowed you to play as a guard."


    "Do you think I didn''t want to? I stopped growing after I reached 6 feet 1.5 inches at eighteen, and my body got heavier and heavier. Later, when I met West, he said I was suited for boxing, so I came to practice boxing," Mario explained, patting the flesh on his belly.


    Link looked at him with some surprise; this guy still didn''t lose weight despite daily training. From 208 pounds to 210 pounds, the flesh on his body wasn''t pure fat but a mix of fat and muscle, much tougher than James''s, very resilient.


    "I used to want to play baseball," Reggie scratched his blond head and said, "but then I saw Tyson''s matches and thought boxing was cooler, so I started training in boxing."


    "What about you, Link?" asked Mario.


    Link thought for a moment; he used to be a miner, and becoming a boxer had been the lesser of two hard choices.


    Though being a boxer was tough and tiring¡ªpunching sandbags or getting hit as a sparring partner¡ªit was still more promising than working in the dark pits of a mine.


    Working in the mine shafts every day, descending into the well, burrowing hundreds of meters deep into the pit, looking above at the mine''s ceiling, one couldn''t help but worry about being crushed to death by a suddenly falling rock, or being buried deep in a mining disaster with no body to recover, leaving their family without compensation.


    Those days truly were pitch-dark.


    To him, boxing was like a beam of light shooting into his dark life, a life-saving straw, which is why he never gave up on it until his death.


    "Link?"


    "I''m a diver, I have a diving license,"


    Link said with a smile.


    "Cool! After the match, I''m going to ask you to take me diving."


    As the group entered the main arena of Amway Center, the state championship had already been ongoing for half a day, with the venue split into two competition points, the left ring hosting matches for above 70 kilograms, and the right for below 70 kilograms.


    Over two thousand spectators had arrived, creating a fairly lively atmosphere.


    Currently, on the left ring, the heavyweight (over 91 kilograms) boxing matches were taking place, with two stocky athletes wearing gloves and trading blows on the platform, both adorned with protective gear, which gave a subpar visual effect and induced a tepid reaction from the audience.


    Mario was also a boxer in this rank, and originally, West had wanted him to cut weight and fight in the cruiserweight category, where there weren''t many formidable opponents, but as he couldn''t manage to lose the weight, he had to compete in the heavyweight division.


    After the match on the platform concluded, Mario passed the inspection, donned his gloves, and climbed onto the ring. His opponent was a Latin man from the northwestern city of Panama City, standing at 196 centimeters tall, solidly muscled, with relatively longer arms.


    Once the match started, after a few probing exchanges, Mario''s opponent took the initiative to attack, using his reach advantage to land punches on Mario''s face, chest, and abdomen.


    In the first round, Mario was at a disadvantage, but his defense was solid, preventing his opponent from disrupting his rhythm.


    In the second round, Mario launched a counterattack, landing a punch on his opponent''s chin, cornering him.


    "Mario, you''re striking too early,"


    At the end of the second round, West, in the rest area, said to Mario, "Your advantage is defense. You should focus on that first, try dragging the match into the third round or later, wear down your opponent''s strength, then go on the offensive."


    "I understand, I know how to fight, West, don''t worry, I''ll definitely win this one,"


    Mario said excitedly.


    Bang!


    In the third round, Mario continued his offensive, a Right Swing Punch landing on his opponent''s face, knocking him down, which caused quite a stir among the audience.


    With the day''s matches being of average excitement, any knockouts on the platform always elicited applause from the crowd.


    In the fourth round, Mario once again knocked down his opponent, who struggled to his feet, enduring for a round before being knocked down once more in the sixth round, leading the referee to declare Mario the winner.


    "Roar!"


    After the victory by KO, Mario stood on the corner post, excitedly raising his fist and yelling towards the spectators, who responded with enthusiastic applause.


    Link also clapped his hands.


    "West, look, I won,"


    Mario shouted excitedly after stepping down.


    "You initiated the attack too early. If you had delayed it, you could have won more smoothly and conserved energy for subsequent matches,"


    West critiqued.


    Mario laughed heartily, patting his belly, "West, I get your point, but there was no need for that. My opponent looked strong, with long arms, too. I thought he would be tough. But after he hit me a few times, I realized how light his punches were, like he was tickling me. I figured, with him being so weak, there was no need to drag it out.


    I went on the offensive, knocked him down with a single punch, and it felt absolutely amazing."


    Mario swung his fist, excitedly wiggling his butt, resembling the teddy bear sitting next to him.


    "Mario, it''s because you''ve been sparring with Link lately that your ability to take a punch has skyrocketed, making you feel the opponent''s punches aren''t heavy," Reggie said with a laugh.


    Mario chuckled, "That''s right, compared to sparring with Link, that guy''s punches are nothing special. But Link, don''t expect me to be grateful for you hitting me every day."


    "No need, but you should be careful. There are many strong fighters in the heavyweight division," Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No worries, there aren''t many strong opponents in the Florida region. I''m confident I''ll get the spot to advance,"


    Mario stated with overflowing confidence.


    West shook his head and continued discussing tactics with Mario, insisting that he follow the strategy in the next match and not fight haphazardly. Mario nodded continuously, but his eyes had already drifted to a female volunteer''s buttocks.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 014 State Championship II

    The heavyweight match ended, and then continued the cruiserweight (over 90 kg) and light heavyweight (over 79.45 kg) first round until after two in the afternoon when the super middleweight (over 76.27 kg) competition began.Link weighed in at 77.4 kg before the match, qualifying for the super middleweight category.


    In the first round, his opponent was a black boxer from Great Swamp City in the west, whose skin was much darker than Mario''s, shiny, and his body lean, marking him an agile fighter.


    As the first round began, his opponent took the initiative to attack Link. Link intentionally moved closer within the attacking range, dangling his head as a flaw right before the opponent, luring him to attack.


    The opponent fell for it, throwing a fierce straight punch at his head.


    "You fell for it."


    Mario shouted.


    With a super-fast response, Link dodged the punch and, to the surprise of his opponent, launched an unexpected punch to the black boxer''s left cheek, smashing hard!


    Bang!


    A fierce swing punch sent his opponent staggering and tumbling to the ground.


    "Wow!"


    "Oh, my God!"


    A gasp echoed through the venue.


    Owing to Link''s handsome looks and strong, sexy physique, he had attracted the attention of many female spectators. Seeing him knock down his opponent triggered loud gasps and cheers, louder than in all other matches.


    "That move again, that sneaky move,"


    Mario, covering his face, remembered the first time he was stunned by that punch, and although it had been half a month, he still felt a bit dizzy thinking about it.


    "That move is too fierce, I dare say no one can decode it. I wish I could learn it."


    Reggie said excitedly.


    West shook his head, stroking his chin stubble, "It''s hard. That move demands high levels of speed, strength, and reactive ability, which ordinary people can''t learn."


    "I don''t believe it, when I get back I''ll ask Link to teach me. Next time I compete, I''ll use this move to trap my opponent."


    Mario said firmly.


    On the ring, thanks to the protection from the sponge helmet, his opponent, though knocked down, wasn''t knocked out and quickly got up to continue the fight.


    After suffering once, the black boxer became wiser. In the following two rounds, he kept dodging and didn''t engage in close combat; whenever Link approached, the black boxer would back off or clinch to deny him the chance to deliver heavy punches.


    Link felt a bit helpless; compared to the few boxers in the bar and his three opponents in the regional competition, participants at the state championship were obviously stronger in speed and defense.


    Out of ten punches he threw, more than seven were dodged by the opponent.


    The increased capability of the opponent made the match more challenging.


    To quickly win the match, it required more exquisite skills.


    "Link, take it slow, don''t aim for a KO, just focus on winning."


    At the end of the second round, in the resting area, West pulled him aside and advised.


    "I understand!"


    Link nodded, spat out the water in his mouth; maintaining a slight hunger during the match helped him perform better, like a hungry cheetah.


    The third round started, and Link slowed down the pace of the attack, remaining calm and responding flexibly to every move.


    Seeing him not pursuing aggressively, the opponent thought he was tiring and slowed his pace as well.


    Just 50 seconds into the third round, as the opponent retreated towards the corner, Link suddenly charged, landing a long-distance Throwing Punches on the opponent''s arms, breaking through his double arm defense and following up with a right swing punch to the cheek, then a straight punch to the forehead.


    Bang!


    This punch was more accurate, striking directly on the opponent''s face. The opponent staggered backward into the ropes, then fell to the ground.


    Even though the opponent was protected by a sponge helmet, this heavy and solid punch made him struggle to get up twice without success.


    The referee declared Link the winner.


    In amateur matches, sponge helmets significantly reduce the impact of the punches along with boxing gloves; a 100 pound force could be reduced to about 10 pounds.


    With this reduction, to land a blow that the opponent couldn''t recover from was extremely formidable, a first in this championship.


    After Link''s victory by KO, the audience loudly cheered and applauded his two spectacular KOs.


    Link waved his fists and walked down the stage.


    "Link, you''re incredible, managing to knock someone down even with a helmet on." Reggie flattered timely, while Mario, flicking his nose, snorted, "Now do you see how dangerous it is to be his sparring partner? I risk my life every time I train with him, it''s not easy."


    "But your boxing skills have improved a lot," Reggie laughed.


    "Of course, I''ve earned them with my life,"


    Mario patted his chest and said.


    Listening, Link didn''t show much joy, considering that he had been dragged into the third round in just the first round of the state championship. In national championship matches, with opponents'' skills escalating, they would likely be even tougher to handle.


    He had originally envisioned charging into the finals of the Gold Glove Championship with an all-KO record and winning media attention with his overwhelming strength.


    Now, it seemed extremely difficult.


    Link clenched his fists, silently blaming himself. He should have trained harder. With a heavier punch, greater speed, and faster reactions, the match would have been easy, and he wouldn''t have had these worries.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After the super middleweight competition ended, the middleweight competition (above 72 kilograms) continued. Reggie, wearing his gloves, entered the ring. His opponent was not weak. They fought for ten rounds, and in the end, Reggie won by points with a score of 96:88.


    This score was determined by the on-site referee.


    There were six referees present at the championship, three scoring judges, two arbitrators, and one ring referee. The scoring used a computer system.


    In amateur competitions, each match consists of 10 rounds, each lasting 2 minutes, which is two rounds less and 1 minute shorter per round compared to professional matches.


    Each fighter starts the round with 10 points.


    When both boxers demonstrate the same ability and strength without any clear advantage, both score 10 points each, 10-10.


    When both boxers suffer heavy blows in a round but one side is at an advantage, the dominant side scores an extra point, 10-9.


    When a boxer wins a round through clear dominance, the dominant side scores two extra points, 10-8.


    If a fighter knocks down his opponent once during the match, showing overwhelming dominance, it''s 10-7.


    If the victor knocks down his opponent twice in a round or has overwhelming dominance and knocks down his opponent once, it''s 10-6.


    If the fighters complete all 10 rounds, at the end of the match, the three scoring referees will add up the scores of all ten rounds. The one with the higher total wins, known in boxing as ''victory by points.''


    Victories by points can result in three different outcomes depending on the judges'' scores:


    If all three judges unanimously decide, the winner is marked UD;


    If one judge favors boxer A and the other two favor boxer B, boxer B wins, marked as SD;


    If one judge scores a tie and the other two favor one side, the winning side is marked MD.


    Reggie clearly had the advantage in the match, and all three judges unanimously awarded him the cumulative victory, marked as UD.


    After the middleweight competition ended, the second round of the heavyweight competition commenced.


    In this round, Mario''s opponent was a robust white man with great skills. They fought intensely for 10 rounds. Mario knocked down his opponent once, but his opponent also scored several hits to his head.


    The scores were 91:94. One judge ruled in Mario''s favor, but two ruled in favor of the white boxer. Mario lost the match by a narrow margin.


    "Discrimination! It''s absolute discrimination. If I were white, they would have definitely declared me the winner."


    Mario said angrily after stepping off the ring.


    "Shut your mouth!"


    West pulled him away from the boxing ring.


    Among the five judges of the match, there was one white, two black, and two Latin judges. Even if there was an element of bias, it was unavoidable, but realistically, the problem wasn''t so much with the judging; rather, it was Mario''s fighting technique that was flawed.


    He adopted a defensive strategy in the first round, realizing his opponent''s strength was average. In the second round, he launched an attack first, but this time, he encountered a skilled opponent who defended well. Despite knocking down his opponent only once in the second, third, and fourth rounds, he completely failed to kill the competition as he had in the first round.


    After the fifth round, Mario''s attacks were weak, forcing him to choose defense, fighting very tiredly while the white boxer gained a certain advantage on the field. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If not for Mario knocking his opponent down once, the score gap would have been even bigger.


    Therefore, it was reasonably justified for the judges to declare the white boxer the winner. Even if Mario insisted on arbitration, the members of the amateur boxing association wouldn''t support him.


    "Hmph!"


    West left the arena with a grim face, unwilling to give Mario another look. During the match, he repeatedly asked Mario to change his tactics, but Mario didn''t heed his advice, underestimated the opponent recklessly thinking his skills had improved from training with Link, expecting to easily defeat his opponent, but clearly, his skills weren''t as high as he imagined.


    Seeing West''s stern face, Mario calmed down, scratched his forehead, and said, "West, it''s my fault. I didn''t expect his skills to be that good. I think he might make it to the finals."


    "Whether he makes it to the finals or not, what does that have to do with you? You''ve already been eliminated," West retorted coldly.


    "I know I was wrong, but what''s the point now? The match is over."


    As Mario thought about not being able to compete in the upcoming matches, he looked at his fists and growled lowly, sitting dejectedly in the chair, watching Link listening to music and Reggie playing a video game, and unhappily said, "I lost, and you guys aren''t even comforting me a bit?"


    "Huh? You lost? That was quick. I had no idea," Reggie looked up, feigning surprise.


    "Fuck you Reggie! You were playing games while I was competing?" Mario clutched his chest, feeling twice the injury.


    "Sorry, I''ll definitely watch the next match," Reggie said politely.


    "Fuck! I''ve been eliminated, I''m going home. There is no next match, you get it?" Mario yelled, grabbing his shoulders.


    "Losing isn''t something to brag about, why yell so loud?"


    Link cleared his ears, leaned back in his seat, and stretched, "Besides, this was your own doing. West gave you a strategy but you didn''t listen, so who''s to blame? You should head to the locker room, grab a notebook, and write a ten-thousand-word self-criticism instead of yelling around here."


    "Hmph! You haven''t lost yet so you think you''re great. You''ll lose someday, and I''ll use these same words to mock you," Mario said grumpily, fuming.


    "Buddy, you won''t have that chance."


    Link shook his finger, stood up, and headed backstage to prepare.

 Chapter 015 State Championship III

    "What were you doing today, practiced the guitar?"At night, in the Aloft hotel in downtown Orlando, Link came out of the bathroom after a shower and received two messages from Taylor on his phone, asking him what he had done today. She said she was recording music in a studio in East Village, Manhattan and had written a song for him.


    Seeing Taylor''s messages, Link somewhat didn''t want to reply. After the last music festival ended, Taylor had only met him briefly, left him a guitar, and asked him to keep practicing before she flew away.


    Last time they walked the streets hand in hand, Link thought they were dating and was slightly thrilled; after all, she was Taylor Swift. A minor miner dating a big star was like a salted fish turning over and a toad riding on a silver dragon''s back.


    But after the festival arrived, they saw each other less often, and their relationship became cooler. After Taylor left Miami, they still chatted occasionally, but it wasn''t as casual as before.


    This hot-and-cold relationship made Link feel awkward. He was a boxer and preferred straightforwardness in his relationships, getting straight to the point.


    Dating and romancing seemed too highbrow for him; he couldn''t manage, nor could he enjoy the passion it brought. It even distracted him from training and competitions.


    Love was also one of a boxer''s great taboo.


    This was one of the precautions Coach Liu had told him.


    Coach Liu said that when a boxer starts dating or gets married, their time and attention start to wander, and their strength inevitably slides.


    Link remembered this well.


    Seeing Taylor''s message, Link thought for a moment and still decided to simply tell her about his day¡ªjust one thing, a match.


    Today he had three matches at Amway Center, winning the first bout by knocking out his opponent in the third round.


    The second match went smoother than the first. His opponent was a burly Caucasian boxer, a power puncher, who started by throwing heavy punches at Link, just what he had hoped for.


    In the first round, Link took 15 punches, hit his opponent 4 times, and knocked him down twice; his opponent threw more than 40 punches, hitting him effectively 7 times, one of which almost knocked him down.


    In the second round, Link threw 10 punches, knocking down his opponent twice; his opponent threw 8 punches, hitting him effectively 3 times.


    In the third round, his opponent took a defensive stance, trying to use stalling tactics to slow the match''s progress.


    Link didn''t want to give his opponent time to rest, and twenty seconds after the round started, he used a set of combination punches to break through his opponent''s defense and followed with an upper hook punch, knocking his opponent to the ground.


    His opponent couldn''t get up after ten seconds, and the referee declared him the winner.


    The third match was a bit more complicated. His opponent was of Mexican descent, very sturdy, and had a strong resistance to getting hit. It took Link five rounds and knocking down his opponent six times, making his nose bleed, before he finally won the match.


    After three matches, he also smoothly made it to the state championship finals.


    "Can you make it to the final of the championship?"


    Taylor texted back.


    "Of course! 100% certain."


    "Good, I''ll be there to cheer for you during the finale."


    "It''s a deal then."


    Link smiled and decided that he wouldn''t let her leave when Taylor came.


    "Link, want to go shopping?"


    Mario and Reggie burst into the room, asking side by side.


    "No!"


    "Then why are you changing clothes and shoes?"


    "Running! Didn''t have time this morning due to driving, going to make up for it now."


    After saying this, Link put on his running shoes, a hoodie, grabbed his headphones, and left the room running.


    Mario and Reggie stared blankly at his running figure.


    "He has been competing all day, and now he wants to run in the evening?"


    "Is he even human? He''s definitely not!"


    "So envious, Link has such good stamina."


    "Reggie, forget him, let''s go shopping. I heard there are a lot of hot girls at Universal Studios Orlando, haha, tonight we definitely need to pick up one."


    "Mario, I''ve thought about it and I''m not going to go. I''ll go for a run too. You go by yourself."


    Reggie scratched his blonde hair, went back inside to change into sportswear and running shoes, and also went downstairs to run.


    Mario stood dumbly at the door, staring at the empty hallway; suddenly, he felt the air around him turning a bit chilly.


    ¡ª


    Orlando is in central Florida, over fifty miles from the Atlantic Ocean. It has more types and density of trees than Miami Beach, the morning air is fresher and cooler than in Miami, devoid of the fishy smell of the sea breeze. Running here in the morning feels wonderful.


    There was a competition in the morning. Link only ran five kilometers before heading back to the hotel to eat. When Mario saw him come back from his run, his face looked dark and foul as if he had found a weevil in his bread. Link didn''t bother with him and quickly finished his breakfast to rush off to the Amway Center for the match.


    After two rounds of elimination, only four boxers of each rank were left. The next two rounds would eliminate one more, leaving three to fight for the championship and the titles of first, second, and third place, and qualify for the Southeast regional competition.


    The audience today was even larger than yesterday, consistently above four thousand, and the front row seats were basically full.


    "Hey, look over there, why is there a poster of Link?"


    Mario pointed to a spot in the front row of the spectator seats where a few young girls were holding up a poster of Link.


    On the poster, Link wore red boxing gloves, showing off his muscular build, with iron-like muscles, and paired with that handsome face and blue eyes, he looked even cooler than Tom Cruise in "Mission: Impossible III."


    "So cool, Link should go to Hollywood."


    "They are Link''s boxing fans; Link has fans now," Reggie said enviously.


    "Impossible, it''s only the second day, how could there be fans here to support him?" Mario turned his face towards Link, "Did you pay them to come here with your photo for the poster?"


    "I''m not that bored." Link laughed.


    West shook his head, "Yesterday''s match was covered on local Orlando TV and Fox News; there''s also news and photos of the match on Orlando''s official news website, including photos of Link."


    Mario checked on his phone and indeed it was true.


    "Hey, Link, you''re famous now, how does that feel?" Mario asked, his face a mix of envy, jealousy, and hate.


    "Being liked feels very good."


    Link smiled and put on his headphones to listen to music. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At just after nine in the morning, the third round of matches officially began. The first match was in the heavyweight category; the white man who had defeated Mario yesterday reached the third round and defeated his opponent to successfully make it into the top three, which pleased Mario considerably.


    Link''s match was at just after eleven o''clock. When he stepped onto the stage, several fans raised their posters, shouting ''Link must win,'' attracting the attention of many spectators.


    Link laughed heartily and waved his fists at the few fans, whose shouts became even louder.


    The camera at the venue promptly focused on him and his fans. Link believed that as long as he continued to win, he would garner more media attention and more fan support.


    His opponent in the semifinals was a hairy-chested Irish boxer, a technical fighter known for his defense.


    Dealing with technical boxers, to win quickly one must either have better skills, sufficient power, or be fast enough. If you lack these elements, the fight can be tough.


    Link had sufficient power, was fast enough, and his skills were equally exquisite, making it relatively easy to handle this type of boxer, simply by using heavy punches to break through the opponent''s defense.


    He only needed 1 minute and 48 seconds to knock out his opponent three times, smoothly advancing to the finals.


    His opponent in the finals was a black boxer named John Stevens.


    John Stevens, 20 years old, was last year''s national U-19 boxing champion for the Florida division in the super middleweight category and ranked 18th among amateur super middleweight boxers in the country, with a record of 23 fights, 20 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw, as well as being one of this year''s Florida division champion seeds for the Golden Gloves championship.


    The data indicated he was a tough opponent, and it would be rather challenging to knock him out.


    "Link, John Stevens is strong, has heavy fists, and plenty of match experience; his overall skill level is no less than yours. When you fight him, don''t focus solely on maintaining your KO rate. Secure enough points first, winning the match is the most important," Coach West advised as he put down his notebook.


    "I understand! I''ll be careful."


    Link pounded his protective gear with his gloves and quickly walked up to the boxing ring.

 Chapter 016 State Championship Winner

    "Link! Come on!""Link! You are the champion."


    As Link walked onto the boxing stage, his fans cheered loudly to support him.


    Link waved his fists and looked across at his finals opponent, John Stevens, who was a bit taller, with shiny dark muscles and seemingly hard bones. Link couldn''t help but sigh, knowing it would be a tough fight.


    "Hey, I know you, you''re Link Baker, right?"


    Above the boxing ring, the black boxer, John, said casually as he swung his arms.


    "Hello, I know you too."


    Link nodded politely.


    "Haha, good to know. You fought fiercely last time, but I''m even fiercer. Today I''m going to beat you and make those fans mine."


    Black John pointed at some girls holding Link''s posters below the stage and grinned, showing his white teeth.


    Link shook his head and laughed, "Mr. Stevens, that''s impossible. Even if you beat me, they will never become your fans."


    "What the hell, what are you saying? Are you implying they are white girls and wouldn''t like a black guy like me?"


    Black John said discontentedly, ready to accuse him of racism on the spot if he dared to admit it.


    "No, no, of course not, it''s not about skin color. They like me not just because I''m fierce in the ring, but also because I have a handsome face. I think not just they, but once I become a boxing champion, many gorgeous black women would fall for me too and become my fans, after all, I really am quite handsome, don''t you think?" Link said with a smirk.


    Ptui!


    Black John spat onto the boxing ring floor in disgust, thinking this guy was shameless. He bared his white teeth and said coldly, "Kid, don''t be so proud. Today I''m going to knock you down and show your fans that under my fists, you''re just a crybaby wimp. Let''s see if they still like you then."


    Link shook his head disdainfully and gave him a glance that was more hurtful than words. Black John''s anger surged, and he cursed before winding up his fists, ready to fight. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Both fighters, please prepare."


    The on-site referee separated the two and checked their gloves, announcing the rules of the match, which were far more numerous than the ones for bar fights, but due to time constraints, the referee only announced a few main rules, asking if the fighters understood English and if there were any problems with their ears, as they had to listen to the referee''s commands during the match.


    "Boxing!"


    The ring referee signaled the start of the match with a hand cut.


    Link raised his fists and began moving, eyes fixed on his opponent''s shoulders. He moved forward two steps, closing the distance with Black John.


    John also kept an eye on his position, maintaining a one-meter distance, not engaging him directly.


    Link guessed that his opponent must have watched his previous matches and knew his fighting style. At the same time, he had not been provoked by the pre-match argument and appeared to be a calm and experienced opponent.


    Tricky!


    Hard to handle!


    Link glanced at his opponent and simply lowered his hands, letting his arms hang naturally at his sides while swaying and jumping forward, pressing towards his adversary.


    By putting down his arms, he was abandoning defense, a move that showed serious provocation and disdain on the boxing stage.


    Although John had been cautioned by his coach before the match not to attack rashly and to focus on defense in the first three rounds, he was also angered by Link''s actions. He took a step back and, as Link pressed forward, suddenly leaped forward, throwing a punch towards Link''s face.


    The headgear in amateur matches provided perfect protection around the forehead and cheeks, but the middle front of the face was uncovered, making it a key target area for boxers.


    Being close, John''s punch came quickly. As Link turned his head, John''s fist came swiftly and landed on the guard of his side face. Link''s face was nearly hit, and his rear hook punch also followed at that moment, viciously slamming into the black man''s forehead.


    The two were too close. Black John noticed his punch and tried to lean back strategically, but Link''s arm span was 192 centimeters.


    Bang!!


    A vicious swing punch, like a chain hammer, smashed into the black man''s face.


    Upon impact, Black John''s head jerked backward uncontrollably, and with a thud, he fell to the ground.


    "Wow! Awesome!"


    "Well done!"


    The punch was sudden, risky, swift, and forceful, a thrilling spectacle that instantly ignited the passion of the over five thousand spectators, who began to shout loudly.


    "Link! The champion!"


    The fans below chanted his name excitedly.


    The media and thousands of spectators also turned their attention to this boxing stage.


    "This boxer is quite interesting."


    In the spectator seats, an elegant-looking man with brown hair nodded slightly while stroking his chin.


    "Franco, are you interested in him?"


    The woman beside him asked, cradling a child in her arms.


    The brown-haired man shook his head and took out his phone to call his assistant, requesting an investigation into a boxer named Link Baker.


    In less than two minutes, his assistant had sent Link''s information to his email. The brown-haired man looked it over and, with a look of surprise on his face, made a call to his assistant and asked, "Simon, are you sure his first seven matches all ended in KO victories? These are amateur fights, with headgear for protection, and he still managed to win by KO?"


    "Yes, boss, all KOs. In the Miami elimination matches, he ended all three bouts in one round, and yesterday he knocked down his opponents an average of four times per match. He''s a heavy hitter," the assistant Simon evaluated.


    "No, no, it''s not just that he''s a heavy hitter. His speed, his technique, his boxing sense, they''re all extremely good, not at all inferior to professional boxers. Interesting, very interesting."


    The brown-haired man put down his phone, his eyes sparkling as he watched Link, a handsome, well-built boxer with light skin who could fight and whose business value was quite considerable.


    "Franco, do you want to sign him? He seems very promising."


    The lady in the dress asked.


    Staring at Link, the brown-haired man saw him knock down the black boxer once again and couldn''t help but clench his fist, tapping his knee as he said, "Wait a little longer, just a little longer. Let''s see how he performs next. I hope he can bring me more surprises."


    ----


    Bang!


    On the boxing stage, in the second round, both sides traded over thirty punches, with both sides taking turns at having the upper hand.


    With just five seconds left in the second round, Link spotted an opening in his opponent and quickly closed in, breaking the opponent''s defense with a set of combination punches and knocking down the black boxer, John, at the corner.


    The second KO!


    "Hey! Good morning, Mr. Cohen, this is Carl."


    In the spectator stands, a black-haired middle-aged man with a camera couldn''t help but take out his phone and call Greg Cohen, a promoter at the top promotion company, earnestly recommending a boxer from Miami named Link Baker, after seeing Link knock down the black boxer once again.


    "Carl? Where are you? Orlando? A boxer with 8 matches and 8 KOs? Tell me about it again in detail."


    Hearing Cohen''s response, the black-haired middle-aged man''s lips curled into a slight smile. He knew his words had piqued Greg Cohen''s interest, so he went on to elaborate on Link''s participation in the Golden Gloves amateur competition.


    "Sounds good, Carl. Keep an eye on this boxer named Link. If he makes it to the national Golden Gloves finals, I''ll go see him myself."


    "Understood, Mr. Cohen. I will continue to follow his matches."


    The black-haired man hung up the phone with a smile. He was a scout, specifically looking for young, talented, commercially valuable boxers or athletes for boxing promotion companies.


    He had heard there was a boxing match at the Amway Center today and decided to stop by, hoping to discover some talent.


    The boxers in the first few matches were mediocre at best; none seemed like noteworthy prospects¡ªthat is, until Link stepped into the ring. When Carl saw Link initially forego defense to lure his opponent in, then effortlessly dodge the opponent''s punches and counter with a Swing Punch, he was immediately stunned.


    The punch was quite unorthodox, absolutely stunning, truly shocking.


    Carl was taken aback.


    Such technique was only seen in professional boxing matches; a rookie boxer daring to do this and doing it so beautifully at that.


    It made Carl very curious about this boxer named Link.


    He called his friend to inquire about Link''s information, and after receiving the data from Link''s previous fights, he further confirmed the investment value of the boxer named Link, so he called the promoter of a top promotion company.


    If the top promotion company were willing to sign Link, he could also earn a substantial commission in the future.


    "Link Baker, keep it up. Continue winning, and you''ll stir the entire American boxing scene."


    Carl, clutching an e-cigarette, watched with a smile as Link knocked down his opponent again.


    ----


    Bang!


    On the boxing stage, Link once again broke through black boxer John''s defense with a heavy punch, landing a Straight Punch straight to his face, sending John to the ground for the third KO, unable to rise for more than ten seconds.


    Boom!


    The audience cheered loudly, shouting Link''s name, calling him the boxing champion.


    "I declare the winner of this match to be Mr. Link Baker!"


    As the referee raised his arm and declared his victory, cameras and flashes from the crowd were all pointed at him.


    After the final round, several sports figures seated among the audience picked up their phones and called promoters from major American boxing promotion companies: top Rank, Matchroom Boxing, Queensbury Boxing Promotion, Golden Boy, and Premier Boxing Champions.


    And on that day, the names of many promoters across America came to know of a newcomer¡ªLink Baker.


    ----

 Chapter 017 Emma Watson

    "Hey, Robert, Daniel, I''m talking to you guys. What are you looking at?"In downtown Orlando, in the Gyro Greek Grill restaurant, eighteen-year-old Emma Watson waved her hand at the two friends opposite her with a cold expression.


    "Emma, what did you say?"


    Daniel Radcliffe shifted his gaze and adjusted his round glasses as he asked, while Blond Robert Grint was still staring at the TV above the counter, completely ignoring Emma Watson.


    Emma Watson glared at them both. Lately, they had been shooting ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' at Universal Studios Orlando, and the past few days had been rough. She had wanted to discuss tomorrow''s scenes with them, but after listening for a bit, they ignored her, fixating on the TV behind her.


    "Is a beauty contest really that interesting?"


    With her lips pursed, Emma Watson looked disdainfully at them, thinking filthy men only like watching bikinis.


    "It''s not a beauty contest; it''s a boxing match. The American Golden Gloves tournament finals are happening right here in Orlando," Daniel Radcliffe explained, pointing at the TV.


    Emma Watson turned to look and saw a boxer with black hair and blue eyes. He was handsome and with a swing of his red-gloved fist, knocked his opponent to the ground, where he lay unable to get up for ten seconds.


    "Wow! That''s amazing, that boxer named Link is so powerful!"


    Robert Grint exclaimed excitedly, lifting his fists.


    "Indeed, he''s impressive. His reaction speed is especially fast. Standing there, letting his opponent hit him, and they can''t even land a touch," Daniel Radcliffe nodded as he said.


    Emma frowned slightly, her lips curling disdainfully, "The impressive boxers are all in Britain. If you want to watch, you can go back to London. What''s so interesting about an amateur''s match?"


    Daniel Radcliffe smiled shyly and did not argue with her.


    Blond Robert Grint said, "America also has great boxers, like Holyfield, Mayweather, Roy Jones, and this Link. Some sports channel in Orlando was showing his match highlights; in each match, he scores a KO. These are amateur fights, yet his opponents are down and can''t get up for ten seconds¡ªeven Lewis might not manage that. I bet he''ll be a boxing champion one day."


    "So what, boxers are all violent braggarts, flaunting wealth, fighting, committing sexual assaults, promoting violence, and inciting youths to fight. I think this sport should be banned worldwide," Emma Watson said, her little face taut and lips popping.


    Robert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe exchanged glances and shook their heads. Once a woman gets angry, it''s terrifying; she almost cancelled the sport of boxing with a single sentence.


    "Link! Come on, tell me how to train that move. I''ll pay today."


    As they were talking, three young men entered. The leader was a handsome, tall, and well-built young man, followed by a thin, blonde young man, and bringing up the rear was a surly, heavy-set, and stout man.


    All three were dressed in athleisure, their muscular arms bulging, walking quickly like a swift breeze passing by.


    "Hey, he looks just like that boxer named Link on TV."


    Robert turned to look at the TV and then at the leader of the group, indeed the same person, "I need to get his autograph."


    "Robert, are you out of your mind? We are the celebrities here, okay?"


    Emma said, pulling at his clothes.


    "Can''t celebrities be fans too? Shoot, I forgot to bring a pen, Emma, can I use yours?"


    Robert asked, looking at Emma''s script on the table.


    "No!"


    Emma Watson coldly refused.


    Robert rolled his eyes and got up to look for paper and a pen at the counter. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ---


    "Stop asking, you can''t learn it," Link said as he ordered and handed the menu back to the waiter.


    "How do you know we can''t learn it if you don''t tell us? Come on, spill it," Mario urged as he pounded on the table.


    Reggie also nodded eagerly.


    Link took a sip of black tea and laughed, "To learn that move, you need fast reflexes. Have you ever teased a cat? You get close to a cat, staring into its eyes, and then flick its forehead with your finger. You''ll find out that by the time you flick it, its paw has already slapped your face."


    "Is it that simple?"


    Mario scratched his face and asked.


    "Simple?"


    Link glanced at him. Do you think reaching the speed of a cat''s reflexes is easy? Considering his simple mind and simplistic thinking, Link didn''t bother to blame him for his blunt words.


    "Hey, are you Mr. Link Baker?"


    A voice with a London accent came from nearby.


    Before Link could turn around, Mario sprang up so quickly that his large belly nearly knocked over the table. Stretching out both hands from across the table, he said in shock, "Are you Blond Ron? Are you really Blond Ron? I grew up watching your movies; can I have your autograph?"


    Link turned and saw Blond Ron Weasley, real name Robert Grint, one of the trio from the ''Harry Potter'' series, being vigorously shaken by Mario. Mario''s strength was so great that it caused Robert''s lips to twitch.


    Link brushed off Mario''s hand and invited Robert Grint to sit and chat, having seen the first three films of the ''Harry Potter'' series and being somewhat familiar with the actor.


    Robert Grint told him that they were currently shooting ''Harry Potter'' at Universal Studios Orlando and having seen his boxing match on TV today, found him quite impressive and wanted his autograph.


    Link certainly wouldn''t refuse to sign an autograph for the big star, and politely exchanged phone numbers as well.


    "Wow, is that Hermione? I love Hermione, I want to get her autograph."


    Mario took his autograph book to get Emma Watson''s signature.


    Link saw Emma Watson and Mr. Harry Potter nearby and went over to say hello.


    As he was about to say goodbye, Emma Watson called out sharply, "Hey, Mr. Link Baker, I want to ask, as a boxer, what else do you think Boxing means apart from promoting violence? I mean in a positive sense."


    Emma Watson wore a pastel-colored Chanel print dress, with golden curly hair draped over her shoulders, adorned with a delicate platinum necklace atop her elegant collarbones. Her delicate face was beautiful, and she carried the elegance and intellect of a British woman, appearing like a young lady with both good looks and temperament.


    Yet, the razor-sharp words that came out of her pink lips made one want to cover her mouth to stop her from speaking out of turn.


    "Emma, that''s quite rude," Robert Grate pointed out.


    Daniel Radcliffe said shyly with a smile to Link, "Mr. Baker, Emma is just in a bad mood today, it''s not personal, please don''t mind her rudeness."


    With her eyebrows tightly furrowed, Emma Watson asked with a half-smile, "So, Mr. Baker, you don''t know what the positive meaning of boxing is either?"


    Link smiled lightly, finding this young girl quite intriguing. He sat down across from Emma, looked into her eyes, and said, "Miss Watson, it''s not that I can''t answer the question. I just find the question too childish, hard to believe it''s coming from you."


    "What? You dare say I''m childish?" Emma Watson clenched her small fists, glaring at him as if ready to challenge him in boxing, and snorted, "OK then, tell me, where is my question childish?"


    Link raised a finger and said, "I believe that boxing is one of the greatest sports in the world, bar none.


    "Hmph!" Emma Watson disdainfully wrinkled her delicate nostrils.


    Unperturbed, Link continued, "Firstly, it represents a spirit. If you understand the sport of boxing, you would know it has a competition called the Champion Challenge. A regular boxer can challenge the World Champion, knowing full well the strength of the champion, yet he dares to challenge, even at the risk of getting killed or crippled in the process. What kind of spirit is that?"


    "Courage!" Daniel Radcliffe chimed in.


    "Fearlessness!" Robert exclaimed excitedly.


    "It''s defiance, it''s opposing tyranny, it''s the perseverance of the oppressed throwing a fearless punch at the oppressor, it''s one of the greatest spirits of mankind," Mario declared, standing tall and clenching his fist.


    "Billiards, tennis, golf, can also challenge the champion," Emma Watson retorted with a sniff.


    "Is it the same? A bunch of people bullying a ball? Can it compare to the flesh and blood of boxing?" Mario argued back, shrugging his large nose.


    Link waved his hand and laughed, "Boxing is also a civilization. Since the 19th century, the culture of white supremacy has been popular worldwide, and Black, Asian, and Mexican individuals in the United States have faced discrimination. Champions like Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, and Bruce Lee defeated white champions in the ring, breaking racial barriers and are seen as heroes by people of color.


    Boxing also promotes racial equality, reflects social justice, and embodies modern civilization. What positive meaning do you think it has?"


    Emma Watson blinked, feeling like she might have spoken wrongly.


    Link raised another finger and smiled, "Thirdly, boxing is also a culture...."


    "Enough!"


    Emma Watson grabbed his hand, fluttering her eyelashes weakly, "Dear Mr. Link Baker, I was wrong, I really was. Boxing is very meaningful, and it was my thinking that was childish. I apologize."


    "OK! "


    Link gave a gentle smile," It''s good you realize your mistake. You''re still young, and a little magic maker, I won''t hold it against you."


    Ha ha ha!


    The men at the table burst into laughter.


    "Hmph!"


    Emma Watson glared at him, her blue-green eyes twinkling, and with a pout said, "Link, Ali boxed for fairness and equality, what do you box for?"


    "To earn money!"


    "Earn money?"


    They all looked at him in surprise, as he had just spoken of spirit and civilization, and now he claimed he boxed to earn money, quite a dramatic shift.


    Emma Watson opened her mouth in surprise, intending to trap him here, and no matter what Link said, she was prepared to call him hypocritical. However, Link''s blunt honesty left her trap void, his reaction too swift.


    "Is the goal of making money vulgar?"


    Link looked around at them smiling.


    "No, no, no! Of course not!"


    Mario, Robert, Daniel, and Reggie all shook their heads, admitting they too worked for money.


    Link turned to the beautiful Emma Watson and smiled, "Miss Watson, any more questions?"


    Emma Watson rolled her eyes, "No, I just hope you become a billionaire soon."


    "Thank you, Miss Watson. I''m a fan of yours, may I have your autograph?"


    Link smiled, holding out a pen and notebook towards her.


    "You''re a fan of mine? Are you sure?"


    Emma Watson was skeptical; this guy had started off by embarrassing her, hardly the behavior of a fan.


    "Really!"


    Link assured with a smile.


    Emma Watson looked at him, pleasantly signed her name in the notebook, and even left a series of phone numbers.

 Chapter 018 Southeast Regional Finals

    The Orlando competition concluded, and Link secured the Florida division gold medal in the Golden Gloves championship, five sets of athletic gear sponsored by the Amateur Boxing Association, and a cash prize of 5,000 US dollars.Just one day later, he and West took the Silver Star train, heading north to Charleston, South Carolina, for the Southeast division competition.


    The Southeast division includes fourteen states such as Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas.


    The top three from each division in every state qualify for the competition, with a total of 42 boxers participating in the super middleweight bout.


    After four rounds of fighting, Link once again made it to the finals, entering with a record of all KOs against his opponents, causing a huge sensation within the arena and the amateur boxing circles.


    Almost every amateur boxer knew about a fighter from Miami who specialized in knocking out opponents, never resting until he stunned them into unconsciousness on the floor, earning himself a second nickname, the "Physical Anesthetist."


    His first moniker was "Miami Boxing Prince," given by boxing fans.


    Due to his previously high-profile performance, his opponents studied his killer move and match tactics closely, staying up late to devise ways to break them down before the match.


    This made his subsequent matches exceptionally difficult.


    In the semifinal, his opponent was an extremely skilled Italian-descended boxer with good technique and speed, who right at the start dodged Link''s "rear hook punch" killer move, causing a stir among the audience, as everyone knew the lethality of Link''s rear hook punches.


    Until then, no one had ever avoided it, but this time, the opponent did, leaving everyone sensing Link might experience his first defeat since his debut.


    Unfortunately for them, they were to be disappointed.


    Even though his signature move was evaded, Link wasn''t disheartened; he still had his heavy punches. In the six rounds that followed, he threw a total of 286 punches, over forty punches each round, marking the highest output and frequency in all his previous fights.


    286 punches, hitting his opponent''s head 48 times, knocking him down 7 times, and finally, with a fierce straight punch, he floored the opponent for good, unable to get up for ten seconds.


    He narrowly won the match.


    "Link, how are you feeling?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing him drenched in sweat, with his arms and leg muscles trembling non-stop, West knew these were symptoms of exerting too much force, and hastily had Reggie and Mario help him lie down to rest, while also getting the accompanying masseur to massage his muscles.


    "I''m fine, just a bit overexerted."


    Link took a sip of water and wrapped himself in a towel to prevent the loss of body fluids.


    West frowned at him and sighed, "Link, maybe change the plan. The goal of winning by KO every match is too unrealistic."


    "Yeah, Link, there are a lot of promoters from various companies here scouting for talent. I think winning the match is what''s important," Reggie said as he fanned him with a towel.


    Link waved his hand and smiled, "No need to convince me. I set this goal for myself. Once it''s set, I won''t change it easily without failing first."


    "Your next opponent is tough, how do you plan to KO him with the way you look right now?" Mario asked, pursing his lips.


    "Fight with all I''ve got!"


    Link clenched his fists, determination in his eyes, his soaring brows as sharp as his fists.


    The Southeast division finals were scheduled for four in the afternoon at the North Charleston Garden Stadium, attracting twelve thousand spectators. Media from all southeastern states, FOX News Network, HBO Sports Channel, and other outlets sent reporters for live coverage.


    "Link, you''re about to face last year''s runner-up in the United States Amateur Championship, Jones Fullos. He''s very powerful. Are you still planning to end the match by knocking out your opponent?"


    A reporter from the Miami Herald asked.


    "Yes, that''s my goal. No matter how hard or how strong the opponent, I will strive to achieve it," Link responded in a calm yet forceful voice.


    "Link, what if you fail? Will you give up?"


    A reporter from the Tennessee News inquired.


    "Fail? Sorry, I''ve never considered the possibility of failure. Not here, not in Miami, so, Mr. Reporter, please don''t mention the word ''failure'' during my interview," Link said, swinging his fist with a smile.


    "Link, congratulations on advancing to the Southeast division finals and smoothly securing a spot in the national championship. What is your next target?" an HBO Sports reporter asked, passing the microphone.


    "The championship, of course! There is no other choice but to be the champion," Link said, raising his fist.


    The interview concluded.


    The reporters left, and only two SpongeBobs remained on the ring¡ªLink in the red sponge suit and Jones Fullos in the blue sponge suit.


    Jones Fullos, an African American, 22 years old, from Tennessee, standing at 192 cm tall with a 195 cm arm reach, and weighing 78.2 kg, was the runner-up in last year''s United States national amateur light heavyweight championship.


    In order to claim the championship, Jones Fullos had dropped two kilograms before the match to compete in the super middleweight category.


    His characteristics were a small head, a muscular body, fast speed, proficient in quick attacks, and his defense was also very good; he was a boxer with a comprehensive technique in both offense and defense.


    He had previously injured the noses of three opponents in the light heavyweight amateur competitions.


    His current amateur record was 32 fights, 28 wins, 3 losses, and 1 draw, showing he had a wealth of fighting experience.


    After the match started, Jones Fullos adopted a conservative fighting style, not taking the initiative to attack and staying over a meter away;


    Link tried to chase Jones but was swiftly avoided, displaying great speed.


    After some thought, Link decided to change tactics, abandoning the plan for aggressive offense and opting to conserve his stamina first.


    In the first and second rounds, the two fighters threw a total of only 12 punches, which were made reluctantly and only after the referee''s prompting.


    "What are they doing, why aren''t they fighting?"


    Mario asked, perplexed.


    The audience on site was also confused. Before watching the match, the news had reported an amateur boxer from Miami who was fierce in the ring, fighting wildly, taking down anyone he faced by knockout, earning the nickname ''Anesthetist''.


    Now at the finals, why had the ''Anesthetist'' lost his touch?


    "Link, what''s your plan?"


    During the break in the second round, West posed this question to Link.


    Link shook his head, looking at his opponent who was also resting across from him, and said, "Don''t worry, just wait a bit longer."


    "Wait? Wait for what?"


    Mario glanced at Jones across the ring and asked in a low voice, "Did you put an anesthetic in his water or something?"


    Link was startled for a moment, could that even be done?


    Once back in the ring, he was sweating profusely, panting heavily, and his steps seemed unsteady.


    "Is Link exhausted from his last bout? Does he not have any strength left?" Reggie asked.


    "He gets tired?"


    Mario scoffed and shook his nose, skeptical of this idea.


    Link had been competing daily, but whenever he had the chance, he would go for a run outside or work out in the hotel gym; his stamina was even more abundant than the cattle on his ranch, and Mario couldn''t believe that Link would be so worn out that he walked unsteadily unless he had three women in his bed last night.


    "Hey, fight already!"


    "Stop wasting time."


    "Refund! Refund!"


    The audience shouted loudly to express their dissatisfaction with the match.


    The on-site referee also urged them to fight quickly, as passive fighting could lead to a deduction of points.


    Link paid no attention to this, just raising his fists, watching his opponent closely, and occasionally throwing a few token punches.


    While the reaction of the live audience was important, one couldn''t let emotions of the spectators control them and hastily change tactics.


    His opponent, Jones Fullos, also seemed quite calm, frowning in puzzlement at Link.


    According to the analysis of the coaches, Link was an impatient boxer, liking to launch fierce attacks in the first three rounds and often knocking out his opponents within those rounds, ending the matches early.


    So before the match, his coach repeatedly reminded him to stay on the defensive, protect his head well, and not give Link the chance to knock him out.


    Jones had watched recordings of Link''s fights and the memory of his heavy punches was still fresh, so he was well-prepared to handle them.


    But since the match had started, Link had merely probed a little and then given up on the attack, fighting so passively it seemed like he was intentionally delaying the match.


    Jones was somewhat puzzled, what was he trying to do? Suddenly he noticed that Link was sweating profusely, and his footing was unstable. Could it be because he had expended too much in the previous match, and his body had not fully recovered yet?


    He decided to take the initiative and test Link''s condition.

 Chapter 019 Southeast Regional Champion

    Bang!Jones leaped forward, launching a rapid straight punch towards Link''s face. Link reacted even faster. While dodging with a turn of his head, he delivered a rear hook punch to Jones''s head.


    "Wow, it''s that move again!"


    "The Anesthetist has finally come online, God!"


    "Can he land it?"


    The audience exclaimed in awe because, having seen it many times, everyone knew what Link''s signature move was¡ªhis rear hook punch thrown swiftly from behind, often striking first despite being thrown later, knocking out his opponents with ferocious power.


    Jones was also aware of Link''s signature move. In preparation for the match, he and his coaches drilled for two days and finally found a way to counter it¡ª


    At the moment the punch was thrown, Jones would quickly duck or tilt his head to the side, focusing on Link''s rear hook punch rather than trying to knock Link out with a single punch, using this tactic to strike at Link''s morale.


    Therefore, before Link''s rear hook punch could land, Jones had already readied his defense, leaning back strategically.


    Link''s rear hook punch swept past Jones''s chin.


    "Woooo~"


    The audience gave a disappointed cry.


    With his signature move avoided, Link did not get discouraged but continued to maintain a defensive posture.


    Jones noticed that Link''s strength and speed had decreased compared to the previous match.


    He guessed Link had overexerted himself in the last match and was using this tactic to buy time for rest.


    Jones however, didn''t want to let him get away with it and followed up with a second punch that landed on Link''s crossed arms, attempting to break through Link''s defense, but Link''s technique was exquisite and difficult to crack, leaving Jones no choice but to keep throwing punches continuously.


    Facing Jones''s aggressive attack, Link still adopted a highly defensive strategy. In this round, Jones threw a total of 65 punches, with 8 hitting Link''s valid scoring areas. In the eyes of the referee, Jones scored 10 points this round and Link only 8.


    In the fourth round, Jones continued his offensive, throwing 72 punches, 9 of which hit Link''s valid scoring areas, securing another round for himself.


    During the mid-round break of the fourth round, his coach suggested slowing down the pace of attack to conserve energy, in case Link had any moves left.


    Jones disagreed, since the match had progressed to the fourth round, with both fighters equal at 10-10 in the first two rounds and him clearly at an advantage in the third and fourth. If he won just two more rounds, he could win the fight, so why give up the advantageous position now?


    Moreover, in his clash with Link, he could tell that Link was greatly fatigued, both his strength and speed had declined, and he was confident he could defeat Link.


    Seeing Link sweating profusely and hydrating at the side of the ring, his coach agreed with Jones''s plan to continue scoring points to secure the victory sooner.


    "Link, aren''t you going to make a move? If you don''t do it now, you can''t win by points," Mario said while fanning him.


    "Wait a bit longer! I''m resting for another round," Link replied, spitting out the water in his mouth and staggering to the center of the ring.


    Bang!


    The match continued, and in this round, Jones threw a total of 84 punches, 10 of which hit Link''s valid scoring areas, winning him another round.


    The sixth round, with only four more to go until the end of the match.


    "Isn''t Link going to fight back?"


    The audience and the promoters watched Link in the ring, puzzled by his sudden passivity. Could it be that he got dumped by his girlfriend before the match?


    In the sixth round, Jones threw 88 punches, hitting Link''s valid scoring areas 12 times, and won another round.


    "Is Link going to lose?!"


    The promoters sighed in some disappointment. Link was performing poorly this match. Although they didn''t know what had happened to him, when a boxer is affected by external factors, leading to a lost fight, it shows a lack of mental toughness.


    The promoters felt some disappointment.


    "Link, did you bet a large sum of money on yourself losing, so you''re trying to throw the fight on purpose?" Mario asked, turning his head filled with junk.


    Link glanced at him and spat water on the ground.


    "Watch closely, I''m about to go berserk."


    "Bullshit, you''re struggling to even get up, what can you possibly do?" Mario retorted with a scoff.


    Bang!


    At 24 seconds into the seventh round, Jones threw a straight punch at Link''s face. Link quickly dodged to the side.


    "Jones!"


    Right then, Jones''s coach bellowed out.


    Jones had no clue what had happened until Link''s rear hook punch suddenly smashed into his head, making his body uncontrollably fall to the right. As he fell, he remembered Link''s rear hook punch!!!


    He''d had several rounds in his favor, scoring many points on Link''s face. Because the offense went so smoothly, he completely forgot about Link''s signature move and didn''t think to dodge while throwing punches.


    He also didn''t expect that at this point, with Link''s stamina, he could deliver such a fierce punch.


    He miscalculated!


    Bang!


    Jones''s face reflected unwillingness as it crashed heavily to the ground.


    "Wow~ that rear hook punch, there''s Link''s rear hook punch again."


    "Has the Anesthetist finally arrived? God, I was almost in agony."


    "Go, Link, finish him off!"


    With another KO witnessed, the crowd below suddenly livened up. Jones''s advance and Link''s defense earlier were both commendable.


    But they bought tickets to see Link KO his opponents, not to watch an opponent dominate Link. They had been patiently waiting and finally saw another KO.


    Next, Link didn''t disappoint the audience. After Jones got up, taking advantage of Jones not having recovered, Link broke through Jones''s defenses with a barrage of heavy punches. A swift jab followed by a left swing punch landed hard on Jones''s face.


    Jones was KO''d for the second time.


    "Go, Link!"


    "Link, I want to sleep with you!"


    "Let your fists come harder, Link!"


    Seeing Link unleash his fury, the audience shouted excitedly.


    After Jones got up, Link continued to aggressively attack, unleashing one set of combination punches after another.


    "Hold him! Hold him!"


    Jones''s coach yelled from below the ring.


    Jones immediately stepped forward to embrace Link, preventing him from continuing his onslaught. Link continuously struck Jones''s ribs with his fists until the referee separated the two.


    The eighth round began, and Jones held his fists high, crossing them to protect his head, adopting a strictly defensive strategy.


    If it had been within the first three rounds, with Jones''s light heavyweight build and extremely high resistance to punches, Link might not have been able to break through his defenses, and even if he did, it would have taken a lot of effort, as he didn''t have that much energy to squander.


    But in the eighth round, after Jones had expended a great deal of energy in four consecutive rounds of attack, and having been knocked out twice by Link, lifting his arms to defend himself became an enormous burden.


    At this time, when his defense was at its weakest, Link did not hesitate. He moved forward and continued to hammer through Jones''s guard with heavy punches, landing a straight punch to his face once again.


    Bang!


    Jones was knocked out for the third time.


    "Good hit! Just like that!"


    From the stands, Franco Duvall shouted excitedly, waving his fists.


    "Boss, should we sign him?" his assistant Simon asked.


    Franco Duvall''s dark eyebrows furrowed as he looked towards a few figures not far away.


    There were promoters from top companies: Greg Cohen, Dmitry Salita from Competitive Chamber Promotions, Frank Warren from Queensbury Boxing Promotion, the vice president from a top championship boxing promotion company, Al Haymon, and even representatives from the newly established Golden Boy Promotions.


    People from several large boxing promotion companies in the United States were interested in securing Link Baker. For his Hall of Fame promotion company to sign Link, the difficulty was not small.


    Furthermore, after the match in Florida, he had approached Link in Orlando with a generous offer, but Link declined, stating he would consider contract offers after the Golden Gloves Championship concluded.


    Link was strong and not in a hurry to sign contracts. His peers were also closely watching this commercially valuable newcomer, eager to sign him. To do so, they must have enough patience and terms sufficiently attractive to sway Link.


    Bang!


    On the ring, Link landed another swing punch on his opponent''s head, knocking Jones down. Jones took four seconds crouching on the ground before getting up, his eighth knockdown.


    "Jones isn''t bad either."


    "Well-rounded technique."


    "Extremely high punch resistance."


    Several promoters nodded in approval upon seeing Jones get knocked down eight times and still getting up, indicating his potential.


    Link was a heavy hitter; those who had fought him before would usually not be able to get up after being knocked down seven times, but Jones had gone down eight times and was still able to stand, clearly showing promise.


    "With only one round left, can Link achieve a KO?"


    Everyone watched in anticipation of Link''s performance.


    On the ring, after nine rounds, Link was drenched in sweat, taking deep breaths continuously. This was not a feint to lure the opponent; he was genuinely exhausted. He had rested less than three hours after the previous match before continuing the fight.


    This match''s opponent, Jones Fullos, was incredibly sturdy and resilient, with at least twice the punch resistance of Mario. His defense was also quite good; each breach required significant effort.


    After three rounds of continuous attack, Link''s stamina had reached a critical point, but Jones, having been knocked down eight times, was in equally terrible physical and psychological condition.


    Now it was a battle of endurance and willpower.


    Link was not lacking in endurance, nor was he short on will. When pushing carts in the mines, during the final moments in the cage fight, even when spitting out clots of blood, he was still able to erupt with tremendous power, especially now, when he was completely dominant.


    How could he possibly lose such a match?! sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Roar!


    Link went berserk, his fists raining down nonstop on Jones.


    Thump thump thump!


    Link cornered Jones against the post, letting loose with both fists, one punch, two punches, three punches breaking through Jones''s guard, the fourth penetrating the defense and striking hard on Jones''s forehead, rendering Jones unresponsive.


    "Break!"


    The referee came over and pulled Link away.


    Link stepped back, gentlemanly retracting his fists.


    Jones hung on the ropes, body pitched forward and fell to the ground.


    The referee counted.


    "...8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"


    Link raised his hands high.


    Boom!


    The atmosphere peaked as the crowd cheered loudly, shouting Link''s name.


    "Yeah! Link won!"


    Mario and Reggie jumped up and shouted.


    "Link! The Boxing King! Link, the Boxing King!"


    "What an exciting match, Link Baker will definitely become a boxing king in the future!"


    "From regional to divisional, Link has dominated his way into the Golden Gloves Championship finale with an all-KO record, his performance is unmatched!"


    "14 amateur matches, 14 KO victories, such a record has never been seen before in any amateur competition, Link has created a new historic milestone."


    The audience stood up to cheer and applaud for Link while the promotion companies watched him with fervent eyes, as if looking at a walking money printing machine.


    The media turned their cameras on Link in the ring, witnessing the birth of a new sports star.


    "I declare! The winner of the gold medal for this Golden Gloves Championship''s Southeast Division is... from Florida, Link Baker!"


    The Vice President of the United States Amateur Boxing Association and the main official for the Southeast Division, Yunus Musa, raised Link''s arm high on the boxing stage.


    "Link! The Champion!"


    The audience clapped and cheered.


    In the stands, hundreds of fans holding Link''s posters jumped and shouted excitedly, calling out Link''s name, the Boxing Prince, and some even referred to him as Mr. Anesthetist.


    Link smiled brilliantly, waving his fists at the fans.


    "Family, see you in Miami!"

 Chapter 020 Negotiating for One Hundred Million US Dollars

    "An exciting match, the anesthetist Link once again ended the match with a KO, bringing his amateur record to 14 wins, all by KO¡ªa remarkable and record-setting accomplishment. Tyson didn''t have it, Holyfield didn''t have it, Mayweather didn''t have it¡­.On June 13, please turn your attention to the boxing ring in Miami, as a new star rises in the southeast of the United States, and his name is Link Baker."


    ¡ª¡ªReported by "Boxing Ring" magazine


    "It has been understood that the 2008 Golden Gloves Championship Southeastern Division tournament concluded yesterday. Representing Florida, Super Middleweight boxer Link Baker delivered an outstanding performance in the finals. He successfully KO''d Jones Fullos, the former runner-up of an amateur championship, clinching the Southeastern Division Super Middleweight Gold for Florida.


    He will continue to represent Florida in the national Golden Gloves Championship."


    ¡ª¡ªReported by the "Florida New Herald"


    "Yesterday I visited Roy Jones in Palm Beach, I asked him if he had been following the Golden Gloves amateur championship. Roy Jones was smoking marijuana, surrounded by two bikini-clad beauties, and told me he hadn''t."


    "I said, take a look, man, there''s this incredible young fighter from Miami named Link Baker. He represented Miami in Orlando and won the state championship and then secured the Southeastern Division championship in South Carolina."


    Not just any champion, mind you, he overwhelmed his opponents with a streak of 14 wins, all by KO, a feat that makes a division championship seem trivial by comparison."


    "Ha ha, winning every amateur match by KO?"


    "I understand what he meant, I really do; he was telling all of us, ''This is too easy. Let me show you a trick¡ª I''m going to enter the championship final by knocking out my opponents.''"


    If I had known him before the matches, I would have given him the cold shoulder; young man, don''t be too arrogant, it''s pointless, there are too many skilled boxers out there, watch out or someone might break that handsome nose of yours.


    Luckily, I didn''t know him before the matches, nor did I give him the cold shoulder because he truly accomplished it. He completed an almost impossible challenge¡ªGod, knocking out all those guys padded up in high-elasticity foam.


    Does Link have a giant dragon residing in him?


    I asked Roy Jones who was smoking marijuana, could you do it?


    Roy Jones looked a bit blank, apparently reminiscing his not-so-glorious past; clearly, his poor amateur record could not compare to that of Link.


    My interview wasn''t over when Roy Jones yawned; his assistant told me Mr. Roy Jones was getting ready to rest.


    I looked at Roy Jones''s retreating figure, seeing a boxing champion age, signalling that Miami''s boxing ring might be seeing its last days.


    I felt a bit melancholic.


    Wait a minute!


    The boxing ring seeing its last days?


    No, no, no, we still have Link Baker, a new champion, Miami''s boxing scene won''t be lonely! Let''s cheer for Miami''s future champion¡ªLink Baker!"


    ¡ª¡ªComment by Rafael Varane, Sports Editor of the "Miami Herald"


    Onboard the moving Silver Star train, Link put down the handful of newspapers he was holding, touched his head, his forehead was sweating profusely.


    The air conditioning in the carriage was working fine, and the air was quite cool, but his forehead was sweating, not because of the hot weather but because the news in the newspapers was too embarrassing, so embarrassing that his toes clenched as if they were stopping a train.


    He was only the Southeast Division Super Middleweight first place winner, not the overall Golden Gloves champion yet.


    But the media in Florida and Miami hyped him up as if he had just won the championship, almost as if he had just returned from a moon trip on an Apollo spacecraft, excessively glorified.


    He couldn''t help but feel embarrassed.


    But after the embarrassment came a secret thrill.


    Yes, it felt great, a relief and pleasure that came after achieving goals.


    Would the Florida and Miami media have gone to such lengths to hype an amateur boxer like him if he had simply won the matches and taken the Southeast Division championship?


    Link thought it was unlikely.


    Simple achievements don''t hold up to hype; the media would be wary of praising him too much for fear that he might fail in the upcoming matches.


    But for a boxer who could win every match by KO, his strength was apparent and stood up to the hype.


    So Link set himself a very high goal, not only earning himself honor but also giving local media a newsworthy topic to discuss.


    He gained considerable visibility through the media, and the media sold papers by promoting him¡ªit was a win-win situation.


    This also proved that his deliberate aim to win every match by KO was meaningful and not a waste of effort.


    At the same time, Link also understood the advice from West previously.


    When he first joined the gym, he told West that he would only fight in amateur boxing for half a year before going pro.


    West did not agree at the time and advised him to fight a bit longer. At the time, Link felt it was unnecessary as he believed his skills were mature and did not need to be honed through amateur boxing matches.


    After seeing these news articles, he suddenly understood what West meant.


    Fighting in amateur competitions not only honed skills but also accumulated match experience. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    More importantly, it could bring fame and honor to the Boxer, as well as to the people around him, the local area, and even the nation; this was a stage for gathering popularity and character.


    When representing a region or the country in competitions, both the regional and American media would promote him for free, making him well-known in the hearts of the public.


    After gaining a high profile in his region, when a boxing match was held in Miami, Florida in the future, wouldn''t the people of Miami come to support him on site?


    After becoming well-known in America, when holding boxing matches in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and other places, American people would buy tickets or pay to support him because he was a celebrity.


    This was also why foreign champions were often not supported in America; even if they were formidable and held several Golden Belts, if they weren''t one of their own, who cared?


    Because he had been imprisoned in his previous life, Link had not enjoyed this treatment during his amateur stages and thus did not understand the role of amateur competitions.


    Now with a little enlightenment, he was preparing to participate in more amateur competitions in the next half-year or so, gathering more popularity and honor¡ªafter all, it was free media promotion, why not use it?


    Once he turned professional, all the fame and prestige accumulated would be converted into U.S. dollars in subsequent matches, so competing in amateur fights was not a waste of time.


    "Link, are you done? Shall we chat?"


    Sitting opposite him by the window of the train was a brown-haired middle-aged man.


    Wearing spectacles and neatly dressed in a brown striped shirt even in the heat of summer, with his hair parted in a Clark Gable style, he was meticulous. When he smiled, his neatly white teeth were visible, showcasing his good personal habits and affluent social status.


    He always spoke with a smile, looking directly at the other person, and his gestures exuded a gentle and elegant demeanor.


    This man was Franco Duvall, a surname originated from Latin America and quite rare in the United States, yet anyone in the boxing circle would likely know Lou Duvall.


    Lou Duvall was one of the founders of the Boxing Hall of Fame and coach or agent to 19 world champions, like Holyfield and Whitaker, as well as the founder of a premier event promotion company.


    Senior Duvall was 86 this year and reportedly in poor health, having stepped back from the leading events company and passed on the boxing business to his eldest son, Franco Duvall.


    That was the man in front of him.


    This wasn''t their first encounter. Shortly after Link left the Gyro Barbecue Restaurant in Orlando and had just added Emma Watson on MSN, Franco Duvall and West knocked on his door, wanting to discuss a signing.


    When West heard that the visitor was the son of Lou Duvall, president of a premier events promotion company, he immediately agreed to bring him to meet Link.


    Upon meeting, Franco made his intentions clear, expressing his desire to sign him with a signing bonus of one million U.S. dollars.


    Link appreciated Franco''s straightforward approach, but one million U.S. dollars was not enough to sell his contract, not even ten million.


    He politely declined Franco''s offer with the excuse of ''not discussing signing for now,'' just as he had turned down other promotional companies after finishing his competitions in the Southeastern region.


    And on the train leaving South Carolina, Franco Duvall caught up again, sitting opposite him¡ªoriginally, the seat opposite him held Mario, a guy eager to be signed by a promotional company, how could he refuse to give his seat to a president of such a company?


    Once seated, Franco Duvall did not stop trying to engage him in conversation, seemingly using this approach to draw closer and get him to agree to sign, displaying sincere attitude. But so what?


    Once it involved his own interests and future development, he could still choose to ignore, even if the three big names of the boxing world¡ªsenior Duvall himself, Bob Arum, and Don King¡ªwere sitting in front of him.


    He didn''t want to talk, choosing to read the newspaper, and then being so embarrassed by the news that he knocked on the train.


    "What about, Mr. Duvall?"


    Link grabbed a South Carolina citrus from the table, cut it with a knife, peeled a segment, and put it in his mouth.


    "Link, congratulations on your successful entry into the finals of the Golden Gloves Championship. Even though there are many formidable opponents in the final circle, with your strength, getting into the top three won''t be difficult."


    His mouth twitched slightly when he heard "top three."


    "Not even the championship will be difficult."


    Franco Duvall quickly added and pulled out a Chanel-lettered tissue paper, handing it to him. He continued, "Link, if you win the overall championship, and those promotion companies want to sign you, what kind of conditions would you propose?


    You can tell me; I am here not just with sincerity but also with a checkbook, maybe I can satisfy you right now."


    "What kind of conditions?"


    Link thought, slightly squinting his eyes.


    "Yes, any conditions, just tell me."


    Franco Duvall smiled subtly, with an attitude that seemed to say as long as you dare to name a price, I dare to handle it, quite magnanimous.


    "One hundred million U.S. dollars!"


    Before he stuffed the other half of the citrus into his mouth, Link spoke out that heavily significant figure with his lips, shaped into a sexy curve.


    "One hundred million U.S. dollars?!!"

 Chapter 021 I Will Save Boxing

    "How much?!"Mario''s eyes widened in shock as he stared, "A hundred million US Dollars? Are you insane? Mr. Duvall came here with sincerity to negotiate, and you respond with such an insincere figure to Mr. Duvall''s kindness?"


    Link, stop joking, let''s be serious and show some sincerity. It''s said that Mr. Duvall manages contracts for over ten Boxers, and he is quite busy."


    "A hundred million US Dollars?"


    Even West and Reggie, drowsy from the sun, opened their eyes and listened intently to their negotiation.


    So it''s said money is a good thing; it''s quite energizing.


    "Link, a hundred million US Dollars?"


    Franco Duvall''s smile turned into a wry smile as if Link''s words had hit a sore spot, and even his smile was bitter.


    If any of Franco Duvall''s fans saw his smile sour, they would certainly blame Link''s recklessness.


    Link glanced at Mario, who stood without a backbone, that scoundrel trying to get Franco Duvall to take him in by discarding even his basic dignity. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he didn''t consider, with his capabilities, he''d be rejected as a sparring partner for any Boxer for not being tough enough. What use would he be to a major event company?


    Link smiled slightly and leisurely wiped the corners of his mouth and fingers with a napkin, "Mr. Duvall, do you think a hundred million US Dollars is a lot? Or do you think I''m not worth that amount?"


    "Isn''t that obvious, Link? Look at yourself. Even if you have won some matches now, these are amateur matches. You, a newcomer without even a Boxer title, dare to ask for such an exorbitant price?"


    Franco spoke indignantly for Mario.


    It''s as if asking Franco Duvall for a hundred million US Dollars was such an outrageous act, and his mouth''s indignation seemed to be executing a heavenly decree.


    Link looked at Franco Duvall and said with a smile, "Mr. Duvall, do you also think so?"


    "Isn''t it obvi¡ª"


    "Shut your mouth!!"


    Link looked coldly at Mario.


    "Mario, go sit over there! This isn''t your concern!" West scolded with a dark face.


    Mario pursed his lips, smiled sycophantically at Franco Duvall, and moved to a seat across the aisle. Yet, he stretched his neck so long it was as if he hadn''t moved at all.


    Link smiled at Franco Duvall, "Mr. Duvall, do you also think the same?"


    When Franco Duvall pondered, he liked to slightly lower his head, causing a vertical crease to form between his brows, which disappeared when he looked up.


    He said, "Link, you''re strong, beautiful, and have significant business value, but you''re still a newcomer. A hundred million US Dollars, even Holyfield in his fifth year after getting the WBA Golden Belt wouldn''t have offered such a huge clause to my father."


    When Link heard him mention his father, Lou Duvall, he paused, showing a respectful expression, and smiled, "Mr. Duvall, you are willing to meet with me and want to sign me even before I become a Champion. You see my potential the same way Wall Street traders buy shares in those small companies with potential before they go public.


    As an investor, if in 1980 you were offered to bid a hundred million US Dollars for 20% of Microsoft Corporation, would you do it?


    In 1985, if you had the opportunity to invest a billion to acquire 80% of Apple Inc., would you do it?


    If you were asked in 2003 to invest a hundred million dollars for 30% of Google, would you do it? Now I''m asking you to invest a hundred million in my event promotion contract, but you''re unwilling, why is that?"


    Mario and Reggie listened, astounded, as Link asked Franco Duvall if he, having the money in the past, would have bought large shares of Microsoft, Apple, or Google.


    They also thought, if they had the money and opportunity, whether they would invest in several internet giants.


    The conclusion was, of course, they would. Investing a hundred million to earn back a hundred billion, only a fool would refuse.


    But then Link changed the subject, asking Franco why he was unwilling to spend a hundred million US Dollars on his contract?


    Isn''t that obvious?


    Previously discussed were multinational corporations worth billions or trillions, but you are just one Boxer¡ªhow could you compare with corporations worth hundreds of billions or even trillions?


    Mario rolled his eyes, thinking Link''s brain might have been soaked too long in seawater, making it damp.


    Franco Duvall was stunned for a moment, a bitter smile crept back on his face, and he spread his hands gracefully, "Link, your business value is great, but a hundred million US Dollars indeed exceeds our budget. How does ten million sound?"


    "Ten million?! Link is worth ten million?"


    Mario''s eyes widened at Franco Duvall, as if asking the respected President Duvall if, due to being too close to Link, he had accidentally caught some madness from him.


    When West and Reggie heard Franco Duvall offer a ten-million contract, they also looked at Link in surprise, curious about his reaction. Shock? Excitement or joy?


    Link merely waved his hand dismissively, "If it were 1980, on this train, sitting opposite you, Bill Gates wanted to sell you 20% of Microsoft stocks for a hundred million, with no knowledge of the future, you would definitely refuse;


    In 1985, after those fools at Apple kicked Jobs out and nearly ran the company into the ground, preparing to sell it to you for a billion US Dollars, you would definitely refuse;


    In 2003, when Google''s founders sought investors for a new project, offering 30% of their shares to you, you would still refuse."

 Chapter 021 I Will Save the Boxing World_2

    It''s not that you lack investment insight, rather it''s that you haven''t done thorough research. You don''t know the true value of the three companies, nor do you realize how much potential we have and what value we can create in the future.If your company''s professional evaluation only sees a future for me as a Boxer like Holyfield, then don''t bother signing me. My value certainly doesn''t end there."


    "Only a Boxer like Holyfield? Only?"


    Mario''s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Link. If it weren''t for being frightened by Link''s cold gaze just now, he would have wanted to grab Link by the collar and shake him fiercely, asking if he knew who Holyfield was.


    Evander Holyfield, following Tyson, was the most successful Heavyweight Boxer in both honor and business, a four-time WBA Heavyweight champion, three-time IBF Heavyweight champion, and three-time WBC Heavyweight champion, making him the second Boxer after Ali to win the World Heavyweight title three times.


    Being Holyfield is the dream of all Boxers, but in Link''s mouth, is it merely "only"?


    "Someone is crazy! Someone is truly insane!"


    Mario muttered softly as he looked up at the ceiling of the train.


    Franco Duvall looked at Link with a strange expression, feeling that this young man might have let the extensive media hype get to his head after defeating a dozen opponents, to the point where he didn''t even regard Holyfield highly.


    He still smiled politely and asked in a even more courteous tone, "Link, can you let me know what your career plan is, or what you think is the most valuable thing about you?"


    "Of course!"


    Link smiled, curling his lip. Merely claiming that he would be better than Holyfield in the future was boasting, something that could make others scoff disdainfully, and that was not his intention at all.


    He pointed at the fruit basket on the table, saying, "Since the early last century, Boxing began its commercialization, and the Heavyweight class has always been the most profitable. However, in recent years, it hasn''t been lucrative, especially in the North American market.


    Due to the lack of a Heavyweight Boxer to anchor the events, smaller Boxers like Mayweather, Roy Jones, De La Hoyle, and Pacquiao have started splitting the market that formerly belonged to the Heavyweights.


    Why is that? Because in North America, you can''t find someone to replace George Foreman, Tyson, Holyfield, and others who can continue to draw in the audience and pay for the Boxing matches.


    If someone now could unify the four major organizations in the Heavyweight class and reclaim the Heavyweight market and audience, would you be willing to sign them for 100 million US Dollars?


    I think you definitely wouldn''t miss this opportunity.


    With such a person, your company could make tens or hundreds of billions in the future, what''s 100 million US Dollars compared to that? And I am just such a person."


    Before Franco Duvall could speak, he raised his palm, politely stopping the other man from talking, "Since the forties and fifties, most Boxers active in the ring have been people of color like Ali, Tyson, Holyfield, Mayweather, and Roy Jones.


    But my arrival will break that pattern. My goal is to unify all the world titles and Golden Belts of the five major ranks from the four big organizations. How can Holyfield compare to me?"


    Link looked intensely at Franco Duvall, "The Boxing world is about to undergo earth-shattering changes, and I am the man who will change it.


    100 million US Dollars! Mr. Duvall, this is the friendly price I''m offering considering I appreciate your sincerity and respect for old Mr. Duvall. Is it too much?"


    Franco Duvall dabbed the sweat on his forehead with a patterned handkerchief.


    If saying that he didn''t regard Holyfield highly was like floating on air, then claiming he was about to reclaim the Heavyweight market and bring change to the North American Boxing scene was like a thunderbolt from the blue, making his scalp numb.


    Even Ali, Tyson, and Holyfield wouldn''t dare say such a thing, how could an amateur Boxer like him?


    But after giving Link''s words some thought, despite the boasting, it wasn''t without possibility.


    The North American Boxing scene is experiencing a gap, especially in the most lucrative Heavyweight class. With Tyson, Holyfield, and those champions aging, the new Heavyweight champions generally lack strength. Even if they can dominate domestically, they quickly revert to their true form when confronted with international opponents, offering little investment and training value.


    If someone really could emerge capable of unifying the four major organization''s Heavyweight Golden Belts, this person would undoubtedly have immense commercial value.


    If that person is a good-looking light-skinned Boxer, then their commercial value would be immeasurable.


    100 million US Dollars really isn''t much.


    But is that person Link?


    Link is just a newcomer less than ten days into his career, a newborn baby even. Even though he is very strong, who can ensure he remains so?


    The difference between promotional companies and the folks on Wall Street is that they invest in specific ''people''."


    When the investment involved "people," the variables were too great, and so were the risks.


    Making investment decisions often required tremendous courage.


    "From ancient times, those who dared to take risks were often the ones who got the biggest piece of the cake.


    Mr. Duvall, although what I just said might sound crazy, I''m going to prove with my fists that my words are not just boasting." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And you, you''re facing a choice, continue being a spectator, marveling or regretting my achievements in the future, or bet early, become my partner, and we''ll share the cake together. The choice is in your hands."


    Link picked up a citrus fruit and handed it to Franco Duvall.


    Franco Duvall looked at the citrus in his hand, stayed silent without speaking, but furrowed his brows.


    Mario dumbly watched Link. He could barely keep up with what he was saying before, but Link''s later words sounded like the ramblings of a madman, making his head spin.


    What he couldn''t understand was why Mr. Franco Duvall, a well-known figure in the promotion industry, upon hearing Link''s crazy talk, did not slap him but instead listened very seriously?!


    He didn''t know if he was the one who was abnormal or if the world had gone mad.


    The train arrived at Miami station, and Link woke up West, who had fallen asleep again, gathered their luggage, and prepared to get off.


    "Mr. Link Baker, your statement is very interesting; we will seriously consider your proposal. Good luck in the finals!"


    Franco Duvall said, extending his hand.


    "Great!"


    Link said, smiling as he shook hands.


    ----


    "Link is here!"


    As Link and his party appeared at the train station, dozens of media reporters, having heard the news, surged toward him. Among them were Miami Business TV, "Miami Forum News," "American Express," and "Beach Illustrated."


    Media and fans alike were groups that needed constant maintenance and serious engagement.


    Link''s goal was to become a boxing superstar, a boxer with tremendous commercial potential, which meant frequent interactions with the media.


    Although they were sometimes annoying and lacked integrity, if handled properly, the positive impact they brought definitely outweighed the trouble they caused.


    Link stayed in the plaza in front of Miami station for over ten minutes, answering more than twenty questions about the competition and his personal life, fully satisfying the curiosity and writing needs of the reporters before they graciously let him go.


    "Hey, Link, over here!"


    Across the street from the station plaza, Fat James rode a small motorcycle, waving excitedly at him.


    Link said goodbye to West and the others, crossed the traffic, and walked to the other side of the street. He looked at the small motorcycle under James''s buttocks, a Honda Rebel, and pointed with his index finger, "I return from the battlefield laden with honors, and you greet me with this little thing?"


    "What''s wrong? What else should I use to pick you up if not this? Are you afraid it won''t fit? No worries, I''ll scoot forward a bit."


    James said, shifting his bottom forward. The little motorcycle creaked alarmingly under his weight, looking pitiable.


    Link covered his forehead. He had just been discussing business worth hundreds of millions of dollars on the train, thinking he was a big shot, only to ride a small motorcycle home after getting off, feeling like he was dreaming.


    Well, since there''s no sports car available, he might as well settle for this without complaining.


    He stretched his long legs, squeezed onto the back of the small motorcycle, which promptly sank downwards with a creak.


    James started the engine, and the small motorcycle roared and belched black smoke as it joined the busy traffic flow.


    The photographers quickly raised their cameras, aiming at Link on the small motorcycle and pressing the shutter a few times.


    Click! Click!

 Chapter 022 The Finals Arrive

    Palm Beach coast.Blue sky, vast ocean, white sands, a vast palm forest, and bikini-clad girls playing volleyball¡ªscenery was everywhere.


    It felt good to be back.


    Link''s stroll along the beach turned into a spin on his speedboat in front of his house. After ensuring there were no irregularities, he dove back into preparation for the competition.


    Since the Gold Glove Championship finals were held in Miami, locals didn''t have to hustle on the road. There were two days of rest before the competition began, but he couldn''t rest yet.


    The boxers entering the finals came from four regions, five from each, with twenty competitors per rank.


    They were all top performers from their respective regions, most having participated in the National Youth Boxing Championships, U19 Championships, Pan American Games, National Amateur Boxing Competitions, Olympic qualifiers, and other competitions, securing top three positions.


    They were powerful. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The difficulty of the competition was also greater than that of the regional competitions.


    During the regional competitions, Link already found the opponents tough to handle. To secure the Gold Glove championship title and the "100 million US dollar" signing fee, he needed to do even more prep work before the fight.


    It''s always good to be prepared!


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Link! Link, come out quick."


    In Baker''s Diving Equipment shop, Link sat in front of the TV, watching fight footage frame by frame of a boxer named ''Andrea Berto''.


    This man was last year''s U19 national champion and an all-American amateur champion¡ªa boxer with a robust composite strength, powerful moves, flexible actions, comprehensive technique, and rich combat experience. He was not easy to deal with.


    West suggested he should first watch this opponent''s past fights, get familiar with his fighting style, and devise ways to cope with him in the ring.


    Link agreed with West''s advice.


    By watching an opponent''s fight footage, understanding his fighting style¡ªwhether he''s technique-oriented or a heavy hitter, offensive-focused or balanced in offense and defense; the combinations he typically uses, whether it''s straight punch + jab + jab or jab + straight punch + jab; stance being traditional right or left stance, whether he has any signature killer moves.


    Knowing these characteristics would make it easier to deal with them.


    He believed that in these two days, his opponents would also be watching his fight videos, thinking about how to crack his signature moves, heavy punches, strong defense, and stamina.


    Both sides were giving each other headaches.


    "Link! Come out, we have a gift for you."


    James and Daniel, along with Michael from the surfboard shop, called out at the door.


    "What gift?"


    Link was surprised. These three were preparing a gift for him before a match?


    He was a bit excited.


    He set down his notebook and walked to the shop front.


    "Ding Ding Ding!"


    Upon seeing him emerge, the trio of James shouted, stepping aside, flinging their arms out to reveal a cloaked cape shimmering in the brilliant Miami sunshine.


    Link shielded his eyes.


    The cape was over three meters long, made of chiffon, average in craftsmanship, but what caught his eye were the many words on it.


    The first line read ''Baker''s Diving Equipment, taking you on an underwater adventure''


    The next line was ''Danny''s Hot Dogs, fulfilling all your hot dog fantasies''


    Further down were advertisements for Michael''s surfing shop, a Mexican grill, Miss Lina''s ice cream shop, and more, over a dozen slogans and shop signs.


    Link squinted, feeling a bad premonition.


    "What are you guys up to?"


    "Haha, Link, this is the battle cape we prepared for you. When you enter the ring wearing it, you''ll definitely be the center of attention. How about it?"


    Danny shook the golden cape, proudly smiling as if claiming credit.


    "Link, isn''t it super cool?"


    Michael from the surfboard shop called out.


    "Why are there advertisements on it?"


    Link asked, his face darkening.


    "There will be many media interviewing you on the day of the match. We''re just taking the opportunity to advertise. It''s called making good use of resources, don''t you think so?"


    "Yes, Link. Since the cape would otherwise be plain, advertising on it is both economical and practical, and it adds a unique personal touch, don''t you agree?"


    "...."


    Link opened his mouth to object but felt overwhelmed by the absurdity. Deciding to forego a lengthy argument, he simply turned and went back inside the shop to continue watching fight footage.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The 2008 Gold Glove National Championship finals were held at the American Airlines Arena in the heart of the City of Miami.


    This was originally the home arena of the NBA''s Miami Heat, but with the injury woes that year and the trade of Shaquille O''Neal to the Suns, the team tanked the entire season without making the playoffs, turning the American Airlines Arena into a venue for boxing.


    Compared to the Hard Rock Stadium that hosted music festivals, this venue was smaller, but boxing championships weren''t a major spectator sport, and the number of viewers was limited, making the American Airlines Arena the most suitable choice.


    According to the arena''s website, by the start of the competition, a total of 3,024 people had booked the two-day tickets by phone or online.


    7,320 people had reserved tickets for the second day, the day of the finals.


    It was expected that on the first day of the competition, the arena''s occupancy rate would be nearly seventy percent, about 12,000 people, and on the day of the finals, the seating might be completely filled by enthusiastic Miami residents, provided that Miami''s own boxer, Link Baker, could successfully make it to the finals.


    Time flew by, and on the day of the competition, Link arrived at the venue wearing a golden cape. As he walked out of the tunnel, the arena speakers played the theme song of "Rocky III," "Eye Of The Tiger."


    Risin'' up


    Struggling to advance


    straight to the top


    Climbing to the peak


    had the guts


    With courage


    got the glory


    Seized the honor


    went the distance


    Traveled the long road


    now I''m not gonna stop


    Ding ding ding!


    Just then, Link made a dazzling entrance.


    The audience and media reporters immediately brightened up, turning their heads to look at him, at the shining figure he was, instantly becoming the most eye-catching kid on the scene.


    "Wow, it''s Link!"


    "His cape is so cool!"


    A wave of exclamations came from the stands.


    Link smiled and waved to his fans and boxing enthusiasts in the stands.


    "Link!"


    Fat James shouted from the stands.


    "Champion!!"


    Sitting beside him were over two hundred men and women in yellow T-shirts, holding Link posters, who also stood up, waving their arms in a wave-like motion in a somewhat exaggerated performance.


    "Link!"


    "Champion!!"


    Under the direction of James and Daniel, the group stood up and shook again.


    These people were all merchants from the vicinity of Ocean Drive, who had made a special trip to the match to cheer for Link, and because everyone was too enthusiastic, Link couldn''t politely decline and had to bite the bullet and put on the lucky battle robe they had gifted him.


    Link waved to everyone.


    "Link, may I interview you?"


    A throng of reporters with microphones rushed over and blocked his way.


    "Of course!"


    Link made a welcoming gesture.


    "Link, I''m a reporter from Miami Business Television, why did you make an entrance wearing a gold cape, is there any significance to it?"


    A reporter in a blue Polo shirt handed over a microphone and asked.


    "Yes, this is a gift from my friends, it''s said to be the golden armor worn by the War God Achilles when he battled in the underworld. It symbolizes courage and strength, what do you think?"


    Link asked, shaking his cape.


    The reporters, playing along with his joke, smiled.


    "Mr. Link Baker, after the Southeast District match, you said your goal was the championship final, do you still hold on to that goal?"


    A tall, Latina reporter asked with a smile.


    "Of course, my goal has always been the championship, that hasn''t changed. I also ask all boxing fans to trust me, as I plan to carry everyone with me towards victory."


    Link spoke firmly, clenching his fist.


    "Link, another question, in previous matches you usually won by knocking out your opponents with heavy punches, will you continue to maintain this style in the upcoming matches?"


    The female reporter asked.


    Link mused for a moment, the question wasn''t easy to answer.


    Initially, his goal was to enter the final through a series of knockouts, and now that he had achieved this, continuing to fight this way would be more difficult.


    "I will focus on the match itself. If there''s an opportunity, I will still use heavy punches to knock out my opponent, but the Gold Glove Championship is the highest level of boxing competition in the world, and the boxers in the final are all of extremely high caliber, with no weak competitors. To be safe, I will aim for the overall championship trophy, and will not deliberately seek knockouts."


    Link said diplomatically.


    "Mr. Link Baker,"


    A thin, dark-skinned reporter squeezed through, and asked sharply, "Am I to understand that you are changing tactics because you lack confidence in the upcoming matches and aren''t fully confident in defeating your opponents?"


    Link glanced at him and calmly said, "I definitely have confidence, but the excitement of all sports comes from their unpredictability. Let me emphasize once again, my goal is to win all my matches, to keep the championship trophy in Miami, not to knock out my opponents. Excessively chasing a knockout rate is meaningless."


    "Mr. Link Baker, you still lack confidence, don''t you? In the Southeast District final, it took you nine rounds to defeat your opponent Jones, winning the match by luck. Going into the final, the opponents are even stronger; you''re afraid of losing, you don''t have the confidence to knock out your opponents, that''s why you''re forced to change tactics, right? Please don''t evade my question."


    The skinny reporter interrogated excitedly.


    "Link, aren''t you confident about your upcoming matches?"


    The other reporters also stared intently at Link, eager to hear his response.


    Surrounded by dozens of eyes and microphones, as well as cameras and photographers...Link scanned the crowd with a cool gaze, a slight smirk on his lips, "I am filled with confidence for the match, I even believe I can continue to win by knockouts and take the championship. Stay tuned."


    Boom!


    Upon hearing his words, the reporters on site immediately grew agitated.


    "Mr. Link Baker, do you mean you plan to continue your original style and win the final with knockouts to take the championship?"


    "Mr. Link Baker, are you saying you will knock out all your opponents, including the amateur championship winner Andrea Berto?"


    "Mr. Link Baker...."


    Hearing the big news, the reporters, with phones and microphones, began to ask questions in a rush.


    "That''s right, as you are thinking, I will continue to kill the matches with knockouts until I claim the championship."


    Link waved his arm, pushing away a few microphones that were nearly hitting his nose, and walked briskly into the match site.


    An excited cheer from the reporters followed him; they had obtained a valuable piece of news from Link that would surely attract the attention of many audiences and readers when reported.


    "Want to knock out Andrea Berto and win? Heh, Mr. Link Baker, you''re still too young."


    The lean reporter shrugged and snickered.

 Chapter 023 Carry the KO Through to the End

    "Link, you''ve been had, you shouldn''t have told those reporters to their faces that you''ll continue to take the championship with KOs. That''s too difficult."In the locker room, West furrowed his graying eyebrows, the age spots on his cheekbones distorted slightly due to the tight furrowing of his brow and the corners of his eyes, resembling dried leaves floating in coffee. His dry eye bags also gained a few more wrinkles because they were filled with worry.


    "West, you don''t have to worry, I have a plan."


    Link took off his T-shirt and put it in the locker.


    "Link, don''t you understand? Those reporters are setting you up. They keep asking you sensitive questions to provoke you, forcing you to respond so they can dig up big news from you.


    You are too young and impetuous, lacking experience in dealing with the media, that''s why you were tricked.


    In the future, when facing such situations, just dodge the topic and ignore it. The reporters can''t do anything to you."


    West continued, "Regarding you telling the reporters that you will continue to win the championship through KOs, you can ignore that as well. As long as you can win and take the championship, those reporters can''t criticize you for it."


    "No, West, before I said those words, I had thought it through carefully. It wasn''t a decision made under pressure from the reporters, so I will continue to maintain my previous fighting style, knocking out my opponents, until I win the championship."


    Link sat on the bench, leaning back against the locker with his shoulders. The golden sunlight shone through the window, landing on his chiseled side profile, illuminating a confident smile at the corner of his mouth.


    "Ha!"


    Mario curled his lips, about to mock Link with a few words, but a fierce glance from Link made him immediately shut his mouth and punch Blonde Reggie on the shoulder.


    Link saw West''s disbelief and smiled, "It''s true. Tyson once said that the reason why today''s boxers aren''t as good as those from his days is not only because their punches aren''t hard enough but also because they are too well-behaved.


    They''re like well-mannered kids taught in Sunday school, they play by the rules, they don''t create spectacles, they don''t know how to use various methods to market and promote themselves. Their popularity and influence among the public are too low.


    Take John Ruiz for example, a world champion boxer with a fame lesser than even a third-rate Hollywood actor. How can boxers like him expect audiences to pay to watch their matches?"


    West stroked his graying stubble, his face thoughtful.


    "The purpose of what I''m doing is to continue creating topics of news value for the media."


    Link looked at West with a calm gaze and said, "Even though these are amateur matches with no prize money, we should still always market ourselves as much as possible and treat ourselves like professional boxers.


    Now that I have publicly announced that I will continue to take down my opponents with KOs until I win the championship, from this moment on, the media will be eager to focus their cameras on me and pay attention to every move I make.


    If I succeed, they will continue to sing my praises and give me a lot of coverage.


    If I fail, they will also use a lot of news report to laugh at me and make jokes, but so what? I will still be the most popular boxer in this Golden Gloves tournament. No one can match me."


    Link clenched his fist, his face radiating the smile of a victor, brighter than the Miami sunshine outside the window.


    "...."


    Blonde Reggie opened his mouth, looking at Link with admiration.


    He was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the state competition at this Golden Gloves tournament.


    He thought the gap between himself and Link was just in terms of skill, but hearing Link''s words, he realized he was far behind Link, not just in strength but also in concepts, awareness, thinking, courage, strategy, and more.


    While Link was still in amateur matches, he was already laying the groundwork for transitioning to professional boxing, preparing to become a world champion, whereas he himself was just naively fighting matches, not knowing what he was fighting for.


    Someone like Link, he should become a world champion.


    Reggie hurriedly took out his phone, opened the notepad, and recorded Link''s words.


    "I have a question."


    Mario put away the smug look on his face and said seriously, "Link, you make it sound simple, but what if you fail to KO your opponent, or you lose the match, what then?"


    Heh, when the time comes, those media folks will laugh at you, call you a clown, someone who only boasts. Is this what you''re hoping to see?"


    Link chuckled indifferently, "If you''ve studied history, you''d know that all great figures in history¡ªWashington, Lincoln, Franklin, and the like¡ªnone of them were praised by everyone while they lived, and not even after they died.


    Since my goal is to become a great boxer, what''s a little insignificant criticism? Does an elephant stop moving forward because it''s worried about ants biting its feet?"


    Mario rolled his eyes. This guy always talks about great historical figures and being a great boxer; he shouldn''t be in boxing at all. He should go into politics, use his terrifying rhetoric to fool the public, and maybe someday he could take over the White House.


    West listened to Link''s words and did not quite understand, but he thought Link was a smart guy and wouldn''t joke about his career. Hence, he did not say much, just that Link should prepare well, relax, and welcome the upcoming match.


    Link nodded and went into the locker room to warm up.


    When Mario saw his figure disappearing at the door, his expression immediately dropped, and with a pout, he said, "Reggie, don''t you think there''s something wrong with Link''s mind? Ever since he took first place in the divisional competition, he''s been acting crazy, spouting nonsense.


    Talking about causing a huge change in the boxing world, unifying five ranks, the four major organizations'' Golden Belts, and becoming a great boxer¡ªis that something a normal person would say?"


    Reggie spoke seriously, "I don''t think so. Back in the day, Copernicus madly told the cardinals that the Sun is the center of the universe, and the church thought he was mad, so they burned him; when Magellan came back from his journey around the world, he told them that the Earth is actually round, and many people said he was crazy.


    Now Link says he wants to become a great boxer, and you think he''s crazy. Is there a possibility that he is not mad and instead, it''s our perspective and frame of reference that''s too limited?"


    Mario opened his mouth in shock, staring at Reggie, "Have you gone mad too? Are you really comparing Link with Copernicus and Magellan?"


    "Why not?" Reggie blinked, and asked puzzledly.


    Mario looked at him and quietly stood up and walked away. These guys are sick; he needed to stay away from them to stay safe.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After Link publicly told the media journalists that he would continue to finish his matches with KOs, this news was quickly published on news websites by the reporters, becoming a hot sports news topic on sites like Yahoo.


    The boxers participating in the competition also quickly got wind of this news.


    Since the Golden Gloves tournament moved to the regional competitions, Miami boxer Link Baker had come out of nowhere, stirring up a lot of news in the media and becoming one of the most popular athletes in the amateur boxing scene.


    Hearing that he had won each match with a KO, with an amateur record of 14 fights and 14 KOs, even as competitors, everyone had to admit that Link Baker was a guy with a lot of abilities.


    Now hearing that he intended to continue his previous fighting style, finishing with KOs all the way, some got really nervous, started thinking of countermeasures, figuring out how to break Link''s killer moves and heavy punches, while many others dismissed it, believing that Link was just boasting.


    "Haha, Link Baker is too arrogant."


    In the locker room, a burly black boxer with a head full of dreadlocks laughed loudly, "Last time he fought Jones Fullos, he almost lost. His strength isn''t much stronger than Jones''; with that level, he dares to say he will flatten all of us with KOs? Dream on!"


    "You can''t say that, Link''s fists are really powerful, 14 fights, 14 KOs¡ªno one has ever done that in amateur matches before. Link is very strong; we definitely can''t underestimate him."


    Someone argued.


    "No, no, he is powerful, but not more so than us. His opponent, Jones Fullos, is ranked seventh in the Super Middleweight. Andzeje Methodra, Andrea Berto, and I have all beaten him. I don''t think Link can beat Andzeje and Andrea Berto, let alone KO them. It''s just not possible."


    Everyone listened, and it seemed to make sense.


    Previously in the regional matches, Link had a tough time and barely made it through. Now it''s the national finals, and the boxers'' abilities are on par with, or even stronger than, Jones Fullos.


    Link barely defeated one Jones and now wanted to beat several?


    Indeed, it seemed rather arrogant.


    They also heard that initially Link was planning to change tactics and give up finishing the finals with KOs. It was trouble-loving journalists who trapped him, and because he responded inappropriately, he was forced to retract his statement and announced to continue his previous style.


    This showed he wasn''t too confident about the finals either¡ªit was a tactic decided in haste.


    So it looked like although Link was troublesome, there was no need to worry too much. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The match was about to begin, everyone returned to their lockers to get ready, while Link also put on his gloves and strode confidently onto the boxing ring.

 Chapter 024 Knocking Out a Strong Man

    We are the champions my friendsAnd we''ll keep on fighting till the end


    We are the champions


    We are the champions


    No time for losers


    Before the match began, the organizer invited five local Miami bands to perform on stage to warm up for the upcoming boxing match.


    Over ten thousand spectators passionately sang along, creating a very lively atmosphere at the venue.


    After the last band finished "We are the champions," the match began.


    The finals were divided into two types, the first being the ranking contest, where the top twenty boxers of each rank competed to see who had the highest ranking.


    The setup for the ranking matches was simple, each of the four divisions¡ªeast, west, south, north¡ªwould have the first-place boxer from one division fight the second-place boxer from another division.


    If the first-place winners from all four divisions won their matches, they would then fight each other.


    If a first-place boxer was defeated, the ranking of the entire division would drop by one.


    Those ranked third, fourth, and fifth would draw lots to fight.


    Link''s first-round opponent was Mario Morales from the Western Division, Los Angeles area. Although sharing the name Mario, they looked nothing alike in appearance, physique, or demeanor.


    This Mario was Black, had full dreadlocks, was extremely muscular with particularly large chest and arm muscles, and had a thick waist.


    He was the second place in this year''s Golden Gloves Western Division, fourth place in last year''s national amateur championships, and third place in the Pan American Games boxing event. He was 24 this year, weighed 77.8 kilograms, was 180 centimeters tall, and had an amateur record of 35 fights with 27 wins and 8 losses.


    Mario Morales was a power boxer with very strong fists and a sturdy body with excellent resistance.


    With these two strengths, he fought through many opponents to reach the divisional finals. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His weaknesses were short arms, not enough agility, and somewhat coarse techniques.


    Defeating him was not difficult; the hard part was, how do you knock out a well-built strong man with padded gloves?


    "Hey, kid, heard you want to KO all of us? Quite the treat, how hilarious. I''m good at KOs too. Let''s see today, who gets KO''d first?"


    Morales clenched his fists and vigorously thumped his solid chest, making a thudding sound.


    So strong!


    Link was a bit troubled, but he had already bluffed, now he could only do his best.


    After the match started, he used his significantly greater speed to continuously jab at his opponent''s head.


    In the first round, he threw 75 punches, hitting his opponent''s head 11 times¡ªthree straight punches, six jabs, and two swing punches.


    To his surprise, after taking so many hits, Morales still stood firmly in the ring at the end of the first round, like a steel tower.


    In the second round, he and Morales abandoned defense for offense, attacking each other intensely. The cheers and shouts from the audience never stopped.


    In the third round, he continued the fierce assault on Morales''s head, landing 6 out of 45 punches, including two heavy punches in succession on Morales''s forehead. Morales staggered, holding onto the ropes without falling.


    In the fourth round, Link threw 42 punches, landing 5 on Morales''s head. Finally, with the fifth, a straight punch brought the opponent down.


    But Morales quickly stood up, clapping his head and roaring angrily at him, starting an intense counterattack.


    Link wiped the sweat from his chest muscles with his gloves, sighed, and wondered, Can you really knock out this muscle man with padded gloves? He truly set a difficult task for himself.


    Despite his helplessness, the audience enjoyed the spectacle, watching two muscular men on the stage, fighting fiercely, fists pounding flesh, sweat flying¡ªwhat a thrill!


    Every time they hit each other, the audience would shout loudly in sync, WOW! MY GOD!! The noise was earth-shattering, even louder than when the Heat won the championship at home.


    "Link is burning too much energy in this match, he has another one this afternoon, how will he keep going?" West asked worriedly.


    "Don''t worry, West. Link is a great boxer. How could a great boxer possibly lose?"


    Mario leaned back in his chair, chewing gum, and grinning as he watched the match on stage.


    Although he trained at the same gym as Link, right now he very much wanted to see Link lose.


    Once Link lost, he would have a chance to say directly that all Link''s previous talk was just boasting, and afterward, Link couldn''t glare at him with that annoying look anymore.


    "I also think Link won''t lose. He dares to fight like this; he must have some plan," Reggie said, his eyes full of admiration and excitement as he kept them on the ring.


    Mario rolled his eyes and muttered, "Crazy fan."


    "Link! Champion!!" James and his neighbors shouted loudly from the stands.


    "Link, you must win!"


    Link''s fans also cheered him on and encouraged him.


    "Is he really going to knock out all his opponents and take the championship trophy?"


    In the audience, promoters like Franco Duvall and Greg Cohen watched Link aggressively attacking on the stage, their eyes filled with admiration but also skepticism.


    If Link could really achieve this goal, it would mean that with his ability, he could not only win the championship trophy, but also obtain it in an extremely difficult manner, proving that his strength far surpassed others in his rank.


    If so, the internal evaluation of him by the promotion company would be elevated to another level, and the terms offered to him would be even more generous.


    But first, he had to complete a challenge that no one had yet accomplished.


    Bang!


    On the boxing ring, in the fifth round, Link once again used a Right Swing Punch to knock down his opponent, Mario Morales.


    "Damn it, you''ve angered me."


    Mario Morales jumped up, his eyes bloodshot, and he swung his fists fiercely like a mad bison from America.


    Morales''s punches were heavy, heavier than heavyweight Mario, at least over 900 pounds; Link had taken a few punches before, and even though protected by gear, it was still very unpleasant to be hit.


    Seeing Morales lose his rationality, Link decided not to meet force with force. He utilized his exceptionally quick reflexes to duck, tilt his head, and lean back, narrowly and cleverly dodging Morales''s assaults one after another.


    "Wow, Wonderful!"


    "It''s incredible, he dodged them all."


    "Is he Flash?"


    The audience widened their eyes, watching him use flash techniques like Flash to avoid Morales''s punches repeatedly, and they couldn''t help but exclaim loudly, cheering for his spectacular performance.


    "That was amazing, great fighting."


    "Link, you are the best boxer."


    "To hell with the little Roy Jones, I''m a die-hard fan of Link from now on."


    Link''s fans were so excited they were shouting and jumping around, with a few female fans getting so excited that they even took off their T-shirts and stood on their seats waving them vigorously.


    "I''m going to kill you, Link!"


    Morales roared, but it was useless; he was a power-type boxer, not a speed-type. In Link''s eyes, his punches, though powerful, were sluggish, far slower compared to the fish at the bottom of the sea, and were not hard to dodge.


    Link again ducked to avoid Morales''s heavy punch and countered with a well-known Rear Hook Punch, landing a blow on Morales''s nasal bone.


    Morales cried out in pain and fell backward onto the ground, blood spurting from his nose.


    Boom!


    The audience shouted excitedly again.


    "Link!!!"


    "You are the champion!"


    Morales lay on the ground for over three seconds, then staggered to his feet and roared as he charged at Link, as if to kill him.


    Bang!


    Link landed another Sneak Punch, smashing hard on Morales''s nasal bone.


    Morales was knocked down again, his nose bleeding profusely, the blood flowing from his nose to his chest, looking very gruesome.


    The referee approached to ask if he wanted to continue the fight, Morales angrily said he did, but his coach threw in the white towel, requesting to stop the match. He saw clearly from outside the ring that Morales was no match for Link.


    Whether it was speed, technique, mindset, or his famed heavy punches, none could compare to Link.


    Completely outclassed by Link, continuing the fight was pointless. It was better to end the match sooner and conserve energy for the ranking matches.


    "The winner of this match is... Link Baker!"


    Link''s fist was raised by the referee once again.


    "Link! Link! Champion!"


    Thousands of Miami spectators in the stands started shouting loudly, clapping and cheering, creating a spectacular and enthusiastic scene.


    Link held up his red boxing gloves and waved vigorously, and although it was a TKO (technical knockout), it also counted as a KO.


    "He did it! He did it!"


    Franco Duvall looked at Link on the ring, excitedly patting the railing.


    A couple of days ago, he and Link had a long talk on the train, where Link said he wanted to unify the Golden Belts of four organizations across five ranks, aiming to change the current boxing scene and create a huge shift in North American boxing.


    Ordinary people hearing this might consider him insane.


    But if this person demonstrated immense strength, then one could not treat him lightly.


    Today, Link said he would win the match by knocking out his opponent, and now he had done it.


    He was not just a highly ambitious person but also one capable of achieving those ambitions, a rarity indeed.


    Franco Duvall glanced at his competitors nearby, took out his phone, and called a person he did not want to disturb¡ªhis father, Mr. Lou Duvall.


    Mr. Duvall was the founder and actual controller of the main event company.


    Concerned with a 100 million US dollar deal and the company''s future development, he could not help but disturb Mr. Duvall and seek his approval.

 Chapter 25 Top-Level Promotion Company

    ```"Hey, Link, care for another chat?"


    After the match, in the hallway of the locker room, Link ran into Greg Cohen, who was coming towards him.


    Greg Cohen, a well-known promoter under a top promotion company, had been involved in the promotion of boxing matches for champions like De La Hoya and Mayweather and had a big reputation in the industry, being known as a Gold promoter.


    Link had met him once before in Charleston, where Cohen had offered him a contract worth 10 million US Dollars in hopes of signing him.


    It included a signing bonus of 2 million US Dollars in cash, with the remaining eight million to be paid out through the achievement of various milestones.


    For example, a 2 million reward for a Golden Gloves championship, 1 million for an amateur championship, 2 million for an Olympic championship, 500,000 for a Pan American Games boxing championship, 500,000 for defeating an opponent after turning pro, and 2 million for obtaining a Golden Belt, and so on.


    For a newcomer, the treatment was very generous.


    But Link did not want to cooperate with a top promotion company.


    "Mr. Cohen, please wait a moment!"


    Link wiped the sweat off his body with a towel, drank a bottle of water, and then did a set of limb-stretching exercises on the mat to prevent lactic acid buildup in the muscles after vigorous activity, which would affect the afternoon''s competition.


    While he was busy, Greg Cohen leaned back in a chair, legs crossed, waiting with a smile, casually tapping his foot on the ground from time to time.


    About ten minutes later, Link sat down easily on the bench opposite Cohen.


    "Sorry to keep you waiting!" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Haha, no problem, I''ve been an agent for De La Hoya and Mayweather, I understand the locker room routine very well, but they weren''t as diligent and self-disciplined as you.


    After every match, they would lie directly on the massage bed and let two voluptuous Spanish women massage them while sitting on them," Cohen said, raising both hands in the air and giving a suggestive smile, while also giving Link a look that all men understand.


    Link chuckled with a hint of envy, "Who wouldn''t want that? If I had the money, I''d hire three."


    Greg Cohen laughed heartily, slapping his thigh, "Link, I like you; your temperament matches mine perfectly, so work with me. Join the top promotion company, we''ll make a fortune together, and you''ll become a boxing champion. Money, women, top-class sports cars, private jets, luxury yachts, you''ll have everything they have."


    Link''s face showed a longing expression, "It sounds great, but..."


    Before he could finish, Cohen raised his palm and continued, "Considering your brilliant performance, I specially consulted with President Arum, and we''ve decided to raise your contract to an A level, the same treatment as world champions.


    5 million in signing bonuses, plus other rewards, will accumulate to 20 million US Dollars. Just agree to join the top promotion company, and you will become a multimillionaire in an incredibly short time, having everything you ever wanted."


    As Greg Cohen spoke, he waved his arms vigorously, his voice loud and inspiring.


    Link wore a smile, but his heart remained still.


    Although the conditions Cohen offered were very favorable, and the 20 million bonus clause was the highest of all the promotion companies he had been in touch with so far,


    Link was not swayed by Cohen''s words because he had never considered cooperating with a top promotion company.


    It wasn''t that the top promotion company wasn''t good, but there was a mismatch of concepts.


    The predecessor of the top promotion company was Muhammad Ali''s boxing agency, later taken over by legendary promoter Bob Arum and renamed as the Top Promotion Company.


    Bob Arum is a seventy-five-year-old man of Judaic descent, bearing a resemblance to Churchill.


    In the sixties and seventies, he had been a promoter for champion boxers such as Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.


    In the eighties, he promoted the middleweight Four Kings: Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, and Thomas Hearns, arranging a series of round-robin fights for them.


    In the past decade, the Top Promotion Company successfully launched super-popular boxing champions like De La Hoya, Mayweather, and Pacquiao.


    The upcoming 2015 "Fight of the Century" between Mayweather and Pacquiao, with boxing matches and related earnings exceeding one billion US Dollars.


    The 2017 fight between Mayweather and trash-talker Conor generated more than half a billion US Dollars in profits and were both operated by him and the top promotion company.


    It can be said that the Top Promotion Company has been very successful in boxing promotion.


    By this year, the Top Promotion Company has surpassed main event promotion companies, Don King Promotions, and rival sports promotions in annual profits and influence, becoming the world''s largest boxing promotion company, and is expected to continue to lead other promotion companies in the future.


    For boxers, being signed by the Top Promotion Company is definitely an opportunity not to be missed.


    But the Top Promotion Company has a problem with being overly commercialized, everything is manipulated by capital, controlling the matches, controlling the boxers, turning boxing matches into tools for making money rather than a professional sport.


    This operation mode is similar to how the entertainment industry cultivates trainees.


    They select promising newcomers in amateur matches, sign them, train them, use the media to build up the boxers, package them, then push them out to fight for money. After exploiting them, they move on to the next person until the sport of boxing is played out.


    Because of the influence of the top promotion company, America''s boxing industry is becoming more and more commercialized, with boxers caring more about earnings from matches than boxing itself.


    It is also for this reason that good boxers can''t survive, the hyped boxers are generally not strong, and the bad drives out the good, leading to an ever-decreasing watchability of boxing matches.


    This is also one of the reasons he did not wish to join the top promotion company.


    Link looked at Greg Cohen and said, "Mr. Cohen, the terms offered by the top promotion company are very tempting, but I care more about the issue of revenue sharing than cash rewards. If I join the top promotion company, how much of a share from each match can I take?"


    ```


    "20%!"


    Greg Cohen held up two fingers, and with a smile said, "Link, you''re very strong, and with our help, becoming a world champion won''t be difficult. After you''ve become the world champion, you''ll get a 20% share of the prize money. You have to know, that''s the treatment a top-tier promotion company offers to its famous boxers."


    "Mayweather and Pacquiao only get 20% as well?"


    Link asked thoughtfully.


    "No, no, they''re not just famous boxers, but top-level boxers, sports superstars. Their share is higher. If in the future your fame reaches Mayweather''s level, the company will proactively increase your share. For real talent, our top-tier promotion company never skimps," said Greg Cohen, his voice booming confidently.


    Link couldn''t help but feel reflective.


    In the sixties and seventies, boxers were key to influencing how much profit a match could make. The bigger the boxer''s fame, the higher the match''s profit, so many well-known boxers often got more than 70% revenue share.


    By the nineties, boxing matches were controlled by boxing companies. Promotion, broadcasting, advertising, all were handled by capital operations, reducing the boxers'' roles in events, and they received less and less money.


    Top-level boxers like Mayweather and Pacquiao, who made their names first before cooperating with top-tier promotion companies, could get around 60%.


    Average world champions got around 30%, some even less.


    For example, former Heavyweight champion John Ruiz, after being defeated by Light Heavyweight Roy Jones Jr. in 2003, saw his popularity plummet and could only get a 15% share, earning the nickname ''Blue Collar Champion''.


    Greg Cohen''s offer of 20%, with the promise of a future increase, sounded good but couldn''t satisfy Link''s appetite.


    Link chuckled lightly and said, "Mr. Cohen, do you think my future fame could reach Mayweather''s level?"


    "Of course, with your strength and our company''s help, you''ll definitely have a chance to catch up to Mayweather."


    When Cohen heard him raise this question, a relaxed expression appeared on his face.


    Link is interested! The negotiation should be steady from here on out, he thought to himself amusingly. During their previous meeting, Link had been firm, wanting to wait until after the match to talk contract, which made Cohen think Link would be tough to deal with.


    Now, after offering him a $20 million contract and a 20% share, with the intention of building him into the second Mayweather, he seemed to have loosened up immediately, indicating his expectations weren''t that high and that he was an easy young man to handle.


    Just when Greg Cohen thought they could proceed to finalizing the contract, Link suddenly said, "Mr. Cohen, you''re right. I also think I will outshine Mayweather in the future, so I want a 70% share of the match revenue. Can your top-tier promotion company accept my proposal?"


    "How much?"


    Greg Cohen was taken aback, a flicker of astonishment passing through his gray-green eyes as if he were looking at a madman.


    "You want a 70% share?!"


    "Yes, I have the ability, and I''m not lacking in fame. I''m only one world-championship victory away from becoming the world champion, so I want 70%!"


    As he uttered these words, Link''s expression remained calm, his voice steady, without a quiver¡ªas if he were stating an objective fact, rather than a hypothetical scenario.


    Greg Cohen''s Adam''s apple bobbed twice as he forced out a strange chuckle.


    "Heh heh heh, you want a 70% share? Hahaha, you, an amateur who''s only fought a few matches, dare to ask for a 70% revenue share? Are you sure you''re not joking?"


    His voice took on a tone of sternness and dissatisfaction with the second half.


    "No!!"


    Link said, unmoved.


    "It can''t be changed?"


    Greg Cohen frowned, the muscles around his eyes twitching.


    Link shook his head, his gaze bright and resolute.


    With a sneer, Greg Cohen dusted off his blue trousers and started to walk towards the door. After two steps, he stopped, turned his head, and said,


    "I heard that Franco Duvall from the main event company has also been in touch with you. Are you waiting for his offer?


    Haha, don''t bother waiting. Although he''s the president of the main event promotion company, the real power is still in the hands of old Duvall. Old Duvall is getting on in years, he''s sentimental and prefers veterans like Holyfield; he will never give an overly generous deal to a newcomer like you."


    Link listened without saying a word.


    "Link, you''re not bad, but in boxing, having strength is just the bare minimum for entering the professional arena. There are many, so many, strong boxers, but only those with brains can make big money.


    You''re young, you might not understand the meaning of this yet. If one day you do, give me a call¡ªI won''t mind signing you with a 10% share contract."


    Greg Cohen left a business card, glanced back at him with a meaningful smile on his shoulder, turned, and stomped vigorously on the floor as he left the locker room.


    Link glanced at the business card and casually tossed it into the trash can.


    Even if Franco Duvall didn''t come through with a reasonable offer, he wasn''t in a hurry to sign a contract.


    In the boxing world, though capital''s role was increasingly significant, someone with strength and fame would definitely not go unnoticed.

 Chapter 026 Secret Deal

    "Mr. Link Baker, may I have a word with you?"At the east entrance of the Miami Arena, Link and James had just finished dinner and were coming back from outside when they heard a voice behind them.


    The person speaking was a middle-aged man wearing a Polo shirt, with slight baldness on top.


    His opening line was the same as Greg Cohen''s, which made him mistakenly think the man was also from a marketing company, but he wasn''t.


    The man stepped forward to introduce himself as Joseph something¡ªthe agent of Andzeje Methodra.


    Here, it should be mentioned that Andzeje Methodra was his opponent for the next match.


    Soon after Link''s match ended, the other three top-seed vs. second-seed matches also concluded.


    Link, the first seed from the Southeast Division, vs. the second seed from the Western Division¡ªLink won!


    Andzeje Methodra from the Eastern Division vs. the second seed from the Northern Division¡ªAndzeje won!


    Andrea Berto from the Western Division vs. the second seed from the Eastern Division¡ªAndrea Berto won!


    Mitchell Robinson from the Northern Division vs. Jones Fullos, the second seed from the Southeast Division.


    Jones Fullos won in an upset!


    The first round of the competition concluded.


    The second round''s draw determined the opponents.


    Since he and Jones Fullos were both from the Southeast Division, during the drawing, each drew an opponent, and he drew Andzeje Methodra, the champion from the Eastern Division.


    Andzeje was a technical boxer¡ªin amateur matches, due to the highly resilient sponge protection, it''s extremely difficult to KO opponents, and technical boxers often have an easier time winning through scoring points compared to power and agility type boxers. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This is also why technical boxers are more sought after in amateur boxing circles, and why many power type boxers give up amateur competitions early to go professional.


    Andzeje''s boxing technique was exquisite, he stood at 189 centimeters tall, with a reach of 198 centimeters, and he had a fast punch speed. His movements resembled that of a praying mantis, often catching his opponent off guard with a sneak punch.


    His weakness lay in not having a robust physique, less resistance to taking hits, and stamina that was inferior to first-class boxers.


    In his last match, he had gone ten rounds with Calvin Pitts, the runner-up from the Northern Division, and exhausted a lot, needing assistance to leave the ring.


    And his next opponent was none other than the famous ring anesthetist, Link Baker, a hexagonal boxer who combined strength, speed, technique, and looks.


    One could imagine what the scene of their match would be like.


    So now, the audience was eagerly anticipating the afternoon''s match, wanting to see how Link stylishly KO''d his opponent.


    Seeing Andzeje''s agent seeking him out, Link was somewhat surprised and didn''t understand the man''s intention.


    "Mr. Link Baker, here''s the thing, I''d like to ask you to pull your punches a bit during the match, and not KO Andzeje within the first three rounds."


    "What?"


    Link was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "You want me to go easy during a match? But this is an official competition, Mr. Joseph!"


    "I understand, I understand. If Mr. Baker is willing to end the match after eight rounds, I''m ready to offer you thirty thousand US dollars as compensation," said the middle-aged man very politely.


    Link raised his eyebrows, understanding that they were asking him to throw the match.


    This sort of thing was all too common; whether in underground boxing or in the professional circuit, fixed fights were a thing.


    He had been in many before and was quite familiar with this line of work. It was just unexpected to encounter it in the finals of the Golden Gloves Tournament, and surprising that such a request would be made.


    He pondered for a moment, then told the man to wait and pulled James, who was still standing by, aside.


    "James, I''m going to go back and get some sleep. You deal with this guy. Tell him that for thirty thousand US dollars I''ll take Andzeje down in the third round, for forty thousand I''ll take him down in the fourth, for a hundred thousand he falls in the tenth. The bottom line is fifty thousand US dollars. I won''t do it for less than that."


    James looked around cautiously, lowered his voice, and said, "Isn''t this staging a fixed fight? I''ve heard that there''s a lot of that in boxing, and it''s really despicable. How can you be involved in something like that?"


    Link shook his head, "A fixed fight means purposely losing the match, altering the outcome. We''re not doing that; we''re engaged in a fair trade. Think about it, I have a match tomorrow. The longer the fight with Andzeje goes, the more it drains me. So if he wants me to put off taking down Andzeje, he''s got to compensate me for it."


    James glanced at the middle-aged man nearby, "But why does he want to do that? What''s the difference between a few rounds earlier or later?"


    "Of course there''s a difference. My punches are lethal. The longer one lasts against me, the stronger they appear to be. After it''s covered by the media, the stats will look nicer. If I KO Andzeje in the first round, how would the media evaluate him? So, the money''s well spent."


    "But still, it''s not a good thing. If the media finds out, could it blow up on you?" James asked, looking around nervously.


    "Don''t worry, just go ahead. I''ve got it covered," Link said with a smile.


    After giving James a few more instructions, he yawned and went back to the resting room to sleep.


    More than ten minutes later, James ran in, out of breath. His usually fluffy curly hair was wet with sweat, sticking to his forehead. It was unclear whether he was hot or scared, but he tiptoed to shut the door carefully and came over to wake up Link, who was feigning sleep.


    "Link, fifty thousand US dollars, KO after the eighth round, should we agree?"


    James asked in a low voice, swallowing.


    Link, resting on his arm, thought for a moment, then nodded.


    "Should I go collect the money, then?"


    James took a couple of steps, then turned back and asked, "How about we go together?"


    Link turned around, faced the wall, and pretended to snore, as a gentle door closing sound came from behind.


    Half an hour later, Link had dozed off, and James dashed in clutching his stomach, his face flushed with a mix of three parts excitement and seven parts worry.


    He locked the door of the resting room and took a parcel wrapped in waxed paper out of his stomach. He spread it out on the bench, revealing five stacks of green U.S. dollars.


    Link stared, bewildered, "Where did you get the money?"


    "Huh?"


    James blinked his small eyes, "This is, just now Joseph, our transaction, that fifty thousand U.S. dollars, I just took it back."


    "What Joseph? Who''s Joseph? What transaction? Why would he give you so much money?" Link asked in surprise.


    "...."


    James was dumbfounded, rubbing his eyes with his fists, then staring at him, "Didn''t you just ask me to go out, have you forgotten?"


    "I didn''t, stop talking nonsense, I was just sleeping, I don''t know anything." Link said, eyes closed and shaking his head seriously.


    James sat down on the floor with a thud, pointing at him with trembling fingers, "You, why are you doing this? You told me to do it, how can you deny it now?"


    "I really don''t know."


    "No way, you clearly know, how can you say you don''t know? I didn''t want to do it, but you asked me to, and after I did, you say you don''t know, that''s not right."


    James collapsed on the floor, his eyes reddening.


    Link touched his forehead, feeling somewhat guilty but helpless, he said, "James, I am the person involved. There are things I should know, and things I shouldn''t. I only know what I should know, I won''t ask about what I shouldn''t, do you understand?"


    James blinked his small eyes; he wasn''t dumb, just inexperienced with such matters. His mind couldn''t quite make the leap. After a moment, he suddenly slapped his forehead, and said in shock, "I get it now, you mean, you earn the money, and I take the blame?"


    "NoNoNo, we both make money, and besides, this is clean money, there won''t be any problems."


    Link grabbed a stack of money and threw it into the fatty''s embrace.


    In Miami, income tax, inheritance tax, and gift tax weren''t collected; this place was both the trade center of commodities in America and a money-laundering center, fifty thousand was nothing here.


    "The money''s really clean?"


    James, feeling the money burning his hands, watched as Link simply threw the rest of the money at him, telling him to take it home.


    "No problem, even if there is a problem, I''ll carry it, it has nothing to do with you, a small assistant. Go on out, I''m going to sleep some more," Link said, waving his hand dismissively.


    James wiped the sweat from his brow, stuffed the money into his bag, and hid it inside his belly, hesitant and stammering as he left the room.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "That fatso has been sneaking around here a few times, hiding something in his belly, what are they up to?"


    From the doorway of the room next door, a fierce-looking face peered through the crack at James''s retreating figure, confusion spreading across his features.


    "Could Link... be taking drugs?"


    Mario''s pupils dilated suddenly; his mind raced, and after much consideration, he could only think of this possibility. The fat man had come in sneaky like a thief, hiding something in his belly, and when he left, he was still hiding it. A window of opportunity large enough for Link to take drugs.


    But can drugs solve the problem?


    Before the match, there''s a urine test, and after, a check of the stored urine sample from the boxer is conducted.


    Cheating could lead to major trouble.


    Link couldn''t possibly think the urine test organization of the event organizers wouldn''t detect what was coming out of him, could he?


    Mario''s eyes darted around, and he headed to coach West''s resting room.


    West was watching a video of Andrea Berto''s morning match. Mario walked back and forth behind him and then spoke in a low voice, "West, would you believe it? Link is doing ketamine in the resting room?"


    West was taken aback, then shook his head, "No way, he doesn''t need it."


    "It''s true, I just saw that fat guy from his shop cloak something with his belly, sneaking into his resting room. A while later, he sneaked out again. Link is definitely taking drugs," Mario said with certainty.


    "Don''t talk nonsense. Link would never do drugs."


    West calmly gestured dismissively, continuing to watch the match video.


    Mario clenched his fists and took a few deep breaths, then walked over to Reggie, who was napping, and woke him with a punch, "I swear, Link is definitely on drugs."


    Reggie rubbed his eyes, yawned under Mario''s gaze, and then pulled the blanket over his head with the back of his hand.


    "Why, why don''t you guys believe me?" Mario yelled, frustrated.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 027 I Report

    "Hello, is this the news department of the Miami Herald? I have a news tip, a very important one."Outside the American Airlines Arena, in a phone booth, a man called the Miami Herald with a coarse and strange voice, telling them that he had an important news tip about the southeast champion, Link Baker.


    "I have reliable information that he and his upcoming opponent, Andzeje Methodra''s manager, are making a private deal to fix the match."


    "Sir, are you serious? Do you have any witnesses or evidence?"


    "The match itself is the evidence!"


    Click! The phone was hung up, and the man stepped out of the booth, looking up at Miami''s sky with a flash in his blue eyes, and scoffed, "Link, get ready to become famous."


    ¡ª¡ª


    Sniff! Sniff! Sniff~ Achoo!


    "What are you smelling?"


    Link looked at Mario, who was sniffing around with his large nose in the locker room.


    "Link, Mario says you''re doing drugs in the locker room," Reggie shrugged and chuckled.


    "Are you crazy? Why would I do such a thing?" sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link shook his head, went to the medical room for his check-up, and under the supervision of the amateur boxing association staff, put on his hand wraps and boxing gloves.


    While wearing the gloves and hand wraps, the staff supervised on-site and once verified, they sealed the gloves with a security sticker.


    Before the match started, the ring referee would meticulously check if the seal was damaged; if any damage was found, the referee would require the boxers to replace their gloves or stop the match.


    This practice was simply to prevent anyone from stuffing objects into the gloves.


    Like placing three screw caps on the knuckles, wearing steel rings, and wrapping them up with bandages, which would double the punching power during the match.


    This kind of trick had occurred a few times in official matches, leading to bleeding incidents and was severely prohibited by all boxing organizations; hence the necessity of glove seal stickers.


    In underground boxing, however, such tactics still occurred frequently, and referees turned a blind eye. Link had been secretly targeted many times with this method, experiencing quite the sour thrill.


    The drug test procedure was quick, only checking for the presence of stimulants, recreational drugs, and painkillers in the urine; nothing else was tested.


    Since Link had never taken drugs, he naturally passed the urine test and, under Mario''s doubtful gaze, he revealed his muscular back, well-developed pectorals, and solid chocolate abs. Holding his fists wrapped in red gloves, he strode out through the quiet corridor.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, the sound at the venue was turned up, and huge waves of noise hit the eardrums, one after another.


    "Link!"


    "Link!"


    "Link!"


    Tens of thousands of Miami spectators and Link''s fans shouted his name loudly.


    Link waved his fists three times toward the sky and sprint-jumped onto the boxing ring, while his opponent, Andzeje Methodra, was already standing there wearing white gloves, his eyes full of fighting spirit.


    Andzeje Methodra, 25 years old, a Polish-American, with fair skin and a slim figure.


    He stood 189 cm tall with a 198 cm arm span, 6 cm longer than Link. He had practiced boxing since childhood, was highly skilled, and was very fast.


    In amateur boxing, he currently had a record of 54 fights, 52 wins, 1 loss, and 1 draw.


    Before Link came along, he was ranked second among super middleweight amateur boxers, just behind Andrea Berto.


    This was someone both formidable and not so formidable.


    What was formidable was his technique and the advantage of his long arms, which made scoring points in matches relatively easy.


    What was not formidable was his physical conditioning, but this lack of formidability wasn''t due to physical weakness; rather, compared to his technique, his physical conditioning was a weak point.


    He had once fought a match against the dreadlocked Morales, during which he had resisted Morales'' fierce attacks with his exquisite technique and won by points.


    This type of boxer often performs well in amateur matches, but if they were to remove the sponge protectors and fight professionally, they probably wouldn''t show any remarkable performance.


    This is also one of the reasons why many boxers can win gold medals in the Olympic Games but then fade into obscurity after turning professional.


    For these boxers, their most feared opponents are the likes of Link and Andrea Berto, who not only have skills but also strength, speed, stamina, and excellent resistance to strikes.


    Having just one Andrea Berto was headache enough, but now there was an even more daunting Link Baker.


    If Andzeje Methodra wanted to maintain his status in the amateur boxing circle, his manager had to rack his brains for other strategies, such as fighting more rounds.


    Fighting more rounds looked better not only in press reports but also had another more important reason: it dealt a smaller blow to a boxer''s confidence.


    In the boxing world, many people maintained impressive winning streaks of over ten, twenty, thirty, or even forty consecutive victories when they first entered the ring, only to suffer enormous trauma to their confidence when defeated and knocked out for the first time, leading them to never recover.


    This was all too common, Tyson being a textbook example.


    He had maintained a record of 37 consecutive wins until he was defeated by James Douglas in 1990. After that defeat, he never fully recovered and retired in 2005 with a record of 50 fights, 44 wins, and 6 losses.


    Then there was his opponent, the legendary boxer Michael Spinks, who had dominated the WBA, WBC, and IBF heavyweight championships for over five years before encountering Tyson.


    But after being defeated by Tyson in one round in June 1988 in Las Vegas, he immediately announced his retirement from professional boxing with a record of 32 fights, 31 wins, and 1 loss.


    There was also Michael Spinks'' old rival Larry Holmes, who had been Ali''s sparring partner and had defeated many strong champions, including the champion Ali himself.


    His winning streak had reached up to 48 matches, but after being defeated by Michael Spinks, he lost repeatedly. In 1988, when he faced Tyson, the match lasted only four rounds before he was knocked out by Tyson.


    So in the boxing world, fighters like Ali, George Foreman, and Holyfield, who were knocked down but managed to come back and reclaim the golden belt, were the truly formidable characters.


    Their formidability lay not only in their strength but more so in their fierce mental tenacity and indomitable will.


    The saying "battle again and again after defeat" was also about them.


    At this moment, the white boxer Andzeje Methodra facing Link didn''t appear to be a person of resolute will. His manager painstakingly spending money to help him navigate the waters showed immense dedication.


    Link held his gloves and thumped his chest, greeting his opponent.


    Andzeje pounded his own chest in response.


    The referee checked the seals, announced the rules, and forcefully cut with his hand.


    "Boxing!"


    The match began, and bang! Right at the start, Andzeje Methodra''s right punch, swift like a mantis arm, soared to Link''s face with a whistling sound.


    Link was caught off guard; this speed was truly astonishing, far surpassing that of any opponent he had faced before, and the power was substantial, not much less than Mario''s. An average boxer couldn''t block it.


    But Link wasn''t an average person; his response was even faster. Seeing Andzeje''s fist approaching, he quickly turned his head and swung his fist, aiming at Andzeje''s head, exchanging punch for punch.


    "Wow! It''s a rear hook punch!"


    "Can Andzeje dodge it?"


    The audience shouted in surprise, and Andzeje''s manager looked particularly worried. If this punch landed, Andzeje might be knocked out instantly.

 Chapter 028 He is just pretending to fight

    Phew!Link''s fist whizzed past Andzeje''s chin.


    "wow!"


    A sigh swept through the audience.


    "Link''s arms are a bit short, and Andzeje is taller and dodges very quickly,"


    West said with regret.


    Andzeje''s manager wiped the sweat off his forehead and let out a sigh of relief.


    Only a number of reporters in attendance remained skeptical, having received calls from concerned spectators before the match, suggesting that Link and Andzeje had made a secret deal to throw the fight. Was Link''s missed punch intentional?


    With suspicion, the reporters watched the boxing ring closely, trying to find evidence of Link throwing the fight.


    In the ring, Link and Andzeje exchanged blows, attacking and defending, and landing effective punches on each other, making the fight exceedingly exciting.


    The crowd, too, was whipped into a frenzy, yelling and cheering for both fighters.


    From the first through the sixth round, the two maintained this level of engagement, making it difficult to pick a clear winner and fully showcasing their superb offensive and defensive boxing skills.


    But the reporters had an inkling that something was amiss; based on Link''s strength and speed, it shouldn''t be difficult for him to KO the ''slender'' Andzeje. However, six rounds had passed without a single KO¡ªLink had only succeeded in knocking Andzeje into the ropes or the corner post at most.


    This clearly wasn''t Link''s style.


    The reporters suspected that the tip-off call was true, and that Link and Andzeje were indeed throwing the fight.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    On the ring, in the eighth round, both fighters were drenched in sweat, their punches often trailing droplets, but the match remained thrilling, with both exhibiting rapid hand speed and often landing blows to the head and body, quick fists resonating with loud thumps.


    The audience was thoroughly entertained, their shouts and cheers rising and falling with the action.


    "KO, why isn''t there a KO?"


    "Although it looks exciting, with Link''s level, the fight shouldn''t be going like this."


    "What is Link doing?"


    Even without the mysterious tip-off, the promoters who were regulars at the ring felt something off by the eighth round; the match seemed to have some fishy elements.


    "Boss, I''ve heard that Link might be throwing the fight,"


    the assistant said quietly to Greg Cohen, "That''s the news from the reporters, someone told them that there may be some deal going on between Link and Andzeje."


    "Really? What''s he up to?"


    Greg Cohen, staring at Link in the ring, suddenly let out a cold laugh with a crooked smile, "Making money, huh? He turned down twenty million, to earn that chump change? Indeed not a smart man. Contact the media, leak the news that Link Baker is throwing the fight."


    "Yes, boss!"


    "Wait, any movement on Franco Duvall''s end?"


    "Boss, Mr. Franco Duvall has been conversing with Mr. Lou Duva, and it seems there has been some displeasure. Young Mr. Duvall took a United Airlines flight back to New York at noon, leaving only his assistant Simon in Miami."


    Greg Cohen, hearing this, wore a satisfied smile on his lips, as everything was going according to his expectations.


    Compared to the ''survival of the fittest'' competition system implemented inside top promotion companies, the family-style management run by the main event promotion companies seemed rather outdated.


    Lou Duva, a cautious and autocratic man, would never agree to offer a big contract to an amateur boxer like Link while managing Holyfield and over a dozen other world and continental boxing champions.


    Young Duvall''s trip was doomed to be futile.


    Greg Cohen, looking at Link in the ring, clenched his fist and smiled with a look of determination to prevail.


    "Come on, Link, come on!"


    "Link for the champion!"


    "Go Andzeje!"


    In the stands, the audience had been shouting for eight rounds, their voices nearly hoarse, but what did that matter? Being able to witness the clash of two boxing masters in person was far more thrilling than twisting around in a bar or shouting chaotically in KTV.


    The boxers at the venue were also watching the match with wide eyes, taking in every move, the brilliant attacks, the impressive defenses, the clever dodges, and the stunning counterattacks. It was like watching a live instructional video from two boxing masters.


    "No way, Andzeje is so skinny, I could take him out with one punch, and Link is sparring with him for nine rounds? He can''t really be on drugs, could he, with punches that soft?" Mario propped up his face, boredly watching the match on stage.


    "Isn''t it exciting? Why should they finish early?"


    Reggie watched the match with great enthusiasm.


    Next to him, West was holding a handheld camera, filming the exchange between the two fighters to take back and let the apprentices at the gym study and learn from it.


    "But don''t you think it''s abnormal? Considering Link''s caliber, the fight shouldn''t be like this. There''s something wrong here," Mario said.


    "There is something wrong, but I understand Link," Reggie said, his face glowing with admiration as he looked at Link.


    Mario widened his eyes, totally unable to comprehend what was so admirable here. Were you misplacing your admiration? S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t you believe me?" Reggie turned back with a smile, "If you faced a boxer with great technique on the ring, wouldn''t you want to spar a few more rounds with him to refine your skills?"


    Mario looked at his fists, large as sandbags, "No, I''d just knock him down with one punch."


    Reggie shook his head and sighed, "That''s the difference between us and Link. We just think about defeating the opponent quickly and winning the match, but he thinks about what he can gain from the match. That''s also why he keeps getting stronger¡ªbecause he''s not just powerful, he''s also diligent, hardworking, and eager to learn. We should all take a page from his book."


    Reggie gazed at Link with a face full of admiration, his eyes shining brightly.


    Mario was going crazy. "That''s not it at all, okay? He''s clearly throwing the fight."


    "Shut up! Mario, you can insult me, but please don''t insult Link, okay?" Reggie said, clenching his fists and speaking angrily.


    Mario opened and closed his mouth. For the first time in his twenty-two years, he felt like there might be something wrong with the world.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "West, don''t you think there''s something off about this match, Link, he''s throwing it."


    Mario found West, an honest old man. Mario believed he wouldn''t speak nonsense.


    "So what?" West asked, holding the video camera.


    Mario was stunned, looking at the old man in disbelief, "Link is throwing the fight, and you just say, ''so what?''"


    "Yes, Link and Andzeje sparred for nine rounds, and Link was in absolute dominance for eight of them. Just counting points, he could win. You should know Andzeje''s skill is top-tier in amateur boxing. Link sparring with him, not using heavy punches or relying on a strong physique but merely surpassing him with technique, shows that Link has no weaknesses in boxing.


    He is a perfect boxer, and this match has verified everything," West said, stroking his chin beard with a thoroughly satisfied smile.


    "But he''s throwing the fight."


    Mario shouted angrily.


    "Shut up!!"


    "Link didn''t intentionally lose to Andzeje, how can you call it throwing a fight? Don''t say such things again," West said, his face darkening, clearly displeased.


    Mario returned to his seat, disheartened. He propped his face, looking up at the sky, confirming that there indeed was something wrong with the world.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 029 Friendship First, Competition Second

    Bang!At the boxing ring in the ninth round, Andzeje landed a punch on Link''s forehead. Just then, a gasp arose from the crowd, a Rear Hook Punch! Andzeje saw a flash of red at the corner of his eye, it was Link''s fist. Before he could react, bang! He was struck fiercely in the face, as if a car had rolled over it.


    Andzeje''s neck violently twisted to the left, his spit, snot, and sweat flew off, his head spun, the world whirled around, and he stumbled two steps under the pull of gravity and his center of mass, then he heavily fell to the floor.


    Boom! S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crowd instantly became agitated; despite the thrilling match for the previous nine rounds, they were eager to see Link knock out his opponent with a heavy punch, and they had waited long for this moment. The long-suppressed emotions gushed out like a flood and molten lava at this moment.


    "Link!"


    "Champion!!"


    "Link!"


    "Champion!!!"


    The audience shouted out loud, and the fans were so excited they could barely contain themselves. Some screamed their lungs out, some jumped around, some stripped off their clothes and urinated on the spot to vent the dopamine and adrenaline that their bodies couldn''t expel.


    Andzeje got up from the ground, twisted his neck, and the referee asked if he could continue. Andzeje indicated he could.


    The two continued to exchange blows, and within three rounds, Link used a skilled combination of punches, a Left Straight Punch - Right Straight Punch - Left Uppercut, and knocked Andzeje down again.


    Andzeje got up again.


    Link again punched him down.


    The roaring from the crowd grew fiercer, cheering for Link''s spectacular KO and for Andzeje''s resilient spirit, the noise like a storm at sea.


    "Fake, it''s all fake, with Link''s punch power, how could three punches not knock down an Andzeje?"


    Mario looked at the tens of thousands in the audience cheering for Link, applauding Link''s ''false'' performance, and Mario felt a bit depressed, thinking it might be time to see a psychologist for some mental counseling.


    Bang!


    Andzeje got up again, only to be knocked down once more.


    The referee stepped in to stop the match.


    In a match where one side has a clear advantage and knocks down their opponent twice in one round, the score is 10-5. If one knocks down their opponent three times or more in a round, even without causing dizziness, it suggests a substantial difference between the fighters. To prevent accidents, the referee has the authority to stop the match.


    "The winner of this match is...."


    The referee stood in the middle of the ring, grasping Link''s arm about to raise it, when Andzeje came over, grabbed Link''s arm too, and shouted, "Link Baker!"


    "Wow!!"


    "Link has won!"


    The crowd excitedly started shouting.


    This match was not only thrilling but also highly principled.


    "Link, congratulations on defeating Andzeje Methodra, and successfully advancing to the finals. Do you have anything to say?"


    The host shoved the microphone in front of Link.


    "I have only one thing to say."


    Link, panting, said, "Friendship first, competition second, Andzeje also played great." Saying this, Link also raised Andzeje''s arm.


    "Wow!!"


    "Link is such a gentleman."


    "Link, champion! Link, champion! Link, champion!"


    The audience and fans waved their arms and shouted excitedly.


    "Link is great, not only capable but also very, very sportsmanlike. We all should learn from him."


    Reggie said, wiping his tears.


    Mario rolled his eyes in despair, perplexed as to why so many idiots praised them for a rigged boxing match. "Sporting spirit? Bullshit sporting spirit! Does fighting in rigged matches count as having sportsmanship?"


    Fuck!


    "Are you sure they''re rigging the match?"


    In the stands, Greg Cohen frowned at his assistant, expressing his skepticism about the assistant''s update.


    If this was also a rigged match, then Link and Andzeje Methodra were truly skilled, managing to blur the lines between fake and real. No, it might even be said that it was more genuine than a real match because it elevated to the level of sportsmanship.


    The assistant wasn''t too sure anymore, hesitatingly saying, "Should we have the media retract their stories?"


    Greg Cohen pinched his chin, thought for a moment, then waved his hand and declared, "Don''t retract it, not only don''t retract it but also aggressively promote that not only is there suspicion of Link rigging this match, but his previous matches might have been rigged too. Someone wants to create a boxing star, and Link is the chosen one.


    Also, leak information that Franco Duvall is too close to Link."


    "But boss, Link''s record is 16 fights, 16 wins, 16 KOs; claiming that he''s fixing his matches, would anyone believe that?" the assistant hesitated.


    Greg Cohen smiled crookedly, "On the contrary, even Tyson Ali couldn''t knock out his opponent in every amateur match, so how could Link achieve that? Doubts definitely exist in the minds of the audience. We just need to make good use of these doubts, amplify them, and that will make people believe that there''s something wrong with all sixteen of Link''s matches¡ªeven the next one too."


    Seeing the assistant about to speak again, he raised his hand to stop him, "We just need to muddy the waters, label Link with rigging matches. We don''t need to completely ruin him; this alone isn''t enough to do that."


    "Understood!"


    The assistant nodded.


    The match ended.


    As he came off the stage, reporters asked Link if he was rigging the match.


    Link didn''t explain and went straight back to the locker room, then drove to the beach to rest and conserve energy for tomorrow''s match.


    After he left, the reporters interviewed Andzeje Methodra, asking if he was also involved in rigging the match with Link.


    Andzeje Methodra expressed shock at the question, saying that he and Link were both fully committed and enjoyed the process of the match, completely baffled as to how the media could mistake it for a rigged match.


    The reporters argued that with Link''s punching power, he should have been able to finish the match much earlier.


    Andzeje Methodra shook his head, indicating that the reporters weren''t boxers and didn''t understand the meaning of boxing.


    The purpose of amateur boxing matches isn''t just to win but also to enjoy the process of matching skills with the opponent, which speaks volumes more than words or a million US dollars, so the innocent are innocent, and he didn''t want to explain further.


    That evening, numerous stories about Link rigging matches circulated online and in the media.


    Videos of Link''s 16 fights with 16 KOs also spread across the internet.


    Some said that Link was great, skilled, and strong and would definitely become a boxing champion one day.


    Others thought it was fake, stating that wearing sponge gloves and hitting opponents padded with sponge gear¡ªcould that knock them out?


    It''s impossible, there must be a conspiracy.


    Even many well-known boxers spoke out, saying that even Tyson couldn''t achieve 16 fights with 16 KOs in amateur matches, how could Link, a light-skinned lad weighing less than 80 kilograms, do that?


    It must be fake.


    Shut up!


    Link''s fans stepped up, vociferously defending him, stating from regional to final matches, Link KO''d opponents every time, proven by videos, it couldn''t be fake, it''s extremely narrow-minded to think that since no one else has done it before, it must be doubtful if Link has done it now.


    Miami and Florida media also published articles supporting Link Baker, suggesting the backlash was due to his growing fame and others'' jealousy.


    They even tagged the organizer of the Golden Gloves, the National Amateur Boxing Association, online, calling for the association to clarify.


    The Amateur Boxing Association immediately came forward, publicly asserting that there were no issues with the matches and that there was nothing wrong with Link''s matches.


    But the questioning voices online were too loud, and Link was still labeled by netizens as rigging matches.


    As a controversial figure, Link subsequently appeared in major media across America.


    The core issue of the controversy was whether Link was rigging matches or not¡ªwas his record of 16 fights and 16 KOs real or fake?


    Because of these doubts, many people were highly anticipating Link''s next match against Andrea Berto, the top super middleweight amateur.


    Real or fake, tomorrow''s match would tell.

 Chapter 030 The Recognition from the Fist Kings

    "I seem to have forgotten something, something important."After a busy first day of the finals, the more tense day of the overall final arrived. At noon, when Link walked into the final venue, he looked at the American Airlines Arena and always felt that he had forgotten something. However, he had been too busy lately, and his mind was cluttered with too many things to remember what it was right away.


    As he walked and thought about it for a while, unable to recall, he simply put it out of his mind and stopped trying to figure it out, focusing instead on the match before him.


    "Link, there are a lot of news stories online right now saying that you''re fixing fights. The first 16 matches were all fake, and when you get to the venue, reporters are definitely going to bring this up. You need to be prepared," West said, frowning with his gray hair, worriedly.


    When they first met, West didn''t look this old. The busy period had made the old man''s white stubble and hair all pop out, making him seem at least ten years older.


    "West, don''t worry. Leave everything to me; I can handle it," Link said with an unconcerned smile.


    Mario looked at him with a strange gaze from behind. How could this guy be so relaxed? Doesn''t he realize how big the doubts online are?


    Last night, he didn''t sleep and spent the whole night browsing boxing forums to see what people thought about Link. He discovered that most people on the forums were questioning whether Link''s fights were fixed, saying the 16 knockouts were fake, a tactic by the boxing promotion company. They wanted to create a boxing star, and Link was the chosen one.


    Link might have some skills, but couldn''t possibly be that good.


    As a member of Link''s team, Mario knew that Link''s achievements weren''t faked, but he found it oddly satisfying to see others criticizing Link.


    "Hey, Link, you probably don''t know how many people online are saying you''re fixing fights, do you?" Mario squeezed past Reggie, walked behind Link, and was ready to put some pressure on Link to see his reaction. He grinned with an exaggerated tone, "A lot, a whole lot, you know?


    Former middleweight WBC-WBA-IBF champion Bernard Hopkins, former WBA heavyweight champions Chris Byrd, Hasim Rahman, James Toney, Giant Valuev, and others.


    "They''ve all publicly stated that even in their prime, they couldn''t KO all opponents in amateur competitions. They said your punching power is beyond their imagination, heh, meaning they doubt you''re fighting real matches, get it? Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, and also Roy Jones Jr., Roy Jones said that if it''s true, your achievements may even surpass those of Ali and Tyson, but the condition must be that it''s real. Link, how do you feel about that?"


    "Where did you see the news? Why haven''t I seen it?" Reggie asked.


    "Yahoo''s boxing forum, there are a lot of posts like that, very, very interesting. I recommend you guys take a look," Mario said with a smile, fixating on Link''s face.


    "Shit! They''re talking nonsense. Link''s records are all real, there''s no cheating. The Amateur Boxing Association has also come forward with an explanation, what right do they have not to believe?" Reggie asked, discontentedly.


    Mario ignored him, still smiling slyly at Link: "Hey! Link, why aren''t you talking, how are you feeling?"


    Link looked at him and responded with a slight smile, "Mario, if one day you make it, and you want to know how great you are, don''t ask others¡ªthink about who your opponents are. If your opponents are really strong and formidable, then it means you''ve truly succeeded.


    "I''m just an amateur boxer, yet I''m being jointly attacked by several champions and famous figures in boxing. It seems I have truly made it, becoming someone even champions must treat with caution. This is an encouragement, and I''m very excited."


    "Excited?"


    Mario stared at Link in disbelief. To think someone else''s insults were his encouragement? And he''s actually excited? Was there something wrong with this guy''s head?


    "Well said!"


    Reggie took out his phone and recorded Link''s words in the notepad.


    Mario rolled his eyes. Through last night''s news, he figured it out; there was nothing wrong with him or the world. The problem lay with Reggie, West, and Link''s fans¡ªthey were all poisoned by something called ''Link''.


    Link entered the locker room, changed into his fight gear, and strode into the venue. As he walked out of the tunnel, a large group of reporters swarmed around him. Hundreds of them blocked the exit, pushing and shoving to get to the front row, passing microphones and throwing one tricky question after another at Link.


    "Mr. Link Baker, I''m a reporter from American Express. Someone has reported you for fraud during the matches and suggested that the Amateur Boxing Association conduct a thorough investigation. What''s your response?"


    "Mr. Link Baker, some people believe there are problems with all of your first 16 fights and that your match results and eligibility should be revoked. What do you say to that?"


    "Mr. Link Baker, former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins said that if you were to fight him, he could KO you in one round. He thinks your strength is exaggerated by the media and isn''t real. Would you be willing to fight him in the ring?"


    The reporters thrust the microphones to his mouth as if they were feeding him ice cream.


    Link stepped back, waved his hand, and pointed at the reporters who had asked the questions, "I don''t like the way you ask questions, not at all. When interviewing me, please don''t use unprofessional terms like ''someone'', ''certain people'', or ''netizens''. I''d like to hear a real name, someone who can take legal responsibility;


    And you there, the gentleman from the Washington Daily News, you mentioned Bernard Hopkins¡ªthat''s the former middleweight champion, right? If he still had the Golden Belt, I would be willing to fight him, but now he holds no title, and I don''t see any need to fight him."


    Hearing Link''s words, the reporter quickly changed his questioning style. The American Express reporter loudly said, " Mr. Link Baker, many thought that you could defeat Andzeje Methodra in one round in yesterday''s fight. Why did it go to the ninth round instead? Our newspaper received a call claiming there was an under-the-table deal between you two. Is that true?"


    After the American Express reporter finished, the other reporters with their recorders outstretched their arms eagerly, waiting for him to speak, "Mr. Reporter, I feel helpless about your question because you haven''t done your homework before this interview. You have no clear understanding of what amateur fights imply, nor do you understand the difference between amateur and professional fights.


    Let me tell you, professional fights focus on the results, who holds the championship, and the Golden Belt.


    The purpose of the Amateur Boxing Association''s Golden Gloves tournament is to enhance the exchange and learning among young boxers, to improve together.


    The reason I joined the Golden Gloves tournament was not only to win the championship but also to learn the techniques of my peers and gather fighting experience.


    I am a powerhouse and often study boxing techniques; I think highly of my skills. Facing someone like Mr. Andzeje Methodra, one of the most skilled among my peers, was such a rare opportunity. How could I possibly waste it?


    If I hadn''t promised my fans beforehand to win by a KO, I would have even liked to go all ten rounds with him. Mr. Reporter, do you understand what I mean?"


    The reporter nodded, "Mr. Baker, what you mean is that your match with Andzeje wasn''t about the outcome but the process, learning from each other, but if you wanted to, you could have KO''d him in one round, right?"


    Link looked at him, somewhat admiring the reporter''s skill in setting traps¡ªstarting off agreeing with you, only to dig a pit you''re meant to fall into later. If he nodded now, tomorrow''s headlines could say, ''Link admits he could have resolved the match against Andzeje in one round.'' To anyone unaware, wouldn''t that be an outright admission of a rigged fight?


    Link shook his head; he didn''t plan to admit nor deny, leaving others to speculate, letting the topic linger. Controversy meant news, and that was exactly the outcome he wanted.

 Chapter 031 I Want to Challenge All the Boxing Champions

    He turned his gaze toward the second row where a tall female reporter holding an HBO microphone stood out, dressed in a beige suit, she was also the most attractive among the journalists."Miss Reporter, what''s your question?"


    "Mr. Link Baker, champions like Bernard Hopkins, Chris Byrd, Hasim Rahman, James Toney, and the giant Valuev have publicly questioned your punching power, claiming it''s impossible for a normal person to achieve 16 consecutive KOs in amateur matches. They also suspect there''s something wrong with the matches. What''s your response to this?"


    The reporter batted her thickly mascaraed eyes, smilingly poised as she asked.


    Link spread his hands with a look of regret and said with a smile, "I haven''t seen the reports, so I can''t be sure if they''ve really said that, but here''s a promise from me, to all the boxers who doubt me, whether it''s Hopkins, Chris Byrd, James Toney, or the 213cm tall Valuev, or any other champions¡ªif they don''t believe in my ability, once I turned professional, they can come and challenge me.


    Any of them, no matter what rank, as long as they can last three rounds with me..."


    Link paused for a moment, looked at all the reporters, and said strongly, "even if I lose!"


    "What?!"


    The room fell silent for two seconds and then exploded into an uproar.


    What had Link just said?


    He had said that once he entered the professional boxing world, anyone could challenge him, no matter what weight class, and if they lasted three rounds against him, he considered it a loss?


    Was he serious?


    A Super Middleweight boxer challenging all professional boxers?


    Had he lost his mind?


    West was blindsided; Link had answered the first few questions reasonably, but then he suddenly made a reckless declaration, claiming he could beat any challenger within three rounds, regardless of weight class. That was wildly arrogant; if word got out, people were sure to call him "Big Talker Link" or "Mouth Cannon Link."


    "Mr. Link Baker, you just said you''d take on all challengers from all weight classes, and if they can last three rounds against you, you''d consider it a loss. Does ''all people'' include Holyfield, Mayweather, Hoyle, the younger Roy Jones, Joe Calzaghe, the Klitschko brothers, David Tua, and so on, all the boxers?"


    The HBO female reporter''s face turned red with excitement as she rattled off the names of over a dozen popular champions.


    If Link dared to say yes, the headlines would instantly read that Link had issued a challenge to these champions, believing they couldn''t last three rounds with him.


    This piece of news would definitely become the hottest sports story of the day and for some time to come.


    Link looked at the female reporter and smiled gently, "Beautiful Miss Reporter, there''s one condition to my earlier statement, anyone who doubts me, who is unfriendly to me, they are welcome to challenge me. If those champions you mentioned also doubt my power, I will accept their challenge under the same terms, three rounds, equal for all!"


    "Hey, Mr. Baker, don''t you think that what you just said is a bit too arrogant?" shouted a reporter from the American Express.


    Link shrugged his shoulders with an indifference, "I''m just too strong to play it low-key."


    Boom!


    The reporters were stunned by his outrageous remark, wondering how someone could be so brazen as to make such an overtly conceited and shameless statement.


    West covered his old face with both hands, his face that had been black for over sixty years turned red with embarrassment at that moment.


    "Link, Roy Jones has also publicly questioned you, will you challenge him after turning professional?" asked a reporter from the Miami Herald.


    Judging from the Miami Herald''s recent coverage, it was clearly a paper inclined in his favor. Link didn''t mind giving them a sensational story, he chuckled and said, "Mr. Roy Jones has always been a boxer I respect greatly. I was influenced to practice boxing because of him and Tyson. It''s unfortunate that he publically questioned me.


    But out of respect for him as a revered senior and considering his advanced age of 37, I will only need one round against him¡ªif it goes over two rounds, I''ll consider it my loss."


    "Link, don''t talk nonsense."


    Sweat poured from West''s brow as he listened from behind. What started as battling other boxers for three rounds had changed to one round against little Roy Jones, this wasn''t a provocation, it was an insult. If Roy Jones'' fans heard it, there''s no telling how they might curse at Link.


    West tugged on Link''s arm, urging him to restrain himself a little, not to be so reckless, lest he get beaten up.


    Link turned around and gave West a reassuring look, telling him not to worry too much.


    Even if he ignited the wrath of all the boxing kings, those kings wouldn''t come to fight him.


    Behind every king were promotion companies, and they would never participate in a match without a chance of winning or making money. Those kings also wouldn''t bring their Golden Belts to fight with him, for if they lost, they would have to hand over their belts, and the loss would outweigh the gain.


    Moreover, Link wasn''t afraid of losing to them. He had only been training for a little over a month, and his boxing skills, strength, speed, and reflexes had already greatly improved; after another year, two, or three, he didn''t believe there would be many people in the boxing circle who could challenge him.


    He wasn''t afraid they would come; he was afraid they wouldn''t dare to.


    The group of reporters, apparently satiated by the bombshells he''d dropped, casually asked a few more questions, then magnanimously opened up a gap and let him pass.


    "Hey, Reggie, hearing your idol spout such wild claims here, what are your thoughts?"


    Mario bumped the dazed Reggie with his arm and said with a smirk.


    Reggie withdrew his gaze, and with a sigh of admiration, said, "Link is incredible, he is a boxer who possesses strength, intelligence, and courage all in one, a perfect boxer. I must learn from him."


    "Are you crazy?"


    Mario grabbed Reggie''s shoulder and shook him fiercely, yelling, "Reggie, can you snap out of it, please? Link is just some guy who loves to boast and seek attention, he''s not as amazing as you think." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, no, you''re wrong, Mario, this isn''t boasting or seeking attention, this is self-marketing. As an amateur boxer, Link is constantly thinking about how to promote himself. Today, by seizing the opportunity to challenge all the kings, he''s engaging in self-marketing.


    I''d bet that after these few bits of news are reported, Link''s fame in the boxing world will skyrocket, comparable to that of second-tier boxing kings. If he goes professional, his appearance fee for every match would be at least a million dollars¡ªover a million, Mario. If it were you marketing yourself, what could you do to reach the fame level of a second-tier boxer?"


    Reggie looked at Mario with an intense gaze.


    Mario scratched his head; obviously, he didn''t have a way, but to acknowledge Link''s approach was out of the question.


    "But he''s challenging all the boxers, isn''t that just boasting? How could he possibly beat everyone?"


    "Why not?"


    Reggie shook his head, watching Link step by step onto the boxing stage, and said with admiration, "A long, long time ago, my Huaxia neighbor once told me, a truly courageous person, even if faced with ten thousand enemies, would charge into battle alone. Link is that kind of person."


    Mario imagined a scene of charging into ten thousand men and snorted, "That''s not courage, that''s stupidity."


    Reggie glanced at him and shook his head, "No, no, you don''t understand, and you never will."


    Mario looked at him, sudden anger rising within, and clenched his fists, throwing a few punches at him, "Fuck, you damned bastard, have you forgotten? I taught you boxing, and now you dare act all high and mighty in front of me?"


    Reggie, grimacing in pain, made an awkward escape.

 Chapter 032 Knock Him Out in Five Rounds

    "Hey, dear viewers, good afternoon¡ªthis is your old friend Steve Mandanda, and I am currently at....""Link! Champion!"


    "Link! Champion!"


    "Sorry, just a moment, it''s too noisy here; I might need to move."


    At the match venue, host Steve Mandanda from HBO Sports Channel waved at cameraman Sean and covered his ear to move to a corner on the left side of the boxing ring.


    After Link stepped onto the boxing ring, the audience loudly chanted his name, waves of deafening noise easily drowning out his words.


    Reaching the corner, where a billboard provided some shielding, the noise was somewhat reduced.


    Host Steve Mandanda exhaled, gave a thumbs up to the cameraman, and the cameraman restarted the camera.


    Dressed in a suit, holding a microphone with the HBO logo, Steve Mandanda smiled at the camera and said, "Hey, dear viewers, good afternoon¡ªthis is your old friend Steve Mandanda, and I am currently at the American Airlines Arena in Miami."


    Yes, that''s right, the home court for the NBA''s Miami Heat.


    However, I''m not here today to interview Wade or any other player, who, I hear, are vacationing on Phuket Island¡ªlucky them."


    Today at the American Airlines Arena there''s another event, familiar to boxing viewers I should think. Every May and June, the Amateur Boxing Association organizes an amateur boxing competition nationally: The Gold Gloves Boxing Championship.


    If counted from the first one sponsored by the Chicago Tribune in 1926, there have been 53 editions held nationally or in various cities until now.


    Each year, the Gold Gloves Boxing Championship attracts thousands of amateur boxers to sign up, and this year is no different.


    According to statistics from the Amateur Boxing Association, this year there are a total of 1403 boxers registered to participate in the championships across various ranks, making it the highest number in nearly ten years."


    "Link! Champion!!"


    The shouting from the stands suddenly came again, interrupting Steve Mandanda''s broadcast once more.


    He smiled at the camera, waving his fist and said, "That''s right, Link, champion!


    Many excellent novice boxers have appeared in this edition of the Gold Gloves, including the ironman Morales, Jones Fullos who unexpectedly beat the champion of the northern division, and many already familiar with Andre Berto, the amateur boxing championship veteran famed for his superb boxing skills, and the Eastern European youngster Andzeje Methodra. Yet the most famous of all is¡­."


    Steve Mandanda covered his ears and raised the microphone.


    "Link! Champion!"


    The audience chanted.


    "Yes, indeed, it''s Link, Link Baker, a young man born in Miami Beach, 20 years old, a super middleweight boxer.


    According to his coach, he learned boxing in less than three years. This Gold Gloves Boxing Championship is his first participation in an amateur boxing event, yet he amazed everyone with his performance.


    From the Miami regional competition to the championship finals, he fought 16 matches, won 16 bouts by 16 KOs, defeating notable boxers including Mario Morales, Jones Fullos, and Andzeje Methodra.


    Ring Magazine says this is a record-breaking achievement that Ali, Tyson, and Floyd Mayweather have never achieved, describing him as one of the most promising rookies in the boxing world this year.


    After four rounds of competition, today, at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, the Gold Gloves Championship will also welcome its final match, where traditionally, the heavyweight competition has been the highlight.


    This edition, however, is different. After a vote by the 10,000 spectators present, 86.2% wished to see the super middleweight competition in the main arena, prompting the organizers to decide to hold the super middleweight fight there.


    The two boxers in today''s super middleweight match are¡­ Link Baker and his opponent, Andrea Berto!"


    Cameraman Sean adjusted the camera to focus on the two boxers on the ring.


    Under the bright lights of the boxing ring, two muscular young men stood face to face, one black and one white, with a referee dressed in a black shirt and white gloves standing between them.


    Steve continued the live report, "The one in white shorts and white gloves, a muscular man, is the boxer Andrea Berto. He stands 181 centimeters tall, has an arm span of 188 centimeters, weighs 76.8 kilograms, and is 20 years old. His amateur record boasts 38 fights, 37 wins and 1 draw, having won the U19 National Championship and the All American Amateur Championships.


    It is said that several boxing promotion companies have already offered him contracts, and Andrea Berto plans to turn professional after claiming victory at the Gold Gloves Championship.


    Opposite him, wearing red gloves and looking strong, the leading man of tonight is none other than Link Baker, who boasts an amateur record of 16 fights, 16 KOs, and 16 wins."


    Before the finals, he had publicly proclaimed that he would enter the finals and win the championship by knocking out all his opponents.


    Just yesterday, right here on this boxing ring, he had consecutively knocked out Morales and Andzeje Methodra, two excellent boxers, and successfully advanced to the finals.


    Today, here as well, he will continue his knockout legend to claim the championship, or be defeated by his opponent, regrettably missing the Gold Glove. Let us wait and see."


    After finishing the broadcast in one breath, Steve took a long sigh, took a bottle of water from his assistant, took a sip, gargled it in his throat, and then spit it out on the ground.


    "Mr. Mandanda, the organizers are asking if you want to interview the two boxers. If not, they''re going to start the match," said a site work assistant as he approached.


    Steve glanced at the boxing ring and nodded, "Link is a guy who really shakes things up, so an interview wouldn''t be a bad idea."


    The work assistant nodded and ran off to relay the message.


    Steve walked toward the boxing ring with the camera.


    HBO is a cable television broadcasting giant, and boxing broadcasts are a key program for the HBO network.


    Normally, they broadcast professional boxing matches, making money through the PPV payment method, and occasionally they also broadcast some amateur events that attract considerable attention.


    Traditionally, HBO only broadcasts the heavyweight championship finals annually, but this year a dazzling newcomer in the Super Middleweight, Link Baker, has caught the eyes of many, prompting HBO to switch their focus to the Super Middleweight division.


    Steve briskly climbed onto the boxing ring, greeted the audience all around, and then walked up to Andrea Berto, handing over the microphone and asking, "Good afternoon, Andrea. Standing before you is Link Baker, the ''Ring Anesthetist'' who has knocked out opponents 16 times. Facing him in the match, do you feel nervous?"


    Andrea Berto, his thick arms flexed, flashing a bright white smile, laughed, "Of course not. The one who should be nervous is him. I''m not like other boxers who just spar with him; I will defeat him with my iron fist and then tell everyone that a boxer is made through real punches, not by faking."


    "Wow!" Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A gasp emerged from the crowd.


    Link narrowed his eyes, a smirk lifting the corners of his mouth. He had been polite and friendly when interacting with Andrea Berto just now, but facing the camera, he openly slung mud his way. Interesting!


    "Wow!"


    Host Steve also exclaimed dramatically, then passed the microphone to Link, "Link, Andrea says you fight with fake punches. What do you have to say to that?"


    Link shrugged, smiling, "Nothing much to say. For a worthy opponent, like Andzeje, I''m willing to spar a few more rounds, to exchange and learn. For those who I don''t respect, I don''t mind finishing the match early. Andrea Berto, you say I fight with fake punches? Great, to prove you wrong, I will KO you within five rounds. Be prepared for your defeat."


    "Wow! Oh wow, what did I just hear?"


    Steve exclaimed again, lifting the microphone and shouting to the whole venue, "Link says he will KO Andrea Berto within five rounds, wow! This is an amateur match, and Andrea Berto is the number one ranked amateur boxer in the Super Middleweight division. Oh my, did I hear that right? Link, are you sure you want to KO Andrea Berto within five rounds?"


    "That''s right, I only need five rounds," Link said, clenching his fist towards the microphone.


    "Wow!"


    "Link! Champion!"


    "Link! Keep it up!"


    The audience at the venue, having heard Link''s call over the broadcast, began shouting excitedly.


    Meanwhile, Andrea Berto clenched his fists tightly, his white teeth gritting together fiercely as he glared at Link with fury.


    Host Steve then passed the microphone back to Andrea Berto, "Andrea, Link says he will KO you within five rounds. How do you respond to him?"


    Andrea Berto glared at Link and bellowed, "He''s dreaming. I will teach him a harsh lesson with my iron fist, KO him, and have him groveling on the ground like a coward."


    "Link..."


    Steve, holding the microphone, was about to ask Link for his thoughts when the referee came over to remind him that it was time to start the match. Steve, reluctantly retracting the microphone, left the ring with the cameraman.

 Chapter 033 Superior Horses and Inferior Horses

    The anger of both competitors in the ring had been stirred up by the unscrupulous host, Steve.Andrea Berto glared at Link, his rage at its peak.


    Link calmly regarded him, having just publicly declared that he would end the fight within five rounds, a competitive period of ten minutes. Knocking out a tough guy in ten minutes was not easy, needing strategy.


    Andrea Berto had heavy punches, quick speed, and good technique; he was a well-rounded opponent.


    To defeat him within five rounds, it was essential to find his weak point.


    Using his strengths against Andrea''s weaknesses, victory could be achieved.


    What was Andrea Berto''s weakness?


    While watching the video, Link hadn''t spotted any obvious flaws, but that didn''t mean there weren''t solutions.


    After much consideration, he decided to focus on stamina.


    The greatest limitation of the human body is a lack of stamina. Excessive exertion causes a decline in bodily functions and coordination, leading to various problems from stamina deficiency, also known as the period of vulnerability.


    If a person had endless stamina, they could be called superhuman.


    Although Link was not superhuman, nor did he have endless stamina, his stamina far exceeded that of ordinary people.


    While diving in the sea, normal people would get tired after half an hour, but he could swim for half a day.


    In the boxing gym, six hours a day was what Mario and the others saw, but back at home, he continued training, more than ten hours a day, and his stamina would be fully restored by the next morning.


    Stamina was one of his trump cards in dominating the boxing world, an advantage others could never match.


    Link looked at Andrea Berto and formed a plan in his mind.


    Andrea Berto shot him a glare and silently mouthed "faker" at him.


    Link smiled indifferently.


    "Boxing!"


    The on-site referee checked the seal, announced the precautions, and then decidedly cut the air with his hand.


    Before the match, Andrea Berto glared at him menacingly, but as soon as the match started, he voluntarily stepped back two steps, staying more than a meter away from him, his expression cautious and serious.


    This was a calm and rational black man.


    Some said you shouldn''t play mind games with black men, as it was unfair.


    But facing a black man who could think strategically was particularly challenging.


    They often have smaller targets due to their compact head size, sturdy bodies, strong bones, and well-developed motor skills, making them natural athletes and born boxers. Combined with a clever brain, their combat power was formidable.


    Seeing Andrea step back, Link swung his fists, taking the initiative to attack and aiming to exhaust Andrea''s stamina as rapidly and extensively as possible.


    When executing the strategy, it was crucial to get moving, take control of the match''s rhythm, and provoke the opponent into action, never allowing him to rest on the sidelines.


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Link''s first moves were his best and fastest: left jab + right jab + left jab + right jab, completely abandoning defense, raining down on Andrea''s head like droplets.


    The first five punches landed on Andrea''s arms, but the sixth broke through his guard and struck his left eyebrow.


    The hit enraged Andrea, who threw punches back at him with great speed.


    Link sidestepped and countered with a rear hook punch that harshly landed on Andrea''s forehead. Since he was five centimeters taller than Andrea, the punch hit a bit higher.


    Andrea had excellent resistance to getting hit, and with the headgear, he only staggered before stabilizing his body.


    "Andrea, defend, don''t fight back hard!"


    Andrea''s coach shouted from below the stage.


    Andrea raised his fists, closely guarding his head. He understood his coach''s intention. Since Link had publicly declared to end the fight in five rounds, all Andrea had to do was last those rounds without falling. How would Link continue after that?


    The method to endure was to focus entirely on defense and not give Link any chance for a knockout blow.


    Seeing Andrea adopt a tight defensive strategy, Link felt a bit disappointed. Andrea had a small head and thick arms, his arms crossed and guarding his head, making it difficult to break through.


    But at this point, he could only do his best and push himself. Without pushing himself, how could he unleash his maximum potential?


    Link changed his combination punches and replaced the penetrating jabs with the strongest and heaviest straight punches.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Link swung his heavy punches, furiously beating Andrea''s shell-like defense. Out of eight heavy punches, Mario dodged five, two hit his arms, and the last one hit his forehead, making Andrea stagger but then stabilize. His ability to take punches was very strong.


    "Link! Keep it up!"


    "Link! Hit him hard!"


    The fans in the stands shouted loudly for Link, making the atmosphere very lively.


    "Link said he would KO Andrea Berto within five rounds, can he do it?"


    "It''s too hard, I don''t believe he can do it."


    "You''re right. Andrea Berto''s skills are not inferior to his, even if they fought for ten rounds, Link might win by a slight point advantage, but knocking out Andrea Berto in five rounds is absolutely impossible." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s not bad to lose, Link is young and impulsive, loves to talk big. It''s time he learned a lesson."


    In the stands, a group of promoters watched the match and chatted.


    Greg Cohen looked at Link who continuously threw punches at his opponent, his eyes filled with admiration but also mockery.


    There were many online rumors about Link throwing fake punches, as well as several boxing champions questioning Link. Some of this was orchestrated by his own staff, and some probably by his opponents.


    After all, his recent brilliant performance had obstructed some people''s paths.


    When these two forces joined, the online rumor noise became significant.


    But since the media in Miami strongly supported Link, and the amateur boxing association also spoke out for him, the questioning voices were suppressed.


    In the midst of these arguments, Link''s reputation actually got boosted.


    Not very cost-effective!


    He had planned to give up this plot and pressurize Link in other ways.


    But just now, Link suddenly declared he would KO Andrea Berto within five rounds.


    To knock out a muscle-bound strongman of equal strength within five rounds?


    Greg Cohen laughed heartily upon hearing this. Link was too arrogant. He struggled to secure a victory against Jones Fullos after nine rounds. Andrea Berto was more formidable than Jones; he couldn''t possibly KO him within five rounds.


    As long as Link didn''t achieve this, once the media erupted with accusations of him throwing fake punches, people would gradually believe that he was involved in staging fights.


    With a reputation for throwing fake punches, his career in the boxing world would definitely be affected. By then, any blue-collar contract could sign him.


    All this was thanks to Link''s actions.


    Thinking of this, Greg Cohen couldn''t help but smile slightly.


    His desire to sign Link was not just because of his strong ability and earning potential but also because Link was so powerful that he posed a threat to the top-level boxers under top promoters.


    If he could sign Link and have him fight boxers from other companies, when necessary, either give up the Golden Belt or have him deliberately lose to Mayweather to boost Mayweather''s win rate, the top promotion company could remain undefeated.


    Greg Cohen smiled smugly to himself. Kid, you''re too young. Dreaming of becoming a boxing champion is not just about having the fists.


    This round, I''ve definitely won.

 Chapter 034 Kill Kill Kill!

    Boom!Link landed a punch on Andrea Berto''s cheek.


    Andrea staggered backward, hitting the ropes. Link was about to follow up with his victory when a clang, clang, clang of the bell sounded from the audience.


    The first round ended.


    Link returned to his corner and sat down, sweating profusely.


    "Link, don''t rush. If you can''t win in five rounds, just go a few more. The match is ten rounds; nobody said you have to win within five,"


    West advised.


    "West, don''t worry. I said I''d finish the fight within five rounds, and I''ll stand by my word, no matter how difficult, I''ll give it my all to make it happen,"


    Link said firmly, clenching his fists.


    "Wow, that sounds great!"


    Mario curled his lips and said to Reggie below the stage, "Write this down¡ªLink says he''ll KO Andrea within five rounds, no matter how hard it is, he has to do it. What a motivational statement, you should remember it."


    Reggie nodded and took out his phone to take note.


    Mario, rubbing his belly, chuckled continuously.


    Link glanced at him, raised his fists, and strode toward the center of the ring.


    Andrea Berto also got up and walked over, clenching his jaw fiercely and glaring at Link, with his brow bone and left cheek looking somewhat reddened.


    "Keep defending, and let''s see if I can smash through your shell,"


    Link said with a chuckle, shaking his fists.


    "You won''t last much longer, the championship will be mine!"


    Andrea said with a fierce look.


    "We''ll see!"


    The referee came over and warned them that chatting wasn''t allowed in the ring.


    In the second round, Link continued with his aggressive heavy-hitting strategy, throwing 84 punches in a row, 12 of which hit Andrea on the head. One punch even knocked Andrea down near the corner post; had he not grabbed the ropes with both hands in time, it could have been a knockout.


    But he still couldn''t knock Andrea down, with only three rounds to go.


    "Link, don''t worry, take it slow. When you throw punches, try to hit his head as much as possible without wasting energy,"


    West counseled.


    Link nodded. Boxing might look simple with two people swinging at each other, but within those two to three minutes per round, throwing out 60 punches could deplete as much as one-fifth, or more, of an average person''s stamina.


    Those who could last for more than 10 rounds were the ones with exceptional endurance.


    Having thrown more than 80 punches in two consecutive rounds, Link, despite his abundant stamina, wouldn''t be able to sustain such output.


    At the opposite corner,


    "I can''t just defend anymore; I have to counterattack,"


    Andrea Berto said as he returned to the corner to rest.


    "Andrea, just hang in there a bit longer. Get past five rounds, and let''s see what Link is going to do?"


    His coach suggested.


    Andrea shook his head, gasping for air: "You haven''t fought him, so you don''t know how heavy his punches are. They must be over 1000 pounds. Even through the sponge padding, it hurts, and if I endure three more rounds, I might get killed by his punches."


    "You can''t even fend him off with all your might?"


    The coach frowned.


    "It''s hard. His punches are not only heavy, but fast, especially the jabs. They come extremely quickly and at tricky angles. If my defense is a bit slow, I''ll get hit,"


    Andrea touched his brow bone and nose bridge with his glove. If he hadn''t defended quickly in the previous round, his nose might have been broken by Link. Also, his ribs, despite wearing high-elasticity sponge armor, were aching.


    "Hold out for one more round. Link has been on the offensive for two rounds, throwing nearly two hundred punches. He won''t have much energy left. Let him attack for another round, and then it''s your turn to go on the offensive,"


    the coach said thoughtfully. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Andrea Berto thought for a moment and nodded.


    After the doctor treated his injuries, he raised his fists and walked towards Link.


    "This round, I''m going to knock you down at least once,"


    Link said with a smile.


    "Don''t even think about it!"


    Andrea Berto snorted coldly.


    The referee came up and warned both fighters once before the match began.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Link continued to attack Andrea''s head and ribs with heavy punches. Compared to the previous rounds, his speed had noticeably slowed, and his attack frequency had decreased significantly, but Andrea, having taken so many heavy hits, was also greatly exhausted.


    Boom!


    At 88 seconds into the third round, Link landed a left jab on Andrea''s left rib, a liver shot!


    Andrea raised his arms, shifting his balance downward, exposing a flaw.


    Link''s fist rose, seizing the opportunity for a right swing punch that solidly struck Andrea''s head. Andrea''s body wobbled, and Link followed up with a rapid jab to Andrea''s brow.


    Andrea let out a scream and staggered backward, collapsing onto the floor.


    Boom!


    The audience, silent for so long, suddenly erupted into noise.


    The shouts suppressed for two rounds now burst forth from the fans'' mouths.


    "Link, fight on!"


    "Link, champion!"


    "Link, one more punch!"


    Fans stood up and shouted loudly. They too had heard Link''s bold words about knocking out Andrea within five rounds. The stakes he had set were daring and dangerous.


    As time passed and Link hadn''t secured a knockout, everyone internally worried for him.


    Seeing Andrea hit the ground, the fans glimpsed the hope of Link defeating Andrea within five rounds.


    They were so excited they jumped up, unleashing their voices at maximum volume to cheer for Link.


    Today, over 17,600 Miami locals filled the United Airlines Arena to the brim, most of them came for Link. Hosting the Golden Gloves finals in Miami and having a local win would become a lovely tale¡ªa shared glory for Miami itself. At this moment, no one wished for anything other than Link''s victory.

 Chapter 034 Kill! Kill! Kill!_2

    Seeing Link finally knock down Andrea, over ten thousand people excitedly clapped and cheered, the massive wave of sound almost ripping the roof off the American Airlines Arena."10, 9, 8..."


    The referee had barely counted to three when Andrea staggered to his feet, and the fans let out a sigh of disappointment.


    "Boxing!"


    With only 32 seconds left in the third round, Link wanted to press his advantage and score another KO within those seconds.


    Bang!


    As he threw punches at Andrea in succession, Andrea, who had been coiled up for a while, suddenly struck out, a hook punch hitting Link''s left jaw. Luckily, Link''s reaction was quick enough; he tilted his head to the side the moment he saw Andrea''s sudden move, avoiding a solid hit.


    However, the tremendous force of Andrea''s punch still made him stagger, taking two steps back to stabilize himself. Andrea, seizing the advantage, relentlessly swung his fists, launching an attack on him.


    Link was a bit surprised but also pleased.


    He wasn''t afraid of Andrea''s offense; he was afraid of Andrea tucking in for five rounds.


    When Andrea tucked in, to hit his vital spots, one needed to break through his defense, which meant landing only one punch out of ten, resulting in a significant drain on energy.


    But now the situation was different.


    Andrea had given up the tuck-in tactic and took the initiative to attack, creating more openings in the process. Without having to throw heavy punches to break the defense, Link could hit his head, face.


    Bang!


    Andrea''s right upper hook punch hit Link''s chin.


    Link''s right swing punch landed heavily on Andrea''s temple; despite the sponge padding, the massive impact still caused disorientation.


    Both men were hit almost at the same time, Link stumbled, and Andrea staggered three or four steps to the left, grabbing the ropes to steady himself.


    Link pressed the advantage, pinning Andrea against the ropes, and in a flash, his hands shot out eight jabs in one second, hitting Andrea''s bridge of the nose, chin, and both ribs. Andrea reached out to embrace him, employing a clinching strategy.


    "Break!"


    The referee came over to pull them apart.


    Link pulled his fists back and stepped away.


    The referee inquired if Andrea was okay. Andrea indicated he was fine but when he looked at Link, his eyes were aflame with rage, wishing he could punch Link to death.


    Link also looked back at him coldly, with a disdainful smile on his face.


    Ding! Ding! Ding!


    The third round ended, and they returned to their corners.


    "Link, keep it up! Link, keep it up!"


    Reggie chanted non-stop in his ear.


    "Link! Champion!"


    "Link! Champion!"


    James, Danny, and Michael were also in the stands, shouting loudly along with hundreds of neighbors from Ocean Drive.


    Link''s fans also took the opportunity to start shouting.


    Link didn''t need to look back to know how many people were hoping for him to become the champion. How could he let down those who supported him? How could he ever let them down?


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    Link stood up, clenched his fists, flexed his muscles all over his body, and roared three times.


    This was the action he had used to psych himself up in the ring before, Reggie and Mario didn''t understand and looked confused, feeling an icy aura radiating from him, which was quite frightening.


    Mario watched with a chill in his heart, sensing this guy must have killed someone in the past.


    The fourth round began.


    Andrea initiated the offense with a powerful combination of left straight punch + right straight punch + left swing punch. Andrea''s arms were short but fast and strong.


    But Link was faster and stronger, and his arms were 4cm longer.


    Defensively, Link couldn''t gain the upper hand.


    But when exchanging punches, Link had the advantage; his fierce right swing punch dismantled Andrea''s combination, followed by an unreasonable heavy punch that landed on Andrea''s chin, sending him back three steps, crashing into the ropes.


    Link stepped forward, another flurry of super-fast jabs hitting Andrea''s ribs and head.


    ```


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Andrea implemented the clinching tactic again, breaking James''s offensive, while Link took the opportunity to land two more swing punches to his ribs.


    "Break!"


    The referee stepped forward to separate them, warning both Andrea and Link, then announced the continuation of the match.


    "Andrea, hold onto him, the match is almost over."


    Andrea''s coach shouted.


    Hearing Andrea''s coach shout that the match was almost over, Link became desperate and, regardless of Andrea''s straight punch coming straight at him, landed a ferocious rear hook punch that got there first, heavily striking Andrea''s right cheek.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Almost simultaneously, Link received a blow to the corner of his mouth, staggered back a step, looked like he was about to fall, then hurriedly retreated two steps back, his back slamming against the ropes.


    Andrea stumbled three steps, side-slamming onto the canvas.


    "Wow!"


    "Another KO!"


    "Link, champion! Champion!"


    The audience roared excitedly.


    "Get up, you trash, get up!"


    In the stands, Greg Cohen clenched his fist, growling in a suppressed voice.


    Encouraged by his silent cheer, Andrea Berto lay on the ground for three seconds, then slowly got up, grabbing the ropes, his gaze toward Link filled with murderous intent.


    The two glared at each other, threw punches towards each other''s bodies, and in less than 10 seconds, they exchanged over twenty punches.


    Link tried to knock Andrea down again, but Andrea''s defense was tight, his offense and defense balanced, making two of Link''s heavy punches miss.


    Ding, ding, ding!


    The fourth round ended.


    "There''s only one round left. Can Link KO Andrea in the remaining round?"


    "It''s difficult, unless he can knock down Andrea three times in a row, but obviously he can''t do it." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link has launched an offensive in four rounds, throwing nearly 100 punches each time, and over 110 punches in the fourth round. He won''t have much energy left. This round, as long as Andrea keeps his head down and prevents Link from landing punches, and lasts the 120 seconds, Link is sure to lose."


    Promoters whispered among themselves, unanimously thinking Link had a slim chance of winning.


    Resting corner of the ring.


    "Link, how are you doing?"


    West handed him a towel.


    "I''m fine!"


    Link drank some water, spitting it out with blood, as Andrea''s punch had also broken the corner of his mouth, but it wasn''t a big problem at the moment; Andrea''s condition was likely worse than his.


    "Link, hang in there! I think you can definitely win."


    Reggie shouted.


    "Of course, I can win."


    Link said, clenching his fists.


    The opposite corner.


    "Andrea, don''t attack this round, just defend with all your might, pull through these 120 seconds, and you''ve won."


    Andrea''s coach said.


    Andrea nodded silently; after two rounds of exchanging punches, he didn''t have much energy left, his head felt a bit dizzy, his brow bone and cheeks were injured, and his ribs on both sides were in throbbing pain. He also didn''t think going on the offensive was a good idea.


    Full defense, pull through this round, and victory would be his.


    Andrea clenched his fists, glaring fiercely at Link across the ring, Kid, you''re done for.


    Link, too, clenched his fists, his eyes brimming with a murderous aura.


    ```

 Chapter 035 The First Champion

    ```Ding, ding, ding! S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The fifth round had begun.


    "Link! Go for it!"


    "Link, KO him!"


    "Link, use heavy punches!"


    The audience knew that Link had claimed he would KO Andrea within five rounds, and since this was the fifth and final round, everyone stood up, staring intently at the ring, wanting to see if Link could indeed do it.


    More than a dozen boxing promoters and their assistants also stood up to witness this crucial round, to see whether Link would fulfill his promise and complete the KO, or if Andrea would hold on and defeat Link.


    In the ring, Link looked at Andrea approaching him.


    "Let''s see how many more rounds you can last. Within eight rounds, I''ll definitely KO you."


    "Eight rounds?"


    Andrea was taken aback, "This is the fifth round, the last one you promised."


    "A joke, the match is ten rounds. Did you really believe me when I said five? Besides, I only said I''d KO you within five rounds, I never said that going beyond five rounds meant I lose,"


    Link shook his head and laughed.


    "You lied?! "


    Andrea shouted angrily.


    "Idiot, that''s called tactics, understand? As long as I win against you, who cares about the public promise,"


    Link said with a cold laugh.


    The referee came over to warn them not to talk in the ring and then announced the start of the fifth round.


    "You liar! I''m going to kill you!"


    Andrea charged forward in fury, with a vicious straight punch headed for Link''s head.


    Link instantly ducked to the side, swinging his fist, a vicious rear hook punch, crashing down hard on Andrea''s head.


    Andrea''s head twisted sharply to the left, sweat and saliva from his head flying to the side, his body involuntarily falling towards the ring. He struggled not to fall, but still,


    Thud!


    Andrea crashed heavily onto the ring.


    "Wow!"


    "Another rear hook punch!"


    "Link, KO! Link, KO!"


    "Link, champion!"


    The audience all stood up, clapping and shouting non-stop.


    Andrea lay on the ring, the referee crouched beside him counting, "10, 9, 8, 7..."


    After counting four numbers, Andrea lifted his head and propped himself up to stand using the ring.


    "Andrea, don''t attack, there''s only 100 seconds left in the match, hang in there, and you''ll have won,"


    Andrea''s coach shouted.


    Andrea gave his coach a glance, rage in his eyes. That bastard''s promise of five rounds was a lie. If he continued to defend, he''d be beaten to death. How could he keep defending at this point?


    He roared and, fists swinging, launched an attack on Link.


    "Idiot! Defense, full defense, don''t attack, what an idiot!"


    Greg Cohen covered his forehead, cursing angrily from the spectators'' seats.


    Thud!


    On the boxing platform, Link took a punch to the face while simultaneously landing a swing punch on Andrea''s left cheek.


    Thud!


    Andrea fell once more onto the ring.


    "Wow! A third KO!"


    "Link! Champion!!"


    "Link! Champion!!"


    The venue roared with shouts from the audience, deafeningly loud.


    Link, fists raised, breathing heavily, glared at Andrea lying on the ground, while the referee crouched beside Andrea counting, "10, 9, 8, 7, 6..."


    Andrea struggled to his feet once again.


    "Andrea, don''t attack, cover your head, only 30 seconds left in the match, just a moment more and you can win,"


    Andrea''s coach yelled out.


    "Idiot! Hang in there! Don''t attack, use the clinch tactic, you idiot!!!"


    Greg Cohen roared, fists in the air.


    The other promoters looked at him in surprise.


    Andrea glanced at his coach then roared, fists raised, continuing to swing fiercely at Link.


    Thud!


    Link, hearing there were less than thirty seconds left, abandoned defense, and with a straight punch, slammed it into Andrea''s forehead with all his strength.


    ```


    Bang!


    Link''s chin took a hit, and he staggered two steps, sitting down on the ground.


    Bang!


    Andrea''s forehead took a hit, and he stumbled back against the ropes, extending his hand to grip them, struggling to stand up.


    "Andrea, there are only 10 seconds left in the match. Stand up! If you stand up, you win,"


    Andrea''s coach shouted from below the ring.


    Andrea was sprawled on the ground, clutching the ropes and slowly getting up.


    Link tightly clenched his fists, watching his opponent coldly, ready to pounce at any moment.


    Andrea suddenly staggered and collapsed headfirst onto the boxing ring.


    Link slowly stood up, gasping for breath, with sweat sliding down his skin like rain.


    "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"


    The referee finished the count of ten, and Andrea hadn''t managed to get up in time.


    Boom!!


    "Link has won!"


    "Link is the champion!"


    "Link, the champion!"


    Over ten thousand spectators in the venue shouted in unison, the tremendous roar reverberating through the roof of the American Airlines Arena.


    Link stood up straight, facing all the spectators, and raised his fists with force.


    "Link! The Champion!"


    "Link! The Champion!"


    Even though Link''s arms were trembling uncontrollably, sweat beading, and his breathing heavy, he still held his fists high. The incandescent light shined on his bronze, muscular back, making him look like an iron giant.


    "Link! The Champion!"


    Reggie, West, and the others from the gym rushed onto the ring and lifted Link, excitedly shouting ''Link, the champion.''


    Andrea Berto was also helped away from the ring.


    "Idiot!"


    Greg Cohen kicked a chair, and his face instantly showed a painful expression as he limped away from the stands with a hobble.


    "All boxing fans and participants, after the decision by the Amateur Boxing Organization and the Golden Gloves Association, and witnessed by all of you, I am honored to announce that the champion of the Super Middleweight division is... Mr. Link Baker."


    On the boxing ring, Bernard Kenny, the current chairman of the American Amateur Boxing Organization, raised Link''s arm high in front of more than ten thousand spectators, in front of numerous cameras and media journalists.


    "Link! The Champion!"


    The audience and fans shouted and celebrated jubilantly, filling the entire venue with their joyful cheers.


    "I am also honored to represent the Golden Gloves Association and the Amateur Boxing Organization in presenting the Super Middleweight Golden Gloves trophy to Mr. Link Baker!"


    Bernard Kenny took the Golden Gloves-shaped trophy and a check for 100,000 US dollars from his assistant and handed them to Link.


    Link took the trophy and raised it high toward the audience, toward the boxing fans.


    Reggie and the others lifted it along with the trophy.


    "Link! The Champion!"


    "Link! The Champion!"


    More than ten thousand spectators shouted in unison.


    Pop, pop, pop!


    Dozens of fireworks exploded overhead, showering colorful confetti and streamers.


    Link looked at the streamers falling from above, thinking back to before the final cage fight when Coach Liu and his assistant Xiao Yang also bought more than ten fireworks, saying they would celebrate when he won the championship.


    Unfortunately, he hadn''t managed to stand up at the final moment, and those fireworks didn''t get a chance to bloom.


    But this time, he hadn''t let himself down, hadn''t disappointed the fans, nor had he disappointed his coach and friends. Coach Liu would probably be satisfied if he knew.


    Link looked up at the sky, his lips curving into a smile.


    Hiss!


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Dear viewers! Ladies and gentlemen! I am honored to continue reporting the Golden Gloves tournament situation here. After five rounds of fierce fighting, Miami boxer Link Baker continued conquering his opponent Andrea Berto with a KO, securing the match.


    Mr. Link Baker has also become the champion of the Super Middleweight national division in this edition of the Golden Gloves tournament. Currently, Link''s amateur match record stands at 17 fights, 17 wins, and 17 KOs."


    "''Ring'' magazine wasn''t wrong. Link has achieved an incredible record, a record-breaking one, and I would like to congratulate Mr. Link Baker once again here. I hope he can achieve even more in the boxing world in the future and present even more exciting matches to the fans," said HBO host Steve Mandanda, holding the microphone towards the camera.


    The cameraman turned the camera towards the bustling boxing ring.


    "CUT!"


    "OK, that''s a wrap!"


    "Are you coming for drinks tonight? I''ll introduce you to a hot Bolivian chick."


    "Don''t talk nonsense; the recording hasn''t stopped."


    Crackle! Zzzzzzzzzzzz¡ª

 Chapter 36 Mother and Daughter

    "Fight! Fight! Fight! KO!!""Fourth KO! Fourth time KO!"


    "Awesome! Link is so amazing!"


    "Champion Link! Link is the champion!!"


    In the Swift family''s villa in Los Angeles, Taylor watched the boxing match broadcast on HBO, saw Link knock out his opponent Andrea Berto with a punch, and excitedly bounced up from the carpet, waving her fists a few times.


    Madam Andrea saw her five-foot-eleven daughter bouncing around the house like a child, covered her cheek helplessly with her hand, worried that at nineteen, she was still so unruly.


    "Taylor, be careful, you''re an adult now."


    Madam Andrea said, admonishingly.


    Taylor retracted her fists and looked back at her mother, huffed lightly, and then turned to her father, Mr. Tom Swift, who was watching the boxing match in the living room.


    "Dad, what do you think of Link''s boxing?"


    Taylor asked, tugging on Mr. Swift''s arm.


    Old Mr. Swift adjusted his glasses, smiled, and said, "Link is a very promising boxer, his technique, speed, power, and his ring tactics are all top-notch. As long as he can keep it up, he should have a chance to win a championship title in the future."


    Taylor lifted the corner of her mouth, looked at Madam Andrea beside her, and said with a bit of pride, "Mom, Dad says Link has a chance to become a boxing champion in the future. Boxers are athletes, and they make a lot of money, not any less than what I make as a singer. Now you shouldn''t be opposed to me dating Link, right?"


    Madam Andrea frowned displeasedly upon hearing her daughter''s words, "Taylor, what do you mean by that? Are you saying I''m a snob? That I look down on Link and that''s why I don''t want you two dating?"


    "Isn''t it?"


    Taylor crossed her arms and snorted through her nose, when suddenly her ear was pinched by Madam Andrea, "Ah, Mom, what are you doing? Let go of my ear."


    Madam Andrea, pinching her ear, said angrily, "When have I ever looked down on Link? I just feel that you two aren''t the same kind, not in the same circle, not even living in the same place, and aren''t suitable to be a couple. That''s why I advised you not to get too close to him, not because he''s poor.


    I''m totally considering your best interest, and yet you regard me as a snob, like a witch trying to sabotage your relationship?


    Taylor, you really are Mommy''s good daughter."


    "Mom, let go first."


    Taylor rescued her ear from her mother''s grasp, covering her ear and frowning, "Link and I are just dating, not getting married, so why can''t we?


    And even if it comes to marriage, it wouldn''t be impossible. Link is so handsome, strong, and cool, he would definitely be a great partner. Mom, you were once a young girl too. If you met a guy like Link when you were young, surely you would have fallen for him in a heartbeat, assuming you didn''t have a mom who ''cared about you'' so much."


    Taylor curled her lip as she heavily emphasized ''cared about you''.


    Madam Andrea got mad, reaching out again to grab her daughter''s ear.


    Taylor deftly dodged her mother''s hand and took cover behind Mr. Swift, using him as a shield, and flashed a triumphant smile at Madam Andrea. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Madam Andrea, puffing in frustration, snatched the remote control from Mr. Swift''s hand and pointed at Taylor, complaining, "Forget the TV, look at your daughter, look at how she talks to me."


    Caught between his wife and daughter, Mr. Swift couldn''t help but wipe the sweat from his forehead and cleared his throat, "Taylor, apologize to your mom."


    "I didn''t do anything wrong, why apologize? Mom should be the one apologizing. I made a promise to Link a long time ago that if he made it to the finals, I would be there to cheer for him.


    Yesterday Link sent me a message saying that he was fighting in the finals today, asking when I would arrive.


    I had already bought a ticket to Miami, but right before I was about to board the plane, Mom insisted on dragging me to Disney Channel for some music broadcast show. I couldn''t refuse, so I couldn''t go and cheer for Link at the venue.


    Link will definitely think I''m an unreliable girl, a friend not worth dating.


    Because of Mom''s interference, I might not only lose a friend but also a precious relationship.


    Dad, Mom is being so unreasonable, do you still want me to apologize?"


    Taylor rubbed her eyes, pretending to cry as she spoke.


    Mr. Swift looked seriously at his wife, "Anne, is that true? To stop Taylor from going to Miami, did you deliberately arrange work for her?"


    "Of course not, it was Disney that adjusted the recording schedule at the last minute. It''s the promotional program produced by Big Machine Company specifically for Taylor''s new album''s chart ranking; she has to participate."


    "I negotiated with the TV station, hoping they could postpone it for two days, but it wasn''t possible. The new album has been released; it''s a critical moment. We cannot afford a single day''s delay. It wasn''t that I intentionally obstructed her by adding work at the last minute."


    "Taylor herself knows that the program can''t be delayed, and she followed me obediently, it''s just she didn''t want to take the blame for breaking the appointment, so she shifted the blame onto me."


    Mrs. Andrea glanced at Taylor, giving her a ''heartless'' look.


    "I didn''t!"


    Taylor angrily patted the throw pillow, "If you hadn''t called me, mom, I would have been on the plane already."


    "Even if I called you, you could have ignored me. After all, you''re grown up now, often not listening to me. It''s not just this once; there''s no need to establish a goody-two-shoes image for yourself, you''re not one!" Mrs. Andrea snorted coldly.


    Taylor glared annoyed at her mother, clenching her fists and pounding the throw pillow.


    One side was going to Miami to watch Link''s boxing match, the other was work that could not be pushed aside; she struggled at the airport for a while.


    Out of a sense of responsibility and career focus, she still carried her suitcase back to work.


    Now that the work was done and seeing the boxing match on TV, thinking about breaking her promise to Link and not being able to cheer for him on-site, she felt extremely, extremely guilty.


    This guilt was hard to shake off, so she could only shift it, naturally blaming her mother who also bore some responsibility, hoping her mother would carry the burden.


    The result was that Mrs. Andrea not only had no intention of taking the blame for her daughter but also tore off her disguise, exposing her to face her mistakes and guilt stark naked.


    Taylor felt very uncomfortable, constantly sniffing.


    Mrs. Andrea, having gone through similar situations herself, spotted her daughter''s problem immediately and offered her advice, "Better a short pain than a long one. If it''s not suitable, it''s better to part ways. Isn''t it good to remain ordinary friends?"


    "Many hunks exist in Hollywood, from the music industry, the film industry, the art circuit, and surely there are boys more suitable for you than Link," she said.


    "How could they compare to Link? Link is so handsome and strong, and his temperament is also very clean, fitting my aesthetic perfectly. The guys in the entertainment industry seem like they''ve crawled out from a pile of trash, vain and decadent. I find them so repulsive, how could I possibly date them?"


    Taylor tilted her little face upward, her voice firm, with an air of Link being the best man in the world.


    Mrs. Andrea covered her forehead, giving Mr. Swift a sharp look that said, ''It''s your turn now, you''re a man, you can''t let a woman handle everything.''


    Mr. Swift adjusted his glasses and after thinking for a moment said, "Honey, is Link really as good as you say?"


    "Yes, he''s very good."


    Taylor nodded affirmatively.


    "Since Link is a good boy, you could call him and tell him about the difficulties you''re facing. If he is a good boy, he should be understanding and forgive you," Mr. Swift advised.


    Taylor thought about it and felt that her dad''s words were more reliable than her mum''s.


    She nodded, straightened her skirt, kissed the top of her dad''s nearly balding head, and with slippered feet, patter-pattered upstairs.


    "Ah, Taylor has grown up, and it''s becoming harder and harder to manage her."


    Mrs. Andrea slumped in the sofa and said.


    "Well, then stop managing. Taylor is a smart girl; she will make the right choices," Mr. Swift said, wrapping his arm around his wife''s shoulder.


    Mrs. Andrea nodded and rested her head on her husband''s shoulder.


    On the TV, Link was still boxing in the ring...

 Chapter 037 Between Husband and Wife

    "Hit his brow bone!""Yes!!! That punch was amazing! Such a tricky angle!"


    "KO! The fifth KO! The fifth KO, that punch was too heavy, Andrea definitely won''t get up."


    "Link is the champion! Link is the champion!!!"


    In a high-rise duplex apartment in Manhattan, New York, Mr. Franco Duvall watched as Link sent Andrea to the ground with a punch on HBO Sports Channel and jumped up excitedly, punching the wall before reluctantly pulling back his fist and rubbing it.


    Mrs. Nora Duwa, wearing a coat, came down the spiral staircase from the second floor and seeing her husband shouting and hitting the wall like a child, she couldn''t help shaking her head.


    "Franco, keep it down, Vera will be woken up by you."


    Mrs. Nora Duwa whispered a reminder.


    "Okay, okay, I got it."


    Franco Duvall turned down the volume of the sound system and sat on the couch, took a sip of beer, and stared at Link on the TV, then he suddenly let out a long sigh.


    "Ah, why can''t my father agree with me? Link is very strong. When he enters the boxing world, he will definitely become a champion boxer, a very profitable champion boxer.


    Our main event promotion company''s boxers, the old ones are retiring; the left ones are not strong. You know what people say about our company? Hmph, they call our company a retirement home for champions.


    Now is the time to make changes, but why won''t my father agree to sign Link?


    If we had Link, give me five years, and I am confident that the Main Event could surpass the top events and once again become the century''s strongest promotion company in boxing."


    Franco clenched his fist tightly and crumpled the beer can into a ball.


    But remembering the day he returned to New York and approached his father about signing Link only to be refused and scolded, his father said he was too impulsive, not a proper boxing promoter, and that he should go back and reflect.


    Thinking of his father''s words, he felt disheartened, released his hand, and the crumpled beer can fell to the floor, clinking noisily.


    "Stop thinking about Link''s matter, father disagrees, he must have his reasons."


    Nora picked up the beer can, tossing it into the trash bin.


    "What reasons does he have?


    Stubborn, rigid, obstinate, conceited, thinking it''s still the seventies or eighties, where you could make progress with fists and favors.


    That approach doesn''t work in boxing anymore, but he still refuses to correct it, nor will he let go and let us handle it.


    If he continues to be stubborn like this, the Main Event company will sooner or later be ruined by him."


    Franco helplessly said.


    Nora gently reasoned, "Father... Father''s rejection of your proposal is somewhat inconsiderate, but honestly, Link''s asking price is too high, USD 100 million in signing fees, which is an astronomical figure that not even Ali or Tyson dared to ask, how can he, an amateur, dare to ask for so much?


    From amateur to professional boxer, it''s still a long road, and it''s not an easy one. A slight mishap could lead to a big loss.


    You also know our company''s situation is not the same as before, it can''t withstand such a big loss."


    "Dear, you also must understand father''s worries."


    "I understand, I understand, but still..."


    Franco, watching Link on the TV spread his hands, "Link really is a great boxer, and this really is a great opportunity.


    Nora, you''ve worked in the boxing industry longer than I have, you know more than I do.


    I ask you, if you could go back to the 60s or 80s, and had the opportunity to sign an unknown Ali and Tyson for USD 30 million, would you spend that money to sign them?"


    "Not willing!"


    Nora Duwa answered crisply.


    "Ah... why?"


    Franco looked at his wife in surprise.


    His wife, Nora Duvall, was initially one of Mr. Duvall''s administrative assistants and had worked as a boxing promoter for twelve years. She was now the president of the International Development Department of the main event company, having been in the boxing industry longer than him.


    Whenever he had work-related issues, he would consult with his wife, who mostly supported his opinions. He understood his wife, but her response this time was unexpected.


    Nora Duvall said calmly, "The thirty million then is not less than a hundred million now, even if I knew they would become super boxers, I wouldn''t have signed them.


    First, the company doesn''t have that much liquidity, spending too much money to sign a boxer would definitely impact the company''s subsequent development.


    Second, the company''s growth relies on the collective effort of a group of people, you cannot depend on just one person, relying solely on one person is not a sustainable or healthy development model."


    For example, Ali, in ''67 he refused military service and got his boxing license revoked by the sports commissions across America. He couldn''t compete in boxing for the next four years. When he made a comeback in ''71, he challenged the boxing champion Joe Frazier and was defeated.


    In ''73, he came back a second time to challenge the boxing champion Ken Norton, and was defeated again. It wasn''t until ''74 when he successfully challenged the boxing champion George Foreman and returned to the boxing scene. There was a seven-year gap in between, and if the top promoter at that time had placed their hopes entirely on him, they would have definitely gone bankrupt much earlier.


    Then there''s Tyson, his problems were even more numerous¡ªfights, sexual assault, prison terms, unexpected losses in boxing. Don King''s promotion company had spent over fifty million on him back then. Although they made a large sum eventually, it was far less than expected.


    And look at Link Baker, you admire, the truly capable are never those who play by the rules. From what we''ve seen of Link recently, he clearly doesn''t play by conventional strategies.


    Such a person has a fifty-fifty chance of succeeding or failing. If the company places all its hopes on him, and something unexpected happens to him in the future, how would the company recuperate the funds invested in him?"


    Franco was left feeling somewhat disheartened by his wife''s words; he slumped onto the sofa, his shoulders sagged, and his eyes returned to Link fighting in the ring.


    He murmured softly, "But this is a great opportunity, a 50% chance of success is quite high, it would be such a pity to miss it."


    Nora gently squeezed his shoulders and spoke softly, "Don''t regret it too much, there are plenty of opportunities. In addition to Link, there are other boxers in this championship who are quite good.


    For example, the heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, the cruiserweight champion Andy Ruiz Jr., the light heavyweight champion Joe Smith, and the middleweight champion George Groves. They are all very good choices."


    Franco shook his head, "How can they compare to Link? Link is someone who can change the course of boxing, he is Caesar, while they are at best Labienus and Mark Antony, mere followers of the trend." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nora paused her massage, fluttered the bangs on her forehead and looked resigned.


    She didn''t know what Link had said or done to her husband, but ever since he met Link, whenever he spoke about boxing, he would talk about Link, whenever he watched a boxing match, he would talk about Link, and at home, he often watched Link''s fight recordings.


    He praised Link enormously, claiming Link was stronger than super boxers like Ali, Tyson, George Foreman, and Mayweather.


    Now he even described Link as Caesar, which was not just admiration but extreme reverence, almost obsession.


    If she didn''t know her husband''s preferences were clear, she might have thought otherwise.


    "Link is very talented, but his demands are too high. He asked you for a hundred million dollars in signing fees and proposed a 70% share to Greg Cohen, which is absurd.


    A boxer making the promotion company work for him, that''s impossible, and I don''t think anyone in the boxing promotion industry would satisfy his demands."


    To sway her husband''s mind, she didn''t mind whispering some sweet nothings in his ear.


    Franco spread his hands, "Link is a capable person; he will make a lot of money in the future, asking for a higher share is justified."


    Nora helplessly replied, "But he is just an amateur boxer now; who can predict whether he will become a champion or end up in jail?"


    "That won''t happen, he is a person with clear goals and a clear mind, someone with ideals, ambition, and the capability to achieve them. He won''t easily engage in risky behaviors, he won''t end up in prison or get into accidents, and he''s not just any amateur boxer; he is the Golden Gloves super middleweight champion, a highly potential and excellent amateur boxer," Franco said agitatedly.


    Nora glanced at her husband; feeling resigned, she let go of his shoulders, got up, and went upstairs to sleep, while shouts came from downstairs.


    "Nora, come quickly, I have a plan, a great plan, help me look it over. This time, even Duvall won''t stop me," he called out.


    Ms. Nora covered her forehead with her hand, feeling it necessary to find a time to talk to Link, and ask him to spare her husband.


    ¡ª

 Chapter 038 Among Friends and KO Emma Watson

    "10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5!4! 3! 2! 1!"


    "Yeah!"


    "Link has won the championship! Link is the champion!"


    In an Orlando, Kingston resort suite, Blond Robert Grint leaped up from the sofa, clenched his fist, and swung it with force as he turned to ''Harry Potter'' Daniel and said, "Had we known the match would be this exciting, we should''ve taken the day off to see it live."


    "But we had to shoot today," Daniel Radcliffe shrugged as he spoke.


    "I know, I know, but it''s still a bit disappointing."


    Robert Grint collapsed back onto the sofa and looked towards Daniel sideways, "You seem a bit unhappy. What''s the matter?"


    "Do I?"


    Daniel adjusted his glasses as he spoke.


    "Definitely. I may not know magic, but I can feel it. Is it because of Emma?"


    Getting up, Robert stared at him with a smile, "Is it because Emma went to Miami and hasn''t come back yet? You''re worried about her?"


    Daniel shook his head repeatedly in denial.


    "It''s not that. Don''t speculate."


    "I''m not speculating."


    Robert laughed softly, folding his arms with one hand supporting his chin, and said, "You like Emma, don''t you?"


    "I do not, don''t talk nonsense, she and I are just good friends."


    Daniel quickly denied.


    Robert shook his head, "Daniel, you''re too introverted and too well-behaved. If you like Emma, you should''ve confessed to her earlier. Dragging things out isn''t good.


    Though Emma seems like a lady on the outside, she has the heart of a little witch. She likes those wild, thrilling, ''bad'' boys, and you''re too good. Confessing probably wouldn''t be successful anyway."


    Daniel looked down and said nothing.


    Robert took out two cans of beer, opened them, and handed one to Daniel.


    "Don''t be glum. Once we''re back in London, I''ll introduce you to a real lady, pretty and gentle, and a girl who speaks so sweetly. She''s much better than Emma, how''s that?"


    Robert said with a smile, nudging him with his shoulder.


    Daniel raised his head, smiled, and clinked his beer can against Robert''s.


    ¡ª¡ª


    A late-returning plane passed through the starlit night sky and slowly descended towards the brightly lit city of Miami that never sleeps.


    Miami Beach at night, with few pedestrians in sight.


    Only the tall palm trees under the stars spread their lush fronds unrestrained towards the sky.


    The boundless ocean churned up white waves constantly, washing away the footprints left by humans on the shore during the day, while a few crabs with waving claws were rolled ashore by the waves and bubbled hazily in their sandy pits.


    Startled by the approach of two bipeds, a few small crabs accelerated, brandishing their pincers as they burrowed deeper into the sand.


    "Just ahead is my little Baker store; do you like diving? I can take you tomorrow," Link said to the girl beside him as he pointed at a shop up front.


    The girl was petite, her golden-brown hair spread out, and under her long lashes, a pair of dark brown eyes scrutinized everything before her. Below her upturned nose, her delicate lips were tightly pursed, showing a hint of stubbornness and wilfulness.


    Carrying black block-heeled shoes in her hand and lifting the hem of her blue dress, she revealed smooth and fair calves. Her delicate bare feet stepped gently on the white sand, pointed towards ''Baker''s Diving Equipment Rental Shop'' not far from the shore.


    The small shop, some seven or eight hundred meters from the beach, had been converted from a large cargo container into a mobile home.


    On the side facing the beach was a protruding shell-shaped awning and a three square meter glass window displaying various diving equipment.


    Underneath the container were three sets of tires, enabling the shop to be moved by trailer.


    The exterior of the shop was painted white with latex paint, and the walls were adorned with many colorful graffiti, as well as orange lifebuoys issued by the Beach Management Bureau, embodying the style of Miami Beach.


    "It looks nice, it would be better without the graffiti," Emma Watson remarked as she looked over the shop.


    Link smiled. Initially, Taylor had said the graffiti was the soul of the shop, adding a few strokes himself, which Emma didn''t appreciate.


    He opened the shop door and the lights inside, inviting Emma Watson to come in.


    Link was somewhat surprised that Emma Watson had come to Miami to cheer him on at the event today since they often chatted on MSN, but mostly the conversations weren''t harmonious.


    Emma Watson liked to nitpick and would often critique his matches in an ''expert'' tone.


    For instance, after finishing the match today, the first thing she said was, "Link, you didn''t do too badly, though there are many areas for improvement. But as an amateur Boxer, you''ve temporarily earned my approval."


    Most of the time, Link just smiled and didn''t argue with a young girl.


    The two were just acquaintances who got along fairly well online, but she unexpectedly showed up at the match site, more reliable than Taylor.


    After Emma''s arrival, Link took her to the first half of the celebration party held at the Pink Lovers'' Bar that day.


    In the latter half, the two walked out, rode a motorcycle through the glitzy streets of Miami, and strolled quietly on the serene beach for over twenty minutes before heading back to the shop.


    "Do you need to take a shower, Emma?"


    Link came out of the shower, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, toweling off his hair.


    Emma was sitting upright on the couch, with an indistinguishable Variety show playing on the TV.


    Upon hearing his question, Emma turned to look at him, her eyes bright, as if she was performing a CT scan to check his organs.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and said, "Don''t get me wrong, I didn''t mean anything by it. Miami is humid and sweaty; if you''ve been walking for a while, you might sweat a lot. If you want to shower, I can find some clothes for you to change into, so you''ll be more comfortable when you sleep tonight."


    Emma looked at him, blinked, and replied, "Okay!"


    Link chuckled softly, returned to his bedroom to find a set of pure cotton sports T-shirt and shorts, and brought them to the small living room, where he noticed sand on her feet and fetched a pair of slippers for her.


    "Thank you!"


    "You''re welcome!"


    Link smiled, led her to the shower, a small stall with only a showerhead, and closed the door behind him. The sound of trickling water in the bathroom felt somewhat intimate in the quiet little house.


    Holding his phone, Link stepped outside to call Taylor. He had just been at a bar throwing a party and had only spoken to Taylor for a moment before hanging up, leaving much unsaid.


    He redialed the number, and Taylor answered quickly, asking what he was doing, whether the party was over, and continued to apologize, saying she had a sudden work commitment, a very important one that she couldn''t get out of, and hoped he would forgive her.


    Link of course forgave her. They had only met a few times, shared a few meals, and crossed a street together¡ªas just ordinary friends. It wasn''t a big deal that an ordinary friend couldn''t come to watch the match. It''s the thought that counts.


    Link didn''t have high expectations for her and didn''t blame or get angry with her for breaking her promise.


    On the phone, Taylor assured him that the next time he had a match, she would definitely come to cheer him on, and if she didn''t, she would allow herself to grow another five centimeters taller.


    Link was a bit surprised. Taylor stood 180 centimeters tall and grew up self-conscious about her height, which led her to develop a habit of slouching. It wasn''t until she became a singer and underwent training with a physique coach that she slowly corrected her posture, becoming a tall and attractive woman.


    Now that she was promising with the condition of growing another five centimeters, it seemed over-sincere and made it difficult for him to define their relationship.


    After talking on the phone for over ten minutes, he returned to the small living room.


    Emma sat silently on the sofa, wearing his white T-shirt with red letters that was too loose for her 165-centimeter frame, the hem hanging down to her knees like a dress.


    Her wet hair was spread over her shoulders, with droplets of water dripping from the ends, adding sporadic wet marks on the back of the white T-shirt. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her oval face, after the wash, appeared even more delicate and rosy, yet she still wore a barely-there expression.


    "Sorry, I don''t have a hairdryer here."


    Link handed her a dry, new towel to wipe her hair.


    "Who were you calling just now?"


    Emma asked, taking the towel.


    "A friend. She said she would come and support me, but she got tied up with work at the last minute, so she called to apologize."


    "Girlfriend?"


    "No, just a friend."


    Emma dried her hair with the towel, fluffing up her golden brown locks even more.


    But the T-shirt she was wearing was so baggy that when she raised her arms to dry her hair, a flash of pink peeked through the sleeve and caught Link''s eye, making his heart skip a beat involuntarily.


    He ran his fingers through his hair, which had been washed and was now being dried stiffly by the breeze. He went to the bedroom and pulled a blanket from the closet, then came back to the small living room.


    "I''ve made up the bedroom. You can sleep there, and I''ll take the couch," Link said as he set down the blanket.


    Emma blinked at him, placed the towel on the sofa, and shuffled back to the bedroom in his oversized slippers.


    "Goodnight, Emma!"


    Link turned off the living room light and lay down on the sofa, yawning.


    After a long tired day, as soon as he lay down, a wave of sleepiness swept over him, and he fell asleep without a second thought.


    He wasn''t sure how long he had been asleep, when he was awakened by some shaking. Opening his eyes, he found Emma looming above him, wearing only the loose T-shirt, which offered glimpses of a swaying view that made Link''s hair stand on end.


    "What''s wrong, Emma?"


    Link sat up and asked, the blanket sliding from his chest, revealing his muscular pecs and abs.


    "You fell onto the floor."


    Emma pointed to the sofa beside them.


    "Oh, thanks for waking me up."


    Link rubbed his forehead, grabbing the blanket and climbing up from the floor.


    "Don''t mention it."


    Emma bit her lower lip and then said at the bedroom door, "The bed in the bedroom is quite big, enough for two people."


    Link glanced at the open bedroom door, gave a soft smile, and walked into the bedroom with the blanket in his arms.


    Emma lay on the bed, her eyes shut tight, covered with a thin wool blanket, her chest rising and falling steadily.


    Link turned off the light and lay down on the bed, listening as the breathing and heartbeat beside him grew faster.


    Link pulled the blanket up over Emma and covered himself as well.


    "Don''t move around," Emma said with her eyes still closed.


    Link smiled softly, lying on the bed and staring up at the ceiling.


    After a good sleep, he felt more energized, while outside the deep night pressed on, the sea gently lapped against the sandy shore, and the occasional passing car brought only a whispering wind, it was clearly going to be a long night.


    When the breathing beside him finally calmed down, Link reached out an arm and laid it over her.


    The girl still had her eyes closed, but her breathing picked up again, her heartbeat thumping against his arm.


    Link drew her into his embrace and gave her a light kiss.


    She suddenly opened her dark brown eyes, pushed him slightly, and wrapped her arms around his neck.


    The light in the ceiling went out.


    Starlight invaded the bedroom through the window, and they became lovers bathing in the starlight.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 039 The Connection and the Absurd Night

    "On June 13, 2008, the Golden Gloves National Championship, co-hosted by the Golden Gloves Boxing Committee and the Amateur Boxing Association, concluded at the American Airlines Arena in Miami.Many outstanding boxers appeared at this championship.


    There was Deontay Wilder, the Heavyweight Gold Glove champion, and Andy Ruiz Jr., the Cruiserweight champion.


    Light Heavyweight champion Joe Smith and Middleweight champion George Groves, among others.


    However, the most attention-grabbing boxer at this championship was undoubtedly Link Baker, the Miami kid.


    Starting from the regional competitions, he captured the interest of boxing fans by winning all his matches by KO.


    By the divisional matches, he had accumulated 14 wins from 14 fights with 14 KOs, storming into the finals in an unprecedented manner, which led to numerous interviews and reports from various media outlets.


    He was also rated by ''Ring Magazine,'' the largest circulating boxing magazine, as one of the most anticipated rookies of the year.


    In the finals, he successively KO''d the iron man Morales, the mantis-like Andzeje, and the Amateur Boxing Championship winner Andrea Berto, in a way that surprised everyone, taking the Super Middleweight championship title.


    At six o''clock in the afternoon of that day, the cable TV channel HBO broadcasted the live Super Middleweight bout.


    According to Nielsen data, the broadcast reached a peak viewership of 10.28 million homes, making it the highest-rated program in its time slot.


    Baker''s aggressive fighting style in the ring, his relentless offensive onslaught, his heavy-hitting punches, and his astonishing stamina all made a profound impression on the audience.


    Practically overnight, Baker became a sensation across America.


    This phenomenon was not just online or in the media, but also among ordinary people. Many knew there was a boxer with handsome looks, highly skilled techniques, and exceptionally hard fists. His name was Link Baker.


    With his sudden rise to fame, media outlets began to rehash and report on his past news, with the ''fake fight scandal'' leading the charge.


    With a record of 17 wins and 17 KOs in 17 fights, Baker captured the Golden Gloves Amateur Championship title, setting an unprecedented new record.


    Before him, in amateur boxing, no one had ever won all their matches by KO, including the historically acclaimed ''Brown Bomber'' Joe Louis, undefeated boxer Rocky Marciano, and ''Iron'' Mike Tyson¡ªnone could achieve this.


    Yet, a 20-year-old boxer who had been training for only three years managed to do it.


    This extraordinary record provoked skepticism from many, including boxing legends like Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Chris Byrd, Hashim Rahman, James Toney, and Giant Valuev.


    They publicly questioned Baker''s achievements, suspecting his all-KO march to the finals might have been rigged.


    However, what was even more surprising was Baker''s response.


    On the day of the competition, in front of dozens of media reporters, Baker issued a challenge to all the boxers who doubted him and other renowned figures in boxing.


    He told the media that if these boxers could last three rounds with him, he would consider it a loss. He even provocatively challenged Roy Jones Jr., stating that if Jones could last one round against him, he would also consider it a loss.


    Baker''s tough talk, following his rise to fame, was widely reported by major media outlets, causing quite a stir in North American boxing circles.


    Some criticized him for being too arrogant, seeking attention in this manner.


    Others supported him, seeing him as having personality, courage, and the willingness to challenge everything.


    Whether criticism or praise, Link Baker, the rookie boxer who had debuted less than a month ago, became an overnight sensation in America, turning into one of the brightest prospects among the new generation of boxers."


    ¡ª¡ª Excerpt from the front page of the sports section of the Miami Herald.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Hmm~"


    When Emma Watson woke up in her room, the stars had long faded, and the brilliant noonday sun of Miami had already penetrated the blue curtains, invading this small but exceptionally warm and cozy room.


    Light blue curtains, walls coated with a light blue hue, the floor covered with cashmere carpeting the same color as the sand outside, soft, white, and delicate, and the soft bed beneath her, like a small boat moored quietly on the beach.


    Emma placed the back of her hand against her forehead, her head still a bit dizzy, but what made her dizzier was the dream from last night.


    Thinking of last night''s events, she couldn''t help but bite tightly on the corner of her blanket, her delicate cheeks becoming flushed and hot.


    She had had a terrifying dream last night where she was sitting in this ''small boat'' below her, sailing through the tumultuous sea.


    The weather gradually turned, fierce winds followed by torrential rain, hurricanes accompanied by lightning, repeatedly striking the small boat below, not knowing how long the storm lasted, several times nearly leading to shipwreck and loss of life...


    "Damn it!"


    Curled up under the blanket, Emma punch the empty pillow next to her in annoyance, blaming the innocent pillow for being last night''s Mr. Storm.


    After taking her frustration out on the pillow for a while, she felt much better.


    Emma pulled the blanket over her chest and slowly sat up from the bed, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, and with a hint of indescribable pain, she cursed a few more times at ''that barbaric jerk.''


    "Link? Link?"


    Emma called out with a hoarse voice, leaning against the pillow.


    No one answered from outside, and annoyed, Emma threw the pillow onto the carpet, muttering ''jerk.''


    Ding-a-ling!


    The mobile phone by the bed began to ring¡ªit was hers.


    Emma sighed, reached for the phone, which showed an incoming call from her aunt Irene, who was also her agent.


    There were also over a dozen missed calls on the phone from Aunt Irene, Daniel, Robert, and from ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' director David Yates.


    Emma suddenly remembered that she was an actress, and she had several scenes to shoot today. She had planned to go back after watching the fight yesterday, but for some reason, when Link invited her, she had agreed without hesitation.


    "It''s all Link''s fault!"


    Emma took a deep breath and answered her aunt''s call with a cautious "good morning."


    "Emma, it''s already noon, what''s wrong with your voice?"


    Aunt Irene''s serious and rigid voice came through the phone.


    "Auntie, I''m fine." Emma said carefully, with a pinched voice.


    "Where are you? You have scenes to shoot today, two of them, did you forget?"


    "I''m in Miami, I haven''t forgotten, I just..." Emma saw several distinct red finger marks on her fair calf and bit her lip hard, "Auntie, I''m injured."


    "Injured? Where? Is it serious? Have you been to a doctor? Which hospital are you at? I''ll come right away."


    Aunt Irene''s voice sounded like a machine-gun burst from the phone.


    Emma was startled; if her aunt came and saw her like this, the truth would come out. She quickly replied, "Auntie, you don''t need to come; it''s just a little injury. Yesterday... There were too many people at the boxing match, and I accidentally twisted my ankle. It''s not a big deal, I''ll be fine after resting for a couple of days."


    "Really no big issue?"


    "Really."


    Emma looked at the finger marks on her leg and thought they should disappear in a couple of days, right?


    Damn Link!


    "Then where are you now? Is someone taking care of you?"


    "Yes, a friend''s place, a good friend."


    Emma suddenly saw the dress hanging at the head of the bed; the hem had accidentally gotten cake on it at the party the day before. There was a stain, which had been washed clean, now smelling of laundry detergent with a citrus scent, the same as Link''s.


    Emma unconsciously curled her lips into a smile, "He''s been quite nice to me."


    "He? A friend of the opposite sex? When did you make guy friends in Miami? Emma, you didn''t report this to me." Aunt Irene''s voice carried a hint of displeasure.


    "It''s two friends, a man and a woman; they are... a couple."


    Emma stuck out her tongue, feeling more and more adept at lying.


    After chatting with her aunt for over ten minutes, Emma managed to calm her down and dispel her idea of coming to Miami.


    Emma rubbed her head and called Director David Yates, apologizing to him and the crew, promising to be on time tomorrow in Orlando and not cause any trouble for the crew.


    The director told her to rest well and to come after she had recovered from her injury.


    Seeing calls from Daniel and Robert, she debated, then sent them messages to tell them she was alright.


    Soon after, Daniel sent her five messages in a row, asking how she was, saying he''d heard from her aunt that she''d injured her foot and asking if it was serious, if it hurt, which hospital she was in, and he and Robert wanted to visit her.


    Emma rolled her eyes and simply replied ''I''m fine'', then put the phone aside.


    "Haha, Link, you are a boxer, but I didn''t expect your diving skills to be even better, it''s unbelievable."


    "I''m a professional diver, an amateur boxer; boxing is just a part-time job."


    "Haha, Link, you''re really funny."


    The conversation of two men came from outside. Emma, wrapped in a blanket, got up and went to the window, pulling the curtains slightly aside. As the sunlight instantly poured in from outside, two men in black diving suits, carrying diving gear and laughing, approached the building from the blue ocean and white sandy beach.


    The one in front was a middle-aged man wearing a wig, who might have forgotten to take it off before diving, as the wet wig now sat on his head like a damp bird''s nest.


    The guy in the back was a jerk, in a fitted diving suit, displaying all his well-defined muscles with long, powerful legs. His handsome face, with sharper features than that of Miami''s sun and white teeth, along with a pair of bright blue eyes, was more mesmerizing and profound than the sea outside the window.


    Emma clutched her racing chest, staring at the man, and found a perfect excuse for last night''s madness: the jerk was too sexy and irresistible, too strong and brutal, and she, just a small girl, was overpowered and had to succumb to everything that happened afterward.


    That was it, absolutely correct.


    Emma nodded to herself.


    Hearing the sound of unlocking at the store''s entrance, she immediately went back to bed, covered herself with the blanket, her back turned toward the door, and closed her eyes, pretending to be deeply asleep.


    After a while, the bedroom door was pushed open¡ªLink walked in, carrying the scent of sunlight. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Emma! Emma!"


    Emma kept her eyes firmly shut, not moving an inch, like a princess who just ate a poisoned apple.


    "Emma, I brought you breakfast. I''m not sure what you like, so here''s ham pizza, a Cuban sandwich, fruit salad, ice cream, and freshly squeezed orange juice. If you don''t like these, tell me what you want instead."


    "That guy outside, Simmons, he''s a reporter for the Miami Herald, he''s here to interview me, it''ll take about half an hour."


    "Also, your phone rang a couple of times this morning, you were sleeping, so I didn''t wake you, remember to call back when you''re up, so they don''t worry about you."


    After speaking, Link went out, and the door was gently closed behind him.


    Emma opened her brown eyes and blinked, snorting softly, I was clearly sleeping, who''s awake? Talking so much to thin air, what a nag!


    Suddenly noticing the pillow she had thrown away was back on the bed, Emma felt her face warm up, realizing she had failed to feign sleep and kicked the pillow off the bed again, annoyed.


    A folding table with some delicious food and fresh fruit had been added beside the bed.


    Hearing her stomach grumble, Emma sat up again and began enjoying her breakfast, only to hear Link conversing with the wigged man outside¡ªunexpectedly, he was a reporter.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 040 Journalist Interview

    Sunlight shone on the awning in front of Baker''s small shop, casting a cool shade.On the beach table, there were two cups of floral tea, a voice recorder, a notebook with a pen clipped to it, and a Canon camera.


    "Link, it turns out you really are a professional diver."


    Reporter Simmons looked at Link''s diving license, his face showing a surprised expression.


    As far as he knew, obtaining a diver''s license required multiple assessments and accumulating over 1000 hours of diving time. It was tough for ordinary people to obtain, being issued by the Miami Diving Association.


    Link smiled faintly, the diver''s license had been acquired through his physical abilities after traveling here.


    Initially, he had planned to use it to make a living, but due to lifestyle habits, unwillingness to settle, and regrets from his past life, he returned to his former path.


    "Mr. Simmons, I didn''t expect you to be a journalist either."


    That morning, as he returned from jogging and was eating breakfast, Simmons came to visit, asking for diving lessons in the sea.


    Since Simmons offered money, Link would not refuse; he took Simmons for a swim in the sea.


    Just after returning to the shop, Simmons revealed his identity, claiming to be a journalist from the Miami Herald, wanting to interview him.


    Since the Miami Herald was clearly biased towards him, praising him multiple times in their articles.


    Sports editor Rafael Varane had even written several commentaries admiring him.


    When the ''fake boxing scandal'' erupted these past few days, the Herald also published several articles defending him.


    Both emotionally and logically, he could not refuse; nor would he refuse the journalist''s interview.


    After all, his future plan was to become a professional boxer, continually appearing in the news to deepen the audience''s impression of him, which was extremely beneficial for his future development.


    "Link, how about we start the interview?"


    Simmons picked up the notebook and said.


    "Sure, I hope your questions won''t be too difficult."


    Link gestured with his hand invitingly.


    Simmons laughed heartily and glanced at his notebook, saying, "Link, first of all, congratulations on defeating Andrea Berto in the Golden Gloves Championship and winning the Super Middleweight title. Are you satisfied with yesterday''s match?"


    "Of course, I am the victor,"


    Link said, clenching his fist.


    "Regarding your opponent, Andrea Berto, you''ve fought him once before. What do you think of him as a boxer?"


    Simmons asked.


    Link thought for a moment, then said, "No doubt, he''s excellent! In terms of technique, strength, speed, and boxing awareness, he''s top-notch. He''s a strong and well-rounded opponent with almost no flaws, which makes him tough to handle."


    "But you knocked him out in just five rounds," Simmons said with a smile,


    Link smiled slightly and spread his hands, "Relative to ordinary boxers, he is perfect and formidable. However, compared to me, his speed, strength, technique, boxing awareness, and even tactics, don''t measure up. That''s why I could defeat him while others couldn''t."


    "Can this statement be interpreted as you believe you overwhelmingly outpower him in every aspect?"


    "Overwhelming? No, I think ''suppress'' is more appropriate."


    "Haha!"


    Simmons looked at him and laughed, "Yesterday at the American Airlines Arena, in front of hundreds of reporters, you said you were too strong to keep a low profile. Why are you so humble today?"


    "Because now it''s just you. Bragging in front of one person would not only make you uncomfortable, but it would also make me uncomfortable," Link spread his hands.


    Simmons laughed loudly, adjusted his toupee on top of his head, and continued, "Yesterday before the match, in an interview with the HBO host, you suddenly declared you would knock out Andrea Berto in five rounds. Was that a pre-planned tactic or a spur-of-the-moment decision?"


    "It was a spur of the moment!"


    "Oh, why did you suddenly make that decision? Was it because Andrea said in the interview that you were playing a fixed match, and that angered you?"


    "Not entirely!"


    Link sipped his tea and said, "Before the match, I had watched Andrea''s fight videos over and over. He''s a difficult opponent to find faults in, and at that time, he was ranked number one in the Super Middleweight category. Before facing him, I wasn''t even sure I could beat him, let alone KO him."


    "Link, you''re saying you weren''t sure you could beat him before the match?"


    Simmons was very interested in this question, so he sat straight, held his pen, and listened intently to his reply.


    "Yes, he was strong, and he was ranked number one in the same rank. I wasn''t 100% sure I could beat him before facing him in the ring. However, I was confident in my abilities, which may sound contradictory, but the outcome of a match sometimes depends more on personal confidence than one might think."


    Because I believed in my strength, to push myself, I set a goal not just to beat him, but to knock him out within five rounds."


    I was hard on myself, which made me give up defending and take the initiative to attack, bringing out all my potential in critical moments. If you have seen the matches, you would know that in the first four rounds, I averaged 100 punches per round, totaling 467 punches in five rounds."


    In professional boxing matches, over 12 rounds, most boxers throw around 500 punches, those being the ones in good physical condition.


    For example, James Toney and John Ruiz, their punches are also only around 600 in total. Throwing nearly 500 punches in five rounds nearly drained all my stamina."


    That match was extremely tough."


    I almost gave everything I had, but fortunately, I managed to win the match and fulfill my promise," Link said, shrugging his shoulders. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Simmons couldn''t help but clap his hands, "Yes, you were excellent, and we could all see that.


    In the last match, you were very aggressive. Andrea Berto couldn''t defend against your strong attack and was forced to exchange punches with you, subsequently being knocked down several times. All this was the result of you pushing yourself."


    Link, if you hadn''t pushed yourself and set such a demanding goal, could you have beaten him?"


    Crossing his fingers, Link smiled and said, "Of course, I''ve said my goal is to be the champion. Even if I couldn''t knock him out within five rounds, I would have done it within ten rounds.


    I brought my plan forward and set a more demanding goal for myself as a way to motivate myself and secure the victory ahead of time."


    This is also a habit of mine, setting a demanding goal for myself and then working hard to achieve it; the fruit of victory is sweeter that way."


    Simmons smiled and nodded, jotting down a few sentences before continuing, "You didn''t change your goal, you just made it more demanding. So, during the pre-match press conference, you told the reporters, including Bernard Hopkins, Chris Byrd, and even Roy Jones, that anyone doubting your strength who dares to challenge you would be defeated by you within three rounds.


    Is this one of the ''demanding goals'' you set for yourself?"


    Link gently shook his head, "That doesn''t count."


    "Oh? Isn''t that goal demanding?" Simmons asked, puzzled.


    "Not really. Among these boxing predecessors, except for Valuev, who is a bit tough due to his height of 213 cm, which makes fighting him somewhat difficult, the rest of these champions are all over thirty-five years old. Whether it''s physical stamina, technique, or speed, they are far from their prime. Beating them within three rounds is entirely feasible; it''s not a demanding goal."


    Link spread his hands calmly.


    Simmons scratched his head under his wig, his lips twitching uncontrollably. This guy just said that boasting in front of just one person would be embarrassing. Isn''t this boasting?


    It''s important to note that the champions and former champions he just mentioned are among the top-tier boxers in the boxing world today, ranking in the top ten in the four major professional boxing organizations WBA-WBC-IBF-WBO.


    Although they are a bit older and not as powerful as in their prime, they still have the capacity to compete for the world championship.


    Yet, in Link''s words, defeating them within three rounds is not a demanding goal?


    Simmons''s eyes shifted, deciding to publish these interview segments completely in the newspaper to see what reaction it would elicit from those champions.


    "Link, if they aren''t considered a demanding target, then who, in your opinion, is a more challenging target?" Simmons asked.


    "The Klitschko brothers."


    The Klitschko brothers are the current holders of the heavyweight Gold Belts from the four major organizations.


    The older brother, Vitali Klitschko, is 202 cm tall with a reach of 203 cm and is the WBC heavyweight champion."


    The younger brother, Vladimir Klitschko, is 199 cm tall with a reach of 206 cm and holds the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight Gold Belts.


    Not only are these brothers tall and have long arms, but they also have good stamina and well-rounded skills.


    An important point is that defeating either brother often leads to a challenge from the other as a form of revenge."


    They often train together and study their opponents'' fighting styles, making them a formidable duo."


    Link has only resumed training for less than a month and is not yet mature enough in various aspects to consider himself a match for the brothers just yet."


    "Link, your challenge to several champions is now well known. Everyone is eager to know when you will turn to professional boxing. Do you have an approximate timeline for your transition?"


    "Probably next year," Link thought for a moment before answering.


    Simmons nodded and then asked a few more questions, to which Link responded one by one.


    The interview lasted nearly an hour, after which Simmons packed away his things and left the dive shop, thoroughly satisfied.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 041 Playboy

    Having seen Simmons off and washed the teacups, Link returned to the small living room, where Emma silently sat on the sofa, sitting up straight, eyes fixated on a nameless variety show.She donned a blue sleeveless dress, revealing her fair and slender arms, her delicate and slight collarbones, the subtle swirling hollow at the base of her throat, and her slender neck¡ªsoft and fragrant like jade, triggering an impulsive desire to embrace her and steal a kiss.


    On the low table opposite, there were two empty plates that had contained fruit salad and Cuban sandwiches, now gone¡ªan indication of Emma''s fondness for both dishes.


    When Link sat down beside her, Emma''s eyelashes fluttered, and a blush spread from her earlobes to her cheeks and delicate neck.


    Her breathing began to quicken, knees pressed tightly together, her dress''s hem trembling slightly, as a strange fragrance emanated from her.


    "Don''t move around too much!"


    Just as Link reached out to wrap his arm around her shoulder, Emma gave him a glare and said.


    She was like a little hedgehog!


    Link chuckled softly and encircled the young woman in his arms, with Emma melting into his embrace like ice cream.


    "How does it feel?"


    "You are a beast." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s right, and you are a cute little deer that has aroused my appetite."


    "So it''s my fault?!"


    "No, can we blame the wind for blowing the sails? Don''t you like it?"


    "Of course not, I nearly died last night."


    "Don''t worry, I''ll take care of you," said Link, pinching her pert nose.


    Emma bit his finger in response, lifted her fair and slender legs, pointed to the handprints on them, and asked indignantly, "What should I do? I have to go to the set tomorrow; if my aunt sees this, she will definitely put you in jail¡ªI guarantee it."


    Link saw the clear fingerprints and couldn''t help but feel a bit dreamy.


    He remembered once in the mine, toppling over mine carts; pushing hundreds of pounds of carts filled with iron ore required his utmost strength, using his waist, arms, and legs, forcing them outward with vigor.


    Having pushed mine carts for three years, his palms were covered with thick calluses, gifts left by blisters formed from friction, breaking and healing over and over again.


    Due to the frequent mine cart pushing, his waist, arms, and legs held tremendous strength.


    After practicing boxing, he had honed a few deadly moves using these advantages, like the "Rear Hook Punch" and the "Liver Blow Punch."


    After traveling through time, he had exercised by doing inverted sit-ups, making his waist even stronger.


    Even those with waists twice his size couldn''t match him in resilience and explosive power.


    And Emma was even less of a match at 165 centimeters and just under 50 kilograms, an easy knockout.


    "Don''t worry, just apply some ointment, and it won''t be visible by tomorrow. I remember in ''Harry Potter,'' Hermione doesn''t need to show her legs."


    "You haven''t watched the movie. How do you know it''s not necessary? Don''t be too absolute," said Emma with a slight huff, swinging her legs.


    Link smiled gently, took out a first aid kit, and placed her leg on his knee, evenly spreading ointment around the handprint.


    Seeing many topical medications in the box, Emma questioned if he often applied medicine to girls.


    Of course, Link denied it.


    The dive shop, being close to the beach, often had guests who got scraped or bruised while playing in the water. As a conscientious shop owner, it was natural to keep first aid supplies on hand.


    Besides, as a boxer, it would be strange not to have first aid at home.


    After applying the ointment, he took out a bandage and wrapped it twice around her leg, suddenly recalling that he had treated another girl''s leg injury in the same spot not too long ago.


    "Link, you must be a playboy," said Emma, looking at his handsome face, gentle movements, and remembering the tempestuous night before. She couldn''t believe that such a man was short of female companionship or that any woman who became his girlfriend would willingly leave him.


    "Why would you say that?"


    Emma glanced at the "Playboy" magazine on the table.


    "That belongs to James," said Link, shaking his head, lifting her chin with a smile, "For now, you''re the only woman I have; I have no need to lie to you about such matters."


    Emma, looking intently into his blue eyes, found them clear and unflinching. She nodded in satisfaction and leaned in for a kiss.


    "Link! Link!"


    James''s voice came from outside, calling loudly.


    Link caressed Emma''s cheek, kissed her forehead, and stepped out to the front of the shop.


    James was climbing up the steps, wearing a red baseball cap with curly hair cascading from beneath like a small cape, his forehead and face covered in sweat.


    Following him were more than a dozen men and women carrying cameras and workbags, who, judging by their demeanor and attire, seemed to be colleagues of Simmons.


    "Link, they are reporters. I ran into them on the way here and they said they wanted to interview you,"


    James called out.


    Link gave him a glance. The small shop was his home, his private territory. How could he let reporters in?


    When Simmons showed up earlier, he first cozied up to Link under the guise of a tourist before engaging him in conversation for an hour.


    These reporters should be going after news at the West Boxing Gym, not the dive shop.


    Completely oblivious to the reason behind the glare, James didn''t care as he walked in, bumped into him, grabbed a bottle of Coke from the fridge, and guzzled it down before suddenly spraying it out with a "pfft," eyes wide as he stared into the small living room, "Emm-Emma..."


    "Shut up!"


    Link went to the beach at the entrance to hold a small press briefing.


    The reporters first congratulated him on winning the Golden Gloves Championship in the super middleweight division and also becoming the number one ranked amateur super middleweight boxer.


    Link thanked the reporters.


    Then, the reporters asked a few questions that Simmons had already asked.


    Link wasn''t irritated and answered each question.


    Only his responses were slightly different here; with the presence of many reporters, he didn''t mind being brash to gain attention.


    "Mr. Link Baker, yesterday before the match, you publicly stated that if Bernard Hopkins, Chris Byrd, Valuev, and other boxing kings dared to challenge you, you would defeat them within three rounds, or else it would count as your loss. If any of them accept your challenge, would you dare to fight?"


    the reporter from American Express asked.


    "Of course, that statement is always valid. I very much welcome them to challenge me."


    "Mr. Link Baker, there are many people online now calling you ''Mr. Big Mouth,'' suggesting that you like to talk big. Do you accept this nickname?"


    the reporter from the Baltimore Sun asked.


    Mr. Big Mouth?


    Link''s face darkened slightly. That was the nickname of the British fighting star Conor, and he had no interest in it.


    Link said with a darkened expression, "I don''t understand the precise meaning of the slang ''big mouth,'' but I don''t like the explanation that follows. What do you mean I like to talk big? Please tell me, when have I ever made such boastful statements? Sir Reporter, please give me an example."


    The Sun reporter thought for a moment, raised his hand, and said, "Mr. Link Baker, you publicly challenged several boxing kings and legends, claiming you would defeat them in three rounds and even finish off little Roy Jones in one round. Isn''t that talking big?"


    "Is that so?"


    Link said coldly with a slight smile, lifting his finger, "Seven days ago, I stood at the Florida regional competition, publicly declaring my intent to enter the finals by knocking all my opponents out. You thought I was talking big and laughed at me.


    After that, I racked up a record of 14 wins, 14 victories by KO, advancing smoothly into the final stages.


    Three days ago, I stood in the American Airlines Arena, told all the reporters that I would continue to claim the championship by knocking all my opponents out. You thought I was talking big and continued to mock me.


    After that, I knocked out Morales and Andzeje, advancing to the grand finale.


    Yesterday, I stood in the boxing ring, telling everyone that I would KO Andrea Berto within five rounds. You still thought I was boasting, still laughing at me.


    What happened?


    I took the championship title of the finals, with 17 fights, 17 wins, and 17 KOs.


    Now I''m telling you, anyone who doubts my strength can come and challenge me, and I will deal with them within three rounds.


    So far, not a single match has been fought, and once again, you think I''m boasting, ready to mock me again?


    Ladies and gentlemen reporters, you''ve been taught a lesson by the facts three times already. Why can''t you wait a bit longer, wait until I''m defeated by those people, and then laugh at me?


    As for Mr. Big Mouth?


    I''m sorry, but I don''t accept it!"


    Link said calmly.


    The reporter from the Baltimore Sun lowered his head and quietly stepped back a few paces.


    The other reporters, hearing his words, couldn''t help but express their admiration, realizing that although he liked to make bold claims, he had never failed. He wasn''t truly a "big mouth," and even if he were, he was an extremely formidable one.


    "Mr. Link Baker, it''s said that when you were negotiating with major event promoters, you asked for a signing fee of one hundred million US dollars and demanded a 70% share when negotiating with top promotion companies. Is the reason no promotion company agreed because your asking price was too high, leaving you unsigned?"


    the reporter from the Baltimore Sun asked again.


    "I don''t know where you got your information. What I can tell you right now is that I have no immediate plans to sign with a promotion company. If I do sign with one, I will make an announcement.


    Well, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for the interview. However, I have some personal matters to take care of, so this interview is over. If you have any questions, please go to the West Fight Club and schedule an appointment with Manager Robinson. I am always at your service."


    Link waved his hand, closed the door to his house, and ended the pointless conversation with the reporters, preferring to stay home and watch soap operas while holding Emma.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 042 Hollywood Director

    Smack, smack, smack!"Well said! With such eloquence, you shouldn''t be a boxer; you should be a lawyer or a politician."


    Emma Watson said teasingly as she clapped her hands.


    "Thanks for the compliment!"


    Link tousled her hair, which she annoyedly swatted away before pulling on his arm to hug her.


    "Link, come out for a moment, someone is looking for you."


    Just as Link sat down, ready to watch a variety show with Emma, James called from outside.


    "Who''s looking for me? If it''s reporters, let them go to West Boxing Gym; we don''t entertain reporters here."


    "Just come out first."


    James urged.


    Link shook his head and reluctantly let go of the soft Miss Emma. He went to the front shop, only to see chubby James alone, with no one else around.


    When James saw him coming out, he dropped a ''Playboy'' magazine and pulled him towards the door.


    "Who''s looking for me?"


    "Me!"


    James dragged him to the entrance, glanced back towards the direction of the living room, and whispered, "How come you were hugging Emma Watson?"


    "Is there a problem?"


    "A big problem,"


    James nodded gravely and said, "Last time it was Taylor, now it''s the even more famous Emma Watson. Why do you always like to mingle with celebrities? The magazines say their lingerie costs thousands of US dollars, and their jewelry costs over a hundred thousand. Where are you getting the money to entertain them?"


    Link glanced at him, "You spend all day reading fashion magazines and only remember the price of lingerie?"


    James paused, scowling, and said, "Don''t joke around. Let''s be serious for a moment. I''ve told you we''re ordinary people; dating and marrying a regular girl is most suitable for us. Don''t mess with such celebrities; their lifestyle is too lavish, and you can''t afford it."


    Link shook his head and patted his shoulder, "James, look at this face, this body, these muscles. Do you think anything about me looks ordinary?"


    James squinted his small eyes and sized him up, "You look all ordinary!"


    Link pushed him aside, not intending to persuade him any further. Just then, Michael from the surfing shop waved from the beach with a middle-aged man holding a camera by his side. Link waved his hand, indicating to James to stay outside and block the reporter.


    "Link, wait, Mr. Herrick wants to see you."


    Michael yelled.


    "Michael, I''m busy today, no interviews. If Mr. Herrick wants to interview, he should schedule an appointment at West Boxing Gym first."


    Link said.


    "Link, Mr. Herrick isn''t a reporter; he''s a director."


    Michael ran over, excitedly saying, "Mr. Herrick is really a director. Have you seen ''101 Dalmatians''? ''Life Because of You''? And the Tommy Lee Jones starred ''Spicy Girl Bodyguard''? They were all directed by Mr.


    Herrick."


    A director?


    Link had seen ''101 Dalmatians'' out of the two movies, a story about dog lovers and fashion designers, a comedy film of decent quality.


    But why would a renowned director want to see him?


    A movie about a boxer?


    Link was somewhat perplexed.


    Before he could think further, Michael had eagerly given him the answer.


    Contrary to his expectations, Mr. Herrick wasn''t here to discuss filmmaking, but rather to find a skilled diver who could take him to the nearby islands and coral reefs.


    Your next chapter is on empire


    "Link, have you seen ''Deep Sea Quest'' starring Jessica Alba? Jessica''s figure is incredibly hot. Columbia Pictures is planning a sequel, and Mr. Herrick is the director. He''s scouting locations for the new movie, thinks our area is quite suitable, and has even promised me a small part."


    Michael danced with excitement.


    Link shook his head; he had thought his outstanding performance in the boxing ring had caught the attention of a Hollywood director, prompting the director to seek a collaboration in person.


    It seemed he had thought too much.


    The director named Herrick approached them, a man in his forties to fifties, wearing a white polo shirt and a green vest with many pockets, his skin reddish, face broad, ears large, and white stubble on his chin. He had a look distinctly different from that of the journalists.


    Michael introduced the two, extravagantly praising Link''s diving skills as comparable to those of Olympic athletes.


    Director Herrick remained noncommittal.


    He told Link he wanted to check out the nearby islands and asked if there were any beautiful coral reefs or thrilling rocks in the area, as ''Deep Sea Quest 2'' would continue the style of the first movie, featuring sunshine, beauties, hunks, beaches, reefs, and coral reefs.


    Link didn''t know what standards the other party had and didn''t over-describe the local attractions; he merely explained the distribution and features of the nearby undersea coral reefs and outcrops, letting Herrick judge their beauty for himself.


    Director Herrick expressed a desire to see them and asked Link to guide him, saying he would pay for the service.


    Link returned to the shop, informed Emma, and asked James to find a suitable diving suit for Director Herrick to change into.


    Then he drove the speedboat, touring the nearby islands, reefs, coral reefs, and lighthouses with the visitor, choosing locations and taking pictures.


    The circuit took over four hours.


    The Baker shop had high rates: diving equipment for $200 US Dollar per day, diving guide services for $200 per half-hour, and speedboat transfer services for $100 each time, exceeding one hour at $200 US Dollar per hour.


    This business deal made the shop $2000 US Dollar, the most it had earned in a while. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after returning to shore, Director Herrick kept staring at him with a strange expression.


    "Mr. Herrick, is there something wrong?"


    Link asked as he packed up the diving gear.


    Sitting on the deck, Director Herrick smiled and said, "Earlier, Michael boasted that your diving skills were world-class. I didn''t believe it. I didn''t think a small beach shop would have such a skilled diver, but now I believe it. Your diving skills are excellent. Very few can match you."


    "Thank you!"


    Link smiled faintly, declined the cigarette offered to him, and handed out a bottle of mineral water instead.


    "Link, you have an impressive appearance. Among male actors in Hollywood, you would be considered top-notch. Have you ever thought about pursuing a career in Hollywood?"


    Director Herrick asked, smoking his cigarette.


    "Looking good qualifies someone to be an actor?"


    "Haha, it didn''t used to, as everyone treated film as an art form and cared about the actors'' skills¡ªwithout acting skills, you''d starve in Hollywood.


    But now it''s different, films are just a form of entertainment. After watching, everyone just laughs; there''s no need for exquisite acting skills. Being attractive is good enough.


    Attractive actors capture the audience''s eye easier than those with great acting skills. That''s the state of the entertainment industry today."


    Director Herrick shrugged his shoulders, his expression somewhat melancholic.


    "Sounds appealing, I''ll consider it," Link said.


    Director Herrick laughed heartily, handed him a business card, and also took his contact information, mentioning he would refer him for suitable roles.

 Chapter 043 Olympic Qualification

    Emma had stayed at the Baker''s shop for a day and two nights when, urged by her aunt, she reluctantly returned to Orlando to continue filming the remaining parts of "Harry Potter."Her role in Orlando wouldn''t last much longer, just about half a month left.


    After resting for two days, Link returned to the boxing gym to continue his training.


    "Coach, Link is here."


    Seeing Link enter from the door, an apprentice named Jim stepped on the stairs and ran upstairs, calling out that Link had arrived.


    Link looked up at the second floor and saw West, Robinson, Reggie, Mario, and the boxing apprentices standing by the staircase, leaning over to look down.


    "What are you guys doing?"


    "Link, come up here!"


    Reggie called out, waving his hand.


    As Link reached the top of the stairs, several bursts of fireworks exploded overhead, and others clapped and cheered, shouting "Champion Link."


    "Haven''t we already celebrated? Why are we celebrating again?"


    Link brushed the streamers off his shoulders and asked.


    "I think it''s unnecessary, just a championship, not the Golden Belt. They''re overdoing it,"


    Mario muttered, standing on the outskirts with a look of disdain.


    "Don''t speak!"


    Coach West shot him a glance, smiling as he pulled Link to the gym''s ''Wall of Honor'' and handed him the Golden Gloves Trophy to hold for a few photos.


    The Golden Gloves Trophy was originally Link''s personal item, but since the Baker''s shop was too small to house many things, he had placed the trophy in the boxing gym.


    West and Robinson could use the trophy as a sign to attract more boxing apprentices.


    Link smiled lightly, holding the trophy the size of a boxing glove, standing in front of the Wall of Honor, and took several photos with West.


    "Ha ha, now our boxing gym also has a champion. I hope in the future we produce more champions, more boxing champions¡ªeveryone, clap!"


    Under Robinson''s lead, everyone clapped enthusiastically, and Link joined in.


    "Link, wait a moment!"


    Coach West took a car key from his pocket and handed it to Link, "You ride your motorcycle every day, which isn''t safe. I have a Pontiac GTO, parked downstairs, the dark green one. I bought it thirty years ago; it''s an old car, hasn''t been driven for a long time. You take it."


    Link looked at the keys in his hand, surprised. When he first arrived, he had seen a very cool, vintage sports car downstairs and thought it belonged to a visitor to the gym¡ªhe had even taken a few extra glances, not realizing it was West''s.


    West could afford a sports car over thirty years ago, appearing to be quite the well-off old man.


    "Wait!"


    As Link hesitated whether to accept it or not, Mario rushed in from the side and grabbed the car keys from Link''s hand, checked the logo, and pointed at the sports car by the street, asking, "West, don''t tell me it''s that one."


    "Yes, I just drove it over!"


    West snatched the keys back and stuffed them into Link''s hand, not allowing him to refuse.


    "Are you serious? That''s an antique, worth over two hundred thousand, and you''re letting Link drive it?"


    Mario exclaimed in surprise.


    "It''s not about letting Link drive it; I''m giving it to him. I don''t use it anyway, and it''s just sitting there, having Link drive it would at least make it useful,"


    "Giving it to Link!?"


    Mario yelled in surprise, looking at West incredulously, his lips trembling, "Last time I saw it, you wouldn''t even let me touch it, and now you''re giving the whole car to Link? Just giving it away?" Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    West nodded and told Link, "Don''t refuse it. It''s just an old car, not worth much. I''ll have someone complete the transfer paperwork later."


    "Link, you''re not really taking it, are you?"


    Mario looked at Link with envy.


    Link smiled lightly, pocketed the keys, and thanked West. He had a coaching contract with West, and as his future professional boxing career progressed, winning prize money, West would receive a share that would definitely be worth more than a few hundred thousand.


    A two hundred thousand-dollar car, since West was willing to give it, he saw no reason not to accept.


    "Ha ha, Link, that''s right, come to my office. I have some very, very great news for you, and you''ll definitely be excited to hear it."


    West said, laughing cheerfully as they walked.


    Happy events energized West, his face aglow, looking much healthier than a few days ago.


    Mario watched their figures, grabbed Reggie by the shoulders, and shook him saying, "Can you believe it? West gave his cherished antique car to Link. That stingy man, actually giving a sports car to Link, has he gone mad?"


    Reggie shrugged, "That''s quite normal. People used to mock Coach West, saying he''d been teaching boxing for nearly thirty years, trained hundreds of boxers, but never produced a champion or a boxing king. Now, with Link winning the Golden Gloves Championship and bringing honor to the gym and West, it''s normal for West to reward Link with a car."


    "But Link is just a championship winner, not a world champion or world boxing king, and he gets a sports car? That''s too much," Mario gritted his teeth.


    "Just a championship winner? Why don''t you try to win one yourself?"


    Reggie chuckled, then returned to the training area to continue his strength training.


    "Alright, I''ll also win a championship and see what West rewards me with."


    Mario clenched his fists and said fiercely.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After the afternoon training, Link drove the Pontiac GTO sports car back to the diving shop.


    James, along with Daniel from the hot dog shop, Michael from the surfboard shop, and Sarez from the Mexican barbecue shop, were sitting under the sun umbrella playing poker.


    Seeing a cool-looking sports car approaching, James immediately put down his cards and cheerfully called out, "Sir, what can I do for you? We have the best in our shop... Link? Is that you? How come you''re back in a sports car? Whose car is this?"


    "Mine!"


    Link pushed open the car door and stepped out.


    "Your car? Where did you get a sports car?"


    Upon hearing it was his car, Daniel, Michael, and Sarez also dropped their cards and ran over to take a look and touch it, continuously expressing their amazement.


    The Pontiac GTO is a model from the 70s, classic and broad in design, with muscular lines. It was not mass-produced at the time, with only about 300,000 units made, and it was discontinued for over twenty years until it was relaunched in 2004.


    Compared to current sports cars, it might be less powerful, but its cool look and vintage feel make it one of the favorites among car collectors.


    "Link, you still haven''t answered my question."


    James turned his head and looked back at Link, who was sitting in a beach chair drinking soda.


    "Of course, I bought it!"


    "Where did you get the money for a sports car? Oh right, you got \\$100,000 from your boxing match winnings. Did you buy it with that money? If I knew boxing was so lucrative, I would have trained in it too."


    Daniel, touching the sports car, drooled with envy.


    "Link, you spent the hard-earned prize money on a sports car? That''s not a good deal. You should have saved up for an apartment first; once you have the apartment, then get a car, and besides, a sports car is not as practical as a family sedan."


    James frowned deeply, clearly disapproving.


    Link just smiled and didn''t argue, and Daniel wanted to test the car. Link handed the keys to the four of them and went back inside to continue his fitness training and work out.


    Just then at West''s place, he had received a new mission ¡ª the Olympic Games.


    Boxing has always been one of the major events at the Olympics since its introduction in the 1904 third edition, except for the 5th, 6th, 12th, and 13th editions when it wasn''t held for various reasons. The sport has been included in all other editions of the Games.


    Like other events, Boxing at the Olympics goes through a series of pre-games qualifying competitions. There are first and second-round qualifiers where athletes compete to earn spots for the Olympic Games.


    For this year''s Han Jing Olympic Games, Boxing is allocated 284 slots, with the host nation getting 9, Africa 60, Asia 53, Europe 91, the Americas 60, and Oceania 11.


    There are 5-12 weight divisions in the boxing competition, with the Han Jing Olympic Games featuring ten divisions: 48, 51, 57, 60, 67, 71, 75, 81, 91, and over 91 kilograms.


    The Americas have 60 slots: super heavyweight (over 91 kg) 3 spots, heavyweight (81-91 kg) 3 spots, and each other division 6 spots.


    The first round of qualifiers, which was last November''s World Boxing Championships, saw 32 boxers from the Americas region securing spots in advance for the Olympics.


    The second round of qualifiers will be held from July 2-7 in Havana, Cuba, with over 30 countries and regions from the Americas, all weight divisions, competing for the remaining 28 slots. There are still 2 slots left in the middleweight division for the Americas region.


    According to the regulations, before participating in the second round of qualifiers, one needs to compete in the Olympic selection trials in March this year, and only the top performers qualify for the next round.


    Link hadn''t come at that time and hadn''t participated in the trials.


    But his outstanding performance in the Golden Gloves Tournament led to the Sports Commission and the Amateur Boxing Association deciding after discussion to give him a reserve spot.


    In half a month, he would join the American boxing team in Havana to compete in the qualifiers and fight for the remaining Olympic spots.


    When Link received the committee''s notice, he hesitated and struggled internally about whether to represent America at the Han Jing Olympics.


    The struggle ended with a decision to go!


    Participating in the Olympics was a long-held dream in his past life and a significant regret.


    A major reason he had trained in boxing with Coach Liu was the prospect of representing his country in sports events and winning honors for his nation.


    In amateur competitions, he fought fiercely and ceaselessly, hoping to achieve good results and catch the attention of the provincial team.


    However, during a match against a physically weak but highly offensive competitor who had connections, he accidentally killed the man. He ended up imprisoned and later sank into illegal underground boxing matches, drifting further from his dream.


    Now, having a chance to rectify past regrets in this life, missing it would be too pitiful.


    Furthermore, the Olympic Games are the most well-known and largest sports events in the world.


    Winning a gold medal at the Olympics would not only bring honor but also an opportunity to promote and publicize oneself, making oneself known to more people.


    With the halo of being an Olympic champion, entering the professional boxing ring later would likely be smoother.


    For instance, boxing champions like Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Lennox Lewis, Vladimir Klitschko, Sugar Ray Leonard, and Mayweather had all participated in the Olympics and won gold before turning professional.


    As for competing against his homeland for a gold medal, he wasn''t worried, as in that year, the national team had performed poorly in the middleweight division, and no one entered the final round, allowing him to fight freely.


    After deciding to participate in the Olympic qualifiers, Link doubled his efforts in training.


    He aimed to elevate his strength, speed, technique, and reaction skills to a whole new level before the Olympic qualifiers approached.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Enjoy exclusive content from empire

 Chapter 044 Girlfriend?

    "Link, Jesus from the car repair shop said this is a 1966 Pontiac GTO second generation, worth at least 200,000 US dollars, and there''s nowhere to buy it. How did you get it for 100,000?"Daniel returned after taking the cars for a spin and handed back the keys, curiously bringing up the price of the car.


    Link, hanging upside down from the rack and holding a 40-pound weight plate, waved his hand, "Don''t disturb me, I''m working out."


    Daniel turned his face to look at him, jokingly said, "Link, did some rich lady buy it for you?"


    Link ignored him, and continued doing his sit-ups.


    "Link, take a look at me, I''m not bad-looking either, and I''ve got muscles too. Why don''t you bring me along, and we can conquer Miami''s wealthy women together, how about that?"


    Michael from the surf shop flexed his arms'' muscles and winked suggestively as he spoke.


    "Link, did really a rich lady buy you that sports car? Are you doing right by your late Grandpa Baker?"


    James frowned, looking at him with a touch of sympathy.


    "Scram, all of you scram!"


    Link said darkly, waving the weight plate.


    The three of them ran off laughing and joking.


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    The phone rang. Link ignored it the first time, but on the second ring, James ran inside from outdoors, picked up the phone from the living room coffee table, and handed it to him, hesitating before saying,


    "It''s Taylor''s call, I''d support you being with Taylor over that rich lady."


    "Thanks, you can go out now."


    Link took the phone, flipped over to sit on the rack, and answered Taylor''s call.


    "Link, is it true what they''re saying in the news? Are you really dating Emma Watson?"


    Taylor asked with a thick nasal voice, sounding like she was crying.


    "Me and Emma?"


    Link slightly frowned. Had the news about him dating Emma Watson been leaked by the paparazzi?


    He jumped down from the rack and walked towards the counter, speaking to Taylor as he walked, "Fake news. I know Emma, but we are not dating."


    "Really? You''re not dating Emma Watson?"


    Taylor''s voice brightened, as if she had heard some very happy news.


    "Yes, we are just friends."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Yesterday, Emma had mentioned that her family and agency thought she was too young, and her fans were also young. She was supposed to maintain a pure, academically-oriented public image for now and it would be best to avoid any public relationships, so their dates had to be kept secret and not told to others.


    Link did not object.


    Having a girlfriend meant daily check-ins, phone calls to attend to, being there for her when she''s happy, and comforting her when she''s not. In short, it was troublesome and could interfere with his routine training.


    Emma''s suggestion suited him as well.


    Since Emma''s side didn''t plan to publicly acknowledge their relationship, when Taylor brought it up, he was able to say without any burden that he wasn''t dating Emma.


    He arrived at the counter, turned on the laptop, and used Google to search for Emma Watson.


    The web pages were all news about Emma Watson''s new love affair.


    There was a set of photos taken by someone when he and Emma hugged farewell on a train. Yahoo Entertainment News stated that "Harry Potter" leading lady Emma Watson, while filming in Orlando, was dating a mystery man in Miami.


    Since in the photos he was wearing sunglasses, his face was not clearly visible, but his tall and sturdy build, along with his handsome, chiseled facial contours, could be seen.


    Many reports speculated about the identity of the new boyfriend.


    But soon some media outlets released photos of Link, claiming that the man was Miami boxer Link Baker, the Golden Gloves championship super middleweight titleholder, and one of the "Boxing" magazine''s top newcomers of the year.


    Comparison by netizens concluded that the resemblance to Link was about 90%.


    Emma Watson was one of the four new "it girls" recently chosen by The Hollywood Reporter, enjoying considerable popularity.


    Following the exposure of the scandal, news of the two''s dates graced various major news websites, with the story gaining widespread traction.


    "Link, how did you end up with Emma Watson?"


    Taylor asked.


    "We met during a competition."


    Link briefly explained how he met Emma in Orlando.


    After listening, Taylor let out a sigh of relief and asked, "Link, do you have a girlfriend right now?"


    "No! I''ve been training recently and I don''t have time to look for a girlfriend."


    "That''s great, how about I be your girlfriend?"


    "What?"


    Link''s hand paused as he slid the mouse, and his attention turned back to the phone.


    "Link, I like you. From the first moment I saw you, I fell for you. Since leaving Miami, I think about you every day. I wrote three songs for you, so can we date?"


    Over the phone, Taylor finished speaking in one breath, her tone urgent with a slight pant in her voice.


    Link didn''t know how to respond to Taylor. Being liked by a future music superstar was naturally something to be happy about.


    But Taylor''s professed affection seemed unreliable. If she really liked him, why would she have left Miami in such a hurry? Why would she have missed their date during the finals? And why, after such a long time and hearing he was dating someone else, would she suddenly make a phone call to confess her feelings?


    And she wrote three songs for him?


    Could that really represent the extent of her affection?


    "Link, are you not speaking because you agree?"


    Taylor asked cautiously.


    Link thought she was quite brave and laughed, "Taylor, this is all so sudden, I''m a bit surprised. I didn''t know you would like a guy like me."


    "But I really do like you, very much. I''ve been busy promoting my new album and haven''t had time to come to Miami. My schedule is lighter next month. Can I come to Miami Beach then and spend time with you? We can go diving, play the guitar, sing songs, and watch the rain pour down at sea, okay?"


    Listening to her description, Link imagined the scenario and felt it was full of love. However, next month, he had to compete and train, and the month after that, he was going to Han Jing for the Olympics.


    And since Taylor had just debuted, she would surely be busy too, and her time would be very limited.


    Dating each other seemed impractical.


    "Taylor, this kind of matter is not convenient to discuss over the phone. How about we wait until you come to Miami, spend some time together, and then decide whether we want to date or not?"


    "Okay! Link, wait for me. I''ll come to Miami soon. When I''m there, I''ll teach you how to play the guitar and sing."


    Taylor said happily.


    "Okay!"


    After hanging up, Link suddenly felt it was quite peculiar. Before the call, he was a standard bachelor, and after the call, he suddenly had a potential girlfriend, the future queen of the sea, Taylor Swift?


    Link shook his head, certain that Taylor must have seen the rumours about him and Emma and felt provoked, like someone had snatched away a snack she liked, and made a rash decision in impulse.


    It couldn''t be taken seriously.


    Ding-a-ling!


    The phone rang again.


    It was Emma Watson calling.


    Emma''s voice too was tinged with melancholy as she said that after their scandal broke, her aunt scolded her for keeping secrets and both her mother and father called, telling her to return home as soon as she finished filming. Read exclusive chapters at empire


    Link comforted her, telling her that he would drive to Orlando to see her in a couple of days, as it only took two hours to drive there from Miami, which was very convenient. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emma cheered up instantly, her voice turning joyous as she asked him to come over that night.


    Link said that there were too many paparazzi around her these days and going now would make it easy to get photographed, which wouldn''t be good. They should wait until the media frenzy died down.


    Emma reluctantly agreed, planting several kisses through the phone before hanging up.


    But before the phone was put down, the voice of Emma''s aunt, Irene, came through.


    Irene, in a stern and formal tone, told him that she hoped he would keep his statements in line with Emma''s agency''s publicity and not disclose their relationship to reporters.


    It would be best to maintain silence in front of the media, claiming it was for Emma''s best interest. Emma was only eighteen, and her fans wanted her to be like Hermione: intelligent, pure, and studious. A public romance would not suit Emma.


    Link agreed.


    After hanging up, he glanced at the time and realized an hour had passed since he had left the training rig.


    He had lost a full hour of training.


    Coach Liu was right; dating was a boxer''s taboo.


    Link decided to train an extra two hours to make up for the lost time.

 Chapter 045 Training Male God

    After the scandal involving Emma Watson erupted, Ms. Irene, Emma''s aunt, held a press conference to clarify that they were good friends, getting to know each other, and were not currently dating.Whether they might date in the future depended on the development of their feelings, and their management agencies would not interfere.


    If the two decided to confirm their relationship, they would promptly inform the media and fans.


    Irene, at the press conference, thanked the media for their attention and concern towards Emma and spontaneously discussed Emma''s new movie, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," feeding plenty of new material to the journalists.


    Emma handled the situation appropriately, satisfying the curiosity of the journalists.


    On Link''s side, he did not show up but let Robinson hold a small press conference outside the boxing gym.


    Robinson stated that Link was summoned by the sports commission and was busy preparing for the Olympic Games American qualifiers early next month, and so he presently had no time to meet with reporters.


    Regarding the scandal, Robinson stated he was unaware and would not comment.


    Since neither party publicly acknowledged, the media had no new material to speculate with and could not continue reporting.


    The scandal involving the two gradually subsided as the media shifted their focus to the news of "Anne Hathaway''s boyfriend being arrested for fraud."


    This scandal had two impacts on Link:


    First, Taylor''s frequency of phone calls increased.


    An average of one call per day, either morning or evening, asking about his training and competition, also discussing her time in the recording studio and her new songs and albums, as if they were dating.


    Second, his dates with Emma became more low-key, mostly at night, in private hotels, in the countryside, or on deserted islands, where dating outside was not as comfortable as in the small shop''s bedroom, but it was filled with a sense of freshness and excitement.


    Despite dealing with two girls, Link maintained his training. Every day upon waking up, he would go running, jumping rope, swimming, doing sit-ups, lifting weights, and boxing; it was all training and no rest.


    Bang bang bang!


    In the brightly lit boxing gym, over ten boxing apprentices were practicing their poses in front of punching bags, shouting and throwing punches skillfully.


    In the center, Link, wearing a white tee with blue letters and cotton shorts, his hands wrapped in protective bands, stood in front of an ivory yellow rubber punching bag.


    Rapidly alternating punches, striking the human-shaped punching bag''s head and chest, Left Jab + Right Jab + Left Straight Punch + Right Straight Punch + Left Swing Punches + Right Swing Punch + Left Upper Hook Punches + Right Upper Hook Punch + Throwing Punches + Rear Hook Punch


    Continuously changing the punches, hitting over fifty times in a minute with all his might.


    While punching, his steps were also constantly moving, shifting the directions of the attack.


    After over two hours of continuous boxing training, a circle of sweat stains appeared on the surrounding floor.


    The T-shirt clung tightly to his back, muscles bulging firmly and well-defined, as if cast from steel and filled with a metallic texture.


    Every time he threw a punch, muscles under his skin shifted, resembling a metallic python, full of a terrifying and fierce aura.


    Two months into training, his image had significantly changed; his skin tone had darkened from milky white to a bronze color, his formerly delicate and weak face had grown more masculine and handsome, his physique towering and more robust than before, his body even more toned and strong.


    The biggest change was his demeanor, from a pale-skinned troublemaking youth to mature, resolute, and tough, his whole body exuding a potent, intense masculine charm.


    This even led Danny and Michael to tease him, saying if he dared wander into the wealthy areas of Palm Beach, those wealthy women certainly wouldn''t let him leave on his feet.


    James also warned him to be careful and to keep a gun in the car, to prevent men from robbing him and women from seducing him.


    Link, of course, did not heed their advice.


    Experience more on empire


    Over the past half month of training, his strength, speed, and boxing techniques had significantly improved, surpassing his performance before the Golden Gloves tournament; even if confronted by armed robbers, he could fend off four or five alone with his bare hands.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    "How can Link''s muscles be so well-proportioned, like those of an android in a movie? I wish I could train to be like him."


    In the resting area, Reggie flexed his muscles, enviously stating.


    "Proportionate?"


    Mario curled his lip, dismissively saying, "Who are we? We''re boxers. Boxers need bulk, strong muscles. Besides looking good, what use is proportion?"


    "Link''s strength is also terrifying. A normal person can''t even handle one of his punches. If you don''t believe me, try comparing yourself with him."


    Reggie looked on admiringly as Link threw his punches. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t believe it! I''ve trained every day this month, over six hours a day. Even West says I''ve made great progress. The me now isn''t the same as the me from a month ago. It wouldn''t be easy for Link to defeat me. Just one punch?


    Impossible!"


    Mario clenched his fist, bulging the muscles on his arms.


    This month of grueling training had also been effective. Although his body was still shaped like a Weeble, with a big belly and short legs, his arms and body muscles had become more solid, his ability to take hits had improved, and his boxing skills had also increased considerably from last month.


    He believed that if he fought Link again, he wouldn''t be knocked out by Link with just one punch like the last time.


    "Link, how about we go to the ring and spar for twelve rounds?"


    Mario put on his boxing gloves, his fists collided in front of his chest, and the muscles on his shoulders trembled violently.


    Link glanced at him, withdrew his punches, picked up a bottle of cold water to pour over his heated muscles, and had the apprentice Jim bring him boxing gloves. Then he followed Mario onto the boxing ring.


    When Reggie and the other boxers and apprentices saw the two of them gearing up to spar, they all stopped what they were doing and gathered around the ring to watch.


    West came down from the third floor, saw the two on the ring, and immediately shouted, "What are you guys doing?"


    "Coach, Mario wants to spar with Link."


    The apprentice Jim yelled.


    "Mario, why aren''t you wearing protective gear? Don''t you know how heavy Link''s punches are? Put on the protective gear before starting the match."


    Coach West shouted.


    Mario was taken aback, his large face suddenly turning red. He clenched his fists and angrily glared at West.


    "West, I''ve been training every day during this period. My ability to take hits has improved significantly. I can take Link''s punches without protective gear. Please don''t insult me."


    "Stop the nonsense and put on the protective gear."


    West had Jim and a few apprentices bring the protective gear to the ring and helped Mario put it on: headgear, a chest and abdomen vest, high-resilience sponge protectors, along with sponge gloves which could reduce the opponent''s punching power by at least 70%, significantly minimizing the damage caused by boxing.


    Mario glared at Link, teeth clenched in anger.


    This humiliation was all brought by Link; today, with the help of protective gear, he was determined to turn the tables.


    To make West, to make everyone reassess him.


    I, Mario Joao, the future heavyweight boxing champion, am no ordinary joe.

 Chapter 046 Teammates Gather

    "Link, get down!"Mario swung his furious fists, smashing toward Link''s face.


    This punch contained not only his 800 pounds of power but also the grievances and frustration he had suffered during this period.


    Bang!


    1.3 seconds later.


    Mario heavily fell onto the Boxing ring covered with hard rubber mats, stirring up a cloud of dust.


    "Wow!"


    Around him, a burst of astonishment arose. Just having seen Mario enter the ring with ferocity, they had expected an evenly matched fight. However, just as Mario had swung his fist without even touching Link, he was struck in the face by a rear hook punch from Link.


    It was almost the same process as the last time Mario was knocked out.


    The difference was that this time, Mario took two more steps backward, his back hitting the ropes, rebounding off them, unable to stand, and then he collapsed onto the ring.


    "Again with this move! Always this move!"


    Mario lay on the Boxing ring, looking up at the overhead lights, his face filled with sorrow.


    Right before the match with Link, he thought only of using his strength and sturdy body to fight Link for twelve rounds, completely forgetting Link''s killer rear hook punch and not thinking of defending.


    The result was even faster than the first defeat.


    He angrily pounded the floor, sat up, and furiously glared at Link, "Why always use this move? Don''t you know any other techniques?"


    "Because it works well."


    Link responded calmly.


    This counterattack move, simple and old-fashioned, was very practical.


    It was perfect against a boxer like Mario, who was slow, had average reflexes, and mediocre technique.


    "Despicable! Link, we agreed that this was a sparring session, not a match. You were not supposed to use rear hook punches or other finishing moves. We were just supposed to rely on strength and physicality, like ancient Roman gladiators, clashing head-on. Do you dare to try that?"


    Mario roared, pounding his chest.


    "Bring it on!"


    The sparring continued.


    Mario roared angrily, swinging both fists, charging at Link like a madman.


    Right straight punch - left swing punches - right straight punch - left uppercut, each punch thrown with all his strength. His two robust arms swung like thick clubs.


    He believed that if he could land even one punch on Link, he might score a knock-out, especially since Link was not wearing any protective gear.


    But damn it, Link''s evasion speed was just too quick¡ªsliding step, turning step, bowing step, Ali''s butterfly step, each move executed very skillfully.


    When Boxing on the ring, it was more like dancing in a ballroom.


    One second ago, Mario saw him just 0.5 meters in front, a punch away from being downed, but by the time his fist reached there, Link''s body had already agilely dodged, and somehow his swing punch had already swept through, solidly hitting his own head.


    But Link didn''t use much force, just tapped and then withdrew.


    Mario threw 32 punches continuously, none hitting Link, while his own head was tapped by Link 21 times in succession.


    21 times!


    That''s twenty-one punches.


    Mario was about to explode with anger. If Link had knocked him out with one punch, he could accept that, but Link never struck fatally, only tapped on his head each time, like an adult toying with a child.


    Mario felt as if he were being pounded with tons of blows.


    After several more punches missed, his head was knocked a few more times. Completely enraged, he disregarded the rules, extended his arms, and tightly embraced Link, attempting to throw him down on the boxing ring and pin him to the ground to vent his fury with a few punches.


    "Mario, what are you doing?!" Read latest stories on empire


    West shouted angrily.


    Mario ignored him, roared, and wrapped his arms around Link''s waist, trying to use a WWE-style body slam to lift Link and smash him to the ground.


    He believed that with his strength and size, he could definitely do it.


    At any rate, he wanted to make Link embarrass himself in public.


    But as he forcefully embraced Link, no matter how much strength he used, Link''s legs remained firmly planted on the boxing ring, like a pillar, impossible to lift. He looked up in surprise and saw a strange smile on Link''s face.


    This smile sent a chill down his spine. Just as he thought about letting go, he suddenly felt weightless, and with a cry, he was spun around by Link who grabbed his waistband and nape, and then the world spun before he was slammed onto the boxing platform, his body bouncing up slightly and his belly quivering.


    "Wow!" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A burst of exclamations followed.


    The apprentices were dazzled by the wrestling move Link had suddenly executed. They hadn''t expected that besides boxing, Link was also extremely good at fighting, so formidable that the nearly 100-kilogram Mario looked like a large-sized rag doll in his hands.


    Everyone gazed at Link with glowing eyes, seeing him as a peerless master, feeling an impulse to kneel down and call him master.


    Link smiled faintly. In his days in the underground boxing scene, relying on just boxing was hard for survival, so he also learned some wrestling, combat, and Muay Thai techniques. Mario''s attempted slam was child''s play in his eyes.


    Clap, clap, clap!


    Clap, clap, clap!


    A series of crisp applause came from the passageway.


    The apprentices turned their heads in surprise.


    Walking down the corridor were several people: Mantishand Andzeje Methodra, Dreadlock Mario Morales, Littlehead Jones Fullos, and Andrea Berto, accompanied by Manager Robinson, who was guiding the group.


    Like Link, they had been drafted by the Sports Committee and Boxing Association and would represent the super middleweight boxers to compete for the remaining two slots at the Han Jing Olympics.


    Havana, across the Florida Straits, is 358 kilometers from Miami; a plane ride takes only half an hour.


    Thus, most athletes coming for the qualifiers first flew to Miami to handle their entry and exit procedures before taking a ship or plane to Cuba, as did the group of four.


    This was also the reason for their presence here.


    "Hey, Link, I didn''t know you could wrestle too. That''s awesome,"


    Mantishand Andzeje gesticulated with his long arms.


    "Link, that move just now was so cool. Was it the ''Invincible Spin'' from Street Fighter?"


    Dreadlock Morales shouted.


    Link laughed heartily, jumped down from the boxing ring, and bumped fists with the four.


    They had been opponents before but now were teammates. The qualifiers were about to start. In the next few days, they needed to unite against opponents from 34 other countries, trying to secure the remaining two slots.


    Infighting was unnecessary.


    Not to mention, with Link as an amateur elite, the United States team had an extra edge.


    Andzeje, Morales, and Jones Fullos responded to Link warmly, like long-lost friends, not minding at all the beating they got on the boxing ring¡ªit was all part of the sport.


    Only Andrea Berto, when greeted by Link, did not hide the resentment on his face, glaring at him with stark, contrasting eyes, obviously still not over being duped by Link that day.


    Link laughed heartily, not minding the slight, and invited the group for tea to discuss the upcoming matches the day after tomorrow.

 Chapter 047 The Terrifying Link

    The qualification match format was somewhat similar to the Golden Gloves finals.In the first round, the top-ranked boxers from all participating countries would face off against the second-ranked boxers from other countries.


    If the first-ranked was defeated, and the second-ranked was defeated, but the third-ranked won, there was still one more chance to join the challenge match. If the third-ranked also failed, the entire national team was wiped out.


    If the first-ranked was defeated but the second-ranked succeeded, the second-ranked would replace the first one and continue in the competition; the first-ranked would also have one opportunity to participate in the challenge match.


    If both the first and second ranked succeeded, just like Link and Jones Fullos in the Golden Gloves finals, the two would compete separately.


    If Jones Fullos had won his match against Andrea Berto, he would have replaced Andrea and had another bout with Link, but he did not.


    The qualification matches were largely the same.


    Only the number of participating teams was larger, and Link had to fight more bouts. His opponents changed from Andrea and others to the top-ranked amateur boxers in the super middleweight rank from Cuba, Mexico, Canada, Brazil, and other countries.


    In the sport of boxing, although the United States was leading the world, other American countries also had considerable strength.


    Mexico, Canada, and Cuba, like the United States, were traditional boxing powerhouses that had produced many world champions.


    For instance, Mexico had ''War God'' Julio Cesar Chavez, nine-time defending WBC featherweight champion legend Salvador Sanchez, Hall of Fame boxer Olivares, Hall of Fame boxer Arizmendi, Hall of Fame boxer Vincente Sald¨ªvar, and over ten other world-class boxers.


    In the lighter weight ranks, the United States was no match for Mexico. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cuba was also a boxing powerhouse, having won 31 golds, 12 silvers, and 18 bronzes in Olympic boxing events, just a little behind the United States'' 42 golds, 21 silvers, and 35 bronzes. Moreover, in recent Olympics, they have continuously crushed the American boxing team.


    There were also champions from other American countries like Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Jamaica, and Guatemala.


    These countries combined often claimed 5/6 of the quotas in the boxing qualifications at the Pan American Games.


    Only two spots were left in the super middleweight rank, and Link and the others were facing one or more tough bouts ahead.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Hey, guys, anyone wanna spar with Link?"


    After talking for a while, dreadlocked Morales couldn''t resist the itch anymore, grabbed a pair of boxing gloves, and asked Andzeje, Jones Fullos, and Andrea Berto.


    Andzeje waved his hand, "I won''t fight Link, he''s too fast and powerful. If I genuinely fought him, I wouldn''t last a round."


    Andrea Berto glanced at Link and shook his head. Discover stories at empire


    Defeated in the finals last time, even though Link had played tricks, Andrea had to admit, after competing with him once, that whether in terms of technique, power, speed, stamina, or tactics, he was somewhat inferior to Link.


    If they fought again, he had no confidence in defeating Link.


    Besides, half a month had passed, and he also wanted to see if Link had made any progress during this time. If not, there was no rush to fight back.


    Jones Fullos, with his arms crossed, leaned against the ring, flashing his bright white teeth as he smiled, "Link''s rear hook punch is too fierce; I can''t handle it right now. Mario, you have a strong ability to take hits, why don''t you have a bout with Link first, and let us watch."


    "Alright, Link, you want to fight a round?"


    Morales put on the boxing gloves, hit them together forcefully, and shouted.


    Link smiled. As visitors coming from afar, requests for a sparring session would naturally not be refused by him. He had a few apprentices help Mario, who had just woken up, to rest, and he also brought two sets of competition protective gear for both Morales and himself to wear.


    "Boxing!"


    Link and Morales bumped fists, and the sparring began.


    Morales was solidly built with strong resistance to hits, good stamina, and heavy punches¡ªhe was a heavy hitter.


    His weakness, though, was slow speed. Standing 180 centimeters tall with an arm length of 182, he was 10 centimeters shorter than Link, a disheartening discrepancy.


    It was like Chris Byrd, with an arm length of 188 centimeters, fighting Vladimir Klitschko, who had an arm length of 206 centimeters. Because his arms were too short, he lost both fights held in 2000 and 2006.


    During matches, he would only get pressured.


    Bang bang!


    Morales swung his thick arms, throwing a straight punch toward Link''s head.


    Link raised his right arm to parry while simultaneously swinging his left fist. This was a set of reactive combination punches, meaning the combination punched out instinctively when facing an opponent''s attack.


    Such combination punches required years of training to develop muscle memory and habituation so that during a match, they could be thrown in the shortest time possible. The more reactive combination punches one had, the smoother the fighting.


    Link''s left fist smashed toward Morales''s head.


    "Mario, watch out!"


    Jones yelled from below the stage.


    Morales turned his head, just in time to see Link''s Right Swing Punch heading for his head. He wanted to dodge, but it was too late; his body couldn''t keep up with his thoughts.


    Bang!


    Link''s fist lightly struck Morales'' temple before quickly retracting.


    "Be more careful, Morales."


    Link said with a laugh.


    "Fuck, Link, how come you''ve gotten faster again? I just can''t guard against you."


    Morales roared in frustration.


    "Your punches have gotten heavier, too."


    Link said, still smiling.


    The two continued to spar.


    Considering that The Day After Tomorrow was the match, Link no longer aimed for Morales'' head but only targeted his arms and shoulders and areas protected by padding.


    Morales had a sturdy physique and was wearing protective gear, which made him very comfortable to spar with, more so than the other Mario.


    While the two sparred, Andzeje, Andrea Berto, and Jones Fullos stood watching the match.


    "Damn it! He was already technically strong; how has he improved so much? If he''s this impressive, how will we ever make a name for ourselves?"


    Andzeje sighed deeply, furrowing his brow.


    Having practiced boxing since he was a child for fifteen or sixteen years, technique was his specialty, the foundation of his status in the amateur boxing circle. In the past, when competing, even if he faced Andrea Berto, he could put up a good fight.


    But it was different when facing Link. Link not only suppressed him in technique but also far surpassed him in other aspects. Competing against him, he stood no chance at all.


    Andzeje felt a sense of powerlessness.


    "His technique isn''t the only great thing about him; his Combination Punches are becoming more and more proficient. His boxing talent is enviable," remarked Jones Fullos in admiration.


    "Right, he''s a real genius. People used to call me that too, but compared to that bastard Link, I just don''t stack up," Andzeje shrugged as he spoke.


    Turning to look at Andrea Berto standing beside him, Jones Fullos said, "Andrea, why are you so quiet?"


    Andrea Berto shook his head and sighed, "Do you guys know how he beat me in the fifth round last time?"


    "Wasn''t it a clean defeat?"


    Jones Fullos and Andzeje looked at him with curiosity.


    "Bullshit! If I had stayed on defense in the fifth round, he would never have knocked me down," Andrea Berto angrily fixated on Link in the ring.


    "Haha, Andrea, there''s something everyone''s curious about. That day in the fifth round, everyone knew you should have been defending, but you chose to attack Link instead. Why was that? Some people say you were throwing the fight; is that true?"


    "Bullshit!"


    Andrea Berto''s face darkened with a mixture of sadness and anger as he spoke, "During the fifth round, that bastard Link told me he would knock me out completely in the eighth round."


    "The eighth round? But he had promised to knock you out by the fifth round, so what''s this about an eighth round?" Andzeje asked, curious.


    Andrea Berto swore and then said, "Link told me that the promise to knock me out in five rounds was a lie, a tactic. He was going to keep fighting, continue through to ten rounds.


    At that point, I was already running on fumes, didn''t have much energy left. Hearing him say that, I was so enraged. I ignored my coach''s advice, intent only on going all out with him, and ended up playing right into his hands."


    Andzeje and Jones Fullos exchanged glances and burst into laughter.


    The sparring on the stage had also ended. The two had fought ten rounds, Morales going on the offense, Link on the defense. Morales'' punches were very heavy, no worse than the Heavyweight Mario''s, and Link took hundreds of punches, his arms tingling from the impact.


    By the time the two stepped down from the stage, both were drenched in sweat.

 Chapter 048 Dynasty Promotion Company

    After seeing Morales and his party off, Link went to the locker room to visit Mario, who had been knocked unconscious.However, the guy was sulking as if he had been greatly wronged.


    Link didn''t bother with him anymore and then found West, asking him to recruit one or two more sparring partners who were physically fit, resilient, and had better technique.


    Generally speaking, just like coaches, sparring partners play a significant role in the development process of a boxer.


    Having a formidable sparring partner to spar with every day accelerates the growth speed, like John Ruiz, Oliver McCall, Larry Holmes, Lennox Lewis, all of whom had been sparring partners before entering the professional boxing ring and later became world champions.


    This is a mutually beneficial process.


    Mario was physically fit and strong, but the guy was a bit dumb and slow in learning, unable to keep up with Link''s pace of growth or meet his needs.


    Switching to a more capable sparring partner would yield better training results.


    West nodded in agreement, knowing Link was a star boxer with a promising future. To find a sparring partner, a simple notice in their circle would likely bring many volunteers.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Hey~ Link!"


    After finishing training and returning to a small store, Link saw a middle-aged man standing up from a chair under the sunshade, wearing a blue beach shirt and coffee-colored shorts, who took off his sunglasses and waved at him with a smile.


    Link stopped his car and sized up the man with a bit of surprise, as it turned out to be Franco Duvall, whom he hadn''t seen for a long while. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unlike his previous prim and proper appearance, Duvall now dressed casually with his shirt unbuttoned at the chest, revealing some chest hair, wearing leather sandals, his hair no longer painstakingly neat but messy from the sea breeze.


    Now, Franco Duvall couldn''t be described as down and out, but rather leisurely and carefree would be more fitting, especially since his sandals were a limited edition from the Italian luxury brand Adele Fendi, costing over three thousand US dollars.


    "Mr. Duvall, what brings you here?"


    "Link, please, call me Franco,"


    smiled Franco Duvall.


    "OK, Franco, what brings you to Miami?"


    Link fetched two bottles of sparkling water from the fridge, handed one to Franco who thanked him, then smiled and said, "Link, I''m here to sign a contract with you. What do you think, want to consider it?"


    "So, did you bring one hundred million dollars?"


    "Oh, no, of course not, I don''t have a hundred million dollars, but I brought sincerity."


    "Sincerity?"


    Link chuckled slightly and said, "Franco, you should know that the sincerity of top-tier promotions is worth twenty million US dollars. How much is your sincerity?"


    "Rest assured, I absolutely have more sincerity than Greg Cohen."


    Franco pulled out a folder and pushed it across the table.


    Link opened it and saw the contract terms: eight million US dollars in signing bonus, paid upfront;


    achieve first place in the American Olympic qualifiers, a reward of ten thousand;


    obtain an Olympic gold medal for one million, silver for five hundred thousand, bronze for two hundred thousand;


    place in the top three in any amateur boxing event internationally or domestically, rewards ranging from ten thousand to one million;


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    once turned professional, obtaining an intercontinental champion golden belt from any of the four major organizations would get a reward of two hundred thousand, and each world champion golden belt would get a reward of one million.


    Regarding revenue sharing, before becoming a world champion, he and the company would split 5:5; after obtaining a world champion title, the split would be 6:4; if he maintained the world champion title for over five years, it would be 7:3, and over ten years, 8:2.


    And so on.


    The contract covered details from competitions to promotions, logistics, medical care, from competition prize money, PPV revenue to merchandise revenue splits, and more.


    It covered a boxer''s entire professional career, including what level of pension benefits he would enjoy after retirement.


    "Link, what do you think?"


    While he was reading, Franco Duvall leaned forward with his hands on the table, watching him intently, and promptly inquired once Link had finished.


    Link did not reply immediately. Although the contract was decent, it still did not meet his expectations.


    He flipped back to the first page, pointing at "Dynasty Promotion Company" on it, and asked, "Why is it Dynasty Promotion Company?"


    "You didn''t know? I had a fallout with my father recently, and he dismissed me from my position as President of the main promotions company. I sold my shares and, with tens of millions of US dollars, founded Dynasty Promotion Company in New York.


    This has been the biggest news in boxing recently. I thought you knew. Haven''t you heard?"


    Franco asked in surprise.


    Link shook his head, looking at the name "Dynasty Boxing Company," finding it somewhat unbelievable.


    It wasn''t the act of Franco breaking away from the Duva Family to start his own operation that was unbelievable, but rather the appearance of this company itself.


    Because the "Dynasty Boxing Company" was supposed to appear four or five years later.


    Four or five years later, Franco Duvall and his brother Dino Duva, dissatisfied with Lou Duva''s management strategies, would lead a group of people to establish Dynasty Boxing Company.


    After the elder Duva passed away in 2017, the major event company was managed by Lou Duva''s daughter-in-law, Franco Duvall''s wife, Nora Duwa.


    Franco and his brother Dino continued to manage Dynasty Promotion.


    Link knew this company because Dynasty Boxing Company had a good partnership with the Huaxia boxing team, having signed boxers like Zhang Zhilei, Meng Fanlong, and Wang Zhimin, and had done several years of boxing promotion in mainland Huaxia, gaining significant fame.


    They focused their business in the mainland, hoping to tap into a market in this vast country with a population of fourteen billion.


    The result, of course, was a disastrous failure.


    Huaxia people, accustomed to high-flying kung fu and martial arts films, showed little interest in boxing. Moreover, Huaxia boxers, either slim in build or overly plump, wore oddly styled shorts wrestling each other on the stage, lacking aesthetic appeal.


    No viewership, no advertising revenue sharing, no ticket revenue.


    Dynasty Promotion lost a large sum of money in the mainland market and ultimately had to give up, close its domestic branches, and pull all investments back to the United States.


    By then, the top event promotions in the United States were blossoming alone, and other sports promotions like Queensbury, Golden Boy, Top Rank Championship, TGB Boxing Promotion, GTD Boxing Company, and others were flourishing everywhere.


    Dynasty Promotion Company had little room to survive and its closure was inevitable.


    What Link didn''t expect was that Franco Duvall would break away from the main events several years earlier to create Dynasty Promotion.


    The Butterfly Effect?


    "Link, rest assured, although Dynasty Promotion is a newly established company, many of the core members come from the main event company, over forty people, with all types of talent. As long as you are willing to join Dynasty Promotion, we will definitely train you as a core boxer."


    Franco Duvall said sincerely.


    After pondering a moment, Link thought that joining Dynasty Promotion was not a bad idea¡ªit was an undeveloped blue ocean with plenty of room for maneuvering.


    However, he didn''t have much confidence in Franco as a partner. Passionate, sincere, emotional¡ªthat was fine for friendship, but as an entrepreneur, he clearly wasn''t cut out for it.


    "Franco, signing contracts can be complicated. The day after tomorrow, I have to go to Havana for the Olympic qualification match and won''t have time to deal with this. How about we discuss this cooperation after the Olympics are over?"


    "Twenty percent of the shares!"


    Franco Duvall suddenly grabbed his arm, excitedly saying, "Link, I can give you twenty percent of the shares in Dynasty Promotion, the status of a company partner. How about we manage Dynasty Promotion together?"


    Link was somewhat surprised. Although twenty percent of Dynasty Promotion''s shares weren''t very valuable¡ªworth a few million dollars¡ª


    the fact that the other party was willing to offer shares was astonishingly sincere. This wasn''t just optimism; it was extreme confidence.


    This "confidence" forced Link to reconsider whether to agree.


    In fact, he had no plans to sign with any promotion company before entering the professional boxing arena.


    His plan was to participate in amateur competitions first, trying to get as many championship titles as possible, and then turn professional six months later, showcasing his strength, potential, and market value in professional competitions, attracting promotion companies to negotiate.


    With professional records, he could negotiate from a position of strength during contract talks to secure a larger signing bonus and better revenue sharing terms.


    Because he hadn''t planned to sign, when he talked with Franco and Greg Cohen, he blurted out demands of 100 million USD and 70% revenue sharing to discourage them.


    Now, with Franco offering an eight million dollar signing bonus, tens of millions in incentive mechanisms, and satisfactory competition revenue sharing terms, along with twenty percent of the shares in Dynasty Promotion and the status of a partner, his sincerity was indeed hard to reject.


    Link pondered, "Franco, I''m just an amateur boxer. I''ve never fought a professional match. You''re an old hand in the boxing world, so you should know many boxers are great in amateur matches but perform dismally when they turn professional, like Henry Tillman. Aren''t you worried I might be one of those boxers?"


    Henry Tillman was the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 91 kg gold medallist. In the selection for the Olympic qualifiers, he had beaten Tyson twice, making Tyson his substitute. However, upon turning professional, Tyson knocked him out in one round in 1990, becoming a curious tale in the boxing world.


    "Haha, Link, I believe in you. You won''t be a character like Henry Tillman.


    Even if you were, it wouldn''t matter. The words you spoke to me on the train are not something an ordinary person could or would say.


    You are an impressive person, someone worth collaborating with. I''m not just investing in your boxing, I''m investing in you as a person. I think you will become a remarkable individual in the future. How about it, want to take a gamble?"


    Franco Duvall extended his palm, looking at him eagerly.


    Link thought for a moment, then reached out and shook his hand.


    Although Dynasty Promotion was a new company and could not compare to Top Rank, main events, or Don King Promotion in terms of capital, connections, and business¡ª


    the potential of a new company was vast, with less internal competition and consumption. Joining Dynasty Promotion would spare him some trouble.


    Besides, Franco Duvall was the eldest son of the Duva family, the former president of the main event company, and the current president''s husband, not lacking in resources or connections. Collaborating with such a company was indeed a good choice.


    However, regarding the terms of the contract, there were still some details worth negotiating.


    Link and Franco Duvall only signed a draft contract, deciding to discuss the official contract in detail after the Olympic qualifiers were over.

 Chapter 049 Parting and Departure

    "Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahahaha!""Franco! Franco! Stop laughing, I don''t want to hear people saying my husband is a lunatic."


    "Haha, Nora, I have some great news to share with you, really, it''s great news. Do you want to know?"


    On the car, Franco rolled up the window and spoke to his wife Nora Duwa on his phone.


    "What news? Hurry up and tell me, I still have a lot of work to deal with."


    "Haha, the good news is, I signed Link. Link has agreed to sign with me."


    "Oh?"


    There was silence on the other end of the phone for two seconds before she asked, "Franco, you shouldn''t have a hundred million dollars. Why would Link sign with you? What did you offer him? Tell me quickly!"


    "Haha, Link didn''t ask for a hundred million dollars, I just gave him a contract worth twenty million dollars."


    Franco excitedly explained the bonus mechanism and the profit-sharing ratio after career transition.


    "Just that? As far as I know, top promotion companies offer more generous contracts than yours, and top promotions are far superior in business capabilities. Since Link is a smart man, why wouldn''t he choose a top promoter and instead choose your small company?"


    "Hey, Nora, don''t keep saying ''small company.'' Dynasty Promotion is a new company, small now, but maybe it will surpass the main events and top promotions to become the biggest in the boxing industry... "


    "Franco, don''t hide it, tell me quickly, what else did you give him?"


    Nora Duwa interrupted his fantasy and asked.


    "Nothing else, just..."


    Thinking that his wife, Nora Duwa, was dominant and not fond of Link, he was unsure whether to tell her about offering twenty percent of the company shares. Would he be scolded if he did?


    "Franco, tell me, what else? I''m mentally prepared."


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    Nora Duwa took a deep breath and said slowly.


    "Nothing, just twenty percent of the shares of that small company."


    "Are you crazy?!"


    Nora exclaimed, "You were supposed to sign a boxer, and you gave the company to him? With your antics, how many boxers can Dynasty Promotion support?"


    "No no, it''s not like that, I only plan to sign Link; to turn him into a boxing superstar. I have no plans to sign anyone else."


    "Have you already signed the contract?"


    Nora asked urgently.


    "We''ve drafted a contract, but the official contract will be signed when Link returns from Havana,"


    Franco said.


    On the other end of the phone, Mrs. Nora sighed with relief, "Good, you haven''t signed yet. Franco, come back, you''re a good leader, but you''re not suited for business negotiations.


    "Since you think highly of him, I trust your judgment. I will offer him a big contract to sign him under the main events. As for Dynasty Promotion, you should start by signing a few promising rookies to develop. Don''t worry about Link."


    "Nora, you can''t do this! You are the CEO of the main events, not the CEO of Dynasty Promotion. Please don''t interfere with Dynasty Promotion''s affairs, and about Link, you better not poach him from me, otherwise I''ll be truly upset,"


    Franco Duwa said, frustrated.


    On the other end of the phone, Mrs. Nora was silent for a while, "Okay, Franco, I won''t interfere. When are you coming back? Vera misses you."


    "Nora, I''m thinking about moving the company to Miami, what do you think?"


    Franco suggested after a pause.


    "...."


    "Nora?"


    Pop, pop, pop!


    The sound of the phone hanging up came through the microphone.


    Franco shrugged his shoulders, put away his phone, started the car, and looked at the Palm Beach streets lined with luxury cars. The roadside was dotted with seaside houses, skyscrapers, and luxurious villas, a continuous stretch of wealthy neighborhoods, including the famous Miami Garden Villas.


    The wealthy loved to watch boxing matches; the market potential here was vast.


    Moreover, Miami did not levy personal income tax or capital gains tax, meaning the money earned in Miami stayed with you.


    He increasingly felt that moving his company here was a great idea.


    Once he got back, he planned to discuss it with Nora and strive for her agreement.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Ding-dong-ding!


    Link opened his eyes and picked up the phone beside his bed¡ªit was 6:00 AM.


    The morning light faintly revealed the Orlando sky outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Across the way, Disney''s Ferris wheel still twinkled with colorful lights, and faintly, the tinkle of streetcars could be heard.


    He took the slender, fair arm draped across his chest and gently placed it back under the blanket before getting out of bed. His reflection in the floor-to-ceiling window showed his muscular physique and powerful limbs.


    When he emerged from the bathroom, Emma was already awake, her head tilted on the pillow, her hair messy, her brown eyes blinking silently as she watched him dress.


    "Morning, Emma. I have to meet up with the boxing team at ten, so I need to leave now,"


    Link said as he pulled up his pants. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "When will I see you next?"


    "I don''t know, but if I get a chance, I''ll come to London to visit you,"


    Link said as he sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her hair.


    The ''Harry Potter'' film in Orlando had wrapped up, and Emma was to follow the crew back to London for filming. When they would meet again was uncertain.


    Leaving the hotel, Link drove his Pontiac GTO back to Miami. He arrived carrying his luggage at the Miami Coconut Grove Hotel where the boxing team was gathering at 9:30 AM.


    "Hey, Link, why are you just getting here?"


    "Traffic was a mess!"


    Andzeje waved at him from beside the fountain at the entrance, with Morales, Jones Fullos, and Andrea Berto nearby, all dressed in the uniform sporting wear of the boxing team.


    Around these four, seventy to eighty men and women in similar outfits stood scattered, holding various sizes of luggage, waiting in the hotel square.


    They were also members of the USA boxing team, from lightweight to super heavyweight, including the future "Bronze Bomber," WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, and the gold medalist of this heavyweight division;


    the future WBA-IBF-WBO-IBO heavyweight world champion, Andy Ruiz Jr., also this version''s gold medalist in the cruiserweight division.


    This person was born in California, of Mexican descent. Because the Olympics did not include cruiserweight this cycle, it was reported that he had moved up to heavyweight and was representing Mexico in the Olympic qualifiers, which explained why his outfit was different from those around him.


    There was also the light heavyweight champion Joe Smith, the middleweight champion George Groves, and others.


    The bus arrived, and everyone boarded together, headed by boat to Havana, Cuba, to participate in the competition.


    Havana, the capital and largest city of the Republic of Cuba, is located on the northwest coast of Cuba, across the Florida Strait from Miami.


    Havana is the commercial center of Cuba and the largest city in the Caribbean, famous for its Havana cigars and also for Santa Maria beach, the historical Morro Castle, and Jos¨¦ Mart¨ª Square, located in the city center, which are all popular tourist spots in Havana.


    The venue for this Olympic qualifier was the sports gymnasium at the Social and Cultural Center on Og Street, east of Revolution Square.


    This was originally a derelict sports venue, but thanks to this Olympic qualifier, it was bustling and even starting to gain fame.

 Chapter 050 Another KO

    "Link, Andrea lost!""Lost? Aragon is that good?"


    In Havana City, at the Civic Sports Center arena, the venue for this Olympic qualifying event, Link had just stepped down from the boxing ring when his teammate Dreadlocks Morales came to report the news.


    In the first-round knockout match that had just taken place, Andrea Berto VS Cuba''s Lorenzo Aragon.


    The match ended with a score of 14:31.


    Andrea Berto suffered defeat.


    Lorenzo Aragon is ranked first in Cuba''s amateur boxing Super Middleweight competition.


    This year, at 25, he stands 190cm tall, with a reach of 194cm, is Black, and exhibits exquisite boxing skills.


    He represented Cuba in the 69kg men''s boxing category at the 2004 Athens Olympics, defeating opponents one by one until he reached the final match. There, he faced Kazakhstan''s boxer Atayev but unfortunately lost, securing a silver medal.


    Four years have passed, and Aragon had increased his weight to 75kg to compete in the Super Middleweight category, setting his sights directly on the Olympic gold medal.


    Drawing such a formidable opponent in the first round, Andrea Berto''s luck was indeed poor.


    "That bastard Aragon, just like you, was darting around during the match, slippery as an eel. Andrea couldn''t land a hit on him," Morales cursed angrily.


    "Sounds really tough," Link nodded.


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    "Link, how about your side?"


    Jones Fullos squeezed through the crowd to join them, his expression somewhat grave.


    Having only competed domestically before, he was under the impression that the best boxers were all in the United States since the level of boxing was extremely high there. He thought that being in the top five at the US Golden Gloves Championship meant he would not fare worse internationally.


    But upon arriving at the Americas Zone matches and witnessing several fights from Cuba, Mexico, Brazil, and other nations, he felt his scalp tingle and his horizons broadened tremendously.


    Cuban Boxing: Emulates Russian boxing, characterized by rapid fist speed, aggression, and a great sense of rhythm in the offense.


    Moreover, Cuban boxers, mostly Black, have excellent flexibility and quick movement, utilizing guerrilla tactics much like the Cuban revolutionary forces¡ªstrike and then move to another spot, employing flexible tactics.


    Mexican Boxing: Integrates modern Western European and American boxing techniques while combining local characteristics. Their method is extremely ferocious; they fight fearlessly and do not retreat or fear injury. In matches, they fight as if they are battling to the death, striving to tear a piece out of their opponent even at the risk of dying.


    Brazilian and Argentinian boxing incorporate the strengths of the local ethnicities, such as rapid movement and flexible, variable actions. Fighters often throw continuous punches, maintaining relentless offensive pressure, making them incredibly challenging to fight.


    Then there are Haiti, Jamaica, Guatemala, and other smaller Central and South American countries, for whom boxing is a means of survival and a way to achieve a better life. Their determination is evident in matches, exhibiting very tenacious styles.


    Compared with these nations'' boxers, American boxers are slightly better in terms of skills, experience, and physical fitness but do not have an advantage in other aspects.


    Seeing the matches from various nations had a profound impact on Jones Fullos; even his initially arrogant demeanor had involuntarily softened since arriving in Havana.


    Seeing Link come down from the ring, he hurried over to inquire as the United States'' second-highest-ranked Super Middleweight contender had been defeated; their hopes were all placed on Link now.


    Link''s first-round opponent was Mexico''s second-ranked Matias Ezekiel Vargas Martin, also a very strong contender.


    If Link were to lose, the US Super Middleweight team might as well pack up and go home.


    "KO! I won," Link said with a light smile.


    "KO?!"


    "Another KO?"


    Morales and Jones cried out in surprise.


    It''s no wonder they were surprised; the result was truly astonishing.


    The settings for the Olympic qualifiers differ from those of the Golden Gloves Championships.


    A match only has four rounds, each lasting two minutes with a one-minute break in between, which considerably increases the difficulty of achieving a KO.


    To secure a KO in the Olympic series, there are three scenarios:


    The first is to knock down the opponent directly so the opponent cannot get up.


    The second, within one round, if one side is knocked down three times and counted out on each occasion, the referee can immediately declare a KO victory for the other side; or, in a match consisting of four rounds, if one side is knocked down four times and counted out each time, the referee, considering the gap between the fighters, can also directly declare a KO victory for the other side.


    The third is causing a severe injury to the opponent, prompting the referee to stop the match for safety considerations. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link had been competing against the second-place team member from Mexico, Martin, and in the first three rounds, knocked Martin down four times with heavy punches, but Martin got up each time with great tenacity and a strong will.


    Link had no choice but to increase his strength and keep throwing punches. In the fourth round, he delivered 47 heavy punches, and, finally, with much greater punch weight and speed than his opponent, he knocked Martin down completely in the fourth round and smoothly won the match.


    "Let''s go check out Andrea''s side!"


    Following Link''s suggestion, four of them headed to the boxing ring number 6.


    Due to the short qualifying match period of only five days and numerous events, there were eight boxing rings set up inside the social and cultural center''s venue. Sometimes, eight matches would be held simultaneously, and coaches from each team would draw lots before the match to decide the venue.


    Link was at ring number 2 while Andrea and the Cuban boxer Lorenzo Aragon were at ring number 6.


    When Link and his group arrived, Andrea was talking to the team coach and a translator.


    Since Cuba is part of the Latin language family, over 90% of the population only speaks Spanish and Turkish, and schools do not teach English, allegedly to prevent people from smuggling themselves into the United States.


    Therefore, when coming here for competitions, both the United States and Canadian teams need to have translators.


    Other countries in the Americas primarily speak Spanish or Portuguese, also belonging to the Latin language family, so they are collectively referred to as Latinos.


    Miami, where Link is from, is one of the areas in the United States with the highest proportion of Latinos, with over half of the population using Spanish. Link Baker speaks Spanish, and Link can also use some.


    "Link, how was the match?"


    Andrea Berto called out.


    "Fantastic!"


    Before Link could reply, Andzeje eagerly recounted the details of the match to everyone. Hearing that Link continued to defeat his opponent by KO, everyone cheered happily.


    "Link, well done!"


    Andrea and the coaches clapped their hands.


    "Thanks!"


    Link shrugged and smiled.


    "Link, I lost. The upcoming matches depend on you now," Andrea Berto said, patting his shoulder.


    Link nodded. Since there were only two spots remaining in the Super Middleweight category and since Link won first place, the second member of the U.S. team lost the chance to continue in the competition; they could now participate in the experience exchange matches instead.


    Link needed to face every qualifying boxer from the first round by himself.


    A total of 28 countries and regions sent boxing teams to participate in this round of the Americcas Zone Olympic boxing qualifiers, with 325 boxers competing.


    There were 18 countries participating in the Super Middleweight competition, and thus the number of people advancing from the first round of eliminations was also 18, all top competitors in the Super Middleweight category from their respective countries.


    "Link, look over there, that guy is Lorenzo Aragon," Andrea Berto said, pulling him toward the opposite corner.


    There stood a dark-skinned, lean young black man with blue tattoos on his shoulders, 190cm tall, 4cm taller than Link, and with 2cm longer arm reach. Having participated in two World Championships and one Olympic Games, his extensive experience in major competitions made him a challenging opponent.


    "The man next to him is his coach, Felix Savon," Andrea Berto pointed at the middle-aged black man next to Lorenzo Aragon.


    "Felix Savon?"


    Link''s expression turned serious.


    Felix Savon was the third boxer in Olympic history to win gold medals consecutively in boxing at the 1992, 1996, and 2000 games.


    The first was Teofilo Stevenson, a legendary Cuban boxer.


    The second was Laszlo Papp, a legendary Hungarian boxer.


    For various reasons, none of them entered the professional boxing scene, but in the world of amateur boxing, no one could match their achievements and honors.


    Felix Savon was also the new leading figure of the first generation in Cuban boxing.


    As Lorenzo Aragon''s prot¨¦g¨¦, his skills were undoubtedly formidable.


    Link felt a bit of pressure.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 051 Carry the KO Through to the End

    "Hey, Yankees, get out of here, you losers!"A lean, dark-skinned boxer from the Cuban team yelled at Link as they passed by.


    "What are they shouting?"


    Jones Fullos looked confusedly at the team''s translator.


    "Fuck! It sounds like they''re calling us Yankees, should we hit them?"


    Morales puffed up his muscles and said angrily.


    The translator hesitated and looked toward the head coach, unsure whether to translate.


    The United States and Cuba are neighboring but hostile countries, with the former being capitalist and the latter communist.


    Since the 1960s, the United States had imposed trade blockades, embargoes, and economic sanctions on Cuba and orchestrated the Bay of Pigs invasion.


    Cuba grew close to the Soviet Union and in 1962, sparked the Cuban Missile Crisis, almost igniting World War III. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In 1980, Cuba also quietly sent 150,000 drug traffickers, the mentally ill, convicts, drug addicts, prostitutes, and thieves to Miami.


    The two sides had been undermining each other for decades.


    To this day, the United States had not lifted its blockade on Cuba.


    Cuba still viewed America as its arch-enemy.


    In the sport of boxing, they were even fiercer rivals.


    Every time they met in international competitions, Cuban boxers would fiercely beat their American counterparts.


    Since the 1960s, in the Olympic finals, the American team had only beaten the Cuban team twice.


    The first time was at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, where Sugar Ray Leonard beat a Cuban boxer to win the gold medal;


    The second was at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where Mayweather defeated his Cuban opponent to win gold.


    Both of these Olympics were held in the United States; had they been abroad, the results might have been different.


    Because of the tense relations between the two countries, the translator hesitated to literally translate the provocative words, fearing it might lead to a physical altercation and impact the match.


    "Shut up, Castro, they are our guests."


    Cuban coach Felix Savon scolded sharply and, pulling the young black boxer along, came over to formally apologize to the American team.


    Link smiled lightly and walked over, greeting in Spanish, "Hello Mr. Savon, my name is Link Baker. I''ve watched your match videos; your fighting style is very tenacious and is something we juniors can learn from."


    "You are Link Baker?"


    Felix Savon seemed surprised when he saw him, as if he recognized him.


    At that moment, a Cuban walked over and whispered in Savon''s ear, introducing Link, explaining that he was the top Super Middleweight in the American team and had just knocked out the Mexican team''s second-ranked Martin in the boxing ring, advancing smoothly to the second round.


    "KO?"


    "Was his opponent a rookie?"


    Several Cuban team members exclaimed loudly.


    Savon glared at his disciples and extended his hand to Link, smiling, "Mr. Link Baker, I know you. In this year''s United States Golden Gloves Tournament, you won 17 fights with 17 KOs. You are an impressive boxer."


    "17 times KO?"


    "Amateur matches?"


    The several Cuban team members looked at Link in surprise.


    If he had successfully KO''d the second-best boxer from Mexico, it might just be due to the opponent''s lower level.


    But winning 17 times by KO in American amateur competitions indicates that this guy is indeed formidable.


    Lorenzo Aragon also looked at Link seriously, sizing up Link''s physique and features as if he were assessing an enemy.


    Link, unaffected, smiled and shook hands with Savon, saying, "I hardly deserve such praise. It''s just a little gimmick to catch people''s eyes, not worthy of your commendation. Truly impressive are individuals like you, a three-time champion who not only proved your strength but also brought honor to your country. All athletes should learn from you."


    This statement was not flattery but a genuine recognition that the spirit of such individuals is truly worth learning from for all athletes.


    In the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in Spain, after Savon won the Heavyweight Gold medal, the famous American boxing promoter Don King offered 5 million US Dollars to sign and promote him, inviting him to America for professional competitions.


    Due to concerns about talent drain and security risks raised by the Cuban government, since 1962, boxers have been prohibited from turning professional and competing internationally; it was considered an act of ''defection.''


    Additionally, according to Olympic regulations, professional boxers are not allowed to compete on behalf of any country or region in amateur competitions like the Olympics.


    Savon turned down the 5 million dollar check to continue as an amateur boxer, winning three Olympic Gold medals, and never fought a professional match until his retirement.


    He was a renowned Heavyweight Boxer, who, if he had been more lenient with his bottom line, could have easily earned tens of millions or even hundreds of millions of US Dollars by crossing the 358 kilometers of the Florida Straits to America. But he did not.


    If such a situation had arisen for Link, he was not sure he would have been able to do the same, hence his great admiration for such true patriots.


    "Haha! Mr. Link Baker, you flatter me, I am already old. The future of boxing belongs to you youngsters."


    Savon laughed heartily, patting Link''s arm. Link''s admiration was apparent to him, yet he couldn''t quite understand why an American would look at him that way and felt somewhat uneasy about it.


    When Link and the others left, Savon immediately pulled his disciple, Lorenzo Aragon, aside. Watching Link''s departing figure, he said solemnly, "Aragon, remember him, he is definitely a stumbling block on your path to the Olympic Gold Medal."


    Aragon glanced at Link and nodded seriously, "I understand!"


    "This Link Baker is no simple contender. He might have less experience than you, but in terms of mentality and strength, he is barely any less skilled. Starting now, you need to take him seriously, watch his matches, and learn what he is good at and what he isn''t." Experience more tales on empire


    Still unsettled, Savon had his disciples find the cameramen on site and asked them to make a copy of Link''s match footage for him to review personally.


    At the same time, Savon also regretted that not long ago a friend had talked to him about the American Golden Gloves Tournament, mentioning Link Baker''s record of 17 KOs in 17 fights. He had merely marveled at the young man''s great strength without paying much attention.


    After all, boxing is not weightlifting; brute strength alone is useless, technique and speed are the keys to victory.


    But having met Link Baker in person, he had to take him seriously. This fellow was not the typical large-framed African American or brown-skinned Mexican he had imagined but rather a refined and handsome Caucasian with decent manners, a mild temperament, and a stable character.


    Fair-skinned people tend to be intelligent. Coupled with his enormous strength and boxing skill, he should not be underestimated.


    Fortunately, this was in Cuba.


    There were several rounds left in the competition, plenty of time to understand this opponent, Link. Savon also planned to employ some tactics to delay Link''s match against Aragon until the finals, increasing their chances of a showdown then.


    Once Aragon fully understood Link''s abilities, he would stand a better chance in the match.

 Chapter 052 Second Round of the Qualifiers

    "Go Link!""Come on, Canadian!"


    The afternoon continued with the second round of the 18-to-9 matches, where Link faced Canada''s super middleweight number one, Dennis Urth.


    24 years old, 184 centimeters tall, with a reach of 188 centimeters, his amateur boxing record stood at 67 fights with 61 wins and 6 losses, a skilled amateur elite reminiscent of Andzeje.


    But the opponent''s stamina and punch resilience were even better than Andzeje''s, making him tougher to deal with, and the prospect of a knockout within four rounds was challenging.


    "Boxing!"


    Time was scarce, so as soon as the match started, Link pressed the attack, giving no respite to his opponent.


    In the first round, he threw over a hundred punches, including more than twenty straight punches with a force over 1000 pounds, before he broke through the opponent''s defense and landed a jab squarely on the rival''s face.


    He had to admit, the Olympic series was much tougher than the Golden Gloves; such a barrage of twenty heavy punches would have overwhelmed anyone except Andrea and Morales in the Golden Gloves tournament.


    "Link, you have the upper hand now. You can win on points. Why not give up the knockout?"


    Coach Ed advised.


    Andrea Berto and a few others, seeing him drenched in sweat, also urged him not to obsess over knockouts, which were of little use beyond good stats and even less so in the professional boxing world.


    "It''s okay, I can hold on."


    Link shook his head. Having set a goal for himself, he was determined to achieve it, even if it meant exhausting himself to death.


    A man has to be tough on himself to be tougher on others.


    Without ruthlessness, how could one become the champion of boxing?


    Bang, bang, bang!


    As the second round started, Link continued bombarding his opponent with heavy punches¡ªone, two, three, ten, twenty punches.


    He turned his offense into a relentless storm, overwhelming and suffocating the opponent.


    With 10 seconds to go in the second round, Link finally landed another straight punch on the opponent''s forehead.


    The Canadian stepped back, leaving himself wide open.


    Seizing the chance, Link delivered two more rapid jabs to the man''s face.


    Bang! These two solid punches snapped Dennis''s head back, causing him to stumble two steps backward and collapse onto the canvas.


    "Wow!"


    The crowd cheered loudly as the match reached two rounds and Link scored the first knockdown.


    "Keep it up, Link! Keep fighting!"


    Morales and Andzeje shouted from underneath the stage, continuously waving their fists.


    Link, gasping for air, waved his fists but did not dare to relax inwardly.


    There were only two rounds left in the match, and with only one knockdown achieved so far, a complete KO to end the fight seemed like it would require further aggressive and hard-hitting attacks, yet such relentless offense took a toll on him.


    Especially since this was his second match of the day.


    His remaining stamina wasn''t much.


    Link shook his head, feeling like he was giving himself a hard time.


    "Aragon, what do you think of Link''s performance?"


    Saun asked, looking towards the ring.


    Aragon, with his arms crossed, nodded slightly and said, "Not bad, a bit stronger than I expected, but not too difficult to handle."


    Saun nodded. Link Baker wasn''t just a heavy hitter; his boxing technique was also good, making him a worthy Golden Gloves champion. Enjoy more content from empire


    However, based on the strength he had shown so far, he was still a notch below Aragon.


    ¡ª


    The third round began.


    Link continued his assault with heavy punches, this time targeting the opponent''s nose and chin with even more precision.


    These areas are weak points on the human body, and if hit, they can cause bleeding wounds and double the damage.


    Thud, thud, thud!


    Link gritted his teeth as he pounded his fists like rainfall on the opponent''s arms, ribs, and shoulders.


    After over sixty continuous attacks, he finally pierced the opponent''s defense and landed a jab on their nasal bone.


    The rival''s vision blurred with tears, and he focused his defense on his nose.


    A golden opportunity!


    Taking advantage of the collapsed defense, Link hit two swing punches on either side of the opponent''s forehead, right at the temples, making his steps stagger. Link then followed up with a straight punch. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang!


    With 15 seconds left in the third round, Dennis was finally knocked down again.


    Link was exhausted, heat radiating from his entire body, his arms trembling continuously.


    "10, 9, 8, 7..."


    Unfortunately, just after the referee counted to four, the rival slowly began to rise from the ground.


    Link sighed quietly; what a tough nut to crack.


    The fourth round, and the last round of the match.


    After the match started, Link took a deep breath and continued his fierce attack on his opponent''s Turtle Shell Defense with punches.


    Bang bang bang!


    Link no longer planned to conserve his energy, attacking his opponent''s defense with Heavy Punches continuously.


    After over eighty consecutive punches, almost exhausting all his strength, he finally knocked down his opponent once again.


    Thump!


    His opponent, Dennis, was hit on the side of his face, staggered two steps to the left, and thumped down on the ground.


    "Can you get up?"


    Link supported himself with his fists on his knees, breathing heavily, too tired to straighten up.


    "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5..."


    When the referee counted to six, his opponent, clutching the ropes, once again staggered to his feet, winning cheers from the entire audience.


    "Impressive!"


    Link exclaimed, admitting that an athlete who could be ranked number one in their country was extremely tenacious in terms of stamina, skill, and willpower. No matter how many times they were knocked down during the match, as long as they could stand up, they would continue to fight.


    This made the difficulty of winning by knockout multiply.


    The match continued, with only 69 seconds left.


    Link didn''t dare to delay for a second, and with the last bit of energy he had left, he exerted all his power onto his opponent.


    With only 32 seconds left in the match, he finally knocked down his opponent once again.


    Thump!


    His opponent fell.


    Link, too, leaned on the ropes, barely able to straighten up.


    "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3..."


    As the referee was about to finish the ten-count, his opponent miraculously stood up once again.


    The applause from the audience was thunderous.


    "..."


    Link curled the corner of his mouth slightly, acknowledging the strength of Canada''s number one.


    But would he give up the goal of winning by knockout?


    Impossible!


    Even if there was only 1 second left, he would try his best to achieve his goal.


    The match went on, and Link let out a low roar, lifting his numb and swollen arms, attacking his opponent once again.


    Heavy Punch broke through the defense, Jab sneaked an attack.


    One punch, two punches, three punches...


    30 seconds, 20 seconds, 10 seconds...


    Link expended the last bit of strength in his body.


    Thump! His opponent was knocked down once again.


    Link, out of habit, threw two more punches into the air, then drew back his numb arms and looked at his opponent lying on the ground.


    Could he stand up this time?


    "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1."


    He didn''t get up.


    Link raised his fist while catching his breath.


    It was tough and exhausting, but he had won.


    "Link, you won!"


    "Link, you''ve knocked out another man, you''re truly a monster."


    Morales and several others jumped up from their seats, stood below the ring, continuously slapping the canvas, and roared at him loudly.


    Link smiled faintly but didn''t dare to be careless. The second round was nearly a failure, how would he fight the upcoming rounds?


    KO all opponents to enter the Olympics ¨C this goal indeed seemed like a pitfall for himself.


    "I declare the winner of this match to be, from the United States, Link Baker!"


    On the boxing platform, the referee lifted Link''s arm high.


    "Interesting, but the championship is still mine," Aragon stated flatly.


    Sawon looked at his disciple and said with a smile, "Don''t be too careless; this Link is good at attacking and hits hard. It''s not easy to deal with him. Watch a few more of his matches, understand his style, and you''ll have an easier time when you meet him in the future."


    Aragon nodded.


    "I will!"

 Chapter 053 Freak

    During the Super Middleweight competition, other weight class competitions were also taking place simultaneously.However, the performance of the United States team in this qualification competition had been worrying.


    Apart from Link, Heavyweight''s Deontay Wilder, Light Heavyweight''s Joe Smith, and two women Boxers who advanced, all other Boxers were blocked in the third round.


    In the Heavyweight competition, an interesting scene occurred in the second round where Deontay Wilder encountered Mexico''s Andy Ruiz; in fact, both were Americans, with Andy Ruiz just representing the Mexico team.


    During the draw, it so happened that the two were paired against each other, which allowed the Cubans to witness a battle between Americans.


    At that time, Link was also watching from below the stage, and no matter whether Deontay Wilder or Andy Ruiz landed a hit, the Cubans would burst into loud cheers, making the atmosphere extremely lively.


    In the end, Deontay Wilder defeated Andy Ruiz, who had just moved up to Heavyweight, with a score of 27:18, successfully moving into the third round.


    "Link, the Cubans might be manipulating the draw process; be careful,"


    Ed, the coach, said with a frown. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link nodded his head; he was not surprised by this.


    Although the Olympics is the largest sporting event for humanity, it''s filled with too many political factors, so in the competitions, there''s never a lack of political maneuvers.


    Especially in Boxing, since the results are given by the scoring of five judges at the venue, and these judges are arranged by the organizers, they can completely choose to give scores or not based on the situation, manipulating the outcomes of the matches.


    For example, during the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, Roy Jones Jr. had the South Korean Boxer Park Hee-hong completely outmatched, but in the end, Roy Jones Jr. only received a silver medal, which also became one of the infamous scandals in Olympic history.


    Similar incidents were not uncommon in later Olympics.


    Olympic Boxing also became the most prestigious yet unfair competition among all amateur Boxing contests.


    However, Link was not worried about this.


    His goal was to knock out all opponents, making the scoring judges collectively redundant.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The competition moved into the third round from nine to five, where Link encountered the Cuban Boxer Rosniel Iglesias, 27 years old, Black, 188 cm tall, with a reach of 193 cm, and an amateur record of 102 fights, 88 wins, 12 losses, and 2 draws. He had participated in three World Championships and one Olympic Games.


    His best achievement was reaching the quarterfinals in the Olympic Games and winning a silver medal in the World Championships.


    He was also the only second-place contestant in the Americas Zone qualification who defeated his opponent in the first round and advanced.


    A very strong opponent.


    Compared to Andrea Berto, his techniques are more versatile, he has almost no flaws in offense and defense, and his speed is more agile. He often lands a punch and quickly pulls back, never giving his opponent a chance to attack, slippery and elusive.


    He was also tougher to deal with than the previous opponent, Danny.


    "Link, this opponent is tough; are you sure you want to stick with a knockout?"


    Ed said, his forehead wrinkled with lines.


    Link glanced at him, somewhat speechless.


    When they first met, Ed seemed to be just over forty, but after only two matches, Ed seemed to have aged over a decade, even the wrinkles had deepened, and white stubble was sprouting from his cheeks.


    It reminded him of Coach West from across the channel; last time during the Golden Gloves competition, West had also aged a lot. Was being his coach so brain-racking?


    Link felt it wasn''t his fault; they were just overthinking.


    "Link, I advise you to give up,"


    Andrea Berto said shaking his head, "In the last match against Canada''s Danny, you nearly failed to achieve a knockout. This time, facing someone tougher and quicker than Danny, how can you knock him out?"


    "Link, I also think it''s very difficult, not very realistic,"


    Your adventure continues at empire


    Jones Fullos said.


    Link watched the video of his opponent Rosniel, saw him dodging flexibly on the ring, moving very fast ¡ª knocking him out, let alone hitting him, seemed very difficult.


    Such a powerful opponent, how to knock him out?


    Link pondered for a moment, clenched his fists, and said, "Keep knocking them out. If we really can''t beat them, then we''ll talk."


    "Link, I support you!!"


    Andzeje and Morales, thriving on the drama, waved their fists excitedly.


    Coach Ed and Andrea Berto shook their heads.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The third round of the match had begun.


    When Link stepped onto the boxing ring, he saw a man resembling the Wolf King Garnett, a black man formidable in build and fierce in form, looking very tough to deal with.


    Did he really have to knock out such a strong man?


    The answer was, YES!


    Human nature is lazy; when faced with difficulties, if you give yourself an easy way out, numerous more steps downward will follow, eventually sinking to the depths of despair.


    This was not what Link wanted to see.


    He was a reborn man, one with a special physique. As long as he fought hard and trained continuously, his overall qualities would grow stronger, and perhaps, he might even become a superhero.


    If he gave up trying, satisfied with the status quo, he would gradually grow weaker, becoming ordinary. After losing the reborn advantage, he would then be even less than an ordinary person.


    This was not what he wanted to see.


    Therefore, Link would not allow himself to relax nor give himself an easy way out. He was determined to defeat these opponents, using them as his sharpening stones, stepping-stones, stepping on their bodies and laurels, marching toward strength.


    "Kill!!"


    Link clenched his fists, roared angrily, his muscles tensed in explosive power.


    "Link, come on!"


    The American boxing team members were cheering for Link from below.


    Link waved his fists at them.


    Once the match began, he chose to attack aggressively.


    His fists swung like hammers, continuously striking the opponent. Due to limited time, he wouldn''t rest, nor would he give the opponent a chance to stall.


    In the first round, Link threw more than 120 punches, but since his opponent was fast with nimble evasive movements, only about forty punches landed, most of which were jab punches with less destructive force.


    However, his opponent, Rosneil, had solid muscles, and those forty-plus punches did not significantly hurt him.


    "Link, be more flexible in your fighting method, don''t just attack blindly, and be mindful to conserve your energy," Coach Ed advised during the one-minute rest period.


    "I understand!"


    Upon reentering the ring, Link continued in aggressive mode, using his superfast speed and heavy punches to break through his opponent''s defense, hitting his body 9 times in the second round.


    In the later stages of his attack, he discovered a detail that he hadn''t noticed on the tape.


    Rosneil, during the match, often carelessly lowered his arms, covering the ribs.


    He remembered that Rosneil had displayed similar actions in the previous two matches, but because his opponents were weaker than him, the threat was minimal, and the gesture was not very obvious.


    After the match started, under his fierce attacks, Rosneil had, at least five times, let his arms sink to protect his ribs, especially his left ribs, which was almost a subconscious reaction.


    Initially, Link hadn''t noticed, but once the opponent repeated this motion more than three times in a round, it was hard for an experienced boxer who had spent years in underground boxing rings not to notice.

 Chapter 054 Fighter

    Link had once competed in underground boxing rings, sustained many injuries, and inflicted plenty on others. Seeing his opponent make that move, he instantly realized the man had an injury in his ribs, possibly an old one.Considering Rosniel was a veteran with over ten years of boxing training and more than a hundred matches, having injuries was normal, and competing while injured was fairly common as well.


    Back then, Link had participated in no-protection fights and had two ribs broken by a kick.


    But to earn enough money for his mother''s medical bills, he had to fight despite his injuries, vomiting blood as he fought, which created an astonishing visual effect. The wealthy spectators below the stage, their faces flushed, roared and screamed, throwing bills into the cage.


    That match alone netted Link over three hundred thousand.


    Link spotted his opponent''s weakness and without a moment''s hesitation, he feigned attacking the man''s head with a combination of punches, causing the opponent to raise his arms to block.


    Bang!


    Following that, he delivered a left straight punch, hitting the opponent''s left ribs fiercely and ruthlessly.


    "Uh!"


    The opponent grunted, clutching his left ribs and stumbling back several steps until he hit the ropes.


    Link did not stop there; he rushed forward, delivering several punches to his opponent''s body, penetrating the man''s defense.


    As Rosniel used his arms to protect his ribs, Link''s fists smashed directly onto his opponent''s head, one punch, two punches, three punches, until the opponent fell to the ground.


    "Break!"


    The referee came over to pull him away, stopping him from throwing more punches.


    Link raised his fists, quietly watching his opponent''s pained face, feeling a slight pity but quickly discarding it as though it were trash.


    This was a boxing ring, an arena of competition.


    If the opponent chose to fight injured, it meant he was prepared for all consequences, including getting hurt, being disabled, suffering a brain injury, or even dying.


    If, because he was injured, one does not strike him or deliberately avoids his injuries, then one might as well not be a boxer. Perhaps becoming a statue at Notre Dame in Paris would be more fitting. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, in boxing, defeating an opponent with full force is the true way to honor them; treating them with mercy, on the other hand, amounts to contempt.


    Across the ring, after consulting with the referee, Rosniel chose to continue the match, and the Cuban audience erupted in cheers, screaming Rosniel was a hero, a champion, urging him to "kill that American."


    Link smiled at the shouts.


    He found it interesting that no matter the sport, whenever he competed on foreign turf, the local spectators invariably painted him as the ultimate villain.


    He couldn''t help but reminisce about his days in the underground boxing ring.


    Those wealthy spectators didn''t care about who was the home or away fighter; as long as the fight was good and the fighters gave their all, they''d throw money into the ring. Their pleasure was very straightforward¡ªthey just wanted to watch two humans fight like beasts, battered and bloodied.


    This was their way of seeking thrills and pleasure, far purer than any audience below the ring.


    If Rosniel chose to be a hero, Link didn''t mind assisting him, even if it meant becoming a villain. But as long as he emerged as the champion, what did being a villain matter?


    The third round began.


    Link continued to bombard Rosniel''s ribs with punches. Whenever Rosniel lowered his arms, changing his defensive posture, Link''s fists would quickly strike his face.


    Bang!


    In the third round, at 32 seconds, Link knocked down his opponent once again.


    "This bastard is so despicable,"


    said several Cuban boxers at the ringside, clearly upset.


    But Sawon watched Link with a calm expression, his eyes filled with admiration.


    Not only did he admire Link for his sharp eyes, noticing Rosniel''s weakness in just one and a half rounds, but he also marveled at his decisive and ruthless approach, making it hard to believe he was a newcomer.


    "What do you think?"


    Sawon looked at Aragon.


    Aragon nodded, "He''s a great opponent, worthy of battling me."


    Sawon laughed heartily, relievedly saying, "I know you''re very strong, but don''t underestimate him. Link''s skills, strength, speed are all very impressive, especially his stamina. Last match he threw over 700 punches, extremely fierce."


    Aragon nodded again.


    On the boxing ring, Rosniel stood up once again, choosing to continue the match.


    Link looked at him and smiled. Rosniel was also an impressive boxer, strong, physically robust, and tenacious. If it weren''t for an old injury in his rib area, it would have been very difficult for Link to knock him down. Explore new worlds at empire


    "You''re quite good, a real fighter."


    Before the fourth round began, Link said to him.


    Rosniel, with his thick lips, grinned, "You''re also formidable. I could have matched you before my injury, but not now. However, I''ll persist and will not let you knock me out."


    "Keep it up!"


    Link tapped gloves with him and continued the match.


    Since his opponent was determined to keep going, becoming a stumbling block to achieving his own goals, Link naturally would not be merciful. His fists continuously struck at Rosniel''s ribs, employing his best technique, the jab, with rapid speed and tricky angles.


    Rosniel avoided the blows nonstop and defended with his arms.


    Though his speed was extremely fast and he was highly agile, performing well defensively, Link''s speed was even faster. His attacks were relentless and airtight, giving Rosniel no chances to rest or regroup.


    Bam!


    Link seized another opportunity, a straight punch landed on Rosniel''s forehead, causing him to stagger back into the ropes.


    Rosniel fell for the third time.


    The referee counted to six.


    Rosniel then stood up, clutching his ribs, indicating he could continue the match.


    But Sawon and his doctor advised him to give up. Link had already found his weak spot, and continuing would only put him at a further disadvantage, potentially aggravating his injuries and possibly ending his boxing career prematurely. Moreover, he had already been knocked down three times, and one more would lead the referee to declare him the loser. Persisting there was no chance of winning.


    After considering, Rosniel chose to heed their advice.


    "Link Baker, you''ve won."


    Rosniel shouted as he returned to the ring.


    His opponent gave up the match, classified as a TKO, but also a KO.


    Link also breathed a sigh of relief. Rosniel was tough and defended well. Continuing the match would have been physically draining, and he still had another match tomorrow; he needed to conserve his energy.


    "How''s your rib?"


    Link asked.


    "It''s okay, an old issue, but thanks to you. There were several times when you could have hit my ribs, but you chose my head instead, preventing further injury."


    Rosniel grinned as he spoke.


    Link smiled faintly and wasn''t planning to accept his thanks. His feint at the ribs and real strike to the head was a strategy of misdirection, and attacking the head was more likely to knock out his opponent, not out of compassion.


    "But you should also be careful. Aragon is not an easy guy to deal with, and you better be prepared to accept defeat," Rosniel said.


    "Defeat?"


    Link shook his head.


    Rosniel was already tough enough, and Aragon, even more formidable and without flaws, would undoubtedly be harder to handle. Link understood this, but he still believed he could defeat Aragon and become the champion of the Americas Zone.


    "Haha, you''re as proud as Aragon. I really look forward to your match," Rosniel said as they tapped gloves. He then walked down from the ring, holding his rib.


    "I declare the winner of this match, Link Baker!"


    Atop the boxing ring, Link raised his fist high.


    This victory seemed easier than the last, but it actually wasn''t.


    The previous match relied on strength, speed, and perseverance.


    This one relied on rich match experience and judgment; without past experience, winning this match would have been very difficult.

 Chapter 055 Interview

    "Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on winning the third round. How do you think your opponent Rosniel performed?"At the event, a Cuban sports channel reporter asked during the post-match interview.


    "Rosniel? He fought very well, strong in all aspects. If he hadn''t been injured, he would probably have been even more formidable."


    Link said, wiping sweat with a towel.


    "If he had not been injured, do you have the confidence to beat him?"


    "Yes, in boxing, I never lack confidence."


    Link said confidently, clenching his fist.


    "Mr. Link Baker, it is said that Miss Emma Watson returned to London yesterday after finishing ''Harry Potter.'' How is your relationship progressing with her, can you share a little bit about it?"


    Experience tales at empire


    A reporter from the American Express loudly asked, handing over the microphone.


    Link smiled lightly, "We''re just friends. Mister reporter, this is a sports event, please ask questions related to boxing. Next time, I will refuse to answer these kinds of questions."


    "Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on advancing to the next round of the qualifiers. Recently, the American domestic media has been discussing your continuation of winning fights by KO in the Olympics. Some believe that insisting on winning by KO could cause unnecessary harm to your opponents. Do you agree with this view?"


    A reporter from the Miami Herald asked.


    Link frowned slightly. He had also seen such comments in boxing forums over the past two days and said indifferently, "As for these unprofessional remarks, I do not wish to comment. Moreover, the voices questioning me have been around since my debut.


    When I succeed in KOing my opponents, they suspect I''m throwing fights, and when I won the Golden Gloves Championship, they questioned the legitimacy of my results.


    Now that I''ve successfully made it to the third round of the Americas Zone qualifiers, proving that my strength is not only real but also far beyond their imagination, they have nothing to criticize about me and think there''s something wrong with my way of fighting.


    It''s ridiculous. No matter what I do, they always find a way to slander me, so I won''t comment on it. I will prove with my fists just how ludicrous their remarks are."


    "Well said, Link, go for it and strive for that Olympic spot!"


    A few reporters shouted.


    "Thank you! I will."


    Link waved his fist, leaving the venue surrounded by his fellow American boxers.


    ----


    The third round was over and there were three rounds left in the super middleweight competition: the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.


    The boxers that advanced to the top five were Link, Lorenzo Aragon, Fernando Vargas from the Mexico team, Douglas Silva from the Jamaica team, and Calvin Peters from the Haiti boxing team.


    After the draw, Link was set to fight Haitian boxer Calvin Peters in the fourth round.


    Pister, a 23-year-old black man nicknamed ''The Rock,'' was 6 feet tall with a 72-inch reach. His amateur record was 43 wins, 1 loss in 44 fights. Since the opponent was preparing for professional competitions, his strength, physicality, and resistance to being hit were all very superior. His profile showed that he had never been knocked down in a match.


    This was a rather tricky opponent.


    "Link, I''ve got rotten luck; I drew you another tough opponent,"


    Coach Ed said helplessly upon returning from the draw.


    "It''s okay, I like fighting strong opponents."


    Link said nonchalantly.


    He had come to participate in amateur competitions partly to accumulate a record and build his reputation, and partly to gain more match experience and refine his techniques.


    Fighting these challenging opponents gave him more experience.


    So regardless of how strong the opponent was, he would take on every single one that came his way.


    After sending Coach Ed off, he turned on the video recorder to watch his opponent''s fight tapes and took out a pen to list the opponent''s strengths and weaknesses, looking for a way to find the opponent''s weak spots.


    Every boxer has weak points, such as Andzeje, whose weakness was in endurance and resistance to hits.


    Andrea Berto, compared to Link, was shorter with a slightly shorter reach, which was a disadvantage when fighting Link;


    Then there was Rosniel, whom he had fought recently, whose rib injuries were weak points. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And his next opponent, Calvin Pister, had Willpower A+, Physicality A, Resistance to Hits A, Punching Power A, Technique B+, Speed B+.


    This was an opponent with very prominent strengths and weaknesses, somewhat similar to Morales, but in terms of willpower and resistance to hits, clearly much stronger than Morales, making the upcoming fight another tough one.


    Ding dong!


    While watching the videos, Taylor''s call came in, asking about the progress of his matches.


    Since she didn''t know much about amateur boxing, not even how the scoring worked, Link simply described the course of the fights to her¡ªthe knockout rounds, 18 to 9, 9 to 5, and three consecutive wins, all by KO, as usual.


    "Link, can you make it to the finals?"


    "Of course, my goal is to be the world champion."


    "Go for it. I really hope to see you become the world champion. Which day is the final?"


    "July 5th, in two days."


    Link remembered what Taylor had said last time, stating she would definitely come to watch the next time he fought, or else she''d grow five centimeters taller.


    Wondering if this busy person would have time this time.


    "In two days? Let me check my schedule... Ah, that''s bad, Link. I have a music awards ceremony on that day, and I probably won''t be able to make it. You won''t be mad at me, will you?"


    Taylor said apologetically over the phone.


    Link shook his head and laughed, "It''s okay, this is Cuba, Americans can''t get visa-free entry, and it''s not easy for you to fly over. We agreed to meet domestically, next time I have a match at home, you can come and watch if you have time."


    "Link, you''re so kind, what am I going to do if I keep liking you more and more?"


    Link smiled, chatted for a few more minutes, and hung up the phone. He continued to watch the match recordings and organize information about his next opponent.


    ¡ª¡ª


    In Los Angeles, the living room of the Swift Family villa was brightly lit.


    Taylor put down her guitar, hung up the phone with a smile on her face, and hummed a song while tapping on the keyboard to book a flight to Havana online.


    Suddenly she smelled a fragrance, looked up, and saw Mrs. Andrea standing in front of the coffee table, leaning over to look at the computer screen with a white face mask on.


    "Mom, what are you doing?"


    Taylor was startled and leaned back, patting her slightly full chest discontentedly toward Mrs. Andrea.


    "You just told Link that you''re attending a music award ceremony on July 5th and don''t have time to go to Havana for the match, so why are you booking a flight ticket?"


    Mrs. Andrea stood up straight and asked with a gentle tap on her face mask.


    Taylor curled her red lips and said with pride, "I''m not telling you!"


    Mrs. Andrea snorted with disdain, "Isn''t it just playing a surprise? You first tell him you can''t make it, let him be disappointed, then suddenly show up at the match on the day, giving him a big surprise, right? It''s boring, it''s all played out by our generation."


    Taylor''s smile faded, and she looked at Mrs. Andrea with a melancholic gaze.


    Mrs. Andrea felt uncomfortable under her stare, waved her hands, and urged her to go to bed early, then returned to the upstairs bedroom.


    Swish!


    As soon as she entered the bedroom, Mrs. Andrea immediately tore off her face mask, and her complexion turned cold, none of her previous gentle and kind demeanor.


    She took out her mobile phone and commanded her assistant Emily to find several important events and fill Taylor''s schedule on July 5th, reminding her they must be significant, the kind Taylor would hate to cancel or be unable to cancel, the more important, the better.


    "But..."


    Assistant Emily''s voice sounded hesitant over the phone.


    "But what?"


    "Anne, Taylor had previously instructed us that she intends to go to Havana, Cuba, to watch Link''s match in the coming days, and she asked us not to schedule too much work. She even reminded us again this morning. If we suddenly arrange a lot of work for her, she will definitely be angry if she finds out," said assistant Emily cautiously.


    "Leave Taylor to me, you don''t have to worry. All you need to do is find a way to keep Taylor busy, so that she doesn''t have time to go to Havana that day. That''s the task I''ve given you, and you figure out how to do it," Mrs. Andrea commanded before hanging up the phone.


    Suddenly she saw the reflection of her husband, Tom Swift, in the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window.


    Mr. Swift, dressed in pajamas, came out of the bathroom with a newspaper in his hand, looking surprised at his wife, Mrs. Andrea.


    Mrs. Andrea turned around with dissatisfaction and scolded, "Tom, you scared me."


    Mr. Swift shrugged his shoulders, sat on the bed, pulled the blanket over his legs, and frowned at his wife, "So, the reason Taylor couldn''t go to Miami to watch Link''s match last time was also your arrangement?"


    "I did it for her own good," said Mrs. Andrea calmly. "If the two of them truly love each other, what''s a little difficulty that I create for them? If they can''t get through even this little difficulty and test, they won''t have a good ending, even if they''re together. Am I wrong?"


    Mr. Swift thought for a moment, adjusted his glasses, and sighed, "Taylor is still young. Young people need to go through a few relationships to mature. There''s no need for you to intervene."


    "I know, but Link is a dangerous person. His father was a smuggler, a gang member, killed on the street five years ago with an unclear cause of death. Link himself has been arrested and put in jail twice, and just over two months ago, he almost got killed on the street. Are you comfortable with someone like that dating your daughter?"


    Mr. Swift listened and frowned deeply, "He certainly doesn''t seem like a good partner. Anne, have you told Taylor about this? Our daughter is a smart girl. She knows what''s good and bad. Blocking her like this will only make her closer to Link."


    "I''ve said so. She and Link drifted apart after leaving Miami. Recently, she probably got fascinated again by seeing Link''s cool performance in the ring. She''s a headstrong girl, and my advice doesn''t work on her," Mrs. Andrea said, covering her forehead with her hand in exasperation.


    Mr. Swift let out a light sigh, put his arm around his wife''s shoulder, and said, "Anne, you''ve worked hard. I shouldn''t have spoken to you like that just now."


    Mrs. Andrea shook her head slightly, then suddenly said, "Dear, I thought I heard you say your back was sore a few days ago. If Emily can''t adjust the schedule, maybe you should start pretending you''re sick tomorrow?"


    "What?"


    Mr. Swift was stunned for a moment, adjusted his glasses, and said helplessly, "Anne, is that really necessary?"


    "Of course, it''s necessary! Taylor absolutely cannot go to Havana. If she goes, their feelings are sure to intensify, and their relationship will get closer. If we want to separate them later, it will be even more difficult. So dear Tom, for our daughter, it''s time you made some sacrifices," Mrs. Andrea said, looking at her husband and pointing at his waist.


    Mr. Swift scratched his thinning hair, deeply conflicted within. He saw himself as a kind father, a good dad, and now his wife wanted him to join her in wrongdoing by sabotaging their daughter''s love life, turning him into a bad dad?


    He did not want to see such a thing happen to himself.


    But with his wife ''lurking'' beside him, how could he explain if he did not agree?


    His wife had sacrificed so much for the family; perhaps he should indeed make some sacrifice.


    But what about Taylor?

 Chapter 056 The Fourth Round of the Competition

    ```The match had progressed to the fourth round, a five-to-four elimination, with only one person getting knocked out this round.


    Link vs. Haiti''s boxer Calvin Peters;


    Lorenzo Aragon vs. Jamaica''s Douglas Silva.


    Mexico''s Fernando Vargas vs. Venezuelan boxer "Alva Enriques".


    Alva was the top-ranked boxer on the Venezuelan boxing team, defeated by Aragon in the second round, then went on to win five consecutive challenge matches, defeating five opponents including Andrea Berto, securing the chance to compete for the top three, his strength quite impressive.


    It was said that if he hadn''t encountered Aragon in the second round, he could have advanced without needing to go through the challenge matches.


    The first match of the fourth round was Aragon vs. Jamaica''s Silva.


    Both men were black, with Silva having a darker complexion and a very strong body, but once he faced Aragon in the ring, he was completely at a disadvantage.


    Although Aragon appeared quite proud, he indeed had great strength, his arms were long, his power great, and his offensive was relentless, frequently seizing opportunities to score several points on his opponent.


    He was also extremely skilled at guerrilla warfare, constantly changing his footwork, often circling his opponent, leaving them dizzy and disoriented.


    Another point, his stamina was equally abundant, having fought three rounds, moving around the ring, having thrown over 400 punches without breaking much sweat.


    By comparison, Link seemed a bit sweatier after his first three matches.


    "How do you feel?"


    Coach Ed asked.


    "Very strong."


    Link nodded.


    Frowning, Coach Ed knew that Aragon''s displayed skill was no less than Link''s. If Link was willing to fight for points, he still had a chance to win, but knocking out Aragon was nearly impossible.


    However, Link was somewhat stubborn about his goals, advice notwithstanding.


    "Don''t worry, Ed, I can KO him."


    "How will you KO?"


    "Hit with force!"


    The match on the platform had ended, the referee brought Aragon and Douglas Silva to the center of the ring, facing the head referee''s seat.


    Olympic matches used a computerized scoring system, where referees scored based on the number of times a boxer hit their opponent.


    In the match, a boxer, without any blockages, using any fist''s knuckle part (the knuckle part of the gloves is a different color, often white), to directly hit the opponent''s head, waist, and above, on the front or side, scored 1 point.


    In the close continuous exchanges between the two athletes, the judge would award points to the athlete with the greater advantage, granting 1 point to the side with the greater advantage.


    Knocking down the opponent in the match scored 1 point each time.


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    The referee would score swiftly after a boxer landed a hit on the opponent.


    Out of five referees, if three or more pressed the button simultaneously, it counted as 1 point, less than three, the computer score did not increase.


    The final score between the two was 32:14, Aragon defeated his opponent by a considerable margin. It was the fourth time Aragon scored over 30 points in four rounds, quite formidable.


    "Link, can you do it?"


    Andrea Berto asked.


    Link thought for a moment, it should be possible, but to control the score to over 30 points every match was extremely difficult.


    Because the qualifyings were too short, and the opponents too strong, hitting the opponent''s effective parts precisely and forcefully over thirty times within four rounds was almost as difficult as a knockout.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The second match, Mexico''s Fernando Vargas vs. Venezuelan boxer "Alva Enriques".


    After four rounds of competition, Alva Enriques triumphed over Mexico''s top boxer Fernando Vargas with a score of 24:21, accomplishing a remarkable turnaround.


    The victory elicited widespread admiration in the arena.


    Having been eliminated in the second round, Alva continued on with five consecutive challenge matches, all successful, and then staged a successful comeback against Mexico''s Fernando in the five-to-three round, his strength incredibly formidable.


    With this successful counterattack, Alva Enriques momentarily surpassed Link and Aragon, becoming the biggest highlight of this Olympic qualifier.


    The third match was Link against Haiti''s boxer Calvin Peters, 23 years old, black, nicknamed "The Rock", standing 182 cm tall with an arm reach of 183 cm, with an amateur record of 44 fights, 43 wins, and 1 loss. His only defeat was last year at the Pan American Games against Aragon.


    His physique was solid and strong like the black rocks on the seaside, his ability to take a punch was incredibly high, and his willpower exceedingly tenacious.


    According to his profile, in the 44 matches he had fought so far, he had never been knocked down, not even by Aragon.


    ```


    Since both Link and ''The Rock'' Pitts were famous figures in the boxing world.


    On the day of the match, over three thousand spectators crowded the sports center arena, filling it to the brim, among them were ordinary citizens, hundreds of boxers who came to participate in the match, and dozens of media journalists.


    Everyone wanted to see if the KO maniac Link could knock out The Rock Pitts within four rounds, and how long The Rock Pitts could withstand Link''s fierce and powerful attacks, or even if he could turn the tables and beat Link.


    The Miami Herald also published a commentary for this match, describing it as a contest between a hammer and an anvil, whether the hammer would smash the anvil, or the anvil would shatter the hammer, they still had to fight it out.


    However, the Miami Herald was somewhat pessimistic about the outcome of the match, because Link had said before the match that he wanted to KO all his opponents to win, meaning he not only had to defeat Pitts but also had to completely knock him out, which is to leave Pitts unconscious, unable to get up for ten seconds.


    But the chance of knocking out a boxer like Pitts was extremely low.


    Rafael Varane, the editor-in-chief, ended the article by urging Link to temporarily give up his plan to KO his opponent and win the match. Instead, he suggested that Link should win by points to secure an Olympic spot, as with his ability, it wouldn''t be hard for him to get a medal at the Olympics.


    He also said that Link was young, in the midst of his growth period, and had tremendous potential. Even if he encountered setbacks, he shouldn''t be discouraged. If he persevered, he would certainly achieve great success in boxing in the future.


    The editor-in-chief Rafael Varane was like a psychologist. Before the match even started, he was already providing psychological counseling for Link, to prevent him from being disheartened by a potential failure.


    Even the local casinos in Havana opened a betting pool for the two fighters, with odds for Link to KO Pitts and win as high as 1:10, and it was heard that many people placed bets.


    Under the influence of this atmosphere, Link couldn''t help but doubt himself a little. Could he really score a KO against such a strong opponent?


    When he stepped up to the boxing ring, his opponent ''The Rock'' Pitts was already there, dressed in blue protective gear, standing like a steel tower on the boxing ring, with a dark complexion and a stoic expression.


    Link eyed his opponent. He truly was a formidable one. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This man was probably the biggest challenge he had encountered since his debut. Knocking him out would definitely be tough, but if he could, it would be like completing a highly difficult challenge. His mentality would become stronger, and his experience in matches would grow richer.


    It was like a process of stacking mentality, the more victories one gained, the stronger the mentality became. Only a person with a strong mentality is a true strongman.


    So, no matter how difficult, he must knock him down.


    "Come on, Link!"


    Morales and the others shouted loudly.


    "I will!"


    Link raised his fist and waved it.


    "Boxing!"


    Once the match began, Link swung his fists, initiating a tentative attack on his opponent.


    He wanted to test his opponent''s reflexes, punching power, and defensive capabilities with his fists.


    These boxing qualities couldn''t be discerned through videotapes. They required firsthand combat experience, a comparison against oneself to make a judgment.


    After exchanging blows over a dozen times, Link realized that his opponent''s reflexes were average, about a B+,


    The power behind Pitts'' punches was at least above 900 pounds, heavier than Morales'', Mario''s, and Rosneil''s. His arm would go numb when hit, and if struck in the ribs, he felt the urge to vomit blood.


    Pitts'' arms were very sturdy. When he raised them for defense, Link''s heavy punches could barely penetrate his outer layer of defense, which was at least an A+ or perhaps an S-.


    Link couldn''t help but worry.


    In amateur matches before, since his opponents couldn''t match his strength, he was accustomed to blasting through their defenses with heavy punches and then using jab + straight punch + swing punch to aim for the head, resulting in the opponent being knocked down or completely knocked out.


    Now facing a tough nut to crack, his heavy punches couldn''t break through the opponent''s outer defense. How should he fight?


    "If Link insists on a KO, he will undoubtedly be defeated."


    Aragon said indifferently from the spectator seats.


    Rosneil glanced at the stage, "How did you beat Pitts last time?"


    "14:8!"


    "You only scored 14 points against him?"


    Rosneil expressed surprise. Aragon had lost two matches in his first two years, but he grew rapidly. After the age of 22, he was never defeated. In each match, his scores were always above 20 points, often reaching 30, yet last year at the Pan American Games against Pitts, he only scored 14 points.


    "Do you guys think Link will give up on the KO?"


    Sewon looked at the two fighters on the ring and asked.


    Rosneil thought for a moment, "He''s a smart man. If he can''t knock down the opponent, I think he might change his tactics."


    Aragon shook his head, "No, Link is a proud man. Changing tactics would mean admitting defeat. I think he''d rather lose the match than change his tactics."


    "You''re just like Link!"


    Sewon laughed heartily, holding the camera up to the boxing ring, ready to record the match as a video tutorial.

 Chapter 057 Anesthetist vs. Rock

    Link''s hesitation lasted only a second before he dismissed it from his mind.On the stage, every second counts. Since he had made up his mind to KO his opponent, he would try every possible way to knock the opponent down. Hesitation, doubt, and self-doubt would all lead to a dismal failure in the match.


    After the match began, Link switched to full-on assault mode, pressing forward with his feet and continuously bombarding Pitts'' arms with heavy punches, one after the other.


    Pitts''s body was very solid, and with protective gear on him, hitting him felt like striking a wooden board, making a thudding sound.


    Moreover, his defense was well-executed, his arms tightly guarding his head and ribs, covering vulnerable areas very tightly. No matter where he hit, Pitts'' fists and arms would promptly arrive to block and parry.


    In the first round, Link threw 87 punches, 35 of them heavy punches. On average, there was a heavy punch every four seconds, but only two of them accurately hit the opponent''s ribs. Due to the protective gear on his ribs, the two punches didn''t inflict much damage.


    But after one round, Link was covered in sweat.


    "Link, have you thought about changing your fighting style?"


    Coach Ed sprayed water on him with a water bottle and said, "I''m not asking you to give up the KO. What I mean is, switch from attack to defense. I saw the match between you two just now; it''s not just you attacking Pitts, Pitts is also attacking you. He hit your vital areas at least twice.


    Clearly, he does not respect your strength, nor does he think you can KO him, so he wants to counterattack and score against you. Why don''t you focus on defense first, wear him out, and counterattack in the third round? Perhaps you''ll find an unexpected opportunity."


    Coach Ed knew he couldn''t persuade him normally, so he changed his method of persuasion.


    Listening to Ed, Link eyed the Haitian Pitts across the corner.


    In previous matches, because the opponents were not very strong, lacked stamina, were not fast, or didn''t have good resistance to strikes, they would switch from offense to defense after he threw heavy punches, tightly guarding themselves, fearing being knocked down by his punches, like Andrea Berto.


    But it was different with Pitts; Pitts was not afraid of his heavy punches and believed he could withstand them. His heavy punches had no deterrent effect on Pitts; in fact, Pitts wanted to use heavy punches to intimidate him.


    Perhaps in Pitts'' mind, he was the weaker party.


    This discovery surprised Link; having fought numerous matches and often been termed the "Anesthetist" or "KO Maniac," it was the first time someone considered him the weaker party.


    He spat out the water in his mouth and had an idea, deciding to test it out to see if it was valid.


    The second round began, and Link and Pitts moved to the center of the ring.


    "Hey, Pitts, your defense is really good,"


    Link said appreciatively.


    Pitts''s squat nose snorted, and he did not plan to respond verbally.


    Link closely watched his opponent''s expression and saw a hint of contempt in his eyes.


    This discovery also intrigued Link; after so many matches and knocking out 20 opponents, it was the first time he was looked down upon in a match.


    This contempt was not unfamiliar to him; instead, it was very familiar.


    Back when he first learned boxing with Old Liu, he was not tall, was skinny, had crude techniques, clumsy steps, and besides being strong, he hardly had any merits.


    The boxing world is a world of the strong.


    Unsurprisingly, he encountered a lot of mockery, disdain, and contempt, earning the nickname "Miner".


    To avoid being mocked and looked down upon, he trained daily in the boxing gym, repeatedly pounding the punching bag and lifting barbells heavier than himself, enduring numerous injuries but never skipping training.


    Through others'' contempt, he gradually grew and thus was very sensitive to such gazes.


    Realizing his opponent''s mindset, Link decided to test it out; if his opponent truly underestimated him, this was definitely good news.


    He closely followed Pitts''s steps, continuing the attack though with less frequency and force than in the first round.


    This also gave Pitts the opportunity to counterattack.


    After his initial attack fell through, Pitts seized the moment to strike a straight punch at his chest, sending Link reeling backward. Pitts, not letting up, followed up with several straight punches and jabs that quickly landed on Link''s ribs and shoulders.


    Link staggered backward, his back against the ropes.


    "Wow!"


    A gasp erupted from the crowd, especially louder from the United States boxing team.


    In the past, it had always been Link attacking others, forcing his opponents to repeatedly retreat, but now it was he who was forced to retreat, a phenomenon so rare that everyone couldn''t help but exclaim in astonishment.


    "Is Pitts that strong? Can''t even Link withstand it?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Andrea Berto and a few others looked shocked at the ring, knowing well how resilient Link was in taking punches. Now, Link couldn''t handle Pitts'' heavy punches. Just how powerful were Pitts'' heavy punches? Could it surpass Link''s?


    Link''s punches weighed over 1000 pounds; if Pitts was stronger, wouldn''t that be at the level of a world champion?


    "Could Link be knocked out?"


    Jones Fullos asked.


    Everyone was startled by his question.


    If the knockout maniac Link was to be knocked out by someone, it would definitely become the biggest news in the boxing world of 2008, even bigger than the news of Britain''s Joe Calzaghe beating Bernard Hopkins.


    In the ring, after Link hit the ropes, their offensive and defensive stances instantly changed.


    Pitts, who was initially defensively passive, switched to offensive, swinging his fists, aiming punch after punch at Link''s arms, seemingly trying to break through Link''s defense and knock him down.


    But Link''s speed and reaction capabilities far exceeded his, and during defense, Link raised his arms with nimble footwork, moving his head skillfully, dodging the heavy punches time and again.


    The second round ended with Pitts throwing 85 punches, most of them heavy.


    The third round began, and Pitts continued his aggressive assault. His punch power slowly declined, roughly to the level of Mario, his body also drenched in sweat.


    Link continued to defend in this round, his defense still impeccable, not once broken by Pitts, his cheeks still clean and unscathed.


    "It turns out that Link is not only good at attacking, but his defensive work is also extremely meticulous."


    Sawon exclaimed.


    In previous matches, although Link also defended, he mostly attacked and didn''t show much defensive capability, but in this round, despite Pitts'' full offensive, he never managed to break Link''s defense, not even once.


    Sawon looked at Link with increasing admiration, as he suddenly realized that Link was a perfect type of boxer. Even if Link were defeated by Pitts in this round, he had shown extreme talent in attack, defense, speed, strength, mindset, and boxing quality.


    Aside from being too flamboyant, this was almost a perfect boxing apprentice.


    "Good defense is useless if it doesn''t score any points, the third round is about to end, and he hasn''t scored much; the outcome is almost certain."


    Aragon shook his head.


    "Do you think Link will lose?"


    Rosni turned back and asked.


    "Not achieving a knockout is a failure,"


    Aragon said.

 Chapter 058 KO Rock

    On the boxing ring, after a relentless attack, Pitts began to slow down due to noticeable fatigue and switched to defensive counterattacking.Link glanced at the timer on the side of the ring. With less than 30 seconds left until the end of the third round, he couldn''t wait any longer.


    If the match had ten rounds, he could have enticed Pitts to attack for four or five rounds to exhaust him to the maximum before launching an attack while his opponent was weak. That would have been the best strategy.


    But this was an amateur match with only four rounds, and time waits for no one.


    Seeing Pitts sweating profusely, Link clenched his fists, deciding to counterattack.


    His fists continuously hammered against Pitts'' defensive arms, similar to the first round,


    The difference was that, after a round and a half of fierce attacks, Pitts was significantly exhausted, and his arms were no longer as agile in blocking defenses as they had been in the first round.


    Even in the first round, under Pitts'' tight defense, Link still managed to hit his ribs twice. How could he not hit them now?


    Thud!


    Link landed a right straight punch on Pitts'' right ribs, a blow of at least 1000 pounds; Pitts grunted, his arms sinking to protect his abdomen.


    Great opportunity!


    Seizing the moment, Link delivered a right upper hook punch harshly on Pitts'' jawbone. Pitts grunted, stumbled backward, hit the post, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.


    Wow!


    The audience gasped in surprise. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link pressed on, pinning Pitts'' arms with his left, and utilizing his height and arm length advantage, he repeatedly smashed three heavy punches onto Pitts'' forehead and cheeks, as if forging iron.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Pitts, cornered and unable to move, adopted a hugging strategy, holding Link''s arms and sneakily punching his ribs.


    "Break!"


    The referee rushed in to separate the two.


    The match resumed, and Link threw only one punch before the sound of the bell marking the end of the third round.


    "Link, there''s only one round left. Knocking out Pitts isn''t realistic. Focus on scoring this round,"


    Coach Ed advised.


    Link nodded and poured a whole bottle of water over himself with his boxing gloves, then had Morales wipe him down with a towel.


    Opposite corner.


    Calvin Peters'' coach was also laying out strategies.


    "Calvin, Link''s plan to enter the Olympics with all KOs has been disrupted by you, great job. The scores are roughly equal between you and Link over the first three rounds. In this last round, focus on defense first, then find opportunities to counterattack Link and try to score a few points to secure the win. Go, Peters!"


    Pitts'' coach said.


    Pitts nodded and spat out some bloody saliva.


    The fourth round began.


    With only 120 seconds left in the match, Link could throw a maximum of 120 punches. How could he knock out Pitts with 120 punches?


    Link''s strategy was to surprise his opponent.


    As soon as the match restarted, his fists desperately bombarded Pitts'' arms, ten punches, ten heavy punches breaking through Pitts'' defense once more, aiming for Pitts'' jawbone with a fierce right swing punch.


    Crack!


    A sound of breaking came from Pitts'' mouth. When he lifted his head, the jaw was slightly skewed to the left, and fresh blood flowed from his mouth.


    "Fuck!"


    Pitts cursed angrily.


    Link spared him a glance, with no time to concern himself with the opponent''s injuries, he raised his fists and continued his fierce attack on Pitts'' face, focusing particularly on the jawbone.


    Pitts lowered his head, shielding his injured jaw with his arms.


    Seizing the opportunity, Link, taking advantage of his height and arm length, swung his fists, pounding punch after punch on top of Pitts'' head. With this kind of punching power, not a single opponent in the Golden Gloves championships could withstand it, not even Morales.


    But Pitts resisted.


    Link, noting Pitts'' bleeding jaw, admired his resilience and therefore hit even harder.


    He swung his fists towards Pitts, who tightly guarded his head with his arms and continuously retreated, never giving him a chance to strike the face or jawbone. At this rate, even a hundred more punches would not bring him down entirely.


    Link raised his eyebrows, suddenly punched into thin air, staggered, and his back hit the ropes.


    The spectators gasped in surprise.


    Pitts, thrilled, roared and swung his fists toward Link''s head.


    Link''s eyes brightened, tilted his head, dodging Pitts'' punch. Pitts''s strengths were his physique and willpower, but his weaknesses were speed and responsiveness.


    "Watch out!"


    Someone from below the boxing ring yelled loudly.


    Pitts had no time to react; all he heard was the whooshing sound approaching.


    Bang!


    Link''s rear hook punch, late yet swift, smashed solidly and fiercely onto Pitts''s jawbone.


    Ah!


    Pitts cried out in pain, his jawbone sharply skewed to the left, and as it did, his mouth involuntarily opened, ejecting a bloody mouthguard.


    Pitts staggered a few steps, and just as he was about to fall, he grabbed onto the ropes and knelt on the boxing ring.


    A gasp rose from the crowd; ''The Rock'' Pitts was known for never having been knocked down before, but this time he was brought to his knees on the ring by Link.


    "Stop!"


    The referee halted the match, and two doctors ascended the ring to check on Pitts''s jaw injury, stating his jawbone was dislocated and there were severe lacerations inside his mouth and at the corners. They recommended the match be stopped immediately.


    Pitts chose to continue.


    There were still 52 seconds left in the match.


    Link swung his fists at Pitts''s head, and Pitts covered his jaw, retreating constantly. But his speed was far slower than Link''s. Link caught up, using a feint to strike at his opponent''s ribs, causing Pitts''s body to sink due to the impact.


    Link seized the opportunity, delivering a tricky jab that broke through the defense, landing precisely on Pitts''s torn jawbone.


    "Ah!!"


    Pitts cried out in pain, covering his chin as he backed into a corner.


    "Break!"


    The referee, grabbing his arm, shouted.


    Link raised both fists, taking three steps back.


    There were still 32 seconds left.


    The doctor examined Pitts''s jawbone again, stating it was severely displaced and the inner lining of the mouth was badly torn, recommending an immediate stop to the match.


    Spitting blood, Pitts glared angrily at Link, mumbling through his mouth that he wanted to continue the match and would not let anyone score a KO on him.


    Link nodded at his opponent, not planning to give up on knocking him out.


    As the match resumed, he took advantage of Pitts being dazed by the blows to break his defense with a swing punch, followed by an extremely cunning right jab, breaking past Pitts''s arms and striking his jawbone again.


    Crack!


    Pitts cried out in pain, his arms covering his chin as he stepped back, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.


    Unblinking at the bloody spectacle, Link continued.


    With 12 seconds left, as the time was nearly up, he followed up closely, a left straight punch breaking the defense, and a right swing punch swinging up fiercely.


    "Stop!!!"


    "We give up!"


    Below the ring, Pitts''s coach shouted out, throwing a white towel up onto the ring.


    "Stop!"


    The referee, holding Link back with both hands, shouted loudly, telling him he had already won and to stop fighting.


    Link lowered his fists, slowly exhaled, and flashed a gentle smile at those beneath the ring.


    "Yeah!"


    "Link won!"


    Members of the United States boxing team cheered loudly.


    Link''s body swayed as he leaned against the ropes, gasping for air, his arm muscles visibly trembling.


    This match had been incredibly tough, with the opponent exhibiting remarkable resilience in body and spirit. If it hadn''t been for the damage inflicted on Pitts''s jaw and the subsequent worsening of his injuries, achieving a KO would have been nearly impossible.


    But he had still won, and a TKO is also a KO.


    Wiping sweat off with his arm, Link raised his fist to the crowd.


    "He actually won? And scored a KO?"


    Rosniel looked at Sawn and Aragon, shocked.


    "He''s stronger than any of us thought, Aragon, you need to be careful," Sawn said, holding a camera in admiration.


    Aragon looked at Link in the ring, clenched his fists, a look of combat readiness on his face.

 Chapter 59 Taylor

    Link and Pitts''s match had ended.The Miami Herald described the match as ''brutal'' and ''shocking,'' nobody expected Link to shatter the ''Rock'' Pitts''s jaw, ending the match by forcing the opponent to surrender.


    The outcome was shocking.


    However, Link also faced some criticism afterward, claiming his method of competing was somewhat bloody. In amateur matches, even with protective gear, he could still shatter an opponent''s jaw with his fist, which was simply too brutal.


    He thereby earned another nickname¡ª''Destroyer,'' it was said his heavy punch could destroy any opponent, no matter how robust their body was, they would be destroyed under his attack.


    The official Cuban newspaper Granma also reported on this, with more criticism than praise, claiming that Olympic series contests are amateur and focus on exchange and learning.


    Link''s method of winning every match by KO was ''too extreme, unacceptable,'' and they believed the Olympic Organizing Committee and the American Boxing Association should intervene and urge Link to amend his way of competing.


    Link did not care about the external disapproval; getting injured or injuring an opponent was very normal on the boxing ring, whether in professional or amateur matches, injuries among boxers occurred.


    Some boxers, after getting injured, request stopping the match to treat wounds and prevent the injury from worsening affecting their future, like Rosniel; some choose to persist despite bleeding more, worsening the injuries, like Pitts.


    Whether to continue the match after being injured or to give up is entirely a personal choice, and it is the individual''s responsibility, not the opponent''s.


    Moreover, neither the Olympic Organizing Committee nor the Boxing Association had the right to interfere in this matter, as boxing competitions, whether amateur or professional, all regard the strength of the boxer.


    Since boxers are allowed to infinitely improve their defense and resistance to strikes, they must also be permitted to infinitely enhance their offense and breaking defenses. Demanding changes just because someone''s punches are heavy and aggressive is unreasonable.


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    ''Such demands are extremely unreasonable, amateurish, and absurd, like stopping the production of axes worldwide because an axe broke down your front door.''


    Subsequently, the magazine "Ring" published a rebuttal to the Granma''s critique.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After the fourth round of matches, the qualification moved into the semifinals.


    Link drew Venezuelan dark horse Alva Enriques in the lottery.


    Lorenzo Aragon''s opponent was Mexico''s Fernando Vargas.


    Fernando, after being defeated by Alva in the previous round, advanced to the semifinals by defeating Jamaica''s Douglas Silva and by Pitts of Haiti withdrawing from the competition.


    Link''s first match against dark horse Alva, unlike ''Rock'' Pitts''s toughness and bulk, featured a boxer known for technique and speed, very nimble in attack and dodging, and a tenacious fighting style.


    Alva, taking advantage of this, won five consecutive bouts after an initial loss, directly advancing to the top three.


    To deal with such a boxer, overpowering him in technique and speed was not difficult, the tricky part was how to KO him.


    "Link, there''s news from the Olympic Organizing Committee, Alva has voluntarily withdrawn from the match, you are advanced directly to the finals,"


    Link was watching competitor Alva''s match video in the hotel when coach Ed hurriedly came in and informed him that Alva had decided to withdraw from the next round.


    In his last game against Fernando of Mexico, although Alva won, Fernando''s aggressive style caused him to suffer rib injuries with two ribs fractured, and if he continued to fight, the injury would become more severe.


    After careful consideration, they decided to withdraw from the subsequent matches.


    "Haha, Link, it''s your fierce style that scared him. Alva saw how you injured Rock Pitts and got scared, that''s why he withdrew,"


    Andzeje laughed.


    "Link, every match you have to win by KO and you''ve done just that. This means everyone stepping into the ring needs to prepare to be knocked out by you, which is terrifying to think about,"


    Jones Fullos said, smirking.


    Link smiled faintly; an opponent voluntarily withdrawing from the match was good news¡ªit meant one less match and one more day to rest and prepare before the next one.


    The next opponent, Aragon, was more troublesome than Pitts.


    He had almost failed to KO Pitts, how should he fight someone even tougher like Aragon? Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link had watched Aragon''s fights on videotape over ten times and still had no clue.


    Ding-ding!


    The phone ringtone chimed; it was Taylor calling, stating she had arrived at Havana Airport and asking if he could pick her up.


    Link was surprised; last time Taylor mentioned she wouldn''t be able to come, so why the sudden visit?


    He borrowed the keys from the boxing team''s driver and drove the minibus to Jose Marti International Airport.


    Located 18 kilometers southwest of Havana City center, named after Latin American liberation movement leader Jose Marti, Jose Marti Airport is Cuba''s main international and domestic airport.


    Due to tense relations between the two countries, from the 1960s, the Cuban government banned any US flights from landing in Cuban airports, only in recent years as relations thawed did they ease some restrictions, allowing certain US groups to travel to Cuba, but only flights from Miami, New York, and Los Angeles were available to Cuba.


    Link drove to Terminal 3 of the airport and spotted Taylor in the lounge area, long unseen.


    She was wearing a white printed T-shirt and blue jeans, topped with a pink baseball cap, tall and beautiful, with a guitar case slung on her back, very conspicuous among the crowd.


    Beside her was a middle-aged man in a wheelchair and a female assistant who was busy on the phone.


    "Hey, Taylor!"


    Link took off his sunglasses and waved.


    "Link!"


    Taylor waved her arms happily and ran over from the crowd, laughing as she threw herself into his arms.


    Link smiled lightly and gave the girl a gentle hug.


    "You seem even cooler."


    Taylor looked up, blinked, and laughed as she surveyed his face.


    Link looked at the girl''s beautiful face, her blue fox eyes, golden bangs, and cute smile, which seemed even prettier than before, and as he held her, all he could smell was her scent.


    "You''ve gotten prettier too."


    Link laughed.


    "Taylor, don''t run so fast, there are a lot of thieves around here."


    A middle-aged man rolled his wheelchair through the crowd, following them. The man was in his forties, dressed in casual business attire, with a refined appearance, slightly balding, and sporting a bit of a middle-aged belly.


    Link let go of the girl in his arms and looked at the man in the wheelchair, "Who is this gentleman?"


    "This is my dad, he suddenly became paralyzed on one side of his body the night before last, my mom asked me to take care of him at the hospital, but I had promised you that I would come to watch the match, so I couldn''t break the promise. I thought it over and suddenly had a great idea, why not bring him along? He also likes watching boxing matches, right Dad?"


    Taylor wrapped her arm around his and looked at Mr. Swift with a smile.


    Link looked perplexedly at the father and daughter. The daughter bringing her half-paralyzed father to a match? And the father agreed?


    Mr. Swift felt a bit awkward. The day before, he had reluctantly agreed to his wife''s suggestion to pretend he was unable to get up due to back pain. His wife, worried that a minor issue like back pain wouldn''t keep their daughter by his side, exaggerated his condition, saying he was paralyzed on one side.


    After learning this, Taylor was deeply upset and said she would find the best doctor to cure him.


    Unable to bear seeing Taylor upset, he told her he was fine, that it was just a minor issue and he''d be better in a couple of days.


    Taylor asked if he was really okay?


    Mr. Swift confirmed he was really alright.


    The doctor also said there was nothing serious, just temporary paralysis, and a few days of rest should do the trick.


    Mrs. Andrea wanted Taylor to stay in the hospital to take care of him and not run about.


    After taking care of him for half a day, Taylor suddenly proposed bringing him to Havana to watch a boxing match.


    Mr. Swift didn''t want to agree initially but seeing Taylor upset, he couldn''t bear it and agreed, then followed her on the long flight from Los Angeles to the capital of Cuba, Havana, feeling as if it were all a dream.


    "Mr. Swift, welcome to Havana to watch my match. I hope it won''t interfere with your treatment,"


    Link bent down, extended his hand, and spoke.


    "No worries, it won''t delay anything."


    Mr. Swift shook his hand and also sized up Link, noticing he was dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, mild-mannered, and very polite, not seeming like a bad person.


    "Link, this is my assistant, Emily."


    Taylor pointed to the girl pushing the wheelchair and spoke.


    The woman, in her twenties, was dressed in casual attire and was on the phone. Hearing Taylor''s introduction, she nodded at Link and then quietly said to Taylor while holding the phone, "It''s Anne''s call, she heard that you secretly brought Mr. Swift to Havana and is very, very angry."


    "Mrs. Andrea doesn''t know you guys came to Havana?" Link asked in surprise.


    "She''s too busy, I didn''t tell her."


    Taylor playfully blinked and her lips curved slightly. She took the phone and carefully called out ''mom''. Immediately, an angry voice came through the speaker, "Taylor, I told you to stay at home and take care of your dad, and you take him abroad to watch a boxing match? Are you insane?"


    Taylor moved the phone away from her ear as the voice in the speaker paused, then with a beaming smile, she said, "Mom, don''t worry, I spoke with the doctor. The doctor told me that Dad''s illness is mainly caused by psychological factors. It''s best for him to walk around outside and get some sun. He''ll be better in a few days."


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Your dad is paralyzed on one side, and you want him to walk around outside?"


    The voice on the phone was somewhat hysterical.


    Taylor covered her ears and handed the phone over to Mr. Swift, "Dad, talk to mom, tell her you came voluntarily."


    Mr. Swift spread his hands. How could a half-paralyzed man voluntarily go out? But it was his daughter''s request, and so he took the phone and spoke gently into the receiver for a while.


    Link noticed the sweat on Mr. Swift''s forehead and quietly lamented, being a man was not easy, being a man for a strong woman was doubly hard.


    The group was delayed at the airport for a few minutes, then Link drove Taylor, Mr. Swift, and the assistant Emily to the hotel. Since Mr. Swift and Emily were always sticking close to Taylor, whether she went, Emily followed closely, leaving little chance for Link and Taylor to be alone.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 060 Mario

    When Taylor Swift suddenly arrived in Havana, Coach West and his crew also reached Havana. Since it was a short trip from Miami to Havana, they took a ferry across the Florida Straits. The group included more than twenty people, with Reggie, Mario, and other boxers and apprentices from the gym all coming along.Two familiar faces from the Miami Herald''s sports section, Rafael Varane, the editor, and the reporter Simmons, were also part of the group.


    Mr. Rafael Varane was a thin, elderly Caucasian man with designer sunglasses and a black pipe, accompanied by a beautiful young girlfriend, much in the style of an early 20th-century French intellectual.


    When he talked, he did so with a heavy French accent, occasionally using obscure French words, like when he praised Link''s last match as ''impressionnant'' instead of ''impressif''.


    "Link, your last match gave us a big surprise, we predicted many outcomes, but never thought you would win the match that way, it was spectacular."


    Mr. Varane spread his arms wide and spoke with an exaggerated tone.


    Link shrugged, "Mr. Varane, if you believe what I say, from now on, there will only be one outcome to my matches, KO!"


    "Haha, confident kid, I like you!"


    Mr. Varane laughed heartily and patted Link''s arm.


    "Rafael, allow me to interrupt a bit. Link, regarding your last game, I have a few questions to interview you, is that alright?"


    Reporter Simmons interjected from the side.


    Days had gone by, and Simmons had swapped to a new hairpiece, changing from front bangs to a few inches of curly brown hair, making him look much younger and more stylish.


    Link nodded and said it was fine.


    Simmons immediately took out his recorder and started, "Link, in the last match, you injured Pitts'' jaw, forcing him to concede. Was this a tactic you had planned beforehand?"


    Link denied this, "Before going on stage, my only tactic was to KO him. I hadn''t planned on how exactly I would defeat him, as the ring is also a battlefield and situations change in moments, so planning ahead isn''t as good as adapting on the spot."


    Mr. Varane nodded beside him, took a puff from his pipe and said, "So injuring Pitts'' jaw, forcing him to surrender, was also part of your improvisation?"


    "Roughly, Pitts'' defensive capabilities were incredibly strong, among all the opponents I''ve faced, he had the strongest defensive ability, feeling barely inferior to professional boxers like Chris Byrd. His capacity to withstand punches was also very high, his body felt like an iron barrel.


    During the match, I threw hundreds of heavy punches, but couldn''t breach his defense. Later, Coach Ed suggested attacking his weak points, such as his nose, eyes, and chin, and then I succeeded."


    Link spread his hands out and laughed.


    Mr. Varane clapped, "Well done, Link! Your punch not only shocked the amateur boxing world but also scared the professional boxers. I think when you enter the professional sphere, there will definitely be a lot of cowards who, fearing your heavy punch, will refuse to fight you."


    Link chuckled, "That''s also what I hope to see. I hope those guys who are all bark no bite would better give up the Golden Belt before I step into professional boxing and leave it to me, and if they can''t bear to part with it, they should get ready to be KO''d by me."


    Mr. Varane wow''ed and clapped his hands, praising Link for speaking well.


    "All bark no bite? Which champion are you referring to?"


    Simmons asked, quite excitedly.


    "Not any one person, but everyone who dares to question my abilities."


    Before the qualifiers, online media had many people doubting his performance in the Golden Gloves Tournament, suspecting that his all-KO record was fabricated by promotional companies and boxing associations creating a boxing star, with Link being the chosen one.


    But as the qualifiers moved into the semifinals of the fourth round, Link''s consistent KOs against strong opponents elevated his amateur record to 21 wins, 21 matches, 21 KOs, silencing the doubters online instantly.


    Instead, Link''s fans pursued those naysayers relentlessly, often using his match data and clips on various forums to counter those who had doubted him, allowing his fans to vent significantly.


    Proving his strength and dispelling external doubts were among the reasons Link insisted on using the KO tactic in the qualifiers.


    Simmons, hearing his tone, mentally praised him, indeed it was very much Link''s style¡ªLink''s statement, once spread, would surely have many calling him boastful again.


    "Link, starting from yesterday, there have been numerous news articles questioning your method of winning matches, believing that you''re capable of winning by points but you insist on winning by knocking out your opponents. They think this method is too cruel and harms the opponents, violating the spirit of Olympic sports. What''s your take on this issue?"


    "They are talking nonsense."


    Mr. Varane, holding his pipe, scolded, "All human sports are about pursuing faster, higher, and stronger achievements. Boxing represents the strongest. What''s the point of boxing if you can''t hurt your opponent? It''s as absurd as saying the rabbit shouldn''t run too fast in the Tortoise and the Hare to avoid hurting the turtle''s pride."


    Link smiled lightly, "Mr. Varane is absolutely right. Boxing is the art of knocking out. If you can''t knock out your opponent, that''s the boxing of weaklings. I don''t believe I''m doing anything wrong; those who think I am are laymen. Why should we listen to the nonsense of laypeople?"


    Simmons nodded, recording his words.


    After the interview, Varane and Simmons had other interviews scheduled, said their goodbyes early, and encouraged him to keep fighting hard, striving to knock out Aragon. They mentioned it was okay if he couldn''t knock him out, just to try and secure the American championship first.


    Clearly, just like everyone else, these two gentlemen believed he had a chance to beat Aragon by points, but winning by knocking him out would likely be difficult.


    "Link, how do you do it? Those guys in the qualifiers are the toughest from every country. How can you still knock them out to win?"


    Reggie finally found an opportunity to speak with him, coming up with an admiring expression of astonishment.


    "Probably because I''m better than them."


    Link chuckled, swinging his fists.


    "Yeah, yeah, you''re amazing, too amazing. You''re better than anyone else in the whole world."


    Mario grinned broadly, his smile not reaching his eyes as he spoke.


    Link glanced at him, sensing that his expression was somewhat off, thanked him, and then went to talk to West.


    As Link walked away, Reggie bumped Mario, "Why did you talk like that just now?"


    Mario''s face immediately fell, and he cornered his lips, "You told me when I see Link, to praise him energetically to curry favor with him, so maybe he''d keep me on as his sparring partner. I praised him just now, what''s wrong with that?"


    "I told you to praise Link sincerely, to mean it, not to be sarcastic or mock him." Reggie said helplessly.


    Mario scratched his chubby face and frowned, "But I really can''t suck up like that; some things I just can''t say, it feels shameful."


    Reggie covered his forehead, "That''s not sucking up, that''s stating facts. Everywhere Link competes, domestically or internationally, if they''re his opponent, they get knocked out, every single one of them. Don''t you think that''s impressive?"


    "Not really. He just has natural talent and strength. If I had his talent and strength, I could knock someone out with one punch too." Mario confidently said, clenching his fist, the size of a punching bag.


    "But Link isn''t just naturally gifted; he''s also diligent, hard-working, and smart. Don''t you think that deserves your respect?" Reggie said dryly.


    "Hard-working, diligent, and smart, aren''t those talents too?" Mario asked, blinking. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Reggie slapped his forehead and waved his hand, walking away to drink some water.


    Mario shrugged his shoulders and looked at Link who was chatting with West. West was all smiles, patting Link on the shoulder and laughing heartily, happier than if he were seeing his own son or grandson.


    Mario couldn''t help but clench his fist tighter. It''s just great talent, what''s so great about that?


    But then he thought about how West was recently looking to appoint new sparring partners for Link, reportedly choosing two, and Mario felt a wave of disappointment and irritation. Isn''t having a strong sparring partner like himself enough? Why look outside for others?


    Thinking about other sparring partners joining the gym, potentially using his punching bag and boxing ring, even replacing him in practice sessions with Link, Mario felt even more displeased.


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    No way!


    The job as a sparring partner must not be taken by others.


    Mario took a deep breath, grinned, and cheekily moved between Link and West.

 Chapter 061 Selena Gomez

    With Lorenzo Aragon beating his opponent, Fernando, with a score of 32:14 in the semi-finals to secure another Olympic berth, the time for the finals was also drawing near.Before the final match arrived, debates about whether Link or Aragon would become the Super Middleweight champion of the Americas Zone had not ceased since Link defeated the rock-solid Pitts.


    Online, in the newspapers, and among ordinary people''s conversations, everyone following the event argued about this issue.


    Some supported Link to win but didn''t think he could KO Aragon. They believed that if he insisted on a KO, Aragon would undoubtedly emerge as the ultimate winner.


    For instance, Doug Fisher, the editor-in-chief of "Ringside" magazine and also a seasoned sports commentator who served as HBO Boxing''s gold-standard host from 1994¨C2002, wanted to tell a reporter in an interview.


    He thought that Link''s insistence on a KO could likely lead to his loss.


    In the last match, with only 12 seconds left, if Link''s attack pace was a few seconds slower, or if Pitts had held on a little longer, he wouldn''t have been able to win by KO.


    And Aragon was a more troublesome opponent than Pitts; his physical condition, ability to take hits, and defensive skills were not inferior to Pitts.


    Another important point was that Aragon was more agile than Pitts, with faster reaction and evasion speeds.


    The Rear Hook Punch tactic that Link used to blindside Pitts in their match would not work against Aragon, which was a disadvantage for Link.


    Additionally, Aragon had participated in two World Boxing Championships and one Olympic Games, with more extensive experience than both Pitts and Link.


    Especially in the 86 amateur matches Aragon took part in, he was undefeated in the last 50 matches, and in 70% of them, he scored over 30 points.


    One could say that Aragon was an elite among the elite.


    If Link chose to compete with Aragon on points, he had a 50% chance of winning. Insisting on winning by KO, his chances of victory were less than 10%.


    Doug Fisher suggested that Link should use tactics flexibly and not be fixed on a KO.


    Apart from Doug Fisher, boxing experts and opinion leaders in North America also expressed their views on the matter. Some were optimistic about Link, believing he could continue to break records, while others favored Aragon, thinking he could win on points. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amidst the debates on who would win and how, there was endless controversy.


    For a time, this originally inconspicuous Olympic qualifier had become one of the hottest sports news in the Euro-American region, even more so than the news of the Celtics lifting the NBA Championship trophy for the seventeenth time.


    On the day of the final, the Havana Social and Sports Center venue welcomed more than 200 media journalists from various countries, a number far beyond the Cuban government''s expectations. Reportedly, dozens of journalists were detained at the airport port because they were not adequately prepared and failed to pass Cuban customs in time to reach the venue.


    Moreover, on the day before the finals, all 12,427 tickets for the main venue of the Social and Sports Center sold out. Many citizens and Euro-American tourists, unable to buy tickets, requested the Havana government to change the venue to the larger Havana University Sports Hall.


    This request was refused by Havana officials, but the government said it would open up surrounding venues to add over three thousand seats.


    So on the day of the match, throngs of pedestrians and vehicles converged on the plaza of the Social and Sports Center.


    ¡ª


    "Look, so many people! Are they all here to watch Link box?"


    "Selena, don''t be so rude. You should call him brother."


    "I''m not calling him brother!"


    Tourist Selena Gomez wrinkled her nose, took several pictures of the dense crowd with her camera, and then turned to the tall lady behind her and said, "So, Catherine, we flew all the way from New York just to watch a boxing match?"


    The dark-haired lady named Catherine flicked her forehead, "Isn''t it you who wanted to come here? You said after filming, you wanted a vacation, we gave you several options, and it was you who chose this place, so why blame us?"


    "I picked Miami, okay, it''s all Link''s fault, always running around, even coming to Cuba for boxing."


    Selena pouted unhappily, then with furrowed brows, she asked, "Catherine, did Link ever practice boxing before? I had no idea."


    "No!"


    "Then how did he become a boxer, even preparing to participate in the Olympics? I heard that only very, very impressive boxers can take part in the Olympics, the few best from each continent."


    "I don''t know."


    "How can you not know anything? Catherine, you''re kind of failing as a mom."


    Selena tilted her little face, her finger pointing to her chin, teasingly.


    Thump!


    The woman named Catherine flicked her on the head again.


    Selena, holding her head and glaring at her, felt very dissatisfied inside. Why did her mother and aunt height over 170 cm, and even that jerk Link at 186 cm, while she was only 165 cm? It was so unfair.


    "Okay, I admit I''ve been a failure, not caring enough for Link, but he''s doing fine now, he doesn''t need my concern. How about I pay more attention to you from now on?"


    The woman named Catherine said, ruffling her fluffy hair with a smile.


    "Hmph, I don''t need it!"


    Selena flicked her hand away.


    "Catherine, I got the tickets, we can go in now."


    An older lady approached, holding three tickets and called out.


    "Anna, how much?"


    Selena rushed forward, snatching the tickets and asked.


    "320 dollars, we bought them too late."


    "320? That''s so expensive? No way, when I see Link, I''ll make him pay me back; if he doesn''t, I''ll beat him up."


    With the tickets in hand, Selena stormed off towards the ticket checkpoint, fuming.


    The two ladies shook their heads and followed.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Behind the scenes in the venue''s locker room, Link changed into his competition gear and walked out to the resting area outside, where he told Taylor who was waiting there, "Don''t worry about me, I''m fine. Just sit comfortably in the stands and watch the match."


    "I heard Lorenzo Aragon is really strong, aren''t you afraid?"


    Under the bright lights of the locker room, Taylor Swift stretched his calves while sitting on a bench. He was appraising Link, who was baring his muscular back, his powerful pectorals, the clear contours of his abs, and his sexy Adonis belt, making Taylor take a few extra glances.


    "Haven''t you heard that I''m even tougher?"


    Link said with a smile while tying his shoelaces.


    "I''ve heard that, heard you''ve had 21 fights with 21 KOs, and in the last fight, you even made your opponent bleed from the chin¡ªtough to deal with."


    "Then that''s right. How''s Mr. Swift''s condition? Will coming here to watch the match affect his treatment?"


    "It''s fine, the doctor said it''s just too much stress, and I don''t even know why he has so much stress working at a finance company."


    Taylor shrugged, his face carrying an inexplicable smile.


    Link gave a light smile; of course, the pressure on a middle-aged man was immense.


    "Link, it''s time for the physical, how are you feeling?"


    Morales called out from outside the door.


    "I''ll be right there!"


    Link responded, then said to Taylor, "Go ahead to the match, take good care of your dad. I''ll find you both after it''s over."


    "Okay!"


    Taylor gave a slight smile, kissed him on the face, and then left the locker room humming a tune.


    Link did a warm-up routine in the locker room, his skin starting to sweat, and followed Morales to the medical examination and gear check area for the pre-entry checks.


    Besides a drug test, another important pre-fight check was the weight measurement.


    As the super middleweight category for the Olympics ranged from 71 to 76 kilograms, before the match, Link had to cut nearly two kilograms. During his stay in Havana, he dared not eat or drink lavishly, sticking to bread and water brought from the United States every day.


    This time, his measured weight was 75.65 kilograms, barely making the cut.


    "Link, you''ve already secured your Olympic spot, so don''t be too nervous about this match, and don''t take it too seriously. Just fight like you normally do; if you can win, win, if not, losing is okay too. There are many more bouts next month, and we''ll have chances to win back. Remember, don''t get injured at all costs."


    Coach Ed advised earnestly.


    "I understand. You don''t need to be too nervous either."


    Link looked at him, his face looking a few years older, and smiled.


    "Link! Come on!"


    "Link! Come on!"


    Morales, Andzeje, Andrea Berto, and a few other teammates acting as assistants looked at him and shouted, throwing their fists in the air.


    "Come on!"


    Link also shouted back, waving his fists energetically.


    After his equipment passed inspection, Link, dressed in red protective gear, walked out of the gloomy corridor with his coaches and assistants striding beside him.


    Boom~ The moment he emerged from the passageway, waves of tsunami-like cheers and shouts assailed his eardrums from every direction.


    "Aragon! Come on!"


    "Aragon! Must win!"


    "Aragon, champion!" Read new adventures at empire


    "Aragon, beat that American guy to death!"


    Link was initially stunned for a second, then suddenly realized this wasn''t Miami, nor his home ground, and the audience wasn''t his supporters; this was an away game.


    He looked up at the densely packed spectator seats, laughed, and with a powerful shout amidst the roar of the crowd, raised his fists and exclaimed,


    "Victory for Link!"

 Chapter 062 At the Competition

    "Aragon! Must win!""Aragon! Champion!"


    The social and cultural center venue was packed to its brim half an hour before the match. Nearly twenty thousand seats were filled across three levels, even the small open area around the boxing ring was occupied by media reporters, as well as tourists and Cuban wealthy who were willing to spend a hefty sum to watch the match.


    Only ten minutes before the match was due to start, HBO''s cameras had not been turned on, and the sports channel''s host, Steve Mandanda, wandered beneath the stage empty-handed with yellow-brown sweat stains soaking his shirt collar and his forehead dripping with sweat.


    The reason was simple. HBO was originally scheduled to broadcast this match and had already communicated with Cuban officials before arriving, agreeing to pay a broadcast fee. However, just before the match was to start, the Cuban officials suddenly retracted their permission, not allowing the broadcast of the match. Enjoy more content from empire


    This sudden change left the HBO staff unprepared, and all the preliminary work was done in vain; both the host, Steve, and the cameraman, Sean, could only wait helplessly on-site as the higher-ups from the TV station negotiated with the Cuban government.


    After a little more than a minute, an HBO staff member ran over and told Steve that they could continue to record on-site, but if Aragon lost the match, they would not be allowed to publicly broadcast the recorded tape.


    "How can they do this?"


    Cameraman Sean complained, looking at Steve, "Should we even record?"


    "Let''s record it! We''ll figure it out later," Steve decided after a moment.


    Amateur boxing matches were not popular in TV broadcasts because of the protective gear involved, less spectacular scenes, and the rarity of knockouts, which made them unappealing to the audience and uninteresting for HBO to broadcast.


    But since Link had risen in the amateur boxing world, the situation had changed. This guy knocked out his opponent in every match, making his matches as intense as professional boxing.


    In mid-June, the broadcast of the Golden Gloves Tournament super middleweight finals attracted over fifteen million viewers in North America, making it the highest-rated program in the broadcast of amateur boxing matches, with HBO earning a considerable amount of subscription fees through this program.


    During Link''s last match against the Haitian Pitts, blood was drawn, creating sensational visual effects. The Cuban TV sports channel sold the recorded tape of the match to TV stations across the Americas, earning over a million US dollars.


    This time, Link''s opponent was Lorenzo Aragon, who was even more formidable than Pitts. Because both competitors were well-known in the boxing scene in the Americas, many boxing enthusiasts were eager to see the match and find out who would win.


    Where there was interest, there was a profit to be made. Commercial TV stations like HBO sent people to broadcast the match.


    However, since the match involved the Cuban athlete Aragon and was set in Havana, Cuba,


    if Aragon lost, it was not just a matter of winning or losing a match. It was entangled with more complex issues, which is why the Cuban government was hesitant about broadcasting the match.


    Steve wiped the oily sweat from his face with a damp cloth, took out the equipment needed for the meal, and signaled Sean and several other staff members to prepare for recording.


    According to the Cuban authorities, if Aragon lost the match, the recorded video could not be made public, but if Link lost, the video could be broadcast.


    Link had been highly popular in America over the past two months. With his outstanding appearance, formidable strength, and bold statements, he had gained a large fanbase in the boxing community.


    Plenty of people would definitely want to see even his losing footage.


    Considering the situation on-site, Steve felt that Link did not have a strong chance of winning.


    "Aragon must win!"


    "Aragon, the champion!"


    Steve''s eardrums buzzed with the shouting from the spectator stands, and he moved to the corner with a microphone, addressing the camera that flashed a red light, "Good afternoon, dear viewers, I''m your old friend, Steve Mandanda.


    The location where I am now is Havana, Cuba, a beautiful city located on the Caribbean Coast.


    The last amateur boxing match I broadcasted for you was in Miami at the American Airlines Arena, the finals of the Golden Gloves super middleweight championship.


    Today at the social and cultural center gym in Havana, I will once again broadcast an amateur boxing match for you all, which is the final match of the Olympic Americas Zone qualifiers.


    After six rounds, from 18 countries, the competition among 62 Super Middleweight Boxers concluded yesterday, deciding the top two in the Americas Zone. One of them is Lorenzo Aragon from Cuba, who was the silver medalist in the 69 kg category at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.


    The other finalist is the boxer from Miami, America, Link Baker!


    Yes, it was he who achieved the Super Middleweight champion title this year at the Golden Gloves Tournament with a record of 17 fights, 17 wins, and 17 KOs. In this Olympic qualification, he continued his streak by achieving all his wins through KOs, entering the finals with a current amateur record of..."


    Steve glanced down at the card in his hand, "21 fights, 21 wins, 21 KOs, Oh, such impressive stats. He should have had one more win, but his opponent, the Venezuelan Boxer Alva, withdrew due to injury in the semifinals, allowing him once again to enter the Americas Zone finals with an all-KO run in 4 fights.


    Today, Link will be here, facing the local Cuban boxer Lorenzo Aragon, a boxer whom ''Ring Magazine'' rated among the elite amateurs. Whether Link can win again, let''s wait and see."


    Steve sighed, took a sip of mineral water¡ªHavana''s weather was too humid, and the gymnasium was even hotter. Working in a suit felt like torture.


    "Steve, Link is coming out, do you want to interview him?"


    The cameraman, Sean, pointed towards the entrance on the east side. Amid the shouts of "Aragon will win" from thousands of spectators, Link and his coaching team walked through the passage.


    The seating areas on both sides of the passage were also packed with people, with about forty to fifty journalists walking and interviewing Link as they went.


    Steve Mandanda took a deep breath, approached the group of journalists with a microphone and camera, and shouted out loud, "Link, I''m Steve from HBO, I interviewed you last time at the American Airlines Arena. I have two questions for you."


    Link looked up at him and recognized this provoking fellow.


    As HBO is a broadcasting giant and a major channel for Boxing events, boxers looking to earn PPV shares need to collaborate with HBO, so they usually give special consideration to journalists and hosts from HBO.


    Link did the same, slowing his pace and asked, "Hello Steve, what are your questions?"


    "About your opponent Lorenzo Aragon, how confident are you that you can beat him, can you express it in a percentage?"


    Steve asked loudly with the sweat dripping from his face.


    "200%!"


    Link responded while walking.


    "Wow!"


    The surrounding journalists exclaimed in amazement.


    "Aragon will win!"


    The local Cuban citizens in the nearby spectator area shouted loudly, their voices swallowing up the noise created by the journalists.


    "Link, I heard you would continue to ''kill'' the match with KOs, do you already have a tactic, could you reveal a bit about it?"


    Steve shouted.


    "Of course, my tactic is to knock him down with full force."


    Link waved his fist towards the camera.


    "Link, I have another question. Facing over ten thousand Cuban spectators here, all chanting for Aragon''s victory, does it put pressure on you?"


    Steve added an impromptu question loudly. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link smiled lightly, "You should ask Aragon that question; does he feel pressure competing against a guy with a record of 21 fights and 21 KOs?"


    Steve thought about Link''s response, realizing it indeed posed an interview-worthy question.


    Link waved his fist again and addressed a few more questions from other journalists. Escorted by Morales and Andrea, he proceeded to the boxing ring''s resting area to await the sound of the match bell.

 Chapter 063 Mentality

    "Aragon must win!"The Cuban audience at the venue continued to shout loudly.


    Someone in the stands displayed the blue, white, and red Cuban flag, waving it vigorously.


    Someone on the second floor placed several crocodile skin drums, beating them forcefully, and a group of Cuban dancers performed a distinctively characteristic song and dance show in the open space for the audience.


    Especially when a group of scantily clad Cuban girls climbed onto the boxing ring and vigorously twisted their waists, performing a Cuban tropical dance, the cheers from the crowd almost lifted the roof off.


    "Aragon, don''t be nervous, relax in the match. We''ve already secured the Olympic qualifications, even losing is not a big deal, understand?"


    In the ring''s resting area, Felix Savon was giving Aragon some pre-match psychological guidance.


    For an elite boxer, having strong physical qualities and superb boxing skills is not enough.


    There is another, even more important boxing quality¡ªmentality, also known as psychological quality, which often becomes the key to winning a match.


    A boxer with a good psychological quality can perform at 100%, 120% of their ability during a match, while a boxer with poor psychological quality will be very anxious before the match, suffering from ''competition anxiety,'' and often underperform once they step onto the stage.


    For example, Tyson, despite having a strong body and ferocious fists, industry insiders generally believe that his psychological quality limited his boxing career development.


    In Tyson''s professional career, he was defeated consecutively by James Douglas, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams, and Kevin McBride, and never successfully avenged any of these defeats.


    Moreover, in boxing matches, whenever a match exceeds five rounds, Tyson would start to become impatient, and his performance would decline¡ªall of which are closely related to psychological quality.


    Compared to Tyson, Muhammad Ali''s display of psychological quality was admirable. Ali had been defeated by Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Leon Spinks, and others, but soon after, he defeated these opponents in rematches.


    Ali''s never-say-die spirit is also one of the reasons he is so highly regarded.


    According to a study by "Ring" magazine, boxers like Ali, who have strong psychological qualities, not only have connections with their personal growth environments but are also related to their competition experience. Those who have participated in major competitions tend to have good psychological qualities, which is known in the boxing world as big match experience.


    For instance, Ali, Sugar Ray Leonard, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, and other boxing champions all participated in the Olympics, and Tyson, although he participated in Olympic trials, won the U.S. Junior Olympics boxing championship twice and was the 1984 Golden Gloves heavyweight champion.


    All these are experiences from big competitions.


    If someone with no big competition experience suddenly participates in a boxing match observed by thousands, their performance will definitely not be very good.


    Lorenzo Aragon has participated in the Olympics, World Championships, Pan American Games, and other major boxing competitions, so his psychological quality will naturally not be poor.


    But the problem is, participating in a major boxing competition locally in Cuba, it is still Aragon''s first time.


    Considering this, Felix Savon decided to give his apprentice extra psychological guidance before the match to prevent him from experiencing ''competition anxiety.''


    "Felix, don''t worry, I will definitely beat that guy and win the Americas Zone championship,"


    Lorenzo Aragon said, wiping the sweat from his head with a towel.


    "Stop! Please stop thinking like that, Lorenzo!"


    Savon placed his hands on Aragon''s shoulders and stared into his shining eyes, "Remember my requirement, I''m not demanding that you must win the Americas Zone championship; my requirement is that you don''t get hurt. Protect yourself, understand?"


    "I understand, but I will definitely win,"


    Aragon said firmly.


    Savon patted his shoulder, silently encouraging him.


    "Go Aragon!"


    "Aragon must win!"


    The surrounding Cuban boxers shouted, waving their fists.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Link, don''t be too nervous, really, you don''t need to be. We''ve already secured our spot in the Olympics, this match is not crucial. What you need to do is just get through this match. Win or lose, it''s all right."


    In the red resting area, Coach Ed was once again doing some mental coaching with Link. His words weren''t anything new, all part of the old routine.


    Link glanced at the sweat-drenched Ed and smiled, "Ed, I get it, the person who doesn''t need to be nervous is you. The match is only eight minutes long. Maybe you could take a trip to the bathroom, and by the time you come back, you''ll know the result. Of course, you don''t even need to go to know, because there''s only one outcome¡ªI''m the champion."


    Coach Ed chuckled.


    Having been a boxing coach for several decades and with over ten years of experience as a national team boxing coach, Link was the strangest boxer he had ever seen. This guy had made his debut less than two months ago and had only been through a dozen amateur matches before the qualifiers.


    But in the ring, the mental strength he exhibited was astonishing. No matter the scale of the competition, no matter how strong his opponent was, he was always so confident, so relaxed and comfortable, so arrogantly at ease.


    Ed had studied him for several days but still couldn''t figure out how a rookie boxer could have such excellent, almost freakish, mental strength.


    After discussions with colleagues, everyone felt he must belong to that kind of performative personality, the more significant the stage, the more open he could be¡ªan ideal material for a star.


    "Well, since you''re not nervous, I won''t say much more. Go for it!"


    Coach Ed patted him on the shoulder.


    "Go Link!"


    "Link will win!"


    Morales, Andzeje, and a few others clenched their fists and yelled at him.


    Ding ding ding! Experience new tales on empire S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The starting bell rang, Link put on his mouthguard, removed the warming blanket from his body, and loosened his arms with a few pushing cart movements, then playfuly jumped onto the boxing ring.


    "Aragon will win!"


    "Aragon for the champion!"


    As he stepped onto the ring, the shouts of the crowd became clearer and more resonant, deafening, but Link was not intimidated in the slightest. Truly strong people are strong from within; facing an enemy''s massive army alone, when one''s spirit is sufficiently strong, that army seems no more troublesome than mere chaff.


    "Link!!!"


    Suddenly, a sharp, high-pitched, slightly cracking shout came from the stands.


    "Champion!!"


    A group of people shouted loudly in unison.


    Link turned around and saw, in the middle of the second tier of the audience seats, the chubby James waving a red flag vigorously in the air. Beside him sat hundreds of people dressed in red t-shirts¡ªDaniel, Michael, Resas, and Franco Duvall, along with many familiar faces.


    They stood amid the Cubans, waving their arms exaggeratedly like a wave, making very flamboyant movements.


    "Link!"


    Chubby James waved the flag and shouted loudly.


    "Champion!!!"


    The group of people again raised their arms in an exaggerated shake.


    Link laughed heartily, raised his fist, and waved at them.


    "Aragon! Champion!!!"


    The Cuban audience, displeased that their voices were being drowned out by a handful of Americans, also started shouting loudly together.


    Link smiled lightly and turned to look at his opponent walking towards him, Lorenzo Aragon.

 Chapter 064 Tactics

    Before stepping onto the stage, Link had repeatedly asked himself if he could have beaten Lorenzo Aragon before the Golden Gloves. The answer was no.Back then, even though he had a wealth of competition experience, his physical condition and boxing skills were far inferior to Aragon''s.


    According to his current rate of growth, the gap in physical condition between himself and Aragon was about two years.


    Link also wondered if he could defeat Aragon in the finals of the Golden Gloves. The answer was still no.


    Aragon was far more formidable than Andrea Berto, having won a world championship in boxing and a silver medal in the 69 kg category at the Olympics. He was an exceptionally outstanding boxer, much stronger than someone who had only resumed training two months ago.


    Facing him in the Golden Gloves, defeat was inevitable.


    But now, Link was filled with confidence about defeating Aragon, a confidence that wasn''t delusional or metaphysical, but a true feeling.


    This feeling had gradually built up during the current qualifiers.


    In the first round of the qualifiers, he used his powerful punches and exquisite technique to defeat and knock out the fierce Mexican contender, Matias Ezekiel Vargas Martin.


    In the second round of the qualifiers, leveraging his impregnable offensive rhythm and strong resilience, he defeated and knocked out the incredibly willful Canadian boxer, Dennis Urth.


    In the third round of the qualifiers, using his sharp judgment and extensive competition experience, he quickly spotted his opponent Rosniel''s injury, found his weakness, and forced him to concede early.


    In the fourth round, facing Pitts who had a high resistance to striking and explosive defensive abilities, he smashed through his opponent''s jaw with ruthless punches, creating a breach in his formidable defense, resulting in his forced surrender.


    In these four rounds, he had won against opponents under seemingly unlikely odds, using his strengths and skills. These victories greatly boosted his mindset and self-confidence.


    This process was growth.


    Compared to the incessant training, the growth in strength and speed, the growth in mindset and belief was equally important for a boxer.


    Because of continuous victories, his mindset strengthened, giving Link the courage to face Lorenzo Aragon in the ring, as well as the belief that he could defeat him.


    Link looked at Aragon across from him and smiled lightly, "Aragon, feeling nervous?"


    Aragon opened his distinctively black and white eyes, "The one who should be nervous is you. Don''t forget this is Cuba, my home ground."


    "No, no. I think at this moment you are more nervous than I am. After all, next you''ll be facing someone who knocked out all his opponents, including Pitts who nearly tied with you. So, you must be very nervous."


    "Humph! Ridiculous!"


    Aragon disdainfully twitched his nose.


    Link laughed, "Besides that, look around at the audience. Over ten thousand Cuban people came here with their flags to support you. They hope desperately that you will defeat that American and keep the Americas Zone championship title in Cuba. If you succeed, you will become a hero in the hearts of the Cuban people. If not, you know the consequences better than I do.


    So this time, you absolutely cannot fail. You have to win. You can''t disappoint those who support you. But your opponent is a very strong guy. You don''t have a hundred percent confidence that you can beat him. You''re scared of failing, scared of disappointing everyone.


    You''re very nervous, right?"


    Link spoke slowly.


    Aragon stared at him, his fists clenching unconsciously, his muscles tensing instinctively.


    "See! I guessed right, didn''t I? You are nervous. Your mindset is starting to falter, and your mind is becoming clouded. If I''m right about this, then you''ve already lost this fight. In a clash between masters, it''s often not about the boxing itself but about the mindset.


    Your mind is already in disarray, how can you hope to defeat me?"


    "Shut up!"


    Aragon said, gritting his teeth.


    "Aragon, don''t listen to him, don''t let his words mislead you."


    Sawon yelled from below the ring.


    Link smiled gently, "Sorry Aragon, you might have a chance to win against me abroad. But here in Cuba, you''re carrying too many people''s hopes and burdens. You''re bound to lose this match."


    "You''re wrong, I can definitely beat you. I must score at least 30 points against you."


    Aragon said firmly, biting his mouthguard.


    "Good luck!"


    Link nodded.


    Looking at Aragon, Link couldn''t help but recall that once legendary sprinter from the East who could achieve astounding feats abroad but couldn''t even start properly at home. It wasn''t just because of a leg injury but also because of the enormous burden of expectations he carried at the start, too heavy a load to fly.


    However, it didn''t necessarily mean that Aragon was bound to lose this match and that he was guaranteed to win. This was merely a psychological tactic: to relentlessly crush the opponent''s confidence and break down his fighting spirit.


    Whether in the ring or on the battlefield, the effect of this tactic sometimes results in victories more glorious than those gained in a direct fight.


    Link naturally didn''t assume he''d win just because Aragon showed anger and tension. If he dared to think that way, he was bound to lose, considering Aragon was a seasoned veteran in major tournaments. Whether Aragon''s tension was real or a feint to lure enemies was still a question.


    Before the match started, it was reckless to make judgments based solely on the opponent''s expressions.


    All he could do was give his all, no matter the state of his opponent, striving cleanly and decisively to win the match.


    ''Go Link!''


    Link clenched his fists tightly.


    The boxing ring referee came over to check the competitors'' equipment and declared the rules of the contest.


    "Aragon will triumph!"


    "Aragon champ!"


    The audience''s loud cheering was deafening.


    "Go Link!"


    Compared to the cheers for Aragon, this sound was more monotonous and scattered.


    "Guys, put some more energy into it, how about making it a bit louder?"


    On the second tier of stands, a chubby James yelled, waving a flag.


    "No more, I''ve been shouting so long, my throat''s about to catch fire, need to rest a bit."


    Daniel sat down, grabbed a bottle of mineral water, and gulped it down.


    "James, Link knows we are here supporting him, we don''t need to shout that loudly. Besides, there are over ten thousand Cubans here, our hundred people can''t outshout them."


    Michael slumped in his chair, continuously fanning himself with a sun hat.


    The rest were similar; after shouting at the Cuban spectators dozens of times, everyone was parched and hoarse without much energy left to shout anymore.


    "Well, that''s all we can do; the rest is up to Link," said James, frowning as he looked towards the ring.


    "Don''t worry, Link will definitely win," Franco Duvall said, smiling as he watched the boxing platform.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Catherine, do you think Link can win?"


    In the first row of seats, Selena Gomez snapped a few photos of Link and turned to look at her aunt, Catherine Baker, who was speaking with Anna. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He should, he''s unbeaten in his 21 amateur matches, never known defeat," Catherine replied, looking toward the ring.


    "That''s not certain. Look at this crowd, all Cubans, over ten thousand cheering for Aragon. Link will feel immense pressure hearing their chants; he''ll surely lose. Oh, poor Link, I hope he won''t cry after losing."


    Selena Gomez glanced at the camera screen, at the tall, muscular boy, unbelievingly pondering how he had become so handsome in just a few years, his facial contours as if chiseled with an axe, even sporting a six-pack. Was this really the same unruly cousin she knew?


    "Link definitely won''t cry,"


    Experience tales at empire


    hearing someone speak, Selena turned her head to the left, where a young girl in the neighboring seat was speaking.


    Dressed in a printed T-shirt, ripped jeans, wearing a white baseball cap with golden hair neatly tied in a ponytail, her skin was fair and tender, cheeks glowing with a healthy pink, wearing a furry wristband, exuding an artistic young woman''s charm.


    What irked Selena more was that the girl had long, shapely legs, standing around six feet tall, towering over her considerably. If she wanted to tap Selena on the forehead, she could do so effortlessly, and Selena generally didn''t have a liking for women taller than herself.


    "How do you know?"


    "Link is a strong boy; not only will he not cry, but he will also defeat Aragon and become the champion of the Americas Zone, and even a world champion!" Taylor exclaimed, clenching her fist.


    Selena blinked with realization; the girl was definitely a die-hard fan of her cousin.


    After so many years, even Link had fans, which felt truly magical.

 Chapter 065 Switching Fists

    On the boxing ring, after the referee announced the rules, the match was about to begin, and the shouting from the crowd, like a waterfall cut off, dropped to the ground with a whoosh, turning into a pool of still water.Over ten thousand spectators widened their eyes, looking at the brightly lit boxing stage where two men, clad in shorts and wearing boxing gloves, one with dark, muscular skin like black iron, the other with a bronze complexion and solid, well-defined muscles that looked like C4 explosives hidden under the skin, full of explosive power.


    The host in a black suit stood between the two men and lowered his arms.


    "Boxing!"


    Link and Aragon touched gloves and each quickly took a step back, maintaining a distance of more than a meter.


    But time was limited, and Link advanced, taking the initiative to strike at Aragon. Facing his punches, Aragon didn''t use his arms to block but instead cleverly dodged by turning his head, narrowly avoiding Link''s fist.


    "Wow!"


    The audience let out a gasp of amazement.


    "Aragon will win!"


    Cuban fans shouted excitedly.


    Link threw three consecutive punches, all dodged by his opponent, but he wasn''t discouraged. Aragon was a boxer known for his speed, with quick footwork and rapid reactions, making it very difficult to land a punch with one shot.


    He pressed in on Aragon once more, throwing a fourth and fifth punch. At the same time, Aragon also swung his fist at his head, delivering his best right jab with a speed that wasn''t any slower than his.


    Link coolly parried with his left arm.


    Thud!


    Aragon''s straight punch hit his elbow, and Link''s arm shook, recoiling back a few centimeters.


    This punch showed that Aragon''s strength was considerable, slightly more than Morales''s and about as heavy as Pitts''s. For an average boxer, this level of power would definitely be classified as a cannon punch.


    As he blocked Aragon''s jab, another straight punch from Aragon aimed for his face; Link parried again with his left arm while swinging his right fist toward Aragon''s jaw.


    Thud!


    Aragon raised his arms, blocking his punch, and seized the opportunity to launch another attack at his head, which Link parried with a swing of his fist.


    In the first eighty seconds of the round, Link threw over fifty punches, none hitting Aragon in a scoring area; Aragon threw over sixty punches, none hitting him either.


    Both sides kept exchanging blows and dodging, making it a very close fight, while the audience''s exclamations were relentless.


    After another rapid jab from Link was dodged by Aragon, Link took a step back, silently admiring him. Aragon indeed lived up to his name, with technique, speed, and reactions that were not at all inferior to his own, and even stronger in technique and dodging speed.


    Facing such an opponent, for him to defeat Aragon within four rounds using conventional methods would be extremely difficult; now, he could only try something unconventional.


    Link raised his fists and launched another attack at Aragon.


    Aragon did not shrink back either, slashing over with a rapid jab.


    "It''s so exciting!"


    HBO''s host Steve exclaimed to the camera, "Since the start of the match, Link and Aragon have kept up a relentless offense and defense, throwing dozens of punches in a row, all deflected or dodged by the other side. This is definitely a contest between world-class top experts, and all amateur boxers should watch this match.


    However, Link had told reporters before the match that he would continue to knock out his opponents to secure his entrance into the Olympic Venue, meaning Aragon is also his target for a KO.


    But so far, with the first round about to end, Link has not landed a single punch on Aragon. In the remaining three rounds, can Link KO Aragon and win the match? Let''s go into the field for an interview with the editor-in-chief of the ''Miami Herald''..."


    Wow!


    As Steve was about to interview Rafael Varane in the front row, a gasp from the audience suddenly rang out, even more uniform and powerful than earlier, and louder as well.


    Steve quickly turned around, only to see on the dazzling boxing stage, Link and Aragon each retreating three steps. Link''s back hit the corner post of the ring. Aragon staggered and took three or four steps back, managing to hang his right arm on the ropes just as he was about to fall.


    "What happened?"


    Steve deeply regretted not watching the match attentively just now; according to the situation on the ring, a fierce physical altercation must have just occurred. Who won and who lost? How did the conflict arise? It was like an orange cat scratching at his curiosity.


    It wasn''t just him; many other spectators, who hadn''t been focusing on the match until now, were also looking around curiously.


    "There''s a replay over there."


    Cameraman Sean pointed to the screen above the judges'' table and said.


    Steve hurried forward to watch the replay. Due to the rapid speed of the punches thrown by both men, the judges'' panel was watching in quadruple slow-motion.


    Just now on the stage, Link and Aragon continued to exchange blows, attacking and defending without landing any effective hits on each other.


    At 92 seconds into the first round, the situation on the stage suddenly changed.


    In the screen, Aragon launched a fast and fierce jab towards Link''s face.


    Just when everyone thought that Link would dodge to the side with ease as he had done before, he made a surprising move. He leaned slightly forward, completely disregarding the punch coming at him, and swung his right fist from behind with great force.


    "Rear Hook Punch!!"


    Steve exclaimed in shock, having seen the move before in the Golden Gloves championship.


    Bang!


    Aragon''s jab hit Link''s side face just as Link''s rear hook punch slammed into Aragon''s left cheekbone with a thud.


    In the quarter-speed replay, after Link took the punch, his head jerked to the right, scattering a string of gleaming sweat from his short black hair.


    Meanwhile, his rear hook punch also hit Aragon at virtually the same time, causing ripples like shockwaves in Aragon''s facial skin, and the sweat and saliva on his face were both flung off together.


    Boom! The video playback suddenly returned to normal speed, and Link and Aragon staggered back several steps, with Link bumping into the corner post and Aragon retreating a few steps to lean against the ropes.


    "That''s so intense!"


    Steve watched in amazement, feeling extremely excited. If Link and Aragon kept fighting like this, the broadcast ratings for this match would undoubtedly be very high, and he would earn a substantial bonus.


    "Link must win!"


    "Link, another punch!!"


    Someone in the audience shouted excitedly.


    "Come on Aragon!"


    "Knock out that American, long live Cuba!"


    The passionate Cuban fans drowned out the cheers of James and others with a single roar.


    On the boxing ring, Link straightened up and looked at Aragon across the way, offering a slight smile.


    Aragon''s jab mainly used the arm and shoulder muscles, with a maximum force of 800 pounds. After the deduction through gloves and protective gear, the shock absorbed by Link''s body was less than 100 pounds.


    The rear hook punch mainly came from the muscles of the spine, chest, and the inner side of the arm, utilizing more muscle groups and therefore packing more power. That last punch was at least 1200 pounds, and after deduction, the shock on Aragon''s head was close to 200 pounds.


    This exchange had given Link a slight advantage.


    This way of exchanging punches was an unconventional strategy that Link had just thought of.


    Such a tactic was often used in underground boxing, where fighters ignored techniques and dodges, competing solely on endurance, to see whose builds were tougher.


    This way of fighting inflicted significant damage on boxers, but it provided great visual effects, making it very satisfying to watch. Those who dared to use this tactic in matches were more likely to receive booking calls from various clubs.


    Link had fought like this a few times before, ending up injured all over. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He did not want to resort to this tactic in amateur matches, but Aragon''s speed was incredibly fast, not a bit slower than his own; Aragon''s techniques were even better. His combination punches, defense, and ability to absorb strikes were no less than his own.


    Under these circumstances, winning against Aragon within four rounds was difficult, let alone scoring a knockout.


    In his dilemma, Link thought of the ''strategic competition'' strategy from his elementary school textbooks, where one''s top horse would compete against the enemy''s lower-grade horse.


    After dozens of exchanges, Link found that the only area he was stronger in was the weight of his punches.


    His punches could reach over 1500 pounds when bursting with full power, a figure Aragon couldn''t match.


    To make good use of this ''top horse,'' Link decided to take a risk, trading hurt for hurt, using his rear hook punch in exchange for his opponent''s jab. From the look of this punch exchange, the plan seemed quite successful.


    On the other side, Aragon also got up, fists at the ready, and looked over coolly, his dark muscles gleaming and sweating profusely.


    Link thought he must look similar at that moment, panting heavily and watching Aragon with a cold gaze.

 Chapter 066 Provocation

    "Boxing!"The referee came over and swung down his arm.


    The match continued, and Link raised his fists and advanced slowly towards Aragon, fearless.


    Meanwhile, Aragon held his arms up, moving his shoulders up and down, constantly changing his footing. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing his opponent''s stance, Link knew the man had become more cautious and would exert more effort on defense, making it more difficult to trade blows using the tactic of ''exchanging injuries''.


    In Boxing, an emphasis on defense also means ''a more conservative style of fighting'', at least more conservative than the first 100 seconds.


    With the opponent preparing to bolster his defense, Link''s method was to continue the offense, bombarding the enemy''s defensive line with heavy punches, then trying to find an opportunity.


    He threw a right straight punch at Aragon''s head, who leaned back to dodge it, while simultaneously a left swing punch attacked Link''s face from left to right.


    Ignoring the incoming left swing punch, Link swung a right upper hook punch, aiming at Aragon''s chin.


    Swing punches rely mainly on the pectoral muscles, scapular muscles, and the inner muscles of the arm for power; they involve more muscle groups, have great strength and damage, but are slower and have a longer attacking distance.


    Upper hook punches primarily utilize the waist and biceps brachii; they require activating fewer muscle groups, have a bit less power, but are faster and have a shorter attacking distance.


    If an uppercut and a swing punch are launched simultaneously, the hook often strikes the target first.


    At this moment, Link''s hook punch was only slightly slower than his opponent''s swing punch; he didn''t have a conclusion about whether he could achieve ''striking later but arriving first'' without hitting the target first, but in a narrow path, it was worth a try.


    "Look!"


    "They''re going to exchange blows again!"


    The audience exclaimed loudly.


    Just as everyone thought a fierce collision was imminent, Aragon suddenly stepped back, withdrawing his left swing punch and also dodged Link''s upper hook punch, opting for a more conservative approach.


    The audience let out a wave of disappointed hissing noises.


    Link looked at Aragon across the way and smiled faintly. Boxing is called ''the sport of the brave'', yet Aragon recoiled at a critical moment, showing he had reservations and dared not give it his all.


    This was a good sign.


    Link raised his fists and proactively approached Aragon, seeking close combat.


    Ding ding ding!


    The first round ended.


    Link returned to the red corner. Both sides had exchanged blows dozens of times during the round, requiring full concentration on both the mind and muscles, which were extremely tense, leading to trembling muscles after a match.


    As the first round ended, Link sat down on the stool to receive Morales and Andzeje''s care, including massages, being given water, and having sweat wiped off; however, the two bumbling men were clumsy and not adept at tending to others.


    "Link, you did well. Keep it up, take it slow, and don''t be too hasty," Ed, the coach, although having attended many boxing matches, had rarely encountered a bout between boxers of Link and Aragon''s caliber where both were evenly matched in technique and other aspects. So Coach Ed couldn''t offer much guidance and could only provide words of encouragement, cheering Link on.


    Link nodded, his gaze shifting to the opposite corner where Aragon was being spoken to by Champion Coach Felix with a serious look on his face. Whatever was being said, it probably couldn''t alleviate the pressure on Aragon''s body and mind.


    Although Aragon claimed he wasn''t nervous before the match started, he was visibly tense during the fight.


    He appeared indecisive on the offense and hesitant when retreating; his style was also less flexible than before.


    Link believed that if Aragon couldn''t gain an advantage by the end of the match, he would become even more nervous. What Link needed to do was disrupt his rhythm, find opportunities to deal heavy blows, and increase his stress, since his goal was to win by KO, not just to defeat him.


    With limited time and a tall order, Link could only proceed step by step, gradually increasing his own advantage and magnifying the opponent''s disadvantage. Read exclusive content at empire


    Ding ding ding!


    The second round began.


    "Go, Link!"


    "Victory to Link!"


    On the second floor, James and his group vocally supported and cheered vigorously.


    Reggie and a few apprentices from the boxing gym were also shouting vigorously, their voices breaking through the encirclement of the Cuban audience and reaching the boxing ring.


    Link swung his fists and walked to the center of the ring, looking towards Aragon who was walking towards him. Aragon''s expression had become much calmer than before, probably due to Sawn''s mental preparation work paying off.


    "Link, you must be very nervous at this time,"


    Aragon suddenly said coldly, his dark face making it impossible to see his psychological state.


    Link thought to himself interestingly, "Why would I be nervous?"


    "Your goal is to KO all your opponents to enter the Olympics. For boxers at our level, not achieving the goal means failure. Someone as proud as you could never accept failure. But now we''re in the second round and you''ve used all your strength but only landed one punch on me, with no way to knock me down. Shouldn''t you be nervous?"


    Aragon said, grinning with his white teeth.


    "You have a point, but what does that matter? My failure only affects me, whereas if you fail, you let an American take a victory on Cuban soil. That''s not just your shame, but also Cuba''s shame. You will be hated by the Cuban people. Aragon, are you nervous?"


    "I won''t lose!"


    Aragon clenched his fist, glaring at him coldly.


    "Aragon, if I were you, I''d fight him with all I''ve got. I''d rather die gloriously on the boxing ring than watch my enemy win. Are you afraid of dying?"


    Link stared into his opponent''s eyes, speaking earnestly.


    Aragon clenched his mouthguard, his arms trembling slightly.


    The referee walked to the middle of them.


    "Boxing!"


    Link glanced at Aragon, shouted furiously, and lifted his fist to smash towards his opponent''s head.


    Aragon, with a sullen face, blocked the straight punch with his left arm, while his right swing punch came crashing towards Link viciously. Almost simultaneously, Link tensed his biceps and forearm muscles, delivering a simple and direct left uppercut from below straight to Aragon''s chin.


    This time the situation was similar to the last, Aragon had backed away before, but what about this time?


    "Look quickly!"


    The spectators widened their eyes.


    Bang!


    Link and Aragon were struck by punches at the same time; Link was swept by Aragon''s swing punch and quickly staggered two steps to the left, leaning on the rope.


    And his left hook also came later but arrived first, hitting Aragon''s chin hard.


    This punch carried more than 1000 pounds of force, and despite the double protection of the guard and glove, the impact on Aragon''s chin was over 200 pounds. His body involuntarily lifted a bit, then he staggered back four or five steps and crashed heavily against the corner post.


    "Wow!"


    There was an exclamation from the stands.


    No one expected the two to exchange punches again in such a simple and brutal manner. It didn''t look like a match between two boxing experts but more like a street fight, exchanging punches, with each hit being solid.


    "This is almost suicide fighting. Why are they doing this?"


    The host Steve said in surprise, looking at the boxing ring.


    Rafael Varane shook his head, "Their overall strength is quite equal, and fighting in the usual way, neither of them would defeat the other in four rounds. Since they both are desperate to win the championship, to this extent, they can only exchange injury for injury, to see who can hold out longer."


    "That''s crazy, how will they compete in the Olympics if they are injured?"


    "Fighting to this extent, they can''t manage that much anymore. They just want to knock out their opponent and win the match. They are fighting for honor, they are both true fighters!"


    Rafael Varane shouted, waving his fist.


    "Rafael, who do you think will win?"


    Steve asked with his microphone.


    Rafael looked towards the ring and shook his head, "In a fight between experts, victory and defeat can often be within one or two punches. It''s still too early to tell who will win and who will lose at this point."

 Chapter 067 Defeat

    On the boxing ring, Link gripped the ropes to steady himself, tapped his face with his gloves, and the dizziness in his head gradually faded.Just now, his hook punch had struck Aragon first, causing Aragon''s swing punch to slightly miss its mark. The impact on his head was reduced by about twenty to thirty percent, so that round ended nearly even.


    Aragon didn''t wait for the referee to come over and ask, but immediately straightened his body and looked at Link coldly, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth and a murderous look on his face.


    "Let''s go again!"


    Link roared, his arm muscles and shoulder muscles bulging fiercely, turning ferociously violent, like a hot-headed brute as he yelled and rushed at Aragon with his fists.


    Aragon too, glaring with his eyes, bellowed back. Veins on his neck bulged as he lunged towards Link with his fists.


    The two abandoned defense, colliding violently, exchanging blows directly against each other''s bodies.


    Bang bang bang!


    In the mere twenty seconds, Link threw 38 punches, and Aragon threw 36 punches, nearly exchanging blow for blow.


    When the two were separated by the referee, Link had a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth, Aragon was bleeding from his nose, clutching his right ribs and slightly bending at the waist, a pained expression on his face.


    The audience on site was astounded by the sudden intense fight.


    Could amateur boxing matches be fought like this?


    Many spectators stood up, loudly cheering for the boxers on both sides.


    "Wow, is boxing this thrilling? Catherine, look quickly. It seems like Link is hurt."


    Selena Gomez''s eyes widened as she looked at the boxing ring. Initially, she thought it was boring seeing the two dodging around, only landing one hit on each other in the first round, but she was thrilled by their sudden violent collision and fierce exchanges of punches.


    "Selena, I need to make a call."


    Catherine grabbed her handbag and hurriedly left her seat.


    Selena glanced at her retreating figure, sniffed, and thought to herself that Catherine claimed she didn''t care about Link, but couldn''t bear to watch when Link got hurt in the match¡ªa woman who says one thing but feels another.


    Suddenly, she noticed the tall girl next to her covering her eyes, leaning on the wheelchair armrest, and continuously asking the middle-aged man sitting in the wheelchair if the match was over yet and if Link had won.


    "Wow, Link has been knocked down, it''s too terrible. I can''t watch this."


    Selena exclaimed dramatically.


    The tall girl immediately sat up, anxiously looking towards the boxing ring, where Link was standing just fine with a strange smile on his face.


    Taylor turned her head, annoyed, glaring at this irritating young girl. The young girl was Latina, with a wheatish complexion, petite and chubby like a doll, with round eyes always wearing a mischievous smile, looking rather deserving of a thrashing.


    Selena smiled smugly, turning her head away to avoid eye contact.


    "This match is so exciting, even more thrilling than professional boxing, coming here was really worth it."


    Mr. Swift praised as he patted the wheelchair.


    "Before, Link could defeat his opponents with just a few punches, why is he taking so long now, even getting hurt?"


    Taylor flicked the brim of her hat and asked.


    "It''s different, the level of boxers in the Americas Zone qualification is very high. Champions of these qualifiers usually place in the top three at the Olympics, some even win gold.


    At the 2004 Athens Olympics, the Cuban boxing team won five golds, two silvers, and a bronze. Out of twelve events, Cuba ranked first in five and in the top three in eight. Do you know how high the level of the Cuban boxing team is? For Link to make it to the top three in the Americas Zone qualifiers is quite remarkable."


    Mr. Swift exclaimed in admiration.


    "Dad, do you mean that if Link beats Aragon, he might have a chance to win a gold medal at the Olympics?"


    Taylor cocked her head and asked.


    "Very likely, wow!"


    Mr. Swift was speaking when suddenly he exclaimed ''wow!'' with such force that his body momentarily shot upward, nearly standing up.


    At that moment, it wasn''t just Mr. Swift who suddenly exclaimed ''wow!''¡ªthousands of spectators in the venue also shouted out in disbelief, wow!


    ¡ª¡ª


    Time rewind to 20 seconds ago.


    Link wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his glove and quietly looked towards Aragon across from him. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The intense skirmish with Aragon had nearly made him believe he was back in the underground boxing ring he once fought in¡ªno defense, indifferent to life or death, only seeking to eliminate his opponent in the most efficient way possible.


    Familiar with and adept at this style of fighting, Link didn''t hesitate once he saw Aragon fall into his rhythm. He unleashed the fastest, most lethal combination punches, brutally targeting Aragon''s weak spots, wildly and savagely.


    Although he took a few punches himself, he believed that the damage inflicted on Aragon was definitely several times worse than his own.


    "Cuba''s Aragon, fighting for honor, dying for honor! Dare you come again?"


    Link stepped forward, pounding his sturdy chest with his gloves, and roared loudly.


    "Kill! Kill!"


    Aragon bared his bloodied teeth and roared back, swinging his fists viciously towards Link''s head.


    In an instant, Link''s muscles tensed, his focus heightened, and even his hair stood on end. As Aragon''s fist swung towards him, Link didn''t block as before but sharply turned his head, narrowly dodging Aragon''s deadly right swing punch.


    "Careful!!"


    Someone shouted from below.


    Aragon heard a whooshing sound coming from his left and caught a glimpse of a bright red fist heading towards his head in his peripheral vision¡ªit was Link''s fist.


    Aragon was shocked and violently tilted his head back trying to avoid the sudden punch, but it was too late. Just as he was preparing to tilt his head, Link''s fist had already firmly struck his face, hitting the left side of his jaw.


    Bang!


    The entire movement suddenly accelerated. Aragon took a hit in the face, his body spun half a circle in place, bang! He fell heavily sideways onto the floor, his body making a loud crashing sound against the ring''s rubber mat.


    Wow! The venue erupted with wow sounds.


    Everyone knew about Link''s formidable rear hook punch and that they needed to guard against it when competing against him, but no one expected him to use it at that moment.


    At the same time, no one expected that Aragon, who had dodged many of Link''s deadly moves in the first round, would fail to evade this time and was solidly knocked to the ground by Link.


    First knockdown.


    "Wow wow! Incredible!"


    "Link, you''re unbelievable!"


    Morales, Andzeje, and several others under the ring roared excitedly.


    "Link will win!"


    "Link, the champion!!"


    In the audience, James waved a red flag, Michael, Reggie, and others were jumping around, shouting loudly without any regard for their throats.


    Taylor, Mr. Swift, Selena, and hundreds of tourists from Europe and America cheered loudly for Link, for that spectacular punch, for the first knockdown.


    "Fantastic, that punch was fantastic. It didn''t just show Link''s superhuman punch strength and speed, but also his high IQ in boxing. Why would such a talent sign with Duvall?"


    In the audience, there was a special group of people who would go wherever there was a boxing match; they were boxing promoters.


    The Americas Zone qualifiers gathered top amateur boxing talents from various countries, and such a grand event was naturally something they wouldn''t miss.


    In the front row of the spectator area, Dmitry Salita from the sports promotion company watched Link cleanly knock down Aragon, clapping excitedly one moment, and slapping his thigh in frustration the next. Explore more stories at empire


    "You''re right, Link has a high KO rate, and every boxing match he participates in is exciting. Many people will be willing to pay to watch him when he turns professional. It''s a pity he''s been signed away by Duvall,"


    Frank Warren from Queensbury Boxing Promotion also expressed his regret.


    Greg Cohen from the top event promotion also stared at the ring, frowning deeply.


    Should he increase the fight''s revenue share, giving Link another chance to choose? This guy might be boastful, but he was indeed a talent. If he could join the top events, the company would gain another money-maker in the future.

 Chapter 068 The Second Knockdown

    "10, 9, 8, 7..."On the boxing ring, Aragon struggled as he lay on the ground while the referee crouched nearby, counting.


    Link leaned against the ropes, gasping for air, his right arm hanging on the ropes, his biceps twitching continuously. Although the Throwing Punch he had just executed was beautiful, he had exerted too much force, causing a slight strain in his biceps and some pain in his finger joints at the moment of impact.


    Listening to the referee''s count, he hoped that Aragon wouldn''t be able to get up. It would be best if he just lay there past the ten seconds, but Aragon''s physical fitness and his high tolerance for taking punches meant that this one punch definitely wouldn''t finish him.


    By the fifth count, Aragon managed to push himself up with his hands, slowly standing, his body swaying. He steadied himself by holding onto the ropes, then turned his head, his flattened nose breathing heavily, angrily staring at Link.


    Link knew where his anger came from.


    Previously, they had agreed to fight for honor, to die for honor, but Link had suddenly dodged and delivered a Rear Hook Punch. Aragon felt tricked and was naturally extremely angry.


    But Link didn''t feel he had done anything wrong.


    The ring is a battlefield, and mercy to an opponent is cruelty to oneself¡ªa truth even a three-year-old knows.


    In the first round, he had no advantage over Aragon and was forced to adopt the third-rate tactic of "trading punch for punch, injury for injury."


    After spending most of the round ''brawling'', Aragon''s defense and stamina were significantly weakened, and the match fell into his own rhythm. When Link found he could severely injure Aragon, he naturally wouldn''t continue with a mutually damaging strategy, so he smoothly landed a punch.


    This punch woke Aragon up, and only a conscious man feels anger.


    And this was precisely the emotion Link wanted to see.


    "Aragon, fighting for honor, do you dare to come again?"


    Link shouted.


    Aragon glared at him, the corner of his eye twitching fiercely, his face filled with palpable rage.


    Just as Aragon, seething with rage, was about to strike, the bell marking the end of the second round rang.


    Link moved to his corner, asking Morales to help massage his right arm to alleviate the pain.


    Across the ring.


    Aragon sat on a stool with a dark expression, a team doctor treating the cuts on his face.


    "Aragon, don''t exchange punches with Link anymore. Cuban boxing''s advantage lies in speed and technique, not in strength and physique. You exchanging punches with him, trading injury for injury, is falling into his pace, and you will inevitably be defeated by him," Sion said, frowning.


    Before the match, he was quite confident, thinking that although Link was formidable, his overall ability was still inferior to Aragon, who had a great chance to win on points.


    When the match started, Aragon and Link exchanged punches dozens of times, with no clear winner, which was fine.


    But the subsequent match became chaotic. Link wanted to exchange injuries, and Aragon followed suit, Link abandoned defense for mutual attack, and Aragon continued to cooperate, completely following Link''s chaotic rhythm.


    Just now, seeing that Aragon had completely fallen into the trap, Link, like an experienced hunter, immediately used the fatal Rear Hook Punch, thoroughly tricking Aragon once.


    Sometimes, Sion greatly admired Link, this young man''s application of ring tactics and understanding of human nature were very subtle and unique, not at all like a 20-year-old.


    Moreover, the ferocity he showed during the fight was more like an old fighter from underground boxing, not a rookie boxer just beginning his career.


    Sion didn''t know where this freak, Link, had come from, but all he could do now was repeatedly caution Aragon not to fall into Link''s traps anymore.


    "I understand. From now on, I will fight at my own pace and do my best to defeat Link Baker," Aragon said firmly, clenching his fists.


    Sion sighed lightly, "Aragon, I''ve told you not to care too much about winning or losing. It''s okay to lose this match. Our focus is on the Olympics. You can''t afford to get injured, and your ribs and face have already been hurt by Link. If your injuries get worse, your road to the Olympics could end here. Do you understand?"


    Aragon paused for a moment and nodded.


    Ding ding ding!


    The bell for the third round rang, and Link and Aragon walked to the center of the ring.


    "Aragon..."


    "Referee! He''s verbally attacking me,"


    Just as Link began to speak, Aragon immediately complained to the referee. According to boxing rules, during a match, the boxers are not allowed to talk on the ring, nor use verbal attacks. However, this rule is not very strict. As long as the opponent does not object, the referee usually does not interfere.


    The referee came over, gave Link a warning, and announced the start of the third round.


    Link shook his head; Aragon''s unwillingness to communicate prevented him from deploying his prepared psychological tactics. Now, he could only fight it out.


    Fortunately, after two rounds of fierce fighting, Aragon''s strength, stamina, and resistance to punches had all been reduced.


    The opponent''s top horse became an average horse, and his average horse became a top horse.


    The advantage was his!


    As soon as the match began, Link did not dare to rest; he immediately swung his fists, charging at Aragon.


    Aragon raised both arms, blocking in front of his head, and kept moving his feet, adopting a strictly defensive tactic.


    Aragon was strong, his arm muscles as solid as stone, able to withstand blows almost as well as the Haitian Pitts, and he was black with a pointed head; when he protected his head with both arms, hitting his head accurately was considerably difficult. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Link loved a challenge. He swung his fists, one punch after another landing on Aragon''s arms and torso.


    If it had been the first round, at Aragon''s prime, breaking through his defense would have been as hard as breaking through Pitts''s solid barricade.


    But in the first two rounds, Aragon had taken a hook punch and a rear hook punch and had been knocked down, which greatly drained his physical and mental energy.


    This was when Aragon was at his weakest, and it was the perfect opportunity to attack.


    Link endured the sharp pain emanating from his right arm¡ªa symptom of a muscle strain¡ªand launched attack after attack on Aragon''s arm defense, ten punches, twenty punches, thirty punches; Link''s arms began to numb, and sweat poured from his body like pulp.


    On the thirty-second punch, boom! A straight punch from Link hit Aragon''s left shoulder, causing Aragon to stagger and his defense briefly faltered.


    Great opportunity! Link instantly launched a jab with his left hand, breaking through Aragon''s defense at a tricky angle, striking Aragon squarely in the face, causing him to stagger and involuntarily step back, leaving his front wide open.


    Great opportunity! Link swung both fists, pinning down Aragon''s arms, straight punches, jabs, and hook punches repeatedly hitting Aragon''s side face, forehead, and jaw.


    Aragon floundered left and right, about to reach out and hug him, attempting to deploy a hugging tactic.


    Link wouldn''t give him the chance, swiftly stepping back half a step, and the next right straight punch smashed on Aragon''s forehead, sending Aragon stumbling back two steps and sitting down on the boxing ring, sliding back a few centimeters.


    Wow!


    The audience let out another gasp of amazement.


    "Go Link!"


    "Link for the champion!"


    Seeing Aragon knocked down again, the crowd supporting Link became excitedly noisy.


    Exhausted, Link stood in the boxing ring, his biceps twitching violently, and as the numbness subsided, a sharp pain from the strain was gradually surfacing; all Link could do was clench his fists and confront the pain.


    "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5..."


    The referee counted to six, and Aragon again struggled to stand up, his body swaying back and forth, clearly not yet recovered from the recent hard impacts.


    "Go Aragon!"


    The Cuban audience stood up shouting, hoping Aragon would hold on.


    Aragon slowly stood up, flexing his muscles, and roared at Link.


    Link swung his fists to meet him, taking advantage of Aragon''s unsteady condition, launching more than twenty consecutive punches, forcing Aragon to keep retreating.


    Aragon knew Link''s prowess, protected his head with his fists, and dodged around the ring, avoiding a head-on confrontation.


    Ding ding ding! The bell for the third round rang.


    "Go Link!"


    "Link is the champion!"


    As Link walked back to the resting area, many people shouted hoarsely in cheer.


    Link waved his fists and sat down on a stool, his shorts already soaked with sweat.


    "Link, your right arm is severely injured; don''t use it anymore. We''ve already won. In the first three rounds, you knocked down Aragon twice, causing him to be counted twice, and our score is higher than his. In the next round, you just need to delay the match until the end, and we will win," said Coach Ed as he applied ice to his arm.


    Link shook his head, "My goal is a KO. As long as my opponent is still standing, I won''t stop attacking."


    "But your arm, continuing like this will affect the Olympic competition," Coach Ed frowned and said.


    "It doesn''t matter, let''s win this match first," Link said with a firm voice.


    On the other side,


    The atmosphere in the blue corner had a heavy air. Aragon had been knocked down twice in the first three rounds, far beyond Sawn''s expectations.


    Before the match, he had thought a lot and designed many tactics for Aragon against Link, but when it came to the match, the pace had been deflected by Link from the start, and by the third round, the match had completely changed, not following any of Sawn''s planned tactics.


    There was only one final round left in the match, and Aragon was in a bad shape, making it difficult for him to counterattack and win the match.


    "Aragon, Link''s right arm is injured. In the next round, fully defend, try to drag the match to the end, and it''s best not to get hit by Link again. You can''t afford to worsen your injuries," Sawn urged.


    Aragon angrily glanced at Link in the opposite corner and nodded fiercely; as long as he could delay the match until the end, if Link couldn''t win by KO, even if he won, it wouldn''t be a total victory. Aragon would not let this despicable guy succeed.


    Ding ding ding!


    The final round began.

 Chapter 069 The Second Champion

    "Go Aragon!""Aragon, kill that damn American!"


    In the stands, the Cuban audience shouted loudly, their voices filled with anger and complaint, unlike the casual ease before the match, for they could also see that Aragon might lose to that damn American.


    Their voices also conveyed disappointment with Aragon.


    In the ring, Link looked at Aragon walking towards him, his fists clenched, his muscles taut all over, new sweat beading on his dark skin, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, and his left cheekbone swollen and red -- it looked bad.


    Link knew his condition was not much better than his opponent''s, especially since the strain on his right arm was affecting his power, making it difficult to continue attacking with both fists.


    But no matter how hard it was, he had to KO Aragon in this round.


    To successfully KO the Olympic Gold Medal seed and elite of the elites, Aragon, would not only secure the Super Middleweight championship of the Americas Zone but also offer a tremendous boost in experience and mindset, benefits Link did not want to miss out on.


    What he needed to consider now was how to entirely knock down Aragon, who was down to less than half health.


    Link thought for a moment, then said to Aragon, "Aragon, you should know that you''ve already lost with the match coming to this point. Even with your full defense, you can''t change the outcome, but you can choose how to play the last round. You can either continue to defend, hide and run like a coward;


    or fight like a warrior with all the anger, strength, courage, and will left in you and launch your final assault at me. Perhaps there''s still a slim chance to turn defeat into victory. Even if you don''t win in the end, you will fall nobly like a martyr, not get beaten brutally by me like a coward.


    Aragon, it''s your choice to be a coward or a martyr. I''ll give you a chance," Link said seriously.


    "I haven''t lost yet!"


    Aragon gritted his teeth.


    "You''re in no shape to win. I could beat you with one arm," Link said blandly as he waved his left fist.


    Aragon glowered at him angrily, his fist trembling non-stop.


    "Kill!!"


    Suddenly, Aragon roared, his dark complexion gradually turning dark red as he fiercely threw his fist towards Link.


    Link''s eyebrows raised, and with an angry shout, he met Aragon''s charge with his left fist.


    ¡ª


    "Wow!"


    The audience on the spot could not help exclaiming in surprise when they saw the two clashing again.


    Both were injured, drenched in sweat, staggering in their steps. At times like these, ordinary people would choose to defend, but not only did they not guard, they dared to keep attacking vigorously, a tenacity and ferocity that earned everyone''s respect.


    "Go Aragon!"


    The Cuban audience rose to their feet, shouting loudly and punching the air, and although they knew Aragon was likely to lose, seeing him fight valiantly in the final moments and charge at that damn American made them cheer for him uncontrollably.


    "Hang in there, Link!"


    "Link, champion!"


    James waved the flag, leading a group of people in shouting loudly. Despite their hoarse throats, every time Link threw a punch, they would shout cheerfully as if providing a musical accompaniment for Link.


    "Dad, can Link win fighting like this?"


    Taylor clenched his fists, anxiously watching the boxing ring. Seeing Link holding up his right arm in defense and only attacking Aragon with his left, Taylor and everyone else could see that Link''s right arm might be injured.


    "It''s okay, Aragon is in worse shape than he is, and Link knocked Aragon down three times in the first three rounds, causing his opponent to take three counts. As long as he hangs in there and withstands Aragon''s attack, he has a great chance of winning."


    Mr. Swift was also looking at the boxing ring with a flushed face, watching the two exchange offense and defense without daring to blink, fearing he might miss the most exciting part of the match if he blinked.


    "What if Link doesn''t hang in there? Could he lose?"


    Next door, Selena blinked her large eyes and clenched her fists in front of her chest, nervously watching the bout on stage, listening to the commentary of ''Mr. Wheelchair''.


    "Link should be able to hang in there, wow!"


    Mr. Swift stiffened and let out a cry of alarm as Aragon suddenly roared and landed a punch on Link''s forehead. Link stepped back three times, his back slamming into the ropes, almost falling over.


    "Come on, Aragon!"


    "Aragon, counterattack now!"


    The Cuban audience also shouted excitedly, some swinging hammers and beating large crocodile-skin drums.


    The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became valiant and impassioned.


    Aragon did not disappoint the expectations of the Cubans, summoning his last strength to throw a series of punches at Link, who was leaning against the ropes. The battle became tense and fierce.


    "There''s only 50 seconds left in the match, is Aragon going to stage a comeback?"


    "I get it now, Aragon pretended to be weak in the first three rounds, making Link let down his guard, then burst out in the last round for a successful comeback. That''s a good strategy, Aragon really is the elite among elites."


    "That''s probably Saliwon''s strategy; after all, Saliwon is a three-time Olympic gold medalist."


    In the spectator seats, promoters like Dmitry Salita also held binoculars, nervously watching the fight in the ring. The match was so fierce that even those outside the ring were swept up in the atmosphere, anxiously wondering who would come out on top.


    "Link is still too young, lacking in match experience. With a couple more years of honing, he might have a chance to beat Aragon."


    Greg Cohen shook his head.


    The other promoters nodded in agreement. Aragon was 25, Link 20, a five-year difference. But thinking of how a 20-year-old Link could nearly match a 25-year-old Aragon, they all thought Link was really impressive.


    "Wow!!!" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, a loud, unified gasp erupted from the crowd, with even the promoters unable to help but cry out in surprise, and the drumming at the scene also suddenly stopped at this moment.


    The crowd looked towards the boxing ring in shock, some not daring to believe their own eyes.


    10 seconds earlier, on the boxing ring.


    Link panted heavily, looking at Aragon across from him. After more than a minute of fierce fighting, both had greatly expended their physical and mental energy.


    Aragon stood on the stage, his eyes half-closed, his body swaying left and right, the frequency of his punches dropping sharply, and the strength decreasing to below 500 pounds, with hardly any lethality.


    Link knew the time had come; he took a deep breath, his right arm in front, swinging his left fist towards Aragon. Aragon blocked his punch with his right arm and swung his left fist at Link''s face.


    "Link, be careful!"


    Coach Ed bellowed from below the stage.


    "Careful!!"


    A sudden shout also erupted from the opposite corner.


    Aragon didn''t understand why Sawn was yelling careful; Link''s left punch had been parried, and his own injured right arm was in front of him¡ªwhat did he need to be careful about at this moment?


    Aragon saw his punch about to strike Link''s face, excitement surging in his heart¡ªif it landed solidly, he''d have a good chance of knocking Link down or even achieving a complete knockout, winning the match and becoming the champion of the Americas Zone, a Cuban boxing star.


    Suddenly, he realized that Link''s right hand, which was usually guarding his chest, was gone. He felt a rush of alarm, only to hear the whooshing sound by his ear, as a ferocious red fist pummeled towards him.


    Rear Hook Punch!!!


    Aragon''s eyes widened as if they were about to split; he swung his fist at Link, believing if he could hit him first, there was still a chance.


    Thud!


    Before he could think further, Link''s rear hook punch, delayed yet swift, hammered his side face with ferocious speed and force, like a siege hammer viciously crashing down.


    Aragon''s face distorted dramatically, sweat, tears, and saliva flying off, his head pulling his upper body, which in turn dragged his legs as he fell heavily towards the right side of the ring.


    Thump!


    Link also staggered from Aragon''s punch, sitting on the boxing stage.


    Wow!


    The crowd let out a gasp of astonishment.


    "Wow! What a punch, that''s unbelievable, Link''s right hand can actually move, he must have done it on purpose, it was his tactic. He was taking hits from Aragon just to find a chance to throw that last punch, Link is amazing."


    On the second floor of the spectator seats, Mr. Swift waved his fist and shouted excitedly.


    Taylor also screamed excitedly, then turned her head in surprise, looking up and down at Mr. Swift, exclaiming, "Dad, how did you stand up? Is your paralysis cured?"


    Mr. Swift looked down at the wheelchair behind him, cursed under his breath for getting too excited and forgetting his ruse, accidentally standing up. He coughed lightly and feigned shock, "Eh, how am I standing? My legs can move too, can my paralysis be cured? Wow, this is unbelievable."


    To prove that his paralysis was indeed cured, Mr. Swift stomped on the spot, his legs agile as any healthy person''s.


    Taylor curled her lip and rushed to congratulate her father, instructing her assistant, Emily, to call Mrs. Andrea to inform her of the good news.


    Next door, Selena Gomez stared with her round eyes at the ''Wheelchair Gentleman'', her shock a hundred times stronger than that of the father and daughter. Watching a boxing match could cure paralysis? Seriously?


    She gripped the arm of her Aunt Catherine beside her, saying excitedly, "Catherine, look, the Wheelchair Gentleman is standing up! Just now, when he saw Link knock down Aragon with one punch, he suddenly stood up, and he can walk on his legs too, don''t you think it''s magical?"


    Catherine glanced at the Wheelchair Gentleman, nodded, commented on the magic, and then turned back to the boxing ring.


    On the boxing stage, Link held his throbbing right arm and slowly stood up.


    Not far away, Aragon lay on his side on the stage, while the referee crouched beside him, beginning to count seconds. Many Cuban spectators were still shouting, "Aragon, stand up," "Aragon, keep fighting."


    But Aragon did not move an inch.


    Link didn''t know if Aragon had passed out, but it didn''t matter. There were 50 seconds left. Aragon''s stamina, strength, and fighting spirit had been depleted in his last offensive. Even if he could get up, Link was confident he could knock him down again.


    Under the current circumstances, he had all the aces; how could he lose?


    "...3, 2, 1!"


    The referee finished the ten count; Aragon hadn''t managed to rise. The venue fell silent for a second or two, and then the spectator seats erupted into a round of warm applause, even many Cubans among them clapping.


    This match, even though Aragon lost, was lost on a path of charge, full of determination and intensity, and not from curling up in defense, passively getting beaten.


    In the hearts of the combative Cuban people, it was a fierce confrontation. Aragon had fought with all his might, ultimately falling in the ring, but with honor.


    Therefore, the words spoken by Link to Aragon at the end were not all tactics; he also wanted to give his opponent dignity.


    "Link, you won! You defeated Aragon, you are the champion!"


    Morales, Andzeje, and the boxing team along with the coaching staff excitedly shouted from below the stage.


    "Link!"


    Fat James waved a red flag and shouted from the second-floor railing.


    "Champion!!"


    Behind him, more than a hundred people stood up and shouted in unison.


    "Link! Champion!"


    Taylor, Mr. Swift, Selena, Catherine, Franco Duvall, Reggie, and others stood up and also shouted loudly.


    "Link, Champion!"


    Thousands of European and American tourists and boxers present at the venue clapped their hands and shouted for Link, the champion.


    "Link, Champion! Link, Champion!"


    The voices in the venue gradually became uniform.


    Link stood on the boxing stage, removed his sweaty headgear, faced the spectator seats, and raised his left arm high.


    His tall, strong build, solid arms, a resolute silhouette, standing tall on the boxing stage.


    Click!


    Miami Herald reporter Simmons pressed the shutter against his silhouette, capturing this striking moment on film and imprinting it on the newspaper.


    He thought in the near future, people all across the Americas would see this photo and hear a name¡ªthe champion of the Americas Zone Olympic qualifiers¡ªLink Baker!

 Chapter 070 After the Game

    ```"Link, here''s the newspaper you wanted!"


    "Thanks!"


    On the beach in front of Baker''s shop, the sun shone brightly, with the ocean occasionally rolling up emerald waves to cleanse the pristine sandy shores, while white seabirds flitted by, settling atop the tall, lush palm trees with the sea breeze.


    Link lay on a beach chair, opened his eyes, pushed up the sunglasses covering his face, and now had a stack of newspapers in his arms¡ªthe Miami Herald, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, American Express, The Sun, and more.


    Despite the convenience of computers and smartphones for browsing news online, Link still preferred reading newspapers. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That''s because the news sources in newspapers are more real and credible, with public trust, and editors of newspapers need to take responsibility for any false news published.


    Online news, on the other hand, changes every day, can''t even guarantee the correct spelling of words, let alone the content of the news, which seem more to fool people and gain traffic.


    Moreover, news in print media goes through multiple levels of scrutiny and selection by the newspaper''s internal staff, who are professional journalists with a higher sensitivity to news than the general public. Through their professional knowledge and view, they can pick out the most real and valuable news from the plethora of indistinguishable stories, presenting it in print.


    Reading newspapers also offers a higher efficiency in obtaining information.


    As an athlete, Link''s habit when reading newspapers was to start with the entertainment and sports section.


    Recently, the entertainment and sports news in North America has been quite rich.


    Anne Hathaway has publicly stated that she split up with her former boyfriend last year and was not involved in his work-related affairs¡ªtoday''s headline in American Express;


    Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Aniston tear into each other, with Brad Pitt taking sides¡ªtoday''s headline in the New York Post;


    The Fast & Furious 4 crew came to Miami movie city to film¡ªentertainment headline in the Miami Herald.


    In the sports section, several newspapers reported on the end of the boxing competition of the American Olympic qualifiers.


    The reports said that the U.S. boxing team performed mediocrely, capturing only 4 of the remaining 28 spots in the Americas Zone, including second place for women''s 51kg, second place for men''s 91kg, third place for 81kg, and first place for 75kg.


    In related news, Link''s victory in Havana was the hottest topic.


    The Miami Herald, American Express, and other newspapers praised Link''s performance in the qualifiers, saying his record of 5 wins, 5 by KO, was a miracle that had never been achieved before, and likely never would be again.


    American Express''s sports section even directly called him ''a man who is creating and continuing to create miracles.''


    The newspapers also detailed his matches, writing that from the first round to the last, all his opponents were amateur elites, who had achieved excellent results in international competitions such as the World Championships, Pan American Games, and World Youth Championships.


    This included Mexico''s second place Tias Ezekiel Vargas Martin, Canada''s top man Dennis Urth, Cuba''s second place Rosniel, Haiti''s first place Pitts, and Lorenzo Aragon from the magazine "The Ring", rated as the elite among the amateurs, all of whom had achieved results in international competitions.


    In comparison, Link was just a rookie who had been on scene for less than two months, yet he managed to defeat each of them.


    Rafael Varane, editor-in-chief of the Miami Herald, said in his latest comment piece that almost all of Link''s opponents were amateur elite boxers equal or even superior to him in strength, but after five rounds of competition, Link not only won every match, but also managed to win all by KO or TKO, which is undeniably a miracle, a splendid record.


    Rafael also analyzed the reasons for Link''s victories in the article and concluded that besides his own strong capabilities, there were three key factors:


    One was his high boxing IQ.


    His tactics in the ring were very flexible, often able to switch strategies based on the condition of his opponent, overcoming the strong with the weak.


    For instance, in the fourth round, facing Pitts who had super high defensive abilities and resilience, he concentrated all his strength to attack Pitts'' weak points, eventually forcing his opponent to surrender;


    In the fifth match, he brought his high boxing IQ into full play, exchanging blows with Aragon dozens of times in the first round, both unable to break through the other''s defense, taking points off each other.


    ```


    At times like this, most boxers become impatient and continue to attack with all their might, wasting time and energy, but Link didn''t. He picked the right moment to trade a ferocious rear hook punch for Aragon''s jab, completely disrupting the rhythm of the match.


    "That was brilliant! That clever kid Link got a huge advantage. Not only did that move hit Aragon hard in the face, but it also disrupted the match rhythm that Sawn had planned for Aragon, taking control of the pace of the fight in his own hands. It was a spectacular punch, a crucial one; Link did a really beautiful job,"


    Rafael praised the punch profusely in his article, considering it more critical than the final winning punch.


    The second critical factor was that Link had a very good mindset, Rafael said, no matter the type of competition venue or the opponents he faced; he could always maintain an excellent competitive mentality, often outperforming himself in matches.


    He also thought that Link''s mindset during the match was very good, whether he met setbacks on the offensive or had a great victory over his opponents, he could maintain a calm composure, steady and methodical. Rafael referred to this as the mindset of a world champion boxer.


    The third factor, Rafael believed was the most critical one¡ªimmense willpower. He thought Link''s willpower was even more tenacious than Pitts'', who continued fighting despite an injured chin.


    For instance, during the fourth-round fight with Pitts, he attacked over a hundred times and still couldn''t break Pitts'' defense, draining a lot of his energy. But for victory, he continued to throw punches relentlessly, one after another, until he severely injured his opponent''s chin.


    The key was the fifth round; Link used the rear hook punch multiple times, which caused a muscle strain in his right bicep. But at the crucial moment, he ignored the pain and viciously threw that ferocious rear hook punch, settling the match with one blow.


    "What kind of boxer is Link?"


    Rafael Varane said at the end of the article, "He is absolutely a boxer who deserves all the praise from the fans, someone who can be talked up without exaggeration. He will definitely be the biggest surprise in the world of boxing for the next decade and will become a boxing superstar brighter than little Roy Jones or Floyd Mayweather.


    I bet that Link will become the world champion within three years, and if he doesn''t, I''ll run naked on Palm Beach."


    Haha!


    Reading this, Link couldn''t help but laugh out loud. Rafael would definitely only bet publicly because he wanted to streak, not because he was certain Link would become the world champion within three years.


    This old man was always offbeat.


    The paper also featured a photograph.


    It was of him facing the audience, his back to the lights, with his left arm raised high. That arm was thick and muscular, the lines of the muscles clear and profound, like a work of art sculpted from marble.


    Even more striking was his silhouette, full of determination and unyielding strength, conveying a powerful presence.


    It is said that this picture has been submitted to the Pulitzer Prize judging committee for consideration, and the photographer, Simmons, is hopeful of earning a prize in photojournalism with it.


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    While reading the newspaper, Taylor called.


    "Hey, Taylor, how was the concert in Vancouver?"


    "Haha, it was awesome, Link, you really should have come with me,"


    Taylor said cheerfully on the phone.


    "Me, joining you at a concert? People would think I''m your bodyguard,"


    Link joked. After the fight ended, Taylor went to Los Angeles with Mr. Swift for a follow-up visit. According to their agreement, Taylor was supposed to come to Miami to stay for a few days afterward, to build a relationship with him.


    But then Big Machine Records arranged some work for her, and with Taylor busy, there was no time to come. She called specifically to say she wanted to postpone their date.


    Link felt helpless and told Taylor directly that they were both in the rising phase of their careers and hardly had time for each other. It might be better to focus on work first and consider dating when they had time in the future. For the time being, they could be friends, putting no burden on each other.


    But Taylor wouldn''t agree and called whenever she had time to chat.


    Link didn''t have the heart to hurt her and accompanied her in conversation as usual each time she called.

 Chapter 071 Income

    "Link, Wilson came to collect the site management fee. I told him you''re a star client and asked if he could give us a discount, but he said no." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.In Baker''s dive shop, chubby James saw off two diving tourists, placed two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice on the round glass table, pushed his buttocks backwards with a creak, and lay down on the nearby beach chair. He took off the hat from his head and brushed back his sweaty brown curly hair with his hand.


    "Of course, the beach isn''t his, so why the hell would he offer a discount?"


    Link sipped through a straw, but remembering the upcoming Olympics and needing to control his weight, he spit out the sugary juice and drank some mineral water instead.


    "How was our income last month?"


    "Haha, very good. After accounting for equipment wear, management fees, and other expenses, our net income was 9,524 US dollars. This was the most we''ve ever earned since we opened. We almost hit ten thousand."


    James excitedly waved his arms, his mouth spread into a banana shape.


    "Link, here''s what I''m thinking: now that we''ve got some money, how about we buy some new high-end diving suits and sell off some of the old ones? Nobody wants to rent old dive suits."


    "That''s fine."


    Link said nonchalantly.


    In the qualifying round, he had made quite a bit of money. He won 50,000 US dollars in prize money, a gold-plated trophy, and the Florida Sports Commission rewarded him 100,000 US dollars for training expenses. The Amateur Boxing Association had also awarded him 20,000 US dollars, asking him to prepare for the Olympics in peace.


    During the competition, he also placed two bets. The first time, he fought Pitts and bet on a KO victory with odds of 1:10.2, wagering 2,000 US dollars. The result was a TKO, which at the betting company counted differently than a KO, costing him 2,000 dollars.


    In his fifth fight against Aragon, he bet 2,000 US dollars on knocking Aragon out, with odds at 1:12.5. He made 25,000 US dollars.


    Altogether, it was about 200,000 US dollars.


    So he wasn''t really concerned about the small profits of Baker''s shop.


    James, lying on the chair, flipped through a few pages of Playboy and said, "Link, you''ve earned quite a bit of prize money this time around, including the Golden Gloves, almost two hundred thousand, why don''t you consider buying a condo?


    With the housing bubble this year, the market''s pretty bad, and lots of condos are being sold at reduced prices. There''s one near my place on sale, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a big terrace, and a small garden, on 27th Street in West Palm Beach. It''s in a great location and only priced at 580,000 US dollars with installment payments allowed.


    If you want to buy, I''ll call my mom right away to contact a real estate agent for you. She''s really good at negotiating prices."


    "Thanks to your mom for me, but I''m not planning on buying a house just yet."


    "Why? You''re an adult now, and you''ll get married and have kids eventually. Are you planning on having them live in a vehicle?"


    James turned and pointed disdainfully at the small shop behind them.


    "Yes, I do need a house, but not now and not a tiny condo. I plan to earn more money, and once I''ve saved up a hundred million US dollars, I''ll go to the wealthy area of Palm Beach and buy a big villa. What do you think?"


    Link said, swinging his legs.


    "Buy a villa in a wealthy area?"


    James shook his head repeatedly.


    The wealthy area of Palm Beach is in the northern part of the outer banks. The residents there are either rich or prestigious, including Fortune 500 shareholders, CEOs of listed companies, high-level US government officials, big stars, and so on. It''s said that the lowest price for a villa there starts at five to six million, unaffordable for ordinary people.


    Pointing to the bandage wrapped around Link''s arm, he said, "You pulled a muscle after just one boxing match. What if you get even more seriously injured next time? If you ask me, you should use the money you''ve got now to buy a condo. At least if you can''t box, you''ll still have a place to live, right?"


    James hesitated for a moment. "Also, this is what Catherine thinks. Your mom talked about this with my mom over the phone. Catherine was at the arena during your match with Aragon. Did you see her?"


    "I did!"


    Link nodded. He had only seen Catherine Baker, Link''s mom, once before¡ªit was when Link was stabbed and lying in the hospital. Catherine had visited once and left some money.


    Link didn''t have a close relationship with Catherine.


    The root of this issue lay with Link''s father, Bob Baker.


    In the 1980s, Bob Baker went fishing in the Gulf of Mexico with Link''s grandfather and didn''t make much money.


    In the 70s and 80s, thanks to its convenient geographical location, Miami gradually became a transit point for illegal drugs entering America, with trillions of US dollars worth of illegal drugs transited through Miami to various parts of North America every year, and many people engaged in the illegal drug trade here.


    Bob Baker, seeing others make a fortune through trafficking illegal drugs, decided to quit fishing and went to Columbia to buy cheap banned substances to sell them at a high price back in America.


    In those years, when the DEA was cracking down hard, the prices of drugs in North America kept rising, and Bob made millions in dirty money in just a few years.


    It was also at that time that Bob Baker met Catherine Baker at a dance party, when she had just entered the fashion scene. Catherine, a descendant of Italian immigrants, was tall and strikingly beautiful with aspirations to be an actress.


    Under Bob Baker''s financial onslaught, she married Bob, who was eleven years her senior, and soon after, Link Baker was born.


    Bob was not the conforming type, even after the marriage, he continued his extravagant lifestyle and often engaged in alcohol-induced domestic violence, with both Catherine and Link being the victims.


    When Link was four, their marriage broke down, and Catherine filed for divorce, intending to take Link away to live elsewhere, but Bob disagreed and pulled out a gun to threaten her.


    Catherine, intimidated, no longer mentioned the divorce and left the Baker house with her luggage, seeing Link only a few times in the following years.


    Five years ago, when the DEA intensified its crackdown, Bob Baker, still undeterred, wanted to continue smuggling to make money but soon died in a street fight, allegedly over an uneven distribution of the loot.


    After Bob Baker''s death, most of his estate was seized or divided by his partners, with Link squandering the small remainder within two or three years. During that time, Catherine came back once to take Link to study in New York, but Link refused.


    Link, having grown up with Bob Baker, was very cold toward Catherine and had little contact with her.


    Link had almost forgotten that he had a mother in name.


    This time at the boxing match in Havana, seeing Catherine there was a surprise for Link, and even more surprising was that Selena Gomez turned out to be his cousin.


    Selena was sixteen this year, a child star who had acted in a TV series at the age of 7. In 2004, she was signed to Disney, becoming an entertainer, and last year she starred in Disney''s magical comedy "Young Magician," becoming a young actress.


    Catherine Baker is now Selena''s Executive Agent, similar to the roles of Mrs. Andrea and Miss Irene.


    After the last match, he and Catherine had met once, and Selena had conned him into a seafood feast. Afterward, he had work to attend to, and Catherine also had her job, so they exchanged phone numbers and parted ways.


    He now counted one more familiar face with blood ties.


    Regarding Catherine''s suggestions, he could take them or leave them.


    "Hey, Link, James, do you want to play volleyball?"


    Michael and Daniel, dressed in T-shirts and beach shorts, holding a yellow volleyball, waved from a distance on the beach, surrounded by five young women in scanty clothes.


    "No, I''m nursing an injury."


    Link raised his bandaged arm in response.


    "That''s too bad,"


    Michael squinted his eyes and smiled.


    "Go if you want, no need to keep me company here."


    Noticing James''s eyes constantly drifting towards the girls, Link picked up a newspaper and spoke again.


    James shook his head, hesitated for a bit, then took off his hat and, shaking his plump body, pitter-pattered over to the nearby beach to play volleyball with the group.


    Initially, they played well, but later, the girls found it amusing to target the overweight James with the volleyball.


    Link was about to intervene, but seeing James grinning broadly, his face flushed with joy, he thought it best not to meddle.


    "Hey, Link, how are you feeling today?"


    Dr. Holt carried his medical bag as he stepped down from his car.


    "Not too bad, Gregory!"


    Link got up and led Dr. Holt inside to change his dressings.

 Chapter 72 Fame

    Dr. Holt was the physician Coach West found for him and also the surgeon employed year-round at the boxing gym. In his fifties, he graduated from the University of Miami School of Medicine and was quite skilled at treating external injuries.However, with Link, there was little room for Dr. Holt to exercise his skills, because Link had discovered after his arrival that he had a strong self-healing ability. The last time he was stabbed in the back, his injuries healed up normally in just half a month, and ordinary injuries typically took a few days or even a few hours.


    The strain in his right arm was also a minor issue that would essentially be fully recovered in less than five days.


    In fact, he had already started his physical fitness training yesterday.


    After all, there were only thirty-eight days left until the opening of the Olympic Games, where he would face challenges from boxers ranked in the top three across the Five Continents, whose strength was no less than Aragon''s; Some were even more formidable than Aragon.


    If he were to encounter opponents of Aragon''s caliber again, he didn''t feel he could successfully KO them, and even if it were Rocky Pitts, another go wouldn''t guarantee him a hundred percent chance of winning by TKO within four rounds.


    Therefore, the training had to continue, with the goal of improving his strength by a small level in these thirty-eight days.


    "Haha, Link is recovering nicely. It seems that the ointment I prepared is very effective. Last time, you didn''t even want to use it."


    Dr. Holt pulled his right arm for a test and found it functioning normally in stretching and exerting force, and nodded in satisfaction.


    "Yes, Gregory, your ointment is quite good."


    Link nodded. Dr. Holt had a specially made green plant ointment for which he held a secret recipe, allegedly obtained from a person in the Middle East. It was exceptionally effective for treating bruises and relieving swelling and pain. Others, like West, had recommended it to him too.


    After Link was injured, he had also used it three times. Upon application to the arm, it would heat up then cool down, which was quite effective. However, Link noticed that the ointments looked similar to those such as VapoRub, Red Flower Oil, and Yunnan Baiyao, only differing in color and smell.


    Since this was Dr. Holt''s secret formula, it would be improper for Link to ask about the raw ingredients.


    Thanks to Dr. Holt''s ointment, combined with his own strong self-healing ability, a strain on his arm would fully recover in just four or five days. Dr. Holt, seeing his quick recovery, credited it all to the ointment and became even more superstitious about it.


    "Link, remember to come to me next time you''re injured. I dare say that in Miami, no one is better at treating bruises and injuries than I am."


    Dr. Holt confidently stated.


    Link smiled lightly, carrying the medicine box as he saw Dr. Holt off in his car.


    By the afternoon, the sunshine on the beach shone even brighter. The white sands glittered under the sun like salt fields, making it hard to open one''s eyes. The water near the shore turned from deep blue to light green under the direct sunlight, clear to the bottom.


    The number of white yachts on the distant sea had also increased from two to seven or eight.


    The number of tourists on the beach gradually grew as well; Baker''s little shop, Daniel''s hot dog stand, Michael''s surfboard shop, Miss Lina''s ice cream parlor, and other businesses welcomed the peak of their daily customer flow.


    As Link lay training on the resistance equipment, he heard James greet five batches of customers in succession.


    "Hey, Link!"


    James pushed the door open, sticking his big head in to look around, and blinking said, "Some customers want to learn diving. Do you want to take the job?"


    "Sure, I''ll be right there."


    Link set down the weight plates and flipped off the rack. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although working as a diving instructor wasn''t very lucrative, diving was also an excellent form of exercise.


    Scuba diving can improve cardiorespiratory capacity, reduce body fat, and during deep-water swimming, it requires the use of all the major and minor muscle groups throughout the body. It can exercise the entire body''s muscles, and also enhance the body''s flexibility, balance, and willpower, etc. It plays a significant role in enhancing physical fitness.


    However, when Link went out to greet the six customers outside, two of the girls looked at him and shouted excitedly, saying they had watched his boxing matches and were his boxing fans, really liked his matches, and wanted to take pictures with him.


    Link didn''t refuse them, and took several photos with the six people.


    The recording of his last match with Aragon was broadcast on HBO cable TV channel three days after the end of the qualifiers, along with the recording of his match against ''Rock'' Pitts. It was said the viewership of both matches broke through fifteen million users.


    Link, thanks to the broadcast of these two matches, made waves in the North American boxing scene and gained many male and female fans.


    Being recognized in the shop and asked for photos was not a first for him.


    "Link, you''re a celebrity now. Once word gets out that you''re staying here, all your boxing fans will definitely come over to learn diving from you. Should we raise the prices?"


    James whispered in a question.


    "No need, we''ll schedule appointments. Whenever I''m available, I''ll take a group of customers each day, and those who didn''t get a turn can wait for the next opportunity."


    "Alright, as long as you''re here, business will surely be good. We''re definitely going to make a lot of money,"


    James said gleefully.


    Link took a few tourists for a dive near the coral reef, teaching them some diving methods and precautions.


    Diving wasn''t as difficult as imagined, and as long as one could skillfully use the diving equipment, paying attention to the time, depth of dive, and distribution of physical strength, and not losing contact with companions, the rest was simpler than swimming.


    When he returned to the dock in the speedboat, James quietly approached with an odd expression and told him that a woman was waiting for him at the shop, saying she had something to discuss with him.


    "What woman?"


    Link asked while organizing his diving gear bag.


    "About forty years old, wearing a Prada dress, holding a Gucci round bag, and her car parked on the highway is an apple-colored Maserati sports car. She looks like a wealthy woman. Is she the rich woman who gave you the sports car?"


    James squeezed his small eyes and his round face was full of curiosity.


    Link shook his head; he didn''t remember knowing such a woman. He carried his bag back to Baker''s shop, where a woman with delicate makeup sat under the sunshade by the door, her age and attire similar to the description given by James.


    However, the woman had short hair down to her ears and a slightly tough look with a hint of masculinity, exuding a sharp and decisive aura that made her seem anything but simple.


    As Link appeared at the entrance, the woman also looked over, her eyes sharp and piercing as if she could see right through him, but her expression hid a deep bitterness that left Link puzzled. Could it be that he had once had a relationship with a middle-aged woman and abandoned her?


    James also noticed the woman''s expression. His small eyes slid around in their sockets, now looking at the woman, now at Link, feeling that Link and this wealthy woman probably did indeed have a history.


    "Hello, Mr. Link Baker, I''m Nora Duvall, Franco Duvall is my husband,"


    the woman said as she stood up and extended her hand.


    Nora Duvall?


    Link shook her hand, puzzled as to what the head of a major event company wanted in his small shop.

 Chapter 073 Nora

    Nora Duwa silently watched Link Baker on the opposite chair. Despite having seen several of Link''s boxing matches on television and hearing quite a bit about him from Franco,she was still somewhat surprised when she saw Link in person. Dressed in clothes, he appeared polite and gentlemanly, with a gentle and friendly aura, not at all like the fierce and aggressive fighter he was in the boxing ring.


    It felt like the person in and out of the ring were two different people, like a pair of twins: a wild younger brother, and a gentle older one.


    Could this be the reason Franco was so keen on Link?


    But if that was all there was to it, it seemed insufficient because Franco was "too" keen on Link, as if he had become "enchanted" by him.


    To sign Link, Franco offered more than just a big contract and a higher share of the fight revenues than other companies; he also handed over a twenty percent stake in Dynasty Promotion.


    Although Dynasty Promotion Company only had a registered capital of thirty million, a twenty percent share was just six million. In the professional boxing industry, money alone doesn''t give you a chance to step into the ring; what''s more important are the connections, promotional channels, and other resources.


    In the current boxing industry, the three most influential people are Don King, Lou Duva, and Bob Arum, who control the majority of the resources in boxing.


    Franco, the eldest son of the old Duvall and the heir to the Duva family business, was entitled to utilize those resources while running Dynasty Promotion. Adding the value of these resources, a twenty percent stake in Dynasty was far from a small figure.


    Moreover, in order to impress Link, Franco planned to move Dynasty Promotion to Miami even before they had officially signed a contract, completely disregarding his wife, daughter, and old father still in New York. It seemed to him, Link was more important than his family. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It annoyed Nora every time she thought about this, so she decided to fly to Miami personally and talk to Link face to face, hoping to get this dangerous person under her control.


    "Mrs. Duvall, please have some tea!"


    Link placed a cup of floral tea down and sat opposite Nora Duwa.


    "Call me Nora, Link, we are already acquainted."


    "OK, Nora,"


    Link said with a light laugh.


    Nora Duwa glanced at Link and noticed that the guy indeed looked very presentable in clothes, with a star quality about him. If well-managed, he might be able to head to Hollywood in the future like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.


    With that thought, Nora Duwa felt she had more reasons for this visit.


    "Link, last month when you fought in Orlando, I was there too. I felt you had great potential and suggested to Franco that he sign you. Franco took my advice and came looking for you after the match was over."


    Listened to Nora''s words, Link still did not quite understand what she meant.


    As the two were presidents of their respective promotion companies, he was now unsure whether Nora was speaking with him as Franco''s wife or as the president of a major event promotion company.


    Nora Duwa seemed to sense his confusion and chuckled, "Link, I have wanted to sign you for a long time, it''s just that there were some issues within the company. Franco took a group of people and left the main event company to start Dynasty Promotion, and your contact got delayed in the process.


    I am visiting you today on behalf of the main event company to discuss a cooperation. If you are willing to come to the main event promotion company, we are ready to offer the utmost sincerity to make the collaboration happen. Are you interested in talking about it?"


    Was the wife trying to poach from her husband?


    Link thought this couple was quite interesting.


    However, since she came as a representative of the main event to negotiate, Link did not mind talking to her. After all, the main event was one of the three most powerful promotion companies in the boxing industry. If the terms were suitable, cooperating with them would certainly be stronger than working with the still-emerging Dynasty Promotion.


    When it came to making money, he did not care about relations, only sincerity.


    "Nora, you must be aware of the offers other companies have made me. How substantial a contract can the main event provide?"


    "It will certainly be no worse than theirs."


    Nora Duwa smiled faintly and handed a document to Link.


    ----


    "Hey, James, who''s that woman driving the Maserati?"


    Next door, Daniel of the hot dog shop, leaned on the window with an ice cream in hand and shouted to James who had just stepped outside,


    "Why do you always eat ice cream?"


    James looked back at the store, airing out a wetsuit and whispered, "It''s Mrs. Nora Duvall, Franco''s wife."


    "Franco''s wife? What''s she looking for Link for?"


    Michael from the surfboard shop also put down what he was working on and asked.


    "Of course it''s about work."


    James shook the wetsuit as he spoke.


    "Heh, she looks pretty wealthy, seems like a rich lady."


    Michael squinted his eyes and smirked mischievously.


    "What do you mean?"


    Daniel''s eyes widened in surprise as he looked toward Link''s Pontiac GTO parked outside the small shop.


    "Hey, you two, don''t get the wrong idea, Link''s not that kind of guy."


    James wagged his chubby face as he said.


    "Haha, we''re just kidding. Wait, look! Isn''t that Franco?"


    Michael pointed towards Ocean Drive where a black Mercedes S350 was parked on the sandbank, Franco Duvall hastily scampering out of the car, his hair blown into disarray by the wind, his complexion both dark and foul.


    Michael and Daniel exchanged glances with a ''woah'' as they exclaimed, flames of gossip burning in their eyes. The situation seemed somewhat like the prime-time CSI crime scene "I Cheated with My Friend''s Wife and Got Shot by Him on the Spot".


    "James, go quickly and alert Link, Franco''s here, be careful he might have a gun; in the movies, the people who catch cheaters always have guns," Michael yelled at James.


    Hearing about the gun, James panicked and ran into the shop, but after a few steps, he stopped and turned back to say, "I just said, they were only talking about work, they didn''t do anything else, why be careful?"


    "But look at Franco''s face, if Link and Nora didn''t do anything else, why would he be in such a hurry?" Michael said, pointing at the approaching Franco.


    Seeing the anxious and indignant Franco, James also felt some doubt in his heart. Could it be that Link and Nora weren''t discussing work inside? But he had clearly seen them talking about work just now.


    "Hey, James, did Nora come here? Is Link here too?"


    Franco hurried over, grabbing James as he asked.


    James nodded his head, wiping the cold sweat of fear from his face, and stammered, "Franco, don''t... don''t get the wrong idea, they were just talking about work inside, I was there too, just came out, they definitely didn''t do anything else, I swear to God."


    "Talking about work?!"


    Franco''s face grew even worse as he gripped James tightly and said, "Did they take out any contracts, folders, or anything like that?"


    "Yes, they were looking at documents."


    James hurriedly nodded his head.


    "Damn it!"


    Franco slapped his forehead, let go of James, and strode into the shop, almost tripping over the sand barrier at the entrance.


    "What''s going on? Why am I a bit confused?"


    Daniel, licking his ice cream, looked towards the Baker shop and said.


    "Maybe it''s a financial dispute. In the movies, these cases are very tricky, sometimes even fatal. Link is in trouble," Michael said somberly.


    James shook his head, hesitated for a moment, and then carefully walked into the shop.

 Chapter 074 Signing the Contract

    "Franco, why are you here?"As Franco entered the small living room, Link and Nora Duwa were chatting over tea with a folder that they had just reviewed on the table.


    Upon seeing the folder, Franco''s expression immediately changed, and he thought to himself that something was wrong.


    Earlier today, his assistant had mentioned that Nora was coming from New York. When he returned home in the afternoon, he only saw Nora''s luggage and couldn''t find her; her phone was unreachable. After asking Nora''s assistant, who evasively mentioned she had gone to visit a friend.


    He knew immediately it was a lie because Nora''s social circle was in New York; she had no friends in Miami.


    He had a bad feeling and rushed over only to find Nora indeed at Link''s place.


    "Hi, Link!"


    Franco forced a smile, greeted Link, and pulled Nora outside, nearly bumping into James who was coming in towards them.


    James, startled, quickly stepped aside to let the couple through, but as he watched their retreating figures, he realized that today''s incident seemed beyond his expectations.


    "Link, what are they doing?"


    James asked, looking at Link.


    "Perhaps showing off their love!"


    Link replied with a light smile, picking up the contract on the table to review it again.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Nora, I''ve told you, don''t try to steal my employees. Otherwise, I''ll really get angry. Why would you still do this?"


    Outside Baker''s store, Franco pulled Nora to the door and said.


    Nora adjusted her hair, and seeing her husband in a wrinkled shirt and sandals covered in sand, looking almost like a homeless man picking trash on the nearby beach¡ªso far from his former image in New York that if Old Duwa saw him, he might kick him out of the house. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why did you leave the house looking like this? Have you dressed like this the whole time you''ve been in Miami?"


    "Nora, don''t change the subject, we were talking about work. You promised me not to interfere with Link''s matters, but you didn''t keep your promise," Franco said sternly with dissatisfaction evident in his tone.


    Nora shook her head and sat down, pulling up a chair. "Franco, did you sign a contract with Link?"


    "No, but..."


    "If he didn''t sign with you, he isn''t officially a boxer under Dynasty Promotions. After winning the championship in the American qualifiers, several companies have approached him wanting to sign him. I''m the CEO of a main event company, is there a problem with me talking to him?" Nora said calmly and unperturbed.


    Franco held his forehead and thought for a moment, realizing that indeed there was no issue.


    Nora was the CEO of major events and also managed boxer contracts. Her meeting with Link to discuss a contract seemed correct; in fact, it was his own abrupt arrival that interrupted their discussion and appeared rather impulsive.


    "Alright, Nora, how did your chat with Link go?"


    "Not bad!"


    Nora saw her husband''s expression change and added with a smile, "But Link didn''t agree to sign with me."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, Link wants more than 70% of the match earnings, which is too high a demand, and we can''t meet it," Nora shrugged.


    Franco laughed heartily and affectionately said to Nora, "Darling, you should check the recent news to see how they rate Link, calling him the top amateur boxer and the biggest surprise in the boxing world for the next decade. He might even become a boxing star like Roy Jones or Mayweather. In my opinion, he fully deserves to earn more than 70% of the match revenue like those guys."


    Nora Duwa didn''t argue against his point because after the recent interaction, she suddenly realized that Link''s contract was indeed worth that price.


    First, Link was very capable, his amateur performance was even more exceptional than Tyson, Mayweather, and Roy Jones Jr., possessing the potential of a boxing superstar;


    Second, Link was very famous with a solid foundation. In the boxing world, it was rare for someone like Link who had not yet turned professional or even participated in the Olympics to already rival the popularity of second and third-tier actors, sometimes even more famous than many boxing champions.


    Such a person would double the effectiveness of future promotion efforts, saving the company a significant amount of money.


    Third, Link was a smart and rational man. Most boxers are muscular and simple-minded strongmen, many of whom have great potential and are formidable fighters, such as Ike Ibeabuchi and Oliver McCall, who initially had promising futures but ended their professional careers early due to fighting, committing crimes, or drug abuse.


    Link, however, had clear and precise goals, knew what he wanted, and such a person was not likely to stray off path; a longer career was expected, and he was a good cooperation partner.


    Because of these points, after meeting Link, Nora truly considered signing Link, and even thought about calling Duvall to explain the situation, but unfortunately, Franco arrived too early and disrupted her plans.


    Nora helplessly shook her head, sometimes feeling that although Franco was not good at business, he had a keen eye for people.


    This Link was very likely indeed a budding boxing superstar.


    However, as they were husband and wife, she decided not to interfere further with Franco on this matter.


    "Link, you guys continue the discussion, main events aside, but do not forget the main events, hoping we still have opportunities to cooperate in the future,"


    Nora said as she reached out her hand.


    "Okay!"


    Link shook hands with Nora.


    After sending his wife Nora off, Franco presented a new contract to Link.


    Since returning from Havana, Franco had rushed to sign Link, wanting to secure this ace card early, but Link was not very satisfied with some clauses in the contract, particularly those concerning income division.


    The initial draft of the contract stated that before becoming a world champion, he and the company would split income 5:5; after obtaining the world champion title, the split would be 6:4; if he maintained the champion title for over five years, it would be 7:3, and for over ten years, 8:2.


    Link''s proposed amendments were that before obtaining the Gold Belt world championship, the income split during matches would be 5:5;


    after obtaining any belt from WBA-WBC-IBF-WBO, the split would change to 6:4;


    upon obtaining more than three belts, the division would be 7:3; after obtaining two heavyweight belts, it would be 8:2; upon obtaining five heavyweight belts, the income split would be 9:1.


    When Franco saw these new terms, he was stunned.


    It wasn''t that Link''s demands were too exaggerated, but rather, Link''s ambition that left him astonished.


    Previously, on the train, when Link had spoken about monopolizing the four major organization belts across five weight classes, surpassing Holyfield, Franco thought Link was exaggerating to enhance his bargaining power in the negotiations, but now Link seriously incorporated this into the contract as a condition for the income division, indicating that his goal was indeed to dominate the five divisions.


    Franco had to admit, Link''s goals were really cool.


    Other boxers, before entering the boxing scene, would think obtaining one Gold Belt was quite good, but Link aimed to take on all five levels'' belts from all four major organizations in one go.


    If he managed to do that, what would the world boxing scene become in the future? Would boxers from all over the world come to challenge Link alone?


    If that truly materialized, the income from a single match for Link would definitely exceed 100 million US dollars.


    After discussing in a company meeting, Franco realized these amended terms were actually beneficial too; if Link managed to secure two or three belts, or titles across multiple ranks, by then Link''s fame would not be inferior to Mayweather''s, and he would deserve such high income division.


    Compared to the original, the new modified contract only became uncertain in terms of time, previously stipulated over three, five, or ten years, now calculated only by the number and rank of Gold Belts.


    This amendment was also advantageous for the company''s development. Franco came over today not just to find Nora, but also to finalize the contract with Link thoroughly to settle things once and for all, and to stop worrying about Link being signed away by someone else.


    "Link, what do you think?"


    "No problem."


    Link nodded affirmatively, the new contract was completely modified according to his suggestions, and there were no issues with the other clauses.

 Chapter 075 Millionaire

    Not long after finalizing the contract with Franco, Link received a call from Greg Cohen of the top promotion company."Hi, Link, are you busy? How about we talk again about the signing?"


    Greg Cohen greeted him in a familiar tone.


    "Mr. Cohen? What about?"


    Link asked, setting down his dumbbell.


    "I heard you''re planning to sign with Dynasty Promotion?"


    Greg Cohen scoffed disdainfully, "Link, as a seasoned boxing promoter, I can tell you very responsibly that this is a really bad decision.


    Everyone knows that boxing promotion companies operate almost the same way as Hollywood talent agencies. The more powerful the company, the stronger its star-making capability.


    Small companies have weak promotion abilities, they simply can''t afford the initial investment for promoting an event, nor can they bring you to a higher-level platform for fights, just like Hollywood''s big five agencies, CAA, WMA, ICM, everyone wants to be a signed artist with them.


    If you want to become a boxing champion like Mayweather or De La Hoya and earn a lot of US Dollars, it''s better to choose to work with a powerful promotion company such as Top Rank, Don King Promotions, Main Events, or Matchroom Boxing, which have almost all the champion boxers as well as money-making fighters. Link, you are a smart man, I think you should know this."


    "Yes, I know,"


    Link shrugged and said.


    "Then why make such a hasty decision to sign? Link, I really think highly of you, this is true, even if we don''t sign with you, I still want to give you some friendly advice from the standpoint of a friend and a mentor: don''t rush to sign anything.


    After the Olympic competitions are over, if you can get a medal at the Olympics, I think there will be many companies willing to offer you big contracts for collaboration.


    Top Rank is the same. I''ve been discussing with Mr. Arum all this time, trying to fight for a bigger contract for you, a higher share of the fight income, which could reach 50%. This is before you become a world champion. In the future, we might be able to give you an even higher split, 70% is not a problem either.


    It''s just a pity that when I heard you were about to sign with a small promotion company, Link, I urge you to think about it again."


    Greg Cohen said earnestly over the phone.


    Link shook his head, feeling this guy was here to cause trouble.


    After the qualification tournament ended, many promoters from various promotion companies had come to him, including from Top Rank, but not Greg Cohen. The contracts they offered, though bigger than after the Golden Gloves tournament, were still below his expectations, and they were stingy with the share of fight income.


    Now that he was about to sign with Dynasty Promotion, Greg Cohen suddenly called to advise him, and without showing any actual contract, Link was sure the other party just wanted to disrupt things.


    "Mr. Cohen, thank you for the advice, but I''ve decided to sign with Dynasty Promotion."


    "Why?"


    "Probably because Franco is more sincere,"


    Link thought of an excuse and said.


    "Sincere? Hmph, Link, I bet you''ll regret this decision in the future. Professional boxing is far more complicated than you think, and you and Franco absolutely won''t be able to handle that kind of situation."


    "Maybe, but we''ll see about that in the future."


    Link decisively hung up the phone.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After the contract was finalized, Dynasty Promotion Company held a grand signing ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Palm Beach, inviting dozens of local celebrities from Miami, including members of the state sports commission, senior members of the boxing association, senior executives from media and advertising companies, and over a hundred journalists to attend the event.


    Link, for the first time, wore formal attire and got a sleek hairstyle to attend the event at the Hilton Hotel.


    There were more than two hundred people present, aside from Coach West, Manager Robinson, Rafael Varane, and others, the rest were strangers to Link. Seeing a few familiar faces, he went over to greet them.


    "Haha, Link, you''ve arrived just in time, let me introduce you,"


    Rafael said, pulling him aside to introduce a few middle-aged and elderly men beside him.


    Some were senior media publishing executives from Florida, including the CEO of a Miami business television station, the Director of the Southern Distribution Department of "Boxing" magazine, the News Department Head of the Florida New Herald, the General Manager of McClatchy Publishing Company, and Anderson Gyllenhaal, the Executive Editor-in-Chief of the Miami Herald, who, according to Rafael, is the uncle of the Hollywood star, Jack Gyllenhaal.


    Link politely greeted the group without being obsequious or arrogant.


    There was actually no need to be too flattering towards these executives from the media and publishing industry.


    To his own career development, they could at best play a role of adding glory to his achievements. If he made a name for himself in the boxing world, these media outlets would cheer loud for him and support him, but if he lost a match or was involved in a scandal, they would not hesitate to trample on him and slander him.


    The role of the media was somewhat like a small performance company that deals with weddings and funerals; whether public figures had good or bad news, they had an opportunity to join in and boost their circulation.


    If one wanted them to speak well in bad times, or speak ill in good times, it was simple¡ªenough promotional fees had to be paid.


    After all, this was the capitalist world where everything was dictated by capital.


    "Link! You once publicly stated to the media that if small fry like Roy Jones, Bernard Hopkins, Chris Byrd, and others dared to challenge you, you would deal with them within three rounds. Were you joking, or do you truly have confidence in that claim?"


    Anderson Gyllenhaal, the editor-in-chief, asked, holding his champagne glass.


    Link smiled and said, "Mr. Gyllenhaal, I never talk big. As long as they dare to challenge me, I definitely won''t avoid battle and will be able to beat them. If they don''t come to challenge me, when I move to the professional boxing world in the future, I will challenge them, as there are fewer and fewer people worth fighting in the professional boxing scene nowadays."


    "Sounds great, Link. When do you plan to compete professionally? We all look forward to seeing your performance," Anderson Gyllenhaal asked, holding his champagne glass.


    Everyone nodded in agreement; if Link was really that good, they wouldn''t mind going to support him.


    Link gave a slight smile and was about to speak when he saw Franco and Nora walking side by side through the crowd. After Nora''s arrival in Miami, Franco also changed back into his sharp attire, dressed in a black pinstripe suit and red tie, which matched Nora''s red evening gown perfectly.


    Link turned to the two and said, "Look, the boss and the boss''s wife have arrived. Gentlemen, when I can fight professionally depends on his arrangements."


    "Haha, Link, we''re partners, and besides, I''ll be serving you in the future. You are my boss," Franco said, patting his shoulder and then smiling to the others, "Regarding Link''s professional matches, we have started planning them since signing the contract. The event should be before Christmas, and the opponent will at least be a continental champion boxer.


    Please come and support the event, gentlemen."


    "Haha, definitely!"


    The crowd echoed with laughter.


    The signing ceremony began, witnessed by celebrities, lawyers, and media reporters. Link and Franco signed the boxing promotion contract, making Link a signed boxer and co-owner of Dynasty Promotion Company and also putting over eight million US dollars in his pocket. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after the signing, negative news about him suddenly appeared in several newspapers, alleging that his father was a smuggler and a gangster¡ªthat he had also been involved in smuggling, had been imprisoned twice, and was not a good person. It was suggested that his preference for knocking out his opponents in the boxing ring might have been influenced by bad street habits.


    But these negative stories didn''t last long¡ªa feature article in the American Express about him caused a greater sensation in North America.


    "Link Baker: A ''Cinderella'' Champion, a New American Dream for the New Era."


    In this issue''s New People section, American Express dedicated over five thousand words to his life story, detailing his roots in Miami Beach, how his ancestors were fishermen for two generations, his mother left early, his father passed away soon after, and he grew up orphaned, influenced by his environment to become a bad boy, twice imprisoned, and nearly killed in the streets, among other past misdeeds.


    But since he took up boxing three years ago, he began to turn his life around. Starting from the Golden Gloves Tournament, he worked his way up to become the champion of the Americas Zone qualifier.


    Recently, he signed a contract with Dynasty Company worth tens of millions and is now poised to represent the United States'' Super Middleweight boxing team at the Olympics.


    American Express hailed his journey from a troubled ''bad boy'' to a ''millionaire'' at just twenty years old as more inspirational than the lives of Ali, Tyson, James J. Braddock, and other boxing legends. They called him a new idol for young people from the lower classes and a representative of the American Dream.


    The article was later reprinted by major publications such as People Weekly, "Boxing" magazine, and the Chicago Tribune, causing quite a stir in North America.


    Instead of damage, Link''s reputation only grew, and he became even more well-known.

 Chapter 076 Gal Gadot

    Work it, make it, do itGo for it, let it work


    Makes us longer, better, faster, stronger


    Makes us last longer, better, faster, stronger


    N-n-now that don''t kill me


    What doesn''t kill me only makes me stronger


    Nighttime at the Pink Lover Bar, the lights flickered on and off, the music was loud, and hundreds of men and women swayed their bodies to the rhythm of the music on the dance floor, emitting shrieks.


    Alcohol, perfume, mixed with the smell of marijuana, made the bar-goers even crazier and more debauched.


    Link sat quietly in the corner booth, gazing at the bustling dance floor, with only a glass of water on the table.


    Maybe it was because he was often in the boxing ring, watched by thousands, that when he stepped down, he always liked to sit quietly in a corner of busy places, quietly watching others buzz and throng.


    At such times, he could feel the calm in his heart and the relaxation and comfort that this calmness brought him.


    "Hey, Link, snap out of it!"


    Danny from the hot dog stand came over, shouting loudly at him, "You can''t be like this, you''re the host today, and you''re sitting here drinking mineral water?! Oh, hell, are you a Puritan or what?"


    "No, I''m an athlete, Danny,"


    Link reminded.


    "But you''re also a man, there are so many hot chicks here, and yet you''re sitting alone? James was right, you''ve changed so much after the injury, not just starting to work out, boxing, but also quitting marijuana and alcohol, did you meet an angel in heaven and get purified?"


    "Maybe."


    Link said with a smile, holding his glass of water.


    "Hey, Danny, stop bothering him."


    Chubby James, also with a plump girl, squeezed through the crowd, wearing a loose printed T-shirt that looked like a dust cover thrown over a sculpture, with a gold-lettered baseball cap on his head, and exclaimed, "He''s training for the Olympics, he can''t even drink juice carelessly, let alone chasing girls; he has Taylor, Emma Watson, all stars, do you think he''d be interested in ordinary girls?"


    "Alright, I get it, Link, you''re too cool."


    Danny punched the air towards him and moved into the dance floor with the girl, twisting like a water plant.


    James hesitated for a second and then said, "Link, this is Brenda, she''s a fan of your boxing, could you give her an autograph?"


    "No problem! Nice to meet you, Brenda!"


    Link took an autograph pen and wrote a signature for the nervous girl, with a bonus blessing.


    The girl happily took the autograph and left with James. As they left, James turned back and squinted at him triumphantly, like a fat raccoon who had stolen a melon.


    Link smiled slightly. After becoming famous, Danny and Michael often picked up girls using his name, and now even James had learned to do it; he had to admit that being famous felt pretty good. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ding-dong!


    His phone received a message, it was a text from his nominal mother, Catherine.


    "Just saw the news about your signing, you did great, keep it up."


    "Thanks, I will,"


    Link replied, but soon received several more text message blasts from his cousin Selena Gomez, saying he had signed and needed to treat her to seafood, asking him when he would come to New York, whether he had a girlfriend, mentioning she knew a lot of beautiful girls and could introduce some to him.


    She also warned him not to mess with bad girls, saying those girls only cared about his money and fame, not truly liking him.


    Link read the messages, the first few sounded like Selena''s tone, the rest probably Catherine''s words.


    He picked and chose a few to reply, letting her know he understood and inviting her to come to Miami when she had time.


    "Verano, I''m at the bar, yeah, it''s noisy here, our crew is having a party, I understand, I won''t get drunk."


    While texting, a tall girl walked by, talking on the phone, wearing blue denim shorts, silver low-heeled sandals, nearly one meter eighty in height, curvaceous, a very hot girl.


    The girl finished her call, sat down beside me, took her shoes off, and started rubbing her ankle and calf. Suddenly, she noticed Link sitting there and quickly sat up, saying, "I''m sorry, sir, I didn''t notice you."


    "It''s okay, I came here to make a call too,"


    Link said, shaking his phone.


    The girl nodded, hesitated for a moment, but continued to sit on the couch. She put her shoes back on and glanced at him, "Sir, you look familiar."


    Link also thought she looked familiar. In her early twenties, with chestnut long hair, tanned skin, and a rather strong facial contour with features typical of Middle Eastern women, she resembled the future Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot.


    He remembered reading in the newspapers that "Fast & Furious 4" was currently shooting in Hollywood, Miami, and that the newly debuted Israeli actress Gal Gadot''s name was on the cast list for the movie, so there was a good chance she was indeed Gal Gadot.


    "Fast & Furious 4" must be one of her early works.


    "My name is Link Baker, I wonder if you''ve heard of me?"


    Link introduced himself.


    "Wow, I remember now,"


    The girl exclaimed, covering her mouth, "Link Baker, the boxing champion, the future world king of boxing, a multimillionaire, the epitome of the American dream, right? You''ve been all over the papers recently."


    "Yes, but things like world champion or the epitome of the American dream are just exaggerated phrases, you know, the media needs a hook,"


    Link said with a shrug and a smile.


    After the qualification matches ended, the Florida and Miami local newspapers had heaped lavish praise on him, bestowing many grand titles upon him.


    Besides, after signing on, the Dynasty Promotion Company also started promoting him, and these days his name was frequently seen in the papers, his popularity skyrocketing, to the point where even homeless people picking up trash on Miami Beach knew who Link Baker was.


    "Mr. Baker, when I read the newspapers, I also thought it was a bit over the top, but seeing you in person, I think they might be right, you do look like someone formidable,"


    Gal Gadot said, batting her eyes with her brown hair falling over her shoulders, sizing him up with a smile.


    "Why do you say that?" Link asked with a smile.


    Gal Gadot''s gaze traveled around his chiseled face, pointed to the glass of water on the table, and laughed, "You can tell you''re a very disciplined person. You speak in a calm and humble tone, you''re polite and mild-mannered, and you look even more handsome and stable in person than in your photos. I think you must be quite impressive."


    Link laughed, feeling that there was a reason this foreign woman was about to make a name for herself in Hollywood, at least she was very articulate and had a good eye for people.


    "Thank you, you''re also very striking. Are you a model?"


    "No, well, I''ve done some model work for advertisements, but I''m mainly an actress now. My name is Gal Gadot, you can call me Gal,"


    Gal Gadot introduced herself.


    Link shook her hand and then summoned the waiter to get Gal Gadot a Pink Lover cocktail, which was the signature of Pink Lover Bar.


    "Link, did you come here alone?"


    "No, I''m throwing a party here today, and over half the people on the dance floor are my guests,"


    Link said, looking towards the crowded dance floor.


    Surprised by his words, Gal Gadot found it odd that the host of the party was sitting by himself at the party.


    Link didn''t explain further and began asking about her crew. Gal Gadot eagerly talked about it, her phone ringing twice in between. She glanced at it and hung up, continuing to tell him about the "Fast & Furious" crew.


    I need you to hurry up now


    Cause i can''t wait much longer


    I know I got to be right now


    The noisy music surged from every direction again, and the smell of marijuana, strong alcohol, and hormones became denser. Link checked his watch¡ªit was 7:20 P.M., almost time for a break. He reached out his hand invitingly, "Miss Gal, would you like to dance?"


    "Sure!"


    Gal Gadot smiled slightly and took his arm, standing up from the couch.

 Chapter 077 Double-Decker Yacht

    Oof!The sun streamed through the window, casting large patches of golden sunlight on the carpet, while a loud honk echoed from the sea.


    Link opened his eyes and suddenly felt a soft heaviness on his body. He lifted his head and looked at the woman resting on his chest, her chestnut hair messily draped over her face, bearing traces of post-joy fatigue and satisfaction on her beautiful cheeks.


    Sunlight shined on her smooth back, her wheatish skin as delicate as satin, adorned with a few sesame-sized red moles and some red indentations.


    Link brushed the woman''s hair aside to reveal Gal Gadot''s lovely cheeks.


    Last night at the bar dancing with Gal Gadot, they encountered members of the "Fast & Furious" film crew, including director Lin Yibin, lead actor Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, and others.


    They sat together for a while, talking about movies and boxing.


    Paul Walker suggested going racing, inviting Link to join.


    Link didn''t refuse; he was originally skilled in driving, coupled with his fast reflexes, putting him above average among amateur racers.


    After the race had started, he led Gadot ahead of the others.


    However, during the race, they suddenly encountered Miami police chasing street racers. Everyone scattered before reaching the destination.


    Link drove Gadot to hide in a secluded warehouse to avoid the police pursuit.


    Inside the confined car, they chatted for a while. As the temperature in the car gradually rose, the smell of dopamine hormones grew richer, coupled with the adrenaline rush from racing, they got entangled together.


    Link threw off the blanket, rose from the bed, and let Miami''s warm sunlight bathe his body, warm and vibrant. The vitality that was nearly spent last night seemed to slowly revive under the sunlight, casting a long shadow on the floor.


    He kissed Gadot''s shoulder and called out, "Gal," Ms. Gadot murmured, eyes closed, hugging his neck.


    ¡ª


    Over half an hour later, Link dressed, covered Gadot with the blanket, and seeing her calf almost hanging off the bed, considered whether to get a bigger bed.


    The single bed in the bedroom was two meters long and only one meter wide, just right for one person or a petite girl like Emma.


    If it were a tall and fit girl like Gadot, it would seem crowded with two people.


    After some thought, he decided not to change it.


    Changing the bed would require changing the room since the bedroom space was ultimately too small.


    Besides, Gadot was an actress with "Fast & Furious" and wouldn''t stay here long; their union was more about hormonal effects and mutual admiration, no need to change a long-used bed for a temporary partner.


    Link went to clean himself in the bathroom, then called Resas at the neighboring Mexican restaurant to order two breakfasts.


    "Hey, Link, why are you ordering two breakfasts by yourself?"


    Resas said while carrying the meal boxes over.


    "Because I eat a lot, or maybe your restaurant''s portions are too small. Which explanation do you think makes more sense?"


    Link joked.


    Resas rolled his eyes. "Definitely because you eat a lot. You exercise every day, so eating two portions is normal. By the way, I saw a double-decker yacht parked at the public pier when I came over. It looks really beautiful, not sure which tycoon parked their yacht at our public pier."


    "Is that so? I''ll go take a look later."


    Link sent Resas off and returned to the living room to eat breakfast. Halfway through, Gadot came out of the bedroom in silk shorts and a white tank top, her hair tied up in a bun, her tall and fit figure fully exposed in the sunlight. Her thighs were thick, her calves slender, walking on tiptoes like she was catwalking.


    "How did you sleep?"


    Link greeted.


    "Very well, your bed is comfy, and the sunlight feels even better on my skin. I love your room,"


    Gadot stretched and smiled.


    "What about me?"


    "Haha, you''re even better!"


    Gadot smiled faintly and sat cross-legged across from him, sizing him up as she spoke, "Now I believe even more what the papers say about you being an incredibly strong boxer, an incredible man."


    "Thanks, you''re amazing too. How long is your film shooting in Miami?"


    Link poured her a hot glass of milk.


    "A week. Do you want to go for another round?"


    Gadot blinked and asked with a smile.


    "If I have the time, why not?"


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Ding-a-ling! The phone rang a few times, and it was Franco Duvall calling. Link answered the phone.


    "Hey, Link, are you up?"


    Franco''s voice was enthusiastic and high-pitched over the phone.


    "Yes, Franco, the sun in Miami doesn''t allow anyone to stay in bed."


    "Haha, I feel that too, the sun in Miami seems to enjoy working overtime more than the sun in New York. Link, guess where I am?"


    Franco asked with a laugh.


    "Don''t tell me you''re at the American Airlines launch base, getting ready to travel to outer space on a spaceship."


    "Haha, of course not. I''m at the dock near your little shop. Hurry up and come out. I mentioned last time that I had a big toy to give you. Come out and see if you like it."


    "A big toy?"


    Link raised his eyebrows. When they had signed the contract the day before yesterday, Franco had mentioned he would give him a big toy, but Link hadn''t taken it seriously. Remembering what Resas had mentioned about the yacht at the dock, he suddenly wondered, could he really be that generous?


    ¡ª¡ª


    Public Dock No. 5, along its lengthy gangway, a white yacht was moored, about fifteen or sixteen meters in length, with two decks, a triangular structure at the front, and an open deck at the back. The hull bore the ''Riva'' insignia, a renowned Italian yacht brand known as the ''Rolls-Royce of the Water,'' which looked extremely beautiful.


    "Wow, who''s the beauty? She looks really sexy."


    Link stood on the dock''s deck and shouted to Franco on the yacht.


    "Haha, Link, come aboard first."


    Franco waved his arm on the deck.


    "OK!"


    Link jumped onto the deck. From the yacht, the ocean view was much more satisfying than from a speedboat, both visually and in terms of the pleasure felt.


    On board the yacht, besides Franco, there were also Franco''s assistant Simon and attorney Aaron Horner. Link had met this lawyer at the signing ceremony. Thirty-two years old and a Columbia University graduate, he was a lawyer at the Martinez Morales Law Firm, which handled his legal matters after he signed up with Dynasty Promotion Company.


    "Link, this is the big toy I prepared for you. How is it?"


    Franco laughed as he patted the railing. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you joking? I can''t afford such a luxury."


    Link shook his head. Although he really wanted it, and Franco''s gift was genuinely given, he understood the concept of not accepting rewards without merit.


    After the contract was signed, Dynasty Promotion Company had already delivered a 20% share subscription, 8 million US Dollars as a signing fee, and a 100,000 US Dollar reward for the Olympic qualifying championship. They hadn''t been late on a single cent. How could he then accept a yacht from Franco?


    Moreover, with his current worth, if he really wanted to get a yacht, he could afford one.


    "Link, take it. I have another one. This one is a welcoming gift for joining Dynasty Promotion. I''ve prepared the contract as well," Franco earnestly persuaded him.


    Lawyer Aaron Horner smiled and handed Link a transfer contract to review, along with the yacht''s documentation.


    "It''s too valuable. Franco, it''s not appropriate as a gift."


    "Link, we''re business partners; we''ll earn a lot of money together. What''s a yacht in the grand scheme of things?" Franco tried to persuade him.


    Link still refused. He and Franco were business partners and were also on good personal terms, but it was all the more reason to keep financial matters clear, trying not to mix business with personal feelings to avoid more complicated issues in their working relationship later on.


    "I have a suggestion. What do you think?"


    Assistant Simon smiled and suggested a compromise.


    According to the contract, after talking about the Olympic Gold Medal, Dynasty Promotion Company would reward him a million US Dollars, which could also be in kind, like a yacht.


    This yacht was worth over 1.2 million US Dollars, and since it wasn''t brand new, the value was about the same as the reward.


    "That sounds pretty good."


    Link looked down at the white yacht beneath his feet. When it came to big toys like yachts, sports cars, and private planes, there was hardly any man who didn''t like them.


    "Haha, Link, it''s settled then. You keep this yacht for now, and we''ll sign the contract after the Olympics," Franco said, patting his shoulder and laughing.


    Link nodded in agreement and then made a call to invite Gadot to come and enjoy the yacht.

 Chapter 078 Guest Appearance by the Crew

    Link''s agreement with Franco was that after obtaining a gold medal at the Olympics, he would then handle the yacht transfer procedure. To claim the yacht, Link had returned to the boxing gym to continue his training two days after taking a break.However, after becoming famous, there seemed to be more things to deal with. One day after finishing his training, he received a phone call from Director Lin Yibin.


    Director Lin said he had seen Link''s impressive driving skills that day and asked if he would be interested in making a cameo as a racing driver in their crew.


    Link was somewhat interested after hearing this. The Fast & Furious movie series had always had good box office returns, and the fourth installment seemed to have good reviews too. Being featured in this movie could be beneficial for his future fame. Besides, becoming an actor was one of his dreams, so making a cameo wouldn''t be bad.


    It''s just that he was quite busy with training at the moment and didn''t have much time.


    Director Lin Yibin explained there were only three racing scenes, and Link just needed to show his face; the racing part would be done by a stunt actor. It would take roughly one day to finish filming, during this week, since most of Fast & Furious 4 was filmed in Los Angeles and they only had half a month''s worth of filming left here.


    Link agreed to it and called his agent, Simon Curtis, informing him about the invitation from the production crew. He asked Simon to get in touch with the Fast & Furious crew and arrange the schedule.


    Simon Curtis was Franco''s former assistant and now Link''s boxing agent, responsible for publicity and work arrangements, among other things. Additionally, there was a driver, bodyguard, life assistant, masseur, personal doctor, and other support personnel, all of which needed to be organized once Dynasty Promotion Company relocated here.


    Link found that many things tended to come at him all at once. Not long after he hung up on Simon, and when he drove back home, he found a familiar person sitting on the beach chair¡ªDirector Stephen Herrick, the man in the vest who had come to see the coral reefs last month and also the director of the sequel to Deep Sea Quest.


    "Hey, Stephen, long time no see."


    Link called out as he stopped his sports car.


    Having not seen him for nearly a month, Director Stephen Herrick looked just the same, wearing a coffee-colored shirt with a vest over it and baggy casual trousers, though his beard had grown a bit longer.


    "Haha, Link, you''ve changed so much. When I met you last month, I thought you were just a diver with great skills. Recently, I saw the news about you winning the championship at the qualifying event. When I saw your photo, I couldn''t believe my eyes. A boxing champion and a diving instructor are the same person?


    It wasn''t until I saw the name Link on the photo that I realized it was really you, unbelievable."


    Director Stephen Herrick had a strong acting ability. When expressing his surprise, his eyes and mouth would open wide in astonishment, with his head shaking repeatedly in disbelief.


    "That''s right, it''s all me. The economic situation is so difficult right now, I''d starve without a side job."


    Link joked.


    Director Stephen laughed heartily, agreeing with him wholeheartedly.


    This year''s financial crisis had caused the United States stock market to shrink by nearly 40%, and the wealth of the American people had on average decreased by a quarter and was still declining. Times were tough for everyone. If not for the financial crisis, the sequel to Deep Sea Quest would probably have been filmed already.


    Link poured two cups of tea and placed them on the round table in front of the small shop, chatting with Director Stephen under the sunshade.


    "Stephen, are you here to continue hiring me as your diving guide? Even though I''m now a boxing champion, the hiring price hasn''t changed. How about we keep it the same as before?"


    Link knew the other party was not here for diving and was making a joke on purpose.


    Director Stephen waved his hand, "No, Link, I have something else for you. You know I am preparing the sequel to Deep Sea Quest. After seeing your news the other day, I suddenly had a new idea. Why not invite you to play a part in the film? You''re handsome, have excellent diving skills, and can box¡ªit''s just perfect. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to come to ask you.


    What do you think, Link? Any interest in acting in a movie?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link was somewhat surprised. He had just landed a cameo role, and now a director was knocking at his door seeking collaboration. It seemed he was truly becoming famous.


    "May I take a look at the script?"


    Link felt that with his current status, he also had the right to choose scripts. If it was too bad, he would refuse. His time was limited and he couldn''t waste it on a movie that was doomed to fail.


    "Of course!"


    Director Stephen pulled out a folder from the backpack one of his entourage was carrying and handed it over to him.


    The script was over twenty pages long, not very voluminous, and told the story of a couple of divers hired to retrieve underwater relics. They discovered that their find was actually two nuclear warheads. To save their lives, the couple rose against their employers and ultimately overcame the villain, happily living together ever after.


    The plot of the movie was very similar to the first installment, with nothing particularly new. Its main selling points were handsome men and beautiful women, the underwater world, luxury yachts, treasure hunting, as well as some romance and action scenes¡ªa typical low-budget commercial film.


    "Is my role the protagonist, Sebastian?"


    "Oh, no, what do you think of the third male lead, David?"


    "Are you joking?"


    Link put down the script and looked at Stephen with confusion, "You just said I have a pretty good look, an expert diver, skilled in boxing. This all screams lead male character to me. Now, you want me to play a supporting role?"


    Director Stephen shrugged his shoulders, helplessly saying, "Link, I know you''re fit for the leading male role, but the lead roles are already decided by the producers. The best I can recommend for you is this role."


    Link thought it over. For a newcomer with limited acting experience, landing the role of the third male lead in a Hollywood movie was a pretty good start. He could take on a few minor roles, gradually build up his reputation, and maybe in a year or two, he might land leading roles.


    "Stephen, I have to participate in the Olympic Games in August, so I probably won''t be available until September."


    "No problem, your part would take about a week to shoot. We can work around that. Also, I would like to hire you as a stunt guide, mainly to supervise the diving scenes. How does that sound?"


    This was actually the primary reason why Director Stephen was here. After diving with Link last time and then consulting with several Hollywood diving coaches, he found that their skills were quite inferior to Link''s.


    Link was an exceptional diver with agile movements. Stephen felt that hiring him to guide the actors in diving would add significant value to the film.


    "I can teach them the moves, but I don''t know anything about underwater filming."


    "That''s not an issue; we have professionals in the crew for that," said Director Stephen.


    Link nodded in agreement, deciding to take the jobs. Whether as a supporting actor or a stunt guide, he would be paid, and doing some interesting side jobs during the breaks from training and competition sounded like a good experience.


    After sending Director Stephen away, Link called Simon and still left such matters, including salary negotiations and work arrangements, to him. When the time came, he would simply take care of the specific tasks.

 Chapter 079 Boxing Match Arrangement

    "CUT!"The cameo in "Fast & Furious" went smoothly, with Link playing Dwight, an underground racer.


    In Fast & Furious 4, to catch the murderer of his girlfriend Letty, lead character Brian teams up again with Dom to target a South American drug lord by infiltrating an organization that uses car races as a cover.


    Link, playing Dwight, also participated in that race, and in the end, he was utterly outplayed by the two leading men.


    Dwight didn''t have much screen time, only appearing a few times during the race, making provocative gestures at the protagonists. Since the race took place at night, Link had finished filming in just two afternoons, which didn''t interfere with his training schedule.


    "Hey, Link, not bad acting, hope to work with you again,"


    Lead actor Paul Walker shouted from inside a car.


    "Sure!"


    Link responded with a light smile. During the shoot, he had only sneered into the camera twice, making a disdainful expression, and he hadn''t done much else. That was considered good acting?


    But thinking about what director Stephen Herrick said, that in Hollywood nowadays, actors who look good are more popular than those who actually act well, Link felt confident since he was good-looking and knew a bit about acting. Playing a minor role like ''Dwight'' was definitely within his capabilities.


    "Director Lin, if you have a suitable role in the future, remember to contact me. I can handle various roles,"


    Link called out to director Lin Yibin as he was leaving.


    "Link, does that include playing gay characters?"


    Actress Michelle Rodriguez shouted.


    Ha-ha-ha! Everyone laughed.


    "Except that. I can handle any role of normal gender; I enjoy acting,"


    "Alright, I''ll remember that."


    Director Lin gave an OK gesture.


    Link waved goodbye to the crew and boarded the executive van that Simon had driven over.


    "Link, Franco just sent over some information, take a look."


    Seeing him greet everyone, Simon handed over some documents.


    Link looked at it; it was a statement from British boxer Joe Calzaghe.


    Joe Calzaghe, 36 this year, a British Super Middleweight boxer, turned professional in 1992, became the WBO Super Middleweight world champion in 1997, and dominated the WBO Super Middleweight Golden Belt for ten years. In 2006, he seized the IBF Super Middleweight Golden Belt from American boxer Jeff Lacy.


    After defeating Danish boxer Mikkel Kessler last November, he collected all four Super Middleweight belts¡ªWBA, WBC, IBF, WBO¡ªbringing his professional record to 44 wins in 44 fights.


    On May 19 this year, he moved up to Light Heavyweight and defeated The Ring Light Heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins, improving his record to 45 wins in 45 fights.


    And he plans to challenge Roy Jones Jr. this November.


    Due to Calzaghe moving up to Light Heavyweight and gaining too much weight, he can no longer compete in Super Middleweight fights. Yesterday, he announced he was relinquishing all his Super Middleweight Golden Belts.


    According to the rules, the four major boxing organizations will soon hold ranking matches and challenge matches to determine the new owners of the four championship belts, and all Super Middleweight professionals can register to participate.


    "Link, want to give it a shot?"


    Simon said, standing erect and looking at Link.


    "Of course, it''s a great opportunity to expedite my journey to become a world champion. I''ll definitely participate,"


    Link thought for a moment before responding.


    "Isn''t it a bit rushed? The battle for the Golden Belt is around October, and you would have just finished the Olympics. You wouldn''t have received professional boxing training by then, and jumping straight into a professional match could be quite risky.


    Franco suggests that after the Olympics, the company could arrange for a few professional boxers to spar with you. If you find beating them fairly easy, then you could register for the battle for the Golden Belt with less risk."


    Simon cautiously advised.


    Link nodded, agreeing to Simon''s suggestion.


    The battle for the Golden Belt among the four major organizations is a series of competitions.


    A new professional boxer first needs to take part in regional qualifying competitions, obtain the Intercontinental Championship Golden Belt, and with that belt, qualify to compete against other Intercontinental Champions or challenge boxers ranked 16th to 30th in the organization to grab the International Championship Golden Belt.


    After becoming the International Champion, they can then participate in qualifying competitions to contend for the challenger title; as the Super Middleweight World Championship title is vacant among the four major organizations, one only needs to win the challenger match to obtain the Golden Belt and become the World Champion.


    The difficulty is no less than that of the Olympic series. Simon suggested starting with internal company matches first, to get used to the rhythm of professional competitions before moving on to professional tournaments¡ªa more prudent suggestion that Link supported.


    When the car returned to the seaside boulevard, Link and Gadot got out, and Simon left with the driver.


    Back at the small shop, the lights were on at the entrance, and the room resounded with laughter and cheers as if there was a party.


    Link walked in and saw James, Daniel, Michael, and three young girls sitting around a low table filled with over ten cans of beer, barbecued meat, fruit salads, and more.


    They were eating and chatting, looking very happy.


    "Hey, how could you guys have a party here while I was shooting?"


    Link pulled Gadot to sit down.


    "You''re just too busy, we couldn''t wait for you."


    "That''s right, Link, you missed Daniel''s big moment. Today, he won second place at the Bund Hot Dog Contest, and we are celebrating that good news," Michael shouted, holding up his beer. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A hot dog contest?"


    Link asked, puzzled.


    James nodded repeatedly, talking while gnawing on a rib: "Not just hot dogs, there are also contests for barbecues, sandwiches, ice cream; even diving and surfing have competitions. Don''t forget to join the next beach diving contest."


    "Alright! Congratulations, Daniel. Tomorrow, I''ll try the hot dogs you make," Link said, holding a bottle of light beer with a smile.


    "Haha, thanks!" Daniel said happily.


    Sitting beside them, Link listened to them chat about the hot dog contest, feeling somewhat distracted. Since the qualifying competition, he had been busy signing contracts, becoming a celebrity, a millionaire, shooting a movie, and so on¡ªrushing around as if he was drifting away from the people around him.


    Listening to their jokes, he couldn''t feel much resonance.


    Link felt helplessly unsure whether he was moving too fast, becoming detached from the masses, or if life was just supposed to be like this¡ªmeeting some people, parting with others, then meeting new ones and parting again. But Link was someone who cherished old ties; he didn''t like making new acquaintances, nor did he like drifting away from those he already knew.


    He stood up, found the yacht keys, and asked, "It''s not dark yet, how about we go drink on the yacht?"


    The group paused for a moment, then erupted in cheers.


    "Link, that''s a fantastic idea."


    "Hurry, let''s have a party on the yacht, just thinking about it feels great."


    Link gave a gentle smile, feeling that enjoying time with everyone wasn''t too difficult.


    Although he had cameo roles in the crew and sometimes joined everyone for sea outings, he spent most of his energy and time on boxing training.


    To assist him in training, Coach West recruited two sparring partners for him; both were black men standing at six-foot-three, with average boxing skills but solid bodies and very good durability. Wearing protective gear, they could last ten rounds sparring with Link.


    Apart from Henry and Brown, the new sparring partners, it wasn''t long after the qualifying competition that Mario Morales also arrived at West Boxing Gym with his luggage and a tuition fee, stating he wanted to serve as a sparring partner for Link.


    Now, Link had three and a half sparring partners: Morales, Henry, Brown, and Mario, who adamantly refused to relinquish his sparring duties.


    Link frequently practiced offensive techniques with Henry and Brown, defensive moves with Morales, and heavy punches with Mario, which significantly increased the efficiency of his training.


    In early August, when they retested his punch force, his right hand reached a maximum of 1520 pounds, an increase of 40 pounds from the first measurement, with an average of ten punches at 1380 pounds, 30 pounds more than the initial test.


    His left hand reached a maximum force of 1360 pounds, an increase of 50 pounds, with an average force of 1050 pounds, 30 pounds more than before.


    After two months of practice, both his fists had gained more than 30 pounds in force, showing significant training results, while Reggie and the others had at most gained 10 pounds, with Mario regressing by 5 pounds.

 Chapter 080 The Olympics End

    The time came to August when Link, representing the United States boxing team, went to Han Jing to participate in the Olympic Games.The Olympic boxing competition is divided into five rounds: elimination, preliminary, quarter-final, semi-final, and final matches. There were only 30 competitors in total, but they were all the strongest boxers from the four continents.


    The elimination round was held on August 12 at the Capital City Workers Stadium. Link fought against Nobuhiro Ishida, a boxer from the East, and at the 86th second of the first round, he knocked down his opponent with a rear hook punch, causing the opponent to fall and remain down for ten seconds.


    In the preliminaries, Link fought against the Irish competitor Darren Sutherland, knocking down his opponent five times in four rounds and causing him to fall to the ground for several seconds thrice. Link successfully advanced to the quarter-finals with an amateur record reaching 24 fights, 24 wins, and 24 KOs.


    In the quarter-finals, Link fought against the Kazakhstani boxer Altayev, the super middleweight champion of the previous Athens Olympics, a boxer whose defensive skills were not inferior to Pitts, and who was very strong.


    However, Link had significantly increased his punching power and refined his technique during the past month of training. In the fourth round, he continued to knock down his opponent three times, causing the referee to call a halt to the match, as the opponent was down for several seconds. Link won another match.


    In the semi-finals, Link faced a challenge from the British boxer James DeGale.


    James DeGale is black, with a height of 188 centimeters and a reach of 196 centimeters. His technique is exquisite, and his physical condition is also excellent, resembling a combination of Pitts and Andzeje. Despite Link knocking down his opponent four times within four rounds, the match still did not end with a complete KO.


    He won the match with a score of 31:19.


    This was the only fight in all of Link''s amateur competitions that he didn''t win by a KO.


    And in the final, Link encountered his old rival, the Cuban boxer Lorenzo Aragon.


    Because their past match had caused a sensation in the world of boxing, many believed that Aragon had not performed well, leading to his loss to Link, and a rematch''s outcome was unpredictable.


    Hence, the match was highly anticipated by boxing fans all over the world, and the Huaxia TV sports channel broadcasted it live.


    However, the progress of the match was unexpected. Link immediately used heavy punches to attack Aragon''s defense right after the start, throwing 124 punches in the first round and knocking down Aragon once in the last 10 seconds.


    In the second round, the match was almost entirely one-sided. Link continued with heavy punches, knocking down Aragon twice and causing him to stay down for several seconds. Before the beginning of the third round, the Cuban side announced their withdrawal from the match, using Aragon''s unhealed injury as an excuse.


    Link easily won the final and secured the Olympic gold medal.


    On August 25, Link returned to the United States by plane. When he stepped out of Los Angeles International Airport, more than a hundred media reporters were waiting outside the terminal. With his assistant Simon orchestrating, Link held a press conference in the airport''s main hall.


    "Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on winning the Olympic championship and securing a highly prestigious gold medal. This gold medal is also the only one that the US boxing team has won at this Olympics. How do you feel right now?"


    A reporter from the Los Angeles Times asked, passing over the microphone.


    "It''s great, just like the weather in Los Angeles."


    Link pointed to the blue sky above, smiling. At the moment, he was dressed in red and white Nike sportswear, with a gold medal adorned with jade hanging around his neck. It featured the boxing emblem and his name, weighing a total of 219.3 grams, feeling quite heavy around his neck.


    But his mood was very relaxed.


    This trip back home was not only for the Olympics; he also took some time to travel near his hometown. His parents were in good health, his siblings were still in school, and it seemed as if the Lin Family didn''t have a child named Link.


    Coach Lao Liu was still coaching at the city boxing team, and without any involvement from him, Liu would probably be able to retire peacefully in the city team.


    Seeing everyone doing well, naturally, his mood was quite good.


    "Mr. Link Baker, how was your first trip to Huaxia?"


    The Los Angeles Times reporter continued to ask.


    "It was fantastic. The cities in Huaxia are also bustling, and the people in Huaxia are very warm and hospitable. I''ve made many friends during my time in Huaxia,"


    Link replied with a smile.


    "Mr. Link Baker, three days ago Huaxia media reported that you saved a child from drowning in Han Jing Park. Is that true?"


    A CBS television reporter asked, passing over the microphone.


    "Yes, I just happened to be passing by, and I helped out."


    "Mr. Link Baker, according to Huaxia media reports, the 200-meter medley champion Phelps and a former Huaxia diving champion were also at the scene. All three of you dived into the water at almost the same time, but you reached the child first. How did you manage that?"


    The CBS television reporter asked.


    "I live by the sea, and my swimming skills are pretty good. As for swimming faster than them, that''s probably a misunderstanding,"


    Link said, spreading his hands.


    Three days before the finals, he was jogging near the back sea when he suddenly heard someone shouting, "Someone''s fallen into the water!" So, he didn''t think much and just jumped in. After rescuing the child, he didn''t stick around and went straight back to the dorm to change clothes.


    The evening news on CCTV reported the incident, and there was a video taken right as he jumped into the water, with Phelps, who was also running nearby, and Tian Liang from the former Huaxia diving team. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    All three dived into the water almost simultaneously, yet Link, who was further away from the drowning child, reached him first.


    After the news broke, it became one of the biggest and most interesting stories of the Olympics. Since he was also wearing athletic clothing and had quite a distinctive look and build, it didn''t take long for people to expose his real identity¡ªLink Baker from the United States boxing team.


    Then, the news got even more exciting with stories about the diving champion, swimming champion, and boxing champion jumping into the water to rescue a drowning child, with the boxing champion reaching the child first despite being farther away.


    People started to believe he was a hidden swimming master.


    Boxing fans also joked that he was a knockout maniac, an anesthetist, suggesting that he must have K.O.''d the other two in the water before bringing the child to shore, because how else could a boxer be faster than a swimming champion?


    "Mr. Link Baker, Phelps has publicly stated he wants to race you again to see who swims faster. Will you accept his challenge?"


    asked an ABC television reporter.


    Link chuckled and said to the camera, "Of course, but please tell him if he loses, he should leave the gold medal behind. He has eight of them, and I''m quite envious."


    "Okay! We will let him know,"


    the ABC television reporter laughed in response.


    "Mr. Link Baker, many people believed the final match would be evenly matched. Why did you defeat Aragon in just three rounds?"


    asked an HBO television reporter.


    "First of all, it wasn''t an evenly matched fight. I had beaten him before in the qualifiers, I am stronger than him; secondly, Aragon was injured and in a worse condition than in July, making him weaker, and third, I went through over a month of intensified training before the Olympics. I was stronger than at the qualifiers, which is also why I could defeat him again,"


    Link answered.


    "Mr. Link Baker, after becoming world champion, what is your next goal?"


    asked a New York Times reporter.


    "Next, I will move to professional boxing to fight for the super middleweight world titles of the four major organizations and become the true world champion,"


    Link said, waving his fist.


    After answering a dozen questions, Link gave Simon a look, prompting Simon to step forward and announce that the interview was over as the champion needed to rest now.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Link, take a look at your itinerary for the coming days,"


    in the business car, Simon Curtis handed him a bottle of purified water, and then a schedule.


    "Alright, let me see what jobs you''ve lined up for me,"


    Link said as he took the schedule and flipped through it.


    It listed over thirty work schedules, including appearances on CBS''s "The Ellen Show," NBC''s late-night talk show "The Tonight Show," exclusive interviews with the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, People Magazine, "Boxing Ring" magazine, and the HBO show "Follow the Champion to Watch Boxing," as well as six commercial ads, and three charity events.


    "Link, after your championship win, we''ve received over fifty advertising offers. According to your request, we''ve rejected any ads offering less than half a million dollars, leaving these six. The three charity events are optional, but my recommendation is to do them, as it can expand your fan base and increase your exposure,"


    Simon advised.


    "I understand,"


    Link replied. He had no objection to doing charity work; with his own past filled with scandals, engaging in charitable activities could help reshape public perception through television appearances, allowing audiences to get to know his character and behavior. If done well, it could wash away some of his past negative image, converting critics and casual observers into fans.


    "What''s this ''Follow the Champion to Watch the Olympics'' show about? The Olympics are over, so what''s left to watch?"


    Link pointed to the HBO activity in the schedule, which required three days of recording and was the longest one among all the activities.


    "This is a show HBO has tailored especially for you. Considering your popularity and your Olympic gold medal, they plan to create a program where you''ll commentate on the five rounds of Olympic boxing live. HBO is offering you half a million US dollars for it,"


    Simon explained.


    "Sounds good, I''ll take it,"


    Link nodded, set down the document, and looked out at Los Angeles through the car window¡ªthe sun was shining, the ocean and beaches were blue and gold, and palm trees lined the Pacific Coast Highway, reminding him of Miami.


    He took out his phone and texted Taylor to ask if her tour had ended. After a while, Taylor replied saying it would be another half month before she returned to the country.


    Link didn''t mention he was in Los Angeles and sent a message to Gal Gadot, who responded that she was at home and sent him the address of an apartment.


    "Simon, head to the White Oak Apartments on Byrd Street!"

 Chapter 081 Champions Appearance

    "Hello, everyone. Good afternoon. I''m your old friend Steve. God bless. After eight months away from the studio, I''m finally back in this seat. I''ve missed this place and all of you.Thank God."


    At the HBO broadcast center, host Steve Mandanda sat in front of the spacious desk, looking into the camera with excitement, tears glistening in his eyes as if he''d regained something he loved dearly, struggling to control his emotions.


    "Steve, watch your emotions, or the boss will keep you on field hosting. Of course, if you want to keep playing the field, forget I said anything."


    Ms. Tina, the program producer, spoke through the headset.


    Steve quickly composed himself and, smiling, said, "As everyone knows, the Olympic Games concluded yesterday in Han Jing. The United States team won a total of 37 gold medals, 38 silver medals, 36 bronze medals¡ª111 medals in all, topping the medal tally among all participating nations."


    "Among them, the boxing team won 1 gold and 1 bronze. The gold medalist is our old friend, super middleweight boxer Link Baker. Wow, I know him so well."


    "Link and I are friends. A minute before the final match of the Golden Gloves Championship, I interviewed him and he declared he would win the match against Andrea Berto in five rounds¡ªthat was his response to me."


    "At the Havana Americas qualifiers, I interviewed him right before the match again and also witnessed him become the super middleweight champion of the Americas zone."


    "Honestly, witnessing Link''s rise, from a rookie boxer to the Golden Gloves champion, then to the Americas zone champion, and finally to Olympic world champion in less than half a year, has been amazing."


    "Wow, just talking about it gets my blood pumping, and I get so excited about Link''s achievements. Ladies and gentlemen in front of the TV, don''t you think Link''s journey over the past half-year sounds like an inspiring movie?"


    "I heard that a Hollywood production company is already gathering Link''s stories to make a movie based on him. I think it''s going to be a great film."


    "Let''s not digress, get to the point!"


    Ms. Tina, the program producer, said.


    "Haha, today I bring you the HBO Olympic special ''Follow the Champion to Watch Boxing.'' Don''t get too excited, the champion isn''t here yet. Please allow me first to introduce the guests for today''s program."


    As Steve spoke, the studio camera panned back to give a wide shot of the studio.


    In the shot, to Steve''s left were two show guests, one a middle-aged man in a black suit and red tie introduced as Doug Fisher, the editor-in-chief of ''Ring Magazine.''


    The other was dressed in gray casual wear, wearing a baseball cap, and a slim, elderly man who was the editor-in-chief of the Miami Herald, Rafael Varane.


    "Welcome Mr. Fisher, welcome Mr. Varane, and next we will invite our third guest of the program."


    "Link! Link!"


    The audience of several hundred roared loudly.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, please, quiet. Forgive me, the next guest entering is not Link, but he is a bigger name than Link with a huge fan base worldwide. Anyone who knows boxing knows him¡ªwho could it be?"


    Steve extended his hand toward the backstage entrance and shouted,


    "Please welcome our heavyweight guest, Mike Tyson!"


    Puff!


    A mist of smoke billowed out as a muscular black man in a crab-like step, wobbling from side to side, emerged from backstage wearing a black suit with a tattoo around his left eye, and grinning to reveal two big gold teeth.


    "Wow, Tyson!"


    The audience shouted excitedly, clapping and cheering.


    Tyson nodded at the audience and, at Steve''s invitation, took a seat on the right side of the studio desk.


    "Hey, Tycoon, what brings you to a show like this? Oh, I remember now¡ªyou''re bankrupt."


    Rafael Varane slapped his forehead as if he''d just realized it.


    Hahaha!


    The audience burst into laughter.


    Everyone knew Tyson was bankrupt. According to media reports, after retiring, Tyson spent lavishly on luxury cars and mansions, gambled, abused drugs and alcohol, was involved with many women, and went from being worth half a billion to being 40 million in debt, forcing him to make a comeback to earn money.


    Tyson swore and waved his fist, shouting, "Damn Rafael, why are you here? Steve, if you''d told me he was here, I definitely wouldn''t have come to this damned show."


    "No, no, you''d still have come¡ªyou''ve still got bills to pay," Rafael joked.


    "Shut your mouth, Rafael. When I was a boxer, you always wrote trash talk about me, and I couldn''t hit you then. Now that I''m retired and no sports committee is over me, you''d better hope I don''t run into you after we wrap up the show."


    Tyson clenched his fist and from across the desk, waved it at Rafael.


    "Let''s drop this useless topic."


    Ms. Tina, the program producer, intervened.


    "Hey, you two, mind your manners."


    Steve, taking the hint, hurriedly intervened and, facing the camera, said, "Let''s get to the main topic. Today our theme is ''Watching a Boxing Match with Olympic Champion Mr. Link Baker.'' As he is quite busy, I''d like to ask our three guests about their impressions of Link first. Mike, you start."


    Tyson adjusted his posture and said to the camera, "Link? I''ve known about him for a while, back since the Golden Gloves Championship. I heard he won his matches there by knocking out his opponents, which is quite impressive."


    "Mike, have you ever knocked out an opponent in your amateur matches?"


    Steve began the interview.


    "Of course there are, but they''re few and far between. Everyone knows that in amateur matches there are protective gears, and the match times are short. It''s really hard to knock out an opponent to win."


    Tyson said while clenching his fist.


    "Yes, and that also shows how impressive Link is. It''s said that his punches are as heavy as those of top heavyweight boxers. That''s incredible! Next up, Mr. Varane."


    "Wait, I''m not finished yet."


    Tyson shouted at the camera, "Besides Link''s heavy punches, I admire his style of doing things. He''s a smart guy, very good at stirring things up through media. Even when he was participating in super middleweight amateur matches, he dared to challenge Chris Byrd, James Toney, and Valuev, several heavyweight champions. He''s really cool, and I want to get his autograph when he comes."


    "You want his autograph? Link once said that he took up boxing because of you and Roy Jones. Now you''re asking him for an autograph, that''s really funny. Mike, are you done talking?"


    Steve asked.


    "Yeah, but you don''t need to ask those two. They''re newspaper people, always publishing some trashy comments in newspapers and magazines. Listening to them talk is a waste of time,"


    Tyson disdainfully looked at Rafael and Doug Fisher, the two editors across from him. These guys hadn''t been shy about badmouthing him back when he was still boxing.


    Rafael and Doug Fisher just smiled nonchalantly. Their job was to praise and criticize people; Tyson was very popular back then and had many issues. Almost every boxing commentator had criticized him, not just these two.


    Under Steve''s questioning, both spoke about their impressions and evaluations of Link, naturally all positive.


    At this time, Link had just become the world champion, the only gold medalist on the United States boxing team. His popularity was booming, and speaking ill of him publicly would mean a backlash from his fans.


    Moreover, since his debut, there was nothing really scandalous about him, making it hard to target him for criticism.


    "Alright, thank you both for your insightful comments. I''ve received word that Link has just arrived backstage."


    Steve stood up and looked toward the backstage entrance, shouting, "Up next, let us welcome with warm applause the world middleweight champion of the 29th Summer Olympic Games, the youngest boxing world champion in history, Mr. Link Baker!"


    Puff!


    A blast of white smoke appeared, and Link, dressed in a black suit with a blue tie, strode in from the entrance, tall and muscular with long, powerful legs, looking handsome and fresh.


    Clap clap clap!


    Steve and hundreds of audience members stood up and clapped loudly, shouting Link''s name.


    "Wow, Link looks so handsome in a suit, I thought I was seeing a movie star just now,"


    Steve clapped his hands, exaggerating his tone.


    "Indeed, he''s a very cool guy. He must have a lot of girlfriends,"


    Tyson grinned broadly and laughed.


    "Hi! Good afternoon, everyone!"


    Link waved to the audience below and then said to Steve, "Why does the entrance feel like a ''Man Show''? My manager told me this was a serious sports talk show."


    "Haha, it''s so hot in Los Angeles, we wanted to cool you down a bit. How was it, nice and cool, right? I''ve tried it a few times before."


    Steve shook his hand and laughed.


    "Don''t forget, I''m from Miami, the weather in Los Angeles feels like spring to me, very comfortable,"


    Link smiled, greeted Rafael and Doug Fisher, two familiar faces in the industry, and then looked at the boxing giant Mike Tyson, feeling a bit thrilled.


    Despite his controversies, in the world of boxing, no one didn''t respect Tyson, the king of heavy punches, the youngest WBC champion at 20, the youngest world champion in history.


    In his prime, Tyson had almost defeated all the champions of the time and forced many heavyweight boxers to end their careers prematurely.


    Back then, a saying circulated in the boxing world that the only one who could defeat Tyson was Tyson himself. Before his defeat in Tokyo, he was a god in the boxing ring, his punches almost the upper limit of human combat potential.


    Around the world, he, along with Michael ''Air'' Jordan and actor Schwarzenegger, were synonymous with tough and strong men.


    However, Tyson was quite shorter than expected, about 178 centimeters tall, very sturdy, sitting there like King Kong in a movie.


    "Hey, Mike, I''m your fan, glad to see you here."


    Link stretched out his hand and shouted.


    Tyson laughed, extending his hand for a high-five, "Link, I''m your fan too, remember to sign something for me later."


    "No problem!" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link smiled lightly and waved to his still applauding fans before sitting down next to Tyson.


    "Ask Link for his thoughts on Huaxia."


    The show producer conveyed the message.


    Steve, pressing his earphone, nodded slightly.

 Chapter 082 Highlights Review

    "Catherine, come quick, Link''s on, wow, he looks so handsome when he dresses up."In front of the TV, Selena Gomez sat on the couch in a yellow dress and thigh-high socks, holding a bag of chips, with her cheeks stuffed like a giant hamster.


    Catherine, wearing glasses, walked out of the study with a script in her hand. She looked at Link on the TV, dressed in a suit, with handsome defined features and a charming smile on his face¡ªshe nodded in satisfaction, "He really is handsome, and he''s also a world champion. Among his peers, none is better than him."


    "The first time I saw him, he looked like a troublemaker, how did he become so impressive now?" Selena asked, propping her face with her hands, puzzled.


    "Probably because he took up boxing; boxing makes people stronger," Catherine said.


    Catherine also put down her work and sat next to watch the television program.


    "Link, how does it feel to participate in the Olympics in Huaxia?"


    In the HBO recording studio, the host Steve looked towards Tyson, who was sitting next to Link, and asked.


    "It''s fantastic, I love Huaxia, it''s a great country," Link praised.


    "Can you tell us more?" Steve probed further.


    "Sure, after joining the WTO, Huaxia''s economy was the fastest growing in the world, infrastructure got increasingly better, and the environment in top cities is comparable to international metropolises like Los Angeles and Miami..."


    Link spoke confidently in front of the camera, discussing everything from Huaxia''s economy to its landscapes, food, Kung Fu, Peking opera, and the Terracotta Warriors, touching upon everything except politics, and of course, only mentioning the positives.


    "Wow, Link, to know so much after just over ten days in Huaxia, that''s incredible," Steve applauded.


    Link shrugged and smiled, "I told you, I love Huaxia. So I made a special effort to learn about it during the competition, and even managed to visit Zhangjiajie, where I heard the new movie by director James Cameron was filmed; the scenery there is very beautiful."


    "That sounds wonderful, I''ll have to visit Huaxia sometime too," Steve agreed.


    "Let''s get to the matter of Link''s weight control," Mrs. Tina reminded.


    Steve chuckled, "Link, speaking of Huaxia''s food, how many different dishes have you tried, and which one did you like the most?"


    Link said regretfully, "I was originally 78 kilograms, and to qualify for the middleweight competition, I had to diet to keep weight under 75 kilograms. So during the competition, I hardly ate out. But I know Huaxia has a lot of great cuisine; my favorite would probably be Hot Pot, which you can also find in Chinatown."


    "Hot Pot? Sounds delicious, I must try it sometime."


    Steve received a cue from the onsite producer and changed the question, "Link, if you had to describe your Olympic journey with one word, what would you use?"


    Link thought for a moment and smiled, "Fulfilled! Or dream come true."


    "So winning the Olympics was your dream?" Steve asked.


    "Pretty much!" Link said, facing the camera with a meaningful smile.


    "Let''s get to the point!" Mrs. Tina instructed.


    "Okay! Let''s move on to the ''following the champion to boxing'' segment. Next, we will show a video of Link''s preliminary match from this Olympic Games, where Link faced the Irish boxer Darren Sutherland."


    Darren Sutherland, 26 years old, is the champion of the Irish super middleweight amateur boxing championships and earned a bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships. His amateur record stands at 82 fights, 73 wins, 7 losses, and 2 draws¡ªa formidable boxer indeed.


    As Steve introduced him, the studio''s big screen began to play the Olympic match video. Link, in blue competition gear, with blue protective headgear and gloves, swung his fists nonstop, attacking his opponent.


    Darren was also agile in the boxing ring, constantly maneuvering and dodging, but his speed could not match Link''s agility.


    In the first round, at 112 seconds, Link delivered a straight punch that hit the opponent''s forehead, knocking him to the ground.


    Wow!


    As he knocked down his opponent, cheers erupted from the audience.


    Over the next three rounds, Link knocked down his opponent four times, causing him to be counted down four times, and successfully advanced to the quarterfinals.


    Watching the video on the big screen, Link couldn''t help but recall his matches in Han Jing, which went relatively smoothly, but the difficulty was not lesser than the Americas Zone qualifiers, especially the quarter and semi-finals, which were harder than defeating Pitts.


    After the preliminary match video ended, the screen paused, and Steve said, "Link, looking back at your match against Darren Sutherland, how do you evaluate this opponent?"


    Link smiled, "Darren is a fantastic boxer; his jab is very fierce and tricky, and quite challenging. But he has a problem: he had suffered a severe injury to his left eye and also has some post-traumatic stress, which makes him fearful after getting knocked down. I learned about this after talking with him post-match. Without these issues, beating him would have been very difficult."


    Link shared more about Darren Sutherland''s experiences; his situation was somewhat similar to the Cuban boxer Rosniel''s, bearing old injuries. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Darren once represented the Irish team in a match against Russia B team in 2006 when he was hit in the left eye by his opponent, nearly causing blindness.

 Chapter 082 Exciting Review_2

    Later, with the support of the Boxing Association of Ireland, a hospital specially performed a transplant surgery on him, filling his eye muscles with some new material to help him recover some of his sight. However, his vision was still somewhat affected, which was also Darren''s shortcoming."Darren really is a tough person."


    Steve nodded and asked Tyson and the others, "What do you think of Link''s performance in this round?"


    Waving his fists, Tyson said, "It was great. Link''s fighting style is as sharp as mine. We both like to break through the opponent''s defense with heavy punches and then knock them out. It''s a cool style."


    "No, I don''t think so."


    Rafael shook his head and countered, "Link''s boxing is smarter than yours and more versatile. He doesn''t just use his fists in a match; he also uses his brain and tactics, often overcoming stronger opponents. This is evident from his matches against Pitts, Aragon, Altayev, and James Gedel."


    Doug Fisher nodded next to him, "In this period, I''ve watched all of Link''s match recordings. His matches have two highlights. First is certainly his KO technique. Boxing is the art of knocking down, and no one doesn''t want to see a boxer knocking down his opponent. Link does this very well.


    The second is his application of boxing tactics in the match. His tactics are different in every match. I asked his coaches, West and Ed, and they both say that during the matches, Link devises his own tactics; they just provide suggestions, which is very impressive."


    "Well said."


    Host Steve clapped his hands and said to Link, "What do you think of their comments?"


    "They are great, but tactically, coaches West and Ed also help me a lot during the matches. They are veterans with rich experience. Although I don''t often follow their tactics, I consider their advice and adjust and modify my own tactics. I would also like to express my gratitude to both coaches here. My gold medal also owes much to their effort."


    Link humbly said to the camera.


    Applause erupted.


    "Wow, Link spoke beautifully!"


    In Miami at West''s boxing gym, West, Reggie, Mario, Robinson, and others sat around the TV, watching Link speak eloquently on screen.


    "Not only is Link amazing at boxing, but he''s also so humble after becoming the world champion. I wish I could be like him."


    Reggie stared at the TV and said.


    Jim and the other young trainees nodded repeatedly.


    "Haha, Link really is a good kid. Inviting him to join the gym was the best decision of my life."


    West laughed heartily, his eyes welling up with tears.


    "Wait! Why didn''t he thank me?"


    Mario stood up, pointing at the TV discontentedly, "I trained with him for over two months, took so many hits, and was even knocked out three times. Doesn''t that deserve any credit, doesn''t that merit a thank you?"


    "Shut up, Link has four sparring partners; you trained with him the least. Do you still expect him to thank you?"


    Coach West scolded him.


    "Mario, Link initially didn''t want to use you as a sparring partner; you were the one who didn''t want to leave, and besides, you benefited more from training with Link."


    Reggie said with a squinting smile.


    Mario opened his mouth to retort, then snorted and turned his head away, ignoring them.


    ---- S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The quarterfinals saw Link facing Altayev, the gold medalist in the middleweight category from the Athens Olympics.


    Altayev was the previous champion and the seeded super middleweight champion for this Olympic Games. He had extremely high defense skills and extremely fierce fists; it was said that he once killed a brown bear with his punches.


    As the match began, both sides started with an exchange of blows. In the first round, Link threw 102 punches, landing 12 on his opponent, while Altayev threw 96 punches, landing 8 on Link. Neither was knocked down in the first round.


    In the second round, as they continued the exchange, Link, relying on his vicious heavy punches and sly jabs, landed 12 successive hits on his opponent and knocked him down once; Altayev only landed three.


    As the score gap widened, Altayev fought more conservatively in the third round, focusing on defense and counterattacking.


    Link, however, gritted his teeth and kept attacking Altayev and finally in the fourth round, he knocked down his opponent three more times, causing him to fall to the ground for counts, and Link won this tough match.


    "What an exhilarating match. Link, compared to the match with Pitts, which one was tougher?"


    Steve clapped his hands and asked after the video ended.


    After thinking for a moment, Link said, "Both matches were tough. The match against Pitts was difficult because I was new to the professional scene and lacked experience, and Pitts'' defense and durability were very high, making it hard to fight.


    Altayev and I have similar boxing styles; we both are aggressive boxers who keep on moving forward, like warriors on the battlefield.


    Fighting such an opponent was truly thrilling. We both exchanged blows in the first two rounds, with me having a slight edge in strength and speed. By the end of the second round, we knew the outcome of the match, so before the third round began, Altayev congratulated me and mentioned that I had a chance to win the gold medal."


    "It sounds like you guys have a pretty good relationship off the screen?"

 Chapter 082 Exciting Review_3

    "Yes, we had coffee together,"Link said with a smile.


    "Wait, Link, I''ve got a question,"


    Rafael raised his hand, pointing to the big screen, and said, "During the match, I heard a lot of people in the audience shouting your name. Do you have a lot of boxing fans in Huaxia too?"


    Steve reopened the big screen and turned up the volume. During the match between Link and Altayev, many people in the audience were shouting ''Link XX! Link XXX!'' Since it was in Chinese, everyone only understood the ''Link'' part.


    Steve said to Link, "Can you explain this to us, Link?" Read new chapters at empire


    Link replied, "There was a feature before this match. I don''t know if you cut it out."


    "Hold on, I''ll contact the back stage!"


    Steve gestured to the production studio.


    Ms. Tina immediately contacted the editing studio.


    After a while, a feature indeed appeared on TV. Before the match, as both boxers entered the arena, Link asked a volunteer for a pen and wrote something on the sign that bore his name¡ª''Huaxia people, my name is Link, please cheer for me!''


    As he was writing, the CCTV commentator exclaimed in surprise, amazed that an American boxer was writing Chinese characters live, asking the audience to cheer for him.


    Link''s writing was in block characters, not very neat but large and clear. After he finished, he held it up high, and the camera broadcasted the sign to the big screen. The thousands of spectators on site also cried out in surprise and then began to cheer loudly for Link.


    Link smiled, pointing to the sign on the screen, and said, "That''s why they were cheering for me."


    "Link, why can you write Chinese characters?"


    Steve asked in amazement.


    Link nodded and said with a smile, "On the flight to Han Jing, I met a Huaxia actress who taught me Chinese. I have a pretty good talent for languages, and after a few days, I could write some simple Chinese characters."


    "Wow, that''s incredible! Chinese is one of the hardest languages in the world. Even professors from Ivy League universities can''t learn it. You learned it after just a few days? Link, can you write a few more Chinese characters for us right here?"


    "I can try,"


    Link nodded his head. Then, the staff brought over a white cardboard and a black marker. Link wrote a few Chinese characters on it: ''sun, moon, stars, tree, sea,'' still in block letters, looking like they were arranged with matchsticks, at the level of an elementary school student, but they were indeed Chinese characters.


    Because he could write Chinese characters, in the subsequent matches, whenever he appeared, the Huaxia audience would cheer loudly for him.


    After the match, many media outlets reported this news, and CCTV reporters also interviewed him, inquiring why he knew Chinese, why he wanted to learn Chinese, and how much Chinese he knew.


    Naturally, Link praised Chinese characters heavily, calling them the greatest writing system in the world, and Chinese the greatest language. After the interview, that night, his story made it to CCTV''s evening news. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the seventh day of the Olympic Games opening, he also became popular on Huaxia''s internet and media for his handsome appearance and the interesting ''matchstick'' Chinese characters, gaining high fame in Huaxia.


    Subsequently, his boxing matches received special attention from Huaxia TV stations, with the audience growing from over a thousand to more than three thousand people, mostly university students from schools around the stadium, all coming to cheer for him.


    Link also gained some home-field advantage in the quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals.


    After the news of him bravely saving a drowning child was exposed, Huaxia TV stations repeatedly reported the news, calling it one of the most touching events of the 29th Olympic Games.


    In the final match against Aragon, more than ten thousand people came to Han Jing Workers'' Stadium, all loudly cheering for him.


    Seeing so many supporters, Link didn''t want to lose in front of his hometown crowd. He became more excited as he fought, scoring 108 points in the first round, with 48 heavy punches, knocking Aragon down. In the second round, he continued to exert his power, knocking Aragon down again and forcing Aragon to give up the match.


    Because if Aragon had continued to fight, there was a real possibility that he would get injured, which would affect the battle for the silver medal. In the end, Aragon had a match with James Gedel, defeating Gedel with a score of 22:13, and winning the silver medal for a second time.


    "Mike, look, this is Link''s tactic, using language to gain home-field advantage. If it were you, could you think of that?" Rafael asked, pointing to the whiteboard.


    Tyson shook his head, looking at Link as if he was a monster, "To learn a language just to win a match? And it''s Chinese, the hardest one? I think apart from Link, no one can do it."


    Link smiled faintly. In his previous life, he wished to represent his country in the Olympics, but regrettably missed out. This life he also wanted to, but being a pure American, even if he wanted to naturalize, he didn''t have the chance. He could only fulfill his wish of two lifetimes this way, and fortunately, the result was quite good.


    "Ask Link who that Huaxia actress is? He mentioned ''she'',"


    Ms. Tina said.


    Steve, feeling helpless, thought: how did a good sports program turn into a gossip entertainment news show?

 Chapter 083 Spreading the Name of Huaxia

    "Mom, look, Link is now a world champion. Do you still think he''s a bad kid?"In the Times Square Hotel in New York, Taylor sat cross-legged on a couch, looking at Link writing Chinese characters on TV.


    "He is indeed excellent now, but he has done bad things in the past, and I''m not making that up."


    Mrs. Andrea placed a plate of washed blueberries on the table.


    "Then will you still oppose our dating? Don''t deny it, last time dad''s paralysis was forced by you, right? I must say, dad''s acting was terrible."


    Taylor snorted. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mrs. Andrea shook her head, not surprised by her daughter seeing through that incident. After all, her daughter was smart. She said with a light laugh, "Taylor, even if I don''t stop you, it will be hard for you two to become boyfriend and girlfriend because you are both too busy. Like now, Link came back to Los Angeles after competing abroad, and you had no time to meet him."


    Moreover, Link is an energetic boxer. He needs a girlfriend who can stay by his side often, not a nominal one who is always flying around and can only be reached by phone. Do you understand what I mean?"


    Taylor lowered her head and thought for a while, put down the fruit plate in her hand, and walked outside.


    "What are you going to do?"


    "I''m going to cancel all my announcements and go back to Los Angeles to find Link."


    "Whatever you want!"


    Mrs. Andrea said indifferently.


    "Link, Mike, before watching the semifinals, how about we play a game?"


    "OK!"


    "I don''t mind!"


    The TV continued to show the program "Follow the Champion to Watch Boxing," the host Steve asked the staff to push up a machine, introducing to everyone, "This is a punch weight tester developed by the Clark Boxing Champion Company, Nevada. It can accurately test a boxer''s punch weight. Link, I heard your gym also has one, right?"


    "Yes, it works great, so is this an ad insertion?" Link said with a smile. Continue your adventure at empire


    "Haha, well, yes it is an ad insertion."


    Steve laughed and said, "Mike, I heard that at your peak, your punch weight was as high as 1800 pounds. How much is it now? You test first, then we''ll invite Link to test, it''s said his punch weight is as high as 1500 pounds."


    "Link, you are a super middleweight boxer, and your punch weight is 1500 pounds?"


    Tyson asked in surprise.


    "The punch weight at burst, the average is just over 1100 pounds."


    Link stated a relatively conservative number.


    "1100 pounds is also extremely impressive, my peak average was only a little over 1500 pounds."


    Tyson took off his suit jacket, leaving just his shirt on, moved his muscular right arm a few times, then smashed his fist onto the punching pad. The punch weight tester''s numbers fluctuated quickly, finally stopping at 1450 pounds.


    "Wow!"


    Link and the audience clapped as well. Tyson, at 42, still had a punch weight of over 1400 pounds three years after retiring, higher than a standard heavyweight champion''s, and his peak punch weight was probably more than 1800 pounds, just like Link would not tell others the maximum value of his punch weight.


    "Link, your turn."


    Steve, rubbing his knuckles, said.


    Link also took off his coat, revealing his neatly pressed shirt, muscular arms, and the contours of his pectoral and back muscles visible even through the shirt.


    "Cameraman, close-up, capture Link''s physique."


    Mrs. Tina commanded.


    Steve, hearing the message in his earpiece, secretly rolled his eyes. That''s the downside of having a female producer, digging into guests'' gossip and capturing handsome guys'' physiques in a sports program.


    Link went up to the machine, clenched his right fist, and hit the punching pad hard. Beep beep beep, the numbers jumped rapidly, finally stopping at 1500 pounds.


    "Wow!!"


    Seeing his punch weight, which was 50 pounds heavier than heavyweight Tyson, the audience clapped and cheered vigorously.


    "Link, you just mentioned your maximum punch weight was 1500 pounds, then you immediately hit that number, were you hiding your strength?"


    Steve joked.


    "Of course not, my punch weight is roughly around 1500, with an error not exceeding 50 pounds."


    Link chuckled and returned to his seat.


    After the minor episode, he continued to explain his competition with James DeGale to the audience.


    DeGale was indeed a formidable boxer, having won a gold medal at the 2007 World Amateur Boxing Championships, his technique is comprehensive, physical condition exceptionally strong, he''s great both in offense and defense, a strengthened version of Andrea Berto. In the match, while the opponent was very mentally stable, Link knocked down his opponent four times within four rounds.


    However, after each knockdown, DeGale got up quickly the first two times without being counted out, and in the end, Link had to stand before the judges'' table for the first time to accept the scoring, finally winning with a score of 31:19, advancing to the finals.


    Without him, the opponent would have been the 08 super middleweight gold medalist.


    "Link, not completing all amateur fights with full KO, do you feel regrets?"


    Steve asked.


    "A bit, but the Olympic gold medal makes up for all regrets."


    Link said, holding the gold medal on the table.


    "Haha, well said, no matter what, you''re still the champion."


    Steve clapped his hands and then asked the three guests to comment on Link and James DeGale''s performance during the match.


    The trio felt that Link not being able to KO his opponent was partly because the opponent was strong, and another reason was that Link had faced a tough opponent, Altayev, in the previous match and was quite drained.

 Chapter 083 Huaxias Famous Legacy_2

    Rafael reminded everyone that Link had to diet to control his weight, which meant he was competing on an empty stomach, making the competition even tougher.Hearing Rafael say this, everyone suddenly realized and applauded Link in admiration.


    Link did not refute. If he had fought against Degale at 78 kilograms, he indeed would have been more confident of knocking him out. However, for a world champion, having an amateur record of all KOs wasn''t important. Initially, he focused on KOs mainly to attract media attention to negotiate a better signing bonus with the companies.


    Now that he had signed and gained greater fame, and was already a household name as a world champion, moving to professional bouts, missing one KO wouldn''t matter much. This imperfection could even generate more news topics.


    "Go Link! Go Link!"


    As he thought, cheers in Chinese reached his ears. Link turned his head towards the big screen, which was showing footage from before the finals.


    The matches took place in the afternoon. The main venue in the Capital City sports complex was packed with over ten thousand locals, mostly youths, many of whom were holding Link''s boxing posters and loudly cheering him on.


    According to on-site reporters, the number of spectators who came to see the match was not fewer than those who came to see Zou Shiming and Zhang Xiaoping, two Huaxia boxers, in the finals.


    The main reason was that the day before the match, Link had saved a child in Houhai and beat the holder of eight swimming Olympic gold medals, Phelps, in the process. This incident was reported by the Huaxia state media as a ''positive energy'' news story.


    ''Chinese brother'' Link''s fame in Huaxia soared, making him the most famous athlete of this Olympic Games, even more famous than Phelps, who had won eight gold medals.


    "Link, I heard that you had a match with Phelps yesterday at the CBS TV station''s swimming pool. How did it go?" Steve asked.


    "This one is his 200-meter freestyle gold medal."


    Link, holding the gold medal on the table, said.


    "Wow, he lost to you?"


    Steve examined the medal, which indeed bore the swimming event marker, and presented it to the camera, which captured the gold medal.


    "Link, you swim faster than the world champion?"


    Tyson and others looked at him incredulously. Although boxers are strong, fast, and have great endurance, boxing and swimming involve different activation points. For a boxer to swim faster than a swimming champion, it definitely indicated extraordinary talent.


    Link explained, "As you all know, I live on Miami Beach; my ancestors were fishermen, and I''m a diver, often swimming in the ocean. My technique is not bad; I''m just a bit faster than him. Afterwards, we exchanged gold medals."


    Yesterday, while he was at the CBS TV studio for a show, the producers suddenly invited Phelps, who was wearing his eight gold medals.


    As soon as he saw Link, Phelps called for a challenge.


    Encouraged by the CBS host, the two headed to the swimming pool and had a match.


    In a 200-meter lane, he completed the course in just 98 seconds, over five seconds faster than Phelps. In seawater, he could have exceeded him by even more.


    After the match, Phelps was particularly affected and said he would train harder to try to beat him next time.


    "Link, you were a few seconds faster than Phelps; have you considered becoming a swimmer and participating in the Olympics in four years?"


    "Not right now; my current goal is to become the world boxing champion."


    Link, clenching his fist, said.


    "Link, I support you; boxing is way cooler than swimming."


    Tyson said, patting his shoulder.


    Link agreed, as swimming could only win championships and attract a few advertisements afterward; other income wasn''t much.


    Top-level boxers, meanwhile, were like walking money printing machines, earning several hundred million US dollars in half an hour per match, faster and more than any other sports star; he naturally wouldn''t sacrifice the big for the small.


    However, according to regulations, boxers moving into the professional boxing scene could no longer participate in amateur boxing competitions like the Olympics.


    If he wanted to win more Olympic gold medals, he would have to go swimming, and the US swimming association had already called, inviting him to join the US team, but he had not yet accepted.


    "Link, going back to the competition, with so many people cheering for you on-site, do you feel pressure?"


    Steve asked, pointing to the big screen.


    "No, I love competing at home, and I enjoy hearing the audience cheering for me. The louder their cheers, the harder I fight; that''s also one of the reasons I was able to beat Aragon again."


    "Yes, Link''s mindset is very good; he is a person with a strong inner self."


    Doug Fisher commented.


    Link thanked Fisher for his praise.


    He then continued to explain the finals situation for the audience.


    Although this final wasn''t as thrilling as the one in Havana, it was still a highly challenging match.


    At the start of the first round, Aragon took the initiative and engaged in guerrilla warfare on the spot.


    Guerrilla tactics on the ring are a strategy of the weak overcoming the strong, originating from the Cuban Independence Movement where Cuban troops defeated the Spanish colonial army. This tactic is very flexible, often switching from one direction to another unexpectedly, making it difficult to counter once the attack is withdrawn.


    Link''s strategy was to hold his ground. As soon as Aragon attacked, he would throw a heavy punch, chasing down his opponent with a speed no less than his.


    After practicing for over a month, both his punch strength and speed had improved, while Aragon had been nursing injuries for the past month, making no progress.


    He knocked Aragon down once at 110 seconds into the first round.


    This punch severely undermined Aragon''s confidence and fighting spirit.


    In the subsequent second round, Aragon fought even more cautiously, and directly chose to surrender in the third round, giving up the match.


    Applause!


    "Link is amazing!"


    After the match video finished playing, a wave of enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted from the audience.


    Link stood up to express his gratitude.


    "Dad, I think I recognize that guy."


    In a top-floor apartment in Thomp International Tower, New York, a tall, shapely blonde woman exclaimed in surprise as she saw Link on TV. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, Eva, you know Link Baker?"


    Her father, Mr. Thomp, shifted his gaze from the TV and looked questioningly at his eldest daughter. He was in his sixties, with flowing blonde hair and a habit of pursing his lips and drawing out his words."


    "Link Baker! That''s the name."


    The blonde woman furrowed her lovely eyebrows and said as she stared at Link, "About two months ago, in front of the Thomp International Building at Miami Beach, I met him. He was riding a scooter and suddenly greeted me, claiming to be a fan of mine and that he was a boxer who would definitely become a champion someday."


    "At the time, I didn''t believe him. I thought he was bragging to get my attention. I can''t believe he would go on to win the championship at the Olympics. It''s unbelievable."


    "Two months ago? What a confident young man, I like this guy. We should invite him over to our place sometime."


    Mr. Thomp said, stroking his double chin.


    Eva continued to stare at the young man on the TV. He seemed even more handsome than two months ago. Back then, dressed in casual attire, he looked quite ordinary. But now, just over two months later, he had transformed into this remarkably charming and distinguished man.


    It was truly miraculous.


    Perhaps, when I go to Miami, I could talk to him."


    "Link, congratulations again on winning the Olympic Gold Medal. On behalf of all the boxing fans, I want to ask you a question: when is your next fight, and is there a specific date?"


    Steve asked on TV.


    "Around the beginning of September, I''ll be moving into professional boxing to compete in the WBA Super Middleweight King Golden Belt ranking match."


    "That''s great, let me wish you a victorious first fight and many more Golden Belts in the future."


    Steve said.


    "Ask about his love life, the fans are always interested in that."


    Miss Tina intervened.


    Steve hesitated, wondering if it was appropriate to ask about personal relationships now that the interview was almost over. After pondering briefly and not finding a good segue, he casually asked a couple of questions and ended the recording of the episode.


    "Ha, I bet you''re going to keep traveling, congratulations, you''ll have more opportunities to charm ladies everywhere."


    Miss Tina said coldly over the earpiece.


    Steve''s eye twitched, feeling bitter inside. If he had known she would become his superior, he would have taken their dating period more seriously, avoiding flirting around outside. Now, the revenge had arrived.


    He thought for a moment that it might be safer to keep running the field if Tina was still the program director. Staying at the studio could actually be life-threatening.


    Enjoy new adventures from empire


    Thinking this, Steve Mandanda allowed a small smile to play on his lips, feeling somewhat relieved.

 Chapter 084 Buying Stocks

    "Link, good job out there!"Outside the HBO television station, Simon Curtis stood by the car door in a suit, pulling it open with a smile.


    "You''ve worked hard too."


    Link sat down in the van, pulled off his tie, and sighed.


    In recent days, he and Simon had been running around attending TV shows and media interviews nonstop, and had shot five commercials at the brands'' urging. It was indeed quite exhausting.


    But in the days after the Olympics had ended, his account also swelled by 3.5 million US dollars in endorsement and appearance fees, plus over a million from the sports committee and the boxing association, making almost 5 million US dollars from a single Olympics.


    This money didn''t include ancillary income from the matches, as per the original contract, where Dynasty Promotion couldn''t partake in the distribution, only Franco and Simon were entitled to an agent''s cut.


    "Hey, Link, how about we have a match together?"


    Just as the vehicle was about to start, a red Ferrari F50 convertible pulled up next to them, and Tyson shouted out to Link.


    Link glanced at his car, "Mike, are you planning a comeback?"


    "Yeah, I am planning it, but it''s tough to find a suitable opponent. You have both fame and skill; how about we fight a match? Our fight would definitely draw a large crowd," Tyson asked, tilting his head.


    Link thought to himself, this guy must really be in need of money to come and leverage the popularity of a world champion like himself, but Tyson''s proposal wasn''t bad. Despite his retirement, his fame in boxing was unmatched, and competing against him could be very lucrative.


    "No problem, you can have your agent get in touch with Dynasty Promotion. Once everything''s agreed upon by both sides, we can fight anytime," Link replied.


    "Haha, it''s settled then."


    Taylor punched the air towards him and drove away in his sports car in a cloud of smoke.


    Link smiled lightly and couldn''t help but admire how, even in severe debt with millions owed, Treyson, as claimed in the news, still owned a limited edition F50 valued at over 2 million US dollars. Although he could afford it, he wouldn''t spend so much on a car.


    "Simon, if Tyson''s team contacts us, accept the match. Fighting Tyson has always been a dream of mine, and I want to face him while he''s still not too old," Link said.


    "Sure!"


    Simon nodded, pulling out his phone to note it down.


    The van drove from Burbank in the northern part of the ''World Media Capital'' Los Angeles, heading south for over half an hour, arriving next to Hollywood Boulevard at Bird Street''s White Oak Apartments, where Link stretched lazily after getting out of the car, bought a bunch of red Persian chrysanthemums from a roadside flower shop, and knocked on Gal Gadot''s door.


    Before coming, he had texted Gadot, who had responded that she was at home reading a script. He rang the doorbell twice.


    Hearing footsteps inside, Gadot immediately opened the door with a bright smile.


    Her brown chestnut hair flowed freely, barefoot, wearing a white tank top with black yoga pants, a forehead band, still tall and athletically built.


    "Gal, this is for you."


    "Thank you!"


    Gadot smiled slightly, took the bouquet, and asked, "What made you think to buy me flowers?"


    "I thought you might like them," Link said with a light chuckle.


    "Yes, they''re beautiful, I really like them," Gadot said as she kissed him, pulling him inside.


    Back in the living room, Gadot yanked out the wilting tulips and tossed them into the trash, replacing them with the Persian chrysanthemums.


    Link leaned on the counter, watching her move around the living room with her slim waist and long legs, easygoing and unpretentious. This was indeed a big reason why Link had sought her out again after arriving in Los Angeles.


    "How was the movie audition?" Link asked, hanging his coat on a rack.


    "Not so good. I''m tall, tough-looking, which may not fit Hollywood directors'' aesthetics; I''ve failed two auditions," Gadot said as she brought out a cup of pomegranate juice and fruit pudding from the kitchen, placing them on the wooden craft table for him to try.


    Link tasted a piece; it was an ice cream kiwi pudding, sweet, tender, and instantly melting in his mouth¡ªa very nice flavor. "You''re like Charlize Theron or Angelina Jolie, suited for leading roles in action movies," he suggested.


    Gadot, sitting cross-legged on the carpet, laughed, "I just want to land a supporting role now, to kill the boring hours. Leading role is too far-fetched for me right now."


    Link pondered. ''Wonder Woman'' was still a few years off, and he wasn''t sure what suitable roles there might be for Gadot at this stage, although Franco had previously mentioned he had connections in the entertainment industry and could assist with movie roles.


    "Don''t be discouraged, there are many opportunities."


    "I understand. Enough about me, how is your work? You''ve been all over the television with interviews and commercials," Gadot said, pinching his arm.


    "The interviews and commercials have wrapped up; only ''Deep Sea Quest 2'' has a few days of filming left. Had I known there would be so much work, I should never have taken on this movie," Link said, leaning on the couch.


    "While others dream of such roles but don''t get them, you find them too numerous; you''re indeed a big star now," Gadot teased.


    Link smiled gently, wrapping his arm around her waist, recalling something, "There''s an HBO reception at the Beverly Hilton Hotel tonight. Do you have time to accompany me?"


    "Sure!"


    Gadot didn''t hesitate and gave him a warm kiss.


    The living room was a whirl of spring light while the Persian chrysanthemums in the vase bloomed even more brilliantly.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Scene 62, Shot 2, Take 2!"


    "Action!"


    In the Universal Studios in Los Angeles, on the set of "Deep Sea Quest 2", Link stood in a crowded soundstage surrounded by crew members, with three cameras aimed at him, and lights and microphones surrounding him. The indoor temperature was very high.


    Link looked at the male lead opposite him and said, "Buddy, I mean no harm, I just want to team up with you once. I''ll provide the yacht and the salvage equipment. How about we team up to retrieve the sunken treasure?"


    "Sorry, I don''t know what treasure you''re talking about."


    The man playing against him was a broad-faced, handsome brunette named Chris Carmack, a model-turned-actor, 185 cm tall, who had acted in "The O.C. Season 1" and played a pretty but insignificant role in "Unlucky Cupid". His acting was mediocre.


    "Buddy, are you planning on keeping it all to yourself? That''s not a good idea," Link said as he grabbed the male lead''s arm.


    The male lead coolly turned his head to look at him.


    Link let go of his hand, stepped back to show he meant no harm.


    "Cut!"


    "Link, well done, you''re a really good actor."


    After wrapping up the scene, director Stephen Herrick took off his headphones, led the applause, and the other crew members cheered and clapped as well.


    Link waved his thanks, walked behind Stephen, and watched the scene he had just shot. Frankly, there wasn''t much acting to speak of, and his counterpart''s performance was stiff, hardly deserving the applause.


    Sitting next to Stephen, he said, "Stephen, are you sure this is okay? I''ve heard that other directors, even when working with Oscar Best Actor level actors, would do several takes, yet I, a newcomer, am done after just two takes?"


    Director Stephen Herrick laughed, "It''s fine, Link, this is a commercial film; it doesn''t require much acting prowess."


    "Are you sure?"


    Link regretted taking on the role, from the script to the dialogue, the actors, and the director''s attitude, none of it seemed likely to make a blockbuster movie, much less receive an Oscar nomination. Doing such films seemed to only deplete his own reputation without much benefit.


    Director Herrick seemed to notice his hesitation and smiled, "Link, do you know the barrel principle?"


    Link nodded but did not fully understand what he meant.


    "Making a movie is the opposite of the barrel principle, which states that the amount of water a barrel holds isn''t determined by the longest or the shortest stave; ideally, they should be the same length. If I''m strict with you, I have to be strict with the other actors to prevent their performances from looking even worse.


    "If this were an art film, I''d insist that every actor be perfect, and I might even replace those who aren''t up to par. But this is a commercial film, primarily selling points like sunny beaches, attractive men and women, action, and adventure, not acting prowess. As long as your performances aren''t too rigid to be believable, it''s generally fine," explained Director Herrick.


    Link got the idea¡ªhe and the rest of the cast were average at best, so expectations couldn''t be set too high.


    If they were, it would mean replacing actors, but given the male and female leads were cast by the producers, the director didn''t have the power to replace them. So, Herrick felt compelled to compromise as well.


    While Link understood, he could not agree, as it felt like a waste of his time and would damage his popularity. The role did pay, but he wasn''t short on money.


    "Stephen, this is my first role with lines, and I''d really appreciate it if you were stricter with me since I am genuinely interested in acting," he said.


    "Ha ha, no problem, I''ll judge your performance by the standards of a third-rate actor from here on. If you don''t pass muster, I''ll ask for a reshoot, how about that?"


    Director Herrick laughed. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Okay!"


    Link made a thumbs-up gesture.


    In the performances that followed, Director Herrick indeed became stricter with him, frequently correcting his lines, expressions, and body language, sometimes even demonstrating the acting himself.


    Director Herrick, who had directed "Life Because of You," which earned an Oscar Best Actor nomination in 1996, did have some directing prowess.


    After shooting for eight days on set, which felt more exhausting than boxing training, he nevertheless learned a lot: like how to position himself, how to look more handsome on camera, and how to handle scenes dominated by the male lead or seduction attempts by the female lead.


    Unlike in "Fast & Furious 4," where he only learned how to pose for the camera and nothing else.


    After staying in Los Angeles for about two weeks, Link then traveled to New York to prepare for a professional competition.


    In New York, through a wealth manager at Morgan Investments, he converted his 12 million US Dollars into about 100,000 shares of Amazon stock.


    Due to the financial crisis, the US stock market had evaporated $5.3 trillion from October last year to September this year, with the New York Stock Exchange''s S&P 500 index dropping 40.6% by August and nearly 300 banks going bankrupt.


    Under these conditions, internet tech companies like Amazon, Apple, and Google were not spared, experiencing their biggest declines since the internet bubble in 2000.


    Amazon''s total market value fell from 37 billion in May ''07 to 23.8 billion US Dollars, nearly a 40% drop, with Amazon stock also falling from a high of 241 US Dollars last year to 119 US Dollars now.


    Link didn''t know the lowest value of Amazon stock during the 08 crisis, nor did he know how much it would rise next year, but he knew that when Jeff Bezos became the world''s richest man in 2019, Amazon''s valuation exceeded 1 trillion, with the stock surpassing $2000 per share.


    Purchasing 100,000 shares in 08 could net him two to three hundred million US Dollars in ten years, a much better investment than keeping money in the bank.


    As for other high-tech stocks, besides Facebook, he didn''t know much about others and didn''t dare to invest in them. Since Facebook wasn''t publicly listed yet, there wasn''t a way to invest early, so it was simpler to invest in Amazon stocks.


    After spending his money, Link felt much lighter.

 Chapter 085 First Arrival in New York

    Boom!In the morning, in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, New York, the weather was gloomy. The tall buildings were also enveloped in dark clouds, resembling Gotham City from a Batman movie.


    The cars on the road caught up from behind, bringing a chill breeze and a few yellow leaves.


    Link Baker wore a red Nike sports hoodie and green joggers, running along Fifth Avenue outside Central Park. He ran from the museum district to near the Waldorf Apartments when suddenly, the sky began to rain. This was his third rain since he had come to New York.


    It started as a light drizzle, but before he had run 300 meters, the rain suddenly intensified, and the air became misty.


    Link sped up, dashing under a bus stop shelter, using the overhanging awning to shield himself from the pouring rain.


    Since he often lived in Miami, where it was sunny most of the year and even the rainstorms were quick, coming at night and leaving by day, he rarely experienced the persistent dreary rain like in New York. After such rains, the roads were damp, and the air turned cool and moist, making Link miss the sunny Miami.


    "Are you Link Baker? The Olympic champion, Mr. Link Baker?"


    As Link, with his hands in his pockets, looked out at the sky beyond the awning, he heard someone speaking next to him¡ªit was the homeless man lying on the bench.


    Dressed in dirty clothes, with unkempt beard and an unpleasant smell emanating from him, there was also a worn-out travel backpack on the ground.


    Link had no bias against such persons because there had been times when he himself had fared even worse. At least they could relax on the benches outside Central Park and enjoy the rain and breeze, something he couldn''t do.


    "Yes, I''m Link. Do you know me, sir?"


    Link thought about the lollipops in his pocket and handed one to the homeless man.


    "Haha, I see you every day. How could I not recognize you?"


    The homeless man laughed and pointed to the scrolling advertisement on the bus stop.


    Link looked back and saw his own ad for Tide detergent that he had shot in Los Angeles not long ago. Although he didn''t understand why Procter & Gamble would choose a boxer as their spokesperson, the offer was two years for $600,000 US Dollars, which Link naturally couldn''t refuse.


    After the Olympics, the brand shot the ad overnight. Just five days later, the ad featuring him was on TV, and even on bus stop billboards.


    In the ad, he wore a sea-blue knitted shirt and white casual pants, next to a bucket of Tide detergent in blue packaging. The slogan was "Champion detergent, with excellent stain removal power."


    Link looked at his own face, pale and clean, not feeling a bit greasy, and suddenly understood why Tide had chosen him as their spokesperson.


    "Mr. Baker, what brings you to New York? I heard you''re from Miami."


    The homeless man spoke.


    "Yes!"


    Link, with a citrus lollipop in his mouth, replied, "Do you know about the WBA Super Middleweight Golden Belt competition? I''m here to participate in the match."


    "Oh, I''ve seen that episode of ''Follow the Champion to Watch Boxing.'' Man, you have to admit your punches are impressive, even more so than Tyson''s. You''re definitely going to be a world champion one day."


    "Thank you!"


    Link smiled and bumped fists with him.


    Bus number M86 burst through the rain and stopped in front of the bus station. Link waved to the homeless man and ran into the bus, taking the slow ride back to the Yorkville apartments on East 80th Street, a wealthy neighborhood adjacent to the New York City Museum and Central Park.


    This apartment was arranged by Franco, featuring two bedrooms, four bathrooms, a large terrace, and a gym, luxuriously decorated. Based on this area''s real estate prices, this apartment was valued at over three million US Dollars.


    In the garage below the apartment building, there was a silver-gray Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan, meant for his transportation.


    All these were Franco''s way of apologizing.


    Originally, Franco had agreed to move the Dynasty headquarters to Miami within the year, but currently, Dynasty had a shortage of funds. Establishing a new headquarters, training field, medical therapy center, and building new channels all required a significant amount of money.


    After a meeting, everyone decided to initially keep the headquarters in New York. Miami could have a branch, and when finances allowed, they could gradually relocate.


    Link had no objections to this.


    As a boxer, as long as there were matches and he could make money, it didn''t matter where he fought. Also, to make a name for himself in America, he couldn''t be limited to just Miami; he needed to make his mark in other places too.


    New York was one of the birthplaces of American boxing and also home to the headquarters of boxing organizations like WBA, WBC, and IBF. Holding boxing matches here attracted many spectators and offered a broader market.


    However, he had discussed with Franco that if he reached the finals in the WBA Golden Belt competition, it would be best to hold the final in Miami. He had more fans there, and in terms of influence and economic benefits, Miami was undoubtedly more suitable. Franco also agreed with his opinion.


    When Link returned to the Yorkville apartments on 80th Street, just as he walked into the lobby, he saw a girl sitting on the sofa, her hair damp, wearing a cream-colored hoodie and blue jeans, holding her legs with both hands, her forehead resting on her knees, and her golden-brown hair spread out to the sides, covering her cheeks.


    Upon hearing the footsteps, the girl looked up and revealed a pair of blue fox-like eyes, a beautiful facial contour¡ªit was Taylor Swift.


    "Hey~ Link, why are you so late?"


    Taylor jumped off the sofa and rushed over to him.


    "Taylor, what brings you here?"


    Link touched her rain-drenched shoulder, which felt as moist as his own. As he asked about her visit, he led her into the elevator.


    "I came here to record an album, arrived yesterday afternoon, and had asked you for your address a few days ago. As soon as I woke up this morning, I took a cab here. I tried calling you, but couldn''t get through," Taylor said, holding his warm palm.


    "I was jogging in Central Park without my phone. Remember to let me know in advance next time. Except for my morning runs, I mostly spend my time at the main events training ground in Queens and I don''t bring my phone there either."


    "Got it. How long will you be staying in New York this time?"


    Taylor asked, leaning on him.


    "Probably a month or two, maybe longer."


    "That''s great!"


    Taylor clapped her hands excitedly and smiled up at him, "I''ll also be here for two weeks or maybe longer, so we can meet up more often."


    "Sounds good." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link took Taylor back to the apartment, noticed her clothes were a bit damp, and found her a white long-sleeve T-shirt and capris. At her height of 180 cm, the clothes weren''t too long on her.


    "Link, care to join me?"


    Taylor stood in front of the bathroom, turned around, and winked at him with a slightly flushed cheek that had an awkward allure.


    Link simply smiled and pushed her into the bathroom.


    He then went to the kitchen and prepared a dish of shrimp seafood pasta and a thick broccoli beef stew. Just as he was setting the table, Taylor, drying her hair and still damp from the shower, came out.


    Wearing his long T-shirt and pure cotton pants, she looked somewhat slender, but her rosy cheeks, fair skin, and beautiful smile added to her charm and youthful vitality.


    "Link, am I a sexy girl?"


    Taylor asked, drying her hair.


    "Why do you ask?"


    Link looked at her curiously.


    "Don''t ask why, just tell me how you feel about it."


    Taylor intentionally pulled up the hem of her T-shirt, revealing her fair belly and slender waistline, looking a bit sexy.


    Link gave a soft smile. The nineteen-year-old Taylor was still taking the innocent route. Neither her figure nor her demeanor was particularly sensual, but to a young woman, being considered sexy was very important. He admired her and said, "You''re not just sexy, you''re also quite a hot girl."


    "Really? Then why didn''t you take up my offer to join me in the bathroom just now?"


    Taylor asked, sitting beside him.


    "It''s not that I was afraid to come, but are you sure you wanted to do that kind of thing in the morning?"


    "Alright! I was just testing you to see if you were a lustful guy. You passed,"


    Taylor patted his shoulder, smiled slightly, and started sipping the stew he made, repeatedly praising that his cooking was fantastic, a hundred times tastier than what her mom, who couldn''t do household chores and only knew how to cause trouble, would make.


    Link forked some pasta and asked, "Did you tell your mom before you came here? If you forgot, you should give her a call so she won''t worry."


    "I told her. I said I was going to see you and asked her not to bother me before noon. She''s been behaving well lately. She hasn''t called me even though I''ve been out this long,"


    Taylor said, placing her phone on the table and lighting up the screen.


    Link nodded and didn''t say much more. He knew that Mrs. Andrea didn''t approve of his relationship with Taylor and roughly knew the reasons, so he had never initiated contact with Taylor in the past to avoid creating problems for each other.


    However, since the Olympics, Mrs. Andrea seemed to have changed her attitude slightly. Last time she picked up when he called Taylor, her tone was much softer, not as cold and distant as before.


    Link was pleased with the change. If he had disregarded her displeasure and clung to Taylor in the past, it would have only met with her strong rejection. But now, having proven his strength and capabilities with his fists, he no longer needed to say anything.


    The change was also one of the gains from the Olympics.


    "What are you smiling at?"


    Taylor asked with a spoon in hand, pretending to be upset, "Are you laughing at me for being greedy?"


    "Of course not, I''m just glad you like the soup I made. By the way, what are you recording in New York, a new album?"


    Link changed the subject and asked.


    "No, it''s a charity song about dreams. I don''t like the songs the company provided, and I want to write my own, but I''m lacking inspiration. Link, you''re a world champion and a symbol of the American Dream. Could you share your story and feelings with me? I hope to find some inspiration from you. How does that sound?"


    Taylor propped her cheek with her hand and asked with a beaming smile.


    "Of course, but let''s eat first,"


    Link said, pointing at the toast on the plate.

 Chapter 086 The Newcomer to the Boxing Ring

    ```It was drizzling outside the window, and the air conditioner was continuously blowing warm air, making the apartment living room cozy and warm.


    Link and Taylor were sitting on the sofa. He was telling her his story, from a troublemaker who had been to juvenile detention twice to a world-renowned world champion. The story was incredibly motivational and touching, but only he knew what it truly entailed.


    If not for traveling through time, Link would have just been another ruffian who died in a street fight, himself a nobody who perished in underground boxing matches.


    Over three months ago, a miracle had occurred, grafting a fighter''s soul onto a young body, giving him a touch of talent, and then life took a different turn. It was like two ordinary plants that, after being grafted, encountered nourishing rain and suddenly bloomed into stunning flowers that amazed the world.


    As Link told his story to Taylor, he also reflected on his past, from the boxing bars to the Han Jing Olympics, taking every step with care, not missing any opportunity, and finally reaching where he was now.


    So far, he had done well, but he couldn''t allow himself to slack off. The path of professional boxing was even more challenging than amateur, and he had to work even harder to continue creating miracles and not waste this incredible encounter.


    "I think besides perseverance and effort, luck is also very important, and I just happen to be a very lucky guy," said Link, concluding his story.


    Applause!


    Taylor clapped her hands and, wiping the corners of her eyes, said,


    "Link, your experiences are so extraordinary and so moving. You could totally write an autobiography and share your story¡ªI think a lot of people would love to read it."


    Taylor had been moved twice by his story, her eyes brimming with tears, enough to dampen a stack of tissues.


    Autobiography? Link shook his head, not convinced it was a good idea. He had too many flaws, and many aspects of his story wouldn''t hold up under close scrutiny. Writing an autobiography now would expose him to the scrutiny of millions, which was too risky.


    "Let''s talk about it later. After all, I''m still young. Compared to those old-timers, our life experiences aren''t worth mentioning."


    "Not at all, I think it''s fascinating. The stories of those old guys are too preachy and out-of-date. Your story, on the other hand, is just right¡ªlike the soup you made just now, it suits my taste perfectly."


    "I''ll make you soup again next time."


    With a gentle smile, Link checked the time on his phone: ten in the morning. It was time to head to the gym for training. He asked Taylor if she wanted to join or if she preferred to stay and come up with new songs.


    Taylor opted for the latter. It was raining today, and the balcony here had more atmosphere than the hotel''s floor-to-ceiling windows. Writing songs while watching the rain here would feel more inspiring.


    Naturally, Link was more than happy to oblige. Having someone at home meant he would have something to look forward to when he returned in the afternoon.


    After giving Taylor some instructions, he grabbed his training bag and drove to the boxing gym on 34th Street in Queens.


    This place was one of the main event promotion company''s training venues and also served as Dynasty Promotion''s temporary training site, for which Dynasty paid the main event $200,000 in training fees.


    The facility included not only a training venue but also a fitness center, a medical treatment center, a bathhouse, and a boxer''s nutrition restaurant, among other amenities. It was quite large and well-equipped.


    Evander Holyfield, Bernal Whitaker, Hector Camacho, Mitchell Muller, Andrew Golota, and other boxing champions from the 80s and 90s once trained here, accounting for about a third of the champions from that era. It could also be dubbed the cradle of champions.


    But as Lou Duvall aged, so did the champions he''d chosen and nurtured. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Today, the active boxers in the ring include only the former world champion Holyfield, former WBC International Heavyweight champion David Tua, former WBA-WBC-IBF Welterweight champion Zab Judah, and so on. The rest were mostly new recruits who were not very famous.


    When Link, carrying his sports bag, stepped into the training venue, someone shouted, "The champ is here!" and everyone training in the gym halted their activities and turned to look at the entrance.


    Link also looked over at them. There were over forty people from the Super Heavyweight to the Lightweight classes, all strong men with muscular builds, the majority with dark skin, resembling a camp of gladiators.


    "Hi, good morning gentlemen. No need for welcomes; everyone, please continue with your training," said Link, waving his hand.


    The boxers present murmured among themselves¡ªsome admiring, some envious, some eager to try their luck.


    Since the show "Follow the Champion to Watch Boxing" went on air, everyone knew his punches were no lighter than those of heavyweight champions. What was key was that his speed was also rapid, his technique good, and he had a sharp mind.


    "Ring Magazine" featured him on the cover of its September issue, hailing him as a natural-born boxer and suggesting that after turning to professional boxing this year, he could potentially rank in the top three on the Ring Magazine P4P Super Middleweight list.


    These comments had cast a halo of a strong fighter over Link.


    The phenomenon of the survival of the fittest in the boxing world was more apparent and more direct than in other fields.


    Powerful boxers could earn hundreds of millions of dollars in minutes, while the weak ones made less than miners did in a year.


    Being powerful also meant being wealthy; it showed the gap between classes.


    Even if someone wanted to come up and strike up a conversation, they would hesitate due to this gap.


    This disparity was also reflected in their training.


    The training areas for boxers on-site were also different. The formidable fighters had separate training spaces with good lighting and ventilation, a complete coaching team, and logistical medical staff. It was said that even the masseuses were better looking and had better figures.


    The ordinary boxers and newcomers could only use the public training area.


    ```


    "Link, you''re here. Your training area is over here,"


    Assistant Simon greeted as he came down the corridor.


    A slim Caucasian youth accompanied him, around 180 centimeters tall, with a thin face and shoulder-length hair, revealing arms covered in blue tattoos, including three Chinese characters ''ÖíÓÍÃ×'' which left Link puzzled about their significance.


    "Hey, are you Link Baker? I''m a welterweight boxer; how about we have a match?" yelled the ''ÖíÓÍÃ×'' youth.


    Link looked at Simon, who introduced with a smile, "This is Dino Duva, a boxing enthusiast."


    Dino Duva was Franco''s brother, and Link hadn''t expected Franco''s brother to look like this. He had seen photos of Dino dressed in a suit looking quite respectable, but now he seemed far less so.


    "Hey, Link, how about a bout between us? Let me see just how big the gap is between me and a world champion,"


    said Dino, rolling his fists.


    Simon said, "Cut it out, Dino. Even the world champion Altayev would get knocked down by Link, you''d get killed stepping into the ring with him."


    "How will we know unless we try? Come on, Link, let me experience the power of your fists and see if you can KO me,"


    declared Dino, patting his forehead.


    Link glanced at him, thinking the guy must have something wrong with his brain¡ªto actually come asking for a KO.


    He shook his head and walked into a separate training area.


    According to Simon, the nearby training area belonged to ''Iron'' David Tua, the New Zealand boxing king, 36 years old, WBC heavyweight intercontinental champion, who had defeated the likes of Chris Byrd and Hashim Rahman.


    Unfortunately, he never claimed a world championship title and was known as the ''uncrowned king.'' Lately, he had been training in New Zealand, aiming for the WBC heavyweight world championship, so he wasn''t at the gym.


    "Hey, Link, great to see you again,"


    said Morales, jumping down from the boxing ring, drenched in sweat, and stretching his arms toward him.


    Link chuckled and embraced him, quite satisfied with this comrade and sparring partner.


    "Good morning, Link. Starting today, I am your boxing coach. These are Tubbs and Curry; they will also be your sparring partners,"


    said a middle-aged black man among three others under the boxing ring. In his forties, with unkempt gray curls, he wore a blue tracksuit.


    Link recognized this man; he was Tommy Brooks, Lou Duva''s son-in-law, and a central figure at the main event training camp.


    In the early nineties, he had coached Holyfield for five years, including the devising of strategies on the spot that helped Holyfield defeat Tyson twice.


    In 2000, he also coached Tyson, helping him adjust his condition and secure four consecutive victories.


    He had publicly evaluated Tyson, Lewis, and Holyfield, stating that Tyson''s talent was unmatched and much stronger than the latter two. However, Tyson''s self-discipline was very poor; before each training session, they had to resort to various means to keep him focused on training and competing.


    This was a significant drawback compared to the other two, and it was this that ruined Tyson''s professional career.


    Brooks had also advised over twenty top fighters, including the Klitschko brothers, and for three consecutive years, Ring Magazine had ranked him as one of the top ten golden coaches in boxing.


    "Hello, Mr. Brooks, I''m looking forward to your guidance,"


    said Link, shaking his hand.


    "Haha, Link, I''ve heard a lot about you. You''re already exceptional, and it''s my honor to coach you. In the upcoming training, I might have a lot of suggestions. I hope you won''t find me too nagging,"


    laughed Tommy Brooks.


    "Tommy, you know you can be a chatterbox. I don''t think Link, this proud guy, will be able to stand it," said Dino Duva from the doorway.


    "Shut it, Dino!"


    Brooks glared at him before laughing and turning back to Link, "How about we give it a try?"


    "Sure!"


    Initially, Link wanted to call over Coach West and his team, but the distance was too great, and Coach West was getting on in years, looking after dozens of students and apprentices, unable to spare any time.


    Regarding the contract with Coach West, Franco initially planned to buy it out for a million US dollars.


    However, Coach West didn''t want the money. He said that as long as Link focused on fighting well and earned more honors, ideally winning a world championship title, that would be the best reward for the gym.


    For West, honor mattered more than money.


    During his time at West''s gym, Link had won the Golden Gloves Championship, the American Qualifiers, and an Olympic Championship. The news about him always mentioned that his coach was the former boxer West Corian.


    Reggie said that these days West was always cheerful and in high spirits.


    After changing into his gear and warming up in the equipment area, Link began his day''s training under Brooks'' guidance.

 Chapter 087 Tremendous Potential

    "Link, pick up the pace. Let me see how fast your punches are.""Pay attention to your footwork coordination; your steps and punches must be consistent to maintain your center of gravity. Only then can your body stay balanced without being knocked down by your opponent."


    "Excellent, the coordination between your steps and punches is pretty much perfect. You are indeed a terrific boxer."


    "However, there''s an issue. You have too few signature moves. The rear hook punch is too well-known. In professional matches, it''s easy for opponents to anticipate and block. Using it frequently also means a higher risk of arm injuries. I suggest you train a few more signature moves."


    "Regarding signature moves, you don''t have to worry. With your punch weight and speed, just intensify your training, and in the super middleweight class, your straight punches, jabs, hooks, and swing punches can all become knockout moves."


    "Yes, just like that: head-body, head-body, head-body. Strike high, strike low; complementing it with your liver blow punch and heavy punches... wow, it''s unimaginable. Link, you are absolutely poised to dominate the super middleweight class."


    Below the boxing ring, Tommy Brooks was waving his fists excitedly and shouting.


    "Dominate? Aren''t you exaggerating a bit? Don''t forget he hasn''t fought a single professional match yet; he''s just a professional rookie."


    Dino Duva leaned back in his chair, smirking as he spoke.


    "No, no, he''s a world champion ¡ª the anesthetist of the ring with 26 KOs in 27 amateur fights. Given his power and speed, his career in professional boxing will surely excel. There''s absolutely no doubt about it."


    Brooks gazed at Link in the ring, repeatedly expressing his admiration.


    "Is he really that good?"


    "Certainly, even better than I''ve described."


    Brooks had just finished his reply when he noticed the voice was different. He turned to see old man Lou Duva walking over, leaning heavily on his cane.


    "Could he become a world champion?"


    Lou Duva asked.


    "Not just that. If nothing goes wrong, his achievements could well match or even surpass those of Hector Camacho and Bernal Vittak."


    Hector Camacho was a legendary Puerto Rican boxer who had won the super featherweight, lightweight, and super lightweight golden belts; Vittak had won golden belts in four different ranks under four major organizations, both being legendary boxing champions from the ''80s and ''90s, and products of major fight promotions.


    Brooks continued: "Link''s punch weight exceeds 1500 pounds. In the super middleweight, even in the light heavyweight class, he''s at the top tier. His speed rivals that of lightweight fighters. His boxing technique, strategy, control over the fights... he is simply an astonishing boxer, unlike any I''ve ever seen, and he''s only 20 years old."


    Lou Duva frowned as he looked towards Link in the ring. When Franco proposed spending $100 million to sign Link, Duva was so infuriated he nearly had a fit. He threw his tea cup at Franco, chased him out, and even revoked Franco''s position in the main event company. Yet, who could have seen that just over a month later, the boxer Franco prized would become a world champion?


    He took a deep breath and asked, "So you''re saying Franco made a really successful deal?"


    "Based on the current situation, yes. Link is light-skinned, handsome, and powerful, not to mention an Olympic champion. Combining these factors, his commercial potential could surpass that of Mayweather or even Roy Jones Jr. Though $100 million might sound over the top, at that price, it''s definitely not a losing deal."


    Brooks stated confidently.


    Lou Duva stared at Link, furrowing his brows. Had he really made a mistake?


    "Hahaha!"


    Suddenly, from the chair beside him, Dino Duva burst out laughing, falling off his chair to the floor, clutching his stomach and pointing at old Duva, laughing, "My respected father, remember two months ago?


    The day Franco came home, saying he wanted to sign Link with a huge contract, and you exploded, calling him crazy, saying his brain had dried up under Miami''s sun, even kicking him out of the main event company. What now?


    "Link Baker, the one you underestimated, has become an Olympic champion, a potential cash cow. And Franco, whom you chased away, is going to make a fortune. My unbeatable father, do you regret it now?"


    Dino laughed heartily.


    Old Duva glared at Dino Duva, his hand trembling on his cane, fighting the urge to beat his defiant son.


    "Dino, watch your words. Your father, even initially disapproving, did it considering the company''s development."


    Brooks motioned to Dino to stop upsetting old Duva, emphasizing that any stress on Duva''s advanced age was a loss to the main event company.


    "Haha, am I wrong? Father always said it''s not wrong to make mistakes, what''s terrible is not knowing how to correct them. My wise and erudite father, when are you planning to correct this mistake, and apologize to your son Franco?"


    Dino sat on the ground, asking with a smile that was not quite a smile.


    Lou Duvall glanced at him and said to Brooks, "Since Franco is doing well, let him continue. How successful he can be will depend on his abilities."


    "Okay!"


    Brooks nodded and escorted the elder Duvall out.


    "Come on Link, strive to win ten, a hundred Golden Belts, and show the old guy how outstanding you are."


    Dino Duvall shouted from below the boxing ring.


    On the ring, Link paid him no heed; he had noticed when the elder Duvall entered.


    This old man was born in the 1920s, had been a boxer, and since the 1950s had transitioned to working as a boxing manager and coach, entering the industry earlier than Don King and Bob Arum, truly a living fossil in the United States boxing world.


    However, he didn''t understand how the over eighty-year-old elder Duvall could have a son in his twenties, who looked like a grandson.


    He continued his training, starting with the punch pad, which was made of high-elasticity foam leather, thick and elastic enough to slow the impact of punches. There were both two-handed and one-handed versions. Wearing his gloves, Link kept hitting the punch pads held by Morales, faster and faster, his body sweating more and more.


    After finishing the combination punches, he practiced offense and defense with two professional boxers, adapting to the pace of professional boxing matches.


    "Link, the WBA ranking match is about to start, and you''re fighting in the super middleweight class. Eat more these days to get your weight back over 76 kilograms," Brooks said after the training.


    "I understand!"


    Link nodded, came out of the changing room in his changed clothes, and Dino Duvall, who had also changed into a more formal casual outfit, was standing in the corridor by the door, accompanied by two burly boxers. Upon seeing him, he shouted,


    "Link, are you going to the Midnight Queen Bar? I know a lot of pretty girls; wanna meet a few?"


    "I''ll pass, I''m still busy."


    Link tactfully refused. He could be friends with Franco, but preferred to steer clear of someone like Dino who seemed to be more trouble.


    "Come on, Link, it''s your first day at the training ground. Let''s go to the bar and celebrate. It''s on me!" S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dino said, patting his bony chest.


    Link waved his hand in thanks but mentioned he didn''t have time. Simon interjected, "Dino, Link doesn''t smoke, doesn''t drink, doesn''t do drugs, and doesn''t much care for chasing girls. He''d find it boring in a bar, which is why he hardly ever goes."


    "Doesn''t smoke, drink, or chase girls? How can someone be like that?"


    Dino looked at Link in surprise, as if seeing a monster, "Then what do you like?"


    "Boxing!"


    Link shook his fists and walked away, carrying his backpack.


    "What a proud fellow."


    Dino said, watching his retreating figure.


    "No, no, Link is easy to talk to and likes making friends, but he just doesn''t like dealing with those unserious types."


    Simon explained.


    "Unserious? Who are you talking about?"


    Dino Duvall asked darkly, displeased.


    Simon laughed and jogged a few steps to catch up with Link.

 Chapter 088 Leonardo

    "My audition was a success, thank you.""When are you coming to Los Angeles, I miss you."


    In the car, Link received a text from Gadot. Not long ago in Los Angeles, he had helped Gadot select a script, choosing the role of the female lead in the action movie ''The A-Team''. He hadn''t seen the film, but he heard that the male lead had been cast and it was Liam Neeson from ''Schindler''s List''.


    This guy is a good actor, his films should be pretty good too.


    Gadot went on to the audition and smoothly passed the first and second rounds.


    During the third round of auditions, there were four actresses left, including Jessica Biel, Amber Heard, and Olga Kurylenko, all more famous than newcomer Gadot.


    Link called Franco to see if there was a way to help.


    Franco checked and found out the movie was a new project by 20th Century Fox, and Fox Corporation''s parent company was News Corporation, chaired by Murdoch. The Duva Family and Murdoch were both rising wealthy families in New York and had some connections.


    Franco said it was possible and after making a couple of phone calls, he secured that role for Gadot.


    "Congratulations. I''ve been training recently, so I don''t have time to go to Los Angeles,"


    Link replied after calculating the time.


    "Can I come to New York to see you after I finish filming?"


    "Sure!"


    Link responded to a few messages, put away his phone, and then heard Simon beside him say, "Link, do you still want to act in movies? We''ve received over a dozen scripts recently, all wanting you to star in them¡ªdo you want to take a look?"


    "Are there any from famous directors, or with a budget over 50 million?"


    "Not at the moment, they''re all low-budget commercial films, and there are two that are rather explicit,"


    Simon said with a laugh while driving.


    "Haha, how much are they offering me?"


    If the pay was high, he wouldn''t mind taking them on; cashing in would allow him to buy more stocks.


    "For roles with less screen time, fifty thousand. For bigger roles, up to three hundred thousand, about the range for third or fourth-tier actors."


    "Too little. When those film companies are willing to offer me over a million, then pass me the scripts."


    Link shook his head.


    Although making movies was fun, it also tended to be a time drain, often requiring him to stay on set from morning to night and potentially interfering with his training.


    Also, many movie roles had specific physical requirements, needing the actor to gain or lose weight.


    As a boxer, his weight requirements were even stricter. In these circumstances, it was difficult to find suitable roles, so he was still focusing on boxing for the time being, aiming to get a Golden Belt first, then maybe taking on one or two roles for fun when he had some free time.


    ----


    Driving to a Spanish restaurant on 41st Street in Queens, Link met up with Morales and Andzeje, the local New Yorker he had arranged to see. They had a meal and talked about things that happened after the qualification matches. Link''s post-match experiences had been quite exciting and public, so there was no need to reiterate what everyone already knew.


    Morales had been helping him train, which was also common knowledge.


    Andzeje continued to compete in amateur matches, preparing for the World Boxing Championships, and Andrea and Jones Fulda planned to continue competing in amateur tournaments as well.


    Andzeje remarked that once news of Link turning professional spread, all Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight boxers breathed a sigh of relief; without him as the top contender, they could fight for the championship more happily again.


    Link laughed heartily at this and said he would wait for them in the professional circuit, causing Andzeje''s smile to fade momentarily.


    Around six in the afternoon, Link returned to his Jacksonville apartment. Taylor had already left for recording at the Metropolitan studio. There were scraps of paper scattered across the couch with many lyrics written on them, messy lines of music, and a guitar leaning on the table, brought over at some unknown time.


    Link strummed the string of the guitar and then heard the sound of the doorbell from the entrance. He opened the monitor and saw a chubby face with sparkling big eyes winking at the camera.


    "Link, open up, it''s us, we''ve come to see you."


    It was Selena Gomez and Catherine.


    After coming to New York, Catherine and Selena had invited him to their home, an invitation he had refused due to his busy training schedule. However, he had left his address, inviting them to visit at his place.


    "Good afternoon, Catherine! Selena!"


    Link greeted the two as he opened the door, with Selena, wearing a blue knit top and jeans, her hair in a ponytail, holding a box of sweets, as lively and pretty as ever, her petite figure resembling that of a middle school girl.


    Catherine, still dressed in her professional attire, appeared efficient and had a slight resemblance to Link.


    However, she looked more like Selena''s mother when they were together.


    "Link, why did you take so long to open the door? Is there a girl with you? We can come another time if it''s not convenient,"


    Selena looked up at him with her quirky eyes sparking with mischief.


    "No, it''s just me. I just got back from training and am alone at home."


    Link said with a smile, inviting them into the house.


    "Link, does training tire you out?"


    Catherine inquired, looking around the room.


    "No, I''m used to it and don''t really feel that tired."


    "Wow, Link, your place is so nice, even bigger than mine. Do you live here alone?"


    "Yes, for now, by myself."


    "Don''t you have a girlfriend? If not, I can introduce one to you. You know, I''m with Disney Talent Agency, and there are lots of beautiful girls like myself there, I guarantee they''re all gorgeous. How about it?"


    Selena followed him as he went to get drinks and chatted behind him.


    "No need, I have a girlfriend, actually more than one."


    Link replied with a light laugh.


    "Huh?"


    Selena opened her mouth in shock, turning to glance back at Catherine on the sofa and blinking to signal her disbelief. Link was not just two-timing¡ªhe might be involved with several women. How could he do that?


    Catherine shook her head, smiling, "That''s Link''s private affair, don''t meddle too much."


    Sniffing disdainfully, Selena hopped onto the sofa, giving Link a look reserved for playboys, "I was going to introduce my best friend to you, but it turns out you''re just a playboy. Humph, it''s so disappointing."


    Link just laughed it off. If he had answered ''no'' to that earlier question, Selena would certainly drag him on dates later, and if he said yes, she would have nagged him incessantly. But by admitting he was a playboy, there was no trouble at all.


    He poured Catherine a cup of tea and started talking about his recent days in New York, the training and preparations for the match¡ªnothing complex or novel.


    Selena, however, blurted out a whole bunch of things about singing, filming movies, and recently promoting a new movie. She starred in Disney''s "Cinderella''s Dance Miracle," premiering on Friday¡ªa youth musical¡ªand invited Link to the premiere in New York, asking if he was free.


    Link agreed to come.


    "Link, after you make money, you need to learn how to manage it. You could go to Wall Street and find an asset management company, get a professional manager to help you manage it, but if you decide to invest, you should be careful, especially since the economic situation is not good this year."


    As evening approached and it was time to leave, Catherine hesitated before speaking up.


    "I got it."


    Link knew she was saying this out of kindness and didn''t take offense, escorting the two women downstairs.


    "Link, Friday at two o''clock in the afternoon, don''t forget."


    Selena hollered from the car window.


    "Won''t forget, and hey, you said you were going to introduce a girlfriend to me, don''t forget that either,"


    Link joked.


    Selena rolled her eyes dramatically, silently mouthing ''playboy''.


    Link chuckled lightly and waved at the car, only then realizing that the light rain which had been falling most of the day had stopped at some point. The sky remained misty, with no sunset to the west, indicating that tomorrow wouldn''t be clear skies either.


    Longing to see the sun, Link found himself missing the beaches of Miami.


    Just as he was about to head back upstairs, a handsome young man, arm in arm with a tall woman, came laughing and chatting toward him, stopping by the elevator.


    The man, in his thirties and quite handsome, sported a slick back hairstyle and wore a grey Ralph Lauren casual jacket, oozing style.


    The woman had a great figure, over 175 cm tall, with curves in all the right places, walking with taut legs and a catwalk stride, probably a model.


    Link gave the man a once-over and thought he looked extremely familiar, much like the big star Leonardo DiCaprio who had recently bulked up, his face almost double the size from his "Titanic" days as Jack, and his figure beginning to spread. But even though he''d gained weight and seemed greasy, he was still a good-looking guy fond of water gun fights.


    Leo also gave Link a casual glance, instinctively pulling the woman closer to him.


    "Hello, Mr. DiCaprio, do you live here too?"


    Link initiated the conversation.


    "Yes, are you a new resident?"


    Leonardo asked half-heartedly. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Moved in last week."


    After exchanging a few pleasantries, the elevator arrived, and the three got in. Leonardo stood in the middle, still holding the woman close.


    The woman next to him also eyed Link, noticing he was taller and younger than Leonardo, and just as good-looking, "Sir, you look familiar. I think I''ve seen your ads. Are you an actor too?"


    Link touched his chin, a bit surprised. Even the homeless on the street knew his name; how come they didn''t? It seemed his fame was not widespread enough yet.


    "I''m a boxer!"


    "A boxer?"


    Leonardo appeared puzzled. A boxer living in Yorkville apartments?


    "Got a Golden Belt?"


    "Not yet, but I''ll have one soon,"


    Link responded with a light laugh.


    A flicker of disdain crossed Leonardo''s face. He was familiar with the boxing industry; boxers without Golden Belts were almost always broke and not worth getting to know.


    "Wow, I remember now, you''re Link, Olympic champion Link Baker, right? You were the cover person of ''People'' magazine released yesterday, a symbol of the American dream, aren''t you, Mr. Baker?"


    The woman covered her mouth in surprise.


    "That''s me!"


    "Wow, Leo, we''re actually living in the same building as a world champion; what a coincidence."


    The woman said with admiration.


    Leonardo gave Link a surprised look, reaching out his hand, "Mr. Baker, it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    "Likewise!"


    Link shook his hand.


    The guy''s palm was somewhat clammy, which, from a Chinese medicine perspective, indicated a sign of kidney deficiency.


    The elevator reached the seventh floor and Leonardo left with the woman, who looked back at Link. She swayed her prominent rear even more fiercely, threatening to burst through the thin silk dress.


    Link lived on the eighth floor and, as he left, found a perfume-scented business card with a phone number in his pocket, slipped in by the woman at some unknown moment.


    He glanced at it and threw it into the trash can by the elevator.


    Around eight in the evening, Link lay in bed, unable to sleep, his mind filled with swaying buttocks. After a struggle, he couldn''t fall asleep, so he got up to hit the gym. He did a thousand push-ups, five hundred sit-ups, and once his body felt exhausted, he finally settled down to sleep peacefully.

 Chapter 089 Professional Debut

    The next day, the New York sky remained overcast, the sun wrapped in clouds, only occasionally peeking out to reveal a faint light.When the sunlight did sprinkle down, the skyscrapers in the center of Manhattan brightened first, while the surrounding streets were still dim, creating an illusion almost like a mirage, only this mirage was inhabited not by immortals but by the wealthy.


    "Link, your boxing license has been approved."


    Upon arriving at the training arena, Simon handed over a card similar to a driver''s license, which was his professional boxing license, issued and reviewed by the various state sports commissions and boxing associations. Only boxers with a license were professional boxers, eligible to compete in matches organized by the professional boxing league.


    Also, after becoming a professional boxer, one must adhere to the regulations of the sports commission and boxing association. If any violations or illegal activities occur, the state sports commission has the authority to revoke a boxer''s license. Both Ali and Tyson had their licenses revoked before.


    Name: Link Baker


    Global Number: US-007255


    League Number: 003415


    Rank: Super Middleweight


    World Ranking: None


    Reach: 75.9 inches


    Boxer Characteristics: Orthodox


    Link looked at the license in his hand, feeling somewhat amused. He had applied before, but due to insufficient qualifications, it hadn''t been approved. Now, he had obtained it effortlessly, but it didn''t seem as important anymore.


    "Link, your opponents for the ranking matches are also decided. There are eight in total, seven newcomers, and only one Raul Marquez, who just moved up from middleweight. He has a professional record of 15 fights, 13 wins, and last year he went the full 12 rounds with middleweight champion Benjamin Taylor. He''s quite strong," said Simon as he handed over a document.


    Link carefully read through it. From the data, there were hardly any strong competitors; with his own skills, he could easily sweep through in one round. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, he wouldn''t take it lightly. Now, as the world champion, he was the most famous newcomer in professional boxing, as well as an excellent stepping stone for others.


    Many wanted to climb up by defeating him, stepping on his honor in the process. He could not let them have that chance.


    Moreover, since news of his switch had spread, both the media and his peers in boxing were watching his matches, eager to see his performance in professional bouts. He didn''t want to give anyone a reason to scoff.


    Link returned to the boxing ring, continuing to spar with three training partners, honing his boxing skills.


    On Wednesday, he, along with his assistant Simon Curtis, coach Tommy Brooks, sparring partner Morales, accompanying doctor Miss Rees, and the idler Dino Duva, among others¡ªseven or eight people in total¡ªarrived at the Madison Square Garden arena to participate in the WBA organized ranking matches.


    The WBA is an abbreviation for the World Boxing Association, which has 167 member countries and regions, and includes sub-organizations like the North American Boxing Association, the South American Boxing Association, the European Boxing Association, and the Asian and Pacific Boxing Association.


    The WBA headquarters is in Central America, Panama.


    The North American Boxing Association headquarters is in New York.


    To obtain the WBA World Champion Golden Belt title, one must first compete within North America, aiming to be the North American Champion, which is also the WBA Intercontinental Champion Golden Belt. This stage of the competition is known as the ranking matches.


    After becoming the Intercontinental Champion Golden Belt holder, one then challenges the continental champions from other continents. The winner receives the World Champion Golden Belt. This stage is known as the Championship Bout.


    If the World Champion Golden Belt already has an owner, after defeating the champions from different continents, one also needs to challenge the World Champion in what is called the Championship Challenge.


    Due to Joe Calzaghe''s recent voluntary relinquishment of the WBA Super Middleweight Golden Belt, the title was vacant. Whoever could defeat the competitors from other continents would become the new World Champion.


    The entire series of matches resembles the Olympics, starting from individual countries to continents and then on to the world.


    The North American region only includes the United States and Canada. The ranking matches within the United States are held in New York, organized by the North American Boxing Association.


    Since the boxers participating in the ranking matches are mostly newcomers without much fame, only four to five hundred people attended the event on the day of the matches, along with thirty to forty journalists.


    "Why are there only so few people?"


    Link looked out over the sparse audience and felt a bit disappointed by the response of the people of New York City. After all, he was an Olympic champion making his professional debut. How come only so few people turned up? If it had been in Miami, there would have been at least 5,000 people today.


    "Link, this is just a qualifying match without any promotion. It''s normal to have a few people; you are a boxing star and still have some crowd support. In some matches, there is no one in the audience except for the staff and journalists."


    Simon explained.


    "The crowd is too small; the match will seem boring. I''ll figure out a way to bring in some audience. I hope the next one won''t be so cold."


    "Bring in an audience? How?"


    Simon asked, puzzled.


    Link shook his head and stepped up to the boxing ring.


    His opponent in this match was named Gerald Lowe, a newcomer from Tennessee who also had participated in the Golden Gloves tournament this year. He only made it through to the second round, his abilities were very average.


    After the match began, Link didn''t plan on dragging it out.


    In the first round at the 4th second, he used a straight punch to break through his opponent''s defense and another straight punch directly hit the opponent''s forehead.


    With no protective gear to cushion the blow, the 1200-pound force of the punch landed on his opponent, delivering an impact of over 300 pounds.


    The opponent was knocked down immediately, and Link easily secured the victory.


    The match lasted 6 seconds!


    "Ah, is that it?"


    "My camera wasn''t even on yet, and the match is over?"


    "That was quicker than me taking off my clothes."


    The audience and journalists were stunned as they saw him knock down his opponent with a single punch.


    With the match beginning just 6 seconds ago and the opponent not having thrown a single punch, Link knocked him down so quickly it was unbelievable; Link was indeed a quick-draw.


    After the referee announced the result, Link waved his fists and stepped down from the ring, not a single drop of sweat on him.


    "Damn! That was it?"


    Dino Duva was sitting with his arms crossed on a chair, ready to watch Link''s match closely and see how good Link was in a professional competition. He had just sat down, not even comfortably settled, and the match on the stage was already over with Link throwing just two punches.


    "Haha, that''s a master''s match for you. Link''s capability is far beyond his opponent; 6 seconds is a very fitting number," said Tommy Brooks, the coach, laughing.


    "That''s Link''s style, winning battles in the simplest and most direct way. You''ll get used to it,"


    Simon shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile.


    "A hellish habit!"


    Dino shook his head, knowing Link was fierce but had never expected him to be this fierce. Winning a professional match in six seconds might be worth applying for a Guinness World Record.


    "Mr. Link Baker, may we have an interview with you?"


    Seeing Link come down from the ring, over thirty journalists crowded around him, all eagerly throwing questions his way.


    Link took off his gloves and put on his clothes, saying, "I have other commitments today, so I can only answer five of your questions."


    "Mr. Link Baker, you seemed quite fired up today. Is it because of the bad weather?" a journalist shouted out loud.

 Chapter 090 Verbal Barrage Online

    Ha ha ha!Some of the journalists laughed, while others gave that reporter a blaming look. Link had just said he would only answer five questions; how could someone ask such an irrelevant question at this time, showing no level at all.


    Yet, Link looked at that journalist with surprise. This guy must have studied traditional Chinese medicine because he was incredibly accurate at reading people.


    "Yes, the weather in New York has been terrible. I''ve been here for ten days and it has rained for six of them. I miss the sunshine in Miami,"


    Link said earnestly.


    "Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on your first professional victory. What is your assessment of Mr. Gerard Rowe, your opponent in today''s match?"


    The New York Daily News journalist asked.


    "Gerard is a very formidable boxer. He is quite strong, especially his defense, which is definitely above average among amateur boxers,"


    Link still answered very earnestly.


    But the journalists didn''t hear it that way.


    "Mr. Link Baker, but you knocked him out in only 6 seconds,"


    said the American Express journalist incredulously.


    "Yes, it only took me 6 seconds to beat him, but that doesn''t mean he''s weak; it just means I''m very strong. In my rank, they can only last a few seconds or perhaps tens of seconds against me, and not just Gerard."


    Link said, clenching his fist.


    The journalists looked at each other in bewilderment. What was Link saying? Did he mean that all the boxers in his rank could only last a few seconds or perhaps tens of seconds against him?


    A slip of the tongue?


    Or was Mr. Trash Talk online again? S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Link Baker, when you say boxers of the same rank, does that include Mikkel Kessler, Lucian Bute, Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell, Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham, these former world champions, and continental boxing champions?"


    the New York Post journalist shouted out.


    "That''s right, I''m talking about everyone. Regardless of whether they are former world champions or continental boxing champions, if I face them in a match, I''m just as confident that I can end the fight in a matter of seconds or perhaps tens of seconds. Those are my words, and you can quote me verbatim to everyone,"


    Link said with a firm voice.


    Whoosh!


    The journalists were stunned by his victory declaration. This man, having fought only his first professional match, dared to make such bold statements; wasn''t he getting a bit too carried away, thinking he was invincible just because he had won a Olympic gold medal?


    "Tommy, did you hear what Link is saying?"


    Dino Duva dug at his ear, looking incredulously at Brooks, "He said just tens of seconds to fight those champions? Has he lost his mind, how can he say such a thing publicly?"


    Coach Brooks had just heard these words and couldn''t help but twitch the corner of his eye.


    He had heard from others that Link was a ''trash talker,'' but after interacting with him for the last few days, he found that Link was mild-mannered, and both his words and his actions were substantial. He did not seem like the overly assertive type known for trash-talking.


    Why then had he suddenly changed tack today and publicly made such a bold claim?


    Could it be because there were journalists present?


    He rubbed his chin and said to Dino, "Maybe Link isn''t just talking big. With his strength, it really might only take him tens of seconds to fight those guys."


    "Are you serious?"


    Dino looked at him in surprise, "The people that reporter just mentioned, they are all currently ranked number one in the Super Middleweight division by the WBA-WBC-WBO-IBF organizations, especially the Danish boxing king Mikkel Kessler.


    Last year he fought Joe Calzaghe, and after a fierce battle of 12 rounds, Joe Calzaghe won by a narrow margin of points. How could Link claim to defeat such a formidable opponent in just a few dozen seconds?"


    Brooks scratched his head, also feeling a tingle on his scalp, although he knew Link was very strong, the skills of Mikkel Kessler and the others were also formidable, all former Super Middleweight world champions who moved up from Middleweight. For Link to defeat them in a matter of seconds was almost impossible.


    "Mr. Link Baker, are you saying this to challenge all Super Middleweight boxers?"


    asked a reporter from the New York Daily News.


    Link smiled gently and shook his finger, "Guys, if you had read the Miami Herald at the beginning of July, you should know that I already issued my challenge.


    During the qualifications in July, Mr. Simmons, a reporter from the Herald, asked me about professional matches, and I told him that my goal is to be the world champion. I hope those guys, who are only champions in name but not in reality, would give up the Golden Belt before I enter professional boxing, and leave it to me.


    If they can''t bear to part with it, they should get ready to be knocked out by me."


    Mr. Joe Calzaghe must have read that report, which is why he relinquished the Golden Belt early on. He set a good example.


    I hope Mikkel Kessler, Lucian Bute, Andre Ward, and others will follow Mr. Calzaghe''s lead, abandon their illusions, give up on competing for the Super Middleweight Golden Belt, and withdraw from the contest early, because it will only belong to me," said Link, pounding his chest.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a clap of thunder boomed overhead, and the reporters'' minds were filled with shock. What did this guy just say?


    He actually said Joe Calzaghe, who dominated the Super Middleweight division for years, gave up the Golden Belt out of fear of being KO''d by him?


    How dare he say that?


    "...."


    Dino Duva, Tommy Brooks, and Morales were also stunned and dizzy. That was far too arrogant. Wasn''t he afraid of being pelted with rotten eggs by Calzaghe''s fans?


    Simmons tugged the corner of his mouth and hurriedly took out his phone to call Franco, to relay what was happening here.


    Today, Link had dropped a massive bombshell. One could imagine how explosive the news would be tomorrow. No, maybe there was no need to wait until tomorrow; this news would set off a storm in the boxing world and even the world of sports entertainment by tonight.


    After all, the Olympics had just ended, and Link''s popularity was at a very high peak.


    After hearing about it, Franco also broke out in sweat, yelling for the new assistant to call everyone to a meeting, not one person less.


    "Mr. Link Baker, are you sure you''re referring to Mr. Joe Calzaghe, the undefeated champion with a professional record of 44 wins, 0 losses, and 32 KOs? Are you saying he gave up all the Super Middleweight Golden Belts because of you?"


    a New York Post reporter asked in a tone so surprised he could hardly contain himself.


    "Yes, Mr. Joe Calzaghe is very strong, and I respect him. But as a boxer, I believe the best tribute I could pay him is to defeat him with my fists. Unfortunately, he gave up the Golden Belt early, which is truly regrettable," said Link with a shrug.


    Seeing that reporters were about to ask more questions, he waved his hands indicating the five-question limit had been reached and he would answer no further inquiries before he left the venue, leaving behind a group of astonished reporters and onlookers.


    "The best tribute to him is to defeat him with fists. Is that something a normal person could say?"


    Dino Duva asked in a daze.


    "That''s so cool!"


    exclaimed Morales.


    "Don''t just stand there stunned, follow Link."

 Chapter 091 Wanting to Wear the Crown

    Link''s speech at Madison Square Garden had exploded like a bomb, shaking the entire world of boxing.After the Olympics, Link''s fame had already broken through regional barriers and spread throughout the boxing world, familiarizing many with his name.


    Upon hearing of his transition to professional boxing, everyone kept a close watch on his matches, looking forward to observing the performance of the Olympic champion.


    People expected to wake up, open the newspaper, and read about Link''s debut, only to find such news instead.


    The New York Post''s front-page headline read, "Olympic Champion Link Baker Makes Bold Claim, Aims to Sweep All Opponents Within 100 Seconds."


    The subheadline stated, "He doesn''t think former world champions Mikkel Kessler, Lucian Bute, Andre Ward, or even Joe Calzaghe could last 100 seconds against him."


    USA Today''s front-page headline declared, "Link Issues a KO Warning to the World"; the subheadline proclaimed, "Link warns all Super Middleweight boxers in the world, advising them to give up and not to contend with him for the Golden Belt, or he will KO them all."


    American Express''s sports section featured the headline "Why Did Joe Calzaghe Suddenly Announce His Retirement from All Golden Belts? Link Baker Says It''s Because of Him"


    The subheadline read, "Link believes the best tribute to Joe Calzaghe is to defeat him in the match and expresses regret over Joe''s announcement to relinquish the Golden Belt."


    Everyone was stunned by these headlines.


    What did he mean by defeating everyone within 100 seconds?


    Did he frighten Calzaghe into giving up the Golden Belt?


    And what about KOing the whole world?


    Was Link crazy?


    People just wanted to see how Link fared in his matches, whether he won or lost, and in which round he would come out victorious.


    So why were the papers filled with this kind of news?


    Was it a publicity stunt or fact?


    Anxious, everyone opened the papers, eager to read the details below the headlines, initially thinking the press had sensationalized the story to attract readers'' attention.


    But after reading the content, they realized that wasn''t the case.


    The few headlines could only showcase one aspect of Link''s speech; what he said was even more eye-popping than the titles.


    The news was too sensational.


    In less than a day, it was picked up by several major newspapers across Europe and Asia, including Germany''s Bild, Britain''s The Guardian and The Times, France''s Le Monde, and Japan''s Yomiuri Shimbun.


    A few media reporters conducted phone interviews with some of the mentioned parties.


    Joe Calzaghe stated that Link''s comments were amusing but not true; his decision to vacate the Golden Belt was to focus on the Light Heavyweight rank, not because of Link.


    A reporter from The Times asked Joe Calzaghe if he would face a challenge from Link in the future.


    Calzaghe stated he wouldn''t refuse.


    Another question followed about his thoughts on Link''s claim to defeat all his rank opponents within 100 seconds.


    Calzaghe laughed heartily, saying it was interesting, but he didn''t think Link could do it, nor could anyone else.


    A reporter from Le Monde interviewed former champion Mikkel Kessler, currently ranked top three in the WBA Super Middleweight division and most likely to recapture the WBA Golden Belt, asking for his opinion on Link''s claim to conquer the Super Middleweight division within 100 seconds. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mikkel responded, "Link Baker? I know that guy, he did well in the Olympics, but this is professional boxing, he''s oversimplifying things."


    When Le Monde''s reporter asked Mikkel if he had the confidence to defeat Link should they meet in the future,


    Mikkel shrugged and said, "Him, fight me? First, he''d need to defeat Andre Ward, Jermain Taylor, and Jean Pascal to claim the Americas Zone Golden Belt to even qualify to fight me. If he somehow gets that chance, I''ll teach him how to speak with my fists."


    Other media reporters also interviewed Armenian champion Arthur Abraham, British boxer Carl Froch, and American Andre Ward, among others.


    These hot-tempered individuals were all infuriated by Link''s claim that he could defeat them within 100 seconds. They called Link a loudmouth and a braggart, proclaiming that if they ever faced him in a match, they would teach him a harsh lesson with their fists, show him how to stay humble.


    "Look, Link, look at this newspaper, and this one, and this one too. Mikkel, Andre, Calzaghe, Pascal, everyone is pissed off at you."


    In the car, Dino Duva shook the newspapers in his hand.


    "So what?"


    "So what?!"


    Dino paused, "Link, you''ve angered everyone. Now everyone will be your enemy. Do you realize you''re making the entire world your enemy?"


    Link shook his head, "What''s our goal in competing?"


    "To win the Golden Belt!"


    Dino said.


    "Exactly. Since I want to be king of the boxing world, these people would become our opponents sooner or later. Does it make a difference if it''s sooner rather than later? If I don''t offend them and am polite, will they bow down to me?"


    Link asked.


    Dino Duva opened his mouth, then closed it. That might be the talk, but that''s not how things are done.


    Mentally sound people would think it''s best to offend others one by one and then eliminate them one by one, take them down individually; unlike Link''s reckless approach, spewing trash talk that offends colleagues the world over, he''s making enemies with the whole world.


    This guy''s brain definitely isn''t normal.


    "Don''t you feel the pressure is immense?"


    Dino really wanted to grab a microphone and interview him.


    When he heard this question, Link suddenly remembered a famous saying that seemed particularly fitting for his current situation and pretended to muse deeply, "To bear the crown, one must endure its weight!"


    Whoosh! Everyone in the nanny van turned and looked at him, thinking that he should not be a boxer, but a philosopher.


    "Link, that''s a great quote. Teach me sometime how to speak as coolly as you do."


    Morales said with a flash of white teeth.


    "Do you want to get beaten to death?"


    Dino asked with a sideways glance.


    Morales opened his mouth then closed it, agreeing that speaking like Link did indeed come with high risks, and it wasn''t for everyone.


    Link shook his head; his reason for speaking that way, for releasing bold statements in front of the reporters, wasn''t about putting on airs or creating a sensation¡ªit was to push himself.


    Since his recent arrival in New York, or rather, since becoming a millionaire Olympic champion, he found himself becoming a little complacent, with stray thoughts creeping into his mind. During training, women would randomly pop into his head; he wanted to drop his training and frolic with them, sometimes struggling to fall asleep at night.


    Before the Olympics, this hardly ever happened.


    After much deliberation, he surmised it was probably because he had achieved some success and made some money after the Olympics, which reduced the pressure and his drive, causing his mind and body to relax unconsciously.


    This was not a good sign.


    To counter this issue, he decided to add some pressure on himself.


    Since his ranking competition opponents were too weak to exert any pressure on him, he came up with the idea of provoking everyone, a do-or-die strategy, a last stand. Either he would knock everyone out in 100 seconds, or he would be humiliated.


    To avoid embarrassment, he would have to train desperately, compete desperately, and treat every second in the ring as a matter of his dignity and honor. Going over 100 seconds would mean utter disgrace.


    So, to succeed, one must first learn to dig one''s own hole.

 Chapter 092 Encirclement of Link

    "Link, you made it."The nanny van arrived at the Madison Square Garden arena, where the audience had skyrocketed from a few hundred people at the first match to over three thousand spectators today.


    The space under the boxing ring was crowded with over a hundred journalists, not just from America but also from Canada, Europe, and Asia. Media outlets such as HBO and FOX had also sent reporters and cameramen to record Link''s match.


    Clearly, Link''s previous verbal sparring had successfully captivated the attention of media around the world.


    Simon Curtis couldn''t help but admire Link''s ability to generate news. With just a few words, he drew in more than three thousand spectators and over a hundred media reporters, demonstrating a draw power greater than that of international superstars.


    "Link, they all came to see you become a laughing stock. Of course, being as brave as you are, this little skirmish surely won''t faze you, right Link?"


    Dino Duva said to Link with a malicious grin.


    Link shook his head. Having experienced the pressure of qualifiers and the Olympic Games, the current scene indeed felt like a small skirmish to him and hardly put any pressure on him.


    What he was most concerned about now was his opponent in the second match, Romaric Hignard, a Puerto Rican boxer with an amateur record of 51 fights and 42 wins, a not-so-shabby level. Records indicated that his signature move was the upper hook punch. He had knocked out three opponents with upper hook punches in amateur matches, more than Link had with upper hook punches.


    "Link, this match you..."


    Tommy Brooks didn''t know how to instruct Link with tactics. In the past, when coaching boxers, he would tell them the opponent''s characteristics and weaknesses and then how to fight to win the match.


    But when it came to a boxer like Link, he was at a loss for guidance because Link had already set his own finish time before the match started¡ªeither a few seconds or a couple of dozen seconds. The time was too short for tactics to be of any use.


    "Link, just punch hard. Your punches are heavy, your speed is fast, and Romaric won''t be able to take many hits from you."


    Coach Brooks said helplessly.


    Link nodded and climbed onto the boxing ring with his fists raised.


    The opponent, too, looked at him with a belligerent gaze. Despite his skill, he was just a larger stepping stone. If he could defeat him, he would be able to pick up the ''Honor Shards'' he''d left behind, and even gain things like "Fame," "Gold Coins," "Titles," "Experience," and so on, as if he were playing a game.


    The spectators and reporters below were also watching the ring without blinking, fearing that they might miss the end of the match with a single blink.


    "Boxing!"


    The referee announced the start of the match. Before Link could throw a punch, his opponent took the initiative to attack with a cunning right upper hook punch aimed at his jaw.


    Link inwardly praised, for this punch was unexpected. In terms of angle, speed, and timing, it was very good. An ordinary person faced with such a sneak punch could easily be knocked down, but Link was no ordinary person. He was faster in speed and reaction than his opponent.


    As the opponent threw his punch, Link quickly dodged to the side, and while his opponent was vulnerable during the punch, he landed a fierce right swing punch to the opponent''s head.


    Bang!


    The opponent''s head jerked sharply to the left, his body staggered, and with a thud, he fell to the canvas.


    Without protective gear and only the cushioning of boxing gloves, his heavy punch was much more brutal than in amateur matches, and the damage inflicted was also greater.


    In amateur matches, he needed to land a dozen or a hundred punches to bring down an opponent, but in professional bouts, sometimes a single punch was enough. This was why boxers skilled in heavy punches performed better in professional matches.


    "...3, 2, 1!"


    The referee counted backward from ten, and the opponent did not get up.


    "It''s over already?"


    A murmur of surprise echoed through the stands, this match seemed to end even faster than the last one. Was Link a bit too vicious?


    "How many seconds?"


    Dino turned to Simon, who was timing the match.


    "Less than 5 seconds!"


    Simon exclaimed with admiration.


    The journalists below, also timing with their stopwatches, noted that from the start of the match to Romaric hitting the ground, Link took only 4.82 seconds¡ªpractically the span of a single breath. It was incredibly fast and could definitely be recorded in the Guinness World Records.


    "Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on winning the second match, moving one step closer to becoming the world boxing champion."


    Upon seeing Link step down from the ring, the journalists once again swarmed him, shoving dozens of microphones in his direction, while cameras pointed at him.


    "Thank you!"


    Link responded politely.


    "Mr. Link Baker, a journalist from The Guardian interviewed Mr. Calzaghe over the phone yesterday. Mr. Calzaghe stated that he announced the renouncement of his golden belt to focus on light heavyweight competitions and not because of you. What''s your take on that?"


    The international reporter from The Guardian asked.


    "Whatever the reason, it''s Mr. Calzaghe''s prerogative. We should understand and respect his choice,"


    Link spoke out loud.


    "Mr. Link Baker, Mikkel Kessler, Lucian Bute, Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell, Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham, and others have said in interviews that you are all talk and no substance. They also claimed that they would brutally defeat you in a match, to teach you how to speak and how to be humble. What do you think?"


    The reporter from USA Today asked loudly.


    Link smiled lightly, facing the microphones of the journalists and the camera lenses of several TV stations, he said, "Teach me to be humble? I don''t understand why they resent my high profile, but as professional boxers, promoting the sport of boxing is our duty. We should be more outspoken, fight like Ali, like Tyson, to make boxing more popular.


    If everyone buried their heads in the sand, creeping under the radar, envious of others'' high profile,


    As for such ambitionless opponents, I have nothing to say to them. I will try to defeat them within 99 seconds, because the boxing ring has no need for them!"


    "It''s become 99 seconds again?"


    The reporters opened their mouths wide, watching him in horror. This guy had already managed to offend everyone last time, and by conventional practice, he should be finding ways to make amends, to mend his relationship with them.


    But, rather than doing so, he was just adding fuel to the fire. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One man against the whole world.


    He''s so bold¡ªis he really not afraid of being killed?


    "99 seconds?"


    Dino''s eyes twitched violently as he turned to Simon and said, "I heard before that Link was stabbed, and I didn''t believe it. He''s always so proper, why would anyone want to stab him? Now I understand. With the way he talks, even I, an outsider, want to stab him, let alone those involved. He''s too arrogant."


    Simon also wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, trembling as he pulled out his cellphone from his pocket and called Franco, asking him to prepare for a larger public relations effort because Link had been running his mouth again.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Boss, Link''s been making harsh statements to the reporters again."


    In the audience, a man in a trench coat listened for a while before taking out his phone to call his boss, Greg Cohen.


    "What did he say?"


    Greg Cohen asked over the phone.


    The man in the trench coat repeated Link''s new declaration.


    Greg Cohen listened in silence for a while, thinking this guy was really good at stirring up trouble. A boxer like this, if signed by the company, wouldn''t even need the company to spend money on promotion; his mouth alone was worth a million, ten million in advertising.


    "How many rounds did the fight go?"


    "4.82 seconds?"


    The trench coat man said.


    "4.82 seconds?! Was his opponent a wooden dummy, not even lasting 10 seconds?"


    On the phone, Greg Cohen exclaimed in shock.


    The trench coat man also sighed incredulously, describing the recent match that lasted less than 5 seconds, which amounted to saying that the opponent attacked Link, who then KO''d him with one punch.


    Greg Cohen cursed, "Shit. How likely do you think it is for him to defeat Mikkel and Andre Ward within 100 seconds?"


    The trench coat man thought for a moment, "I don''t know if he can do it, but he seems very powerful. His strength is much greater than other boxers in his rank. Andre Ward is probably not his match either."


    "Damn, how can this bastard grow so fast?"


    Greg Cohen cursed angrily. Previously, at the Golden Gloves Championship, Link had shown strength roughly at the level of a Super Middleweight A-ranked boxer.


    By the time of the American tournament, he unexpectedly defeated A-ranked Pitts and Aragon.


    In the Olympics, his strength seemed to have improved further, exceeding the S rank.


    This guy''s potential was just too enormous.


    "He''s a dangerous man. If we let him develop like this, he will be a menace to the company''s interests. It would be better to have him in our control. You go find out about Link''s collaboration with Dynasty Promotions and see if there are any conflicts.


    For instance, Franco had previously promised to relocate the company to Miami but failed to do so. Surely Link must be somewhat dissatisfied. Try to magnify his dissatisfaction with Franco, and then we''ll find a way to poach him."


    "I understand."


    The trench coat man nodded and hung up the phone.


    In the Las Vegas betting city top promotion company''s CEO''s office, Greg Cohen hung up the phone with a heavy sigh.


    Looking at the President of top promotion, Bob Arum, across him, he said apologetically, "Bob, I didn''t handle the Link situation well, but I will find a way to rectify it and eliminate the threat of Link as much as I can."


    Bob Arum, looking like Churchill and combing his slicked-back hair, held a cigar in his hand and said cheerfully, "Greg, no need to apologize. Link has potential, but he''s also a rookie, you don''t need to take it too seriously."


    Greg Cohen shook his head and said, "Bob, this Link guy gives me a bad feeling. He''s not only incredibly strong, he''s also highly adept at causing trouble. The first time I negotiated with him face to face, he was just an unknown boxer. In just over two months, he became an Olympic champion, a boxing star with a value of tens of millions.


    If this trend continues, his future popularity and influence won''t be less than that of Mayweather or De La Hoya, nor will his money-making capability be inferior to theirs. He will definitely affect our company''s business."


    Bob Arum listened, furrowing his brow and staring at the slowly burning cigar, then coughed lightly and asked, "So what are you planning to do?"


    Greg Cohen tapped his knuckles on the back of his hand and thought for a while before saying, "I''ve been studying Link for a while, and I''ve found that he''s a very proud and arrogant person as well as someone who seeks perfection. Such people are hard to deal with, but they have weaknesses; he can''t accept defeat. He''s like a sharp sword that cannot be broken even once.


    We should facilitate a fight with a top boxer as soon as possible to let him experience defeat.


    In the Super Middleweight rank, we can arrange for Joe Calzaghe, Mikkel Kessler, Andre Ward and others to corner him. These guys are all pretty strong; surely one of them can beat him.


    And if that fails, there are still Chris Byrd, Hasim Rahman, James Toney. Link openly challenged them; arranging for them to fight Link is sure to result in his defeat.


    If Link is defeated even once, he will struggle to come back, like Tyson. At that time, we can choose to sign him or completely suppress him. Control will be in our hands."


    Greg Cohen spread his fingers, making a grabbing gesture.


    Bob Arum squinted his eyes, "Go ahead and handle it. When I have some time, I''ll also talk to old Duva, congratulate him for having a successor, hehe. This time, little Duva''s vision has indeed been more accurate than anyone else''s."


    A flicker of displeasure crossed Greg Cohen''s eyes as he took his leave from the office.

 Chapter 93 The Aftermath Not Yet Subsided

    "Link, is it still raining in New York?"Inside the car, Link glanced outside the window. It was overcast, like the tears that hang in the eyes of a child when his beloved toy is snatched away, waiting for the heavens to decide when they might fall. He found it odd that Franco was calling to ask about the weather.


    Link said it wasn''t raining.


    Franco said, "Link, are you not used to living in New York? How about, after the match, you come back to Miami to live? The company will also try to schedule fights in Miami in the future. I''ve thought it over, rather than building a new training ground, we might as well acquire one. Coach West''s boxing gym is pretty good, and I plan to invest in West Boxing Gym and make it your training base.


    What do you think?"


    "That sounds really good, but I''m doing quite well in New York."


    "Really? But I saw you in an interview, and you seemed very irritable."


    "That has nothing to do with the weather. I just wanted to make the fight more exciting."


    "That definitely makes things more lively and saves the company millions in promotional fees, but you, alone, challenging a group of people - that''s too exaggerated. Ali, Tyson, Mayweather, they also provoked their opponents, but they only targeted one at a time.


    They will surely seek revenge on you fiercely, and your matches will become very difficult. Also, in future matches, you cannot afford to lose a single one; if you do, you''ll become the laughingstock of the boxing world. That''s too harsh," Franco Duvall inquired.


    "Don''t worry, Franco. If I dare to say such things, I''m prepared to accept the challenges. Besides, with Coach Brooks, I believe we can defeat any opponent," Link confidently stated.


    Coach Brooks, standing beside him, couldn''t help but touch his forehead, suddenly feeling a great pressure on him.


    Shortly after ending the call, Link received a call from Coach West, who advised him to be careful in the match.


    His words were like setting a fire in the boxing world, propelling the Super Middleweight competition to surpass Heavyweights and become the most attention-grabbing sport in the boxing world, even the entire sports community.


    This was both good and bad because Link was right at the center of the fire. If he withstood this blaze, he would emerge as the most famous boxing champion; if he didn''t, he would be utterly disgraced. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Coach West told him to stand firm, to try his best to win the matches, and not to worry too much about the 100-second promise. As long as he won against his opponents, even if it took twelve rounds, he would still be the victor, and a victor wouldn''t be mocked afterwards, but praised for his tactical brilliance.


    Link understood Coach West''s concerns and assured he would definitely win the match.


    Not long after he hung up the phone, he received a call from the chubby James.


    James wasn''t calling to talk about his ''trash talk.'' Usually, James only liked to read fashion magazines, the likes of Playboy, and he only started to follow some sports news after Link had entered the boxing scene.


    James told him the business at the shop was too good; the clients who wanted him as a diving instructor had booked up to three years in advance, and if he didn''t come back soon, it might be up to ten years.


    Link laughed upon hearing this. After the Olympics, the midsection of the Bund public beach had become a hot spot; he heard that on the night he won the championship, over a thousand people gathered on the beach for a party, complete with singing and dancing performances.


    And his Baker Diving Gear Store had become one of the most famous shops on Miami Beach, with daily customer traffic ranging from dozens to upwards of a hundred people, and even more during holidays.


    James was too busy to handle it all on his own, so he hired two clerks to help out.


    James also said he didn''t know why, but these past couple of days there were even more people in the store than after the Olympics.


    Link asked him if he wanted to come to New York to hang out since October marks the off-season for the dive shop.


    James declined, saying New York was too dangerous. He mentioned that movies always portrayed New York as rife with gangs and that there were more murders there each day than in Miami. He didn''t want to take the risk and also advised Link to be careful and return quickly after the fight.


    Link just smiled without arguing with James about whether Miami or New York had a higher crime rate. After all, one was Gotham City and the other, Sin City; the first one wouldn''t call out the second.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Link''s second verbal barrage once again set the boxing world ablaze, making the front pages of major media outlets, which were all speculating whether Link actually had the ability to defeat Miko, Andrea, and others within 99 seconds or if he was just running his mouth to stir media attention.


    Ring Magazine launched an online poll asking whether Link could defeat Miko and others within 99 seconds to become the Super Middleweight World Champion?


    A total of 2147 people participated in the poll: 667 voted in support, while 1480 thought it was impossible.


    The media were divided into two camps. One labeled Link as the ''biggest mouth'' in boxing history since the sport turned professional¡ªhis verbal attacks weren''t aimed at one person but at a group, indiscriminately slaughtering them.


    The Chicago Tribune called him a brave but reckless talker.


    The faction that supported this view was larger and thus had a slight edge in public opinion.


    Meanwhile, media outlets such as the American Express and the Miami Herald, believed that Link''s ability to defeat his opponents in mere seconds in the last two matches was evident of his extraordinary strength, so calling him a ''big mouth'' or a big talker was very inconsiderate.


    The Miami Herald even quoted Link''s response from an interview with the Baltimore Sun after the Golden Gloves Championship when many media outlets were calling him a big mouth.


    At the time, Link retorted, "So far, not a single match has taken place, and you already think I''m talking big. Do you want to keep laughing at me? Gentlemen of the press, you''ve been taught a lesson by the facts three times; why can''t you wait a bit longer, wait until I''m defeated by those guys before you laugh at me?"


    The Herald suggested that everyone should wait for him to fail once before labeling him a big mouth, rather than mock him while he continues to set records, to avoid being embarrassed.


    After Link blasted the Super Middleweight boxers twice in a row, many of them stood up and collectively launched a counterattack in the media, with some claiming they would take Link down within three rounds and others stating they would teach him what defeat feels like.


    No matter what they said, their comments were reported by the media due to Link''s high popularity.


    For a time, the Super Middleweight competition became the most talked-about event in the boxing world, outshining even the news of Holyfield announcing a challenge against Nikolai Valuev; Hasim Rahman challenging Vladimir Klitschko; and Samuel Peter challenging Vitali Klitschko.


    Ring Magazine had to admit that after the quiet of more than twenty years since the heyday of the four boxing kings of the eighties, the Super Middleweight competition drew an unprecedented level of attention once again. This time it was all because of one man, Link Baker, "Link is already a king without a crown in terms of influence."

 Chapter 094 Dream It Possible

    "Link, you''re back."After the match, Link had just returned home and was changing his shoes at the entrance when a shout came from the living room, followed by a tall figure who threw herself at him, grabbing his neck and almost crashing him into the wall. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor had come over in the morning, wanting to write songs at his place, so Link had left the apartment to her and gone to compete.


    "What''s up?"


    Link hugged the girl as he changed his shoes, patting her on the back.


    "Tell me quickly, who wrote this?"


    Taylor took out a piece of manuscript paper with more than a dozen lines of lyrics. The song was titled "Dream It Possible," and the scribblings were wild and messy.


    "Who wrote it? Tell me quickly, I searched online and couldn''t find this song."


    Taylor looked up at him, her blue eyes filled with anticipation.


    "Don''t rush me, let me catch my breath first."


    Link was taking off his jacket, about to hang it up when Taylor quickly snatched it from him and hung it up for him, then turned back to stare at him. As Link moved to the living room to get some water, Taylor immediately fetched a drink from the fridge and offered it with both hands, being especially attentive.


    Link smiled lightly, shrugged, and said, "I''m a bit tired, a massage right now would be really nice."


    "Hmph!"


    Taylor glared at him, knelt on the couch, and gently massaged his shoulders, though her technique was quite rough.


    "A bit harder!"


    "Alright, but you said it, don''t blame me if I''m too harsh."


    Taylor clenched her fists and thumped his shoulders twice, asking, "How about that? Is that hard enough?"


    "Not bad, with a bit more strength you could KO me."


    Link leaned back on the couch and closed his eyes, enjoying the moment.


    "Don''t fall asleep, you still haven''t told me who wrote this song. The lyrics are amazing, both the rhythm and content are fantastic, way better than what I write. Who wrote it, can you tell me?"


    Taylor hugged his neck and swayed it, her voice soft, almost coaxing.


    "Is it really that good?"


    "Of course, tell me quickly, or I will pinch you."


    Taylor pinched a bit of skin on his arm, threatening him fiercely.


    Link smiled lightly, "No one else has been to my apartment, who do you think wrote it?"


    Taylor looked at him quietly, picked up the manuscript again, and asked uncertainly, "Did you write it?"


    "Why do you sound so doubtful? Do you see me as a rude, uncultured guy in your heart?"


    Link crossed his arms and countered.


    "No, it''s just... how could you write such good lyrics? You''re a boxer, why can your writing be better than us professional writers?"


    Taylor said, her tone slightly sour.


    Link smiled lightly. The song came to him the night before last when he couldn''t sleep. Seeing the manuscript paper Taylor had left on the table, he was suddenly inspired and recalled that endlessly addictive "Dream It Possible." As he reminisced, he transcribed, but the song was quite long and he only remembered two-thirds of it that night, with some parts still elusive.


    After two days, he recalled some more.


    He took the manuscript from Taylor''s hands, picked up a pen from the table, and completed the remaining lyrics.


    And if it takes takes a thousand lives


    The realization of lofty ideals


    Then it''s worth fighting for


    It always requires countless sacrifices


    It''s not until you fall that you fly


    Only when you fear no fall, do you soar


    When your dreams come alive you''re unstoppable


    "How can it be so good?"


    Taylor, reading the lyrics he had just written, stared at him in awe, "How can you be so brilliant? You''re a boxer, why can you write songs?"


    "Can''t you do anything besides singing?"


    Link asked her, smiling.


    Taylor was stumped by his question, furrowing her brow and thinking hard. Besides singing and writing songs, what else could she do? Link knew boxing, swimming, diving, cooking, and even songwriting, and he was exceptionally good at all of them. What could she do?


    It seemed she couldn''t do anything but sing.


    Realizing this, she suddenly felt quite useless.


    "You can also play the piano, guitar, violin, and dance. You are also amazing, you''re a musical genius."


    Link lifted her chin and spoke.


    Taylor''s eyes lit up, instantly revitalized.


    "You''re right, I can also compose music. I''m planning to write a complete song to your lyrics. What do you think? Don''t worry, I''ll create the best song possible and not let such great lyrics go to waste,"


    Link nodded slightly, hesitating before saying, "Actually, when I was writing the lyrics, I also had a tune in mind."


    "What? Are you serious? Composing is a hundred times harder than writing lyrics. You can compose too?"


    Taylor asked in disbelief.


    "Why don''t you listen to it first?"


    Link said with a smile.


    "Ok!"


    Taylor handed him the guitar, crossing her arms to see what kind of melody a Boxer could come up with, hoping it wouldn''t ruin the lyrics.


    Link plucked the guitar strings awkwardly with his stiff fingers. He had only followed Taylor for a few days and was not good at playing, but singing with a guitar was less awkward than singing empty-handed. He held the guitar and looked at the lyrics on the table, softly singing:


    I will run, I will climb, I will soar


    I''m undefeated


    Jumping out of my skin, pull the cord


    Yeah I believe it


    "Wow~"


    Just hearing him sing a few lines, Taylor covered her mouth in surprise. The tune was fantastic, far better than what she had initially imagined.


    The melody matched the lyrics perfectly, starting low and wandering, then becoming firm and uplifting. It was very healing to listen to.


    Link''s singing was also quite good. Although there were some issues with rhythm and breathing, his voice was great, the tone was emotionally rich, and very compelling. With a little training, he would be a mature singer.


    After Link finished singing, Taylor couldn''t help but clap vigorously, excitedly saying, "Link, you sing so well, and the melody is fantastic. How can you be so talented?"


    Link put down the guitar and smiled, "If you like it, go ahead and sing it. There are some parts in the melody that still need adjustment; you can decide how to change them."


    The reason he said this was because he had forgotten how to sing some parts and could only vaguely pass over them. Fortunately, the missing parts were not many, and it should not be difficult to fill them in.


    "To give me such a beautiful song to sing? Link, why don''t we become singers together? Let Big Machine sign you too, and you can become a big star in the future,"


    Taylor said, holding his arm.


    "No need, I''m a Boxer, and my current goal is to be the world champion. Until I achieve that, I have no other plans,"


    Link said, patting her hand.


    Although being a singer was a nice side job, recording albums and holding concerts would take up a lot of time. He didn''t have that time to waste elsewhere right now. If he were to consider singing, it would only be after winning the world championship.


    Seeing his firm attitude, Taylor didn''t try to persuade him further but coquettishly pulled him along and said, "Link, could you sing it again? I was so focused on your singing that I forgot to write down the melody. Could you please sing it one more time?"


    "Alright,"


    Link held the guitar and sang again. The second rendition was more complete than the first, with only a few vague notes.


    Taylor, with her strong musical composition and arrangement skills, listened once and turned his song into a sheet of music marked with highs, lows, and beats, filling an entire page.


    "It''s amazing, truly a great song."


    Taylor held the guitar, lightly humming along to the music.


    Link returned to the kitchen to make dinner, preparing a beef stew and Mexican vegetable pancakes according to a recipe.


    By the time he finished dinner, Taylor had already sung it completely. She sat on the sofa, embracing the guitar, singing in a voice and style different from the original version, but her voice was delightful, and her singing was impressive.


    Her rendition of "Dream It Possible" was lively and brisk, uniquely different from the original, just as some people prefer "Dream It Possible" and others like Zhang Liangying''s "My Dream."


    "Oh, it''s so sad."


    As Link was about to applaud after hearing Taylor finish, he saw her teary eyes, long eyelashes wet with tears, seeming very sad. Link, puzzled by why the artistic young woman suddenly started crying, walked over and patted her back.


    "What''s wrong? Is the song very sad?"


    "No, I started playing the piano at six, studied music for thirteen years, and wrote over thirty songs. I thought I was very talented, but I suddenly realized, none of the songs I wrote compare to yours. And you''re just a Boxer who can''t even play the guitar. Why can you write such a good song, and I can''t?"


    Taylor looked at him with envious and jealous eyes, her own reddened.


    Link smiled gently, understanding her feelings at that moment, as once a wealthy college student who said he liked Boxing wanted to learn a few moves and paid a tuition fee of twenty thousand.


    Old Liu arranged for a Boxer who had practiced for five years to teach him.


    The college student challenged the boxer, who agreed, and then with simple, rough Boxing moves, knocked the experienced boxer to the ground.


    At that time, Link envied that person''s glance, not just for his money, but also for his great talent. It truly wasn''t fair.


    Link, wiping her tears, said, "This song was written by both of us. It''s also your work, so there''s no need to be sad."


    "Hmph, if it were just yours, I wouldn''t compete with you, but I will definitely write a better song in the future, so don''t get cocky,"


    Taylor snorted.


    "Of course, you are the best singer I''ve ever seen. Surely, you''ll write a song that''s even better than this one,"


    Link said with a smile.


    Taylor smiled faintly and looped her arms around his neck, kissing him on the cheek.

 Chapter 095 Premiere Ceremony

    After dinner, because it was a cloudy day, it got dark before six o''clock.Link saw Taylor''s figure in the living room and thought that he finally had someone to spend the evening with, so he wouldn''t have to spend it in the gym.


    However, Taylor was a workaholic. She said she wanted to practice her new song on the piano to refine the melody further, aiming to have the complete score ready by tomorrow and then head to the studio to produce the song''s music, with the deadline for the "Songwriting for Dreams" event being next week.


    Link had no choice but to take her home, and he did an extra thousand push-ups at the gym that night, but it seemed to have little effect.


    The next day, he participated in another match, his third professional fight. Still, against a newcomer, and because he was eager and pressed for time, Link finished the fight in just 5 seconds.


    "Link, you are too fast," Dino Duva said in the car, clicking his tongue in admiration.


    "That won''t happen. Super Middleweight also has some tough characters," Link said, looking at his watch.


    "Link, take a look!"


    Simon handed over a document from the front passenger seat.


    "Tyson is officially making a comeback. Franco received a fight contract from Tyson''s agent this morning. As you said, we accepted the challenge, and both parties are discussing how to conduct the match," Simon said.


    Link nodded after looking at the document.


    Since Tyson was a Heavyweight and he was a Super Middleweight, with two ranks separating them, their match needed the approval of the sports commission, which would complicate the process.


    But due to this gap, the match was highly anticipated, and the earnings were expected to be substantial.


    "Link, are you really going to fight Tyson? That''s Tyson, the Heavyweight champion. Even if he has retired, it''s still Tyson. Aren''t you worried about being defeated by him?" Dino asked, flipping through the documents.


    "If I can''t beat a guy who has been retired for years, how can I become the world champion?" Link said, looking at his fists.


    Although he spoke lightly, he was very cautious. Tyson, having retired for over three years, could still throw punches weighing 1450 pounds. With some time to recover and train, his punches would undoubtedly become heavier, possibly exceeding Link''s 1500 pounds, making him difficult to handle.


    Yet, the more challenging it was, the more excited he became. Competing against someone stronger than himself was more interesting than a rank match and fired up his blood and passion even more. He was even eager to share the stage with Tyson.


    Dino, seeing his confidence and excitement while speaking, thought this guy was either a lunatic or a real tough person, born for boxing. He felt Franco might have discovered a gem.


    After the car returned to Yorkville Apartments, Link went home, changed into formal attire, and with a bow tie, sped to the Metropolitan Cinema at 120 miles per hour following a call from Selena, urging him to hurry. The premiere of "Cinderella''s Dance Miracle" was being held there.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Why hasn''t he arrived yet? We agreed on two o''clock in the afternoon."


    In the plaza area of the Metropolitan Cinema, Selena Gomez, wearing a light yellow off-the-shoulder princess dress and styled curly hair, sat in the nanny car, constantly checking her phone. She was supposed to enter with the male lead, but since Link was coming, she stayed outside to wait for him.


    "Link had a match today. It''s great that he could make it on time. Stop texting him to hurry," Catherine said from across.


    "Got it, I haven''t rushed him," Selena handed her phone to Catherine, looked in the mirror, and with a thoughtful expression said, "Catherine, what if I enter hand in hand with Link? Would that cause a sensation? Would the reporters think I''m Link''s girlfriend?"


    "That''s why you need to clarify things, don''t let the media misunderstand, and don''t let Link''s girlfriends misunderstand, which could cause him unnecessary trouble."


    Catherine wrote a few lines on a folder with her pen and handed it to Selena to help her deal with the reporters later.


    Leaning on Catherine, Selena playfully smiled and said, "Catherine, did you notice the words you just used? You just mentioned Link''s ''girlfriends''?"


    "What''s the problem?" Catherine asked.


    "A big problem. Before, you told me to stay away from playboys, that those guys are jerks. Why is it that when it comes to Link, you don''t care how many girlfriends he has, and you seem to actually encourage his flirtatious behavior? Do you think that''s appropriate?" Selena challenged Catherine with a stare.


    Catherine pointed to the folder with her pen, asking her to keep reading, and said, "Link is only twenty, it''s normal for him not to be serious about relationships yet. No one becomes a serious, responsible man right at the start of their adolescence.


    Also, he has the right to be a playboy. At twenty, he became an Olympic champion and a multimillionaire on his own efforts. Who in America is better than him?


    No one. For a boy like him, it''s natural to have many girls like him, and dating a few girls, experiencing a few relationships, will help his future life, so there is nothing wrong with that."


    Dating a few is normal?


    Nothing wrong with that?


    Such an obvious double standard.


    Selena rolled her eyes secretly.


    Ding ling ling!


    Selena''s phone rang; it was Link calling to say he had arrived and asking where they were.


    Selena quickly picked up her skirt and exited the car, seeing a silver Mercedes parked not far away. Link wore a coffee-colored Dior suit, his fine hairstyle, tall and muscular figure, looking exceptionally stylish.


    For a moment, Selena thought Catherine was right. He was so handsome, wealthy, successful, and financially independent at only twenty. Having a few girlfriends seemed normal, but then she shook her head repeatedly, disagreeing with the idea that this was incorrect and should not be influenced by Catherine.


    "Link, over here!" Selena called out.


    Link strode over, looked her up and down, "Not bad. Pretty as a Disney princess."


    "Thank you! You''re handsome too!"


    Selena Gomez, holding up her dress, curtseyed to him.


    Link smiled gently, greeted Catherine briefly about the boxing match, and then led Selena onto the red carpet.


    One tall and handsome, the other pretty and adorable.


    As they made their entrance, all the reporters'' eyes were fixed on them. Why was Olympic Boxing Champion Link Baker walking the red carpet with Disney''s new star, Selena Gomez? Were they dating?


    Now, this was big news.


    Dozens of cameras swiveled their way, aiming at them and snapping non-stop.


    The fans also looked at them in surprise, unsure whether to ship this perfectly matched couple.


    "Mr. Link Baker, may I have an interview with you?"


    A journalist yelled loudly.


    Link asked Selena for her opinion, and she nodded repeatedly. Since Link had brought her onto the red carpet, she had felt relaxed for the first time, completely free from nerves and feeling very secure.


    Link, holding Selena''s hand, walked to the front of the interview area.


    "Mr. Link Baker, could you tell us about your relationship? Are you two dating?"


    A New York Post journalist asked.


    Link glanced at Selena and laughed, "Please don''t misunderstand; Selena is my sister."


    "Wow!"


    A murmur of surprise swept through the crowd. Everyone knew Link was an orphan and a fisherman''s descendant. How could he be Selena''s brother?


    Moreover, their surnames differed; one was Baker, and the other Gomez, not to mention their skin tones. Selena had a wheatish complexion, her father being Mexican.


    Link, although sporting tanned skin, got that from sun exposure. He had no Latin heritage.


    "Mr. Link Baker, is Selena your half-sister from the same mother?"


    A Hollywood Reporter journalist asked.


    "No, she''s my cousin. Selena''s mother is my mother''s younger sister." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Oh! The journalists'' confusion was resolved. The fact that they were cousins might not be as headline-catching as a romantic relationship, but it was still an intriguing piece of news.


    "Mr. Link Baker, I heard you had a match today. How did it go?"


    An American Express journalist inquired.


    "I won, ended the match in 5 seconds. Also, ladies and gentlemen, today is the premiere of Selena''s movie, so she should be the one you''re interviewing."


    Link stepped back, spotlighting Selena.


    Pushed to the forefront, Selena, still holding his hand, blushed.


    "Selena, how does it feel having an Olympic champion as a brother?"


    A journalist asked.


    "It''s fantastic! I am very happy,"


    Selena sweetly smiled.


    "Selena, many girls ask their boyfriends to beat their brothers before deciding whether to date them. Would you do the same?"


    A journalist joked.


    Selena smirked, "I doubt anyone could beat Link; he''s an Olympic champion, the toughest boxer in the world."


    "Selena, does Link have a girlfriend? Do you two go shopping together?"


    An Entertainment Star News journalist asked.


    Selena looked back at Link and blinked, asking how to answer. Link spread his hands, leaving it up to her what to say.


    Selena laughed and said, "I haven''t met Link''s girlfriend yet. If he had one, I think we would go shopping together."


    "Selena, tell us about this new movie. What role are you playing in it?"


    "Sure!"


    Selena answered a few questions and waved at the journalists before the two of them walked hand in hand into the Metropolitan movie theater.


    "Link, you were amazing on the red carpet, seemed totally unfazed."


    Selena happily said.


    "Of course, when I''m competing in the ring with thousands of spectators, how could I win if I got nervous?"


    "Yes, you are incredible."


    Like a little fangirl, Selena felt everything about him was perfect, completely forgetting that she had just been criticizing him for having several girlfriends.

 Chapter 096 The Film Master

    Upon entering the Metropolitan Cinema, Selena was about to take the stage to speak and dance, promoting the film.Link found a corner to sit down, watched the bustling stage for a while, and then a wave of tiredness hit him, so he leaned back in the sofa chair and fell asleep.


    He didn''t know how long he''d slept before someone patted his arm.


    "Hey, buddy, wake up!"


    Link opened his eyes and saw a frail old man sitting beside him, who looked to be in his sixties or seventies, dressed in casual suit and wearing metal-framed glasses, looking scholarly, like a university professor.


    "Sorry, was I snoring?"


    Link wiped the corner of his mouth and sat up.


    "No, but sleeping is contagious, you fall asleep next to me, and it makes me want to snooze too."


    The old man said with a serious expression.


    Link apologized again, perked up, and looked forward, as the movie had already started.


    "Cinderella''s Dance Miracle" tells the story of a modern-day Cinderella, where Selena plays the protagonist, an orphan who is adopted by a has-been female singer and often bullied by her and her two daughters, treating her like the maid of the house.


    During a school-organized masquerade ball, the protagonist meets the male lead, a popular singer, and the two dance in perfect harmony at the ball, but before they can unmask and recognize each other, the clock strikes twelve, and the protagonist hurries away from the ball, leaving behind a Walkman at the scene.


    Apart from Selena''s dance scenes, which were quite splendid, the rest of the movie felt boring to him.


    "Buddy, why are you watching this kind of movie?"


    The old man beside him yawned and asked.


    "The lead actress is my sister, what about you, sir?"


    "I ended up in the wrong theater, I was supposed to go to Theater 3 to see ''The Coffin Director,'' I don''t know how I ended up here."


    The old man said, spreading his hands helplessly.


    Link smiled, "That''s a good thing, ''The Coffin Director'' by its name seems to be related to death, the theme is too heavy, and ''Dance Miracle'' while the plot is monotonous and clich¨¦, is at least joyful, happiness is good for health and longevity, I think it suits you better."


    The old man pondered for a moment and nodded slightly, "Kind of makes sense, I am Woody Allen, a director."


    "Director Woody Allen?"


    Link looked at him in surprise, Woody Allen was a famous Hollywood director, who had directed many classic romantic and ethical films such as "New York Stories," "Annie Hall," "Anything Else," "Midnight in Barcelona," and "Match Point," starring Scarlett Johansson.


    Not only a great director but also a great screenwriter, he had received 14 Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay, 6 nominations for Best Director, and one nomination for Best Actor, and was referred to by the French as "the only intellectual in American cinema."


    Of course, his most famous news event was marrying his stepdaughter.


    "Nice to meet you, Director Woody Allen, I''m Link Baker, a boxer," Link shook hands with him.


    "Link Baker? Are you the same Link Baker who knocked out his opponents in two consecutive seconds?"


    Director Woody Allen also recognized him and looked at him curiously as he asked.


    "Yes, it wasn''t really a knockout, just that my fists are quite heavy, I''m good at using heavy punches to knock down my opponents."


    Link said modestly. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Director Woody Allen nodded, "I used to be a fan of boxing, and I loved watching Tyson''s matches the most. After Tyson retired, I seldom follow boxing anymore. You fight well; I hope that one day you can become a world boxing champion like Tyson."


    "I will," Link nodded and smiled.


    Woody Allen examined him from various angles, "Your facial features are very three-dimensional and delicate, which is very suitable for starring in art films. Have you ever considered becoming an actor?"


    Link raised his eyebrows slightly. He seemed to be getting more handsome by the day, much more so than the Link he remembered.


    "Of course I''ve thought about it, but as you know, I''m a boxer and I''ve never studied acting."


    "Ha-ha, let me tell you something. To a great director, the best actor isn''t the seasoned one, but the novice who knows nothing about acting. They''re like a block of marble in the hands of a sculptor, they can shape it based on their vision," Woody Allen discussed spiritedly.


    Link found his words reasonable and smiled, "So the only thing separating me from becoming an Oscar-leading actor is a great director?"


    "Oscar Best Actor? Hahaha~"


    Woody Allen quickly covered his mouth, chuckling a few times, then pointed at him and said, "Kid, you''re a boxer and you want to become the Oscar Best Actor? Aren''t you a little too ambitious?"


    "Why can''t I?"


    Link didn''t mind the teasing and said seriously, "If you''ve read my interviews, you''d understand my work ethic. When I set my mind to do something, I set a high goal from the start and do everything in my power to achieve it.


    "More than three months ago, I was just an amateur boxer entering the ring. I set a goal to reach the finals of the Golden Gloves Tournament with a record of all KOs. And I did it¡ªI fought 17 battles, won 17 victories, all by KO, and became the champion of the Golden Gloves Tournament.


    "Then I set a second goal to become the world champion. From the American qualifiers to the Han Jing Olympic Games, I''ve faced opponents stronger than me more than once. I''ve been scared, but I never backed down. Fortune favors the brave, and in the end, I succeeded.


    "Now that I''ve entered the professional boxing ring, I''ve set my goal to become the undisputed world champion of five ranks across four major organizations. Currently, I have three fights, three wins, all by KO. Although I don''t know how long I can keep winning, I will never admit defeat before I fail."


    Link looked at the slightly surprised Woody Allen, "Director Allen, you think I''m suited for movies. If I take your advice and become an actor, then my goal would be to become an Oscar Best Actor, and I will dedicate myself completely to this goal. It''s no joke."


    Director Woody Allen immediately shed his amused expression and looked at him more closely, "Why don''t you give it a try? I suddenly feel that you might really become an Oscar Best Actor. If you do, wow, that would be so interesting. You must give it a try."


    Link shrugged, "I''ll give it a try if I get the chance."


    "Link, give me your phone number. Maybe I''ll be the great director who helps you become an Oscar Best Actor," Woody Allen joked.


    Link smiled softly, exchanging phone numbers with him.


    He found two messages from Selena on his phone.


    Selena said there was a seat next to her, inviting him to sit at the front. Link replied that there was no need.


    After receiving the message, Selena turned her head, blinked her big eyes, and pointed at the seat beside her.


    "Is she your sister? She''s a cute girl. Go to the front, I''m getting ready to leave."


    "Are you going to watch ''Departures''?"


    "No, I''m going back to write a screenplay. Your words gave me inspiration, and I have to write them down. Wish me luck; it might be another great film."


    Woody Allen laughed heartily, shook hands with him, took his hat to cover his face, and ducked out of the screening room.


    Link watched him leave and smiled. Woody Allen was a master of art films¡ªif the press caught him at the cinema watching a youth musical, they might just turn it into an interesting piece of news.


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 097 Era of Split Seconds

    "Catherine, do you know what, Link was too much. During the 93-minute movie, he slept for a full 65 minutes and even snored halfway through. It made me so mad."Outside the movie theater, Selina, holding her skirt, huffily got into the nanny car and complained to Catherine.


    "Sorry, the movie theater is just too conducive to sleeping."


    Link said with a light laugh.


    He had trained too long in the gym last night and didn''t take a nap at noon. And just now, after Selina called him to sit at the front for a while, he couldn''t help but fall asleep again.


    Hmph!


    Selina rolled her eyes at him¡ªeven though she knew training every day was exhausting and she understood him, she still had to complain in person.


    Catherine smiled and said, "This movie is targeted at teenagers, not big boys like Link. It''s normal for him to fall asleep. Link, how about we grab a quick meal? I''ve made a reservation at the Italian restaurant on 17th Street up ahead."


    Link checked his watch. It was almost time for dinner, so he agreed. He hadn''t driven himself and simply got into Selina''s nanny car.


    "Link, what do you think about the few girls I just introduced you to? Any you want to get to know?"


    Selina took out a can of coffee from the fridge for him, but Link took a bottle of water instead and smiled, "They''re all nice. Give me all their contact information."


    "What, you want all of them?"


    Selina asked with wide eyes in surprise.


    "Is that not okay?"


    "Of course not, how can you be like that, you''re too bad."


    Selina puffed her cheeks and feigned a kick at him. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Through the rearview mirror, Catherine saw the two joking and couldn''t help but smile as well.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After the little interlude, Link refocused his attention on the match.


    The fourth match the next day.


    Under the watchful eyes of the public, Link once again arrived at Madison Square Garden. Due to the low interest in past qualifying matches, the WBA Americas association did not promote the event, resulting in few spectators.


    After Link stirred up a global media storm, the WBA Americas Zone super middleweight ranking matches suddenly heated up. The matches involving Link, in particular, received unprecedented attention.


    Before the fourth match, Madison Square Garden announced that they had sold 6227 tickets, far exceeding expectations.


    Link''s fourth opponent was Paul Samuels, a boxer from Oregon.


    At the start of the match, the opponent employed evasive tactics, trying to last the 10 seconds this way.


    Yes, in a match with someone else, beating the opponent means victory, but against Link, just lasting 10 seconds is a win.


    Unfortunately, his speed was still too slow. The 6X6.1 square boxing ring didn''t allow enough space to keep distance. Link closed in on him after taking two quick steps when the opponent backed away, pinning him near a corner post. One punch broke the defense, another for the KO.


    It took 9.2 seconds!


    Perhaps the benefits of fleeing had become apparent.


    The fifth match''s opponent, a boxer from New Mexico named Martins Kukulis, also tried to use this tactic to outlast Link''s 10 seconds.


    But his moves lacked the cleverness of thought¡ªin the face of Link''s ferocious onslaught, he only lasted 7.5 seconds.


    The sixth match saw Link against Raul Marquez, a recently advanced professional boxer from middleweight, with a record of 13 wins in 15 fights. He had gone the full 12 rounds with the middleweight world champion Jermain Taylor last year; he was quite strong.


    Everyone hoped he could last a few more rounds against Link, to quell Link''s arrogance. Instead, he only lasted 5.8 seconds.


    After beginning the match aggressively attempting to strike first against Link, Marquez''s slower speed was apparent, and like Romaric from the second match, he left himself open and was KO''d with a single punch from Link.


    Following the sixth match, famed commentator Doug Fisher published a commentary in The New York Times, stating that the super middleweight category had entered the ''seconds era.'' The once customary 12-round bout had become completely obsolete with Link in the ring.


    In the past six matches, the durations were 6.1 seconds, 4.8 seconds, 5.3 seconds, 9.2 seconds, 7.5 seconds, and 5.8 seconds. So far, no opponent had lasted more than 10 seconds against him, and he was on the verge of equaling ''Heavy Hitter'' Shannon Briggs'' record of the most number of times a fighter has KO''ed an opponent in the shortest time in professional boxing matches.


    "... Over a decade since the Tyson era, the boxing scene, lacking heavy hitters, has been stagnant like a pond of still water. Though fighters like Roy Jones, Mayweather, and De La Hoya caused some ripples, they merely followed in the footsteps of their predecessors and lacked a pioneering contribution to the development and popularization of boxing.


    Facing this situation, many are pessimistic about the current state, even coming to terms with boxing''s return to a niche sport... The waves Link has recently made in boxing have brought a breath of fresh air... With his overpowering presence, he has brought boxing into the seconds era, making fights more exciting...


    Looking forward to Link''s upcoming performances, hopefully, he will continue to win and bring more surprises for boxing fans."


    The media found the concept of the ''seconds era'' intriguing and took the opportunity to sensationalize it.


    The American media claimed that Link''s formidable strength would dominate the super middleweight competition, saying fighters like Joe Calzaghe and Miko were no match for him, and the super middleweight Golden Belt would return to the United States.


    The European media claimed that since turning professional, Link''s 6 wins and 6 KOs showed particular dominance and ambition, also describing his style as cold-blooded, calling him a ''butcher,'' a ''big demon,'' and ''Quick-draw Link.''


    However, the European media still had ample confidence in Miko, Carl Froch, and Joe Calzaghe, believing they could definitely defeat Link and keep the super middleweight Golden Belt in Europe.


    Link, unaware how he became ''villainized'' into roles like a butcher or a big demon, didn''t care.


    No matter how loud the public opinion or how many negative stories, he focused his energy and attention on training, preparing for the next match.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Bang, bang, bang!


    In the boxing training gym, Link, drenched in sweat, swung his fists nonstop, striking the mitts held by Morales with maximum force and speed, pushing himself to see his limits, From punch one to punch one thousand, his body began to sweat profusely, and his muscles trembled incessantly.


    With every punch thrown, a sour and swollen pain transmitted from his arm muscles and other body parts. He didn''t know if he still had the strength to throw the next punch, but he could only grit his teeth and persevere, attempting to throw more punches, surpass his past self, become stronger, and not give his opponents the chance to laugh at him.


    "Link, take a rest. You have a match tomorrow; don''t tire yourself out too much,"


    Coach Brooks said helplessly.


    In the past, when coaching boxers, he often yelled, "Dammit, don''t slack off, start training." But with Link, he needed to shout, "Stop training, take a break," "That''s enough, you don''t need to train anymore."


    He felt that his role as a coach was to hold him back.


    "It''s okay, I can keep going!"


    Link continued to pound the mitts. After striking them fifteen hundred times, his arm muscles screamed with a burning pain that felt like being seared by fire. He knew his limit had come, and continuing to train risked muscle injury, affecting his performance tomorrow.


    "Link, good news!"


    As he was resting, Simon rushed into the training gym, excitedly holding a document in his hand.


    "We just got a message from the WBA North America Association: your seventh and eighth fight opponents have withdrawn, citing an aggravation of an old injury. They''ve forfeited the match. You won''t have to participate in the upcoming fights and will directly advance to the finals of the Americas Zone. Isn''t that good news?"


    Simon laughed.


    "Is it? I don''t think so,"


    Link shook his head. He had originally wanted to use the matches to hone his skills and gain professional fighting experience, but with both opponents forfeiting, his plans fell through, and he could only continue training to regain the lost experience.


    While Link was buried in training, the WBA regional tournaments were also drawing to a close.


    In the North American region, four boxers had advanced to the WBA divisional finals: Canadian boxer Jean Pascal, American boxers Rubin Williams and Jeff Lacy, and Link Baker.


    Among them, Jean Pascal had knocked out his opponents in the last three seeding matches in 32, 95, and 63 seconds respectively, putting on a very eye-catching performance.


    The American media believed Jean Pascal would be the first obstacle to Link''s goal of achieving a 100-second KO of all opponents.


    On September 21, at Madison Square Garden in New York, the North America Division welcomed its first round of finals: Link vs. Rubin Williams, Jean Pascal vs. Jeff Lacy.


    In this match, Link still utilized his heavy punching advantage, throwing 54 punches in 21 seconds during the exchange, successfully KOing his opponent for his seventh professional victory.


    And Jean Pascal''s performance in the first round wasn''t much worse than Link''s, taking 82 seconds to KO the tough Jeff Lacy for his twenty-first professional victory.


    Just one day later, the North American Division hosted the second finals match: Link Baker vs. Canadian champion Jean Pascal, with the winner earning the chance to challenge WBA North America Super Middleweight champion Jermain Taylor.


    On the day before the match, the WBA North America Association posted the fighters'' profiles on their website''s homepage.


    Jean Pascal, Haitian-Canadian, 26 years old, with dark complexion, 179 cm tall, 183 cm reach, amateur record of 103 wins and 18 losses, 2001 Francophonie Games boxing gold medalist, 2003 Pan American Games boxing bronze medalist.


    Turned professional in 2005, and currently boasts a record of 21 wins, 21 fights, 18 KOs, ranked 8th in the WBA Super Middleweight world ranking, considered one of the most likely to win a Golden Belt in the four major organizations'' title fight.


    Link Baker from Miami, 20 years old, 186 cm tall, 193 cm reach, 2008 Golden Gloves Champion, 2008 Olympic Super Middleweight Champion, amateur record of 27 fights, 27 wins, 26 KOs.


    Professional record of 6 fights, 6 wins, 6 KOs, not yet ranked by the WBA organization, but in his first seven fights, no one withstood him for more than 30 seconds, also considered one of the ''candidates'' for the four major organizations'' Super Middleweight world champion.


    Furthermore, on the eve of the match, various North American bookmakers and casinos launched new betting options:


    Odd for Link to win were at 1:1.2


    Odd for Jean Pascal to win at 1:2.5


    Odds for Link to KO Pascal within 100 seconds at 1:3.7;


    Odds for Jean Pascal to KO Link within 100 seconds at 1:10.2;


    and so on.


    From the odds on various items, the betting companies believed that Link could beat Pascal, but they had some doubts about his ability to KO Pascal within 100 seconds.


    The match between the two was still held at Madison Square Garden. On the day of the event, the venue announced that they had sold a total of 13,072 tickets, making it the most attended WBA North America event ever.


    "Link, are you nervous?"


    In the locker room, Dino Duva continually rubbed his palms, pacing back and forth in the corridor.


    "You look more nervous than I am."


    Link sat on the couch, lifting his fists for Coach Brooks and Morales to help him with the hand wraps.


    "Yes, I''m very nervous. I''ve bet a hundred thousand US dollars on you. If you lose, there goes my spending money for the month. Link, you must win, you have to defeat Pascal within 100 seconds. If you win, I''ll treat you to a night out with the ladies, all right, you don''t like that, how about I get you a sports car instead?"


    Dino leaned over and asked.


    "Cut the crap, Dino! Gambling is your thing, it has nothing to do with Link. Don''t disturb him here. Link, just relax and fight without being affected by him,"


    Coach Brooks pushed Dino away and said.


    Link glanced at Dino. "Don''t worry, I can win for sure."


    "Then go for it!"

 Chapter 098 Knocked Down with One Punch

    "Link is out!""Go, Link!"


    After the inspection, Link led his team out of the arena tunnel. As he reached the exit, a beam of light shone down, brightly illuminating his position.


    Cheers from many boxing fans erupted from the stands.


    Link waved his fists toward the audience. After signing at the judges'' table, he strode toward the ring.


    His opponent Jean Pascal also climbed through the ropes, standing across the ring.


    "Good afternoon, gentlemen, may I have a moment to interview you both?"


    At the sound, they saw their old acquaintance Steve Mandanda, dressed in a suit, holding an HBO microphone, stepping onto the ring, followed by an HBO camera.


    This match would also be broadcast on the HBO cable channel.


    "Good afternoon, Steve. Weren''t you hosting in the studio? Why are you out here?"


    Link greeted him.


    Steve laughed heartily, a hint of awkwardness flashing across his face, as he said perfunctorily, "I like being out here, you know, making more friends on the run. Haha¡ªLink, let''s talk about the match. Your opponent today is the undefeated Jean Pascal, who is extremely strong¡ªvirtually no weaker than you. Are you still insisting on beating him within 100 seconds?"


    "Of course, I told you, what I lack least is confidence."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Steve laughed again, then passed the microphone to Pascal, "Mr. Pascal, Link has already knocked out seven opponents in the competition, with none of those times exceeding 21 seconds. Faced with such a fierce opponent, do you have the confidence to defeat him?"


    "Of course, my punch is fiercer than his. I''ll show him that boxers fight with their fists, not their mouths."


    Jean Pascal shouted, swinging his fists towards Link.


    "Wow, Mr. Pascal also seems full of confidence. This match is bound to be thrilling. Mr. Pascal, many have recently said that Link is all talk and no action. Do you agree with that view?"


    Steve pressed on.


    After glancing at Link, Pascal shrugged and said, "I admit he has some skill, but he definitely isn''t as tough as the news portrays him. Just wait and see; today right here, I will use my fists to smash his false aura and show everyone who the real Super Middleweight king is."


    Link smiled lightly.


    Steve then handed the microphone back to Link, "Link, Pascal claims you are all talk and no action, do you admit it?"


    Link looked at him speechlessly. He had already declared he would beat his opponent within 100 seconds before the match, which had already stirred things up enough. There was no need for anyone else to intensify it, yet Steve was still instigating, clearly adding fuel to the fire.


    "Yes, Steve, I don''t admit it, so up next, watch my performance. I will strive to finish the match in the shortest possible time."


    Link spoke into the microphone.


    "Great, it seems both sides are confident about this match. But there will be only one winner¡ªwho will take the match and become the national boxing challenger? Let''s wait and see."


    Steve mumbled a few transition lines to the camera and then left the ring with the cameraman.


    The ring referee came over to check the glove labels, read the rules to both fighters, and then announced the beginning of the match.


    "Boxing!"


    Link raised his fists, looking at his opponent Pascal.


    The record showed that Pascal was an aggressive boxer, powerful, with both upper hooks and straight punches being ferocious, having a professional K.O. rate of 80%.


    The best tactic against such a boxer would be to defensively guard in the early stages, use exquisite skills to drain the opponent''s stamina, and find an opportunity to counterattack in the later part of the match, then defeat the opponent.


    But Link was short on time; he had set a goal for himself and his opponent to finish within 100 seconds, so not a second to waste.


    As he raised his fists towards his opponent, Pascal took a step back, raised both arms, hands crossed in front, a clear defensive move.


    The goal was obvious: to delay the match past 100 seconds.


    Of course, Link would not let him have his way. He followed Pascal''s steps, swinging his fists towards the opponent''s guard.


    Bang, bang!


    His arms were 10 centimeters longer than his opponent''s, and his punch speed was also very fast.


    Two consecutive straight punches hit the opponent''s arms, the heavy punches directly pushing his opponent back a step, but Pascal quickly adjusted his stance, arms held firm in front, feet nimbly bouncing, eyes fixed on Link.


    This was a much stronger performance compared to Link''s first seven opponents, who either got directly knocked down by his heavy punches or became panicked after being struck, even forgetting to defend.


    Pascal''s defensive measures were more seasoned.


    Link swung another punch against his opponent''s defense, and when he struck a second time, it was obvious that the opponent''s arm muscles tensed up, assuming a fully defensive posture, focusing mainly on protecting the head.


    From this, it was clear that the weight of his punches had frightened his opponent into fully guarding his head.


    Great opportunity!


    With the agility of jumping rope, Link followed the opponent''s movements and swung Left Swing Punches at his opponent''s head, almost simultaneously delivering a heavy Liver Blow Punch to his opponent''s left ribs.


    Uh!


    The opponent grunted and quickly took half a step backward, his fists defensively moving down unconsciously.


    Seizing the moment, Link threw a Jab that broke through the opponent''s defense, followed promptly by a Straight Punch to the foe''s forehead. With a force exceeding 1200 pounds, he directly pushed his opponent back two steps to the ropes, though not completely down. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link silently praised, truly worthy of being Canada''s top Super Middleweight, possessing remarkable resilience.


    Before he could launch his second punch, Pascal suddenly gave up defending and swung a tricky Upper Hook Punch towards his chin¡ªto connect would mean serious damage to Link.


    He quickly dodged to the side, and the opponent''s glove grazed his cheek. Without waiting for the opponent to punch back, Link moved forward half a step, his body leaning forward, delivering a Right Swing Punch towards the opponent''s head.


    His fist collided with the opponent''s left wrist, but the force was too great, the single-handed defense was ineffective, and the Swing Punch continued harshly to Pascal''s temple.


    Bang! Pascal''s head jolted, his skin rippling with the impact, he staggered a step to the right, and fell sideways onto the boxing ring.


    "Wow!"


    A gasp erupted from the crowd.


    After the referee called the start, the audience quieted down and attentively watched the two on the ring¡ªone the quick-firing Link, and the other, the Super Middleweight champion of Canada, to see if Link could defeat Pascal within 100 seconds.


    As the match began, seeing that Link''s punch hadn''t knocked Pascal down, many felt the match might hold some surprises.


    Pascal had not only heavy punches but also high physical quality and resilience. If he defended fully, it would be difficult for Link to break through his defense in 100 seconds.


    Surprisingly, Link broke through Pascal''s defense in the next second, knocking down his opponent with a punch.


    "Link did a beautiful job!"


    Coach Brooks fist-pumped as he shouted from below the ring.


    The technique Link used was the newly practiced Combination Punches, head-body, head-body, head-body, striking high then low, striking low then high, misleading, combining feints with real hits.


    This type of Combination Punches isn''t technically complex, anyone can learn it, but depending on the boxer, the effect can vary greatly.


    Ordinary boxers have less strength, slower speed, and using these Combination Punches can''t achieve the effect of misleading and combining feints with real hits.


    Link was different, his speed was faster than other boxers in the same class, and his punches were as heavy as a Heavyweight''s¡ªthese Combination Punches in his hands became deadly moves.


    Link initially targeted his opponent''s head. Given the force of his punches, the opponent had no choice but to defend his head intensely, naturally leaving his chest and abdomen exposed.


    At that moment, Link seized the opportunity, delivering a quick and fierce Liver Blow Punch unexpectedly.


    Having taken a punch in the ribs, the opponent''s defensive focus naturally shifted downward, leaving his head completely unprotected, allowing Link to land a Heavy Punch, instantly knocking Pascal down.


    "...5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"


    The referee knelt beside Pascal counting down from ten. Pascal struggled to stand, swayed twice, and then sat back down, visibly in pain from the punch.


    "Yay! Link won!"


    Morales shouted excitedly, leaping up from his chair.


    "Haha, too fierce!"


    Dino Duva clapped and laughed, "Simon, how many seconds?"


    "42 seconds!"


    "42 seconds? Pascal is the top Super Middleweight in Canada, and Link defeated him in just 42 seconds¡ªthat''s ferocious."


    Dino waved his fists excitedly as he shouted.


    "Link, the champion!"


    Many fans in the stands also shouted loudly.


    Link waved his fists and stepped down from the boxing ring.


    Although this match was won easily, it was all the result of his constant training, improving his strength and speed, a culmination of his efforts to deliver that winning blow in the match.

 Chapter 099 Intercontinental Boxing Champion

    Link knocked out Canada''s number one super middleweight, Jean Pascal, in 42 seconds, achieving an 8-0 record with all wins by knockout, seven of which were within 30 seconds, tying the professional record set by ''Cannon'' Shannon Briggs.Briggs had achieved seven wins by knockout within 30 seconds in his professional bouts, the fastest being in 3 seconds.


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    Despite not setting a new record, Link''s performance still shocked countless people.


    Jean Pascal was an undefeated boxer who had also defeated opponents in a matter of seconds during ranking matches, demonstrating incredible strength.


    Everyone thought he could withstand Link for a while, and even if he couldn''t beat Link, he would last more than 100 seconds. However, under Link''s heavy punches, he only lasted 42 seconds.


    The media exclaimed that Link''s rise to the throne of boxing was unstoppable.


    In this context, the Americas continental championship challenge began, with challenger Link Baker facing off against WBA Americas continental champion Jermain Taylor.


    Jermain Taylor from Arkansas, dark-skinned, 30 years old this year, 1.85 meters tall, with a reach of 1.89 meters, nicknamed ''Malintent.''


    An amateur record of 144 fights, 132 wins, the 1998 US amateur boxing light middleweight champion, the 1999 US amateur Golden Gloves light middleweight champion, and the 2000 Olympic middleweight bronze medalist.


    He turned professional in 2001, with a professional record of 30 fights, 3 losses, 1 draw, and 19 knockouts, also a former IBF-WBC-WBO middleweight champion. Last year he moved up to super middleweight, defeating several opponents in fights and claiming the WBA Americas continental championship golden belt.


    He is currently ranked third in the WBA super middleweight division, behind Mikkel Kessler and Carl Froch.


    Jermain''s main achievements include twice defeating ''Executioner'' Bernard Hopkins in 2005, dominating the middleweight division, and forcing Bernard Hopkins to move up to super middleweight.


    Jermain''s main defeats were in 2007, when he was beaten twice by the Ohio boxer ''The Ghost'' Kelly Pavlik, losing all golden belts and being forced to move up to super middleweight.


    Interestingly, in February of this year, Hopkins dropped his weight to below 160 pounds to fight again in the middleweight division, and defeated Kelly Pavlik in a fight.


    These three boxers had a cyclic dominance over each other.


    After reviewing Jermain Taylor''s file, Link had an idea; his opponent was also a boxer good at attacking, with heavy fists and flexible fighting methods, liking to deliver sneak punches during the fight to knock out his opponent, which was the reason he was known as ''Malintent.''


    To deal with such a boxer, one simply needed to press the opponent during the fight, preventing them from having the opportunity to launch a sneak punch, and handling them wouldn''t be more difficult than facing Jean Pascal.


    "Link, you also need to pay attention, Jermain moved up from middleweight, so he''s very fast. If you want to KO him within 100 seconds, it''s best to corner him before striking; you can''t let him run around," Coach Brooks advised before the match.


    "I understand!"


    Link nodded, dressed in his fight gear, passed all the checks, and once again arrived at the Madison Square Garden arena.


    There were more spectators than the last match, about 15,000 people, with the seats around the boxing ring densely packed, even more so than when the New York Knicks played in the playoffs.


    According to Selena, she and Catherine, along with their family, were going to attend the match. Taylor also said she would come to watch the fight, but there were too many people at the venue, and Link, with a quick glance, couldn''t spot them.


    "Go Link!"


    "Anesthetist Link!"


    "Quick Gun Link!"


    "Big Demon King Link!"


    Many people in the stands were shouting loudly.


    Link curled the corners of his mouth; there were too many nicknames, but he still preferred people calling him King Link.


    He jogged to the boxing ring, where his opponent Jermain Taylor had also arrived, his shoulder adorned with a green and gold belt, the WBA continental championship golden belt, one size smaller than the world championship golden belt.


    The world championship golden belt has a world map on its emblem, while the continental championship only has maps of each continent.


    "Hey, Link, want this? Then you''ll need to defeat me first," his opponent said, noticing his gaze and tapping the golden belt with his glove, smiling.


    Link shook his head, "My goal is the world championship, not that one. If you''re willing to step aside, I''ll let you keep it."


    "Haha, that''s impossible. To become the world champion, you need to get past me first," Jermain Taylor shouted, swinging his fists.


    "Alright! I''ll do my best," Link replied, nodding to his opponent before biting down on his mouthguard.


    During his amateur days, because he was poorer, he used a standard mouthguard that covered both upper and lower teeth. It didn''t fit well and made speaking difficult. After signing with Dynasty Promotions, he spent twenty thousand US dollars to custom-order three fitted mouthguards that protected his teeth well and made speaking easier.


    The referee took to the ring and read the rules before announcing the start of the match.


    "Boxing!"


    As the referee stepped back, Link raised his fists and fixed his eyes on his opponent, who was roughly the same height as him, with a small head, broad shoulders, and thick and strong arms, his eyes filled with a fighting spirit that was clear-cut and distinct.


    Link took the initiative to attack, but before he could make contact, Jermain preempted with a forceful punch. This was a tricky jab, extremely fast, aiming for Link''s defending hands.


    Link kept his hands firmly protecting his head.


    Bang! Jermain quickly swung his left fist, hitting Link in the abdomen from a side-back angle.


    Link''s muscles tensed sharply, and he bent down at the waist, followed by another right swing punch from Jermain, sweeping toward his head at a very high speed.


    This offensive technique of striking down and then up bore a resemblance to the tactics Link had used against Pascal.


    As the opponent''s fist came sweeping in, Link dodged by tilting his head to the side, while delivering a left swing punch aimed at his opponent''s head.


    Jermain was not much slower than him and quickly retreated a step back to avoid the punch.


    In this exchange, it seemed Link was at a disadvantage.


    "Tommy, is Link going to lose?" Dino asked nervously, watching the ring.


    "How much did you bet?" Coach Brooks inquired.


    "I put all the money I won last time, principal and profits, on this match. Come on, Link!"


    Dino shouted toward the stage.


    "Don''t worry, Link is going to win. He''ll become the champion."


    Morales said, clenching his fist. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "But I bet that he would KO Jermain within 100 seconds, and it''s already been 50 seconds."


    Dino screamed, covering his forehead in agony.


    On the boxing ring, Link had no idea how much time had passed, but the tension in his mind grew tighter with each passing second, and he pressed forward, swinging at his opponent.


    Jermain seemed to sense his urgency and quickly pulled back to maintain distance as Link closed in.


    "Come on, Link, there are only 40 seconds left."


    Dino yelled from below the stage.


    Link remembered Coach Brooks'' words, forcing his opponent towards the left edge of the ring as he began to pull away.


    Jermain threw a punch at his head, which he blocked with his fist, then followed up with a punch to Jermain''s abdomen.


    Link completely ignored his second punch and, as Jermain was about to hit his left rib, landed a straight punch on Jermain''s shoulder. Jermain stepped back and hit the ropes behind him.


    Taking advantage of his opponent''s unsteady balance, Link threw a punch to Jermain''s left rib, the powerful impact nearly making Jermain vomit blood and naturally bending his body forward with both arms moving down to protect his ribs.


    Now''s the chance! Taking advantage of Jermain bending down, Link landed a heavy left swing punch on his forehead.


    Bang!


    Jermain''s forehead took the punch, his head jolted sharply, his body swayed, and he fell straight to the ground.


    "Wow~ oh~"


    The audience couldn''t help but let out a gasp of surprise.


    "He''s finally down! How many seconds?"


    Dino asked Simon.


    "81 seconds!"


    Simon said, looking at the electronic timer.


    "10, 9, 8, 7, 6..."


    On the ring, the referee counted to 6, and Jermain, holding his forehead, staggered to his feet, pounded his chest with his fist, and glared at Link.


    "Link, only 10 seconds left," shouted Dino.


    The match restarted.


    After tasting the power of his punches, Jermain held his arms up high, tightly guarding his head, and kept stepping back.


    Knowing that time was running out, Link didn''t give his opponent a chance to delay and initiated the barrage bombardment punches again. One heavy punch after another hit Jermain''s defense like a storm.


    In five seconds, he threw 12 punches, the 10th hitting Jermain hard in the right rib. As Jermain''s arms sank in defense, the 11th punch followed swiftly and hit his head again. Before the 12th punch could land, Jermain''s back hit the ropes, and his body slumped down.


    "Wow!"


    A gasp of astonishment echoed through the venue.


    "...5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"


    The referee counted down to 10, and Jermain struggled to stand up while holding the ropes but failed.


    "Yay! Link won!"


    Dino yelled, raising his tattooed arms.


    "98 seconds! It was almost over 100 seconds," said Simon, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.


    "Link is the champion! Link is the international champion now," exclaimed Morales excitedly.


    Above the ring, the referee raised Link''s arm high to declare Link Baker the winner of the match.


    Clap, clap, clap!


    A burst of warm applause and cheers arose from the stands.


    After two rounds and nine matches, with 9 fights, 9 victories, and 9 KOs, Link became the WBA International Champion and was ranked third in the WBA Super Middleweight division.


    As the matches in the Americas Zone concluded, the boxing associations of South America, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific also wrapped up their competitions one after another.


    The Continental Champions of South America, Glen Johnson, Europe''s Mikkel Kessler, and Tony Dodson from Asia and the Pacific.


    After the draw, it was Link vs. Asia and Pacific Continental Champion Tony Dodson, and Mikkel Kessler vs. South American Champion Glen Johnson.


    The match between Link and Tony Dodson was still held in Madison Square Garden, New York.


    In this match, Link faced an opponent with extraordinary resilience. In 91 seconds he threw 82 heavy punches and knocked his opponent down twice before finally securing victory.


    In the European bracket, Mikkel Kessler also managed a third-round KO against Glen Johnson, advancing to the WBA Super Middleweight final.


    The WBA headquarters released the battle report: the fight for the World Super Middleweight Golden Belt will take place on October 2nd in Miami, pitting the American champion Link against the European champion Mikkel Kessler.

 Chapter 100 Eve of the decisive battle

    "Miami is great, the sunshine feels so warm on the skin."At Miami International Airport, Link put on his sunglasses and looked up at the clear blue sky. The sun was fervently bright, and even in October, there was not a trace of coolness to be felt. Wearing a jacket, Link had been off the plane for only a few minutes and was already feeling a bit stuffy.


    The atmosphere in Miami was livelier than in New York. In front of the airport terminal, many men and women in T-shirts and shorts boldly displayed their curvaceous figures and wheat-colored skin under the sun.


    "Haha, I also think Miami is nice, it''s full of hot chicks. I should''ve come to Miami earlier."


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    Dino took off his shirt, revealing all his tattoos¡ªa picture of the Statue of Liberty entwined by Medusa. He wore a gold chain around his neck, looking more like a gangster than the Miami gangs.


    "Be careful, the robbers in Miami are several times more numerous than in New York."


    Morales glanced at the designer necklace around his neck and said.


    "With you two boxing experts by my side, do I even need to worry about robbers?"


    Dino said, draping his arms over their shoulders.


    "They have guns."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    "Hey, Link! Link!"


    On the airport''s express lane, a small motorbike roared up, and chubby James shouted at him, his face seemingly rounder than a month ago. He wore a Miami Heat cap, and his curly hair spilled over the brim. Dressed in a baggy letter T-shirt, he looked like a hip-hop youth.


    "Link, is that the ride you called for?"


    Dino looked at the corpulent James and then at the tiny motorbike behind him that could barely seat half a person. He pointed to their group, which included two and a half sturdy men¡ªthey wouldn''t be able to ride on it.


    Link pushed his sunglasses up and looked at James helplessly, "The keys to the sports car are with you; why did you come on this little motorbike again?"


    "Your sports car is too fast, I''m afraid of crashing it, I''ve never driven it."


    James scratched his face and chuckled sheepishly.


    Link shook his head and didn''t wait for them to call another ride. A white stretch Lincoln stopped by the roadside, Franco Duvall stepped out of the car, wearing a white casual suit, his hair neatly combed. He stretched out his arms and burst into laughter, loudly welcoming Link back to Miami.


    "Hey, Franco, I''m here too, I''m your younger brother. Don''t just focus on Link."


    Dino Duva said uncompromisingly to his brother who was fifteen years senior.


    Franco saw the tattoos on Dino''s body had increased since the last time and couldn''t help but twitch his mouth corners. He reluctantly wrapped an arm around his shoulder and patted it, "Dino, no more tattoos, look at Link, he doesn''t have a single one on his body."


    Dino pouted, "Link, why don''t you get a tattoo? Many boxing champions have tattoos, Tyson and Lewis have them; tattoos make you look cooler."


    "No, I don''t need them!"


    He originally had two tattoos, but as soon as he found them, he immediately had them removed. They can become distorted as muscles grow, looking quite awkward.


    Link asked the airport staff to return James''s little motorbike and then James and Link got into the stretch Lincoln.


    On the way, he chatted with Franco and Simon about the championship final.


    The final was co-organized and promoted by Dynasty Promotion Company and the WBA Association, set to be held at the Hard Rock Stadium in the Miami Garden District, the same place where Taylor had participated in a music festival.


    In fact, there had been several rounds of negotiations about where to hold the final between the WBA, Dynasty Promotion, and the promotional company behind Mikkel Kessler, the competitor''s gym. In the end, Dynasty Promotion secured the hosting rights to the event for two million US dollars.


    After getting the hosting rights, to recoup that investment, it was necessary to do a lot of promotional work to attract more spectators, increasing ticket revenue and receiving a portion of the profits from nearby hotels.


    Negotiations also had to be held with several cable TV broadcasters; there were three major networks that broadcasted and streamed boxing events in North America: HBO, SHOWTIME, and ESPN.


    Television broadcast rights and pay-per-view (PPV) revenue were the main sources of income. Detailed negotiations were needed to secure a larger share of the pie from these companies.


    Then there was income from advertising sponsorships.


    With Link''s extremely high reputation in Miami, surpassing even Roy Jones Jr. and trending towards becoming the number one boxer in Miami, dozens of brands were willing to sponsor his fight. However, with limited advertising spots, the promotion company could only work with the highest bidders.


    Currently, advertising and sponsorship income are at over 600,000 US dollars. Including PPV shares, ticket sales, and related revenue, projected earnings are estimated to be over 5 million dollars.


    Although it is a significant gap compared to the incomes from fights with Tyson and Mayweather, for a boxer who had recently turned professional, earning money from this fight was already quite an achievement.


    According to a survey by Business Daily in June, the total annual output value of the U.S. sports industry in 2007 was 441 billion US Dollars, accounting for about 3% of GDP.


    Boxing industry''s annual revenue was 10.2 billion US Dollars, making up only 2.3% of the sports industry''s income. This is a 45% decrease compared to 1997, and an 87% decrease compared to 1987, which is a larger declining trend compared to other sports industries.


    The industry is not thriving, and making big money is not easy.


    Moreover, Business Daily reported that of the 10.2 billion US Dollars in revenue, 95% was generated by the top 1% of professional boxers, with the remaining 5% created by the other 99% of professional boxers.


    That is to say, in the current professional boxing matches, the vast majority are losing money, calling out for attention at a loss. The purpose of this is to promote the sport of boxing, expand the boxing market, and serve the 1% of boxers and boxing matches.


    Therefore, under the current industry situation, a professional match that can earn more than 1 million US Dollars has already exceeded 99% of boxing matches.


    "Link, it doesn''t matter if you don''t make money, the key question is can you KO Mikkel Kessler within 100 seconds?"


    Franco looked at Link with some concern.


    Recently, there has been a lot of discussion about the WBA Super Middleweight final in the North American and European media.


    Whether it''s traditional media reports or new media news, they are discussing whether Link can knock out Mikkel completely within 100 seconds. 90% of the media think he cannot.


    The reason is clear. In the North American region, it took Link 98 seconds to completely knock out his opponent Jermain Taylor, nearly breaking the 100-second barrier, and in the semifinals, it took him 91 seconds to completely knock out Tony Dodson.


    And Tony Dodson had challenged Mikkel Kessler two years ago, and was defeated by a TKO in the 10th round by his opponent. It took Link 91 seconds to deal with Dodson, which by all accounts, is not enough to defeat Mikkel within 100 seconds.


    In addition, Mikkel Kessler''s professional record is 41 wins and 1 loss, with 28 victories by KO. His only defeat was last November, when he was beaten by Joe Calzaghe.


    After Calzaghe moved up to Light Heavyweight, Mikkel was considered the number one in the Super Middleweight division among the four major organizations.


    For Link to beat such a person within 100 seconds seems impossible.


    Link had seen those news stories, and after fighting Jermain Taylor, he realized he had indeed underestimated the heroes of the world.


    But the bragging was already out there, floating up to the sky, and it was too late to take it back.


    Now, all he could do was to prepare well for the match, focus on the competition, and try to defeat Mikkel Kessler in the shortest possible time, instead of hesitating and doubting himself because hesitation and doubt are of no use at all. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t worry, Franco; I will fight hard as soon as the match begins, and try to keep it within one round," Link said.


    "One round is good, as long as you can win," replied Franco, nodding. A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Link, do you know Mr. Thomp?"


    "Mr. Thomp?"


    Link thought for a moment, then nodded.


    Mr. Thomp''s reputation was known to all, and he was one of the few role models Link had. Suddenly, Link remembered that he seemed to have seen Mr. Thomp''s daughter, the famously influential Ivanka.


    "A few days ago, I saw him at a cocktail party held at the city hall, Mr. Thomp mentioned you. He said in front of many people that he likes you a lot and is a fan of your boxing."


    "Is that so? That''s an honor for me," Link laughed.


    After the car returned to Miami Beach, Link looked at the familiar scenery in front of him¡ªthe sea, the sun, the white sandy beaches, the palm trees, the colorful umbrellas, the hot-bodied bikini girls, and the surfing boys tumbling in the waves.


    And there was Baker''s little store by the beach, covered in graffiti, onto which someone had drawn a giant beast holding a Golden Belt.


    Bang bang bang!


    "Everyone come out, our boxing champion is back!"


    Suddenly, several firecracker blasts rang out at the entrance of the store.


    Daniel and Michael shouted loudly, and suddenly a crowd of people emerged from the surrounding shops¡ªReggie, Mario, Jim, Coach West, and the neighbors, passionate boxing fans, strangers, tourists, and reporters with cameras.


    Link smiled at everyone. If his dream wasn''t to become the unrivaled world boxing champion, a billionaire, living here for life wouldn''t be a bad choice either.

 Chapter 101 Onstage and Offstage

    After just one day of rest upon returning, the finals began. On the day of the match, Link, wearing a golden cape and boxing shorts embroidered with his name and the WBA logo, appeared at the match venue in the Hard Rock Stadium.But today, the main attractions weren''t him¡ªit was the numerous celebrities in the audience.


    Among them, the most famous was the billionaire and political newcomer Mr. Thomp. Today, dressed in a sharp suit and a red tie, he sat in the front row by the ring, with City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Miami Sporting Commission Chairman Avery Brundage, and dozens of other luminaries from the business and political worlds.


    There was also WBA President Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, Vice Chairman of the Americas association Lynn Walker, Florida''s media and publishing elites like Anderson Gyllenhaal and Rafael Varane, and many more.


    However, receiving even more media attention were three boxing legends: the legendary boxer Mike Tyson, former Light Heavyweight world champion Roy Jones Jr., and former Middleweight dominator Bernard Hopkins.


    Before the match began, the media interviewed the three about their views on the fight.


    "I support Link, he has a powerful punch, and I believe he can defeat Miko to become the Super Middleweight champion,"


    Tyson said to the HBO camera.


    "Do you think Link can beat Miko in 100 seconds?"


    the HBO reporter asked.


    "I don''t know, but I think he has a chance. Link''s punch is very heavy; in the Super Middleweight division, he''s almost invincible. As long as he can land a hit on Miko, he has a big chance to KO his opponent. But Miko is a very cunning opponent, to beat him in 100 seconds, Link will need to use his brains."


    Tyson pointed at his forehead and laughed, showing his two big gold teeth.


    The HBO reporter also interviewed Roy Jones Jr. and Bernard Hopkins. Roy Jones Jr. shrugged and said, "I don''t think Link can do it. I''ve watched his matches, and his hard-hitting boxing style is indeed fierce, but I believe Miko can take it."


    Facing the interview, Bernard Hopkins said, "Link is a tough guy; it''s unbelievable that he could defeat Jermain Taylor in just 100 seconds. Mikkel Kessler? I don''t know if he can last for 100 seconds.


    Yes, I''m not sure, I also thought before that Link couldn''t defeat Pascal and Jermain in 100 seconds, but he did. He''s a miraculous guy; I don''t know what other jaw-dropping things he''ll do."


    The reporter then asked, "Mr. Hopkins, you used to doubt Link''s strength; do you still doubt him now?"


    Hopkins''s face turned even darker, and he gave the reporter a glance, "I didn''t know who Link was at that time. A friend asked me to comment on him; yes, I hadn''t watched his matches, and I had no beef with him. I thought he was just some mouthpiece desperate for fame. Just to be clear, I had never underestimated him."


    "If you had the chance to fight a match with Link, do you think you could last 100 seconds against him?"


    "Of course! I''m a Light Heavyweight. Though his punch is strong in the Super Middleweight class, it''s not the strongest in Light Heavyweight. When I''m at my best, I can also throw punches with a force of 1,500 pounds,"


    Hopkins said, clenching his fist.


    "Alright, thank you for the interview."


    The HBO reporter also interviewed the two participants, Link and Miko, who didn''t say much before stepping onto the boxing stage.


    Before they entered the ring, there were two WBA Heavyweight ranking fights as a warm-up, setting the atmosphere.


    When the two of them stepped up, the atmosphere in the venue became even more heated.


    "Go Link!"


    "King of the Ring, Link!"


    When Link entered the stage, a huge surge of cheers rose from the stands.


    The Hard Rock Stadium is the largest sports arena in Florida, with boxing events accommodating 40,623 people. According to the Miami Herald, there were 34,000 spectators today, most of whom were Link''s boxing fans.


    When these people shouted ''Go Link'' together, the volume was incredibly impressive.


    "Wow, Link is so popular,"


    Mr. Thomp in the front row was startled by the massive cheering.


    "Haha, Link is the pride of Miami. He not only helped Miami get an Olympic Gold Medal, but he also has the chance to win the World Champion''s Golden Belt. I think more and more people from Miami will become fans of Link in the future,"


    laughed Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami.


    "Link is indeed a great young man, I fancy his chances,"


    Mr. Thump said with a smile.


    "Go, Link! Go, Link!"


    In the second row of the stands, the rotund James and a few others were still waving red flags, leading a group of people in loud cheers from their seats.


    "Simon, do you think Link can defeat Miko within 100 seconds?"


    Beneath the boxing ring, Dino Duva rubbed his palms together and asked.


    "You bet on Link to win by KO within 100 seconds again? This time it''s going to be tough. Link mentioned before that he would try to finish the match within one round, not 100 seconds. Dino, your bet might go down the drain," Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Simon said.


    "Is that so?"


    Dino stroked his chin with a he-he laugh; this time, he hadn''t actually placed his bet on Link winning within 100 seconds, but rather the opposite. If Link couldn''t score a KO within 100 seconds, he stood to make a tidy sum.


    "Dino, are you gambling again?" Read exclusive adventures at empire


    Franco looked at his younger brother disapprovingly and said.


    "Just for fun, I only bet a little pocket money, really just a tiny bit."


    Dino said, his index finger rubbing together in a gesture of apology and a sheepish smile.


    Franco shook his head and turned his attention to Coach Brooks and Coach West, who were chatting at the coaches'' bench. The two knew each other from before but were not close; now, because of Link, they had found common ground once more.


    "Reggie, do you think Link can become the World Boxing Champion?"


    Mario nudged Reggie, who was next to him, and asked.


    "Of course, Link has never failed,"


    Reggie said, looking at Link in the ring with a face full of admiration.


    "I don''t think so. The reason Link managed to become the Golden Gloves champion and the Olympic champion was entirely because he had me for a sparring partner. Now he''s been away from me for too long. Using someone like Morales for a sparring partner, I bet he hasn''t made much progress lately,"


    Mario glanced at Morales beside him as he spoke.


    Morales just grimaced, hugging his muscular arms and too lazy to pay any heed to Mario.


    Because they shared a name and both were sparring partners for Link, there had been no shortage of conflicts between them during their time at the West Boxing Gym.


    If he reacted, Mario would just go on and on.


    Up in the boxing ring, a voluptuous model strutted around with the WBA World Championship Golden Belt and then placed it on the chief judge''s bench.


    After Joe Calzaghe announced his relinquishment of all the Super Middleweight Golden Belts, there was a vacancy for the WBA World Boxing Champion. Whoever won the upcoming match would take the Golden Belt and become the new WBA World Champion.


    However, at this moment, Link''s attention wasn''t on the Golden Belt, it was on his opponent.


    Mikkel Kessler, 29 years old, a Danish professional boxer, with a height of 185 cm, reach of 188 cm, and weighing 76 kg, a Caucasian with imposing tattoos on the right side of his upper body.


    His professional record stood at 41 wins, 1 loss, and 32 KOs. He was former WBA-WBC Super Middleweight Champion, holding onto both Golden Belts for 3 years and 7 months.


    Last November, he fought in a unification match against the IBF-WBO Super Middleweight Champion Joe Calzaghe, battled for 12 rounds, but narrowly lost to his opponent and surrendered both Golden Belts.


    The opponent''s strength was formidable; defeating him to claim the Golden Belt would be no easy task.


    But Link wasn''t worried about how strong his opponent was. Becoming the World Boxing Champion had been his dream across two lifetimes. He had trained hard for six months and fought dozens of tough matches just to get to this point, to defeat his opponent, and lift the Golden Belt.


    Now that he had reached this step, he was only one move away from his dream, and he would not back down under any circumstances.

 Chapter 102 The World Boxing Champion

    "Hello, Miko! Welcome to Miami for the fight." Stay updated with empireOn the boxing ring, Link greeted his opponent.


    "Hello!"


    Miko nodded blankly without any expression.


    The referee came over to read the match rules, and after confirming that there were no objections from both fighters, he swung his arm down vigorously.


    "Boxing!"


    As the referee''s arm went down, the cheering from the crowd also quieted down suddenly, like a string that had been sharply cut.


    Yet the two still figures on the boxing ring suddenly sprang into action.


    Hearing the referee''s command, Link advanced forward, swinging his fists as he launched the first attack on Miko, almost simultaneously Miko also attacked, swinging both fists at Link''s head, his punches no weaker than Link''s.


    Link had already discussed Miko''s tactic of opting for offense instead of defense before the match with Coach Brooks and Coach West.


    Although Miko''s professional record was an impressive 40 wins in 41 fights, with 32 knockouts, in the eyes of the seasoned boxing experts, his boxing was flawed.


    His punches were heavy, leading him to over-rely on heavy punches, his technique slightly crude, and his style not as nimble and delicate; his best technique was very similar to Link''s, a series of heavy, relentless punches, using them to pressure the opponent, and looking for an opportunity to deliver a knockout with one heavy punch when the opponent was weakened.


    Link''s advantage over his opponent lay not in the weight of his punches, but in his technique and abundant stamina.


    Seeing Miko deploy heavy punches, Link immediately retracted his fists, holding his arms up in front of him, shifting from complete offense to defensive counterattacking. This was his first time adopting a defensive stance in the WBA championship series.


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Taking the opportunity, Miko advanced, attacking his arm''s defense frantically, throwing more than 20 heavy punches within 6 seconds. Link, with his arms up, defended and counter-moved, absorbing all of Miko''s heavy punches.


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Miko continued the offensive, each punch harder than the last, at least over 1200 pounds of force, no lighter than Link''s punches, causing Link''s arms to go numb and making it very uncomfortable for him when two punches hit his shoulder and left side.


    "Why is Link defending? Can he win against Miko within 100 seconds like this?"


    Dino stroked his chin and asked.


    "Watch closely, this is Link''s tactic,"


    Simon said.


    "Tactic?"


    Dino raised an eyebrow. With Link fighting like this, he definitely couldn''t knock out his opponent within 100 seconds, and he would make a nice bit of pocket money for himself.


    "Look, I told you he''s regressed, didn''t I? In previous matches, he was always aggressive, never waiting to be hit; now Miko has him on the ropes unable to counter, huh, he brought this on himself for not taking me to New York,"


    Mario snorted with his big nose.


    "The match has just started. What''s the rush?"


    Morales said with a sideways glance.


    "Am I not stating the obvious? A good sparring partner is vital to a boxer, and If I were there, Link would be much stronger than he is now, you are no match for me,"


    Mario said as he shoulder-bumped Morales out of the way.


    Morales curled the corner of his mouth and moved to stand beside Reggie.


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Miko had great stamina, and in under 40 seconds, he unleashed over eighty punches. In the first forty seconds, Link threw only 8 punches, spending the rest of the time on full defense, making his guard watertight.


    "Link, counterattack quickly, 100 seconds are nearly up,"


    someone shouted from the spectator seats.


    But Link continued to play defensively, his expression showing no urgency.


    "Could it be that Link has changed his tactic? Not aiming to knock out Miko within 100 seconds?"


    Rafael Varane, the editor-in-chief, stroked his chin and said.


    "Could this be the strategy Link set up in advance? He first makes an agreement of 100 seconds with everyone, creating pressure for the opponent, forcing the opponent to defend or initiate an attack? If the other party defends, he would launch a ferocious attack, his punches are heavy, and his bombing style is suffocating. There are very few who can withstand his continuous attack for 100 seconds.


    Perhaps Miko chose to attack proactively for this same reason, to substitute offense for defense and get through the first 100 seconds?"


    Doug Fisher pondered.


    "Is that so? What happens if Link doesn''t win within 100 seconds?"


    Anderson Gyllenhaal, the director of the "Miami Herald," asked.


    "Ha ha, of course, the match will go on. Have you not noticed, Link always said he''d knock out everyone within 100 seconds, but he never said he''d give up if it took more than 100 seconds,"


    Rafael Varane laughed.


    "Is that the case? Then Link is quite crafty,"


    the people around exclaimed. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ha ha, I''ve always said Link is a smart guy. He fights with his brain, never just relying on his fists,"


    Rafael laughed.


    On the boxing ring, Link focused entirely on the fight, following his intuition, not caring about anything else, including the 100 seconds. What mattered most was winning the match, getting it done in the shortest possible time, but he needed an opportunity, a chance to counterattack.


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Eighty seconds into the match, Miko had thrown more than 110 punches, hitting Link more than ten times.


    However, his continuous use of power punches took a toll on his stamina, and as the first round was drawing to a close, his offensive speed slowed down, he was sweating profusely, and breathing heavily.


    Seeing the opponent reduce the rate of attack, Link knew his moment had come. In an instant, he launched a counterattack, swinging a jab at his opponent''s head.


    Miko reacted quickly, lifting his arms to defend and, seeing Link counter, he also threw a straight punch at Link''s face.


    "Watch out!"


    Someone shouted from below.


    Disregarding the opponent''s punch, Link''s right fist, previously hanging, shot forward with a speed surpassing his opponent''s, smashing towards his head.

 Chapter 102 World Boxing Champion_2

    "Wow, a rear hook punch!"Someone exclaimed.


    Yes, a rear hook punch, Link took advantage of his opponent''s poor defense and smashed his opponent''s raised left forearm with a rear hook punch, carrying massive momentum into Miko''s left cheek.


    Bang!


    Miko''s head was struck by the rear hook punch, his left face instantly distorted, his jawbone shifted to the right, and his hair and saliva violently flung to the side.


    Speed suddenly increased.


    Miko thudded, side-falling onto the boxing ring.


    "Woah!!"


    The crowd was silent for over a second, then suddenly burst into a huge cry of astonishment.


    Everyone was surprised and thrilled by the sudden knockout.


    Just moments ago, they had seen Link on the receiving end of blows, but in a blink, he counterattacked with a trademark rear hook punch, striking his opponent''s head.


    "Can Miko still stand?"


    "Come on, Miko, get up fast!"


    Dino couldn''t help but shout out.


    Franco and Simon suddenly turned their heads, looking at him suspiciously, on whose side are you?


    Dino quickly shut his mouth, clenched his fists, and silently cheered for Miko.


    Miko, supporting himself on the ground, slowly stood up, his steps a bit shaky.


    Link''s rear hook punch was one of the most lethal punches.


    In amateur competitions, with headgear for protection, many people still often got knocked out by this punch, and in professional competitions without the cushion of headgear, the lethality of the rear hook punch doubled.


    Ordinary people simply couldn''t handle that 3,400 pounds of impact.


    But Miko was not an ordinary person; he had excellent resilience to blows, struggling on the ground for a few seconds, supporting himself with his arms, and slowly standing up.


    The referee walked in front of Miko and asked if he could continue the fight.


    Miko stared at Link and nodded, indicating he could.


    Read exclusive chapters at empire


    Link also secretly admired him, "He''s a tough guy."


    ¡ª


    "Boxing!"


    The match resumed.


    Miko beat his chest, glaring fiercely at Link. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link also stared at his opponent, swinging his fists, taking the initiative to attack Miko, who had used up a lot of energy in the first 80 seconds, presenting an opportunity for counterattack.


    He punched at Miko''s defensive arms one after another.


    After taking a few punches, Miko realized he couldn''t hold him off, so he gave up on defense and launched a counterattack at him.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Both fighters gave up defense, swinging heavy punches, energetically attacking each other, each punch making contact.


    "Keep going! Come on, Link!"


    "Come on, Miko! Hold on Miko!"


    As the duo exchanged punches, the shouts from the audience were deafening, almost enough to lift the roof off the Hardstone Gymnasium.


    Since Miko initiated the attack first, he consumed more energy than Link and was slower than Link, his defense skills also slackened as his strength drained.


    Not even three rounds into the exchange of punches, Link gradually gained the upper hand.


    He seized the opportunity, a swift, tricky jab broke through Miko''s defense from the left, striking heavily on his chin, making Miko reel backward, saliva flinging from his mouth forming an arc in the air.


    Good opportunity!


    Almost as Miko recoiled, Link stepped forward, a straight right punch smashing into his opponent''s left cheek.


    Miko was a tough guy too, extremely resilient, where other opponents would have fallen, 90% of the time after being hit by such heavy punches, he, on the other hand, managed to not fall.


    He grabbed the ropes, steadied himself again, and bent down, wrapping his arms around to protect his head.


    Miko''s coach also shouted from below, "Defense," "Full defense," "Hang in there, the first round is almost over."


    Link didn''t want to give his opponent a chance to regroup and didn''t want to be called a "trash-talker." Biting on his mouthguard, he mustered all his muscles and launched a barrage of attacks against his opponent, punching out eight heavy blows within three seconds.


    Bang!


    A hook punch struck Miko''s cheek, followed by a straight punch that once again slammed into Miko''s forehead.


    Miko''s eyes rolled back as his body swayed, and with a thud, he fell onto the boxing ring.


    Link withdrew his fist, looking down at his opponent, unsure if he could stand up again.


    If he got up again, this round would be over, and even if he counted it as a win, it wouldn''t be a complete victory since it exceeded the 100-second agreement.


    "10,9,8,7..."


    The referee approached to count, counting down from 10 to 1, Miko, struggling to prop himself up on the ground, failed to stand up even after 10 seconds.


    "Yeah! Link won!"


    The audience was quiet for two seconds, then suddenly stood up, cheering loudly, as thousands of people shouted together like a tsunami.


    Link breathed a sigh of relief and raised his fists high.


    "I declare, the winner of this match is Link Baker!"


    The ring referee raised Link''s arm high.


    "Link is the champion!"


    "Miko lost? Lost with just a punch?"


    Dino was stunned for a moment, quickly grabbed Simon''s arm, and checked the time¡ªit showed 100 seconds.


    100 seconds? How could it be such a coincidence? Had he won the bet or not?


    "I declare, the WBA Super Middleweight championship match is over, and the new WBA Super Middleweight Champion of the World is Link Baker!"


    Gilberto Mendoza, the president of the WBA, held the Golden Belt high, announcing loudly to everyone.


    He then handed the Golden Belt to Link, along with an $800,000 check, the match prize money, which was the major share for the victor, funded by auctioning the rights to the match.


    "Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on becoming the WBA World Champion. I hope you achieve even more in boxing in the future."


    President Mendoza said, shaking Link''s hand with a smile.


    "Thank you!"


    "Link, well done, it was a terrific match."


    Brentage, chairman of the Miami Sports Commission, Lynn Walker, vice president of the America Association, and the chairman of Florida''s Boxing Association, amongst others, climbed onto the ring to congratulate him and take photos with him.


    Link thanked them, took the Golden Belt, and raised it high toward the audience.


    "King Link! King Link! King Link!"


    James, Michael, Reggie, and others were jumping and shouting excitedly.


    "King Link! King Link!"


    The audience stood, clapping and shouting loud shouts.


    Link looked at the glittering Golden Belt under the bright lights.


    His eyes glimmered slightly, from the dark mines to the darker underground boxing rings, and then to the boxing rings of America, he had struggled for what seemed like two lifetimes, and today he had finally raised the World Champion''s Golden Belt on a world stage.


    All the previous efforts had not been in vain, all the previous blood and sweat had not been shed for nothing, every sacrifice had been worth it.


    "Link, you are now the World Champion."


    Morales, Reggie, Simon, Mario, and Dino shouted as they rushed onto the ring, lifting Link high and tossing him up several times.


    Link laughed heartily, knowing that by tomorrow, major media around the world would be reporting his new status as the WBA Champion, a 20-year-old World Champion, wondering if old Liu would feel awestruck at the news...


    "Even Miko couldn''t stand against him?"


    Up in the spectator stands, Greg Cohen looked down at Link in the ring, frowning deeply.


    Originally, he had thought about using Pascal, Jermain, and Miko to curb Link''s arrogance by making him face setbacks in the matches and then figuring out how to recruit him.


    Now that even the former Super Middleweight World Champion Miko had been defeated by Link, continuing to suppress him would be extremely difficult.


    "Mr. Cohen, Link is too strong, and he''ll also use these moments to boost his presence. For such a boxer, it''s best to cooperate with him. Trying to suppress him would only be possible when his skills decline, perhaps a decade from now."


    His assistant stated.


    Greg Cohen tapped his fingers rapidly on his knee, feeling very aggravated. If only he had agreed to a 70% share when Link proposed it, he wouldn''t have missed out on this cash cow.


    Given Link''s capability to become a World Champion at 20, his potential was indeed no less than that of Mayweather or De La Hoya. Giving him a 70% share was not too much.


    Unfortunately, he had underestimated Link at the time.

 Chapter 103 Breaking Records

    "Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on becoming the WBA World Champion. How are you feeling right now?"After the match, a group of reporters from various TV stations and newspapers surrounded Link by the ring.


    "I feel great, I''m thrilled."


    With the Golden Belt over his shoulder, Link wiped the sweat off with a towel and said.


    "Mr. Baker, before the match, did you ever imagine that you would defeat Mikkel Kessler and become the World Champion?"


    A reporter from American Express asked.


    "Of course, I''ve said before, the Golden Belt is mine."


    Link loudly declared to the media''s cameras.


    "Mr. Link Baker, before the match, you promised to KO all opponents within 100 seconds, but it took you exactly 100 seconds to completely knock down Mikkel Kessler. Do you agree that although you won the Golden Belt, your plan failed?"


    A reporter from USA Today asked rather sharply.


    "100 seconds?" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link thought it had taken longer than 100 seconds, but as it turned out, it was exactly 100. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sir, you should know that Mr. Mikkel Kessler is a formidable boxer, stronger than I had anticipated. During the match, I had to give it my all.


    Yes, in this match, I did my utmost to defeat him, and personally, I''m quite satisfied with finishing it in 100 seconds and don''t consider it a failure."


    "Mr. Link Baker, after becoming the WBA Super Middleweight Champion, what are your plans next? Are you going to compete for other Golden Belts?"


    Discover hidden stories at empire


    A reporter from "Ring" magazine asked.


    "Definitely, I''ve said I want to unify the super middleweight Golden Belts from the four major organizations; what I say, I do."


    Having secured the WBA Golden Belt, obtaining the others would be much easier; he just needed the Dynasty Promotion Company to arrange fights with the other holders for unification bouts, and the victor would claim all four, just like Mikkel''s bout with Carl.


    AFTER the battle for the WBA Super Middleweight Golden Belt began, matches from the other three major organizations would also take place within the next half-year, allowing Link to directly challenge other organization''s champions and claim their belts.


    "Mr. Link Baker, I hear you''ve privately accepted a match with Tyson. Do you have confidence in beating him?"


    A reporter from the Miami Herald asked.


    "I''m not certain ¡ª Mike is formidable, a legend in boxing, and one of my idols, so I don''t know if I can beat him, but I will do my utmost to overcome him and honor him."


    Link said while clenching his fist.


    As he answered this question, the reporters looked at the Miami Herald reporter in surprise. Link was going to fight the just returned Tyson? A super middleweight boxer against a former heavyweight champion?


    When did this happen? Why didn''t we know about it?


    The reporters smelled a sensation and hurriedly questioned Link about the match with Tyson.


    Link answered a few questions and left the match scene surrounded by his coaching team.


    Afterward, the Dynasty Promotion Company hosted a grand celebration party at the Hilton Beach Hotel, inviting all the celebrities present.


    Tycoon Mr. Thomp, Mayor of the City of Miami Francis Suarez, the chairman of the Sports Commission Avery Brundage, WBA chairman Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, Anderson Gyllenhaal, Rafael Varane, Coach West, Coach Brooks, James, Michael, Reggie, and others attended the party.


    Link also followed Franco to meet Mr. Thomp, who praised him a few times, mentioning the grand princess Eva, who Mr. Thomp said was recording a reality show in New York and would have come to watch the match otherwise.


    In 2008, Mr. Thomp''s net worth reached 1.8 billion US Dollars, ranking him 689th on the Forbes world list, a genuine tycoon highly esteemed in both political and business spheres.


    Seeing him being so close to Link made the other guests warm up to Link even more.


    Shortly after the party, Franco found Link, beaming with joy.


    "Haha, Link, guess how much our company made this time?"


    Franco said as he sat down on a beach chair and sipped some cold watermelon juice.


    "5 million?"


    Link guessed an approximate number.


    "Haha, the total revenue neared 7 million US Dollars ¡ª 3 million for HBO broadcast fees, over 2.2 million from ticket and surrounding hotel revenues, 1.1 million in advertising, and about 500 thousand from other sources. Take a look."


    Franco tossed over a file, which Link opened and glanced through. Handling finances wasn''t his forte, but with accountants and asset managers around, he wasn''t worried about any discrepancies.


    "So barring costs, we only made one or two million?"


    Aside from a $2 million hosting fee, over $3 million was spent on marketing and promotion, netting about $2 million pure income.


    "Is $2 million too little? It''s not little at all. Dynasty Promotion is a new company, yet it managed to make $2 million the first time it hosted a major tournament. Haha, when I told my father about it, he took a deep breath. It took him nearly ten years to make his first million," he said.


    Franco laughed heartily.


    Link shook his head. Old Duvall entered the boxing arena in the fifties when inflation wasn''t severe; back then, a million was worth more than ten million is today.


    Moreover, Franco was right. Dynasty Promotion, being a new company, faced many issues during its first major tournament''s promotional process.


    For example, the promotion was inadequate, many boxing fans mentioned that they only learned the finals were held in Miami after the match had ended. Had they known earlier, they surely would have gone to the venue to support, and the stadium seating over 40,000 wouldn''t have been left unfilled.


    "Link, do you think the earnings are too low? I have more good news. Thomp International''s vice president just called, wanting to offer $8 million for the hosting rights to your fight with Tyson," he remarked.


    "$8 million?"


    Link recalled Tyson''s 2020 comeback match against Roy Jones, which reportedly had a purse of $20 million US Dollar. Returning three years post-retirement to fight a boxing newcomer like himself for $8 million seemed a bit low, didn''t it?


    "Apart from Thomp International, there are currently five companies in touch with us. The conservatively estimated purse for this match won''t be less than $10 million," Franco said, holding up a finger with a smile.


    Link shrugged. "You''re the president. This kind of decision should be yours to make; I have no objections," he responded.


    "Alright, I''ll discuss it further with a few companies and wait for my good news," Franco replied.


    Franco finished his watermelon juice, grabbing his documents and hurriedly got back into the car.


    Link flipped over to lie beneath the sun umbrella and continued reading the newspaper.


    In the days following the tournament, media coverage of the event was immense, even more so than in the days after the Olympics had ended, with three main focuses on him:


    First, at 20 years and four months old, he had obtained the title of Champion, becoming the youngest ever Super Middleweight world champion in WBA history.


    Second, he was the fastest person in boxing history to become a champion, the New York Post credited him as the first and only person to achieve the world champion title in merely 400 seconds.


    When Link first saw this headline, he was baffled, not understanding where this 400 seconds came from, but after reading the article, he realized they had added up the durations.


    Since turning professional, he had participated in 11 matches with durations of 6.1 seconds, 4.8 seconds, 5.3 seconds, 9.2 seconds, 7.5 seconds, 5.8 seconds, 21 seconds, 42 seconds, 98 seconds, 91 seconds, and 100 seconds, totaling about 390 seconds, just under 400 seconds.


    The public was amazed by this figure, marveling over how Link achieved the world championship in 400 seconds¡ªtruly legendary.


    The third news was about the records he set in this competition. Although he didn''t break Briggs'' record of seven, Link also set multiple boxing records.


    Such as ending six consecutive matches within 10 seconds; ending seven consecutive within 30 seconds, ending eleven consecutive within 101 seconds; winning eleven consecutive professional matches by knockout in the first round; winning the title match in the shortest time.


    "The Ring" magazine stated that these records were likely unbreakable by anyone but Link himself.


    Beyond these three news stories, there was another controversial topic online regarding the 100 seconds discussion.


    Before the match, Link had said he would defeat all opponents within 100 seconds, but in the last match, he hadn''t achieved this, lasting 100.67 seconds, rounded up as 101 seconds.


    The main point of discussion among netizens was whether Link was all talk.


    Some netizens argued, missing by a second; strictly speaking, Link had not succeeded, and he was all talk.


    But others said, Link meant 100 seconds, 100.67 seconds is still 100 seconds; strictly speaking, it doesn''t count.


    Just over this one second, netizens wasted who knows how many tens of thousands of seconds arguing.


    "Link, a guest called asking about diving instruction; it''s a client who booked over a month ago. Do you want to take the job?" James shouted from the doorway.


    "Are you kidding me? A freshly crowned world champion, and you want me to go teach diving in the sea?" Link joked.


    "Should I turn him away then?"


    "Never mind, send him over; I feel like swimming in the ocean too," Link said, putting down the newspaper and stretching his shoulders.

 Chapter 104 Miss Thomp

    After coming back from the sea and sending off fans disguised as tourists, Link checked his phone and received a congratulatory message from Huaxia, along with two missed calls.The name listed was Crystal Liu, which happened to be the Huaxia actress he met on the plane to the Olympics.


    Link sat back down on his beach chair, called back, and heard a sleepy voice on the other end say, "Link, do you know what time it is in Han Jing right now?"


    "About eleven o''clock, did you go to sleep?"


    "Of course, who stays up at eleven at night if not a night owl?"


    "Alright, should I call you tomorrow instead?"


    Link said with a laugh.


    "Don''t hang up, you''ve already woken me up." The girl on the phone yawned, "Did you call me in the middle of the night because you need something?"


    "I want to learn Chinese from you."


    "Learn Chinese in the middle of the night? Annoying, you''re definitely messing with me. Oh, I just remembered, I called you before I went to sleep. I was watching TV tonight, and the evening news said Olympic champion Link had won the World Boxing Association Golden Belt, becoming the youngest world champion in boxing history. You''re amazing, congratulations, Link."


    The girl''s voice was clear and bright.


    "Thank you! It''s just a belt after all," Link said modestly.


    "Don''t be so modest. I just looked it up and the World Champion''s Golden Belt is really rare. The WBA Golden Belt is the most valuable, and you became the world champion at 20. You''re awesome. When I saw you, I thought you were such a gentleman; I had no idea you could fight like that," the girl said happily on the phone.


    Link chuckled lightly. When Chris Liu came to the United States to promote "King of Kung Fu," she happened to take the same flight back to Capital City as him. Link took the initiative to greet her, and they got acquainted.


    "Chris, what have you been up to recently, and when will you come to the United States? I''ll take you diving."


    "I don''t know when I can come, probably not too long from now. I''ve been having some career struggles lately, I might come to Hollywood to develop my career."


    The girl yawned, narrating some of her career challenges¡ªhow the production company of "King of Kung Fu" wanted to sign her, but she was unwilling, which led to conflicts on both sides and threats of being blacklisted.


    "Come to Hollywood. There are lots of opportunities here. I forgot to tell you, I''m an actor too."


    "Are you serious?"


    "Of course."


    Link shared some stories of his experiences filming on set.


    In the midst of their lively conversation, a voice came through the phone, "Feifei, why aren''t you sleeping? Who are you calling in the middle of the night?" Hearing her mother''s voice, Chris Liu quickly told Link her mother had arrived and that they would talk tomorrow.


    Link said goodnight and hung up the phone.


    "Link, don''t just sit there, come over and help out."


    Daniel was calling him from the middle of the beach, where Michael, Sarez, and a few others were gathered.


    They had found some wood and arranged it in a sand pit, surrounded by four barbecue grills and several folding tables laden with lots of drinks and fruit.


    Michael had even moved the full sound system from the store, and Spanish songs began to play noisily on the beach.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Throwing a party, didn''t James tell you?"


    Michael shouted, turning down the volume on the sound system.


    "What party?"


    "Of course, it''s a celebration party for you winning the Golden Belt. You became the world boxing champion, shouldn''t we have a party to celebrate?"


    The group stopped and asked him.


    "The one at Hilton Hotel the day before yesterday, wasn''t that a celebration party?"


    "No, that was just a corporate cocktail, not a party. A party on the beach, that''s our kind of celebration," Daniel said with a laugh.


    "Alright then!"


    Link didn''t mind, letting them organize the setup on the beach. In a short while, over a hundred people arrived, most of them neighbors, all bringing food and drinks, dressed in shorts, t-shirts, and bikinis, throwing a barbecue party on the beach.


    By the afternoon, there were even more people on the beach, around three to four hundred, stretching from the public dock to Baker''s shop¡ªit was party central. Link was generous, buying dozens of cases of beer and beverages, offering his yacht for everyone to enjoy themselves to the fullest.


    Halfway through, Mario, Reggie, and a few others somehow heard about the party and rushed over by car to join.


    A crowd danced, drank, and played in the water to music, making the atmosphere exceptionally lively.


    Only Link remained seated in the beach chair, cradling a glass of champagne, watching everyone play.


    "Hey, Link, are you guys having a party here?" Find exclusive stories on empire


    Assistant Simon descended from the sand dune with a tall woman following behind him.


    The woman had golden hair flowing down her shoulders, wearing a milk-white Chanel suit dress, white high heels, her figure was curvy and buxom, walking with a weighty elegance, her slender wrist adorned with a fine diamond watch that glittered in the sunlight.


    Compared to the rest of the crowd on the beach, her attire was overly sophisticated, and her demeanor was too eye-catching, a bit like a crane among chickens.


    Link stood up to greet her.


    "Link, let me introduce you,"


    Simon approached, pointing to the woman next to him and said, "This is Miss Thomp, the Vice President of Thomp International."


    Simon came closer and whispered, "Thomp International has raised the competition prize to 10 million US Dollars, higher than the other competitors'' offers, and Tyson has agreed. After discussing it on our side, we are prepared to accept, and now it''s up to you. Ivanka said she wanted to come over and talk to you personally."


    Link smiled gently and extended his hand to Miss Ivanka, saying, "Miss Ivanka, welcome to Baker''s little store."


    As Ivanka walked over, her eyes stayed on him, and with a handshake and a smile she said, "Mr. Link Baker, you''ve indeed become a boxing champion, your confidence back then was astounding."


    Link laughed, "Thank you! I told you I would become the world champion, and of course, I had to make it happen."


    Ivanka blinked, her red lips curving slightly, "So does your Golden Belt also owe some credit to me?"


    "Indeed, it was your inspiration that spurred me on, please allow me to thank you in person."


    Link picked up a glass of champagne and handed it to her with a laugh.


    "You''re welcome!"


    Ivanka smiled faintly, brushing a strand of golden hair from her cheek.


    Seeing the two chatting so familiarly, Simon suddenly felt like he was somewhat superfluous, quickly excused himself with a greeting, and grabbed a bottle of beer to join the dance.


    Link invited Ivanka to sit down on the beach chair next to him. Flipping her skirt, Ivanka sat down with her legs crossed, her posture even more voluptuous and her presence perfumed with the scent of an expensive fragrance.


    "Link, I hear you''re now the vice president of Dynasty Promotions?"


    Ivanka turned her head to look at his profile and asked.


    She was still curious and interested in this 20-year-old boy who, without parental support, had become a millionaire and world boxing champion with nothing but his fists and started as a beach boy.


    Even though she had seen many young and promising individuals in high society, none seemed as outstanding as Link.


    Link chuckled; the vice presidency was a title arranged by Franco for him, saying that he would help manage the company, but in reality, he seldom went to the office.


    "Yes, so what should we two vice presidents talk about?"


    Ivanka, amused by his remark, smiled slightly and put a document on the table, saying, "Link, you''re one of the most popular boxers on the scene right now, and while Tyson''s popularity has declined, his fame in America remains unparalleled.


    Your match against each other is destined to be the most eye-catching event in boxing. Thomp International is very optimistic about this match and has the capability to make it a grand event. Take a look at our plan."


    Link flipped through the planning document handed over by the other side; it was clear Thomp International had done a lot of work, a thick stack of material, substantial in content.


    Link glanced through it briefly; at his current level, he couldn''t spot any issues, so he wasn''t going to nitpick either. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Miss Ivanka, I have a question. Thomp International has never promoted a boxing event. Why are you interested in boxing matches this time?"


    Hosting boxing matches is also a form of boxing promotion, as making a profit during the event requires widespread publicity to attract more viewers.


    Since Thomp International had never ventured into this field, this prompted Link''s question.


    Without hurry, Ivanka responded, "Thomp Group has co-hosted several Miss America pageants with NBC, and in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, we have several casino hotels and have organized many boxing matches. Before, we were collaborators with boxing promotion companies, but now we''ve come to the forefront as the organizers, so we are not lacking in related experience."


    Link remembered that the family''s business was vast, with large hotels and casinos in cities like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and indeed those places hosted boxing matches; previously they were landlords, and now they also came to do business and run shops.


    Link also recalled something else; a recent article in the Business Daily reported that due to the real estate bubble and financial crisis, Mr. Thomp''s net worth had shrunk dramatically from 2.5 billion announced by Forbes last year to around 1.8 billion US Dollars.


    Thomp International''s Thomp Entertainment, Atlantic City, and other ventures suffered billion-dollar losses and were on the brink of bankruptcy.


    The sudden decision to host boxing matches might have something to do with this consideration.


    "Sounds very promising!"


    "So, we have a deal?"


    Ivanka reached out her delicate palm with a smile.


    "A pleasure to work with you!"


    Link shook hands with her.

 Chapter 105 Despacito

    "Hey, Simon, who''s that girl? She''s got an amazing figure."On the beach, Michael held a beer and gazed at Link''s figure, bumping into Simon to ask.


    "You know the Thompson International Hotel at Palm Beach? That''s her family''s place."


    Simon said this, bobbing his head to the rhythm of the music.


    "Wow, the Miss of the Thompson Family? She''s a real heiress. Is Link going to ask her out? Damn, I wish I were Link."


    Michael looked at Miss Ivanka''s explosive figure, her exquisite dress, and her superior demeanor, a top-tier rich and beautiful girl; no one would not want to date her, Link the lucky bastard.


    "Link is so cool, changing his girlfriend every month, and each one is beautiful," said Daniel, eyeing Link and Ivanka under the sun umbrella; one handsome and masculine, the other voluptuous and pretty, obviously well-matched.


    "Are they really going on a date? I don''t think it''s a good idea; the Thompson family is too rich, and Link is just a poor guy. They are not suited for each other."


    James said, frowning.


    "Don''t speculate; they''re just talking about work," Simon interjected.


    "Talking about work doesn''t interfere with dating," Michael shrugged and shouted to Link, "Hey, Link, come dance and bring your new girlfriend."


    "Link won''t come; he likes to sit by himself and watch the fun," Daniel said.


    But to everyone''s surprise, this time Link came over with Ivanka.


    "Link, you... you guys are going to dance?"


    Michael looked at Link in astonishment, then at the voluptuous Ivanka beside him; she was just far enough to seem pretty and fiery, making one unable to help flirting.


    But when she came closer, seeing her tall figure, high-end dress, and noble demeanor, he felt a bit nervous, not daring to stare at her.


    "Yes, moving a bit wouldn''t hurt," Link said to Ivanka nearby.


    "Link, if you can''t dance, don''t force it; mind you don''t hurt your toes again," James said, grabbing Link''s arm.


    "Haha, I remember last year''s carnival; he tried to show off in front of Lina but ended up twisting his ankle," laughed Daniel.


    Ivanka gave a slight smile and said to Link, "You have a match coming up, don''t force yourself if you can''t dance."


    Link glanced at James and Daniel. It was true that Link couldn''t dance, but he himself was not inept at it.


    It had been said that a boxer who couldn''t dance wasn''t a good boxer; a good boxer must have trained in dance steps.


    For example, ''Sugar Ray Robinson''s fancy dance moves, Boxer Ali''s ''Butterfly Dance Step,'' and Britain''s boxing ''Prince'' Hamad''s whimsical steps, all derived from tap dancing.


    Normally in training, he would also follow the rhythm of the songs, practicing steps and rhythms; dancing was naturally not difficult for him.


    However, Ivanka had a point; he needed to be careful before a match. Seeing the guitar hanging on Michael, "How about you guys dance and I''ll sing?"


    "Link, what song are you going to sing?"


    Michael handed him the guitar, just a regular one worth a few hundred US Dollars.


    Link looked around; this was the beach, everyone was dancing Latin dances, and Latin dance music was playing over the speakers, with many curvy Latin girls among the crowd.


    He suddenly remembered a familiar Spanish song; back when he was training for boxing, he liked to listen to songs with a strong rhythm, punching the punching bag in time with the beat, changing his stepping continuously ¡ª this was also one of his training methods.


    The rhythm of that song was great, with a marked Latin dance music style, and it was also one of his regular practice tracks, listened to more than a few hundred times.


    Back then, he only listened to the rhythm, not understanding the lyrics; now that he had learned Spanish through Link, he instantly grasped the meaning of the lyrics when he remembered them.


    Link asked Michael to turn down the speaker volume, plucked the guitar strings, and began to sing while recalling the lyrics:


    Oh yeah


    Ya ya me est¨¢s gustando m¨¢s de lo normal


    Todos mis sentidos van pidiendo m¨¢s


    Esto hay que tomarlo sin ning¨²n apuro


    Despacito


    "Wow, that sounds awesome; what is this song, Link? I have never heard it before?"


    Michael asked, surprised.


    "Be quiet! Let''s hear Link sing!"


    Daniel covered his mouth and said.


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    Ivanka felt the rhythm was great, and she couldn''t help swaying her shoulders lightly along with it.


    Simon looked at Link in surprise; aside from boxing well, who knew he could sing so nicely.


    He suddenly thought this was excellent promotional material, quickly ran back to his car, took out a handheld video camera, turned on the microphone, and began filming Link.


    Link strummed the guitar while singing, with Ivanka, chubby James, Michael, and Daniel surrounding him, all rocking their bodies.


    Oh!


    You, you are the magnet, and I am the metal you attract.


    I was getting closer to you, meticulously planning.


    Thoughts compelled me to quicken my pace.


    Despacito


    "Wow, that''s so cool!"


    Others, hearing Link sing, also ran over and began to dance various Latin dance steps to the rhythm of the music.


    "Their dancing is not up to par, to see real Latin dance, watch me."


    Mario ran over from the side, stood in front of Link, and flaunted his plump chest and big belly to the camera.


    Though he was heavy, he danced well, had a great sense of rhythm, and suddenly became the most eye-catching besides the lead singer Link and the beauty Ivanka.


    Reggie helplessly shook his head and also went to twist a bit; he lived in a Latin community where there was a carnival every year, and most young men and women there knew how to dance a few steps.


    Link sang the chorus twice, growing more fluent, and even joined everyone in dancing while singing; his footwork was very agile and rhythmic. Ivanka couldn''t help but follow his moves and swayed her ample hips.


    By the fourth repeat, everyone had memorized a few lines of the song and sang loudly along.


    Despacito


    Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito


    I want to breathe gently by your neck


    Deja que te diga cosas al oido


    Let me whisper sweet nothings in your ear


    Para que te acuerdes si no est¨¢s conmigo


    "That''s fantastic!"


    Simon, looking at the footage on the camera, couldn''t help but exclaim in admiration.


    In the video, Link stood in the middle with a guitar, singing and dancing. Next to him was the curvaceous Ivanka, dressed in a Chanel knee-length skirt and high heels, conservatively swaying her shoulders.


    Beside them were the overweight James, slender Daniel, shirtless cool street dancer Michael, ever scene-stealing big-bellied Mario, and the earnestly dancing Reggie.


    On the beach, hundreds of Latinx, black, and white individuals followed the rhythm of the music, dancing the passionate Latin dance by the bonfires.


    The scene looked both vibrant and amusing.


    Simon filmed and cheered loudly. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After dancing for half an hour, everyone was sweating profusely.


    "Link, what is this song? I''ve never heard it before. Is it available online? I''d like to play it at my store."


    Daniel, wiping his sweat, came over and asked.


    Michael, Sarez, and a few others vigorously nodded in agreement.


    "It''s a secret for now; I''ll tell you about it after a while."


    Link took two bottles of water and handed one to Miss Ivanka.


    "Whose song is this? I also want to buy a record of it."


    Miss Ivanka, dripping with sweat, her fitted dress clinging tighter, making her curves look even more sensual and appealing, and her body emitting a strong scent.


    Link laughed and said, "I just saw everyone dancing, and this song suddenly came to my mind. What do you think?"


    "Are you serious?"


    Ivanka asked in surprise.


    Link smiled and shrugged his shoulders without further explanation.


    "Link, take a look at this video, I''m planning to edit it and post it on YouTube to let your boxing fans know more about you."


    Simon came over, opened the video recorder, and said.


    The camera had a sound pickup, and both the audio and video were quite clear.


    Link watched it once, felt it was pretty good, "Post it in a couple of days. Let me register the copyright first, then help me find a recording studio; I''m planning to record a sample."


    "Sure, no problem, I can contact someone today."


    Simon nodded repeatedly. A world champion releasing an original single sounded very catchy, and since the song sounded great, it might have a good chance of becoming a hit. If the song became popular, Link''s fame would surely rise to the next level.


    "Link, sing it again! Sing it again!"


    Daniel, Michael, and a few others called out loudly.


    Link agreed, slung his guitar over his shoulder, and walked into the crowd to start singing again.


    Despacito


    Quiero respirar tu cuello despacito


    Deja que te diga cosas al oido


    Para que te acuerdes si no est¨¢s conmigo


    Despacito


    Ivanka, with her arms folded, quietly watched him sing and dance so naturally and casually, not at all like a multimillionaire or world boxing champion. She found him increasingly interesting.

 Chapter 106 The Song Goes Viral

    After the match, Link stayed in Miami for a little over a week before returning to the Big Apple, New York.By the time he returned to New York, the fervor for the WBA Super Middleweight championship fight had already subsided.


    The news coverage on boxing matches was about the Heavyweight World Championship fight that had ended just last week, with ''The Rock'' Hasim Rahman challenging WBO-IBF Champion Vladimir Klitschko and suffering a technical knockout in the sixth round, thus failing in his challenge.


    ''The Nigerian Nightmare'' Samuel Peter vs the Ukrainian Champion Vitali Klitschko saw the elder Klitschko win back the WBC Heavyweight title with an eight-round TKO of Samuel Peter.


    The two brothers continued to hold three of the four major organization''s Heavyweight Golden Belts.


    The other WBA Heavyweight Golden Belt was in possession of ''The Giant'' Valuev, who was Russian.


    The media exclaimed that the Heavyweight division in the boxing world had been conquered by Slavs.


    There were also some news articles about Link, mainly discussing his upcoming match with Tyson, questioning who would win and who would lose?


    Despite Tyson''s retirement for over three years and his significantly decreased condition, he was still a former Heavyweight champion, the king of heavy punches, a legend in the boxing world.


    There was a great divergence in public opinion over who would win the match.


    Some supported Link because he was younger, and his punches were nearly as heavy as Tyson''s, but his speed was faster. As long as he could be more agile in the ring, he could exhaust Tyson over the course of twelve rounds.


    Many also supported Tyson to win, as in boxing, a heavier body means greater strength. Tyson, outweighing Link by over 60 pounds, had the advantage in terms of absorbing punches, among other things.


    Boxing experts believed that as long as Tyson could perform at thirty percent of his prime, defeating Link wouldn''t be difficult.


    Some of this news and controversy were part of the promotional strategies planned by Thomp Entertainment and Dynasty Promotions, heating up the pre-fight atmosphere and trying to attract more attention to the match with this approach.


    However, since the time and location of the match had not yet been decided, Thomp Entertainment had not yet begun to put forth their full promotional efforts, and the related discussion was not sufficiently heated.


    After returning to New York, Link put aside distractions and recommitted his time and energy to boxing training, preparing for the upcoming fights.


    For the next six months, in addition to the match with Tyson, he would also participate in the contest for the WBC-WBO-IBF Super Middleweight Golden Belt, and as the new WBA champion, he would have to face 2-3 challenger fights a year, so now was not the time to slack off.


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Link was on the boxing ring, continuously throwing punches, pushing his speed and strength to the limit.


    One reason he had been able to defeat his opponents in a short time in recent matches, winning the fights, was partly due to the experience of amateur competitions, which gave him an imposing presence and courage, contributing to his growth in mentality, becoming stronger psychologically.


    On the other hand, it was also due to his physical conditioning. Through continuous physical training, his strength, speed, and reflexive boxing qualities were improving and breaking through, with his sprint speed breaking 11 seconds, becoming agile, and being able to unleash Heavyweight-level punch force at a weight of 76 kilograms.


    He completely overpowered opponents in his weight class in both speed and strength, and his boxing technique and tactics were also quite clever.


    It was as if, during the matches, he had top-tier horses at his disposal, making it difficult to lose.


    However, this didn''t mean he could just rest on his laurels; what Bernard Hopkins said in an interview that day was also true.


    Although he had great strength and fierce punches, which were a tremendous advantage in the Super Middleweight field, when moving up to Light Heavyweight, Boxers with a punch force exceeding 1000 pounds were not rare.


    When facing those formidable opponents, Link''s advantage in punch weight would also vanish.


    If Link wanted to continue pursuing the Light Heavyweight, Cruiserweight, and Heavyweight Golden Belts after unifying the Super Middleweight class, he needed to start preparing from now.


    Bang Bang Bang! Link continued to swing his fists, striking the punching shield forcefully.


    "Hey, Link, doesn''t it feel so much better to train with me?"


    Mario put down the punching shield, grinning from ear to ear.


    "Be careful, don''t talk during training."


    Link kept attacking the target held by Mario, a moving one which yielded better results.


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    "Ha ha, I always said I was the best sparring partner, Morales he... "


    Thump! Before Mario could finish speaking, Link''s fist punched through the shield, hitting him squarely on the forehead, causing Mario to stumble back a few steps and collapse on the boxing ring, his eyes glazed over. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From below the ring, Morales shook his head, signaling for people to drag Mario off while he joined Link on the ring, picking up the shield to continue sparring.


    Mario had come voluntarily, stating he wanted to continue to be Link''s sparring partner. Coach West mentioned that Mario had made considerable progress lately and planned to turn professional next year, asking Link to mentor him a bit.


    Considering the familial relationship between Coach West and Mario, Link didn''t refuse; after all, with Mario around, there was no need for Link to worry about his accommodation, and having an additional moving target was not a bad idea.


    ¡ª


    "Hey, Link! Wait for me!"


    After the afternoon''s training, Link, carrying his bag, was walking out when Dino Duva came running down the corridor, panting, put his arm over Link''s shoulder, and said, "Come on, I bought two sports cars, and I''m giving you one."


    "Why are you giving me a sports car?"


    Link shrugged off the arm from his shoulder and continued walking.


    "Ha ha, remember the bet on the last match? Guess how much I made?"


    Dino asked excitedly.


    "A million?"


    "Uh, not that much, $870,000 US Dollars."

 Chapter 106 The Song Goes Viral_2

    ```"That''s so little, guess how much I made?"


    "You bet too? How much?"


    Dino asked curiously.


    "A bit more than you."


    Link said with a light laugh.


    He used to bet on himself to win within 100 seconds for every match, not much, 100,000 per match, and except for the last match which he lost 100,000, he had won the previous matches and earned a little over a million from the bets.


    Plus, there was the intercontinental champion''s bonus of 200,000 and the world champion''s bonus of 800,000 which were competition rewards distributed by the WBA association, and also Dynas promotion''s internal bonus, according to the contract terms, 200,000 for each intercontinental champion belt and a million for the world champion belt.


    This time, he earned more than three million from the fights.


    "You''re amazing, next time you fight, let me know how you plan to win, and which round to win, so we can make big money together." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dino said, waving his tattooed arm boisterously.


    Arriving at the parking lot, Dino wanted to show him sports cars, but Link declined; he had both sports cars and yachts, and wasn''t too interested in those things anymore. Now he was more interested in luxury houses in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles.


    After arriving in New York, he had wanted to buy a mansion near Central Park as a temporary residence and had asked a real estate agent. For apartments and villas with good locations and environments, the starting price was over ten million, and the more luxurious ones were priced from tens of millions to a hundred million.


    His savings were still a ways off from a luxury house in New York, so he needed to work harder.


    Ding-a-ling!


    The car hadn''t reached home yet when his phone in his pocket started vibrating; it was a call from Selena. Before he could greet her, he heard Selena speaking rapidly,


    "Is this person you? Tell me quick, is this person you, right?"


    Selena''s voice was very urgent and excited on the phone. Link looked around and didn''t see Selena, "I''m downstairs at my apartment building, where did you see me?"


    "I''m talking about the video, the YouTube video, the handsome guy dancing on the beach, is that you? It must be you, you look exactly the same, how can you sing? Aren''t you a boxer?"


    He had barely replied when Selena rattled on with a mouthful of words, making Link think she could be a rapper.


    "Can''t boxers sing? Ali, Tyson, Mayweather, they all released records, and Ali even got a Grammy nomination, is it so strange for me to sing?"


    Link, carrying a bag of vegetables and beef, entered the elevator. Just as the elevator doors were closing, Leonardo came in from the lobby. Link pinched the phone between his shoulder and ear to hold the elevator door open for Leonardo, who said ''thanks'' and stepped into the elevator.


    "But how can you sing so well? And who is the original singer of that song? It''s not in the record stores, not online, even netizens from Spain and South America say they haven''t heard it, where did you hear it? Can you lend me that song to listen to?"


    "Sure, the studio version of that song has been uploaded to iTunes Music Store and Amazon Digital Music Store, you can search for ''Despacito'' to listen on both platforms. If you want to buy the single record, you''ll have to wait a bit longer, the records are being pressed. I''ll send you one after it''s on the shelves."


    "Despacito? Okay, I''ll give it a try."


    Click! Her call came fast and ended just as abruptly. Link put away his phone and nodded to Leonardo.


    "Girlfriend?"


    Leonardo was in a suit and tie, smelling of alcohol, as if he had just come back from a party.


    "My sister!"


    Link responded.


    Leonardo gave an "oh" and, staring at the jumping floor numbers, said, "Heard you got the World Champion Golden Belt, congratulations."


    "Thanks! Haven''t you been out filming recently?"


    "No, filmed three last year and earlier this year, got tired, planning to take some time off." Read exclusive chapters at empire


    Leonardo shrugged with his hands in his pockets.


    ```


    "Not bad, we could play tennis together when we have time, I saw there''s a tennis club next door."


    "Yeah, sure!"


    Upon reaching the seventh floor, Leonardo said "bye" and stepped out of the elevator.


    Link, carrying bags, returned home and began categorizing the meats, poultry, eggs, dairy, and fruits into different sections of the fridge. Before he could finish, the smartphone on the kitchen table started ringing non-stop.


    He picked up the phone while munching on a green apple, and sure enough, it was Selena''s voice. She sounded like a groundhog screaming "ah ah" twice, and the background music was "Despacito."


    "Did you get your finger caught in a door?"


    Link asked.


    "Link, how come it''s your voice? How could the original singer be you? Tell me quickly! This can''t be real."


    Selena''s voice quivered with excitement.


    "If my song isn''t in my voice, whose voice would it be?"


    Link laughed.


    "Your song? You''re the original singer? How is that possible? Wait, why does it show that the lyricist, composer, and singer information are all you? Don''t tell me you wrote this song."


    "Who else would you think it is?"


    "Uh~"


    Selena took a few breaths and asked crisply, "Link, did you really write this song, and the music too?"


    "It''s me!"


    "Wow, you''re so incredible, Link. You''re my idol. I''m going to tell everyone that this song is my brother''s new single. It''s fantastic, Link, I''m coming to see you tomorrow, and I want your autograph."


    Selena shrieked with excitement, and you could even hear the thumping of her stomping her foot.


    Before she could hang up, Catherine took the phone and after asking a few questions, Link simply explained about recording in Miami, registering the copyright, and releasing the song on the iTunes Music Store.


    The dancing and singing video was edited by Simon Curtis and uploaded to his YouTube account three days ago without any promotion, yet it surpassed 30,000 views on the first day.


    Last night on NBC Entertainment News and FOX Evening Entertainment, as well as a few entertainment newspapers, they reported the video of the world champion boxer Link dancing closely with Miss Thomp on Miami Beach as news, guessing the two might be dating.


    Just one day later, the video had over a million views and more than 50,000 comments, instantly becoming one of the most viewed videos on YouTube recently, even surpassing the view count of a Canadian 14-year-old singer Justin Bieber doing a cover of Super Boy''s songs.


    Catherine reminded him that there were many paparazzi in New York; to be careful when bringing a girlfriend home for the night, and in case of an emergency, calling the police would be preferable over getting into a fight.


    Link acknowledged he understood.


    After hanging up, Link opened his laptop to browse the YouTube video. His video had now exceeded 2 million views, and many in the comment section were asking who the original singer was, whether any expert could translate the lyrics into English, or if there was a high-definition MV available.


    Some exclaimed how handsome Link was, that Ivanka had a sexy figure, and that the chubby guy was hilarious.


    Below were some replies with links to "Despacito" on iTunes and Amazon music stores.


    Some netizens, returning from the music stores, commented that the original singer, lyricist, and composer of the song was the world champion boxer Link Baker, which blew their minds.


    Many expressed disbelief, questioning how a boxer like Link could write songs, urging the original singer to step forward.


    Someone posted Link''s registered copyright information, making everyone exclaim in surprise, hailing the world champion as incredibly talented and saying his crossover skills were too high¡ªmaking a royal flush on his first hand, leaving no room for singers to operate.


    Many netizens were skeptical, saying that a boxer like Link writing songs was doubtful and guessed that he might have bought the song, as many celebrities do.


    Others countered that such a good song would become a hit no matter who sang it, only an idiot would sell it.


    There was a heated debate online, and Link, while eating his apple, silently scrolled through the comments, musing that "Despacito" indeed became the number one viewed song on YouTube, and even released ten years ahead of its time, the effect was still explosive.

 Chapter 107 Daily Life of Living Together

    Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~The doorbell rang, Link stood up to open the door, and Taylor stood at the doorstep, carrying a guitar on her back and holding lots of food and drinks, brimming over as she called out ''quick, take some''.


    "I just bought some at the supermarket, why did you buy so much again?"


    Link took the items from her hands and said.


    "I''ve finished recording all the songs for the album ''Fearless'', and I don''t have any other plans for the coming period, so I can stay here and teach you guitar."


    Taylor said to him with a beaming smile.


    "So, we can live together now?"


    "Don''t you want to?"


    Taylor asked with twinkling blue fox eyes and blushing cheeks.


    "Of course, I do!"


    Link bent down to kiss her, and Taylor hooked her arms around his shoulders, returning the favor threefold.


    Link dropped the bags he was holding, embraced her slim waist and shapely hips, and leaned against the wall to give her a prolonged Miami-style passionate kiss.


    Cuando t¨² me besas con esa destreza


    When you kiss me with such skill


    Veo que eres malicia con delicadeza


    I can tell it''s your gentle teasing


    Pasito a pasito, suave suavecito


    Step by step, gently, a little gentler


    Despacito


    The video for "Despacito" was still playing on the living room computer, on repeat for the third time, before the two of them moved from the hallway back to the living room, Link, taking advantage of his strength, picked up Taylor along with everything else and carried them over to the sofa.


    "Have you seen this video? What do you think of my singing?"


    "You sing quite well, but your guitar playing was terribly off."


    Taylor leaned against the cushion with flushed cheeks, biting her luscious lower lip as she disdainfully watched the video.


    "You can''t blame me, there was a guitar expert who said she''d teach me, but she left before finishing her lessons. If a reporter interviews me, I''ll tell them I had an irresponsible guitar teacher."


    Link joked.


    "No, I''m sorry; I was wrong."


    Taylor straightened her waist, knelt on the sofa and kissed him again, affectionately saying, "I''ll seriously teach you these next few days, okay? I promise to turn you into a guitar master."


    "Okay, that''s what you said."


    Link kissed her forehead and went to the kitchen with the groceries to make dinner. The ingredients Taylor brought included Boston lobsters and abalones that needed to be cooked soon. He planned to make a pot of Tom Yum Kung seafood soup to nourish Taylor''s body.


    These past few days, aside from recording the single "Dream it possible," she had also been working on her second album "Fearless," with a busy schedule that needed extra nourishment.


    While he was cooking, Taylor came in with her laptop. After taking off her coat, she was wearing just a loose-fitting cotton blue tee and grey wide-leg jeans, complemented with a ponytail and fluffy bangs, looking simple and comfortable.


    Taylor sat on the counter and asked, "Did you really write this song? I know you write beautiful music, but it''s been less than a month, how did you come up with another song that''s so nice to listen to?"


    "Probably because I''m quite impressive."


    Link chopped vegetables and laughed.


    Taylor hummed and stared at him, pretending to be angry, "It''s not fair! Totally unfair. My head is bursting trying to write songs, but the ones I come up with still don''t feel as good as these two you wrote. Why? You''re a boxer, why can you write such beautiful songs?"


    "You''re too modest. Your songs are great too."


    Link sliced off a piece of shrimp just out of the pan and handed it to her mouth.


    Taylor bit his fingers and said while eating the shrimp, "I know my songs are great, but I''m a professional composer. I know which songs sound better.


    "Your first song has great emotion and melody, the second has an incredibly amazing beat, just the start of the music makes people can''t help but sway their bodies. You''re incredible, Link, you must be a music genius."


    "Maybe I am!"


    Link said with a smile.


    Taylor leaned in and said, "Link, you''re now the World Champion and no one can beat you. How about you switch careers and we do music together? After some professional training, maybe you could write even more beautiful songs. Wow, maybe you could become a great music master like Beethoven, Mozart, or Chopin."


    Hearing Taylor mention Chopin and Beethoven, Link almost cut off his finger. That was too much pressure for him. He said helplessly, "Don''t make random suggestions. I am a boxer. My goal is to become a legendary champion. How could I possibly switch careers before achieving my goal?"


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    After becoming the World Champion, he received at least a million dollars per fight, and in the future, it would be even more¡ªover ten million, a hundred million, or even more, deserving the title of a living Money Printing Machine. Switching careers at this stage would be crazy unless there''s a hole in his brain.


    "But don''t you think becoming a great musician is cooler than becoming a legendary boxer?" Taylor said, kicking her feet.


    "I don''t think so. Is Michael Jackson amazing? Would he be considered a great musician? Strictly speaking, he wouldn''t be because times have changed. People''s pursuit of art has greatly changed, and there likely will never be another Beethoven or Chopin again.


    "Also, have you considered the possibility that I could come up with these two songs precisely because I haven''t learned music? Maybe if I had, I couldn''t have written them."


    Link shrugged his shoulders and said.


    After thinking for a bit with blinking eyes, Taylor said, "Okay, I can''t refute you for the moment, but with your talent, how can you not understand any music theory? If a melody suddenly comes to mind and you can''t express it, that would be such a waste. So, since you''re a genius discovered by me, it''s my responsibility to teach you.


    I don''t think you should just learn the guitar, you should also learn some piano. How about we buy a piano?" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Please spare me, Miss Swift. My fingers almost broke practicing the guitar. I would die practicing the piano."


    Link said, trembling with his stiff fingers.


    Taylor laughed scornfully, grabbing his palm and said, "No, you won''t. Piano is very easy, easier than the guitar. With your talent, maybe in just a few months you could learn it. Trust me, I will be a good piano teacher."


    Naturally, Link did not believe the piano would be easier than the guitar, nor did he believe the quick-fisted Taylor would be a patient teacher.


    However, if Taylor was willing to teach, he would try to learn. After becoming World Champion, in addition to training, he would have a lot of free time to cultivate some hobbies.


    "It''s a deal then."


    Taylor snapped her fingers and said joyfully.


    Link continued cooking.


    She turned on "Despacito" again, sat on the counter for a while, and while watching, she commented on the people in the video. She said Link danced well and had a good sense of rhythm, Mario''s chest and belly shaking was funny, and James''s dancing with his fat jiggling was hilarious.


    She commented on every person in the video except for Ivanka.


    "Hey, Link, who is this aunt? She has such big breasts. She must have been married and had children, right?"


    Taylor paused the video and casually asked, pointing at Ivanka Trump on the screen.


    Link glanced over and shook his head, "Ivanka Trump, Tyson and I''s match was organized by Trump Entertainment. Miss Trump came over to discuss the match with me, and when she saw us dancing, she joined in for a song."


    With her azure fox-like eyes, Taylor looked at him skeptically, "I was just asking if she was married. Why are you telling me all this? Although we''re in a relationship, I''ve never thought about interfering with your work. You don''t need to explain these things to me."


    Link turned back and quietly watched her. After two seconds of eye contact, Taylor burst out laughing, leaned in, kissed him on the face, and walked out with her laptop.


    "Hurry up with the food! I''m starving!"


    Link shook his head, lifted the lid off the bubbling pot, and served the seafood chowder into the soup bowl.

 Chapter 108 The Meeting of the Two Women

    After enjoying the delicious seafood soup, he and Taylor were warmly toasty, not just in body but also in their stomachs, and Taylor''s pink cheeks turned even rosier.Dusk had fallen, and "Despacito" was still playing from the computer in the living room. He embraced Taylor, slowly swaying to the rhythm of the music.


    Despacito


    I want to strip you of your clothes with kisses


    Firmo en las paredes de tu laberinto


    I want to paint your puzzle on the walls


    Y hacer de tu cuerpo todo un manuscrito


    With the atmosphere and setting just right, he followed the guidance of the lyrics, kissing Taylor, ready to take the romance to its conclusion.


    But when they got back to the bedroom, Taylor was too nervous, her body tensed up, her eyes tightly shut, her hands clenched into fists, as if she was a death row inmate facing the gallows.


    Link, feeling speechless, could only embrace Taylor and gently pat her back to help her relax, but before he could regroup, Taylor fell asleep in his arms, wrapped around him like an octopus.


    Link had no choice but to hold her and sleep the night away as a whole.


    The next morning, Taylor came up to him like a child who had done something wrong, her face full of apology and guilt, "Link, I''m sorry, I didn''t know it would be like this. It''s not that I don''t want to be with you, I was just too nervous."


    Link handed her the hot milk, "Was it like this with your ex-boyfriend too?"


    Taylor looked at him, slightly lowered her head, and said with a pursed lip, "We''ve kissed, but we never went that far." Then she looked up at Link again, nervously, "Do you think I''m not cool? There were many boys who pursued me at school, but I prefer music and wasn''t interested in their topics; we didn''t have much to talk about."


    Link was somewhat surprised. Taylor, at 19, could still be so innocent? He touched Taylor''s hot cheek and said, "Of course not, you are the coolest girl I''ve ever met, and you''re still cool now."


    "Really?"


    Taylor looked up at him, as if his opinion mattered greatly to her.


    "Of course, the uncool one is me. I''m your boyfriend, yet I didn''t understand your feelings. It''s my responsibility. Trust me, next time I''ll do better."


    "No, you''re the coolest, I won''t be like that again."


    Moved, Taylor leaned on his shoulder and hugged his arm, giving him a sweet good morning kiss.


    Link embraced her and sat down at the counter.


    They spent nearly an hour on breakfast, not feeling it a waste of time because they enjoyed it so thoroughly.


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    ¡ª¡ª


    Thinking of Taylor at home, that day Link only practiced for six hours at the training ground before deciding to head back, much to the shock of the sparring partners there.


    "Link, you''re done training? You used to train for more than eight hours a day, and now you''re calling it quits after just six?" Mario asked, looking at him in surprise.


    "Yes, I have other things to do. You guys continue training."


    Link draped a towel over his shoulder and walked into the locker room.


    Watching his retreating figure, Mario sighed deeply, "West was afraid this would happen."


    "What doesn''t Coach West want to see?" Morales asked.


    Mario curled his lip, "Coach West was worried that after Link got the Golden Belt, he would slack off, indulge in entertainment, let his performance slide, and then get defeated by a challenger in a boxing championship fight, losing the Golden Belt and becoming a nobody. And it all came true according to West."


    "Bullshit, even though Link shortened his training time today, he didn''t decrease his workload and still did two to three times more than anyone else. How can that be considered slacking off? If Coach Brooks heard that Link left early today, he would definitely be clapping his hands with joy."


    Morales also took off his boxing gloves and stepped down from the boxing ring.


    "Decadent!"


    Mario swung his fist, continuing to pound the punching bag.


    He decided to practice in secret, striving to earn a Golden Belt after his transfer; maybe by then, Link would have been defeated and become an ordinary Boxer. That would allow Mario to have Link and Morales as his sparring partners, heh heh heh. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Link drove home and pressed the doorbell twice, from inside the house came the sound of light footsteps.


    Click, the door opened, and there stood a slender girl, her round, chubby face and large eyes, wearing a blue printed dress, with a fluffy braid casually slung over her shoulder, looking pretty and adorable.


    It was obviously Selena. Before he could speak to greet her, she swung the door shut behind her, grabbed him in the hallway, and whispered, "How could she be one of your girlfriends?"


    Link smiled gently, "How did you two get along?"


    "Is she really your girlfriend?"


    "Yes! What''s the matter?"


    Link asked, puzzled, seeing her little face in a frown.


    In Taylor Swift''s friend list, Selena was likely one of the top-ranking names. Whenever Taylor faced backlash and scandals, Selena was one of the first to stand up and publicly back her.


    In Taylor''s documentary "Miss Americana," Selena was also one of the few friends who made an appearance.


    Link thought the two of them sitting together would have a pleasant chat, yet Selena''s furrowed brow and dough-like face didn''t match his expectations of a joyful meeting, which puzzled him.


    "Don''t you think she''s too tall? I''ve seen the scandals with you and Emma Watson, I thought you preferred petite girls."


    Selena said, her eyebrows knitted.


    "Not at all, I don''t have strict height requirements for a girlfriend,"


    Link said with a laugh.


    "Hmm, how can this be."


    Selena stamped her foot unhappily.


    This afternoon she said she''d visit Link and called him in advance; he asked her to come over first since there was someone at home. Knowing Link was at the training ground, she was curious about who that person at home could be.


    Filled with curiosity, she ran over and knocked on the door, only to see a familiar face when it swung open. It was the "Link''s brainless fan" whom she had teased at the Havana qualifiers.


    Later, she saw news about that girl and learned her name was Taylor Swift, currently one of the highest trending country music singers, who had released a country music album with global sales exceeding 2 million copies, reaching number 19 on the Billboard 200, with several singles hitting the top twenty. She was also nominated for a Grammy Best New Artist award that year.


    After seeing these reports, she realized she was from the same circles.


    Since she had never encountered her in real life, there was no need to feel embarrassed, but seeing Taylor again as soon as the door opened today made her want to flee.


    When Taylor saw her, she seemed to have forgotten the incident in the audience that day and greeted her warmly, saying she knew she was Link''s sister from the newspapers, and even claimed to be Link''s girlfriend.


    Selena couldn''t believe it. How could Link''s girlfriend be her? She was so tall; what would she do if she liked to pat her on the head after becoming relatives?


    She waited with a glimmer of hope for Link to return and confirm, and now that it was certain, she''d be the shortest one in the family, often bullied by them, just the thought made her feel sad.


    "Are you performing a mime show?"


    Link asked, seeing her twisting her brows and the cute expressions shifting on her face, amused.


    "Humph! I don''t want to talk to you anymore."


    Selena rolled her eyes, stomped heavily on the floor back towards the front, grasped the door handle at the entrance, and realized she had shut the door behind her. She blushed, casually pointing at the door with her finger.


    Link shook his head and unlocked the door with his key.

 Chapter 109 On the Billboard

    In the living room, Taylor was sitting on the sofa, holding a natural wood-colored guitar and strumming the tune of "Despacito." Seeing the two return to the small living room, she pressed the guitar strings and asked, "What are you guys doing?""Selena said you''re so tall, she''s quite envious of you," Link said with a smile as he set down his backpack.


    Selena puffed her cheeks and glared at him, really wanting to cover his mouth, but even with her hand outstretched, she couldn''t reach.


    "Envious of me?"


    Taylor looked at Selena in surprise and laughed, "It should be me who''s envious of you. Why would you envy me? Do you think being tall is good?"


    "Isn''t it good?" Selena asked as she sat next to Taylor.


    "It''s not good, I used to be a little chubby girl in school."


    Taylor stopped and glanced at Link, "Girls are chatting, gentlemen, please leave."


    Shrugging his shoulders, Link went to the kitchen to make something to eat for the two of them.


    Taylor told Selena about her experiences in school, how she used to be slightly overweight, a bit hunchbacked, and would often walk around the school with a large guitar on her back. Everyone called her the weird girl, and no one wanted to talk to her. At lunch in school, no one invited her to sit, and she hardly had any friends.


    "Being too tall isn''t good either, Selena. I''m most envious of girls like you, who have good figures, are pretty, and so cute, just like princesses from fairy tales. Girls like you must be very popular, both at home and in school, right?"


    Taylor said, touching her fluffy braids with envy.


    Selena blinked her big eyes and thought for a moment. She was an only child in her family and had an aunt who doted on her, so she really was quite spoiled at home.


    It was the same in school. Because she was pretty, the boys liked to show off in front of her, wanting to ask her out. She was also the school''s dance queen, a star figure, and in any case, she had never been overlooked since she was young.


    Thinking about these things, she felt that indeed, her life was quite good, and she became even more affectionate towards Taylor.


    "Are you two good sisters now?"


    Link came out with a plate of fruit slices and saw the two of them huddled together, giggling and chatting like good sisters, and he couldn''t help but think that girls develop their emotions so fast.


    "Hmmph! Link, you better not bully Taylor, otherwise she and I will team up to beat you," Selena said, raising her little fists in a threatening manner.


    "Got it, you''re a duo," Link said with a light smile, sitting down to listen to their conversation, and then he started learning the guitar.


    Selena was also a singer and could play the guitar, not as well as Taylor, but still much better than Link. She could strum the guitar quite competently.


    So, while Link was learning, Selena would sometimes follow along with Link as a student, seeking advice from Taylor, and at other times, she would act as a teacher alongside Taylor, criticizing Link for being too clumsy, saying that she could play better with her toes than he did.


    In the afternoon, the Steinway piano store in New York sent over the grand piano he had ordered. He began learning piano from Taylor as well.


    As he immersed himself in the ocean of music, the views of "Despacito" on the YouTube video website smoothly broke through five million, becoming the most-clicked video of the month on YouTube, and it was the fastest video to reach five million views this year, achieving it in just four days and eight hours.


    In the iTunes Music Store and Amazon Digital Music Store, the number of listeners for trial reached 1.82 million, with 127,418 users choosing to pay for the download of the song, swiftly climbing to number 87 on the Billboard Streaming Songs chart and number 92 on the Hot Digital Songs download chart.


    Media and internet discussions about "Despacito" were increasing, with major outlets like MTV, the Los Angeles Times, the New York Post, and American Express featuring related reports.


    Professional outlets like Billboard focused their reporting on this song, commenting on the Latin style and rhythm of the piece, with positive reviews making up over 90%, claiming that it was an unusual widely popular gem in Latin music, with a strong rhythm that could stimulate the dancing nerve.


    As for the evaluation of Link, positive reviews were only 70%. Industry insiders thought that he had good vocal qualities and great potential, with a decent image, but still had many issues to work out and needed further refinement.


    The New York Post and other entertainment-heavy newspapers focused on news about world boxing champion Link and Miss Thompson dancing passionately on Miami Beach, which is to say, a scandal.


    Link is an up-and-coming world boxing champion, an Olympic gold medalist, a multimillionaire, and a symbol of the American Dream, an inspirational idol.


    Miss Thompson is the daughter of a billionaire, an American socialite, a regular on reality TV shows, and is more popular than the recently skyrocketed Link.


    Both being celebrities, their scandal naturally garnered a lot of interest from the popcorn-eating public.


    Beyond this, the media hyped up the notion of the poor kid Link, through his relentless efforts, achieving fame and fortune and winning over the rich girl Miss Thompson, serving as a quintessential example of a rags-to-riches story, an amped-up American Dream.


    The Los Angeles Times claimed Link''s story is more exciting than a Hollywood film and looked forward to movies related to him being released.


    Seeing all this messy news, Link called Ivanka to ask if they should clarify things publicly.


    Ivanka suggested not to make any public explanations for the time being and that in the future, the scandal could be used to promote his and Tyson''s boxing match.


    This would be very beneficial for both him personally and Thompson Entertainment.


    Link was not opposed either. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, a USA Today reporter interviewed Mr. Thompson at a public event, asking if he knew about Link and Ivanka dating.


    Mr. Thompson said he was unaware, and when the reporter asked if he would interfere if the two were dating, Mr. Thompson generously said no, expressing that he liked Link very much.


    Then the media speculated again, saying Link had now gained Mr. Thompson''s approval and might have the chance to marry into the Thompson family.


    Link laughed when he saw the news. If he didn''t know Mr. Thompson''s character and wasn''t aware that Ivanka would marry into a wealthy family in the future, he might have believed it.


    Thanks to the media hype, the YouTube video of the dancing garnered more and more views, and downloads for "Despacito" increased in both music stores, becoming a frequent play on many radio stations.


    It''s said that in areas with large Latin populations like Florida, Texas, and California, this song has taken over bars and nightclubs, and can be frequently heard on the streets.


    By the end of October, the song comfortably climbed to number three on the U.S. Latin chart and made its first appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 charts at number 88 with "Despacito".


    Billboard magazine described this as a miracle in the world music scene, the first time a Latin song, without formal promotion, managed to break into the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in just ten days through online channels.


    At the peak of the song''s success, many American record labels also extended olive branches to Link, hoping to collaborate with him and help him release an album. Discover more stories at empire


    Without any chart promotion, his song managed to make it onto the Billboard charts. With a professional team handling promotion and marketing, there was a great chance that it would top the Latin chart and possibly break into the top 20 or even higher on the Billboard Hot 100.


    After the massive success of "Despacito", Link also considered signing with a record label.


    Being a singer would take up time, affecting his subsequent training and possibly leading to a decline in his performance.


    But being a singer had many advantages.


    A singer''s influence is greater than that of an actor or boxer, and many of the world''s most influential entertainers are singers.


    After becoming a star singer, gaining more fame would mean higher appearance fees for boxing matches.


    He would be able to earn more money and secure his position in the boxing world more firmly.


    After weighing the options, Link thought it was worth discussing a partnership with record companies.

 Chapter 110 Record Company

    "Link, you''re too hot right now. Many agents from record companies have been reaching out to me to discuss signing you. Take a look at these. Do any of these record companies catch your eye?"At noon, while he was lifting barbells in the equipment area, Simon approached him with a stack of documents.


    He had still been training at the boxing gym during this period and when Taylor or Selena had time, he would learn guitar and piano with them. He let Simon handle all the song-related matters.


    But Simon was a boxing agent, not very adept with music matters.


    Link put down the barbell he had been holding and sat up to wipe off his sweat with a towel.


    "Can''t we release it ourselves?"


    Dynasty Promotion Company had a promotional department and a certain distribution capability.


    "We can, in Florida and Miami it''s not bad, but if we want to sell records throughout the whole of America or even the entire Americas and Latin regions, our channels and manpower are very limited. Moreover, Dynasty Promotion is a sports company, lacking experience in music promotion and distribution, which would make it too costly. It''s better to leave it to professionals,"


    Simon said.


    Link nodded, the idea that professionals should handle professional tasks was indisputable. He opened a few documents and looked them over.


    Currently, over thirty record companies had contacted him, including Universal Records, Sony Records, American Broadcasting Record Company RCA, Hollywood Records, New Force Music Records, as well as many small record companies, among them Big Machine Company where Taylor was.


    There was no signing bonus, only album royalty sharing ratios and various promotional packages for the songs; for example, Hollywood Records offered him a Level B artist package, committing to spend no less than $2 million in album launch promotions, and planning for a worldwide tour in the future.


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    Link didn''t understand these matters well and after looking over them, he still didn''t know which company offered better terms.


    Simon was also an amateur.


    So he called Catherine and Taylor to seek advice from these two industry insiders.


    Catherine told him that large and small companies each had their pros and cons. Large companies had broad channels and strong distribution capabilities, but they had many artists and limited resources, resulting in fierce competition and fewer royalties.


    Although small companies had limited resources and channels, if one could become a leading artist fully backed by the company, it would be much better than joining a big company.


    Taylor directly advised him to join Big Machine Company so they could take on the music scene together.


    Naturally, Link wouldn''t agree to this. Big Machine Company was founded in 2005, registered with capital of less than $5 million, and had too few resources and channels. Struggling to promote Taylor alone, let alone two people.


    If he joined Big Machine, the company''s resources would be stretched even thinner. Even if he didn''t want to compete with Taylor, the teams behind them would covertly compete, which would inevitably affect their relationship, and that was not the outcome Link wanted.


    Additionally, Scott Borchetta, the owner of Big Machine Company, wasn''t a good guy. In 2017, after Taylor''s contract with Big Machine Company ended, she announced that she would not renew it.


    Borchetta was furious and, behind Taylor''s back, sold her first six albums'' rights to Justin Bieber and Kanye''s agent¡ªanother guy named Scott.


    Afterwards, he banned Taylor from performing her own songs in public.


    This incident caused quite a stir online that year; Taylor had social media spats with Justin, Kanye and Scott, shaking up the music scene in the US and Europe.


    Link had also followed the drama and knew a bit about the incident, so he was even less likely to join Big Machine. He was also planning to find an opportunity to help Taylor break her contract with Big Machine early.


    "Stop persuading me. Big Machine is a new company already struggling to manage you alone. Adding me would overload it and hinder your future development. It''s not good. If you don''t believe me, ask Mrs. Andrea.


    She definitely knows the situation better than I do."


    "Huh, how did you know my mom was here?"


    Taylor laughed.


    "I guessed."


    "You guessed right, my mom said, if you''re a new singer, just releasing a few singles for fun, joining Big Machine is a good choice, but your fame is too great, your first single hasn''t even been officially released and it can top the charts, your potential is very large, and the platform of Big Machine Records seems too small for you."


    "Yes, Mrs. Andrea is right, I should choose another company. I just have a few more questions for you."


    Link then asked some more professional questions, such as the division of record royalties, album copyright ownership, and the division of streaming income after signing, among others.


    Taylor told him that according to the contract between a singer and a record company, a singer could get 20% to 40% of the royalties for each album; the lyricists, composers, and producers would split 5%, and the rest would go to the record company.


    Regarding album copyrights, even if the songs were created by the singer themselves, since the record company also participated in the song production and music video filming processes, it was considered a joint creation, so the copyrights mainly belonged to the company, and the singer only owned part of the copyrights.


    Unless it is an independent musician who writes, produces, and publishes their own music, they can own the copyrights to the entire album and receive all the royalties.


    Being an independent musician mostly suits strong or well-established musicians, who have strong creative abilities and a fixed fan base. They do not need the support of a record company to sell their albums.


    This path looks cool, but it''s only suitable for famous singers, not for newcomers.


    After hearing Taylor''s words, Link felt he was more suited to be an independent musician. He was a celebrity, had his own audience, and most of his songs were popular, which could sell well without much promotion from a record company, completely removing the need to give away money.


    However, being an independent musician meant working solo; he had to train every day and didn''t have so much time and energy to manage a company.


    He shared his thoughts with Taylor, seeking her opinion.


    Taylor told him that he could cooperate with a professional, like Scott Borchetta, the owner of Big Machine Records, who was a music producer at Universal Records'' Nashville branch before leaving Universal in 2005 to start Big Machine.


    There were many people like Scott. If you look hard enough, you could always find a few suitable candidates.


    "You make a good point, I''ll consider it. What time can you come home today?"


    Link asked.


    "Are you missing me?"


    Taylor asked sweetly.


    "Yes." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I miss you too. I want to come home now, but ''Fearless'' is about to be released, and I have a lot of work recently; I probably won''t finish until about seven tonight."


    "No problem, come home early. I''ll cook and wait for you."


    After hearing Taylor hang up the phone, Link put away his phone and thought about whom to collaborate with.


    Catherine was a suitable choice since she was an industry insider and family, which made cooperation very convenient. However, their current relationship was good, and becoming business partners might complicate things.


    Besides Catherine, he couldn''t find a more suitable candidate.


    Just as he was hesitating, Eva called, asking if he had time to go to Madison Square Garden to watch the boxing match between Holyfield and Giant Valuev. She had two tickets.


    Link was somewhat surprised. Since coming back from Miami, Miss Eva had called a few times to talk about boxing arrangements, rarely discussing personal issues. This time, however, she took the initiative to invite him to a boxing match.


    Link thought about it for a moment. It seemed like a formal matter, so he agreed to go.

 Chapter 111 Beautys Appointment (Prosperity in the Dragon Year)

    Actually, even without Ivanka''s invitation, Link would have gone to watch the match between Evander Holyfield and the "Eastern Beast" Nikolai Valuev.Not just him, Dino, Nora Duvall, Coach Brooks, and all the professional boxers at the gym planned to see it as well.


    Because Holyfield was the main event''s star boxer and Valuev was a top fighter from a leading promotion company, the match was jointly promoted by both companies.


    Reports said the prize money for the match was about 5 million US dollars.


    As the current WBA champion, Valuev received the bulk of the appearance fee, while Holyfield''s was between 700,000 and one million US dollars, more than twenty times less than what he earned for his 1997 rematch with Tyson.


    Despite this, Holyfield still gladly entered the ring. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On one hand, he wanted to win the WBA Golden Belt once more, and if he succeeded, he would become the only boxer in history to have won the WBA Heavyweight title five times.


    On the other hand, it was said that Holyfield''s investments had been affected by the financial crisis, and he had a substantial amount of debt, similarly to Tyson.


    After the car arrived at Madison Square Garden, Link separated from the boxing crew and entered through the east side entrance to a luxurious private box on the second floor with an excellent view.


    Only Ivanka was there, her golden straight hair cascading down, dressed in a white high-neck knit sweater and fitted straight-leg pants that accentuated her tall and curvaceous figure. She stood by the panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows, arms crossed, looking over the bustling event.


    Link greeted her, took off his coat, hung it next to Ivanka''s, and walked to the window to take a look.


    The stage was hosting a WBO Super Middleweight match as a prelude to the Heavyweight fight.


    Link recognized one of the boxers, Andre Ward, with dark skin, the Light Heavyweight gold medalist of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and the current WBO North American Super Middleweight Inter-Continental Champion.


    After more than a month of competitions, the WBO ranking matches had concluded, and the Texas boxer Esteban Camu had defeated numerous opponents to earn the right to challenge Andre Ward.


    In the second round, Esteban was more aggressive, constantly swinging his fists, attacking Ward''s head.


    But Andre''s defensive technique was exquisite, with very agile footwork. He fought while retreating, and each retreat was precisely out of his opponent''s reach. If his opponent attacked, he would immediately dodge, and if the opponent didn''t strike, he would take the initiative to punch and harass, adopting a very cunning fighting style.


    In the three minutes of the second round, Esteban threw over 90 punches and was covered in sweat, while Andre threw very few punches but still moved with flexibility.


    At the start of the third round, Andre kept on harassing his opponent, baiting Esteban into attacking. At 140 seconds into the third round, Esteban took two steps back to create distance from Andre, trying to slow down the pace of the attack.


    That''s when Andre struck. He closed in on his opponent, launching continuous punches, one after another, landing on Esteban''s body, breaking through his defense with four sets of combination punches, culminating with a heavy punch to the left side of Esteban''s forehead.


    Esteban was knocked down, quickly got up, then was knocked down again by Andre''s heavy punch, got up once more, and was knocked down again.


    After being knocked down three times in one round, the ringside referee called for a halt and ended the match, declaring Andre''s successful title defense.


    Clap clap clap!


    The venue burst into fervent applause, and Link joined in the clapping.


    One had to admit that Andre fought exceptionally well; his technique, speed, and power were impressive, and he used tactics effectively. He was a high-level boxer.


    "Link, the news says your fighting style is similar to Andre''s, a combination of power and technique. If you faced him, could you win the match within 100 seconds?"


    Ivanka turned her head and asked.


    "Yes!"


    Link thought for a moment and nodded slightly.


    He was also thinking, if he encountered Andre Ward, how could he defeat him?


    The other was the 2004 Athens Olympics Light Heavyweight gold medalist, who proactively reduced his weight category to fight for the Super Middleweight world champion title.


    His punching power is rated A+, technique A+, speed A+, and boxing tactics A+. His stamina and punch resistance remain unknown, but overall, he''s an opponent no weaker than Aragon.


    If he fought his opponent now, with his punching power and speed, he had a 50% chance of knocking out the opponent within 100 seconds. The other 50% would depend on the opponent''s punch resistance and defensive abilities.


    If the fight was delayed for a few months, allowing his strength and speed to further improve through training, the probability of defeating his opponent within 100 seconds would increase significantly.


    So when faced with Ivanka''s question, he had enough confidence to say he could.


    "Do you always have so much confidence?" Ivanka asked him with a smile.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, jokingly said, "I''m too strong to afford any modesty."


    "Pfft!"


    Ivanka glanced at him and let out a soft laugh.


    Link had once said this statement to a reporter before the final of the Amateur Golden Gloves Championship.


    After being reported by the media, everyone thought he was very arrogant and had a distinctive personality. This style made some people like him and others hate him. Those who liked him became his boxing fans, and those who hated him vented about him online.


    But as he became an Olympic champion and WBA Super Middleweight champion, those who liked him, liked him even more, and those who hated him were conquered by his ability and changed their attitudes, becoming his hardcore fans.


    Therefore, Link didn''t mind being disliked, as long as he continued to do his own thing, he believed that one day these people would be conquered by his performance, turning haters into fans.


    "Link, you seem very humble and gentle in private, but become arrogant and high-profile in public. Is this the persona you''ve crafted for yourself?"


    Ivanka asked with a smile.


    "You could say that. Dynasty Promotion is still a small company. To gain a foothold in the boxing world, I need to learn to promote myself."


    "You''re doing very well. Not many boxers gain such high popularity and match fees comparable to top professional boxers so early in their career," Ivanka said with a smile. Read exclusive adventures at empire


    Link smiled. Although he was doing well, there was still a significant gap between him and the likes of Mayweather, De La Hoya, Roy Jones, and the Klitschko brothers. He needed to continue to work hard.


    Ivanka brushed her golden hair away from her ear and invited Link to sit down, pouring him a glass of white wine.


    Link sat across from her, quietly watching her open and pour the wine.


    At 26, Ivanka was in the most charming period of a woman''s life, mature and sexy, intellectual and graceful. Every move she made was enchanting, stirring one''s imagination, not to mention her fair skin, peach-like figure, and long, shapely legs.


    For such a woman, whether in terms of body or status, men would have a strong physical impulse and desire to conquer.


    But when he calmed down, he would think further.


    Ivanka was a daughter of a wealthy family, a New York socialite who had mingled in America''s high society with the astute Mr. Thomp since she was young, her experiences far surpassing his own as a silver-spooned individual, and she was a shrewd woman too.


    If she just wanted to exchange bodily fluids with him, it would have been convenient back in Miami; there was no need to wait until now.


    Now that she had suddenly asked to meet him, Link felt that her purpose probably wasn''t to date him but for something else.

 Chapter 112 Cooperation Invitation

    ```"Link, take a look, this is the schedule for your match with Tyson."


    Ivanka took out a document and pushed it over.


    Link opened it and saw that his match with Tyson was scheduled for December 15th, at Trump Plaza Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.


    The casino was known for its retro architecture, such as the Taj Mahal and Pyramid, with a large interior space that could accommodate more than ten thousand people. It had hosted boxing matches many times before and used to be one of the famous entertainment venues in Atlantic City.


    However, in recent years, the attraction of Atlantic City to tourists had greatly diminished, with a growing gap between it and entertainment cities like Las Vegas and Los Angeles.


    The casino, under the Trump Entertainment umbrella, had also begun to lose its appeal, and with this year''s financial crisis, real estate and tourism took a heavy hit, increasing debts.


    It was only on the media that news of the casino''s bankruptcy broke out. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No problem!"


    As a boxer, Link actually didn''t need to look at these things. As long as Ivanka, along with Franco, and Tyson''s side negotiated well, all he needed to do was follow Simon to the match.


    As for how to divide the 10 million match bonus, that was a matter for him and Tyson''s side, and Ivanka didn''t need to discuss it.


    So he felt that Ivanka asking him out to watch the boxing match probably wasn''t just to look at this document.


    Ivanka swirled her glass casually and said, "Link, when I first heard ''Despacito,'' I just found it catchy, didn''t expect it to be so popular, it''s on the radio all the time recently, even my father has heard it."


    "Oh, what does Mr. Trump think of it?"


    Link asked.


    "My father didn''t comment on the song, but he said you are a very outstanding young man and he appreciates you. Over the years, I''ve heard him evaluate many young people, but none have been praised by him several times in a row like you."


    "Haha, it''s my honor, thanks to Mr. Trump!"


    Link raised his glass.


    Ivanka clinked glasses with him, then looked at him, "Link, many people have commented that you have great potential in music. Have you considered signing with a record company to become a singer?"


    Link nodded, "I''ve had that thought. Boxing is quite niche, and it''s difficult to promote the sport and myself through boxing alone. I''ve thought about becoming an actor, but as a boxer, it''s too hard to find a role that fits me. Singing doesn''t require as much in terms of physique, and the work hours are more flexible.


    Currently, a few major record companies have contacted me, and I''m considering it."


    Ivanka leaned on the sofa, with her long legs crossed, listening to him quietly until he finished, then she nodded her chin.


    "Joining a big record company is also good; they have plenty of resources and can quickly make you famous. But big companies also have lots of artists, and the competition for resources is tight. As a part-time singer, after one hit song, there''s no guarantee your subsequent songs will continue to be hits. So their support for you won''t be much, nor will it last long."


    Ivanka''s words were similar to what Catherine had said: big companies are like squeezing machines, after using one up, they switch to another. Aside from stars with their own fan base, the others are just extras after entering.


    Link understood this but didn''t quite understand the purpose of her bringing this up.


    With alluring eyes and curled lashes like hooks, Ivanka said, "Link, I think a smaller record company would be more suitable for your development, preferably one without any other singers, just you. Once you join, they would allocate all their resources on you. You make money and so does the company¡ªa mutual interest. They won''t and can''t afford to give up on you easily."


    Link looked at Ivanka and said, "Sounds great, but such record companies are rare, Ivanka, you''ve been in the entertainment industry longer than I have, any recommendations?"


    Ivanka rubbed the glass with her finger, smiled slightly, and said: "How about Trump Entertainment?"


    "Trump Entertainment?"


    Link raised his eyebrows; the puzzle he had been pondering in his mind finally solved. After all this time, Ivanka came to sign him.


    "Yes, Trump Entertainment mainly operates hotels, casinos, reality shows, models, music, etc. We''ve released albums and photo books for Miss America winners in the past, selling over a hundred thousand copies. We are not unfamiliar with this field."


    Sitting up, Ivanka raised a finger with the same confidence as Mr. Trump, saying, "Link, if you''re willing to join the music company under Trump Entertainment, we will mobilize all the resources of Trump Entertainment to promote you and your album. I assure you, these investments will not be less than 5 million, aiming to make you a top or even an Emperor Superstar."


    Link said, "Sounds very good, but there''s one thing I don''t quite understand. If Trump Entertainment wants to break into the music scene, it would be more appropriate to work with professional singers. Why choose to work with an amateur singer like me?"


    "The reason is simple: my father appreciates you very much, and so do I. We both believe you have the potential to become a superstar. We want to shape you, of course, more importantly, you can also help the company make a profit. We cooperate for mutual benefit, to create even more glorious achievements together in the music world. What do you think?"


    Ivanka said with a spirited expression.


    Link looked at her face, her beautiful eyes, smiling lips, feeling a bit regretful.


    He thought that after singing and dancing with her, and being somewhat friends, he had overestimated his charm. Ivanka didn''t think of it that way at all.


    She merely saw him as a tool for making money.


    Because he knew the news about Trump Entertainment going bankrupt was true. Next year, Trump Entertainment would be taken over by another billionaire, Carl Icahn.


    Joining Trump Entertainment at this time, with just an album, wouldn''t breathe life back into the company, it would only become a bargaining chip in the deal.


    This meeting was indeed a trap, and this woman was not a simple character.


    "Go Evander!"


    ```


    Just as he was thinking about how to tactfully decline her suggestion, a loud cheer came from outside the floor-to-ceiling window. Link stood up and walked to the window¡ªHolyfield''s match against Valuev had begun.


    Wearing a red cloak, Holyfield made his way to the boxing ring through the east passage.


    At 46 years old, he stood 189 centimeters tall and weighed 214 pounds. His body was robust, and his muscles were well-developed, like a black chimpanzee.


    But when compared to his opponent, Valuev, he was at quite a disadvantage.


    Valuev was 35 years old, standing at 213 centimeters tall and weighing 310 pounds. His upper body was hairy, and his appearance closely resembled the giants from the movies.


    There was a considerable difference in age, height, and weight between the two men, which the media had hyped as an ''unequal'' duel.


    The match was presided over by WBA Chairman Gilberto Mendoza.


    Once the match started, Valuev swung his massive fists and launched a fierce onslaught on Holyfield. Despite his huge frame, his movements were not slow. His 215-centimeter-long arms were like the claws of the titans in games, swinging everywhere, capable of eliminating any life nearby.


    Due to the significant height disparity and the fact that Holyfield was 46 years old with limited stamina, it was hard for him to secure a knockout against Valuev. He could only rely on his exquisite boxing skills to keep striking Valuev''s torso and chin, hoping to win by points.


    "Do you think who will win?"


    Ivanka stood beside him and asked.


    "Valuev. Holyfield is too old. He severely lacks vitality and speed. A decade earlier, he definitely could have won."


    Link objectively assessed.


    "Did you mean it when you said you could beat Valuev within three rounds?"


    Ivanka turned to look at him and asked.


    The corner of Link''s mouth twitched. When he was interviewed by the reporters, he had thrown out those words without considering whether his adversary was the shorter Bernard Hopkins or the Giant Valuev¡ªHe sprayed them all together.


    Now, seeing the 310-pound Giant Valuev firsthand, the visual impact was substantial. Valuev''s style of fighting was more wild than he had imagined, both fiercer and faster.


    He was confident that he could defeat his opponent by points within 12 rounds, but the probability of victory within three rounds was exceedingly small.


    "It would be tough, but if I face him, I''m confident that I can beat him within three rounds."


    Link said confidently.


    Ivanka looked at him skeptically, a teasing smile playing on her sexy lips.


    "Don''t you believe me?"


    Link asked her.


    Ivanka shrugged her shoulders and, while touching the hair of her trophy, said, "The big difference in height and weight between you two makes it hard to believe you could knock him out in three rounds."


    "How about we bet? Within the next three years, I will challenge Valuev¡ªthree rounds. If I win, you''ll have to write a hundred times on paper that Link is the strongest boxer in the world. How about it?"


    "And if I win?"


    "You can''t win because I won''t lose."


    Link looked at the boxing ring and said confidently.


    "No, a bet needs to have a winner and a loser. If I win, you have to tell a hundred people that Ivanka is the most beautiful woman in the world, a queen. Do you dare to bet?"


    Ivanka lifted her chin, extended her palm, and said with a hint of challenge gleaming in her brown eyes.


    Link looked at her, smiled, and raised his hand to high five her, sealing the deal.


    On the ring, after a tough dozen rounds, the match concluded. The referee stood in the ring holding both fighters'' arms up, facing the main judging panel.


    The three judges handed in their scores for the match: 114:114, 114:115, 112:115.


    With a narrow point difference, Valuev won the match and successfully defended his WBA Heavyweight Golden Belt.


    Seeing the scores, Link shook his head.


    This was the United States. Holyfield was a famed American boxer, while Valuev was a Russian champion. Unless there was a substantial gap between them, under normal circumstances, Holyfield should have been the victor. Explore more at empire


    Favoring hometown boxers is a common practice in international competitions, not even considered an unwritten rule. It is one reason many boxers are reluctant to compete abroad.


    But this time, Holyfield lost, and the points were so close. There had to be more to it than met the eye.

 Chapter 113 Reverse Solicitation

    "Link, let''s continue the topic we were discussing earlier."Ivanka turned her head and said to him.


    "Joining Thompson Entertainment?" sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, joining Thompson Entertainment. Together, we can make our mark in the music world. With the strength of Thompson Entertainment, we can definitely turn you into a music superstar. Do you agree?"


    Ivanka stepped closer, her eyes locked intensely on him as she spoke.


    Link glanced at her and realized that she was as tall as him.


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    Ivanka was wearing a pair of pointed silver-grey high heels, which added more than five centimeters to her height, making her figure even more striking, with long, straight legs and a flat belly that led up to a breathtaking curve.


    Because they were so close, Link''s nostrils were constantly filled with a tempting fragrance.


    Link shook his head, "Sorry, I refuse."


    "Why?"


    Ivanka looked at him, puzzled.


    Link picked up his glass and swirled it, saying, "I''m a serious person. If I want to be a singer, I won''t just dabble in it. My goal is to be a regular at the Grammy Awards, a world-influential music superstar, and Thompson Entertainment''s goal is merely to make money. Your company doesn''t have the excellent music producers that could help me grow, so joining you is not a good choice."


    Ivanka frowned slightly, pursing her lips as she said, "We could hire some music producers, you know. That wouldn''t be hard for Thompson Entertainment."


    "That''s not a bad idea, but I have a better one. Do you want to hear it?"


    Link, holding his glass, looked at Ivanka with a smile.


    Ivanka gazed into his deep eyes, where she thought she saw a glimpse of profound greed which vanished in an instant, his eyes becoming clear and bright again, like a blue sky washed by water.


    Ivanka thought such a man was dangerous. Instinctively, she wanted to reject him, but her strong curiosity made her suppress the thought and listen quietly to Link''s idea.


    ¡ª¡ª


    A moment later, Link left the private room, and as Ivanka watched his retreating figure, a flash of contemplation crossed her eyes. Just then, her phone rang.


    "Ivanka, how did your talk with Link go?"


    Mr. Thompson''s high-pitched voice came through the speaker.


    "He refused!"


    "He would refuse even an invitation from you, personally?"


    "Yes, I couldn''t persuade him."


    "How could that be? That boy likes you. How could he possibly refuse your recruitment?"


    Mr. Thompson said with astonishment.


    Ivanka shrugged her shoulders and leaned back on the sofa, propping up her long legs.


    "Dad, don''t forget what the media say about him. He never just relies on his fists in a fight; he uses his head too. You wanted me to invite him to join Thompson Entertainment, just to leverage the popularity of that song to make Thompson Entertainment''s books look better and sell it at a good price. He surely has read the reports and wouldn''t easily board our sinking ship."


    "That kid has really disappointed me. I even praised him in public, and this is how he repays me. I definitely won''t praise him again."


    Mr. Thompson said angrily.


    Ivanka slightly smiled, unconcernedly replying, "Him not agreeing to work with us just proves he''s a smart man, Dad. You weren''t wrong to praise him."


    "Ivanka, stop joking with me. The hole in Thompson Entertainment is too big; I''m about to go crazy because of the banks. And that damn Carl Yinkan, he''s only offering 80 million US dollars to buy my Thompson Entertainment, when I''ve invested more than half a billion in that company."


    Mr. Thompson ranted on the phone once more.


    Ivanka felt somewhat helpless.


    In recent years, Thompson Real Estate had expanded too quickly, requiring many investments through bank loans. Now the financial crisis had hit, mortgage problems had arisen, causing a lot of companies under the Thompson Group to face issues, with the biggest problems appearing first in Thompson Entertainment.


    Thompson Entertainment had agreed to organize the match between Link and Tyson precisely because they wanted to recoup some losses with such methods, to earn a bit more money in the deal, and signing a record contract with Link was based on the same consideration.


    Link was in high demand, both in sports and entertainment. The sudden popularity of "Despacito" had undoubtedly taken his fame to a new level.


    If they could sign him and secure the distribution rights to the song, it would mean good-looking numbers on Thompson Entertainment''s balance sheet and a healthy asset in any deal.


    But with Link unwilling to come aboard, she was without recourse.


    "Dad, although Link refused Thompson Entertainment, he didn''t refuse me. He wants to collaborate with me."


    Ivanka, thinking about the suggestion Link had made before leaving, decided to tell her father about it and ask him to sponsor it.


    "Oh, he wants to collaborate with you? How so?"


    "Link doesn''t want to work with big record companies, and small ones would limit his growth, so he wants to start his own record company, an independent label. But he''s busy training and has no time to manage the company, so he invited me to be the president of the record company and to participate as an investor."


    "That bastard is dreaming. I know what he''s after."


    Mr. Thompson roared in anger.


    "Dad, isn''t this a good idea? Link''s song is very popular, and working with him will surely make money," Ivanka asked, confused.


    "Damn Link, I wanted him to join Thompson Entertainment. He refused, but then he turns around and invites you to join his company. I know he''s got his eyes on you. That beach boy dreams of using this as a way to pursue you, to ally with the Thompson family and then inherit our family''s business. He''s dreaming!"

 Chapter 113 Reverse Solicitation_2

    Mr. Thompson scolded angrily.Ivanka recalled the few times she interacted with Link, his strong confidence, shrewd and steady, far superior to those exaggerated heirs of the high society.


    "Dad, he''s an Olympic champion, a multimillionaire, if he''s willing to form a marriage alliance with our family, wouldn''t that be a good choice? Dad, don''t get agitated, I''m not saying I want to marry him, I''m talking about Tiffany, she''s sixteen this year, and Link is a very good candidate."


    "That''s impossible, he''s just a beach boy, a descendant of a fisherman, our Thompson family absolutely cannot have such a son-in-law, otherwise, we''ll become a joke in high society."


    Mr. Thompson said vehemently.


    "But I think it''s a good idea to collaborate with him, Link said he started writing songs very early, ''Despacito'' is just one of them, he has many more good songs in his notes."


    "Dad, just imagine, if he could keep creating songs like that, how much money would his record company make in the future? The Thompson''s need money, and if we go bankrupt, that would be an even bigger joke."


    Ivanka said.


    Mr. Thompson was silent for a few seconds across the phone, "He wrote so many good songs? I don''t believe it."


    "Dad, Link said he never lies, even though he has bragged publicly countless times, he has never failed."


    "He defeated Mikkel Kessler in 101 seconds."


    "It was 100.65 seconds! Dad, let''s not argue about these trivial matters. Since Link is so confident, why don''t we try to believe him once? If it''s true, it could be a good investment."


    After a hesitation, Mr. Thompson on the other end of the phone agreed.


    However, he instructed Ivanka to be careful with Link, that kid had ulterior motives, unfathomable intentions, a toad lusting after swan meat, imagining a fisherman''s descendant could marry into a New York mansion, wishful thinking.


    He reminded Ivanka to be cautious in her interactions with him, to take safety precautions, to prevent being controlled by him mentally or physically, and being forced into marriage, something Mr. Thompson said he had seen all too often.


    After listening to Mr. Thompson''s nagging, Ivanka could not help but shake her head helplessly, her dad was good in all respects, but just too nagging. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Putting away her phone, she stretched her languid body, looked at her reflection in the floor-to-ceiling mirror, the exquisite makeup, the tall and full figure, and a temperament far beyond that of the average person.


    If she worked with Link, she was confident she could conquer him with her intelligence and appearance, rather than being controlled by him.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Link returned to the audience stands, just in time to see the people from the main event company leaving, Old Duvall, Nora Duvall and several others were there, but everyone looked rather grim.


    "Link, where did you just go?"


    Dino shouted.


    "I met an acquaintance, had a chat."


    Link greeted Old Duvall and Nora with a nod.


    "Did you see the match between Evander and Valuev? From the points, Evander was in absolute advantage, but they gave a score of two losses and one draw, it must be that old bastard Bob Arum messing around."


    Dino said angrily.


    Link just listened without offering any comment.


    Firstly, whoever won the WBA Heavyweight Golden Belt between the two had little effect on him.


    Secondly, in the recent match, although Old Howard was very aggressive and hit Valuev more often, overall, he showed obvious signs of fatigue in the latter part of the match and didn''t show much advantage.


    So, the result of the match being a win for Old Howard, a win for Valuev, or a draw, could all be accepted.


    In a situation where the victory wasn''t clear-cut, what decided who would win wasn''t in their hands, but depended on the promoting companies behind them, whose networking resources were stronger, who paid more, who had a higher chance of winning.


    Although the WBA association and other boxing organizations claim to remain neutral and ensure fair play, they are also profit organizations, and they too would use some unwritten rules to make money without violating regulations.


    This is a normal phenomenon in the boxing world, and Old Duvall and the main event company were beneficiaries of these unwritten rules. However, as Old Duvall retired and the main event company declined, the benefits they provided to the major organizations reduced and their influence continuously waned.


    In contrast, Top Promotion is the number one promotion company in boxing, Bob Arum still controls the company''s authority and can provide more benefits to the major organizations, so their boxers naturally receive extra care.


    This match was less of Old Howard losing to Valuev and more of the main event company losing to Top Promotion.


    "Shut up! Let''s go!"


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    Old Duvall glared at Dino, nodded at Link, and led the way forward.


    Just around the corner, a group of people came towards them, led by a man with a hooked nose, heavy under-eye bags, and somewhat bald on top. Bob Arum, dressed in a black wool suit, holding a cigar in his hand, and looking quite distinguished, was none other than the Bob Arum that Dino had just cursed.


    Alongside him were Greg Cohen, Dmitry Salita, and about seven or eight other promoters and boxers.


    "Haha, Louis, I heard you were hospitalized last week, I was planning to visit you in the hospital after the match, it''s good to see you here," Bob Arum greeted Old Duvall warmly.


    Old Duvall shook his hand without emotion and thanked him.


    Bob Arum laughed, "Louis, Evander didn''t do too badly in this match, it''s a pity he''s too old. If he were ten years younger, it would have been hard for Valuev to win."

 Chapter 113 Reverse Solicitation_3

    "Hmph, if the match hadn''t been rigged, Evander would have definitely won," Dino said, curling his lip.Old Duvall glanced at Dino and said to Arum, "The young man doesn''t know any better, don''t take it to heart."


    Bob Arum laughed and said he didn''t mind, his gaze drifting over to Link, who was standing beside Dino.


    Link was also looking at the two boxing elders, Bob Arum and Duvall.


    In North American professional boxing, Duvall, Don King, and Arum were a triad of power, both collaborators and competitors.


    When they worked together, they promoted many classic boxing matches, such as ''The Rumble in the Jungle'' Ali vs. George Foreman, ''The Thrilla in Manila'' Ali vs. Joe Frazier, the Super Middleweight Four Kings tournament, and the second fight between Tyson and Holyfield; all of which they had jointly crafted and promoted.


    But they would also frequently undermine each other, trying to ruin their rivals and become the dominant force in the United States boxing industry. After more than thirty years of battling, victories were shared between them.


    In recent years, with old Duvall and Don King stepping back due to health reasons, Bob Arum became unrivaled in the North American boxing scene, which was one of the key reasons a top-tier promotion company could rise to prominence so strongly. Your next read is at empire


    Seeing the other party look over, Link nodded politely as a sign of respect.


    Even though he disagreed with their management philosophy, he had to acknowledge their significant contributions to the promotion of boxing.


    To the average person, the meaning of boxing was not the fair play, racial equality, and cultural trendiness he told Emma Watson about; it was a pathway, a means for those at the bottom to leap up the social ladder.


    For instance, boxers like Pacquiao and Klitschko announced their candidacies for president after becoming famous. Especially Pacquiao, who went from sleeping under a bridge as a child laborer to becoming a billionaire, a seven-division world champion, and a presidential candidate, had a life journey even more inspiring than Link''s.


    And because boxing was a pathway, after becoming a boxer himself, Link continuously promoted the sport to draw more attention and converge more interests. The broader this path became, the more it could attract countless others like him and Pacquiao to join.


    "Link, I''ve been hearing your name a lot lately; you''re a very formidable boxer," Bob Arum said with a laugh.


    "Thank you, Mr. Arum, for the compliment," Link replied politely.


    "Link, I hear your goal is to become the next Mayweather? Haha, that''s an ambitious goal. But to become Mayweather, it''s not just the fists that do the talking¡ªit''s the promotional company''s operations as well. I think you understand this principle," Arum said.


    "Yes, but Mayweather isn''t my goal."


    "Oh?" Arum raised his eyebrows and laughed, "Link, what is your goal then?"


    Link thought for a moment, "I''m not sure, but I have a plan. I intend to surpass Mayweather within five years. Mr. Arum, do you think I can do it?"


    "Surpass Mayweather within five years?!"


    Everyone present was shocked by his words and looked at him incredulously.


    Since turning pro in ''96, Mayweather had accumulated a record of 39 wins with no losses and secured world champion titles in four weight divisions, becoming the most successful boxer of the time with fight purses exceeding 20 million US dollars, a true boxing legend.


    For Link to want to surpass him in five years¡ªit was undeniable that the man was a talker.


    "Haha, Link, you won''t make another ''five years and zero losses'' claim, will you?" Greg Cohen teased.


    The crowd burst into laughter; Greg was poking fun at Link''s earlier boast of finishing off all his Super Middleweight opponents in 100 seconds, which took a bit more time against Miko.


    "Just you wait and see," Link said with a light smile, bidding farewell to old Duvall and Ms. Nora, and then driving away from the Garden Arena.


    "This kid is talented," old Duvall and Arum said in unison as they watched his leaving figure. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After speaking, they looked at each other, snorted coldly, and walked away with their respective entourages.


    Nora Duwa said with a smile, "Father, should we acquire Dynasty Promotions?"


    Old Duvall thought for a moment, "Let''s not. The main events are my business; Dynasty Promotions is Franco and Link''s business, let them handle it."

 Chapter 114 Link Music

    After buying a box of fresh Swiss porcini mushrooms and raw ham from the neighboring Walmart, Link returned home and prepared four dishes and a soup. Just as he was about to message Taylor to ask when she would be home, the sound of the door unlocking came from outside.Taylor walked in with her guitar case, an armful of golden ponytail, wearing a white color-blocked jacket, moving lazily inside.


    "It smells great, what delicious food have you made?"


    Taylor hung up her jacket and walked into the kitchen, planting a kiss on his face.


    "Porcini pigeon soup, it''s my first time making it. Try it later and give me your feedback."


    Link lifted the lid off the steamer, and a delicious aroma filled the air.


    "Pigeon? Is it a Times Square pigeon?"


    "Maybe, do you want to eat it?"


    "Of course, I want to eat it. Back when I played guitar in the square, pigeons often defecated on my guitar case. I''ve always wanted to have a taste of them."


    Taylor said, swinging her fist.


    Link smiled gently and served her a big bowl of thick soup. The pigeon meat was so tender and had stewed for so long that it had almost all disintegrated, leaving behind only the delicious broth and a few bits of porcini and ham. Overall, the taste was quite good.


    Every time Taylor took a sip, she would praise Link, saying his culinary skills were no worse than those of a Michelin-starred chef. Opening a restaurant on Fifth Avenue would surely bring in a million a year.


    Link knew his level of cooking and naturally wouldn''t let her flattery get to his head; otherwise, he might really end up as a house husband.


    "How''s the preparation for your second album going?"


    Link asked.


    "It''s set to release in the middle of next month. Today I was shooting the album cover and promotional posters at the studio. Posing all day has almost killed me," Taylor said as she lay on the table, propping up her face with one hand and sipping soup with the other, looking utterly drained.


    "Have a bath after eating, and I''ll give you a full body massage."


    "Great!"


    Hearing about the massage immediately perked Taylor up, and she sped up her eating.


    ----


    The day after Link had spoken with Ivanka, she called him expressing her willingness to collaborate, provided that she could see the songs he had, to verify if they were indeed as good as he had claimed.


    Link had no objections and sat in the living room, holding his guitar and singing while he recorded two short audio clips of new songs to send to Ivanka. Less than half an hour later, Ivanka called him.


    After negotiation, Link invested 3 million US dollars, and Ivanka invested 2 million. Together, they acquired a small record company, renaming it Link Records, to release "Despacito" as well as Link''s future songs.


    To ensure the quality of the records, Ivanka hired a headhunting company to poach a gold-medal music producer and three managers from the top five record companies.


    The producer''s name was Graham Goodall, a 45-year-old Jamaican-American.


    A graduate of Colombia University with a master''s in Music Management, he was once a singer and had worked as a record producer for famous bands like U2 and Bon Jovi. With twelve years at Sony Records, he had extensive work experience.


    After joining Link Music, his base annual salary was five hundred thousand US dollars, with a 3% album producer royalty. The other three management members also received generous packages, with annual salaries of over three hundred thousand US dollars and a 3% company share dividend.


    After meeting these individuals, Link felt that partnering with Ivanka was the right decision. She had honed her skills on the business battlefield for many years and with Old Thomp''s guidance, her savvy and vision far surpassed his own.


    If left to his own devices, he definitely wouldn''t have been able to find such elite talents in such a short time.


    Besides these four individuals, Link also pulled some strings to invite Mandy Gomez, Selena''s mother, to be his artist manager.


    Mandy had also been Selena''s manager for two years before she and her husband Adam Gomez opened a fashion retail chain, which they ran for seven or eight years and made some money. Unfortunately, the financial crisis hit, and the chain, which peaked at fifteen stores, dwindled down to three this year.


    Mrs. Mandy was planning to return to her previous career, continuing as an artist manager.


    Upon hearing about her situation, Link invited her to become his manager, and Mrs. Mandy gladly accepted.


    "Link, you''re having my mom as a manager, do you know what that means?"


    In the recording studio, Selena with her hands in her pockets, said with a beaming smile.


    "What?"


    "Asking for trouble!"


    Selena turned to glance at her mom and Catherine, took Link''s arm, and whispered in his ear, "Let me tell you a secret, my mom is as fierce as yours. In fourth grade, I once secretly had a little cocktail. She scolded me for half a day when she found out and nearly hit me. You''re looking for trouble by having her as your agent."


    "You still remember being scolded by your mom six or seven years ago?"


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    "Of course, I have a really good memory."


    Selena tilted her chin up and hummed proudly. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s not that you have a good memory, it''s just that you''ve been scolded too little."


    Link gave a light smile, greeted Catherine who had just arrived and went into the studio to continue recording "Despacito." The version recorded previously in Miami had some problems with the music, mixing, and others due to hurried timing and the temporary producer not being professional enough.


    After the establishment of the record company, Graham Goodall and the main creative team had modified and perfected the mix, presenting Link with a more refined version.


    After listening to it, Link felt it was closer to the original and readily accepted this version.


    Go


    S¨ª sabes que ya llevo rato mir¨¢ndote


    Tengo que bailar contigo hoy


    In the studio, Link with headphones on, sang earnestly into the microphone while producer Graham Goodall stood at the console, listening to Link''s voice and occasionally providing adjustment suggestions.


    Through the soundproof glass, Ms. Mandy watched Link singing and said to Catherine with a smile, "It''s really hard to imagine that someone like him could be a world boxing champion."


    Catherine also watched Link without blinking an eye, "When I first heard he was participating in boxing matches and even won the Golden Gloves championship, I was more surprised than anyone. Before, when I saw him, he was so rebellious, reckless, and idle; I thought he was beyond hope. But now he''s more outstanding than anyone his age. Maybe boxing really can change a person."


    "Should I also take up boxing?" Selena leaned over with her round face between them, speaking up.


    Ms. Mandy pushed her forehead gently and continued, "Link is too outstanding. My only concern is that he might pick up bad habits. There are many in the entertainment industry who find fame young but start going downhill in their careers due to a lack of self-discipline. I worry Link might end up like that."


    "No need to worry, Link doesn''t smoke or drink, let alone touch drugs. He exercises and trains daily and basically has no bad habits. He''s more sensible than his peers and has strong willpower. He won''t go astray," Catherine assured her.


    "Catherine, that''s a bit of an absolute statement,"


    Selena interrupted, "Don''t forget Link is a playboy; he admitted that himself."


    After some thought, Catherine addressed Mandy, "Link is still young and likes to have fun. Just keep an eye on him for me. Whenever he encounters women with impure intentions, remind him not to get fooled."


    Ms. Mandy nodded.


    Selena waved her hand, "Why can''t we help Link learn to be a faithful man?"


    "Link is still young; dating more can help him mature. He doesn''t need too much meddling," said Catherine.


    "I want to find a boyfriend, several of them!"


    Selena said stubbornly.


    Ms. Mandy and Catherine looked at her with deep gazes, causing Selena to stick out her tongue nervously, "I''m just kidding. I''m not a bad guy like Link."


    After two days of recording, the new version of "Despacito" was successfully produced, including both Spanish and English versions.


    After two days of recording, the new version of "Despacito" was successfully produced, including both Spanish and English versions, and was re-released on Amazon Digital Music Store and iTunes Music Store.


    In just one week, the new single''s online download count broke through 200,000.


    According to the profit-sharing standards between independent musicians and platforms, each song download costs US$1.26, and Link''s music gets to keep 65%, along with revenues from streamings, such as on YouTube.


    The first week''s income exceeded two hundred thousand US dollars, making Link marvel at the speed of making money as a singer.

 Chapter 115 Script Invitation

    "Taylor, did you write all these four songs?"In Link''s music office, producer Graham Goodall looked at the sheet music and lyrics in his hands and looked at Link in surprise.


    "What do you think?"


    "They''re really good, especially this ''Chasing The Sun.'' It fits all the elements of the current popular songs in the market. I can guarantee its sales won''t be any less than those of top-tier singers'' albums once it hits the shelves."


    Graham said excitedly, slapping the table.


    "How about this ''Never Say Never''?"


    Link pointed at the second song and asked. This song was written and composed by the rapper Travis Garland and performed by Justin Bieber. The phrase "Never say never" became popular worldwide after 2010 and was an ear-catching hit song.


    Graham hummed a few notes according to the score and shook his head, "The melody is a bit lively, doesn''t quite suit you. You''re more suited for ballads, dance music, and rhythm and blues."


    Link looked at Graham with some admiration. With just a few bars of melody, the other party could judge the style of the music. His mastery of music was indeed strong.


    "Should we drop this one?"


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    "No need, this song also follows the current trend. During recording, we can make some adjustments, and perhaps it will turn out well."


    Graham said while looking at the score.


    Link nodded; the song was quite popular and one of the few in his music library with which he had a clear memory. It would be a shame not to use it.


    "Graham, how''s the progress with collecting songs?"


    "We received over a hundred songs, but the quality is not that great. I''ve contacted some old friends to tailor-make a few songs for you according to your style. So far, we have two and are six short; by the end of the year, we should have them finished."


    Graham said, scratching his messy hair.


    Link had no objections.


    The two were discussing his debut album.


    Following the tremendous success of his single, it was natural to strike while the iron was hot by releasing a debut album and expanding his influence in the music scene.


    The theme of the album was ''inspiration'', planning to feature 12 songs. There were not many of such songs in Link''s music library, and he couldn''t release them all at once, so he needed to spend money to commission songs, allowing musicians to tailor-make them according to his style.


    This practice was common in the music industry; nearly all chart-topping singers had one or multiple teams behind them, creating songs that suited their style and met current market trends.


    Upon release, the singers'' names would be added to the composer and lyricist credits, signaling their involvement in creation and establishing their label as singer-songwriters to attract fans to buy.


    It was precisely because of this that the singers under record labels did not have the rights to the songs.


    Link''s situation was different. Link Music paid for the songs, so the creation rights belonged to the company, and since Link was a major shareholder of Link Music, he naturally didn''t have to worry about copyright disputes.


    Link reviewed the two new songs that were just submitted, felt there were no issues, and since he didn''t recognize any lyrics or melodies, he didn''t comment further.


    ----


    "Link, where are you going?"


    As Link left the company and got into the business car, Ms. Mandy asked.


    Link looked at his watch, it was half-past eleven in the morning, "To the boxing gym, I can still train for a few hours."


    Ms. Mandy nodded and instructed the driver before handing a script to Link.


    "This came from Simon. Someone sent the script to Dynasty Promotion to have you do a trial for the male lead. After Simon read the script, he thought you might be interested."


    Link took the script and flipped through it.


    Ever since he became famous, there had been many invitations for him to play supporting roles; mostly in commercial movies as hitmen, bodyguards, policemen, and similar characters, looking to capitalize on his popularity.


    The offers were too low, not even reaching the initially agreed 1 million US Dollars with Simon, and the roles were too cursory, none being significant in a big production, so he didn''t accept any of them.


    Now he had a screenplay for a leading role, and out of curiosity, he opened it to take a look. The script was titled "The Fighter," fairly ordinary, but the content made him take notice.


    The screenplay was adapted from a true story, telling the tale of two professional boxer brothers.


    The elder brother was once a star in the boxing world, having fought the former middleweight star Sugar Ray Leonard in 1978 and even knocked him down once, becoming a local celebrity.


    After gaining fame, he fell into drug addiction, which destroyed his career, eventually leading him to jail, becoming a negative example in an HBO anti-drug documentary. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The younger brother was also a boxer, inspired by his elder brother, aiming to make his mark in the boxing arena, but his career was hindered by family reasons.


    Later, with the help of his girlfriend and his brother, he returned to the boxing ring and defeated the then-prominent IBF super featherweight champion Arturo Gatti, shooting to fame in one strike.


    After reading the script, Link found it quite interesting; he had seen this film before, and the translated version in Hong Kong was called "Boxing Brothers."


    The role of the elder brother was played by Christian Bale, an actor with exquisite acting skills who had starred in "Batman Begins," "The Prestige," "The Flowers of War," and others.


    For his role as a drug addict with a gaunt physique in the film, he had lost 30 pounds before shooting, becoming a famous weight loss guru in the circle just like Jia Ling.


    Playing the younger brother was Mark Wahlberg, another famous actor, and the female lead was Amy Adams, known for her roles in "Catch Me If You Can," "Junebug," and an Oscar-nominated supporting actress, also a renowned performer.


    This movie received multiple Oscar nominations in 2010, and Christian Bale won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role.


    The script was excellent, and the role seemed fitting, but Link was uncertain if he could handle the character of the younger brother.


    The complexity of this role was not easy, especially having to act alongside Christian Bale and Amy Adams.


    Against such co-stars, he worried about becoming the proverbial weakest link in the cast and facing severe criticism from the public.


    But after some hesitation, he chose to give it a try.


    While shooting "Deep Sea Quest 2," Stephen Herrick had talked to him about the counterintuitive plank theory, stating that commercial films don''t demand much from actors, whereas in art films, directors expect each actor to deliver their best performance.


    The multiple Oscar nominations indicated the high quality of the film.


    Acting in such a production, even if he didn''t perform well, he could still significantly improve his acting skills.


    Link decided to take up the challenge and asked Mandy to contact the director of the movie, as he needed to have a chat with them.


    "Link, won''t you be overwhelmed taking on so much work?"


    Ms. Mandy asked as she put away the script.


    "No worries, after the fight with Tyson, there are no matches scheduled for the first half of next year, I can use that time to shoot the movie," Link replied after thinking it over.


    The WBO-IBF Super Middleweight Championship was still underway, the WBC Championship hadn''t started yet, and it would be a few months before the unification fight for the four major organization''s Golden Belts. The WBA Championship challenge would also be after the new year.


    He could use this period to build his fame in hopes of securing an appearance fee of over 10 million dollars in the next year''s matches.


    Ms. Mandy nodded, handed him his phone, and said, "Taylor just called; he''s going back to Los Angeles to promote his new album for a couple of days. Also, someone named Gadot sent you a message; remember to call them back."


    "Gadot is a friend of mine!"


    With a touch on his forehead, Link remarked.


    "Understood, don''t worry, I won''t meddle in your private matters," Ms. Mandy said, blinking, with a mischievous smile resembling Selena''s.


    Shaking his head, Link took the phone to call Taylor and texted Gadot back.

 Chapter 116 Battling Tyson

    As he prepared for the match, Taylor''s second album "Fearless" also began to hit the shelves.In its first week, it sold 650,000 copies and topped the Billboard 200, becoming a smash hit.


    On the streets, in supermarkets, or on radio and television, you could hear songs from "Fearless", including "The Way I Loved You," "You Belong With Me," "Love Story," and the addition of "Dream It Possible."


    After its release, six songs from the album made it into the top ten of the Billboard singles chart, with "Dream It Possible" debuting at number one, making it Taylor''s first chart-topping single.


    With album sales booming, Taylor was incredibly busy, often flying out to do promotions, signings, concerts, and other preparations.


    Usually, Link could only contact her by phone, and sometimes, before they could talk much, Taylor had to get back to work.


    Link couldn''t help but think of a famous saying, "It''s hard to be a famous woman, but it''s even harder to be the boyfriend of a famous woman."


    He continued his training in the boxing gym.


    From the end of the Olympics to December, three months of strength and speed training increased the power of his right punch to 1600 pounds, his left to 1420 pounds, and slightly improved his body''s reaction ability.


    However, according to Dino''s gossip, Tyson had also been undergoing intense training in recent months, restoring his punch power to over 1600 pounds, and his condition was no worse than before 2003. He warned Link to be careful.


    Naturally, Link wasn''t careless.


    Tyson was a veteran champion, a spokesperson for the boxing sport; in the competitive boxing world of the eighties and nineties, he had reached an extremely high level with his strength, speed, technique, tactics, and boxing consciousness.


    Even though he was older, he was still a robust and fierce elder beast, not to mention that his opponent was more than 60 pounds heavier than him.


    To prepare for the fight with Tyson, Link set aside all his work, even delaying the promotion of his own singles, focusing entirely on his closed-door training.


    On December 15th, the match between Link and Tyson took place at Thomp Entertainment City in Atlantic City.


    Before the match, Thomp Entertainment heavily promoted the event, from advertisements to newspapers to Times Square''s giant screens.


    Thomp Entertainment proclaimed the match as a ''world-class battle,'' after Holyfield VS Valuev, Pacquiao VS De La Hoya, the third ''unequal match'' of 2008.


    The ''inequality'' refers to the weight difference, with Tyson being more than 60 pounds heavier than Link, Valuev being 100 pounds heavier than Holyfield, and De La Hoya, a Welterweight, was 5 pounds heavier than Pacquiao, who had just moved up.


    But in terms of overall impact, the bout between De La Hoya and Pacquiao garnered more attention; it took place on December 7th in Las Vegas, and after 8 rounds, Pacquiao defeated De La Hoya by TKO.


    The prize money for that fight reached 100 million US Dollars, with Pacquiao taking home 65 million and Hoyle 35 million, surpassing the previous record of 65 million USD set by Tyson and Holyfield in 1997, making it the highest-paid boxing match to date.


    Link and Tyson''s 10 million was much less in comparison.


    However, in terms of influence, Link and Tyson weren''t far behind the other two fighters.


    Tyson was a past legend of boxing and an ambassador of the sport, while Link was an Olympic champion and a boxing star in the top ten of the current boxing world''s popularity rankings.


    Any match involving either of them would be eagerly anticipated by boxing fans, let alone a match against each other.


    The fans wanted to see how much Tyson had left after retiring for three years and whether he could continue to compete in the boxing world.


    They also wanted to see how the Super Middleweight dominator Link would perform against a Heavyweight boxer who was more than 60 pounds heavier; how many rounds could he last?


    The Chicago Tribune listed in detail the strengths and weaknesses of both Link and Tyson.


    For example, Link excels in speed, stamina, and endurance.


    Tyson surpasses in punch power, durability, and fighting experience.


    Both are considered equal in terms of technique and tactics.


    Finally, the conclusion was drawn that Link had a 45% chance of winning, while Tyson had a 55% chance, giving Tyson a slight advantage.


    In the betting companies of Atlantic City, the odds were 1:1.5 for Link''s victory and 1:1.8 for Tyson''s, suggesting that the companies believed Link had a slightly higher chance of winning, but not by much.


    Because the match was so unpredictable, on the day of the fight, many people flew to Atlantic City, New Jersey, to watch the boxing match live.


    Those who couldn''t make it sat in front of their TVs, ready to watch the broadcast of the match.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Bang, bang, bang!


    In the VIP resting room, Link, shirtless and wearing red shorts, his hands wrapped in bandages, kept punching the air as a way to warm up,


    "Link, Tyson punches hard, and he''s solid. In the first three rounds of the match, try not to go head-to-head with him; use your technique to wear down his stamina first."


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    After three rounds, his offense will become impatient, and his flaws will be exposed. That''s when you attack him with your fists.


    Given his current condition, I estimate you can knock him out within six rounds to win the match,"


    Coach Brooks explained at his side.


    Link nodded, Coach Brooks had worked with Tyson for two years and knew Tyson''s condition very well. With him in his corner giving advice, Link felt even more confident about the fight.


    "Six rounds? Link, can you knock out Tyson in the sixth round?"


    Dino asked, arms folded, leaning against the cabinet.


    "Not sure. I''m confident I can defeat him, but as for which round and how, I can''t tell you now."


    "Alright! Then I''ll blindly bet on the sixth round,"


    Dino said after thinking it over.


    Link continued his warm-up exercises. Outside, the pre-fight warm-up show was in full swing, with Thomp International having invited the Green Day Band, famous singer Ricky Martin, and soul singer Macy Gray and others to perform live.


    After their performances, there was a Love Haus men''s and women''s underwear fashion show, a UFC women''s lightweight fight, and finally, it was Link and Tyson''s turn to enter the ring.


    "Next up, please welcome the Olympic champion, the WBA Super Middleweight World Champion... Link Baker!!!"


    Hearing the announcer''s loud call, Link strode out of the tunnel entrance, a dazzling spotlight cast upon him, the crowd erupting into waves of applause and cheers. Link raised his arms and waved, striding up to the boxing ring.


    He noticed that the seats around the boxing ring were mostly filled with men and women dressed lavishly - men in dark suits, ladies in evening gowns and furs, as if they were attending a banquet.


    Among them were many familiar faces - Mr. Thomp, Murdoch, the governor of New Jersey, congressmen, the mayor of New York City, and other politicians.


    There were also old boxing figures like old Duvall, Bob Arum, the WBA President Mendoza, Holyfield, De La Hoya, Riddick Bowe, and others.


    "Hey, Link, go for it, I''m rooting for you."


    From the front row seats, an elderly man in a suit shouted at him.


    It was Director Woody Allen, surrounded by a few familiar faces, also directors from the entertainment industry.


    Link waved his fist and strode up into the boxing ring.


    As he climbed onto the stage, Tyson entered to the cheers of tens of thousands of spectators, with his shaved head, bulky physique, rippling muscles, and dark iron-like skin adorned with many tattoos, he appeared several sizes more robust than Link, very formidable.


    The cheers grew even louder at Tyson''s appearance, including from Director Woody Allen and many older individuals vigorously clapping as if watching Tyson fight was a matter of sentiment. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under the boxing ring, Tyson waved his fists nonstop at the audience, looking extremely excited, and it was only at the referee''s urging that he finally climbed through the ropes onto the stage.


    "Hello, Mike, how are you feeling today?"


    An HBO television reporter stopped Tyson at the edge of the ring to ask.


    "Fantastic, I feel like I could kill a lion,"


    Tyson, clenching his fists, yelled at Link in the ring, "Hey, Link, I''m going to knock you out in three rounds. Are you ready to lose?"


    Link glanced at him, smirked, and said, "Mike, it''s you who should be preparing. You''ve aged, and if you feel unwell during the match, it''s better to throw in the towel early. Neither I nor anyone else wants to see you collapse in the boxing ring."


    "Link, stop boasting, I''m going to show you just how big a gap there is between us,"


    Tyson shouted, swinging his fists.


    Link just smiled lightly and moved to a corner of the boxing ring to rest, where Coach Brooks whispered, "Tyson seems a bit overexcited; he''s probably used some stimulants. Be careful during the match, his attacks will likely be very fierce in the first two rounds."


    Link nodded.


    Doping was a fairly common practice in professional sports.


    For example, meldonium, a drug for treating heart conditions, can enhance blood flow, improve the body''s oxygen uptake and endurance. It was once used on the battlefield to boost soldiers'' combat effectiveness and is now taken by tennis, American football, and boxing athletes.


    Link wasn''t bothered by this. As a boxer, what excited him the most was facing a strong opponent in a match, outsmarting and defeating them by whatever means necessary.


    The stronger the opponent, the harder the victory, and the greater the rewards. The likes of Andre Berto, Pitts, Aragon, and Gedel were examples.


    Therefore, after entering the boxing world, he never feared meeting a strong opponent; he only feared having no opponents at all.


    Tyson resorting to such means was even more to his liking.

 Chapter 117 Blow by Blow

    ```"Boxing!"


    The match had begun, and when the referee swung down his arm, Tyson roared and threw a vicious punch at Link. His arm muscles bulged, and the veins on his neck and forehead protruded upwards, making him look somewhat ferocious.


    Link could have dodged the punch, but he wanted to test Tyson''s strength. As Tyson''s fist hammered down, Link crossed his arms in front of his chest to defend. Enjoy more content from empire


    Bang! Tyson''s fist struck his arms, and Link felt a formidable force spread from his arms throughout his entire body, involuntarily stepping back four paces and bumping into the ropes behind him.


    Link secretly praised Tyson''s punch. Indeed, a heavyweight boxer''s punch was different¡ªthe impact of that punch was definitely no less than 1600 pounds.


    "Wow!"


    Seeing him pushed back by Tyson''s punch, the audience couldn''t help but let out a gasp of amazement.


    "Link, do you see the gap between us now? Next, I''ll make you feel despair."


    Tyson grinned, swinging his fists as he charged again, attacking Link''s body with punches that grew heavier each time.


    Now that Link understood the weight behind Tyson''s punches, he had a strategy in mind. Facing Tyson''s relentless onslaught, he used his quick reflexes and nimble footwork to dodge left and right around Tyson, his movements deft and smooth.


    In the eyes of the audience, Link and Tyson were grappling up close. Tyson kept throwing punches fiercely, while Link constantly dodged, narrowly avoiding Tyson''s fists each time¡ªa thrilling and exciting sight.


    "Come on! Tyson, come on!"


    "Come on, Link!"


    The shouts of encouragement for both sides from the audience were equally matched.


    "Nice job, Tyson! You too, Link!"


    Woody Allen, the director, shouted, swinging his fists.


    Martin Scorsese, the director next to him, looked at him curiously. "Which side are you really on?"


    Woody Allen laughed heartily, "I used to be a fan of Tyson, but now I''m more familiar with Link. I like his boxing matches too, so I cheer for both of them."


    Martin Scorsese shook his head, looking at Link on the stage¡ªhandsome, strong, with a determined expression, he seemed well-suited for art house films. Perhaps Scorsese could collaborate with him someday.


    On the ring, Tyson had launched over fifty punches in the first 30 seconds, all of which Link dodged or parried, none hitting any vital spot on Link. Tyson was panting heavily, and his speed inevitably slowed down.


    "Mike, is this what you called ''despair''?"


    Link asked with a smile.


    Tyson bit down on his mouthguard, glaring furiously at him. How could this kid''s reaction speed be so fast? Originally Tyson hoped to make a comeback by defeating Link, earning some money to pay off his debts. But Link''s strength was much greater than he had anticipated, comparatively not much less than that of other heavyweight boxers.


    "Now it''s my turn."


    Not giving Tyson a chance to catch his breath, Link quickly launched a counterattack. A ruthless right swing punch flew towards Tyson''s head but was firmly blocked by Tyson''s arm.


    Tyson flexed his powerful muscles and smirked at him.


    Link ignored him, following up with a second and third punch toward Tyson''s body. His arms were 12 centimeters longer than Tyson''s, allowing him to stand at a safer distance, delivering non-stop punches without worrying about being hit by Tyson.


    Bang! The fifth punch was a cunning jab that penetrated Tyson''s defense and struck stably onto his left jaw. Tyson stepped back, bracing himself with his legs and firmly stood on the canvas.


    "Hmph!"


    Tyson tapped his chin with a fist and looked disdainfully at Link. "Is that all? With that little power, you dare to challenge Chris Byrd and Valuev?"


    Link was somewhat astonished; the punch was definitely over 1000 pounds. In a super middleweight competition, a punch like that had a 30% chance of knocking down the opponent and over an 80% chance of causing them to stumble or retreat three or four steps.


    But Tyson had managed to stabilize his body merely by stomping hard on the floor.


    Link guessed the reason was the weight. Tyson weighed over 230 pounds, his muscles were more solid than those of a super middleweight boxer, which also made his center of gravity more stable and his ability to resist punches stronger. Punches below 1000 pounds basically had no effect on him.


    Additionally, Tyson was a veteran who had been boxing for over twenty years and had faced opponents with heavier punches than Link''s, giving him richer experience in dealing with attacks.


    If Link wanted to quickly knock down Tyson in a short time, he had to hit as hard as possible, and his approach needed to be more flexible.


    Before the match, Link thought that Tyson, due to age and several years of indulging in eating, drinking, gambling, and prostitution, had relaxed his training and diminished his strength. Defeating such an opponent shouldn''t be too difficult.


    However, it wasn''t until the match started that Link realized he had underestimated his opponent. Competing against a heavyweight boxer was very different from competing against a super middleweight.


    Super middleweight boxers weren''t usually very large; their physiques were similar to ordinary people''s, just with firmer muscles and lower body fat, which resulted in their lower ability to take heavy hits¡ªthey could hardly take attacks above 1400 pounds.


    But they were also faster, more agile, and had quicker reactions, making it quite difficult to hit them.


    In the heavyweight division, qualities like punching power, resistance to hits, physical strength, and stamina were prioritized over technique and speed. Boxers with such advantages were also more likely to succeed.


    ```


    For instance, Tyson, Lennox Lewis, the Klitschko brothers, Shannon Briggs, etc.


    The most typical example was WBA champion Valuev, who, in his rank, had below-average speed and technical level, relying only on punching power and physical advantage to become the world champion. "Boxing Ring" magazine described him as ''a clumsy polar bear''.


    To defeat them, one must not continue to use tactics for dealing with super middleweight opponents; new tactics must be adopted.


    Bang bang bang!


    Link immediately increased the speed and power of his punches, raining them down on Tyson without stopping, one after the other.


    Compared to Tyson''s powerful and heavy punches.


    His fists were like spears, with an offensive that was continuous and extremely fast, piercing with great penetrating power, making them hard to defend against. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under his unrelenting assault, Tyson had no chance to fight back. As soon as he tried to strike back, he would take a punch to the head. He could only protect his head with both hands and kept dodging, fighting very awkwardly.


    The audience below the stage, however, found it very enjoyable. They were used to seeing Tyson bombard others with heavy punches, and now they finally saw Tyson being pressured by an opponent.


    "Go Link!"


    "Well done, Link!"


    The audience below shouted loudly.


    Thump!


    Link landed a left hook to Tyson''s left rib. Although Tyson had thick muscles on his ribs, after being hit continuously seven or eight times, his left rib started to ache, making him involuntarily lower his arms.


    Great opportunity!


    Link''s tactic was to attack up and hit down, feinting. As Tyson slightly lowered his arms, Link''s jab struck swiftly and hit Tyson''s right eye socket with a thud.


    Tyson staggered backward, his footing chaotic and his defense loose.


    Of course, Link wouldn''t miss this opportunity. He closed in on Tyson and unleashed a rapid-fire combo of left jab + right jab + left uppercut + right uppercut, targeting Tyson''s head, chin, and abdomen in an unending barrage.


    Tyson was forced to retreat again and again until his back was against the ropes. He reached out both hands, attempting to grab Link.


    Fearing his ear would be bitten or his head butted, Link quickly stepped back and landed a hook punch on Tyson''s chin, making Tyson stumble and crash into the ropes behind him, nearly falling over.


    "Wow!"


    "Tyson underestimated him!"


    "Link''s punches definitely exceed 1500 pounds."


    Holyfield and former WBA champion Riddick Bowe said in surprise


    "Damn it!"


    On the ring, Tyson quickly got up, baring his teeth and glaring ferociously at Link. He had underestimated Link''s punches, who turned out to be more challenging than he had imagined.


    Link didn''t care how he felt and continued to pummel Tyson with punches.


    Angered by the hits, Tyson also stopped guarding and met Link''s punches head-on in a close-quarter brawl.


    Link''s punches were fast and accurate, with a high offensive efficiency. Once Tyson dropped his defense, he often landed three or four out of ten punches.


    While Tyson''s punches were heavy and he had a high capacity to take a beating, his reactions couldn''t match Link''s agility. Out of twenty punches, he would only land one on Link.


    The two exchanged blows, fist to flesh, fighting to a standstill.


    The audience was dazzled as if they were back in 1987 during Tyson''s bout with former IBF champion Tony Tucker, where they battled fiercely for 12 rounds. Tyson won by points, and the fight was considered a heavyweight pinnacle showdown with both sides very aggressive and punches connecting solidly.


    Now, seeing Tyson exchange punches again, the audience''s cheers and applause were non-stop.


    Ding ding ding!


    The first round ended. Each round in a professional match lasts three minutes with a one-minute rest in between, and depending on the match rules, fights can have from 6 to 12 rounds. Both Link and Tyson were engaged in a 12-round match.


    "Link, if this was ten years ago, you wouldn''t last a round in my hands."


    Tyson said, breathing hard.


    "In ten years, I''m confident that I could beat you in 100 seconds,"


    Link said with a smile.


    Tyson grunted and, raising his fists, returned to his corner.

 Chapter 118 The Fist King Concedes

    "Link, this seems to be the first time you''ve completed a round after changing professions, how do you feel?"In the corner, Dino asked as he fanned Link with a towel.


    "Not bad!"


    Link replied, taking a sip of water.


    "Link, keep it up, fight like this, Tyson won''t last many more rounds."


    Coach Brooks said.


    Link nodded, his own advantages over Tyson were stamina, endurance, speed, and reflexes. If he continued to fight this way, his advantages would grow larger while Tyson''s would diminish, and that would be the time for him to defeat Tyson.


    "Link, you''re injured here, be careful during the fight."


    Morales said, pointing at his left rib.


    Link glanced at it and nodded. Tyson was shorter than him and had difficulty reaching his head, so he often attacked Link''s ribs instead. Despite Link''s best efforts to dodge, Tyson had managed to land a couple of punches, and Tyson''s fists were heavy; the blows were quite unpleasant.


    But Tyson''s condition was even worse, with his right eyebrow bone swollen and the left corner of his mouth split open. Sitting quietly on the stool, he let his assistant apply Vaseline to his wounds.


    After a minute''s rest, Link and Tyson returned to the ring.


    "Boxing!"


    The second round began, and Link continued his high-frequency jab attacks on Tyson''s vulnerable areas, while Tyson countered with his heavy punches.


    The two continued to trade blows, punch for punch, flesh on flesh.


    In that round, Link threw 102 punches, with 13 of them hitting Tyson in the head, causing the right eyebrow bone to swell severely. His right cheekbone and the left corner of his mouth also began to bleed.


    Tyson threw more than 80 punches, landing twice on Link, once on the left rib and once on the chin. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After resting for a minute, the third round continued, and Link kept up the offense for a round and a half, beginning to sweat profusely.


    However, to take the fight within 12 rounds against the strong Tyson, Link couldn''t afford to give him any chance to breathe. He continued to leverage his stamina and speed advantage, throwing punch after punch at Tyson, treating him as if he were a heavily armored and clumsy Mario.


    One punch... ten punches... a hundred punches. In the third round, he again threw over a hundred punches, at least 15 of them hitting Tyson in the head. However, Tyson''s ability to take a hit was too strong; punches under 1000 pounds had almost no effect on him, only those over 1400 pounds could cause damage.


    And Tyson, true to his reputation as a long-standing champion, remained firmly standing on the ring like a pillar, as if no matter how much Link hit him, he could not be brought down.


    Link refused to believe it, gritted his teeth, and continued the high-frequency punching, attacking Tyson''s body and head one punch after another.


    Bang!


    It was probably the 112th or 113th punch when he swung his fist and suddenly noticed a huge gap in Tyson''s defense. This punch landed directly on Tyson''s left cheek, a heavy blow exceeding 1200 pounds. From past experience, a hit like that would at most make Tyson stagger slightly and then stabilize his stance.


    But this time, Tyson staggered, fell to the right, and crashed to the ground.


    Wow!


    Seeing the heavyweight Tyson knocked down by Link, a super middleweight, the audience couldn''t help but let out a gasp of surprise, with some standing up to check on Tyson''s condition.


    "It''s okay! I just slipped."


    Tyson shouted to the referee and quickly stood up, giving Link an annoyed glance.


    Seeing Tyson''s condition, Link knew that his fast attack tactic had worked¡ªhe had been trading punches with Tyson for the first three rounds, trying to outdo him in stamina and endurance.


    Now, with the third round not yet over, Tyson''s defense was showing obvious flaws, indicating his condition was deteriorating, or perhaps the effect of the stimulant was wearing off.


    After the referee announced the continuation of the match, Link continued his punching offense, and Tyson, enraged by that last punch, counterattacked even more fiercely, like a wild beast swinging unceasing punches at Link.


    Link raised his arms high, clenched his teeth against Tyson''s heavy hits, and kept moving his feet, narrowly avoiding being knocked down a couple of times.


    Tyson''s aggressive attack didn''t last long. From the third round to the first half of the fourth round, his speed slowed down again; he was sweating profusely and gasping for breath.


    As soon as Link saw Tyson slow down the pace of his attacks, he immediately counterattacked, his arms like spears continuously attacking Tyson''s defenses.


    The spectators below watched the two fight from the first to the fourth round, one battling after the other, non-stop in between, feeling thoroughly thrilled by the action.


    "Did Franco say Link''s goal is to become the world champion in five categories across the four major organizations?"


    Old Duvall asked Nora Duvall by his side.


    Nora nodded, "That''s what Link said to Franco before the final match of the Golden Gloves Championship."


    Old Duvall looked at Link on the boxing ring and sighed, "What a confident young man he is, maybe he has a chance."


    Nora asked in surprise, "Do you think Link could get the Golden Belt after moving up to heavyweight?"


    "There''s a big chance,"


    said old Duvall, nodding.


    Nora frowned slightly, feeling a tinge of regret. If she had known Link''s potential was so great, she would have been more assertive in Miami and fought with Franco over him.


    Bang bang bang!


    On the boxing ring, Link continued his strenuous attack, his muscular back drenched in sweat, the lines of his muscles even more pronounced, gleaming with a bronze glow under the lights.


    Boom!


    At the 136th second of the fourth round, Link once again broke through Tyson''s double-arm defense, landing a punch on his forehead. Tyson stepped back and fell onto the canvas, eliciting another cry of shock from the audience.


    Link pulled back his fist, took a few breaths, and his biceps trembled slightly. The intensity of this fight was comparable to the one against Pitts, with similarly high defense and superior ability to take punches.


    And Tyson was even better on defense than Pitts, managing to counter while defending, causing a lot of trouble for Link.


    In this round, Link threw over 120 punches, and after stopping the attack, his deltoids trembled continuously, sweat soaking the waistband of his fight shorts.


    "10, 9, 8..."


    This time Tyson fell, lying on the ground for three seconds before shaking his head and getting up.


    Link also noticed his legs trembling, a sign of exhaustion, possibly a side effect of performance-enhancing drugs.


    So, at the start of the fifth round, Link took a deep breath and continued to forcefully attack Tyson, punch after punch. Even though each punch was around 1200 pounds, getting hit continuously was no pleasant experience. Tyson was forced to defend with all his might, using his arms to protect his head.


    In the fifth round, Link threw 114 punches and knocked down Tyson twice.


    "Tyson lost!"


    Holyfield said helplessly.


    "It''s an honorable defeat. Link did extremely well both offensively and defensively. Even if Tyson was at his peak, he might not have been able to defeat him cleanly. It''s hard to believe he''s only 20 years old, it''s incredible,"


    exclaimed Riddick Bowe.


    "I have a premonition that Link''s achievements in the future will not be far off from mine and Pacquiao''s. The boxing world is about to see another dominator,"


    De La Hoya said, clenching his fist.


    The people around nodded.


    In the sixth round, Link knocked Tyson down once again. Tyson lay on the ground for eight seconds before struggling to get up, then chose to give up the match after standing up.


    "Hey, Mike, you alright?"


    Link, dripping with sweat on the stage, gasped and asked.


    Tyson sat in the corner of the boxing ring, looking somewhat dejected and confused. Glancing at him, he said, "Link, tell me the truth, how much did you hide during the punch power test at the HBO production center? Your punch is definitely more than 1500 pounds."


    Link smiled faintly. Indeed, he hadn''t hidden much. Before the Olympics, his right punch reached a maximum of 1540 pounds, and over two-plus months, he had made a breakthrough in training, pushing the maximum to 1600 pounds. That was why he had been able to take advantage of Tyson''s weary state to knock him down repeatedly.


    "You''re a cunning fellow! But knocking me down isn''t much to brag about. I''ve barely trained in the past two years, and my strength has seriously declined. In the heavyweight realm, I''m at most a second-rate boxer. If you want to beat Chris Byrd, Valuev, and get the Golden Belt, you''ll need to train more,"


    Tyson said as he stood up.


    "I will!"


    Link said, extending his fist.


    Tyson showed off his two big golden teeth and bumped fists with him.


    "I declare the winner of this ''Battle of the Century'' to be... Link Baker!"


    Mr. Thomp personally ran onto the stage, lifted Link''s arm, and even received an ostentatious belt from a model''s hand, passing it to Link. In the middle of the belt, there was a gold emblem with several glittering letters spelling ''Thomp''.


    Link shook his head; it was too extravagant for his taste.

 Chapter 119 Party

    Defeating Tyson wasn''t about the money for Link; it was about the experience of fighting against a heavyweight boxer.After squaring off with Tyson, he knew where he stood in comparison with other heavyweight boxers and felt more confident about handling heavier opponents in the future.


    Moreover, Tyson is a legendary boxer, a spokesperson of the boxing world, and to share the stage with him is the dream of every boxer.


    Link had thought about fighting Tyson before, but when he began his career, Tyson was already in his fifties, and they were in different ranks.


    Now that he had the chance to fight Tyson¡ªand to defeat him while Tyson was still capable of fighting¡ªit felt incredibly good.


    "Link, what are you doing here?" Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the hotel lobby, Ivanka walked through the crowd, dressed in a wine-red off-shoulder gown.


    With her golden hair tied up, her fair skin shimmered coldly, her slender swan neck adorned with a string of colorful gemstone necklace, below which were two voluptuous curves. Even though her chest was perfectly wrapped, the contour revealed was enough to merit a few extra glances.


    The slit of her dress rose above the knee, revealing her long, straight legs as she walked ¨C almost 1.1 meters long, comparable to Taylor''s. The difference was that Taylor''s were paler and slimmer, while Ivanka''s were rounder, seemingly more elastic to the sight.


    Link took an appreciative look before shifting his gaze to Ivanka''s delicate makeup.


    "Just had a few drinks, now here listening to music."


    "Don''t stand around here; you''re the star of the party, and many people want to have a chat with you," Ivanka said, gesturing towards the lively crowd.


    Link felt somewhat helpless.


    After the boxing match, Mr. Thomp had held a grand celebration party at the hotel, inviting hundreds of VIPs to attend. It appeared to celebrate his victory, but it was more like a fundraising event for the Thompson Group.


    Link wasn''t interested in such parties. After interacting with a few people, he went alone to the piano stage to watch the band play.


    "Maybe wait a bit longer, your dad seems to be giving an important speech," Ivanka said, looking at Mr. Thomp who was pontificating among the crowd.


    "Never mind him; the party would be over by the time he finishes," Ivanka said with resignation.


    Link smiled wryly, agreeing with her. Mr. Thomp was a social terrorist; give him an audience, and he could talk non-stop for days and nights.


    Ivanka brushed her golden hair beside her ear and said as they walked, "Link, you are now a socialite, a multimillionaire, and part of the upper class. You should learn how to socialize here, like during parties, try to meet as many people as you can, and get their business cards.


    "The people qualified to be here are all of distinguished status, holding various resources in their hands. By getting to know them, you might receive their help when necessary. That''s the power of networking."


    Link nodded, understanding what Ivanka meant and the significance of networking.


    But he had his own way of making money, so he didn''t value these connections as much and didn''t want to pretend to fit into the upper-class mold.


    "Ivanka, we''re partners, I''ll handle the music creation, and you manage the social interactions, how about that?"


    "But you can''t just stand here; that will come off as aloof, and no one will dare to approach you for a chat."


    Ivanka, not caring whether he was willing or not, grabbed his arm and led him into the crowd, introducing him to a bunch of acquaintances.


    There were New Jersey state legislators, New Jersey real estate tycoons, Atlantic City casino owners, Atlantic Records presidents, Fox TV executives, and more, either billionaires, political figures, or high-level executives of Fortune 500 companies.


    ¡ª¡ª


    At first, Link thought Ivanka was helping him network until he noticed the hostile stares from the sons and grandsons of several moguls; he suddenly realized he might be used as a shield.


    "Make sure you treat me to dinner another day."


    In the middle of the crowd, Link said to Ivanka with his head lowered.


    "Why?"


    With her smile unchanged, Ivanka asked in a voice only audible to them both.


    Link glanced around and said with a smile, "Just look at their stares. If looks could kill, I''d be dead a thousand times over."


    Ivanka noticed where he was looking and said, biting her lips, "You''re a boxing champion, why fear these men who are like queers?"


    "Of course I don''t fear them; that''s why I''m asking you for a meal and not running away."


    Suddenly, Link put his arm around Ivanka''s waist, and his hand unintentionally slid a bit downward to a more dangerous spot.


    The glares of the men became sharper, their gazes growing more hostile towards him.


    Ivanka stiffened momentarily before relaxing again; she pursed her lips and said, "Don''t go too far, or if they attack you, I won''t help you."


    "Wouldn''t that help you even more?"


    "You''re being a hooligan," Ivanka said.


    She pinched the flesh around his waist, looking for a soft spot, but finding none, she simply pinched his skin and asked coldly, "How does that feel?"


    Withdrawing his hand, Link praised, "First-rate!"


    "Hmm!"


    Ivanka gave him a tight pinch before letting go, then looked over at a few middle-aged women who were chatting.


    "That woman in the pink suit up ahead, she''s Murdoch''s wife. You speak Mandarin, right? Go and chat with her; she might take a liking to you. Next to her is a board member of the Hearst Corporation, a widow. You could also try your luck with her."


    "No chance now, your dad''s coming this way."


    Link looked towards the center of the crowd, where he saw Mr. Thomp approaching with a grim face and an odd gait, his blonde hair flowing, resembling an old but ambitious lion.


    "He''s really bothersome."


    Ivanka let go of Link and took the initiative to approach.


    The father and daughter walked to one side, talking in low voices, seemingly not in a good mood.


    Link had no intention of getting involved in their family dispute, and when he saw director Woody Allen approaching, he took the initiative to go up and greet him.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Hey, Link, are you dating Miss Thomp?"


    Director Woody Allen came over and asked.


    Martin Scorsese, another famous Hollywood director, was with him.


    Director Scorsese''s representative works include "Taxi Driver," "King of Comedy," "Cape Fear," "The Departed," "The Aviator," "Gangs of New York," and so on.


    He has won the best director awards at the three major European film festivals, the Golden Globe Awards in America, and the Oscar for Best Director. He''s practically a Grand Slam director.


    In contrast to Woody Allen''s casual style of dress, Scorsese wore a neatly tailored suit and a bow tie; with his full head of black hair and thick, dark eyebrows, he did not look to be in his sixties.


    Link greeted both directors, "Don''t misunderstand, Miss Thomp and I are business partners, we founded a record company together."


    "Is that so? Everyone at the party was discussing when you two would get married. They are all very envious of you," Director Woody Allen said with a twinkle in his eye, joking.


    "Haha, I''m afraid I''ll have to disappoint everyone, we''re not that kind of relationship."


    Link said, raising his glass.


    "Link, did Allen tell you that you are interested in acting?" Director Scorsese said.


    "Haha, this kid said he wants to become an Oscar Best Actor."


    Woody Allen burst out laughing, coughing a few times.


    Director Scorsese also looked at him with surprise; a boxing champion wanting to become a Film Emperor? Unless he has god-level acting skills, it seems like he wants to take a swing at the acting professionals by changing careers.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and smiled, "I like to do challenging things, such as boxing, singing, and acting. If I can become a professional actor then the Oscars are my target."


    "It''s great for a young man to have goals," Director Scorsese said with a smile, as they exchanged contact information.


    The directors, being older, didn''t stay long and left early to rest at the hotel.


    After seeing them off, Link returned to the party scene and encountered Holyfield, De La Hoya, and Larry Holmes coming up to greet him.


    Holyfield was a boxer under the main event banner; they had met in the ring before.


    Larry Holmes was a New Yorker; after retiring, he was employed by the main event as a part-time boxing coach, and Link had chatted with him a few times.


    This was his first meeting with De La Hoya.


    The man was 35 years old, not very tall, a light-skinned Latino with good looks, who had secured world champion titles in six different weight classes and was one of the highest-paid boxers in terms of appearance fees, known as the ''Golden Boy'' of boxing.


    He was not just a boxer but also an entrepreneur, owning a company called Golden Boy Promotions, a casual wear company, a real estate company, he launched a Spanish-language boxing channel on HBO cable television, and held the distribution rights for four major boxing magazines.


    With a net worth of several hundred million, he was indeed a model of success for any boxer.


    "Link, are you interested in joining Golden Boy Promotions? I heard you once offered Franco one condition, a hundred million US Dollars. I''ll give you fifty million, plus shares in Golden Boy Promotions worth at least fifty million. How''s that?"


    Hoyle, dressed in a suit and tie with his hair slicked back, had the air of a successful person.


    Link was somewhat surprised that the other party was trying to woo him at this time; he thought about it and still declined.


    Golden Boy Promotions, founded in ''04, was mainly responsible for De La Hoya''s boxing events. In recent years, it has signed several boxers and is doing well. In the future, they will sign champions like Alvarez and Golovkin, becoming one of the top five promotion companies in boxing in terms of strength.


    If it had been before the establishment of Dynasty Promotions, he might have considered joining Golden Boy Promotions.


    But now, being a world champion boxer himself, with the generous treatment provided by Dynasty and considering that Hoyle, after becoming a boss, also became a capitalist with cases of withholding boxers'' shares, Link didn''t believe Hoyle would offer a better revenue share than Dynasty Promotions.


    "Link, I can offer you a 70% revenue share for the matches?" Hoyle further said.


    "90% and I might consider it," Link said with a laugh.


    After pondering for a moment, Hoyle shook his head; a 9:1 split left no profit margin for the promotion company.


    "Link, let''s have a match and see whose skills are better."


    "Are you sure?"


    In his younger years, Hoyle was quite strong, having won a gold medal at the Olympics, the Golden Gloves championship, and the National Amateur Championships in the United States, with an amateur record of 223 wins and 5 losses. Purely in terms of amateur achievements, not many in the boxing world could compare.


    After turning professional in ''92 he subsequently won world champion titles in six weight categories: Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Super Lightweight, Welterweight, Super Welterweight, and Middleweight, becoming an idol to Pacquiao.


    But in recent years, moving up to Super Welterweight and Middleweight, his strength has seen a significant decline, suffering defeats to Bernard Hopkins, Mayweather, and Pacquiao.


    Facing him, Link did not think Hoyle stood much of a chance of winning.


    "I think our match would generate a considerable income," Hoyle said with a meaningful smile.


    Link thought about it, understanding the other party''s intentions.


    After his loss to Pacquiao, there were rumors of Hoyle planning to retire, but as one of the boxers with the highest appearance fees in the industry, retiring directly would not be profitable.


    He probably wanted to make a big score before retiring. Considering their skin color, looks, skill, and fame, with the right handling, the attention this match could generate might rivaled the Hoyle vs. Pacquiao match.


    The prize money could potentially break the hundred million US Dollar mark.


    With this in mind, Link felt that a exhibition match with Hoyle wasn''t a bad idea.

 Chapter 120 Role Audition

    ```After the match, Link returned to New York and transferred the 4.2 million US Dollars he earned into his account. The prize for this match was 10 million.


    According to the agreement before the match, he split the earnings 7:3 with Tyson; the winner takes the lion''s share. After splitting 6:4 with the Dynasty promotion, he was left with 4.2 million.


    He then contacted Franco and acquired the Yorkville apartment for 3.2 million. With the real estate crisis still ongoing and New York property prices having dropped significantly, buying real estate was a sensible investment at the time.


    The rest of the money he entrusted to Ms. Cathy Wood, a fund manager at Vanguard, taking the opportunity to buy more technology stocks like Amazon, Apple, Google, Netflix, and YouTube while the stock market had not yet risen.


    With the market''s recovery next year, becoming a billionaire before 2010 wouldn''t be difficult.


    "Link? Are you Mr. Link Baker?"


    On Manhattan''s Third Avenue at the Rooftop Bar, Link was reading the newspaper when he heard an excited voice beside him. He looked up to see two young people in their early twenties, both looking at him with eager eyes.


    "Hello!"


    "Mr. Link Baker, I''m a huge fan of yours. Could I please have an autograph?" S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The young man asked, holding a sketchbook.


    Link nodded, signed autographs for both of them, and even took a photo together, leaving the two fans ecstatically happy as they departed.


    After his victory over Tyson, Dynasty promotion had conducted a massive publicity campaign, spreading the news all over the world.


    Now, his reputation in the boxing world was even more prominent than when he became the world boxing champion, and his fan base had grown. Moreover, with his videos on YouTube, he was frequently recognized when out shopping.


    "Hey, Link, I knew it was you."


    Upon hearing a greeting from behind, Link turned around and saw Paul Walker, with his blond hair, holding a glass and walking through the aisle. They had collaborated once in Miami on the set of Fast & Furious 4. They didn''t usually keep in contact, so it was unexpected to run into him here.


    "Paul, you''re in New York too?"


    Link waved invitingly for Paul to sit down.


    Paul flashed a cheerful smile and said, "Yes, I''m in New York to promote a new movie. I saw in the newspaper that you defeated Tyson again. You''re really incredible, man."


    "Tyson is just too old now; if he were younger, I wouldn''t stand a chance," said Link, shrugging.


    "Haha, you''re too modest. Last time in the Miami bar you claimed you couldn''t race, but once on the road, you left us far behind in less than ten miles. Your driving skills are no worse than that of professional race car drivers. When can we race again?" Paul Walker laughed, patting his shoulder.


    Link chuckled, "Okay, next time I''m in Los Angeles, I''ll find you. If I lose, I''ll leave behind my car."


    "No problem! It''s a deal."


    Paul Walker bumped fists with him in agreement.


    After a brief chat, Paul Walker got up to leave, as his new thriller "Scattered Memories" was recently released. Ambitious, after the success of Fast & Furious, he would also take on some niche films, trying to transition.


    After seeing off Paul Walker, Link continued to read the script on his table. Shortly after, a middle-aged man in a black woolen coat arrived at the booth, about forty, Caucasian, with curly brown hair, and looking very energetic.


    This man was Darren Aronofsky, the director of the movie "Fighter" and the reason for their meet-up today.


    Director Darren, a New Yorker himself, had works such as "Requiem for a Dream" and "The Fountain," as well as the recently released movie "The Wrestler," and the upcoming "Black Swan."


    "The Wrestler" is also a sports-themed film, telling the story of a prominent professional wrestler''s rise and fall during the 80s. The movie had received favorable responses since its release and Darren had won the Best Director award at the Venice Film Festival in August for it.


    Because of this, Relativity Media, the producer of "Fighter," approached him to direct this film, and the script Link was looking at had been sent by his people.


    "Mr. Link, I apologize for being late," said the director.


    "No problem, I''ve just arrived myself," replied Link as he stood up to shake hands and invited the director to sit down.


    After taking a seat, Director Darren stared at Link for a moment, "Link, although I know you''re the world boxing champion, seeing you in person is still somewhat surprising; you don''t look like a boxer."


    "Oh?"


    Link called the waiter to order a coffee for Director Darren.


    Director Darren spread his hands saying, "Do you know Mickey Rourke? The lead actor in ''The Wrestler''? He used to be an actor, turned boxer at 29, but due to the many injuries to his face, his facial muscles became stiff. Your facial muscles, on the other hand, are very expressive, with a kind of artistic air to them; it''s hard to believe you''re a world boxing champion."


    Link laughed heartily, "That''s because my techniques are quite good, and it''s difficult for most people to land a hit on my face."


    Another reason was that he recovered faster and more completely than the average person, so injuries didn''t affect his muscles or appearance.


    Director Darren nodded, "I''ve watched your matches. At first, I just wanted to understand your fighting style. After only two matches, I became a fan. Your boxing skills are fantastic ¨C a perfect combination of speed, power, and technique. Every match is incredibly exciting."


    "Thank you!"


    ```


    When the waiter had delivered the coffee, Link proactively shifted the conversation to the script of "The Fighter."


    Since receiving the script, he had done quite a bit of work: firstly, reading books on acting and studying several acting theories.


    Secondly, through the main event companies, he found the contact information for the real-life inspiration for "The Fighter''s" protagonist, Micky Ward, to inquire about his character and hobbies.


    He even took the initiative to find director Woody Allen and sought advice on acting from him.


    Originally, he had been quite confident, but director Darren''s comment that he didn''t look like a boxer made him somewhat puzzled about the director''s thoughts.


    "Link, you''ve read the script. What do you think of Micky Ward as a person?"


    asked director Darren.


    Link thought for a moment, "A slow, inarticulate man with little initiative."


    Micky Ward''s career had always been controlled by his mother, who acted as his agent, without any plans of his own. Later on, once he met his girlfriend, he let his girlfriend take control and broke away from his mother''s family.


    In his professional matches, he also lacked personal ideas, only listening to his brother''s arrangements. Whatever his brother told him to do in the ring, he did, and after his brother went to prison, he followed his coach''s instructions.


    His fists were strong, but his boxing IQ was low.


    When the protagonist needed to make a choice between his girlfriend and coaching team, and his mother and brother, he chose to evade the situation.


    In the end, it was his brother taking the initiative to reconcile both sides, resulting in his girlfriend and mother sitting together while he defeated the boxing champion Arturo Gatti in the ring¡ªa classic Hollywood ending.


    "Link, you are smarter than Micky when it comes to boxing. If you were to play him, how would you portray his inarticulateness and slowness?"


    director Darren asked with crossed fingers.


    While reading the script, Link noticed that this character was somewhat similar to the heroic Guo Jing¡ªslow and inarticulate, easily influenced, but with a pure heart and a focused mind during fights and training. This was one of the reasons that Micky Ward had become a boxing star.


    It wouldn''t be easy to play this character well.


    He specifically sought advice from director Woody Allen, who suggested minimizing facial expressions and speech, slowing down when speaking, not moving the eyes erratically, and portraying a degree of quietness through language and behavior.


    Following director Woody Allen''s guidance, Link put on a dull expression and slowed his voice, "Director Darren, what do you think?"


    Director Darren scrutinized him for a moment. Professional opinion considered Link''s performance rather rough and immature, far from the standards of a professional actor.


    The only bright spot was that his performance had a certain spontaneity and distinctiveness, and his looks set him apart.


    What he was contemplating now was whether to assign the role to Link for these reasons.


    Actually, giving the script to Link''s agency had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. While preparing the movie "The Fighter," he planned to cast a professional boxer as the male lead to make it look more professional.


    At that time, Link''s match happened to be on TV, and thinking that Link fit the role well, he had the script delivered to him.


    However, after reading many reports on Link later, he realized Link and Micky Ward were two very different types of boxers: one slow, one sharp; one a late bloomer, the other a young sensation. The more he thought about it, the more he saw the differences and felt they were ill-suited for each other.


    Considering Link was a world champion boxer, Darren thought perhaps Link wouldn''t be interested in acting, so he did not retract the script.


    Yet a couple of days ago, Link''s agent called out of the blue, stating Link was interested in the role and wanted to talk.


    Out of respect for Link, he came to the meeting, prepared to tactfully decline, but upon seeing a spark of talent in Link''s performance, he hesitated, wondering if he should collaborate with Link just once.


    "Link, I hope you don''t mind me asking, but as a world champion boxer, you''re incredibly accomplished in the ring, and I saw the New York Post''s assessment of you, saying your potential was no less than De La Hoya''s or Mayweather''s. With such success already, why do you want to cross over into acting?"


    Director Darren asked curiously.


    Link smiled slightly, "There are many reasons, but two are particularly important. First, I like acting; I have a desire to perform;


    Second, I want to use film to promote myself as well as the sport of boxing. When I won the Golden Belt, President Mendoza said the belt is not just an honor but also a responsibility. Every champion should see the promotion of the boxing sport as a duty to bring more people to understand and learn boxing.


    So when I saw the script for ''The Fighter,'' I didn''t hesitate to take it on. I believe that playing this role is not only about performing but also a part of being involved in the sport of boxing."


    Director Darren looked at him in surprise. He had expected Link to speak of a passion for acting or a dream of becoming an actor but hadn''t expected him to talk about using the platform to promote the sport. It seemed that Link was serious about acting and not just treating it as a casual endeavor.


    Director Darren hesitated for a moment, then decided not to rush into refusing Link.


    Link had a good image, high popularity, and was still a professional boxer. Moreover, he had some natural acting talent¡ªall of which were advantages.


    The only downside was his inexperienced acting skills, but that was not a significant problem. For a skilled director, a naturally talented actor could be more cooperative than a seasoned professional.


    "Link, this role is quite important, and I can''t make the decision alone. I''ll go back and discuss it with everyone, and maybe we''ll ask you to come to the production company for a second audition. I hope it won''t be an inconvenience for you."


    "No problem, I''ll wait for your call."


    said Link.

 Chapter 121 Picking Up the Missed Script

    I ran, I climbed, I soaredI was undefeated


    Jumping out of my skin, pulled the chord


    Yeah, I believed it


    After seeing off Director Darren, Taylor continued to read the screenplay in the bar. On the small stage of the bar, a female singer with thick makeup was holding a guitar and singing Taylor''s new song "Dream It Possible". She sang quite well.


    Unfortunately, it wasn''t a familiar face, and Link didn''t know her potential, so he hesitated to scoop her up.


    In fact, after founding his music company, he had thought about signing some unknown singers to fill the talent pool of the company, earn some extra money, and make the Link music label famous.


    But those he knew had already debuted, and those who hadn''t were still too young, so there was no opportunity to pick up overlooked talent. Experience tales at empire


    "Mr. Saffron, what do you think of my new screenplay?"


    As he was reading the screenplay, he heard someone in the adjacent seat discussing a screenplay, he glanced over, and it was not the film star he had expected, but two average-looking middle-aged men.


    The talking man was in his thirties, wearing a jacket and glasses, looking like a liberal arts teacher.


    "Chris, are you sure this is the new screenplay you wrote? Just in a wooden box? One actor? One phone? Is that even a script? Do you think something like this would interest viewers?


    Sorry Chris, I''m busy today, contact me next time when you have a real good screenplay."


    The man in the black suit dropped the screenplay, picked up his bag from the seat, and left.


    Thud!


    The man''s bag fell to the floor along with the screenplay, and Link glanced over.


    On the white cover of the screenplay, there was the word ''Buried'' in large letters. Seeing this title, he remembered a rather unique suspense film, the 2010 movie "Buried" starring Ryan Reynolds.


    Could it be the same screenplay?


    He bent down to pick it up and said to the man across, "Sir, may I have a look?"


    "Oh, please!"


    The man next door nodded and suddenly stared at his face, surprised, "Are you the World Boxing Champion, Mr. Link Baker?"


    "That''s me!"


    "Hello Mr. Baker, I''m a big fan of your boxing, and so is my son. He also likes your songs and has bought your albums."


    The man who looked like a teacher stood up excitedly and spoke.


    Link shook his hand and invited him to sit down, asking about his identity, Chris Sparling, an editor at Variety magazine, a newcomer screenwriter with no film works to his name yet.


    Link flipped through the screenplay, which told the story of a construction contractor working in Iraq. He was attacked by a bomb on his way home from work, woke up to find himself lying in a coffin, buried in a desert with only a mobile phone and a flashlight. Once aware of his situation, he began to use the tools at hand to attempt his escape.


    The screenplay was the same as the plot of "Buried" that he had seen.


    Link was pleasantly surprised, remembering that the movie was made on a small budget of about two to three million dollars and later grossed twenty to thirty million worldwide, winning numerous awards at film festivals around the globe.


    It was a low-budget film that had been a box office and critical success.


    If he could obtain the rights to adapt the screenplay and invest in making it into a movie, he could stand to make a tidy profit in the future.


    He looked at Chris Sparling, who appeared anxious, "Mr. Sparling, is the story in this screenplay true?" Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Screenwriter Chris shook his head, "It was based on a news story I saw. An American hostage was buried underground by terrorists in the Middle East for five days and was eventually rescued by rainwater. I was inspired by this news and wrote the screenplay, completely original work."


    Link nodded, "Do you still have the adaptation rights to this screenplay?"


    "Yes, I wrote this screenplay in ''06, and after finishing it I thought it was quite good, so I sent it to more than a dozen movie companies, hoping to make an impression. Unfortunately, after two years, there was no response. I didn''t want to see my work buried, so I reached out to some producers I knew to take a look at the screenplay, but so far no one is interested."


    Screenwriter Chris said regretfully.


    Link, holding the screenplay, pondered for a moment, "Mr. Sparling, I don''t know why others weren''t interested, but after reading it, I find it very intriguing. Such a screenplay shouldn''t be overlooked. I''d like to buy the adaptation rights to "Buried" and make it into a movie in the future. Would you sell them?"


    "Mr. Baker, are you serious?"


    Screenwriter Chris looked at him in disbelief; Link had decided to buy his rights after just one reading. This was incredibly surprising to him, and very moving.


    He used to tell people how great the screenplay was and that it would make a terrific movie, but no one believed him.


    Now that Link had read it just once and wanted to buy the adaptation rights, screenwriter Chris suddenly felt like he had found a kindred spirit.


    "Mr. Baker, if you can turn this screenplay into a film within three years, I''ll give you the adaptation rights for free, not one cent required,"


    screenwriter Chris said excitedly.


    "For free?"


    Link smiled, waved his hand, and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll get this screenplay filmed, but let''s do things according to market rates. Whatever is due for the adaptation rights should be paid. After all, the screenplay is the result of your labor, and I don''t want something for nothing."


    Screenwriter Chris smiled happily and eventually quoted the lowest price¡ªfor the adaptation rights, thirty thousand for three years, a hundred thousand for five years.


    Link thought for a moment and agreed.


    He then called Mrs. Mandy to discuss the screenplay adaptation rights and asked her to find a lawyer to draw up a copyright contract and send it over.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Link, what are you doing buying screenplays? Don''t tell me you''re thinking of changing careers to become a director."


    After signing the contract, Mrs. Mandy asked with curiosity.


    Link looked at the copyright contract and screenplay in his hands and laughed, "I''m planning to set up another film studio, invest in making films. What do you think?"


    Mrs. Mandy looked at him and said, "That''s great. One day you tell me you''re running for President, and I wouldn''t be surprised."


    "An election?"


    Link stroked his chin and thought seriously.


    Mrs. Mandy blinked and stared at him, "You''re not actually considering it, are you?"


    Link laughed, "Just kidding. I bought this screenplay because it''s low-cost, a good trial run. But you don''t need to worry¡ªI won''t be investing in films in the next two years. My focus for the next couple of years is on boxing, trying to earn some more money. The purpose of creating a film studio is to collect screenplays."


    Mrs. Mandy breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing his response.


    After becoming Link''s agent, she realized how busy he was¡ªup at six in the morning for fitness training, at least six hours of boxing training every day, and then practice on the guitar and piano; sometimes he''d even go to the studio to practice singing.


    Now he was starting to read screenplays, preparing to become an actor. If he were to start up another film company, he''d probably be working himself to death.


    "After ''Dream It Possible'' became a huge hit, many media outlets called Link Music, wanting to interview you. You were busy with training and competition the other day, so I didn''t tell you. Do you want to accept the interview?"


    Mrs. Mandy said, looking towards the singer performing on stage.


    Link thought it over and declined; he wasn''t a professional musician and knew little about songwriting, so he couldn''t possibly answer the reporters'' questions. It was better to remain silent and maintain an air of mystery.


    "There''s one more thing."


    Mrs. Mandy put away the documents on the table, "Christmas is coming up. Do you have any plans?"


    "Christmas?"


    Link was taken aback. Time passed quickly; he remembered it was May when he had arrived, and in the blink of an eye, it was almost the end of the year.


    "I don''t seem to have any plans."


    Because of the role he was playing, he had no plans to return to Miami anytime soon. Taylor was busy running around, and even if Taylor had no engagements on Christmas Day, he''d still be at home. As for Catherine, she had remarried, and he didn''t intend to disturb them.


    Link realized that even in New York, he was still a loner.


    "How about spending Christmas at my place? There''s just my daughter Saffron at home, it''ll be livelier with you there,"


    Mrs. Mandy asked expectantly.


    Link smiled gently, "Wouldn''t that be a disturbance?"


    "Not at all. If Saffron knew you were coming over for Christmas, she would be thrilled,"


    Mrs. Mandy said with a smile.


    After thinking it over, Link nodded and accepted the invitation.

 Chapter 122 On the Streets of New York

    After leaving the bar, Link took advantage of the nice weather and drove around New York.Having been in New York for over three months, he was usually busy training and competing and had never appreciated the scenery along the streets.


    Today happened to be a bright, sunny day. The sky was tile blue, with the occasional airplane flying across; its long contrail took a long time to dissipate. The winter sunlight was as clear as mountain spring water, shining on the central business district of Manhattan.


    Your next read is at empire


    Those skyscrapers that are usually hidden in the clouds revealed their full appearance today, such as the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Chrysler Building, and Thompson Building, all passing by the car window in succession.


    Because Christmas was around the corner, the streets were filled with Christmas trees, Christmas lights, and Santa Claus dolls, all in bright red, green, and white, exuding a festive atmosphere.


    As he drove past the Thompson building, he remembered something and called Miss Thompson to ask how her arranged meeting was going.


    After the last party, Eva had told him that Mr. Thompson had hosted a large party in Atlantic City, inviting many heirs from wealthy families in New Jersey. He wanted her to choose a marriage partner from among them.


    The Thompson real estate was facing a financial crisis with severe losses, and many of their assets were on the brink of bankruptcy. Mr. Thompson hoped to solve his family''s troubles through her marriage.


    Eva disapproved of this arrangement, which is why she had him act as a shield.


    When Eva heard his teasing, she snorted coldly, "Link, if I get married, I won''t be able to continue working at Universal Records. Do you want that? So you''d better pray I don''t get married."


    "Yes, you are a great partner, and I don''t want you to leave. So, I''m prepared to go to church and pray you never get married."


    "Jerk, I said ''temporarily,'' not ''forever.'' I also pray you stay single forever, and that your relationships with any woman never last more than a year."


    "Is that so vicious?"


    "You started the malicious attack first."


    Eva strongly retorted.


    Link shook his head, feeling dizzy from arguing with a woman.


    "Graham said you haven''t been to the company for a long time. They want to use money but there''s no one to sign off on it."


    "Then you go sign. Besides Universal Records, I have two jewelry stores, a fast-food product, a branded shoe store, a reality show, and I''m also the vice-president of the Thompson Group. Oh¡ªI''m too busy. You think I''m like you, having nothing to do all day and can drive around aimlessly?"


    "Are you flaunting your wealth to me?"


    "Do I need to do that?"


    "Honestly, no need, given that I am an Olympic champion, world boxing champion, renowned singer, and vice-president of two companies. Your wealth flaunting isn''t going to affect me."


    Link joked.


    "Hmm, you really are a jerk. I used to think you were a gentleman, but now I''ve changed my mind. You''re no different from those guys at the party who love to brag about themselves."


    Eva said, half laughing.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and started to discuss serious matters with her.


    "Eva, Graham told me that ''Despacito''s'' sales figures for the first month are out. It sold 114,208 copies in the United States and 388,000 overseas, but the overseas revenue hasn''t been received. Remember to contact Universal Records to ensure they transfer the funds on time, as the company is short on cash right now."


    Initially, when ''Despacito'' was released, the domestic part was distributed by the marketing department of Universal Records, and the international distribution rights were given to Universal Records. Each copy sold by Universal Records could earn a 33% share, which was less than the domestic share, but since Universal Records was newly established, they could only settle for this.


    "Understood. When will your new album be finished? Releasing singles alone won''t open the market, and the company won''t make much profit, so the first album is crucial."


    "The fourteen songs have already been gathered. Recording and post-production take about a month, and promotion needs time too, so it will probably be around March or April next year."


    "That''s too slow. I want to see a complete album before February, and it must be on shelves by March."


    "Aren''t you being too impatient?"


    "If someone were forcing you to marry, you''d be impatient too."


    "Okay, for your freedom and happiness, Graham and I will go to the recording studio to practice singing tomorrow."


    Link laughed.


    After chatting for half an hour, Link said goodbye. Just after hanging up, he received a call from James.


    James asked if he was coming back to Miami for Christmas.


    Link said he didn''t have time yet. He would head back to enjoy the sun after recording the first album.


    "Yes, you''ve become a big star now. Every day you have to accept invitations, go out to perform. I know, I''ve watched those celebrity talk shows."


    James said.


    Link smiled gently, acknowledging that he wasn''t very famous in the music scene yet and didn''t have much going on, but after his debut album was released, he anticipated getting calls every day.


    "Why don''t you come to New York after Christmas? I need a personal assistant, how does a monthly salary of twenty thousand US Dollars sound?"


    "To New York? No, no, I''ve heard it''s very dangerous there, with daily gunfights. You could get robbed just for going out to buy a hot dog,"


    James said.


    "You should stop reading those tabloids, New York is much safer than Miami. I''ve been here in New York for two months and haven''t encountered a single shooting¡­"


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Just as he was speaking, three loud blasts sounding like car tires bursting, but shriller, echoed from the block ahead, making one''s heart skip a beat. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link, Link, what was that sound? Was there a shootout?" James shouted excitedly over the phone.


    "No, it must be a car tire blowing out."


    Link saw the vehicles ahead stopping and also turned on his hazard lights to park by the roadside, looking out the window, all the vehicles on West 43rd Street were halted and pedestrians were retreating.


    "Impossible, how could three tires blow out at the same time? It has to be a gunfight. You should come back, Link, New York is too dangerous. I''m just calling you and I can hear gunshots, there must be shootings there every day."


    Link was speechless, and couldn''t really explain anything. He exchanged a few words with James and then hung up.


    The noises had come from a bar, apparently some trouble was brewing there, everything was chaotic.


    Link, having no interest in the commotion, saw Dino Duva, Mario, and Morales approaching from across the street while he was backing up his car.


    "Hey, over here!"


    Link called out, lowering his car window.


    "Link? What are you doing here?" Dino waved and shouted.


    "Just shopping."


    Link invited the three into his car and asked Mario and Morales, "Christmas is coming up soon, I''m planning to take a few days off, what are your plans?"


    "I''m going home The Day After Tomorrow," Morales said.


    Mario, with his big belly, said, "I''m planning to continue training to participate in the Gold Glove Tournament next year, and this time I must make it to the finals."


    Link shook his head and started the car, "You''re pretty skilled and strong, with a B+ in durability. It''s hard to make a mark in the Heavyweight category, you might consider losing more than ten pounds and competing in the Cruiserweight category where there are not many masters."


    "I think Link is right," Morales nodded.


    "Losing weight? That''s too hard," Mario scratched his ugly face and said.


    Link didn''t try to persuade him further and looked at Dino, "Take that sports car you left at my place and drive it back. I have a car, I don''t need a sports car."


    Last time, after finishing the property transfer, Dino had parked a Ferrari F50 sports car in his garage, claiming it was a gift, but Link, having a car and savings, wasn''t very interested in sports cars.


    "We teamed up to bet and made millions, that sports car is your share of the winnings, only worth a little over three hundred thousand. If you don''t want it, you can throw it in a car graveyard, I don''t mind," Dino shrugged and said with a laugh.


    Link was helpless, his two brothers always liked to forcefully give people gifts, not knowing where they picked up this bad habit.


    "Give me the car purchase contract and I''ll write you a check, otherwise next time during the match, I won''t tell you which round will win."


    "Link, I''ve decided, I want to lose weight and fight in the Cruiserweight category,"


    Mario suddenly declared, clenching his fist.


    Link, Dino, and Morales looked at him strangely, not understanding why he suddenly yelled.


    "I want to be a boxing champion too, I want a Ferrari, and I want a yacht too,"


    Mario clenched his teeth, as if making a huge decision.


    "I''m also planning to enter next year''s nationwide boxing championship, without Link there, I''m confident I can win the title,"


    Morales said, flexing his arm muscles.


    Dino looked at Link, then at the two of them, annoyed, "Are you guys crazy? I''m talking about sports cars with Link, why are you suddenly bringing this up? You all have goals, what should I be doing?"


    Link smiled gently, dropped the three off at the subway station, and drove home.

 Chapter 123 Digging Pits for Each Other

    Christmas was fast approaching, and Link called Taylor to ask if she was coming to New York.Taylor was originally from Pennsylvania. When she was twelve, her parents moved the family to Nashville, Tennessee, in the south-central United States to support her singing career, the capital of country music.


    After Taylor became famous, the Swift family moved to Los Angeles, where they spent most of the year. She only came to New York to record music.


    After the release of "Fearless," Taylor had become the most popular country music singer in the United States, and one of the hottest pop singers, with skyrocketing popularity.


    Taylor''s daily invitations and work had increased manifold. During the album''s promotion, she had only visited New York once and had hurriedly left after staying for just one night.


    He wanted to spend a two-person world with Taylor during Christmas.


    It was only that Taylor said she had work arrangements the day before Christmas, so she could only come to New York after Christmas.


    Thinking of her family at home, her parents to keep company with, and a younger brother who had just started elementary school, Link did not press further.


    As long as she wasn''t too busy and took care of her health.


    With Taylor not coming back, Link''s free time would increase.


    Every morning, he would run near Central Park and do strength and speed training in the gym of his apartment.


    After his last fight with Tyson, he had recognized his weaknesses.


    The first was that his body weight was not enough, and there was a big gap in resistance to hitting compared to the heavyweights. This was something that couldn''t be changed for the moment, as he was a super middleweight boxer, and 77 kilograms was the upper limit¡ªhe couldn''t easily gain weight.


    Second, his punch wasn''t powerful enough; his right punch peaked at 1600 pounds, but the average was only 1360 pounds.


    At the same training ground, Holyfield had a maximum punch strength of 1620 pounds, only 20 pounds more than his, but his right punch averaged 1480 pounds over ten punches, showing very stable performance and more killing power than his, making him slightly better in real combat.


    Link continued to train, also aiming to increase his punch strength and striving to raise it above 2000 pounds. If he could reach this figure, he might become a ''one-punch man'' in the future.


    No matter what opponent he faced, he could resolve the problem with one punch.


    After every day''s training, he would drive to the recording studio to practice singing. Ivanka had made it clear that she wanted the album out before February, so he and Graham along with others had no choice but to work overtime and start the recording process early.


    I''m never


    I never


    I''m never down sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I never give up


    Lying here, staring up


    As I lie here, staring ahead


    And you''re looking down


    In the recording studio, Link, wearing headphones standing behind the microphone, was singing a song from the new album "Chasing the Sun"


    "Chasing the Sun" is one of the theme songs of the animated movie "Ice Age 4," a popular motivational song performed by British pop band The Wanted, which had topped the UK Singles Chart and reached number five on the U.S. Billboard.


    The song incorporates elements of rock, pop, and indie music; it''s uplifting with a great rhythm.


    Link used to listen to this song''s rhythm while practicing boxing steps, repeatedly practicing along with it.


    Because it was a song he often listened to in the past, when practicing singing, he would often involuntarily recall scenes from his boxing training.


    This feeling was strange, he used to listen to songs while boxing, and now when he was practicing singing, his mind was on boxing.


    "Link, put more into it when you sing. Remember you''re a singer, not a player. When performing a song, try to understand each lyric, each tune, and integrate your understanding and emotions into it, then express it with your voice. The more thoroughly you understand the song, the more perfect your expression will be, and your voice will be more impactful,"


    From behind the soundproof glass wall, Graham Goodall said as he listened to the music and gave pointers.


    "Understood!"


    Link nodded, adjusted his singing technique according to the advice, and sang over and over again, continuing even when his voice became hoarse.


    Graham mentioned that since he had not received formal musical training, his grasp of tunes was not precise. Therefore, before the official recording, he needed to sing each song from the album over a thousand times to form muscle memory and avoid mistakes.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "How is Link doing with his singing?"


    Outside the recording studio, Ivanka walked in wearing a black ladies'' suit dress, her golden hair tied up, lips painted red, her fair and delicate face showing no superfluous expressions, appearing like a formidable female CEO.


    Graham came to his senses, put down his headphones and said, "Absolutely fantastic. Link is a born singer, with top-notch vocal capacity, unique understanding of the songs, and great emotional handling. It''s hard to imagine he''s a boxer. If he could dedicate more time and energy to singing, his future achievements could rival those of top-tier singers."


    "Just a top-tier singer?"


    Ivanka, with her arms crossed, seemed somewhat dissatisfied.


    Graham looked at her in surprise. Wasn''t it enough for Link to become a top-tier singer?


    There are thousands of singers in the music industry, but only a few dozen can be considered top-tier. Considering that Link was a boxer, Graham thought it was quite an achievement for him to reach that level.


    "Link isn''t a professional singer, hasn''t received professional training, and doesn''t understand music theory. Being a top-tier singer is a fitting position for him," Graham said.


    Ivanka looked at the person in the glass window and shook her head slightly, "Your goal is too conservative. He''s only 20, already a world boxing champion, and has hundreds of millions of fans globally¡ªsurpassing all rookie singers.


    Second, he is a songwriter; he could write a Billboard champion single ''Dream It Possible,'' proving he is very talented.


    The third and most important point is that he is very handsome, possessing the appearance of a top film star.


    "With such credentials, do you think he can only be a top-tier singer?"


    Upon careful consideration, Graham realized that Link indeed was excellent, possessing talent, looks, fame, and youth.


    Furthermore, he was very hardworking, very serious during singing practice, and lacked the bad habits of young stars¡ªhe was flawless.


    "Link is outstanding, but sometimes becoming a top-level singer also depends on the social environment and market trends,"


    Graham hesitated.


    "I understand. The purpose of my telling you this is to remind you that Link is not an ordinary singer but a genius. You need to mold him like an Emperor Superstar, be stricter with him. If he succeeds, you will also succeed and earn more honors and U.S. dollars. I think you would like that," Ivanka said lightly.


    Graham''s eyes brightened when he heard her words. Having been a producer for over twenty years, he was only a Gold-Record Producer, not at the pinnacle of music producers.


    Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    The main reason was that he often worked under Sony Music with not-so-great singers, producing mediocre songs, unable to display his full talent.


    Now having potential hits and a talented singer at his disposal, why not strive to achieve something significant here?


    "Miss Thomp, I understand. I will definitely be stricter with Link,"


    Graham said.


    Ivanka glanced at Link and a triumphant smile appeared on her face.


    After standing in the studio for a while, she left without waiting for Link to come out, reminding Graham not to tell Link about her visit before she left.


    Soon, Link noticed that Graham''s demands had become stricter, continuously interrupting his singing to point out numerous mistakes and asking him to correct them. Afterwards, Graham even handed him a stack of music textbooks to take home and study.


    "Graham, it''s just singing. Is it necessary to know so much theory?"


    Link looked at the stack of books on the table, somewhat overwhelmed.


    Graham, very serious, shook his head and picked up a piece of manuscript paper, saying, "Link, do you know how to perfectly cut out a hand shape from this piece of paper?"


    Link looked at the A4 paper, thought for a moment, and used his fingers to gesture.


    "First, draw the outline of the hand with a pen, then cut it out with scissors."


    Graham shook his head and took out a larger piece of manuscript paper, about twice the size of a hand.


    "To cut a perfect hand shape out of a piece of paper, the best method is not to draw with a pen, but to expand the paper. As long as the paper is large enough, you can freely create, draw as many hands as you like."


    Link thought for a moment but still didn''t quite understand what he was trying to say.


    "Graham, please speak directly. Don''t use metaphors with me."


    "The principle is the same with singing. As long as your skill is high enough, any song can be perfectly presented by you. You might listen to songs by Celine Dion and Whitney Houston. They never sing in falsetto, crack their voice, or run out of breath.


    They sing every song easily because their vocal skills are good enough; they don''t need to exert too much effort to perfect a song," Graham explained.


    Link understood. To put it in Huaxia idioms, just four words¡ªeffortlessly competent.


    As long as one''s singing technique is perfected, one can perform effortlessly.


    "Musical theory is like a guide for musicians. The more you know, the fewer mistakes you''ll make. Take a look at these; they won''t harm you," Mr. Graham advised.


    Link thought for a moment and accepted the suggestion.

 Chapter 124 Happy New Year

    Leaving the recording studio, Link pondered over Graham''s suggestion.Graham said he was only twenty years old, the right age for college, with time to take classes at a nearby school to enrich his spiritual world.


    When Link first heard Graham''s suggestion, he shook his head repeatedly. He was a world champion boxer and a millionaire. Did he really need to go to school? What a joke.


    But on the way, he gave it some careful thought and realized the suggestion might be feasible.


    Firstly, both he and Link lacked a high level of education, which was a fact.


    Back when he was boxing at the gym, he envied those students who could calmly sit in classrooms, play with their phones, date, have money to spend without getting hit, wear branded clothes, and live carefree lives as if in a utopian world.


    Unfortunately, he never had the chance to experience it, which was one of his life''s regrets.


    Now that he had both money and free time, should he also try that kind of life? S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, a cultured idol, a cultured World Champion, would present a more positive public image, and the fans'' support would also increase.


    Take the current WBC-WBO-IBF world champion Klitschko brothers, for instance, both of whom have Ph.D. degrees from Kyiv University and are called ''Dr. Iron Fist'' and ''Dr. Steel Hammer.''


    Link thought that if he also had a doctoral title, it would be quite an interesting story to tell.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "I''m thinking of going to a school to study, what do you all think?"


    On Christmas Day, at the Gomez family''s dinner table, a feast of delicious food was spread out, with a large, steaming turkey in the center. Link sliced a small piece of turkey, put it in his mouth, and said.


    "Study?"


    Lady Catherine and Lady Mandy across the table lifted their heads to look at him, expressions somewhat surprised.


    "Link, have you lost your mind? You''re a World Champion boxer and you want to go to college?"


    Selina lifted her head, blinking her big eyes at him.


    "I''m considering it."


    Link shrugged his shoulders and said, "I''ve got nothing to do lately, and I read a few bestsellers, only to realize there''s a lot I don''t understand. I think maybe I should find a school to recharge my batteries."


    "That''s a really great idea, Link. The fact that you''ve thought of this proves that you''re even better than all of us imagined," Mr. Adam Gomez said, leading the support.


    Catherine nodded in agreement, "You have the money, time, fame, and status to do anything you want, and studying is indeed a good choice."


    "Link, what college do you want to go to? You''re an Olympic champion, a World Champion boxer. I bet any college in the United States would welcome you."


    Lady Mandy asked.


    "Link, go to Harvard, I hear it''s full of nerds there," Selina suggested mischievously.


    Link shook his head, "Harvard isn''t suitable for me. I work quite a lot and can''t spend all day on campus studying. Going to a top institution would only bring embarrassment. A normal school is just fine."


    "That''s fine too. I wish you a happy college life," Catherine said with a smile, raising her glass. Stay tuned for updates on empire


    "Link, enjoy your studies!"


    The others raised their glasses to congratulate him as well.


    "Thank you!"


    Link said with a smile.


    Ms. Mandy set down her wine glass and looked at Selena beside her, "Selena, you also need to study hard at school and strive to get into a top-tier university in the future."


    "What?!"


    Selena, who was drinking juice, immediately choked and looked at Ms. Mandy with confusion in her eyes, "What does Link going to school have to do with me?"


    "Link is so outstanding and he''s even considering further education. As his younger sister, shouldn''t you learn from him?" Ms. Mandy said.


    "I can study music and acting!"


    "No, attending classes at school is very important, too. This semester, no more skipping or being absent without leave, otherwise, I will consider ending your work at Disney prematurely," Ms. Mandy said seriously.


    Selena scowled, her little round face crinkling up, and she gave Link a secret kick under the table, muttering softly, "It''s all your fault. It''s Christmas today; wouldn''t it be nice to talk about happy things? Why bring up studying? It''s so annoying."


    Link laughed, "You don''t like studying?"


    "Of course, I don''t. Only nerds like to stay in school all the time. And I lied just now, actually your college plan is terrible, the worst plan I''ve heard in 2008," Selena said, waving her little fists angrily.


    Link chuckled indifferently, "Remember how you wanted me to write you a song? If you get a B+ in every subject at high school, I''ll write you a few more."


    "Really?"


    Selena exclaimed excitedly.


    The song Link wrote, "Dream it possible," was amazing. After its release, many professional magazines rated it as one of the best motivational songs of the past decade, and the accolades for Link were very high, saying he was an extremely talented creative artist.


    It was said that many people were seeking Link out for songs. Selena also wanted to be a singer and really wanted Link to write a song for her, but Link was too busy, and she never had the chance to bring it up.


    Today, since it was Christmas and Link seemed in a good mood, she took the initiative to ask him. Link said that creativity needed inspiration, and he would have to wait.


    "Okay, I will study hard, I promise to get at least a B+ in every subject."


    Selena patted her chest confidently as she spoke.


    Link nodded with satisfaction, feeling pretty good about being a brother.


    But Selena grinned, revealing a round dimple, and chuckled to herself; her grades were already fine, and getting B+ would be a piece of cake, plus she would get a few songs from Link for free, which was fantastic.


    Link must be Santa Claus in disguise.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After Christmas, Link flew to Los Angeles for the audition of the movie "Fighter" and met the main creative staff of the crew, screenwriter Scott Silver, lead actors Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and others.


    It wasn''t until he got to the crew that he found out the director had been replaced.


    The new director was David O. Russell, a filmmaker from New York who had directed action movies like "Three Kings" and comedies like "I Heart Huckabees." He was a well-known Hollywood director, though not as famous as Darren Aronofsky.


    The original director, Darren Aronofsky, had become the executive producer, the overall manager of the entire movie project.


    Before coming for the second audition, Link spent three days memorizing all his lines and used a song as a bargaining chip to get Selena to rehearse with him.


    Thanks to his thorough preparation, along with the support of producer Darren, Link''s second audition went relatively smoothly.


    It went relatively smoothly because he ran into Mark Wahlberg at the audition, whose performance was also quite impressive. Apparently, there were some disagreements within the crew, with some supporting Link and others backing Wahlberg.


    Link had thought there might be some changes to the role, but in the end, he still received a call from Darren Aronofsky.


    Director Darren told him to prepare quickly as the movie would start shooting around March or April, and also invited him to serve as the boxing action coach for the film.


    Link happily accepted.

 Chapter 125 The Kings New Favorite

    "Paul! Catch!""Ah! Link, can you take it easy when you spike? We''re playing volleyball, not boxing; you almost KO''d me."


    In Los Angeles, on Santa Monica Beach, a group of scantily-clad men and women were playing beach volleyball.


    The men were mostly shirtless, wearing athletic shorts.


    The women were all in bikinis, red, black, pink, their flesh jiggling as they ran.


    All of these people were in their twenties or thirties, and their figures were very sexy and hot.


    Ms. Anna Farrell arrived at the edge of the sand court, adjusted her glasses, and scanned the men before her gaze settled on the man in khaki athletic shorts, Link Baker.


    He still had sharp black hair, exposed robust back, bronze skin, and although his muscles weren''t as exaggerated as those of a bodybuilder, they were well-proportioned and clearly defined, each one just the right size.


    He looked like those genetically engineered soldiers trained with high-tech equipment in the sci-fi movie "Soldier," very sexy.


    Every time Anna saw him, she felt like she was dreaming. Some time ago, when Link Music Company was hiring new staff, she submitted a resume, went through several rounds of selection, and was retained by the company.


    She used to work as an editor at a men''s fashion magazine publisher and thought she would stay inside the company as a secretarial clerk, never expecting to be assigned to Link''s side as an assistant.


    Facing handsome men like Link every day, even though she had been married and had children, she couldn''t help but get excited.


    Thump!


    On the beach, Link pushed off the ground with both feet, leaped more than a meter into the air, and slammed his raised right arm onto the red volleyball, forcefully striking it downwards, causing a thump as it hit the sand and sent up a spray of golden sand.


    Paul Walker and another teammate lunged over to try to save the ball, nearly colliding with each other.


    "11:5, Paul, you''re paying today," Link said, laughing while propping himself up by the waist.


    "Damn it! Are you a Boxer? Why are you so good at racing, volleyball, tennis? Next time I''m challenging you to ping pong; I refuse to believe a Boxer can play ping pong."


    Paul Walker exclaimed as he jumped up from the ground.


    "Haha, you can try."


    Link, spotting his assistant Anna approaching, called a time-out and came to the edge of the beach court.


    Anna was his newly hired assistant. Initially, he wanted James to come over, but James couldn''t part with the Baker shop. Besides, he had recently found a girlfriend and was even less willing to leave Miami.


    "Anna, what''s up?"


    Link took a sip of water from his bottle.


    "Ms. Thomp called and said she needed to talk to you, hoping you''d call her back when you''re free."


    Anna passed him his cell phone.


    Link nodded, laid down on the beach chair, and called Eva''s number.


    After recording his new album, Link came to Los Angeles to audition for "Fighter" and successfully landed the role. Because the production crew requested it, he temporarily stayed in Los Angeles to coach several main characters in boxing.


    "Eva, missing me?"


    When he heard the call connect on the other end, Link joked.


    "Hmph, do you know what day it is today?"


    Eva''s voice asked coldly.


    Link touched his forehead, thinking for a moment, "Our first meeting was in early June, not quite one year ago, and your birthday is in October, so today shouldn''t be any special day."


    "Don''t joke around, I''m talking serious business here. Today is the day the first week''s results come out for your album release. Don''t you want to know how your first album sold and its chart positions?"


    "Oh, is it? You didn''t mention it, and I almost forgot. Tell me the sales figures."


    Link sat up straight and asked.


    Around the New Year, he and Graham and other workers from Link Music spent more than a month in the studio, finally completing the recording of all 14 songs on his first album "The Fighter."


    After hearing about the album''s success, Eva asked about twenty music professionals to listen and provide feedback.


    Everyone rated the album quite high, averaging an A-, with potential for big sales.


    With the listening results being good, Eva took the staff from Link Music''s marketing department and started a massive promotional campaign, releasing the album nationwide last week.


    Today was the day to see the first week''s results, and Link was quite looking forward to the sales figures for his first album.


    "Total U.S. sales are 97,651 copies,"


    Eva said evenly, her breath subdued, but if one listened closely, they could detect a quiver.


    "Only just over 90,000 copies?"


    Link was somewhat disappointed. Taylor''s second album sold 650,000 copies in its first week, reaching number one on the Billboard 200, and his own album sales were just one-seventh of hers¡ªnot good at all.


    "You''re not satisfied with nearly 100,000 copies on your first week?"


    Eva asked in surprise.


    "Taylor''s last album sold 650,000 copies, and I have only a seventh of her sales."


    "But that was Taylor''s second album, with a fan base, and she released singles and promoted everywhere half a year in advance. We didn''t release any singles ahead of time, and you couldn''t be bothered to promote, so aren''t these results satisfying for a first-week release?"


    Eva had shouted out in excitement when she saw the figures and hurriedly called Link to share the good news, but when Link heard the data, he didn''t show a flicker of excitement and seemed pretty dissatisfied.


    However, realizing that Link understood even less about the music industry than she did, besides songwriting and singing, she wasn''t so angry anymore.


    "Link, do you know what last year''s breakout stars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry''s first album results were?"


    Hearing these two big names, Link''s ears perked up. In Miami, he had listened to their songs, and he hadn''t realized they had debuted around the same time as him.


    "How much?"


    Eva told him that last June, Katy Perry''s debut album "One of the Boys" sold 47,000 copies in its first week.


    In October, Lady Gaga released her first album "The Fame," which sold 24,000 copies in its first week.


    Katie Perry was the breakout star of pop music last year.


    "Now do you understand how impressive 97,000 copies are?"


    Eva asked.


    Link nodded, his debut outperforming megastars like Fruit Sister and Lady Gaga wasn''t too shabby indeed.


    However, he remembered that he was the world boxing champion, with a fan base.


    Before the album''s release, the "Despacito" video surpassed 10 million views on YouTube, making it one of the top twenty most-viewed music videos on the platform.


    There was also the hit song "dream it possible," which topped the singles chart for three consecutive weeks and listed his own name in the songwriter credits.


    These two singles had built up quite a reputation for him.


    He wasn''t exactly a newcomer in the music industry.


    "Link, take another guess, what position did ''The Fighter'' rank on the Billboard 200 album chart in the United States?"


    Eva''s voice turned merry again, as if she was teasing him.


    "Just tell me, don''t make me guess."


    Paul was calling him to play volleyball on the beach. Link waved his hand and pointed to his phone.


    "It''s number five!"


    First place went to Kanye West, who released his fourth studio album "808''s & Heartbreak" on January 3rd this year, with first-week sales reaching 452,000 copies and holding strong at 375,000 in its third week.


    Second place was Britney Spears with her sixth studio album "Circus," released on December 12th last year, featuring 13 tracks including "Womanizer," "Out From Under," and "Kill the Lights," achieving first-week sales of 505,000 and 175,000 this week.


    In third place was Taylor''s "Fearless," with 137,000 copies sold this week, accumulating to a total of 3.2 million copies across America.


    Forth came Rihanna with the revamped album "Good Girl Gone Bad: Reloaded," which also had a New Year''s release, earning 102,000 in its third week.


    In sixth place, ''pop princess'' Christina Aguilera released her first greatest hits album "Keeps Gettin'' Better: A Decade of Hits," with this week''s sales at 73,000 copies.


    Usher''s fifth album "Here I Stand" was in seventh with 68,000 copies.


    Hearing about these music industry giants on the same chart, Link suddenly felt that being fifth wasn''t so bad after all.


    "Among all the newcomers, you''re number one. How do you feel now?"


    Eva chuckled.


    "Not bad."


    Link stretched lazily and laughed, "What about the singles chart? How many tracks made it?"


    "Three songs made it into the top ten of the singles chart, and there''s one champion single. Guess which one it is?" Eva seemed to be in a good mood and smiled lightly.


    "There''s a champion single?"


    Link was surprised, as he didn''t remember many inspirational songs, and he hadn''t managed to copy many good ones. He didn''t expect one to become a champion single.


    "Is it ''never say never'' or ''chasing the sun''?"


    "Neither."


    Eva laughed, "''Unstoppable'' debuted at number one, ''chasing the sun'' at six, and ''Fire'' at ten. Your most anticipated ''never say never'' only made it to 97th place."


    ''Unstoppable'' was a hit?


    Link was taken aback; this song was a last-minute addition.


    Because the few songs arranged by Graham were of mediocre quality, he was worried about dismal album sales and racked his brains to come up with a few more songs, including "Unstoppable," "Fire," and "American dream."


    "Unstoppable" was the NBA theme song for 2015-2016, and the original singer was a female artist with a more androgynous voice.


    He had listened to it a few times before and liked it, so he''d included it to fill the album, not expecting it to become a number one hit over the ones he was more confident in like "never say never" or "chasing the sun."


    He suddenly understood Mr. Graham''s words; to become a top singer, personal ability wasn''t enough¡ªit also took social context and market trends into account.


    America was still affected by the financial crisis, from the nation to individuals, and everyone''s spirits were quite low. The positive lyrics and tune of "Unstoppable" managed to reach the top of the singles chart, which did indeed involve some luck.


    "How many songs from ''The Fighter'' broke into the top 100 of the singles chart?"


    Link asked.


    "Seven, and all seven songs are your own work."


    Eva paused for a moment, then said softly, "Link, you''re really amazing."


    Link smiled faintly, accepting only 50 percent of her praise because he genuinely did well on the interpretation of several songs. His personal style and emotions were present in the songs, not losing to the originals, and in some cases like "Unstoppable" and "chasing the sun," his versions were even better and more spirited.


    The remaining 50 percent of the praise he attributed to the original songwriters.


    "Eva, is there anything else? I''m playing volleyball," S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link inquired.


    "Of course, there''s something else. Your debut is a huge success, and you''ve got a chart-topping single. Did you think there''d be nothing else? The rest will be handled by Mandy; I''m hands-off. But there''s talk on Yahoo News that you have a new girlfriend named Amber Heard. Have you and Taylor Swift broken up?" Explore new worlds at empire


    Eva suddenly asked.


    "Yes, she''s very busy, and so am I. We''ve only met once in the past three months. It seemed more appropriate to be just friends, without any guilt on either side,"


    Link shrugged and said.


    "She agreed to it?"


    "No, but I think she''ll come to understand."


    "She hasn''t agreed to break up, and you''re fooling around with other women? You really are a damn scoundrel."


    Eva cursed unreservedly.


    Link touched the sweat on his forehead. He thought about defending himself, but then decided against it. As for breaking up with Taylor, he didn''t think he had done anything wrong.

 Chapter 126 Good-hearted Breakup

    "Link, hurry up, the competition is about to start!"On the beach, a girl in a bikini waved at him. With her blonde hair and fair skin, coupled with her stunning figure, she was certainly a top beauty.


    She was also Link''s new companion, Amber Hilton, a 22-year-old actress who had appeared in TV shows like "Orange County Boys" and movies such as "Northern Storm". In Hollywood, she was considered a third-tier actress.


    He had met her at one of Paul Walker''s parties.


    The woman was young and beautiful, with a nice figure and good looks. However, after meeting Taylor, Ivanka, and Gadot, he realized that top beauties also came in various levels.


    Taylor was a talented woman, smart and beautiful, with an air of a literary young lady about her. She didn''t seem to have any significant faults aside from being too busy.


    Ivanka was born into a wealthy family, with a beauty score of eighty or ninety and a figure score of ninety-nine. She was well-mannered, knowledgeable, and capable. Apart from being a bit domineering, everything else about her was quite good.


    Gadot was straightforward and had a pleasant personality. She valued marriage highly, however, and Link couldn''t offer her what she wanted, nor did he want to continue holding her back.


    And his new acquaintance Amber was also a top beauty, but she had a lot more issues. She was less educated, lacked depth, and used foul language when she spoke, wasting her stunning looks somewhat.


    "Link, what are you looking at?"


    Amber stepped on the sandy mound, wearing a blue bikini that showcased her curvaceous body to full effect, both busty and bootylicious.


    Link walked over and patted her firm buttocks, then pulled her along to continue with the game.


    ¡ª¡ª


    That afternoon, back at the Santa Monica beachfront villa, Mrs. Mandy approached him with a folder.


    "Link, I''m going to take a shower first. Hurry up and come upstairs."


    Amber planted a kiss on his face and hummed a tune as she headed up to the second-floor room.


    Mrs. Mandy glanced at her and wanted to warn Link to be careful around this woman, as Amber seemed quite scheming.


    But then she thought better of it, considering Link was no fool, and he hadn''t made any mistakes concerning women thus far, so she didn''t speak up.


    After receiving the folder, Link opened it and felt a bit of a headache coming on. There were more than thirty invitations to events at the front.


    These included performances at the Grammy Awards in February, the American Music Awards, the Latin Music Awards ceremony, MTV music shows, and more.


    There were also over twenty concert invitations, mostly as a guest performer.


    Plus, dozens of city autograph-signing events and more than ten potential ads¡ªit would take half a year to complete all these commitments. Way too busy.


    Link shook his head, "Mandy, I''ve got training scheduled every day and no time to travel to so many places. Let''s cut the events and concerts in half, and any endorsement deals for less than 5 million I''m not taking."


    Mrs. Mandy hesitated before speaking, "Link, ''The Fighter'' is currently selling, and more promotional activities and autograph-signing events could boost album sales."


    "I understand, but I''ve got other work lined up, boxing, acting. There isn''t much time to spare for album promotion."


    After thinking it over, Link said, "You guys get in touch with Dynasty Promotions and see what their competition schedule looks like. Maybe we could coordinate boxing matches to take place in different cities. Around the time of the matches, we could also hold album signings and promotion."


    Selling the album during boxing matches?


    Mrs. Mandy took the idea seriously and suddenly found it very feasible.


    Link was the world boxing champion and had a large fanbase across the US and the world. After ''The Fighter'' was released, he also gained many music fans.


    If he went to a city for a boxing match, boxing fans would attend, and so would his music fans. When boxing and music fans combined, Link''s hardcore fan base could grow even more. Not only would his album be a hit, but the number of people willing to pay for boxing matches could increase as well.


    "We can also do bundled sales, give away the album with ticket purchases, or give away match tickets with the album," Link suggested after a moment''s thought.


    Mrs. Mandy nodded and took notes of his suggestions.


    "One more thing, Mandy. I''ve saved up five songs for the second album, all themed around love. If all goes well, I could release another album later this year. Please ask Mr. Grey to continue looking for songs."


    Considering he didn''t have time for promotion, to make up for this shortfall, Link was planning to release more albums and singles, keeping his music scene presence alive through these means.


    After releasing seven or eight hit albums in a row, he didn''t believe he wouldn''t make it as a top-tier singer.


    After saying goodbye to Mrs. Mandy, he went back upstairs to the bedroom and saw Amber fast asleep on the bed, covered only by a towel, revealing her pale and slender figure. She indeed looked like a knockout.


    Link shook his head, covered her with a blanket, and went to the gym to work out.


    The next day, Link held a small concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where he sang just ten songs to an audience of over ten thousand people. Afterward, he held a signing event, during which he sold 12,000 albums.


    These numbers surprised the head of the Los Angeles distribution company.


    ''The Fighter'' had sold 97,000 copies in its first week. Now, just in Los Angeles, he had sold 12,000 copies in half a day. What would the second week''s sales be? Explore more adventures at empire


    Furthermore, during the signing event, Link wrote his name, Link Baker, more than 12,000 times in a row. The speed of his hand was truly astonishing.


    Ordinary singers would suffer from cramped and swollen hands after writing two to three thousand times in a row. Link, however, kept going for 12,000 times, averaging over thirty signatures per minute without pause.


    Incredible.


    Soon, many media outlets reported the news: first, Link''s album was a hit in Los Angeles, selling 12,000 copies in half a day.


    Second, he had personally signed over twelve thousand autographs in half a day, almost setting a new Guinness World Record.


    Both pieces of news were quite enticing and successfully caught the attention of many people.


    However, some people did not believe Link could sign so quickly, so a day later, the record company held another autograph session at the Los Angeles Museum Exhibition Hall.


    That day attracted over thirty thousand spectators, with more than twenty thousand people buying albums to get signed by Link, including boxing fans, music fans, and some reporters who were there for the spectacle.


    Link sat on a stool without moving, except to eat lunch. From morning to afternoon, he had signed another 18,000 albums.


    After these figures were released, they sparked another round of media frenzy. Selling 18,000 albums in one day was nothing special, as Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Britney, and others had sold hundreds of thousands of copies in a single city in one day.


    But there has never been a singer like Link, who could sit still and sign 18,000 albums in one day.


    The media were astonished, other singers sell albums with their voices, but Link sold them with his signing speed, befitting of a world boxing champion, with both strength and stamina that were extraordinary.


    Link felt speechless, as a singer, he hoped the media would focus on the songs in his album, not on his signing speed.


    Ding-a-ling!


    Having just finished an autograph session and while taking a break, Link received a call. It was from Taylor.


    About a week had gone by without contact since the two had broken up over the phone. Seeing Taylor''s call, he somewhat didn''t want to pick it up, breaking up over the phone was not a good habit after all.


    "Hey, Taylor, still in Britain?"


    Link asked.


    "I saw the news in the newspapers."


    Taylor spoke with a tone so flat that it was hard to discern her emotions.


    "The news about signing 18,000 albums in one day? Even British media reported it? Those journalists really have nothing better to do."


    "No, it''s about your new girlfriend."


    Taylor put extra emphasis on ''new girlfriend'', sounding quite angry.


    Link massaged his forehead. The reason he immediately sought female companionship after breaking up with Taylor over the phone was to cut the Gordian knot and prevent the situation from getting too messy.


    "You mean Amber? Yes, we''re dating."


    "I disagree!"


    Taylor said.


    "What?"


    Link asked, confused.


    "I said I disagree. I disagree with the breakup you suggested last time, and I disagree with you dating other women. You are my boyfriend, and until I agree to break up with you, you must remain my boyfriend."


    Taylor''s voice was very determined, and Link was taken aback listening to her.


    In the past, Taylor would break up once or twice a year in the news, write songs about her exes right after, and move on swiftly. This approach was much like that of the old poets and writers, who would love for the sake of creating, gathering material for their songs.


    After Link proposed the breakup to Taylor over the phone, he was prepared to be immortalized in one of her songs, but Taylor''s sudden change of heart, unwilling to break up, caught him off guard.


    Unsure how to handle the relationship and avoid hurting the other party at the same time.


    "Taylor, we''re both too busy, it''s not fitting to be boyfriend and girlfriend, you should understand that,"


    Link said.


    It was more than them being busy, even when not busy they would live in different places. Having Taylor as a girlfriend was no different than not having one at all.


    After much deliberation, Link decided to call Taylor, who was in a foreign country, to suggest they break up. Actually, he would have prefered to do it face to face, but Taylor was about to start a tour and wouldn''t be back for six months.


    "I don''t understand, I don''t think being busy is the main reason. Don''t you love me, weren''t our days together happy?"


    Taylor said.


    Link fished in his pocket, pulled out a lollipop, and put it in his mouth, "Living together was indeed great, it''s just that it was too short-lived. After you left, being at home alone every day was terrible, do you understand?"


    There was no response from Taylor.


    Link sighed, "I could have secretly dated other girls after you left, and when you returned, continued our relationship. But that would''ve hurt you even more. I thought for a long time before making that call."


    Taylor was still silent.


    Link saw Mrs. Mandy motioning to him from the lounge door that the autograph session was about to begin. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He said to Taylor, "Taylor, you are a fantastic singer, and you will become a huge international celebrity, perhaps even achieve greater things. Keep striving for your goals. Alright, I''ve got another autograph session here. Let''s talk some other time."


    "I disagree!"


    Just as he was about to hang up, Taylor suddenly spoke loudly, "I disagree with the breakup, you are still my boyfriend, I will finish my overseas work as soon as possible and come back to be with you, you just wait."


    Link felt somewhat helpless; he had said so much, so why wouldn''t she agree?


    Could it be that she was willing to give up her career and return to home life?


    He did not think Taylor would give up, nor did he wish for her to do so. So, what was the point of continuing this entanglement?

 Chapter 127 Soul Mate

    smack!in a room at the hilton garden hotel in london, taylor furiously threw her cellphone onto the floor.


    mrs. andrea''s eyes widened in shock as she stepped forward and hugged taylor''s shoulders to comfort her.


    "dear, it''s okay, don''t be sad. we women, in our growing process, will always meet a few bad men. now that you''ve met one, it means you''ve overcome a major life hurdle. you''ll become more mature in relationships, which is a good thing. you don''t need to be sad. the weather in london is nice today; how about we go shopping?"


    mrs. andrea forced a light smile.


    taylor wiped the tears from her eyes and gave mrs. andrea a look. "please don''t say that, link is not a bad man."


    "he isn''t?"


    mrs. andrea looked at taylor, not quite understanding her thoughts. "he dumped you with a phone call, and less than a week after breaking up with you, he already had someone new. isn''t that a bad man?"


    taylor sighed softly and lay back on the couch, her wet eyelashes fluttering.


    "mom, you used to say that link was a very energetic man, and you were right. link is incredibly energetic. when we were together, he... he was like a tireless beast, very, very fierce. every time i was with him... the feeling was just wonderful."


    taylor bit her lower lip, her ears and cheeks gradually turning red.


    mrs. andrea felt a bit embarrassed, "be careful, you''re a lady. don''t talk about this sort of thing with others, not even me."


    taylor said, "he is energetic and needs a woman by his side, but i have too much work and no time to be with him. i''ve only gone back once in the past few months. i haven''t fulfilled my responsibilities as a girlfriend, which is my fault. i don''t blame him.


    also, he''s different from me. i have you, dad, and my brothers around me, but he''s alone at home. so, he needs a woman who can frequently be by his side, and i can''t do that. that''s why he wants to break up, and i completely understand him. i don''t blame him."


    mrs. andrea looked at her daughter, stroked her long hair, and said with pride, "you''re able to understand him and see your own faults, which shows you''ve truly grown up. i''m proud of you."


    taylor shook her head, leaned on mrs. andrea''s knee, and moaned sadly.


    "but i still don''t want to break up with him."


    "why? you have work to do and can''t stay by his side long-term. he needs a woman; that shows you''re not suitable for each other. continuing the relationship is not good for either of you," mrs. andrea softly said.


    "i don''t want to!"


    taylor said, "link is a really, really great man. he''s so strong, handsome, and talented. yet, such a person comes home and cooks for me, gives me massages, quietly listens to my daily troubles, plays the guitar and piano with me, talks about music, and creates together with me.


    he is not just the best partner in life and physically, but also the best soulmate.


    he fulfills all my needs in a man, even more perfectly than the life partner i imagined. mom, have you ever met a man like him? do you think there are many men as good as him in the world?"


    mrs. andrea was surprised. she knew link was a fine young man, but she hadn''t realized that in taylor''s eyes, he was an exceptional, perfect man.


    mrs. andrea didn''t believe in perfect people. every person has flaws, and link was no exception. taylor''s idealized view of him only showed that she didn''t understand him well enough.


    mrs. andrea said, "taylor, there are many good men in the world. as long as you love him, he is perfect, just like your dad. he has many bad habits, but in my eyes, he too is a perfect man."


    "it''s completely different. dad goes to work every day, comes home, reads the newspaper, and sleeps. it''s utterly boring. you think he''s decent because you''re tolerant, but link is the kind of man who doesn''t require tolerance because he''s already perfect. i don''t think there are many men like him in the world. now that i''ve finally met one, i will not let go easily," taylor said, clenching her fists.


    lady andrea sighed helplessly, "so what do you suggest we do? you can''t split yourself into two¡ªone to chase your dreams and the other to stay by his side."


    taylor thought for a moment but couldn''t come up with a good solution. frustrated, she kicked the sofa with her feet, knocking a pillow to the ground.


    "i don''t care. even if there''s no way, i will not let go. link must be my boyfriend."


    lady andrea sighed helplessly again, feeling slightly regretful.


    she should have never taken taylor to the music festival in miami or allowed her to run around the beach; if she hadn''t met link, none of these troubles would exist now.


    "mom, go tell scott to speed up the tour. i need to get back sooner. those bitches won''t take link from me," taylor decided, standing up and adjusting her long hair with a determined look. s~ea??h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ª¡ª


    while taylor was touring in europe, link had several concerts in san francisco, seattle, and las vegas, alongside over a dozen album signing sessions.


    he had sold over 80,000 albums, with an average of over 10,000 autographs signed each day, a feat that astonied both media and fans alike.


    some crafty individuals, who were not his fans, intentionally bought his albums and asked for his autograph just to see how many he could sign each day, testing his limits.


    this resulted in his signing events being packed to capacity, half with album purchasers and half with onlookers.


    link signed autographs till his wrists ached every day. fortunately, his recovery was quick; a night''s sleep wiped all symptoms away, and he was fully revitalized the next day, able to continue signing.


    explore stories at empire


    moreover, as he grew more skilled, his speed also increased.


    with relentless efforts from him and his fans, by the second week, he had sold 327,000 albums across the us. in the billboard top 200 albums, he outsold taylor and britney, trailing only kanye west by 41,000 units.


    "unstoppable" remained the champion on the singles chart, "chasing the sun" moved up one spot to fifth, and "fire" ranked seventh.


    among the seven songs that entered the billboard top 100, "never say never" had the most dramatic rise¡ªstarting at 97th in the first week and jumping to 19th in the second. it was one of the biggest jumps on the billboard chart.


    the album sales were explosive.


    distributors from various locations phoned in, requesting link hold concerts and signing sessions in their cities, offering him high compensation.


    link could only rally his spirits and try to visit as many cities as possible within the limited time to sell more albums.


    each deluxe album was priced at 32 us dollars and regular ones at 18 us dollars. link and link music received between 45-60% royalties, amounting to over ten us dollars per album, which felt like picking up free money.


    there were also concerts. depending on the scale, each appearance fee ranged from 0.5 to 2 million us dollars, not unlike earnings from boxing matches.


    in just two weeks, 3.5 million us dollars had been added to his account.

 Chapter 128 The Album Sells Well

    he saw the numbers in his account doubling every day.link hesitated whether to give up boxing and switch to singing full time.


    with his current earning rate, making twenty to thirty million a year was no issue, and with a bit more effort, he could possibly earn even more.


    however, boxing might not necessarily bring in those figures.


    after giving it some thought, he decided not to give up.


    constant training and improving physical fitness, as well as tapping into his potential, were his great assets and foundation.


    since they were his foundation, they mustn''t be shaken.


    therefore, whenever he was out of town for autograph signings or concerts, he made sure to find time for a few hours of exercise. although the effect of working out in a gym was not as good as training in a boxing ring, it still had some benefit.


    "how can he still be training after a busy day? isn''t he tired?"


    in the thomp grand hotel in las vegas, ivanka had heard about link''s concert and autograph session in las vegas and had specially flown in from new york to check on him.


    upon arriving at the hotel, she saw link shirtless in the gym, lifting a 200-pound barbell. he was gritting his teeth, lifting it repeatedly, his body drenched in sweat, his muscles slowly filling with blood, becoming firmer and more robust.


    ivanka watched him through the glass window.


    today, this guy had already held a concert in the hotel plaza and signed 11,000 albums on the scene.


    with such a level of activity, even someone in excellent physical condition would be exhausted at the end of the day and might not be able to get up the next day. sea??h th§× n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    yet, after finishing all these tasks, link still had the strength to lift barbells in the gym, truly a self-disciplined and hardworking fellow. your next chapter awaits on empire


    miss mandy said, "link exercises every day, going for a morning run, and spends time in the gym in the afternoon if he has time. it''s something he does every day; he seems never to know tiredness."


    ivanka blinked, watching his sexy physique in the gym, feeling a warm current swirling in her lower abdomen. she covered her pounding chest, turned around calmly and said, "mandy, let him continue to exercise. we''ll discuss the work."


    "okay!"


    miss mandy nodded her head.


    ¡ª¡ª


    with the joint efforts of link''s music and distributors everywhere, "the fighter" didn''t just maintain its sales in the third week but broke through 350,000 copies, successfully topping kanye west''s "808''s & heartbreak" and reaching the top of the billboard 200 albums chart in the united states.


    three weeks after its release, the album had sold a total of 780,000 copies, nearly breaking 800,000, causing quite a stir in the american music scene.


    a boxer crossing over to sing, and his first album sold so many copies, stronger than many top-tier singers; that was astonishing.


    music industry professionals came forward one after another, expressing their opinions through the media, both good and bad.


    positive reviews highlighted the high quality of "the fighter," especially the seven songs personally composed by link. both the lyrics and the tunes, as well as the production quality, were top-notch, forming the basis of the album''s great success.


    the second reason was link''s fame as an olympic champion, an inspirational idol with a great image, very talented, a positive and perfect role model. people ranging from ninety-nine to toddlers who had just started walking could become his fans.


    his album appealed to a very wide audience.


    "there''s one more thing everyone shouldn''t forget,"


    famous music critic robert sherman commented in rolling stone that the social reasons behind the explosion of "the fighter" definitely cannot be ignored.


    starting from the end of 2007, a financial crisis triggered by the real estate subprime mortgage swept across the united states and the world, causing the us stock market to evaporate $7.3 trillion, hundreds of banks to go bankrupt, countless enterprises to close down, and many american families to face significant financial crises.


    both public opinion and the mindset of ordinary people became relatively negative.


    "during this time, we needed a voice to loudly tell everyone that the disaster was over and we were about to welcome the light.


    this role should have been played by the federal reserve or the government, but the chairman of the federal reserve and our new president were also filled with pessimistic emotions and dared not speak up.


    at this moment, link spoke out.


    he used an album to tell everyone that we should bravely face the disaster, fight with the disaster, and successfully overcome the disaster to welcome the light together; this album is amazing, so timely, it''s more than just an album, it''s a call to action."


    mr. robert sherman comprehensively introduced and recommended the songs in link''s album in the article, and gave the album a 4.5-star rating.


    the music critic mr. fred kirschner from the sun also highly recommended link''s new album in the newspaper.


    "i''m not a fan of boxing, and i didn''t know who link was before, but after listening to the songs on this album, his voice amazed me, i wondered, what kind of person could produce such powerful, such uplifting sound?


    i searched for his information with intense curiosity, only to find out that he grew up poor, made mistakes when he was young, served time in jail, but later turned his life around and became an olympic champion and a world boxing champion, a young man who truly achieved the american dream.


    what''s even more valuable is that, after achieving the american dream, he didn''t lie around in mansions counting money like many nouveau riche.


    he took the initiative to sing and create, conveying his successful experience and insights through his songs... i think everyone should listen to his singing because in his voice, you can find the strength to keep pressing forward."


    mr. fred kirschner used more than 8,000 words in the latest edition of the arts section of the sun, elaborately explaining and highly recommending several songs from link''s album.


    in addition to these two gentlemen, dozens of pop music critics also made fairly positive reviews in the media.


    "the fighter" received a professional rating of 3.8 out of 5 in rolling stone.


    a 3.8 might not seem high, but rolling stone is famously strict about music, and for a newcomer''s debut album to score a 3.8 is a very high rating.


    on amazon''s digital music store and itunes, the album scored 4.2 and 4.1 respectively, with over 20,000 people rating it.


    however, some people criticized link''s album.


    most of the criticism came from rap and gangsta rap musicians within the african american music community, such as kanye west, 50 cent, and lil wayne.


    they claimed the album was a product catering to the market, with songs that were trashy, cliched, too formulaic, like a motivational speaker selling his success story, continuously spoon-feeding people with motivational talks that were actually useless.


    they called link ''the priest''s son'', someone who liked to preach, a ''light-skinned tame baby'', not cool at all.


    link didn''t care about their criticism, as his album''s weekly sales surpassed those of african american musicians like kanye west, and it was normal to be envied and criticized by others.


    "the fighter" reached sales of 1 million copies on its 27th day of release in the united states, was certified platinum by the recording industry association of america, and became the second album released in 2009 in the us to break the 1 million sales mark.


    the first was kanye west, who reached 1 million sales in just ten days.


    link couldn''t match those numbers yet.

 Chapter 129 Media Interview

    "link, during the press conference later, if someone asks a sharp question, be cautious with your answers, and skip any that you can''t answer."on the day the album sales broke one million copies, link''s music held a press conference at the los angeles branch office. link would face the journalists and address some of the public''s concerns.


    worried about slip-ups, ms. mandy had prepared a stack of interview backup scripts for him to review before going onstage.


    "got it."


    link stood in front of the mirror, his body erect like a javelin.


    assistant anna was tying his tie next to him. he was wearing a custom casual suit, charcoal gray with silver patterns, and there was a patch of embroidery on the cuff.


    in link''s eyes, this suit was a bit out of place, but ivanka, mandy, and assistant anna all thought it looked good.


    because anna had worked as a fashion magazine editor for men for several years and was familiar with fashion elements, link chose to submit to their will when it came to dressing up.


    "is the suit too formal?"


    link asked about the platinum tie clip on the collar. anna had originally suggested he wear a diamond earring to match the outfit, but link didn''t agree. he was okay with painting his eyebrows and putting on lipstick, but wearing an earring was out of the question.


    he was a straight iron man, not interested in gender-neutral dressing.


    as a compromise, the earring was changed to a tie clip.


    there was also a platinum watch worth $680,000 on his wrist.


    "you need to dress a bit flashier for the photo ops at today''s press conference; it will attract more people to pay attention to you. you look very good as you are now."


    ms. mandy looked him up and down and said with a smile.


    link was already good-looking and well-built. dressed in this suit, he looked even more dashing and acquired a noble aura about him, as if he was glowing.


    "mr. baker, with your body and aura, you could become a world supermodel if you chose to become a model," said ms. anna.


    link gave a soft smile; he knew he was much more handsome than before but didn''t care much about that. for a man to lead an exciting life, it was most important to rely on ability, not looks.


    he flipped through the interview scripts, memorizing a few key points.


    hearing that everything was ready out front, he proceeded to the interview hall with ms. mandy and assistant anna.


    ¡ª¡ª


    click, click!


    as he appeared, a barrage of camera shutters sounded.


    link walked up to the journalists and began to answer their questions.


    more than eighty major media journalists were present, representing newspapers, tv stations, and international news agencies. a host of cameras were all pointed at the stage.


    "mr. link baker, congratulations on your debut album selling over a million copies and becoming a platinum album."


    "thank you!"


    link answered politely.


    "mr. baker, we all know ''the fighter'' has an inspirational theme. seven of the songs on this album were written by you. i''d like to ask what your original intention was when releasing this album. singer kanye west thinks that your album was designed to cater to the market and the public, exploiting the financial crisis to make big money. do you agree with this viewpoint?"


    a reporter from the new york times started off with a particularly sharp question.


    link picked up the microphone and said with a smile, "that''s two questions. i''ll answer the first one about my initial intention in creating this album.


    last year, a lot of things happened to me. i got injured, had boxing matches, went to the olympics, etc., which took me from being a nobody to becoming a rather successful public figure.


    during this transformation, i went through many things and had many realizations. i wanted to express them but had no good avenue to do so until i met a friend who was a very talented singer-songwriter. under her guidance, i started learning to play the guitar, piano, and write music.


    the songs i wrote after learning music are attempts to express and share the insights of my growth and tell my story to more people."


    the journalists nodded and asked with their microphones, "what do you have to say about the second question, mr. baker?"


    link looked at the reporter and said, "i''ve heard that mr. kanye west suffers from a neurological disorder and should not be provoked. i''ll refrain from commenting on his opinion for now, and when he''s recovered, i''ll talk to him in person."


    wow!


    at his response, the journalists at the venue instantly became restless.


    ''kanye has a neurological disorder?''


    ''he can''t be provoked?''


    although kanye west had openly stated he has ''bipolar disorder,'' which includes bouts of depression and mania and is a kind of mental illness, it doesn''t affect his work or life, and he''s a normal person.


    however, in link''s reply, he treated kanye west as if he were a mental patient. such a bold answer.


    ms. mandy hurriedly signaled to link. kanye was a famous black singer, a top music producer, and an a-list celebrity in america, almost on par with michael jackson.


    to put it more directly in numbers:


    kanye, at 32 this year, debuted in 2004. his first studio album, ''the college dropout,'' sold 441,000 copies its first week, reaching number two on the billboard charts and was selected by time magazine in 2005 as one of the ''100 most influential people.''


    in 2005, he released his second studio album ''late registration,'' which sold 860,000 copies in its first week and reached number one on the billboard charts.


    in 2007, his third studio album ''graduation'' sold 957,000 copies in the first week and reached number one on the billboard charts.


    earlier this year, he released his fourth studio album ''808''s & heartbreak'' which sold 450,000 copies in its first week, achieving number one on the billboard charts.


    currently, kanye''s global album sales are close to one hundred million, and he has won numerous grammy awards, making him a king of the american entertainment industry.


    link, a new singer on the scene, openly clashing with kanye might seem inappropriate.


    receiving a cue from miss mandy, link shook his head slightly to indicate it was no big deal.


    though kanye was formidable, he wasn''t bad himself; not only was he a singer, but he was also a world boxing champion. appearing too soft in public would disappoint his boxing fans.


    "mr. link baker!"


    upon hearing his response, over eighty reporters simultaneously raised their hands.


    miss mandy pointed to an ''american express'' reporter who, holding back frustration, asked, "mr. baker, are you not responding to kanye west''s comments out of consideration for his illness? do you think he''s sick?"


    link lightly chuckled, realizing that while the reporters weren''t great at asking interview questions, they excelled at stirring up trouble. read new chapters at empire


    "yes, the news said he was ill. i hope he recovers soon to bring more good music to his fans,"


    said link earnestly.


    "mr. baker, are you implying kanye''s mental state is unstable?"


    "mr. baker, kanye west is a patient. by not responding to his comments, are you discriminating against him?"


    "mr. baker..."


    the reporters jostled to ask their questions.


    link pressed his hand down and said to the reporters, "ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet. this is the album release for ''the fighter.'' please ask questions related to me or the album. i will not answer any other questions."


    "...."


    the reporters opened their mouths but had to swallow their myriad questions.


    "mr. baker, the singer friend you just mentioned¡ªis it miss taylor swift? what is your relationship with her?"


    the other reporters listened intently when the ''american express'' reporter asked the question.


    link smiled at the question. last year when taylor released her second album, they had planned to go public with their relationship. however, since he was in intensive training, he was concerned about being mobbed by paparazzi and journalists, so he asked to delay revealing their relationship.


    some media in new york had exposed their relationship, but since neither of them confirmed it face-to-face, the rumor eventually faded.


    now, when the time was originally set for it to be revealed, they had recently broken up, so the rumor need not resurface.


    "yes, miss swift is my guitar teacher and also my mentor in music composition. however, we are not currently dating,"


    said link.


    "why? you two seem like a good match,"


    shouted a reporter.


    link simply smiled and leaning on the table said, "thank you. i also think we are a good match, but we are both too busy. i''m busy with training and fights, and taylor is also quite busy. we simply don''t have time to discuss matters of the heart, which i regret."


    "if you had the time, would you pursue miss taylor swift?"


    shouted the ''entertainment weekly'' reporter.


    after a moment''s thought, link said, "yes, taylor is a very outstanding girl. i guess there''s nobody who wouldn''t want to date her."


    "mr. baker!"


    an hbo television reporter also came to stir things up, naturally asking a boxing-related question.


    after the major success of link''s album, the boxing world had differing opinions on his career as a singer.


    some thought he was cool, not only great at boxing but also good at singing. for instance, de la hoya praised link publicly multiple times, saying he was planning to form a duo with link.


    others believed he was a promising boxer and should invest more time and energy in boxing instead of singing and dancing. they argued that dedicating his time to the music industry would surely diminish his boxing abilities.


    for example, tyson and holyfield, from the position of veterans, advised him not to be distracted by things outside of boxing.


    "mr. baker, your album sales are doing well. will you give up boxing to become a full-time singer in the future?" the hbo reporter asked.


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    link resolutely responded, "i''ve said my goal is to be a world boxing champion in more than five ranks. until i achieve this goal, i will continue to fight in the boxing arena."


    "mr. baker, last week joe calzaghe and roy jones jr. had a boxing match at the hard rock sports arena. mr. calzaghe beat mr. jones in twelve rounds, taking the light heavyweight ''the ring'' golden belt from him.


    as mr. jones''s compatriot, would you consider avenging him and fighting mr. calzaghe again?" the hbo reporter asked.


    link laughed and said, "i''ve been following their match, and they both fought very well¡ªfew boxers surpass them in technique. as for revenge? mr. jones has not yet retired; the matter of revenge doesn''t require my intervention."


    "would you fight mr. calzaghe yourself? boxing fans are eagerly looking forward to your match with him," said the hbo reporter.


    link replied, "i look forward to a match with mr. calzaghe, too, but the matter of arranging a fight is up to the company''s schedule and mr. calzaghe''s health. if there is a match, dynasty promotions will announce it on the website homepage, so please stay tuned."


    "mr. baker...."


    the hbo television reporter wanted to ask more, but two reporters grabbed him and pushed him back. today was the album interview, and this guy just wouldn''t stop with the boxing questions¡ªit was really annoying.


    "mr. baker, lil wayne said on a tv show yesterday that you can''t sing and advised you to stick to boxing. what''s your response?"


    "mr. baker, the singer 50 cent believes that ''unstoppable'' being the number one single for three consecutive weeks is due to link records cheating...."


    "mr. baker, your new girlfriend amber heard publicly said you are amazing in bed, that you can go all night¡ªis that true?"


    the reporters lobbed a barrage of music and boxing-related questions at him, and link answered each one, careful not to fall into their traps.

 Chapter 130 Dispute

    after the press conference, link''s responses in the media sparked quite a controversy.firstly, it was about his comment that kanye had issues.


    kanye''s fans were very dissatisfied with his response, accusing him of discriminatory attitudes towards patients with ''bipolar disorder'' and demanding that link issue a public apology in the media.


    link''s fans and boxing enthusiasts also stepped forward to defend him, stating that it was a fact kanye had issues, and that link was referring to mental health issues without using any derogatory terms like ''crazy'' or ''insane''.


    your journey continues with empire


    furthermore, kanye was upset about his album sales being surpassed by link, openly attacked link by claiming he released ''inspirational'' themed albums to profit from the financial crisis.


    it was an unreasonable fuss; link didn''t call him a lunatic, which already showed considerable gentlemanly restraint. the one who should apologize is kanye, not link.


    kanye''s fans didn''t care; they persisted in demanding an apology from link and even stormed several music websites to leave negative reviews for the songs on "the fighter" album.


    kanye is a top figure in the music industry with a fanbase in the millions, even tens of millions.


    besides kanye''s fans, there were also those of lil wayne, 50 cent, and other black musicians¡ªall top stars in the music industry, not only numerous but also very united.


    within just three days, ratings for several of link''s songs had dropped by 0.4-0.5 points, with more than 300,000 people casting votes.


    eventually, the website had to temporarily disable the rating system.


    in regards to this matter, link did not make any public response.


    on kanye''s side, there was no response either; he only conveyed through people around him to the media that he thought link was trying to piggyback on his popularity and he would not let link succeed.


    the second topic that was quite controversial wasn''t link''s answer about boxing, but a personal matter instead.


    amber heard, during a tv show, boasted about link''s physical prowess, explicitly revealing how many times in one night, how long, and discussed their private moments in bed to the media, causing an immediate sensation.


    the media and the public''s interest in celebrities'' private lives far exceeds that of political news.


    at that press conference, when several journalists asked about it, link, not thick-skinned, did not answer directly.


    not satisfied with their curiosity, the reporters then approached amber, who was quite the blabbermouth, sharing more topics that embarrassed link.


    link could only phone her to warn her not to talk recklessly everywhere.


    amber didn''t go against his wishes, but she took advantage of the situation to gain fame, becoming a highly popular actress in the entertainment industry and receiving four or five film roles.


    thanks to a few interesting topics, link and his album attracted even more attention.


    the sales in the fourth week reached 380,000, an increase of 30,000 over the previous week.


    "the fighter" amounted to a first-month sales figure of 1.12 million, ranking among the top-tier for a new artist, a level only reached by the likes of mariah carey, britney, kanye, and justin timberlake during their starting phases.


    however, because of the quarreling between the fans of both sides, kanye''s album sales experienced a downturn, climbing from 280,000 the previous week to 420,000 and returning to the first place on the album sales chart.


    seeing these numbers, link couldn''t help but admire the powerful appeal of the established artists.


    additionally, "the fighter''s" international sales results were also being released successively.


    when the album was released in the united states, it simultaneously debuted in various countries and regions overseas.


    due to link''s insufficient international distribution capabilities, the overseas distribution tasks for this album were still handled by universal records and atlantic records.


    the total overseas sales for the first month were 1.82 million copies.


    in britain, the region with the highest sales at 280,000 copies, "fire" reached the highest position at 12th in the top 40 uk pop music singles chart during its debut week, while "unstoppable" peaked at 37th, and the other songs did not chart.


    canada ranked second in monthly sales with 260,000 copies, with "unstoppable," "fire," and "never say never" making it into the top ten of the singles chart.


    in europe, sales reached 420,000 copies, with six songs entering the top 100 singles charts in various countries.


    in oceania and asia, sales were around 800,000 copies, with "never say never" being the most popular in these regions, reaching the 5th spot on the south korean pop music chart, the 9th place on the japanese singles chart, and breaking into the top twenty in new zealand, malaysia, indonesia, and other places.


    in latin america, sales were about 85,000 copies. spanish and portuguese are the common languages in the countries of this region, and the popularity of english songs isn''t high. the fact that his debut album could sell 85,000 copies is also due to the success of "despacito".


    three months after the release of the "despacito" single, it sold 850,000 copies in latin america, becoming a hit in many countries with an extremely high rate of radio play, even surpassing the airplay of latin superstar shakira''s new song "she wolf".


    without starting a world tour, link''s debut album sold nearly 2 million copies overseas in a month, which shook the american music industry.


    if it is said that link''s album''s big sales in the united states were due to the power of boxing fans and his own fame,


    then its overseas success only illustrates one thing: the album really is of high quality, link''s songs have a market abroad, and the fans are willing to pay for them.


    seeing this situation, link music, universal records, and atlantic records proposed that link host a global tour and a worldwide autograph session, which might double the album''s sales and turn it into a diamond record.


    but link declined.


    he currently had a lot on his plate: boxing matches, acting, school, shooting commercials, music videos. his daily time was divided into dozens of small segments, each filled with tasks, leaving him no time for an international tour.


    however, he didn''t reject the idea completely. his plan was to release two more albums and then, with three albums under his belt, start a world tour. by that time, he would have more fans and could potentially earn even more money.


    ¡ª¡ª


    i''m unstoppable


    i''m a porsche with no brakes


    i''m invincible s~ea??h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    yeah, i''ll win every single game


    in manhattan, new york, at the thompson building, ivanka, in her high heels, hummed a song as she made her way to mr. thompson''s office. she was informed by the assistant that there was a client inside.


    "a client? are there really guests inside, or is he messing around with some woman?"


    ivanka leaned against the solid wood desk, smiling at the closed door as she spoke.


    the female assistant smiled slightly, unsurprised by ivanka''s tone. she spoke softly, "it''s the two mr. kunases from the kunas family. would you like to meet them?"


    upon hearing kunas, ivanka''s expression changed subtly. the kunas family were pharmaceutical giants in new jersey, with a total family asset of over 3 billion us dollars and business partners of the thompson family. young kunas was also one of the marriage prospects mr. thompson had picked for her.


    "anne, i have things to do, leaving now," ivanka said, smoothing her skirt and striding out with long steps.


    having just taken two steps, the office door opened, and mr. thompson emerged with two men; one a balding middle-aged man, the other a young man with sharp features. both were dressed in suits, looking distinguished and neat.


    ivanka quickened her pace.


    "ivanka!"


    mr. thompson called out loudly from behind.

 Chapter 131 Agreement

    ivanka cursed her bad luck under her breath, turned around with a slight smile, and greeted the two guests."ivanka, i heard you were in los angeles; when did you get back to new york?"


    kunas asked.


    "just got back!"


    ivanka moved her lips slightly, maintaining her smile as she spoke.


    kunas looked at her mature, full curves, his gaze heating up as he leaned in closer and said, "i heard you like operas. ''jersey boys'' is having its premiere tonight at the belasco theatre. i have two tickets¡ªhow about we go see it together?"


    ivanka smelled his cologne and took a half step back, gracefully declining his offer, explaining she had just returned to new york and still had work to do.


    "ivanka, let''s go see the musical; you can put work aside for now,"


    mr. thomp said.


    ivanka glanced at mr. thomp, raised the folder in her hand, and with a smile on her face said, "reed, there''s too much work; another day i''ll treat you to a placido domingo concert."


    "placido domingo? that''s great, i love his operas the most. ivanka, i''ll be waiting for your call,"


    kunas raised his hand, making a phone call gesture.


    ivanka forced a smile and exchanged a few more words.


    she saw off kunas and his son.


    "ivanka, kunas is a very excellent young man; you shouldn''t be so cold to him,"


    mr. thomp said with pursed lips, displeased, as they returned to the office.


    ivanka shrugged her shoulders, sat down on the chair across the office desk, and pushed the folder across to mr. thomp.


    "what''s this?"


    mr. thomp asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.


    "link''s first album sales and link music''s projected revenue for the first quarter,"


    ivanka sipped her coffee.


    mr. thomp flipped through the file, "global sales of 2.94 million copies? link''s album is that popular?"


    "mm-hmm!"


    ivanka replied, crossing her legs and responding with her nasal voice, clearly proud.


    "projected revenue for the first quarter is 50 million us dollars? are you joking? thomp international has assets worth over a billion, and its annual revenue is only just over 200 million. your small studio is projecting 50 million in revenue for the first quarter? do you think i''m senile?"


    mr. thomp glared at ivanka upon seeing the numbers.


    if the person in front of him wasn''t his own daughter, he might have thrown the documents in her face. a small company with only a 5 million investment, less than half a year old, claiming a first quarter''s income of 50 million.


    it was too exaggerated; even a street beggar wouldn''t believe it, let alone a major entrepreneur like himself.


    tasting her coffee, ivanka said, "dad, there are various sources of revenue listed; why don''t you read through it before commenting?"


    mr. thomp grunted, forcing himself to examine it more closely. there were album revenues, concert incomes, revenue shares from music website downloads, streaming media plays, advertising revenues, and more.


    every item and revenue detail was listed very thoroughly.


    if the sales of 2.94 million copies were true, the others couldn''t be falsified, and since the global sales data were audited by a professional agency and supported by media reports, ivanka couldn''t have falsified these figures.


    but still, mr. thomp could hardly believe it, "damn, is the record industry this lucrative?"


    "yes!"


    ivanka was pleased with mr. thomp''s reaction, smiling as she said, "this is just the money earned from selling records and adverts. in fact, in the music industry, holding concerts and world tours is the fastest way to make money. michael jackson and others would make over a hundred million us dollars per concert, and other top singers also make tens of millions per concert during their world tours.


    additionally, link''s world tour hasn''t even started yet, and our company''s revenue exceeded fifty million in the first quarter. once the tour starts, the annual income will be no less than that of thomp international."


    "haha, don''t boast to me, your company managed to make fifty million in such a short time because you were lucky to produce a best-selling record, not because you are exceptionally great. if your next album flops, you will lose as much as you''ve earned, so don''t get too happy too soon."


    mr. thomp picked up a cigar and chuckled, wearing a look that said he might be a layman, but you can''t fool me.


    blinking her eyes, ivanka rubbed the hem of her skirt and said, "dad, that''s an assumption, a pessimistic viewpoint. why not be more positive? if our next record continues to sell well, even if the annual income can''t match thomp international, it won''t be too far off."


    "that''s difficult. the record industry carries more risks than real estate. even the big five record companies cannot guarantee that every album will be a hit. what makes you so sure?"


    mr. thomp shook his head, approving of his daughter''s abilities. she had graduated from a prestigious school with a master''s degree in economics, founded several companies in recent years, and had even helped manage thomp international, performing quite well.


    however, in business, the risks are significant, and having capabilities does not ensure that the company will be profitable throughout the years. otherwise, companies like lehman brothers would not have gone bankrupt during the financial crisis.


    "dad, i have that confidence,"


    ivanka looked firmly at mr. thomp and said, "if link music can produce one best-selling album, we can produce a second, a third, and even more. dad, give me five years, and i have the confidence to build link music into a company worth over five hundred million us dollars." explore hidden tales at empire


    "give you five years?" s~ea??h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    mr. thomp blinked, then suddenly exclaimed, pointing to a folder on the table and asking discontentedly, "you brought me these papers to tell me how great you are now and that you don''t want to follow my arrangement to get married?"


    "dad, it''s not that i don''t want to get married, i just don''t want to marry someone i don''t love. i want to choose my own partner."


    ivanka said.


    mr. thomp snorted, puffing on his cigar, "you had so much time before, why didn''t you find someone? now you''re telling me you want to find someone you like?"


    ivanka shrugged sheepishly, "i was too busy with work before, and i didn''t meet the right one."


    "have you met the right one now? don''t tell me it''s link. although he''s not bad, your lifestyles are very different, and so are your interests. a cinderella marrying into the royal family, do you need me to tell you whether that''s a tragedy or a comedy?"


    mr. thomp scoffed.


    "dad, it may not necessarily be link, i just want to prove myself within these five years."


    ivanka boldly met his gaze.


    mr. thomp frowned and thought for a while, "i''ll give you one year. if link music''s market value isn''t at least two hundred million us dollars in a year, you must leave there and listen to my arrangements."


    blinking her lashes, ivanka thought for a moment, "dad, how about three hundred million in two years?"


    "no, i said one year, and i mean one year¡ªyou shouldn''t be negotiating with me here... ah, the pain!"


    mr. thomp clutched his chest, collapsed into the chair, and began to gasp for air.


    "dad, are you okay? i''m calling the doctor right now," ivanka said hurriedly, getting up.


    "no need for that!"


    mr. thomp grabbed her, gasping for breath, "ivanka, our family is not in a good situation, and my health isn''t great either. the family will need to rely on you in the future. can you listen to me just this once and not fight with me?"


    ivanka nodded again and again, "okay, dad, don''t talk, i''ll arrange for the doctor right now."


    "no need, it''s just a little discomfort, i''ll be fine with a sip of coffee."


    mr. thomp sat up, took a sip from his cup, and patted his chest, indicating he was fine.


    ivanka rolled her eyes, thinking he was just acting again. still, thinking about reaching a two billion market value for link music within the next year, she felt some pressure.


    ¡ª¡ª


    after leaving the office, she called link, urging him to write songs faster; they needed two good songs within the month.


    after shifting the pressure onto link, she felt much lighter.

 Chapter 132 Party

    "you sure are a busy guy."in los angeles, in the western district of santa monica by the seaside, link said a few words and put away his phone in the vacation villa.


    "hey, link, it''s party time now, stop making calls, okay? put your phone away."


    paul walker shouted, holding a glass of wine.


    link shrugged and went back to the party.


    after being busy outside for a while, link returned to los angeles to rest, taking advantage of the good weather today. he called a few people he got along with, like paul walker, michelle rodriguez, and amy adams, to have a party at the villa.


    paul walker also brought james franco, joaquin phoenix, and casey affleck, all new-generation stars in their twenties and thirties.


    michelle brought her girlfriend ashley benson, and amber heard also arrived with a large group of young men and women.


    over forty people were having a party on the lawn by the swimming pool of the seaside villa, with fine wine, barbecue, music, and marijuana. everyone was having a great time.


    "hey, link, you''re really hot lately; the newspapers are filled with your news."


    michelle rodriguez, in a tube top and with her hair in braids, lay back on a beach chair nonchalantly, her girlfriend by her side.


    "yes, my new album just hit the shelves; how could it sell without a strong promotion?"


    link grabbed a bottle of light beer and sat back down in his original chair.


    "link, it''s hard to imagine, you being a boxer turned singer, and your album selling over three million copies."


    joaquin phoenix sat in a corner, a cigarette in hand, his greasy hair making him look somewhat downcast and out of place at the lively party.


    joaquin is a well-known hollywood actor. when people used to mention him, they would call him river phoenix''s brother.


    in recent years, his film career has taken off nicely. he received an oscar nomination for best supporting actor for "gladiator" and won a golden globe for best actor in 2005 for "walk the line," as well as an oscar nomination for best actor, achieving greater success in the film industry than his brother.


    in the future, he would also win an oscar for best actor for "joker."


    he is a very talented and powerful actor.


    link was somewhat surprised that paul walker would bring him to the party.


    "i was lucky; i hit a good market!"


    link said with a smile.


    "this guy is being modest again."


    paul walker was lying on an orange rubber air mattress in the swimming pool, calling out to everyone, "link is a real sports genius. last july, i asked him if he could race cars; he said a little, then left me several miles behind on the road. last time i asked if he could play tennis, he said a little, then won five sets straight.


    volleyball, swimming, diving, you name it, it seems there''s no sport he isn''t good at."


    "you didn''t mention boxing; he''s the world champion who beat tyson."


    james franco, riding high on the "spider-man" series, lounged in a chair lazily, a marijuana joint in his hand.


    "no need to say that, nobody doubts his boxing skills," paul walker said.


    "i can''t play table tennis."


    link said, chuckling. sea??h th§× novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "okay, next time i''ll play ping pong with you."


    "link, i''m a singer now too. we should collaborate when you have time."


    joaquin raised his beer and suggested.


    "sure!"


    continue your journey with empire


    link raised his glass in response.


    last year at the premiere of "two lovers," joaquin announced his retirement to transition to becoming a rap artist.


    he released an album that sold poorly, and at a concert, he was late, had a conflict with fans, and told them, "i have a million dollars in the bank; what right do you have to criticize me?" causing quite a controversy.


    link had heard about these incidents, but joaquin was popular in the entertainment industry. inviting him as a guest performer to future concerts would be a good choice.


    "hey, gentlemen, i started the last topic, and i''m not done talking yet. can you wait and continue your conversation in a moment?"


    michelle rodriguez picked up a ball and threw it into the swimming pool, splashing paul walker.


    "alright, michelle, what do you want to say?"


    everyone stopped talking, giving her ample time to speak.


    michelle raised an eyebrow, showing a cool smile, "link, the news i just mentioned wasn''t about promoting the album. it was about amber heard''s interview; she said you''re incredibly strong. is that true?"


    wow!


    the people at the party burst into laughter; this news had indeed been getting as much coverage as the stories about link''s album selling like hotcakes.


    "link, come on, tell us about it. i''ve been curious too, and i really wanted to call you to ask, but talking about this stuff between two guys over the phone just feels kind of sick."


    paul walker said with a big laugh.


    link was helpless, "we''re all decent people here, can we not talk about this boring topic, please?"


    "it''s a private party, what else are we supposed to talk about? hey, amber!"


    michelle shouted at amber, who was coming over with a drink, "was what you said on the abc fashion ladies'' show true?"


    "of course it''s true, link can vouch for me. don''t believe me? try him yourself."


    amber, in a bikini and her blonde hair flowing, shrugged her shoulders seductively.


    "wow, how big is he?"


    michelle asked, gesturing with her hands.


    "hey, michelle, since you''re so curious, why don''t i take off my pants and show you?"


    link teased.


    "haha, do it! take them off! you think i''m afraid to look?"


    michelle laughed heartily.


    the others also loudly egged link on to strip for michelle to see whether she really wasn''t interested in men.


    link shook his head; he was clearly no match for this crowd when it came to telling risqu¨¦ jokes.


    "let''s drop the subject! michelle, you said you wanted to spar with me a moment ago? come on then, let''s see what you''ve got?"


    "sure, when i was filming ''girls throwing punches,'' i trained for a whole year, and i''ve been practicing these past few years too. my skills are definitely at an amateur level."


    michelle said confidently.


    link got a pair of boxing gloves and had a match with michelle.


    all he did was dodge, not throwing a single punch himself, and soon had her dripping with sweat. in the end, like mario, she tried to take him down with a wrestling move but got caught and tossed straight into the pool, prompting everyone to laugh out loud.


    paul walker, casey affleck, and a few others were also spirited and wanted to have a go at him.


    link didn''t hold back and used his speedy punches to leave them all dazed and confused.


    in the midst of the fun and games, his assistant anna came in and quietly told him that taylor had arrived.


    link was somewhat surprised; why would taylor return at this time?


    link got up and went out to greet her.


    taylor arrived in a red porsche convertible, dressed in a white fringe long dress with shiny sequins, the hem reaching her knees, revealing her long, straight calves, and sporty high heels.


    her golden curly hair cascaded over her shoulders, her face was fair and delicate, with rosy lips, and her expression serene, like a fairy.


    "when did you get back?"


    link asked as he approached.


    taylor didn''t respond to him but simply handed him her luggage and strode inside, acting as if she were the lady of the house, not at all reserved.


    "there''s a party inside, it''s a bit chaotic."


    link said, following her with the luggage.


    taylor glanced towards the pool area, behind a rose garden where the noisy sounds drifted over, and the silhouettes of people frolicking could be faintly seen.


    "i won''t go over there. after the party, bring that woman to see me."


    taylor said as she walked.


    "hey, taylor, we broke up," link reminded her.


    "i''ve said it before, i don''t agree."


    taylor glanced at him with blue eyes, took anna''s hand, and asked for her help to find a clean room; she needed to rest.


    link shook his head helplessly; this taylor was nothing like the one from the news. he suspected this place must be a parallel universe, and this taylor was not the same taylor.

 Chapter 133 Minor Asura Field

    the party had been going on for half the day before everyone gradually left.after arranging the drunk guests, link returned to the living room only to see taylor perched with her long legs crossed on the sofa, facing amber who was standing opposite her.


    taylor wore a white dress, her blonde hair draped over her shoulders, hands placed in front of her, lips pursed in anger, exuding a somewhat chilly aura.


    amber swayed her legs, chewing gum nonchalantly. s§×ar?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    both were beautiful women; had they been sitting together, laughing and calling each other sisters, the sight would have been delightful.


    but now, their energies were clashing, creating a disharmonious atmosphere.


    link couldn''t help feeling a headache coming on; he turned to ms. anna beside him, wondering if she had any good solutions.


    ms. anna nodded and left, even closing the door behind her.


    this... obviously misunderstood his intent.


    "link, who is she?"


    amber turned and asked.


    link knew she definitely recognized taylor. her question ''who is she'' wasn''t about the name but about her status. however, what should he respond?


    saying taylor was an ex-girlfriend would make her status awkward, and link didn''t want to hurt her.


    "this is taylor,"


    link introduced.


    "i am link''s girlfriend,"


    taylor stated sharply, squinting her blue fox-like eyes.


    "i''m link''s girlfriend," said amber, looping her arm through link''s, her body pressing against his to show they were closer.


    taylor scoffed lightly, "we''ve been together for over six months. we had a small dispute recently, but now we''ve reconciled. i hope you can leave voluntarily."


    "why should i, just because you''re a celebrity? i should listen to you, huh!" amber scoffed disdainfully.


    taylor clenched her fists on her knees, "you should know that link doesn''t love you, he just sees you as a companion. has he ever told you ''i love you''? i believe not."


    amber blinked, leaning on link''s shoulder as she laughed, "i don''t care, my love for him is enough. i believe given more time, he will fall in love with me as well.


    "link, will you?"


    taylor stared at link as she asked.


    link felt extremely awkward. in the past, when watching movies, he loved scenes where the male lead was caught between two women, who would then strip him of his pretense and together leave the scoundrel, feeling very cathartic.


    being the subject of such a scenario was awful.


    taylor pulled out a checkbook, hastily filled out a check, "amber, thank you for your company in this time. this $500,000 is your compensation; you can leave now."


    amber paused, then with a twinkle in her eye, laughed, "i am serious about link. you think $500,000 can buy off my love for him? that''s impossible, love is priceless."


    link speechlessly watched taylor, who handled the rivalry in such a grandiose way.


    "$1,000,000!"


    taylor signed another check, fingers pinching the two checks, looking sternly at amber, "this is your last chance. do you choose to stick with a man who could kick you out at any moment, or take this money, buy a mansion, and live a wealthy life? it''s your choice."


    link shook his head looking at the checks, confident that no woman would leave him for a million dollars because of his conditions and physical prowess, absolutely not.


    "will you really give me one million dollars?"


    amber eyed the checks questioningly.


    "$500,000 is nothing for me; i care more about link,"


    taylor said calmly.


    "deal!"


    amber laughed heartily, walked over to pick up the checks, looked back at the couple and said, "looks like you have a lot to talk about. i won''t disturb you further. enjoy your lives! oh, and link, you''re the best man i''ve ever met. call me anytime if you need anything."


    amber kissed link on the cheek and happily walked away with the checks.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "so, this was your new girlfriend? one that gave you up for a million dollars? i never thought your taste could be so poor."


    in the living room, taylor smirked slightly, her face expressing a touch of disdainful sarcasm.


    link darkened, he too hadn''t expected amber to choose one million dollars over him¡ªa major celebrity, a potential stock, a future billionaire. her short-sightedness astounded him.


    link rubbed his face and sat down across from her, saying, "taylor, you didn''t have to do that. i''ve explained before, we''re not suitable for each other. you love your career, and i need someone who can stay by my side more, a partner, a family. i think you understand what i mean."


    "i understand. from now on, i''ll adjust my work schedule, spend more time at home with you," taylor said earnestly.


    "is that possible?"


    "why not give it a try? when i was working outside before, you didn''t ask me to stay home nor express any displeasure. you just dumped me over a phone call. was it just my fault?"


    taylor looked at him angrily.


    link was at a loss for words.


    as a man, of course, he wouldn''t tell taylor to stay home more, as it would seem too weak.


    also, taylor would potentially become a global music superstar and he didn''t want to hinder her career because of his needs, so he never made such demands.


    now, hearing taylor say this, he also felt that breaking up over the phone was a bit hasty.


    "i know i was wrong, but can we solve our current situation?"


    "why not try?"


    afterwards, the two seriously discussed how to solve the ''growing workload and limited time together that couldn''t meet link''s needs''.


    the solution was to cut down on unnecessary work, reduce the frequency of concert tours, and ensure at least two months of togetherness each year, among other things.


    taylor wrote out seven or eight pages in her notebook.


    the plans looked good, but link didn''t think they would be of much use.


    taylor loved music and liked to sing. when she got a job in the future, she would still choose work.


    enjoy exclusive chapters from empire


    seeing how seriously taylor wrote, he didn''t want to say much.


    "what do you think?" taylor asked as she put down her pen.


    "it looks good, i just hope it won''t affect your work," link said.


    taylor looked at him strangely, "you seem to care more about my job than about me. if it were another guy, he would ask his girlfriend to stay at home or give up her job, and only suggest breaking up after being rejected. why don''t you do that?"


    link shrugged, "you started singing at nine, met me at nineteen. i don''t think i could ever be more important to you than music, so i never ask you to do that."


    "so you think i love music more than you?" taylor paused and asked.


    "isn''t it?" link said with a smile.


    taylor looked at him quietly, blinked her blue eyes, then suddenly picked up a pen and started scribbling in a notebook.


    "what are you doing?"


    "i got an inspiration, i''m writing a song, don''t bother me,"


    taylor said without looking up.


    link shook his head.


    he got up and made her dinner.


    ¡ª


    after taylor returned, link resumed a life with a woman.


    although amber had also lived in the villa for a while, she had her own job and social circle, and link hardly spent any time with her. apart from exchanging bodily fluids and hormones, they didn''t communicate much.


    but taylor was different. they understood each other, admired each other, shared common interests and hobbies. being together was much more comfortable.


    after living together for three days, they decided to go public with their relationship to the media.


    that day, when they appeared on rodeo drive in beverly hills, hollywood paparazzi and reporters swarmed them.


    it started with seven or eight and eventually grew to three or four hundred media reporters and thousands of fans and curious tourists, causing the main roads in beverly hills to become paralyzed. eventually, the beverly police had to dispatch hundreds of officers to set up barriers and redirect traffic.


    the news of their outing was quickly made public.


    this caused a huge sensation in the media, topping headlines across the united states.


    since link and taylor were currently two of the most popular light-skinned male and female singers in the u.s. music scene, they had immense global influence.


    them dating was clearly a big scoop.


    not long before, link had been involved with amber, who had discussed their private affairs in the media.


    just a few days later, link''s girlfriend was reported to be taylor.


    the change came too fast, leaving plenty of room for public and media speculation.


    some media outlets suggested taylor was the third person involved in link and amber''s relationship.


    others reported that link and taylor had been secretly dating before, encountered problems, and amber took advantage of the situation.


    some said link was a playboy, juggling two women.


    others claimed link was so insatiable that one girlfriend could not satisfy him; he needed two or more.


    the media was buzzing with various theories.


    regarding these speculations, amber was the first to come forward for an interview, saying she knew link and taylor had feelings for each other, and she chose to step aside for them.


    link and taylor also revealed through their agents that they had met in miami in june last year, initially as friends, learned guitar together, and developed feelings for each other.


    shortly before, link had expressed his feelings for taylor during an interview, just as taylor also liked link.


    after private talks, they officially confirmed their relationship, with no one interfering in anyone''s affairs.


    after these rumors were clarified, the news of link and taylor''s relationship continued to cause a sensation across the u.s. and the rest of the world.


    public opinion mostly supported their relationship.


    commonly, both were deemed to have good images: one strong and handsome, the other delicate and beautiful, both creatively talented.


    on the billboard album sales chart in the united states, one ranked fourth and the other ninth, both highly successful singers.


    both had good reputations, free from messy scandals, and no tattoos, drug use, or alcohol abuse.


    the two seemed very well-matched, like a princess and a knight from a story.


    learning of their relationship, many people said this made them believe in love again.


    media outlets also hyped their relationship, with the los angeles times and entertainment weekly calling them the new golden boy and golden girl of the music world after britney spears and justin timberlake, though it was unclear whether the sentiment was optimistic or not.


    their fans also supported their relationship.


    taylor''s fans stated that only a guy like link was worthy of a beautiful and talented girl like taylor.


    link''s music fans and fight fans also thought taylor and link were a great match and should be together.


    riding on media hype, their album sales also saw an upward trend.


    link''s album sales had dropped below 100,000 a week after the initial hot-selling month.


    after news of his relationship with taylor broke, sales in the 7th week doubled to 217,000, returning to the second spot on the sales chart, reportedly also purchased by taylor''s fans.


    taylor''s album saw even larger gains, with sales in the 19th week being 64,000 copies and in the 20th week shooting up to 285,000 copies, surpassing link, kanye, and britney, and reclaiming the top spot on the album sales chart. her sales in the united states exceeded 4 million copies, achieving quadruple platinum status.


    from this perspective, taylor''s album had more staying power and was somewhat higher quality than link''s.


    the two albums topped the billboard 200 chart in the united states, ranking first and second.


    some media criticized their relationship as a commercial publicity stunt to promote new albums.


    regarding these speculations, link and taylor made no response, spending their days training, shopping, partying, writing songs, practicing the piano, and enjoying their life behind closed doors.

 Chapter 134 You Are Not Allowed to Look

    in the morning, the sunlight in los angeles was nice ¨C brilliant sunshine, blue skies and sea, beaches, and tall palm trees almost made link believe he was back at miami beach.however, there were some clear differences in the geographical environment and climate between los angeles and miami.


    miami has a tropical rainforest climate with high annual rainfall and humidity.


    los angeles has a mediterranean climate, with mild and moist winters, dry and hot summers, less annual rainfall, and pretty consistent temperatures around 20¡ãc year-round.


    the air in los angeles is cooler and drier than in miami, with many sunny days throughout the year and little weather variation, which is one of the reasons why so many film companies have set up studios here.


    the population of los angeles city exceeds 4 million, more than double that of miami; its urban area is also busier and more bustling, with every view filled with buildings and streetscapes featured in hollywood movies.


    that morning, link, dressed in red converse sportswear, ran more than twenty kilometers along santa monica palm avenue, and later, he spent two hours at the westside boxing club.


    incidentally, he gave some boxing training tips to christian bale, one of the leading actors in "fighter".


    pre-production work for "fighter" had concluded, with shooting scheduled to begin next month. in his spare time, besides promoting his album and recording shows, link also attended classes at the los angeles school of performing arts to learn more about acting.


    after 2 pm, he drove back to his villa in the western part of santa monica beach.


    the villa was rented temporarily ¨C a detached house with average furnishings but surrounded by nice views. every day he could see the sunny beaches, and it was close to the city center and hollywood.


    when he lived alone, he used this place just for sleeping, often busy until late before returning home. now that taylor was here, he would head straight home after finishing his work.


    the two had agreed to reduce their work outside as much as possible to spend more time together.


    taylor had been doing well recently, with her daily workload considerably reduced and her european concert tour announced as postponed. she spent even more time at home than him each day.


    but he knew this was temporary. taylor was still a workaholic who loved her music career above all else. she would become busy again after a while. therefore, link would make the most of taylor being at home by spending as much time there as he could.


    back at the villa, the housekeeper was busy in the kitchen and the gardener was trimming the lawn in the front yard. his assistant anna told him that his performance outfit was ready and that they would leave for the image design studio at 3:20 pm for a haircut and makeup, before heading to beverly for the grammy award ceremony at 4:30 pm.


    link acknowledged.


    when he reached the second floor of the villa and called out for taylor, he received no response.


    he heard two meows and saw two scottish fold cats lying in the hallway ¨C a silver tabby kitten named meridian was pawing at a fluffy ball, batting it back and forth, and a small white cat named olly was lying lazily on the carpet, letting the sun warm her petite body, both beloved pets of taylor.


    before, link joked to taylor that her music career ranked first in her heart and he came second. but after the two cats arrived, he realized he had overestimated his position.


    taylor was obviously more affectionate towards the cats than him; he probably ranked below the two little cats.


    meow!


    meridian greeted him with a meow as he approached and continued to play with the fluffy ball.


    olly gave him a lazy glance and closed her eyes again to nap, appearing rather aloof.


    link crouched down and scratched olly''s belly. she modestly swatted his finger with her paw as if telling him not to be fresh, but eventually, she succumbed and closed her eyes to enjoy, purring contentedly.


    meridian glanced at him and batted the fluffy ball towards him, meowing once.


    link flicked the ball back with his finger, and meridian batted it back again. when the little creature batted it towards him for the third time, link flicked its head and thought to himself that as a world boxing champion and a popular singer, he didn''t have time to play ball with it. sear?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    after petting the two little ones, he pushed open the door and went inside.


    there were a guitar and a violin on the couch, and dozens of scattered sheets of paper. taylor was lying on a wool carpet, wearing glasses, her messy golden hair cascading down, holding a pen and writing on the paper while humming a tune.


    link didn''t disturb her; he gently closed the door, picked up a few sheets of paper, and sat on the couch to read them.


    the first one was a song called "better than revenge", about a boyfriend who cheated with an actress. she was heartbroken and wanted revenge, but in the end, chose to forgive him and lick her wounds alone.


    the resentment was palpable.


    another sheet of paper had an unnamed song, which only had lyrics like, "you''re a faithless man who tells tall tales, watch how i light this match, and burn down the time i''ve wasted," showing even greater bitterness.


    link watched with sweat beading on his forehead, the inner drama of this artistic young woman was far too rich; they had agreed not to bring up the past again, to treat that break-up as a minor incident in the journey of their relationship.


    now she had written it all into a song, and it sounded so aggrieved.


    what did she mean by that?


    "ah! no looking! you''re not allowed to look!"


    just as he was about to look at the third page, taylor suddenly leaped up, stumbled over, and pounced on him, snatching the manuscript from his hands and hiding it behind her.


    "link, don''t get the wrong idea, this is about creation, not writing a diary, some parts are exaggerated, can you understand that?"


    taylor asked, staring at him nervously.


    "i get it, i won''t overthink it."


    "really? you promise?"


    "i promise. i''m a creator myself, i understand what you mean, you''re expanding on a bit of truth with your imagination, just like a script adapted from a news event, right?"


    link spoke while straightening her hair.


    taylor nodded repeatedly, her blue eyes blinking.


    "get up, we have to go to the grammy awards soon, we should start getting ready early."


    link said, helping her to her feet.


    "you really don''t mind?"


    taylor asked, studying his expression closely.


    link gave a slight smile, stopped in his tracks and said, "if i did mind, would you stop creating these songs?"


    taylor''s fine eyebrows slightly furrowed, and her lips pursed together.


    "so, create boldly, stick to what you love doing, don''t let me affect your creative flow, and don''t set limits on your thoughts. creation should be free. i won''t become your shackles, and besides, i''m not that petty, nor will i be angry with you over this."


    link said, tousling her hair.


    taylor looked at him, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his, her breathing slowly becoming rapid and feverish.


    "i want to do it now."


    "what?"


    "i want to ml!"


    taylor said, kissing his face.


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    "but we have to go to the grammy awards soon, there''s only two hours left."


    "forget about it, i only want to ml now."


    taylor said passionately, biting his lower lip.


    link bent his head to kiss her, embraced her waist and hips, lifted the bothersome hem of her dress, and sat down on the balcony.


    meow meow meow!


    cat-calls came traveling through the hallway.


    assistant anna was coming up the stairs, ready to remind the two it was time to leave, but upon hearing the feline sounds, she crouched down to pet them, only to realize that it wasn''t a cat meowing, but noises from the room next door.


    the sound was similar to a cat''s cry but with bittersweet nuances, more like the sound of orchestral music¡ªloud then soft, heavy then light.


    even she, a married woman, blushed and felt her ears heat up.

 Chapter 135 Grammy

    "how do i look?"on hollywood boulevard, inside the star image management studio, link spread his hands out and asked taylor on the other side.


    he was dressed in a dior tailored herringbone suit with a black narrow tie and a platinum wristwatch on his wrist. paired with his chiseled cheeks and tall, upright figure, he looked fashionably elegant yet valuable.


    "you look so handsome, dear. you''re definitely the most handsome man in the world."


    taylor, wearing a chiffon gown, sat in front of the mirror, letting the makeup artist apply makeup to her face as she admired link''s figure through the mirror and praised him.


    "haha, my dear, you also look very, very beautiful today. i bet there''s no one at the grammy awards who can compare to you."


    link looked into the mirror at taylor''s delicate cheeks. even without makeup, they were rosy and tender, clear and translucent, like ripe cherries, making someone irresistibly want to take a bite.


    "mua!"


    taylor lifted her hand and blew link a kiss.


    "enough, you two!"


    lady andrea scowled, looking at them discontentedly, "the award ceremony is about to start. can you please be serious? do you want to be late to the grammy ceremony?"


    "mom, don''t worry, we''re performance guests, not award recipients. it''s okay if we''re a little late."


    taylor waved her hand nonchalantly, her face always wearing a sweet smile because she was in a good mood.


    lady andrea sighed helplessly, feeling that her daughter had been led astray by link. last year, when she heard they were attending the grammy awards, she was so excited that she couldn''t sleep and started preparing three days in advance. but today?


    one hour before the start of the award ceremony. s~ea??h the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    she called her assistant emily to ask if taylor had left yet. the answer she got was that they hadn''t left; the two were still in the bedroom doing shameful things and had completely forgotten about the afternoon ceremony.


    at the time, she was almost faint with anger. it was daytime, how could they...


    that''s just indecent.


    taylor used to be so ladylike...


    it''s all link''s fault!


    lady andrea glanced at link, the prime culprit, and felt she should have a talk with him when the time was right.


    "are you ready?"


    lady mandy entered, pushing the door open. "the car is here."


    "wait a bit longer. the two of them don''t take the grammys seriously at all."


    lady andrea snorted coldly.


    "that also shows they''re in a good state of mind."


    lady mandy joked.


    ¡ª¡ª


    in early march, the 51st grammy music awards ceremony took place at the beverly hilton hotel in los angeles, united states.


    the grammy awards, along with the oscars for film, the emmys for television, and the tonys for theatre, are collectively known as the four major annual entertainment awards in the united states.


    the grammy awards are for all records released in the united states from october of the previous year to the end of september of the current year. artists or record companies submit their entries, and upon successful registration, the committee classifies the works according to their musical attributes.


    after two rounds of voting by the selection committee, the winners of the ''album of the year'' and various other awards are chosen from the five nominees in each category.


    link''s record came out at the beginning of this year, missing the deadline for this year''s grammys. taylor''s second album also didn''t make it in time, so neither received a nomination. however, both were invited by the organizers as performance guests to participate in this grammy music awards ceremony.


    at the ceremony, link performed the popular song "despacito."


    before going on stage, he didn''t feel much, as there had been rehearsals, and everything had gone smoothly.


    but when it was time to truly perform, he was singing and dancing with the backup dancers when his eyes suddenly caught sight of the audience below.


    celine dion, mariah carey, jenny jackson, members of linkin park, members of coldplay, kanye west, jay-z, beyonce, adele, britney, lady gaga, and so on, four to five hundred of the world''s top singers at present.


    being watched by these people, link almost lost his composure, but luckily not many in the audience understood spanish, and after singing two words wrong, he quickly adjusted himself back on track.


    after returning backstage, link thanked the backup dancers and chatted a few words with the soon-to-go-on-stage taylor before he went back to the front audience seating.


    he was a singer invited to attend the awards ceremony, not nominated, and his seat was in the middle toward the back.


    "hey! link, you just sang two words wrong."


    hearing someone greet him in spanish, he glanced over and saw latin music queen shakira, the latina singer with the highest album sales in the world at present, whose 2010 song ''waka waka'' for the south africa world cup made her famous all over the world.


    this woman is columbian, and spanish is her mother tongue.


    link didn''t expect her to point it out directly, and said somewhat embarrassedly, "yes, i was a bit nervous just now."


    "it''s okay, you sang really well."


    shakira gave a characteristic smile, bright red lips with white teeth, exuding the warm and hearty passion of a latin woman.


    link thought about how his song was more popular in latin regions than her new song ''she wolf'' and felt that she was probably teasing him, so he nodded his head and continued to walk forward.


    "hey!!"


    he heard another "hey," although compared to shakira''s, this voice sounded very rough and impolite. link decided not to respond and continued to walk down the aisle.


    "hey! link baker, you owe kanye an apology."


    someone shouted.


    link glanced over, and where the light was poor, save for a few pairs of big white eyeballs and big white teeth, everything else was pitch-dark. it was unclear who was talking.


    this was the seating area for rap groups and rappers, all of whom were black.


    the air was also filled with the spicy scent characteristic of black people; link touched his nose,


    "sorry, who are you?"


    "f*ck! lil, did this kid say he doesn''t recognize you?"


    "is this kid definitely picking a fight?"


    "should we hit him?"


    a few of the black singers rolled up their sleeves and talked trash.


    "shut up!"


    a white man in front turned around and advised, "are you guys idiots? he''s the world boxing champion, tyson couldn''t even beat him, you want to fight him?" find your next adventure on empire


    the black guys immediately quieted down, staring with big white eyeballs at each other.


    seeing the person who spoke was the famous rapper eminem, link nodded at him and took a seat in the row in front.


    he looked at his seat: the row in front of him was coldplay, with seven nominations, and further ahead were the award presenters celine dion, justin timberlake, amy winehouse, and behind him were eminem, 50 cent.


    to his left was lady gaga with her long silver hair and bright red lips, and beside miss gaga was katy perry in her busty outfit, dressed in a green sequined long gown.


    to his right was taylor''s seat, and further to the right was a plump female singer with luxuriant hair, the future british pop star adele adkins.


    this row was mostly filled with new singers who had made a mark on the world music scene over the last year.


    sitting among these people, link felt a great deal of pressure.

 Chapter 136 Adele

    "hi, link, i''m a fan of yours."when he returned to the audience, miss lady gaga took the initiative to greet him.


    link smiled and shook her hand, "joanne, i''m a fan of yours too. i really like your ''poker face''; its melody is fantastic."


    "thank you! how about we collaborate sometime, i also live in new york," miss lady gaga said with a smile.


    "of course, we can."


    link chatted with her for a few moments.


    lady gaga''s real name is joanne germanotta, from manhattan, new york, 23 years old this year. she debuted in 2005 and had previously written songs for artists like britney spears, fergie, and the pussycat dolls, establishing herself as a songwriter.


    last year she released her debut studio album "the fame," which currently has sold over 5 million copies worldwide.


    the single "poker face" in particular became a global hit, topping the charts in 20 countries including the united states, and was even more popular than "dream it possible" and "despacito."


    in the past, from watching the news, miss gaga seemed bold and extravagant in her behavior, often wearing bizarre outfits to public events to attract media attention, which made her seem like a very flamboyant person.


    in real life, however, her voice was very gentle, and while chatting, link noticed she was shy to make eye contact, even a little bashful, a discovery he found quite interesting.


    he felt that he and miss gaga were of the same kind, thin-skinned but deliberately creating controversial topics for the sake of fame, to attract media attention.


    "link, i''ve watched your boxing matches, and you are incredible in the ring," joanne said excitedly, her fists clenched.


    link smiled gently, "so you''re a fan of my boxing?"


    "i like your songs too. i love ''dream it possible'' the most. i listen to it over 100 times, and ''despacito'' is also great. it''s just that the youtube mv is a bit rough; you should shoot a refined mv and re-release it online."


    "yes, that video was shot casually. the mv for the new album and the single are being planned and will likely be re-released next month."


    because that album sold well, link music is pulling together a crew to shoot the mv; a good mv can further explain the essence of the song, serving as the icing on the cake, also aiding in promoting the album.


    so during this period, not only does link need to promote the album and visit the set of "fighter" to give training advice to the actors, but he must also shoot the mv, making his work schedule very busy.


    "link, i''m starting a world tour next month, and i will be going to miami. can i invite you to be a guest performer?"


    joanne tentatively asked.


    thinking it over, link agreed; miss gaga was rising rapidly, and she would be top-tier in the next few years. collaborating with her was also an opportunity for networking.


    as the two were chatting, katy perry, also known as fruit sister, was staring at his face from nearby. link looked back into her eyes and nodded in greeting.


    katy perry, 25 this year, is a descendant of latin immigrants, with brown eyes and a voluptuous figure, wearing a dress that exposed half her chest. she spoke in a lively voice as she sized up link and asked, "link, are you really a boxer?"


    link paused, then laughed, "yes, is there an issue?"


    katy shrugged her shoulders, gesturing with her fingers, "i thought boxers were the type with a very strong build and well-developed muscles, but you look more like a model."


    "link defeated tyson; he''s very capable," joanne interjected.


    "i know, which is why i find it even less believable; i used to think boxer link and singer link were two different people. now that i know they''re the same person, it feels a bit schizophrenic," katy said, shrugging her shoulders.


    link joked, "maybe i should take off my shirt and sing on stage with boxing gloves on."


    they both laughed lightly and suggested he try it.


    the best new artist of the year award was being presented on stage, and the winner was adele adkins, seated next to him, also known as ''grammy''s darling girl,'' who would win a grammy every year just by releasing a song.


    "miss adele, congratulations on your award!"


    after adele came off the stage, link applauded and said.


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    "thank you!"


    adele laughed happily and said.


    "it looks really beautiful."


    link looked at the gold-plated gramophone statue in her hand, which was the grammy award trophy, very exquisite.


    "do you want to have a look?"


    adele offered with a smile.


    "may i?"


    link took the trophy, touched by some of the artistic aura of the grammy awards.


    lady gaga and katy perry also came over, curiously looking at it with envious expressions.


    link really wanted to tell them that there was no need to be envious, that even if the two of them were not grammy darlings, they were still close, and in the future, they would each have a dozen or more, wholesale grammy trophies.


    only for himself, getting a grammy might be more difficult.


    after looking at it for a while, link returned the trophy to adele, expressed his thanks, and then adele went back on stage to pick up another gold gramophone for best pop female vocalist of the year, truly a darling to receive female vocalist of the year so soon after her debut.


    after adele stepped down, taylor and singer miley cyrus performed "fifteen" together, both from nashville, with taylor having written a song for miley, "you''ll always find your way back home."


    taylor was wearing a white chiffon long dress, holding a guitar and singing while playing, miley cyrus wearing a black leather jacket, singing along with her.


    miley cyrus was only 17 that year, her album sales exceeded 10 million worldwide, having released three albums, all of which had reached the top of the album sales charts, and from 2007-2008 had held a north american tour with just the ticket revenue amounting to 36 million us dollars.


    her tour footage was made into a documentary movie, with a box office of 70.6 million us dollars, higher than many hollywood a-list productions.


    link felt that such a person was truly a chosen one.


    unlike himself, as a singer, needing to rack his brains for songs, getting a headache just to come up with a small part of lyrics and melody;


    as a boxer, needing to train every day, exhausting himself just to make a little progress. s§×arch* the nov§×lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    applause! applause!


    the performance on stage ended, taylor came down with her guitar, and link stood up to take her hand and sit down.


    because the two were currently the most popular couple in the music scene, when taylor came down, all the audience''s eyes and the camera lenses followed their figures.


    "they look really well-matched."


    joanne whispered to katy perry.


    katy perry glanced at them, shook her head, and said, "the media say they''re like britney and justin, clearly not optimistic about the two, and i also don''t think couples in the industry can last very long."


    "but they do look really well-matched."


    joanne looked at them with envious eyes, one tall and handsome, the other tall and beautiful, both so talented, they absolutely were the most matching couple in the entertainment circle.


    katy perry looked at link and said in a lowered voice to joanne, "amber linke is especially amazing in that area, leaving her unable to get out of bed every time, i wonder if it''s true?"


    joanne gave her a disdainful look, "you''re too dirty."


    "i''m dirty?"


    katy perry got choked by her words, considering who was the boldest in the current circle, lady gaga could definitely rank in the top three, her clothes were very revealing, her style was bizarre, often engaging in bold acts in music videos and concerts, and the media criticized her for being too bold and not suitable for children.


    such a person had the nerve to say she herself was dirty?


    she felt joanne and link were alike, both a bit schizophrenic.

 Chapter 137 Big News

    "how does it feel to attend the grammys for the first time?"in their seats, taylor asked him, holding his hand.


    "a bit nervous. i just messed up two words on stage, did you notice?"


    "no, but there are cameras here. i''ll watch the tv broadcast later, i should be able to spot it."


    taylor pointed at the several camera positions at the edge of the stage and laughed.


    link felt helpless, which meant that the mistake he just made on stage would be broadcasted on tv and criticized by many people.


    "it''s okay. it''s already pretty good for you to perform like this in front of so many professional singers for the first time. i was very nervous just now," taylor softly consoled him.


    link nodded. he had enough courage to sing and dance in front of several hundred top singers in the music industry, which was a decent mentality indeed.


    "...link, you should apologize to kanye," taylor said.


    "whoa!"


    link was chatting with taylor below the stage when suddenly he heard a wave of gasps around them, and then the people in the audience turned their attention to them, making him and taylor the center of attention.


    link and taylor exchanged a glance, both somewhat baffled.


    "link, lil wayne said you should apologize to kanye," lady gaga said, pulling on his sleeve and pointing to the black singer on stage holding a golden gramophone trophy.


    in his twenties, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, with black dreadlocks over a foot long, and arms covered in blue tattoos, even more exaggerated than dino''s tattoos.


    this man was lil wayne, a famous rapper who started writing songs at 8 and released his first album at 15, selling over 400,000 copies.


    last june, he released his sixth studio album "tha carter iii," which debuted at number one on the billboard album chart with approximately 1,005,000 copies sold in the first week.


    additionally, he won four trophies at this year''s grammy awards with this album.


    it was rumored that he had a good relationship with kanye west and was among those who criticized link''s album as being too stereotypical in the media last time.


    what link did not expect was that this guy would, while delivering his acceptance speech, thank kanye and demand an apology from him.


    this kind of behavior made link quite uncomfortable. the other party was on stage, and he was below; it was not appropriate to make a scene in a public place.


    "link baker, you shouldn''t attack kanye''s condition; i think it''s very impolite, and you should apologize to him," lil wayne said into the microphone.


    link smiled and shook his head, giving him a thumbs up, and then turned it upside down.


    he initially wanted to give him the middle finger, but considering he was a youth idol with a public image to maintain, he switched to thumbs down instead.


    lil wayne cursed "fuck" and wanted to continue speaking.


    the host allen stepped forward to persuade him off the stage.


    lil wayne went off the stage cursing, and a few black singers sitting in the back row also cursed at link.


    link couldn''t be bothered with them. the grammy stage was for the winners, and he was an invited guest. it wasn''t polite to start a commotion in such a setting.


    "honey, don''t mind them, you did nothing wrong," taylor said, tightly holding his arm as if afraid he would stand up and hit someone.


    "don''t worry, i''m not that impulsive," link reassured.


    at that moment, kanye west walked back onto the front stage to receive the best rap song collaboration award. holding the microphone, kanye addressed the audience, "hey, lil, i told you not to mention that kid..."


    link whispered a few words to taylor, fastened his buttons, and then stood up to leave the audience seats, walking towards the exit.


    oh!


    the venue erupted into a noisy buzz of conversation.


    by leaving during kanye''s speech, link clearly showed his disdain and disrespect.


    the black singers at the venue immediately started making a fuss, hurling insults at link, and then were asked by the venue staff to leave.


    the award ceremony was thrown into disarray for over three minutes before it continued with the other awards.


    ¡ª


    "mr. link baker, may we interview you for a moment?" s§×arch* the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "mr. baker, please wait, we have a few questions to ask you."


    as link walked out of the grammy awards ceremony, reporters waiting outside the hilton hotel swarmed towards him with their interview tools, surrounding him as camera shutters clicked incessantly.


    link stopped, looked at his watch, and said, "gentlemen of the press, i have things to do. please ask your questions quickly."


    "mr. baker, why did you leave the ceremony early?" a reporter from entertainment weekly shouted.


    link frowned and said, "if you all don''t even know the reason, i think this interview is unnecessary."


    "mr. baker, lil wayne and kanye west demanded an apology from you during their acceptance speech, how do you view their actions?" asked a reporter from the los angeles times.


    "i''m disappointed. the grammy awards should be a sacred, or at least a serious, temple of art for musicians. yet in such a solemn setting, they chose to publicly criticize me, a guest who was invited to attend, over some personal grudge?"


    link shook his head, looking at the reporters, "furthermore, i''m disappointed with the grammys. for musicians, a grammy is a great honor, and those who win should be true artists. but today, i saw them hand out several awards to two rude, uncultured individuals. such grammys are indeed disappointing."


    upon hearing his direct criticism of the grammys, the reporters got agitated. "mr. baker, do you think lil wayne, kanye shouldn''t have won grammy awards?" shouted a reporter from the hollywood reporter.


    "i don''t know if they should or shouldn''t win the award. if the grammy selection committee thinks that the process should only consider the quality of songs and not the singer''s character and morals, i have nothing to say," link said with a shrug.


    "mr. baker!"


    "lil wayne has asked you to apologize to kanye. will you apologize?" shouted a reporter from american express.


    "yes, not long ago kanye, lil wayne, and others publicly spread rumors that my album sales were fraudulent. my legal team has gathered evidence of their slander and filed a lawsuit with the manhattan district court. the case will soon go to trial. i believe the ones who need to apologize are them, not me."


    "mr. baker, kanye previously said that you attacked him at a press conference to use his popularity to sell your albums. do you agree with this view?" asked a reporter from usa today.


    "that''s even more ludicrous. my album sales are higher than theirs. why would i need to borrow their popularity? on the contrary, it is they who are taking advantage of the situation. through today''s events, i can confirm kanye west is sick, and so is lil wayne. they''re both suffering from an arrogant illness.


    they think just because the current president is african american, america is theirs? that''s ridiculous."


    wow!


    when they heard him turn the tables on the occupant of the white house, the reporters present were momentarily stunned. then, collectively their brains seemed to overheat, eyes reddened, as they started yelling at him. your next read is at empire


    "mr. baker, are you saying they are criticizing you at the grammys because the new president is african american?"


    "mr. baker, are you expressing dissatisfaction with the new president?"


    "mr. baker, who did you vote for in this election?"


    "mr. baker, are you a democrat or a republican?"


    the reporters yelled loudly.


    link, however, no longer answered, leaving the scene through the security passage and getting straight into the business van parked by the road.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "link, you were too impulsive. you should not have criticized the grammys, and you definitely should not have mentioned the president. now that african americans are proud of obama for moving into the white house, you''ve turned this into an issue involving him, and this will surely provoke discontent among the black community," said mrs. andrea in the car.


    link leaned back in his seat, shrugged nonchalantly, "don''t worry, they can''t do anything to me. whether they attack me through public opinion or try to suppress me in other ways, i have means to deal with it. if they go too far... i could just emigrate temporarily. with my capabilities, i''ll flourish anywhere i go."


    mrs. andrea frowned, recalling this guy wasn''t just a singer but also a world boxing champion, an olympic gold medalist, an athlete who had won honor for america. if this incident led to his emigration, the new president would probably face considerable criticism.


    "you will lose the support of your african american fans," mrs. andrea said after a moment''s thought.


    "african american fans?"


    link thought about it. did he even have african american fans?


    "anne, do you think those people who listen to hip-hop, rap, and hip-hop all day would like my songs?"


    he didn''t believe he had many african american fans, and if he did, they likely wouldn''t be many, just like taylor''s fans, where the majority were from lighter-skinned demographics, and those were the people mostly supporting her.


    the root of her and kanye''s conflict lay in entertainment factions, political struggle, and racial tensions.


    his actions today were also like playing with fire.


    "link, i support your actions. lil wayne and kanye criticizing you, a guest, on the award stage¡ªno matter how the media spins it, the ones in the wrong are them. you handled it correctly," said ms. mandy.


    mrs. andrea shook her head, "still, it was too extreme, link. the news describes you as intelligent. you could have handled it in a more delicate way, not this aggressive, no-room-for-backtracking way."


    "yes, there is that way, but it''s too slow. i confronted them directly and blew up the issue. now they either have to reconcile with me, or they''ll continue to suppress me in the media and in my career. if they choose the second method, it''ll only make the situation bigger, embarrassing us both.


    i don''t think the person who just moved into the white house wants to see this happen either," link explained.


    mrs. andrea still thought the issue was blown out of proportion and that it wasn''t a good thing.


    "it''s also good this way; it simplifies things. if anybody attacks link, people will think of kanye, and maybe even the white house. to avoid escalating the situation, they''ll be reluctant to target link deliberately. also, link''s fans will likely support him even more, and those who dislike kanye and his ilk might even switch to supporting link because of this," said ms. mandy.


    mrs. andrea thought for a while and gradually came around. link, being from a lighter-skinned demographic, could indeed rally a large number of liberal whites with this approach. but the political risks were significant.


    "be careful, link. they won''t be easy to handle," mrs. andrea warned.


    link nodded, aware that the risk was real. in america post-2008, whether in sports, entertainment, or politics, the african american community''s influence was on the rise, and his actions could easily make him a target.


    but to make a name and stand firm on the world''s musical stage, how could he not take some risks?


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 138 Countermeasures

    that evening, after the grammy awards ceremony was broadcast on cbs, everyone witnessed what happened at the event.cbs, nbc, abc, and other television networks also covered the incident in their evening news.


    it caused a huge sensation in america. experience more on empire


    initially, people did not understand the dispute between link and kanye or why lil wayne demanded an apology from link.


    yahoo news was the first to piece together the conflict online.


    the incident began a few weeks earlier when kanye told a new york times reporter that link''s new album, "the fight," was a product aimed at the market, an attempt to make money off the financial crisis with no artistic value.


    latter, at a press conference celebrating "the fight" breaking one million sales, link faced questions from a new york times reporter and responded to the comment.


    he claimed that kanye had a mental illness, couldn''t handle criticism, and did not want to comment on his remarks.


    afterward, singers like lil wayne, 50 cent, jay-z, t.i., and others believed that link shouldn''t have attacked kanye''s illness.


    they said that as a music industry veteran, kanye was entirely justified in critiquing the album of a newcomer like link, and it was disrespectful and impolite of link to insult kanye''s health and demand that he apologize.


    link refused to apologize.


    kanye and lil wayne''s fans then attacked link online, giving his album poor ratings on music websites.


    link still did not respond.


    lil wayne escalated the issue at the grammy awards, calling link out and demanding an apology.


    at the award ceremony, kanye asked lil wayne not to criticize link anymore, saying that link was a lousy singer and not worth commenting on.


    upset by the criticism, link left the grammy ceremony in protest.


    this was the cause and course of the conflict between them.


    seeing this, north american netizens understood and began taking sides.


    fans of kanye, lil wayne, jay-z, and others unhesitatingly stood by their idols, demanding that link issue a public apology.


    they were unanimous in their opinion, calling kanye a rap monarch, a music industry senior, and a gold-certified producer. they felt it was appropriate for him, when invited by the media, to critique a newbie singer like link and offer some critical opinions.


    but link insinuated that kanye had a mental illness, which was very impolite, and it was right for them to demand an apology.


    many people supported link, arguing that the american music scene does not emphasize seniority, and if kanye could criticize link, then link naturally had the right to retort. there wasn''t really a significant issue here.


    verbal sparring between two singers is quite common in the industry.


    it was singers like lil wayne who fanned the flames online, incessantly demanding an apology from link and turning a minor incident into major news.


    those supporting link believed he did nothing wrong and was very restrained in facing provocations from lil wayne and others. he did the same at the grammy scene.


    if he had wanted to fight, even if lil wayne and others ganged up on him, they would be no match, but he chose to leave instead, a very calm way to handle the situation.


    link should not face any criticism.


    lil wayne and others owed an apology.


    people supporting kanye and those supporting link argued back and forth online.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "link, i hear you''ve made big news again," miss thomp said over the phone from new york, as link was preparing to sleep in his villa.


    taylor, wearing a t-shirt, wiped his hair with a towel and said, "eva, it must be midnight in new york now, haven''t you slept yet?"


    "with such a big incident happening, do you think i can sleep? what you said to the reporters, it''s going to be all over the news tomorrow. people will think you''re targeting obama, and they will think you''re discriminating against african-americans. the impact is too great. how do you expect me to sleep?"


    ms. thomp said, filled with resentment.


    after making a deal with her father to increase link music''s market value to one hundred million in a year, she started focusing her work on link music.


    according to the current momentum, after the release of the second album and planning another world tour, reaching a market value of one hundred million shouldn''t be difficult.


    but now, with the big news taylor had created, involving many sensitive social issues, if handled poorly, taylor''s reputation could be destroyed, the company might go bankrupt, and she would be forced into an arranged marriage.


    she was now in the same boat as taylor, sharing both glory and loss, and naturally did not want to see taylor in trouble.


    "eva, go to sleep. it''s not as serious as you think,"


    taylor said, yawning.


    "not that serious?!"


    ms. thomp nearly lost her temper when she heard his yawn. she was losing sleep over his issues, while he was full of sleepiness, such a jerk.


    "taylor, if this isn''t handled well, link music goes under, and i have to go back and get married, i will never let you off the hook."


    taylor could hear her resentment through the phone and chuckled, "i heard there''s a world university sports games in april and the berlin world swimming championships in may. i''m planning to sign up and break a few world records. what do you think?"


    eva paused, they were discussing how to put out the fire, to minimize the impact of the incident, but taylor was talking about participating in sports competitions. what was he trying to do?


    after thinking, suddenly she brightened up.


    taylor was not only a singer but also a world boxing champion and olympic gold medalist. it was said that his swimming skills surpassed even those of phelps.


    if he were to participate in sports competitions and break several world records at this time, he would become an even more prestigious sports icon, the pride of america.


    with this aura, no matter the attacks, there wouldn''t be too much to worry about.


    and his supporters would go crazy over his incredible performances.


    but were world records so easy to break?


    "don''t worry, breaking all of them might be a bit difficult, but breaking one or two and getting a few gold medals shouldn''t be a problem,"


    taylor said, as if he heard her concerns.


    "did you plan this in advance?"


    ms. thomp asked in surprise.


    "no, i came up with it on the spot so you could sleep peacefully. in my view, this matter won''t blow up too big, because with the financial crisis still ongoing and the economy recovering, we can''t afford chaos. some people want to see this matter settled even more than we do,"


    taylor said with a light laugh.


    he remembered after the future incident with kanye grabbing the microphone, the newly elected president directly called kanye ''a jackass,'' which also served to extinguish the flames.


    "you can ask your dad if you don''t believe me. he''ll definitely tell you, ''oh, honey, this is just a small matter, no need to worry at all, go to sleep now.''"


    taylor said, imitating mr. thomp''s voice.


    eva burst into laughter, cursed him, and said her dad didn''t talk like that at all, telling him not to mimic randomly.


    taylor smiled lightly, hearing taylor call from the bedroom for him to come to bed soon. he wished eva goodnight and then returned to the bedroom to rest.


    s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 139 Night Talk

    "who''s calling you so late?"in the brightly lit bedroom, taylor, wearing a nightgown and golden curls, was leaning against the headboard holding a music magazine. she didn''t look up as she asked when he came in.


    "the boss!"


    "ivanka trump?"


    taylor lifted her head, her blue eyes flickering.


    "yes, she heard about the grammy issue and called to criticize me."


    link lifted the blanket and lay beside taylor, ready to look at the magazine with her.


    as taylor flipped through the magazine, she nonchalantly said, "ivanka''s figure is really sexy, such big breasts, such a big butt, what''s it like to sleep with her?"


    link was taken aback, "how would i know? i''ve never slept with her."


    "really?"


    taylor stared at his face, her lips curling into a skeptical expression.


    link gently smiled and rubbed her shoulder, "of course it''s true. she''s my business partner, not my lover. why would i sleep with her? i have no reason to lie to you about this."


    taylor nodded slightly as if she believed him.


    "what about emma watson?"


    "emma?"


    link thought about emma and felt like it was a long time ago. he sighed helplessly, "that''s all in the past, why bring this up?"


    "just making conversation. the magazine says being a couple and talking about private things can bring us closer. go ahead, i won''t mind, just like i never minded about you and amber sleeping together."


    taylor brushed her hair lightly, smiling indifferently.


    "alright, we dated, but that was before we were together, so it wasn''t cheating."


    link cautiously spoke, watching taylor''s expression.


    taylor nodded, "what about gal gadot?"


    "you know gal?"


    link asked, surprised, but knowing that gal had frequented the baker''s little shop and had been on the yacht a few times, people like james and michael knew, it was impossible to hide it.


    "yes! but that too is a thing of the past."


    link wrapped his arms around taylor''s shoulders, kissing her hair.


    "what about laura vandervoort?"


    taylor continued to ask.


    "who''s that?"


    "the lead actress in ''deep sea quest 2''? have you forgotten her so soon?"


    taylor looked at him as she asked.


    link covered his forehead, exasperatedly said, "you don''t think i sleep with every girl i meet, do you? am i that lustful?"


    "yes!"


    taylor threw the magazine at him, lay down, rolled completely into the blanket, and turned her back to him, distancing herself by a foot. experience exclusive tales on empire


    "hey, you said you wouldn''t mind, are you lying to me?"


    "stop talking, let''s sleep!"


    taylor mumbled from beneath the blanket.


    link shook his head, turned off the light, reached out to pull her into his arms. taylor struggled for a bit, but couldn''t break free, so she punched him in the chest.


    the two frolicked under the blanket for a long while, until taylor, exhausted, caused the undulating blanket to at last lie still.


    ¡ª¡ª


    the seaside in los angeles was like miami, the dawn breaking very early. link ran back from the road lined with palm trees, his t-shirt soaked with sweat several times over, clinging tightly to his body.


    when he returned to the villa, the sun had just reached the lawn, the roses in the garden blooming brilliantly, vivid reds, and pinks. the maid, vanessa, carrying a bamboo basket, was snipping the branches, preparing to decorate the living room.


    meridian and olivia were walking on the platform by the pool, one after the other, both scottish fold cats, with flattened ears, frail bodies, and a nobly slow walk.


    link, worried they might fall into the water, asked vanessa to keep an eye on them.


    "link, here''s today''s newspaper; the fans were fiercely debating online last night, i''ve compiled some key opinions, take a look."


    assistant anna walked in carrying a stack of newspapers and documents. even with glasses and makeup, her dark circles were difficult to hide.


    link smiled gently, taking them and said, "anna, don''t stress too much. go get some sleep, and we''ll talk after you wake up."


    "link, kanye, lil wayne, they all have lots of fans, and the current online public opinion is really against you."


    anna, seeing his casual attitude, grew even more anxious.


    "i understand, it''s all expected, don''t worry, i won''t cause a collapse."


    link said with a smile.


    after anna left, he first checked the online public opinion organized by anna.


    compared to his own fans, seasoned celebrities like kanye, lil, and others clearly had more fans, and their voices were louder online.


    at first glance, their voices seemed to represent mainstream opinion, which led many who were unaware of the facts to either wait and see or join the side with more people, launching criticisms against link.


    they believed that link''s attack on kanye''s condition was the first mistake.


    leaving early during kanye''s speech at the grammy awards was the second mistake.


    blasting kanye, lil, and even obama after leaving was adding error on top of error.


    link had to step forward and apologize.


    the public opinion was indeed furious.


    in the newspapers, the los angeles times, hollywood reporter, and other major publications reported everything link said in interviews, almost always as front-page headlines.


    ''link criticizes grammy awards, claims awards should not be given to singers without integrity''


    ''link claims kanye and lil are ill, they are too arrogant'' s~ea??h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''link, during an interview at the grammy scene, implied that the actions of kanye and lil were related to the new president, indicating his dissatisfaction with the new president''


    just by looking at these headlines, one could know how big the impact would be after the news was exposed.


    link skimmed through, didn''t find anything new, and decided not to look further. being the focal point of a media storm, the best thing to do was to stay calm.


    ding ling ling!


    ivanka called, "did you see the newspapers?"


    "just finished reading."


    "how does it feel?"


    "it''s a big deal, somewhat scary."


    "do you want to apologize? someone called link music, hoping that i could urge you to apologize."


    ivanka said.


    link thought for a moment, "do you think i should apologize?"


    ivanka didn''t answer his question but analyzed the situation with him, california and the entertainment industry are democratic strongholds, and obama is a spokesperson for the democrats, not apologizing would cause the public opinion to surge even more.


    but if he did apologize, it would damage his image even more, as he hadn''t done anything wrong yet was being forced to bow his head. his fans would be disappointed in him.


    so, whether he apologized or not, the situation was very dire.


    "i think you should be able to handle it since all this is your own doing, right mr. champion?"


    ivanka said somewhat gloatingly.


    link gave a light laugh, "have you asked mr. thomp what he suggests?"


    ivanka didn''t want to admit that she had called mr. thomp in the morning to seek advice, finding out that mr. thomp''s reaction was nearly the same as how link described it, considering it a trivial matter not worth worrying about.


    this surprised her, link seemed to understand her father better than she did herself.


    "i didn''t ask him; it''s just a trivial matter, i can handle it, no need to ask him."


    ivanka said coldly.


    "right, what do you think we should do next?"


    "next, i will urge the manhattan court to expedite the public defamation case against lil and others for allegedly falsifying our company''s new album data, and demand a public apology."


    ivanka said firmly.


    "that is a good arrangement, i''ll await your good news."


    link nodded.


    he dared to publicly confront kanye and lil because he was confident in ivanka. with his status and influence, as well as the connections behind ivanka, the possibility of losing was not high under the current circumstances.


    "don''t relax too much during this period. the song i asked you to write last time, how many have you written? if the sales of the second album do not match the first one, and the company suffers losses, i''ll be forced into marriage, and you know the consequences."


    ivanka said chillingly.


    "understood, don''t worry, they are all good songs; also, can you stop using your marriage to scare me? i''m not easily frightened; instead, i am curious about how you would take revenge on me after being forced into marriage?"


    "hmph, i bet you wouldn''t want to know that."


    ivanka snorted coldly and hung up decisively.


    link shook his head, saw two cute pets approaching, put down his phone, picked up the two little ones, and gently stroked them.


    "where is your little master? not up yet?"


    ¡ª

 Chapter 140 Mom

    manhattan center tp building, link music office.miss eva stood with her arms crossed, quietly thinking to herself for a moment.


    then she pressed the intercom button on her desk phone and, once the call started, told her assistant to discreetly contact several media outlets, urging link to come forward and apologize publicly¡ªthe bigger the fuss, the better.


    the assistant hesitated, not quite understanding the young mistress''s intention, and asked her if she had misspoken.


    she knew about the boss''s relationship with link¡ªwas she now joining those people in pressuring link? could this be office politics, with the two of them only pretending to be on good terms while stabbing each other in the back?


    miss eva didn''t bother to explain further. she instructed her assistant to use the media to convey the notion that even if link hadn''t done anything wrong, he still had to step forward and apologize. without an apology, make it so that he would have no place in america.


    the assistant felt a chill run down her spine, finding the office politics too frightening. not daring to ask further, she quickly got in touch with the media to arrange everything her mistress had assigned.


    "link, let''s see how relaxed you can be now."


    with a light smile, miss eva put down the phone and stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, quietly observing the hustle and bustle below with a coffee cup in hand.


    wearing a blue satin blouse, a black pencil skirt, and high heels, her beautiful curvaceous silhouette reflected in the glass more wondrous than the distant empire state building.


    ----


    after link''s speech was reported by the media, oscar-winning black actors jamie foxx, forest whitaker, and well-known actor isaiah washington publicly expressed their disappointment in link.


    rappers puff daddy, jay-z, mr. bad reputation, and busta rhymes also conveyed through various means that they thought link should apologize.


    due to their significant fame and influence, many who originally supported link were now silenced, leading to a media and internet outcry demanding link''s apology.


    for a while, link became the target of everyone''s scorn.


    "link, i heard you''ve really messed up."


    selena exclaimed as she called. experience exclusive tales on empire


    "you seem quite excited?"


    link said while eating breakfast.


    "not really, just a little. now that you''ll also be a bad boy, catherine and mandy won''t force me to study anymore," selena said cheerfully.


    link shook his head, "how''s the song i wrote for you coming along?"


    "it''s a bit challenging. i''m still practicing. i''m planning to release a single in june. once i release it, i''ll also be a singer, and then you, me, and taylor¡ªwe can all perform on stage together. that would be amazing," selena laughed.


    listening to her carefree laughter, link''s mood also became brighter.


    catherine then took the phone and spoke for a while, telling him not to worry too much. what had happened had happened; face it bravely, no matter what decision he makes, they would all support him.


    link assured her he was fine.


    after hanging up, he saw taylor slowly coming down the stairs, wearing glasses, her hair messy, in a pure cotton t-shirt, jeans, and slippers. with no makeup, her head bowed, she hummed a tune and tapped out rhythms with her fingers.


    when link saw her heading outside instead of coming to the dining room, he asked, "taylor, where are you going?"


    taylor stopped, looked back, then walked into the dining room.


    link handed her a glass of milk, "how''s the songwriting going?"


    "really good, i''ve written two more songs."


    taylor picked up the milk, drank half of it in one gulp, and wiped the milk mustache with her tongue casually.


    "are they songs about criticizing me?"


    "you said you didn''t mind."


    taylor shrugged.


    link wiped his brow, having only guessed before, but now it turned out to be true.


    "am i really that bad?"


    "isn''t this the fact? why use a questioning tone?"


    taylor blinked in confusion.


    link covered his forehead, foreseeing that once these songs were released, he would probably become the number one scumbag in the industry.


    "darling, we also had some wonderful times together, didn''t we? why not write some good things?"


    link pushed the sweet sauce towards her as he spoke.


    "did we? i don''t remember that. i just remember someone who always bullied me, no matter how i fought back it was useless. i was like a damsel in distress, fallen into the hands of a demon. every day, the demon oppressed and humiliated me, trying to make me submit, but i refused to the death. in the end, my soul transformed into an angel and got rid of the demon.


    how do you like that for a song?" s§×ar?h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    taylor said while eating her sandwich.


    "i get it now, wonderful things can''t inspire you to create, but bad things can. to help you in your songwriting, i don''t mind becoming the demon, bullying you every day," link said, and flicked her forehead with his finger.


    oh~


    taylor, holding her forehead, glared at him annoyed, "did you actually hit me?"


    "did inspiration strike? want me to flick you again?"


    "bastard, i''m going to fight you."


    taylor grabbed a fork from the table and lunged at him.


    mrs. mandy hurriedly arrived at the villa, the public opinion outside was raging, and she worried that link would be nervous and anxious, wanting to come and comfort him.


    but as soon as she arrived at the villa door, she heard a burst of giggling and romping from inside.


    stepping into the dining room for a glance, she saw the two of them rolling on the carpet kissing, still playfully frolicking while doing so, thoroughly enjoying themselves.


    mrs. mandy shook her head, realizing her worries were superfluous.


    just as she was leaving, she ran into mrs. andrea coming in, asking where taylor and link were. she pointed towards the dining room, and after mrs. andrea had a look, she too came out with a speechless expression.


    "with the situation this dire, isn''t your company worried at all?"


    she asked mrs. andrea.


    "worrying is of no use; all we can do now is wait," mrs. mandy said, sitting down and pouring some red tea for mrs. andrea from a teapot.


    "wait for what?"


    "link hasn''t made a mistake, nor has he broken the law. he shouldn''t face any accusations. what we''re waiting for, of course, is fairness," mrs. mandy said with a smile.


    mrs. andrea shook her head. although link had not made any comments that could be considered racially discriminatory when answering reporters'' questions, drawing parallels between kanye and other people''s arrogance to the african-american president was clearly overblown.


    the african-american community had just taken pride in sending one of their own to the white house and were naturally unhappy upon hearing his remarks.


    mrs. andrea did not believe the matter would easily blow over.


    "mom!"


    taylor came out of the dining room, fixing her clothes and hair.


    mrs. andrea was scandalized. taylor had only cohabited with link for half a month and had already turned into a wild girl. had she known what would happen, she never would have taken taylor to miami for the music festival, where she wouldn''t have met link and there wouldn''t be so many troublesome matters now.


    she glared at link emerging from behind, always feeling that this guy was somewhat superfluous.

 Chapter 141 Countermeasures

    in the living room, mrs. andrea sat on the sofa, staring intently at link, "do you know about what''s happening outside? do you have any strategies?"link thought for a moment, "respond unchangingly to what is ever changing."


    the statement sounded a bit profound, and after thinking it over, mrs. andrea furrowed her brows, "do you mean to do nothing at all?"


    link nodded.


    instantly, mrs. andrea became furious, her fists involuntarily clenching. the public opinion outside was about to explode with criticism all aimed at him, yet he remained so calm, speaking of responding unchangingly to a myriad of changes; it was clearly self-abandonment.


    it didn''t matter if he abandoned himself, but not taylor. taylor''s career was on the rise and must not be affected by him.


    seeing mrs. andrea ready to burst into flames, link hurriedly spoke, "it''s not that i''m doing nothing; much has already been done. we need to see how things unfold before making our next move."


    such words were as good as saying nothing!


    mrs. andrea snorted, looking at taylor who was yawning carelessly, obviously indifferent, and she felt her anger surge uncontrollably.


    "taylor, he''s like this, and you won''t even talk some sense into him?"


    "convince him? to do what?"


    taylor asked in confusion.


    "haven''t you seen the news? many people are criticizing him, demanding he apologize to kanye, and those people are also saying he slandered the newly-elected one, demanding he step up and confess to his crimes or face being banned. you''re not aware of this?"


    mrs. andrea exclaimed, slapping her thigh.


    taylor scratched his head, embarrassedly saying, "is it that serious? i''ve been writing songs in my room and haven''t been watching tv. i saw how relaxed link was, so i thought it was not a big deal."


    "it''s not a big deal at all, you focus on writing songs, don''t worry about the rest."


    link said, wrapping his arms around taylor''s waist.


    taylor lifted an elbow and bumped it against his stomach, signaling for him to let go and not to be a public nuisance.


    mrs. andrea saw that the two were still fooling around at a time like this and felt utterly weary.


    when faced with trouble, the two six-foot men didn''t care about anything, but she, a five-foot woman, had to bear the brunt of it; it was truly exhausting.


    she glanced at link''s aunt and manager, who was leisurely drinking coffee, and scoffed internally, so be it, let it all fall apart. maybe when link''s world collapsed, she could take the opportunity to persuade taylor to break it off with him.


    thinking this way, mrs. andrea''s mood improved instantly. link''s misfortune was her opportunity¡ªwhy should she worry for him?


    hearing link invite her to breakfast, she didn''t decline and cheerfully headed towards the dining room.


    ¡ª¡ª


    after several prominent african american actors and popular singers spoke out, and with a day of widespread sharing, even more people demanded link to apologize.


    initially, they criticized link for disrespecting kanye, but it gradually escalated into alleged discrimination and offending the dignity of darker-skinned communities.


    since link had never made any discriminatory remarks, those accusing him of discrimination had no solid evidence.


    until a video on youtube was posted claiming that during championships, link would fight fiercely against darker-skinned opponents, beating them to the ground, whereas with white boxers, he often went easy on them.


    for example, in matches, he had knocked out andrea berto, morales, pitts, aragon, and others, all of darker skin, and they suffered terrible defeats against him, with many gory scenes in the video.


    whereas white boxers like andzeje were often treated with leniency by him.


    this was also presented as evidence of link''s alleged discrimination.


    after seeing this video, those attacking link were overjoyed, taking the video as proof, ready to permanently label him as ''discriminatory.''


    singers like lil wayne and 50 cent, using their personal accounts, shared the video, strongly demanding that link apologize and calling upon the sports commission to revoke his boxing license, prohibiting him from participating in boxing matches ever again.


    the self-proclaimed ''king of south coast rap'' t.i. even re-edited the video with a somewhat satirical rap soundtrack and posted it on youtube, mocking link, garnering over a million views in just two days.


    the situation suddenly became much more severe.


    "link, are you stepping on someone''s cake? maybe you should just quit being a singer. the competition in the entertainment industry is fiercer than in boxing; you might just ruin both your reputation and career."


    franco duvall said over the phone.


    link laughed, "could the boxing association really revoke my license?"


    "of course not, if they revoked your license over this, the whole boxing industry would be finished, something no one wants to see. don''t worry about the video; i''m just concerned that these incidents might affect your upcoming matches."


    franco said.


    "don''t worry, i''m fine. this little thing can''t affect me."


    after a brief conversation, link hung up the phone and exercised in the training room while listening to music.


    following the viral video, a few more boxing match videos appeared on youtube.


    these included matches with white boxers like rocky marciano, tommy morrison, and the klitschko brothers, who had defeated black boxers several times and aggressively taken their golden belts, so they were also suspected of racism.


    these videos seemed nonsensical and more like a satire of the previous one but still gained support from some darker-skinned people, who called boxers like rocky marciano racists and demanded their removal from the boxing hall of fame.


    things had gone too far.


    this forced the president of the american amateur boxing association, yunus musa, wba president gilberto mendoza, and wbc president jose sulaiman, who had planned to wait a few days before commenting, to speak out in succession.


    they stated that whether it was link''s match or the matches involving light-skinned boxers like rocky marciano, tommy morrison, and the klitschko brothers, all were absolutely normal competitive behaviors and had absolutely nothing to do with racial discrimination.


    well-known boxing promoters lou duva, don king, bob arum, and black champions like ali, mike tyson, holyfield, lennox lewis all stepped forward to give media interviews.


    they expressed that boxing is a game for the brave and has never involved racial discrimination, not in the past and not in the future.


    because if such incidents were deemed racial discrimination, then no one would be willing to fight against darker-skinned boxers. those boxers would be isolated in the boxing community, profoundly affecting the interests of the darker-skinned boxers and the entire boxing industry.


    such career-damaging rhetoric must not be allowed to spread.


    with the accusations of racial discrimination being unfounded, those people then sought other excuses to attack link.


    "link, washington just called and they hope you can come forward and express a desire for reconciliation. they will also persuade kanye, lier, and others to stop all unfriendly actions and reconcile with you. what do you think?"


    miss eva called and said.


    "what''s your opinion? you''re the president; i''ll follow your lead," link said.


    "do you really listen to everything i say?" miss eva asked with a mock smile.


    experience new stories on empire


    "on work matters," link said.


    "of course, it''s about work matters. what else did you think i''d want you to do?" miss eva huffed, "we should still give some face to the white house. the shareholders behind several major companies in the entertainment industry are mostly democrats and obama''s donors. we can''t simply ignore their views.


    however, mere reconciliation will not recover our losses. over these days, they have constantly splashed mud on you, severely damaging your public image and our company''s operations. we need kanye and others to come forward to apologize and clear your name."


    "will they agree?"


    "we can try; i have a plan."


    as link listened to miss eva''s plan, he became increasingly horrified, feeling a chill run down his spine.


    he silently reminded himself never to provoke this woman; if he ever did anger her, he wouldn''t even know how he died.


    "another call from eva?"


    after hanging up the phone, taylor came down from upstairs with a small crossbody bag, her delicate face stern and her eyes looking at him unkindly.


    "it''s about work," link said, worried she might overthink and added, "washington called, wanting me to make up with kanye. see, i told you they are more anxious than we are, and you don''t need to worry anymore. this will soon pass."


    taylor nodded slightly and hummed a tune as she walked out. s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    link suddenly noticed she was wearing makeup with a printed short blouse, a blue denim skirt, and loafer black leather shoes, looking very fashionable and beautiful.


    "wait, where are you going?"


    "on a date, with a really handsome guy," taylor said without looking back.


    link shook his head, thinking about miss eva''s suggestion. he was about to implement her advice when he suddenly remembered a song on twitter that fit his current situation well.


    after inquiring over the phone and finding it wasn''t there, he decided to give it a try.

 Chapter 142 New Song

    "hey, taylor, over here!"beverly hills, rodeo drive, an outdoor caf¨¦.


    taylor heard someone greeting her from the second-floor terrace, picked up her sunglasses to take a look, and saw her good friend blake lively waving at her from above. she handed her shopping bags to her assistant, emily, and headed up to the second floor.


    today, the second floor of the italian cafe was reserved for private use, with only a group of celebrities sitting on the terrace, chatting over coffee.


    this included hollywood actress blake lively, popular young actress christine stewart, pop icon katy perry, emma roberts, supermodel du chen¡¤cole, and a few of their boyfriends chatting on the other side.


    "hi, taylor!"


    everyone greeted her as she arrived.


    taylor was more familiar with blake, katy perry, and du chen¡¤cole.


    she knew the others as well.


    emma roberts was the niece of the famous star julia roberts, and christine stewart had become an overnight sensation last year with the movie "twilight."


    all of them were quite popular stars at the moment.


    "taylor, why didn''t you bring link along? were you afraid we''d steal him away?"


    blake lively teased as she pulled taylor to sit down.


    everyone laughed.


    taylor also smiled slightly. indeed, one reason she didn''t bring link was that these women were not simple, and link was quite tempting to others; it was safer to be cautious.


    she glanced at the gentlemen around the corner and said with a laugh, "you didn''t tell me we could bring our boyfriends. i thought it was just a girls'' get-together."


    "haha, exactly, it''s our ladies'' turf, so they can only sit over there,"


    blake lively called out to the men over there.


    blake lively, a hot hollywood actress at the age of 22, born into a family of hollywood actors, rose to fame with the movie "the sisterhood of the traveling pants" in 2005, and she currently stars in the hugely popular tv series "gossip girl." she is quite popular in the circle, and she initiated this gathering.


    blake, tall and beautiful with a distinct mole on her side profile, was well-recognized.


    taylor had met her last year, and they often got together, ranking near the top in their circle of friends.


    "what''s everyone talking about?"


    taylor took her coffee and asked, crossing her long legs.


    "we were talking about your boyfriend!"


    christine, without even lifting her head, replied. her golden bob haircut, mouth with a lollipop, her legs on the table and playing games on her cell phone, seemed as if she''d come not to hang out but to play games in a different setting.


    blake lively and the others gave her a helpless look; although they were indeed talking about link just now, was it really appropriate to say it out loud in front of taylor?


    "link? what about him?"


    taylor asked, unconcernedly smiling.


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    blake laughed, "we were saying how amazing your boyfriend is. he''s the world boxing champion, crossed over to become a singer, and his album sales reach three to four million¡ªbetter than top singers. it''s said that he wrote those songs himself; it''s really incredible."


    "i love that song ''despacito'' the most. every time i hear it, i want to dance; the rhythm is just so great."


    emma roberts swayed her shoulders, a pink earphone hanging around her neck.


    "taylor, link said in the news that he learned to play guitar and piano from you. is that true?"


    katy perry, in a white tank top, her chest also looking heavy, asked.


    taylor glanced at her chest and couldn''t help thinking of another busty woman, feeling secretly annoyed.


    "yes, link is really slow at learning music. i taught him for several months before he could play the guitar."


    "really? he could write songs like ''despacito,'' ''dream it possible,'' and ''unstoppable'' even though he''s that slow?" katy perry seemed incredulous.


    taylor shrugged her shoulders, "he has great talent, learns very fast, and has an amazing sense of music, even better than me."


    "got it, your boyfriend is a genius, truly enviable,"


    blake lively praised, linking arms with taylor.


    everyone nodded in agreement.


    "you weren''t talking about that just now; you were discussing how great link is in other aspects."


    christine suddenly spoke up while still playing on her phone.


    the scene suddenly quieted down, the air filling with awkwardness as it spread.


    even blake lively, accustomed to large gatherings, couldn''t help but blush and feel immense regret. knowing christine stewart was a conversation killer, why had she invited her? it was like setting a time bomb at her own party.


    blake lively glared at christine stewart, who was sucking on a lollipop and engrossed in a video game, completely oblivious to the glare.


    taylor blinked her blue eyes and said nonchalantly, "he really is impressive in that area; it''s no secret, so it''s okay to talk about it."


    "haha, i told you taylor wouldn''t mind. it''s normal for girls to talk about these things when they''re together,"


    katy perry laughed.


    blake felt helpless; it was katy perry who had brought up that topic first.


    she even said she had personally asked amber about it¡ªsize, duration, ko¡ªthe topics were particularly explicit.


    seeing everyone''s interest in the matter, she hadn''t stopped it.


    who would have thought christine would blurt it out in front of taylor?


    she glanced at christine angrily again, looking for an opportunity to change the subject. she started talking about fashion, perfumes, beauty, and movies, trying hard to steer the conversation away from the awkward topics.


    after struggling for half an hour, the atmosphere around the coffee table became lively again, with everyone chatting and laughing as if they were close sisters.


    "oh! look at this."


    suddenly, christine, who had been quiet for a long time, exclaimed again.


    blake lively''s heart skipped a beat, fearing the little imposter would blurt out something inappropriate again.


    christine took the lollipop out of her mouth, removed her earphones, and pointed at her phone screen.


    "link has released a new song, it''s really good. you guys should listen; this song is definitely the best he''s written,"


    "where?"


    taylor asked, surprised. she hadn''t known about link releasing a new song today.


    "link has joined twitter, there''s a video link on his profile,"


    christine explained.


    everyone took out their phones and quickly found link''s twitter account.


    link''s twitter account was newly registered.


    taylor was surprised to see that he already had 217,000 followers, and as she clicked follow, the figure jumped to 231,000 followers, increasing by thousands every second.


    link''s twitter had only one post. sea??h th§× n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    it said, ''i am very sorry for the recent occupation of public resources. i see many people in the media demanding an apology from me. i am willing to apologize, but first, give me a reason. tell me what i did wrong, what i said wrong, why apologize, and to whom?''


    below this tweet was a link to a youtube video.


    before clicking the link, taylor looked at the comments.


    most were accusatory and abusive; some demanded he apologize to kanye, others demanded he apologize to all dark-skinned communities, saying his statement ''they think because the current president is african american, america has become a black world'' had hurt the dignity of the african american community and he must apologize.


    there were also many comments supporting link, claiming he did nothing wrong, and that those people were being too aggressive, urging link to stand firm and not to apologize.


    taylor was taken aback after reading through the comments.


    these past days, when she was at home, she either wrote songs in her room or spent time with link practicing piano and playing guitar, rarely reading newspapers or browsing the internet.


    and link''s daily routine of jogging, training, piano practice, cooking, and reading was just like before, so calm that it made her think nothing was wrong, completely unaware that things had become so serious.


    so give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean


    so give me a reason, prove it''s my fault, clear all memories


    let the floods cross the distance in your eyes


    let the flood cross the abyss in your eyes


    while taylor was reading the comments, suddenly, a powerful and passionate voice filled her ears, loud and forceful, as if yelling at the sky with questions, making her scalp tingle.


    "this song is amazing, link, i support you,"


    emma roberts held up her phone, her eyes reddening as she shouted.


    "link is so cool, he''s the coolest man i''ve ever seen,"


    katy perry said unabashedly.


    taylor looked at both of them and, curious, clicked the video link.

 Chapter 143 Video

    the video shoot took place in a boxing ring, where the lighting was dim and murky.from a distance, one could hear a thudding sound, like a heartbeat pulsing.


    the camera slowly zoomed in on a tall man with a bare, muscular back, ceaselessly pounding a punching bag with great force and agile movements, rhythmically throwing punch after punch.


    even those who knew nothing about boxing would find the sight mesmerizing.


    "link, we''re starting."


    someone called from behind the camera.


    the man in front of the punching bag stopped and turned around; it was link, with his refined short hair, chiseled cheeks, and eyes like the deep blue sky, faintly sparkling.


    link wiped the sweat from his brow and looked into the camera, asking:


    "everyone ready?"


    "ok!"


    then, strains of violin and piano accompaniment filled the air of the boxing ring.


    the camera slowly panned to the left training area, where a band was playing.


    i remembered black skies, the lightning all around me


    i remember the black skies, the lightning filling them


    i remembered each flash as time began to blur


    i recall every flash as time seemed to blur


    like a startling sign that fate had finally found me


    link stood in front of the microphone, his deep voice resonating as he began to sing.


    his voice was powerful, full of sincere emotion with a hint of raspy texture, incredibly moving. listening to his song ignited a fiery passion within the listener; indeed, one of the reasons his debut song "the fighter" was such a hit.


    following a somber narrative, the song gradually crescendoed to an exalted climax.


    and your voice was all i heard


    all i could hear was your voice


    that i get what i deserve


    that i''ve got what i deserved


    so give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean


    as link stood under the dim lights, his fists clenched tightly, muscles throughout his body tensed up.


    his voice, as robust as his muscles, was filled with tenacity and power, capable of reaching deep into one''s heart.


    hearing his song made one involuntarily tense up, wanting to shout out loud alongside him.


    taylor watched link roar in anger, his expression so vastly different from his usual calm smile, and she felt a stirring within her.


    having seen link seemingly unconcerned over the past few days, she hadn''t taken the matter to heart. now, she thought that link might have been feigning nonchalance, not wanting her to worry, while he grappled with the pressure alone.


    with these thoughts in mind, taylor felt a warmth in her eyes and her vision began to blur.


    give me reason to fill this hole, connect the space between


    give me a reason, to fill this gap, to bridge this broken path


    let it be enough to reach the truth that lies


    let this effort be enough to uncover the truth beneath


    across this new divide


    across this new rift


    across this new divide


    across this new rift


    across this new divide


    across this new rift


    as link repeatedly chanted, the screen gradually faded to black, and his tall, strong silhouette disappeared. the music ended, and the video was over.


    "that song was amazing."


    "link sang so well."


    people on the balcony couldn''t help but clap and cheer, and among them, easily moved girls like blake lively and emma roberts had tear-filled eyes.


    "your boyfriend is incredible!"


    christine said to taylor, sucking on a lollipop.


    taylor blinked her wet lashes, wanting both to laugh and to cry. she looked up at the sky, suddenly eager to see link.


    "i''m going to head back now, let''s hang out another time."


    taylor greeted everyone before picking up her purse and leaving the balcony.


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    "taylor, tell link we''re behind him!"


    the girls on the balcony watched her leave, then continued to chat and drink coffee.


    "hey, did you guys notice that taylor''s butt looks perkier?"


    katie perry gestured with her hands and laughed, "seeing her butt, i can guess what positions link prefers. want to bet on it?"


    "....."


    blake lively, emma, and a few others exchanged glances. why was the conversation turning to such topics again?


    "what position?"


    christine asked.


    hearing her talk, the girls all turned their attention to her. seeing her still with her cool indifferent face, seemingly unconcerned about everything, irked them even more. they swarmed over her and pinned her down on the sofa.


    ¡ª¡ª


    i remember black skies, the lightning all around me


    i recall the skies filled with darkness, lightning flashing everywhere


    i remember each flash as time began to blur


    i recall each moment, with the years fleeting by in a haze


    "hey, whose song is this? it sounds pretty good."


    in new york, as lady gaga stepped out of the recording studio, she saw her assistant playing with a laptop on the couch and curiously asked.


    "it''s link''s new song, it''s been on youtube for just three hours and the views have already surpassed a million."


    the assistant turned the laptop screen around.


    "link''s?"


    lady gaga immediately sat down to take a look, it was from link''s channel that had released "despacito"; his previous video had already exceeded 11 million views, and the current one playing was his second video, "give me reason."


    after the video started, there was a caption about link''s recent experiences, being attacked and criticised, being pressured to apologize. link wanted all who criticized him to give him a reason.


    lady gaga had heard about link''s situation and sighed, then replayed the video.


    she then saw a well-built man, and her eyes lit up. link''s physique was spectacular, very sexy¡ªshe would watch such a video dozens of times even without any singing.


    but when link started to sing, her attention was instantly captivated by his voice. link''s voice was clean and powerful, distinctive among the raspy and faint voices in the music industry.


    in this song, his voice had a rougher texture and more struggle, more power, and richer emotions, very compelling.


    lady gaga listened on repeat three times, then opened twitter, hit retweet, and highly recommended it.


    ¡ª¡ª


    as link had recently been a hot topic, his own popularity was also sky-high.


    after he opened a twitter account, in less than half a day, his followers went from 0 to 1 million, becoming one of the fastest celebrities since twitter launched in ''06 to breach the million mark, and also one of the celebrities with the most twitter followers at that time.


    and his new song "give me reason" also skyrocketed in youtube views; by six in the evening, the video''s view count officially broke five million.


    the reason it was so popular was not just because the song was of high quality and link''s performance was impressive, but also due to the forwarding and recommendations by numerous celebrities.


    including popular singers taylor, katy perry, lady gaga, hollywood starlets like christine stewart, blake lively, emma roberts, paul walker, joaquin phoenix, emma watson, latin queen shakira, amber heard, and more.


    with these major stars banding together to promote the song, it spread like a virus, quickly across different sectors and into every corner of america.


    like a startling sign that fate had finally found me


    this ominous sign emerged, fate inescapable


    and your voice was all i heard


    all i could hear was you speaking


    that i get what i deserve


    just past four in the afternoon, "transformers 2" assistant director jeff gunning staggered into the los angeles subway, found an empty seat, and sat down.


    inside the subway car, there were many hip-hop youngsters, listening to music, dancing, laughing, and horsing around.


    the car was in chaos, just like his mind.


    things hadn''t been going well at work recently.


    last month, after filming finished, it officially entered post-production, which included editing, dubbing, scoring, rendering, etc. he was primarily responsible for finding the right songs and main theme, as well as scoring for the film.


    while progress on the scores and songs went smoothly, and most were already complete, choosing the main theme was proving to be extremely troublesome.


    he had found three famous musicians to write the main theme for the film, but after more than a month, they hadn''t managed to produce a suitable song, either michael bay the director was dissatisfied, or the producer ian bryce thought it inappropriate.


    as the film''s release date approached, the main theme was not yet settled, giving him, the assistant director responsible for music, immense pressure, causing him anxiety and insomnia for several nights in a row.


    sigh!


    jeff sighed, pulled out a business card and looked at it. it was given by a colleague and had the contact information for guns n'' roses.


    guns n'' roses was one of the famous hard rock bands, and the members had good songwriting abilities, he hoped that this time they could help.


    "this song is awesome, i highly recommend you listen to it."


    "what song?"


    "give me a reason!"


    in a corner, several young men and women were chatting together with their phone''s speaker on, creating a ruckus.


    jeff glanced at them, shook his head helplessly, closed his eyes and prepared to take a nap.


    so give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean


    then give me a reason, to prove my wrongs, to cleanse these memories


    let the floods cross the distance in your eyes


    suddenly a fierce voice came from the phone nearby, jeff''s eyes snapped open, and his mind instantly cleared. he frowned and quietly listened for a few seconds, as he listened, his heart beat faster¡ªthis voice was so compelling.


    "this is the theme song i''ve been looking for!"


    jeff shouted in his mind.


    "hey buddy, what song is this?"


    jeff called out to the young man.


    "link''s new song, ''give me reason'', it''s on youtube."


    the gum-chewing youth shook his phone screen, which showed link singing in a boxing gym.


    jeff took a quick glance, then hastily took out his phone, clicked on link''s video, listened to it seven times over, and after listening, he breathed a sigh of relief, and sent the video link to director michael bay. s~ea??h the ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "director, this song is fantastic, i suggest we use it for the main theme."


    he was sure director michael bay would be satisfied.

 Chapter 144 MJ

    "link! link! where are you?"taylor returned to the villa and called out a few times inside.


    "here!"


    link''s voice came from the direction of the swimming pool.


    taylor walked briskly towards the swimming pool, where she saw link swimming. he was stretching out his arms, alternating strokes in a very proficient manner.


    "weren''t you supposed to be on a date with a hot guy? why are you back so early?"


    link propped himself up on the poolside, laughing softly.


    seeing the smile on his face and thinking back to the angry boy in the video, taylor felt like they were two different people. when she had watched the video earlier, she was so touched that she wanted to come back and hug him tightly and kiss him fiercely.


    but now, seeing him in person, so relaxed and at ease, she didn''t understand why, but the emotion from before suddenly vanished.


    taylor huffed lightly, put down her small bag, sat on a bench, took out her phone, tapped a few times, and played the video again.


    "is this guy you?"


    link climbed out of the pool, grabbed a towel to dry off his hair, draping it over his shoulders, and glanced at the video.


    "so handsome, it has to be me."


    "when did you write this song?"


    "got inspired by the news these past few days. what do you think?"


    link said with a smile.


    remembering the song, he made a few phone calls inquiring about the progress of the theme song for transformers 2.


    the song was customized for the movie by linkin park after watching transformers 2.


    he had heard that the movie hadn''t finished filming until mid-february, was still in post-production, and the theme song hadn''t been decided yet; linkin park was still touring in britain, so he decided to take this song out.


    taylor rolled her eyes at him. when she wrote songs, the room would be filled with sheets of paper; the violin, guitar, and piano would all need to be at the ready, and even then, it would take her ten days to produce one song.


    yet, this guy in front of her doesn''t seem to be putting much effort into his creation, and he keeps coming up with good songs one after another, making her enviously itch with jealousy.


    "every time i finish writing a song, i show it to you. why don''t you show me your songs when you write them? is it because you think i''m not good enough to give you feedback?"


    taylor pouted her red lips, pretending to be angry as she asked.


    "of course not; you taught me the guitar and piano. how could i think you''re not skilled enough? it''s just that you''re usually so busy, and when you create, you''re like a ticking bomb. anyone who disturbs you gets your temper, and i don''t dare to get too close."


    link said, shrugging his shoulders.


    taylor thought about the last time she was composing, and link had come to call her for a meal. she had been at a critical point and didn''t want to be disturbed. she couldn''t help but yell ''go away'' at him.


    now, thinking about it, she felt extremely guilty.


    she sat in link''s lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and said softly, "honey, i''m sorry. i won''t do it again next time."


    "no worries, your mother told me you only lose your temper with people close to you. i won''t mind it."


    link said, stroking her hair.


    taylor hugged his neck tightly, leaning against his chest, and said, "i just read some news, and public opinion about you is not too favorable. are you under a lot of pressure? i''m your girlfriend, and you can share your troubles with me. we can bear them together."


    "the pressure isn''t big, really. i am the world boxing champion, no pressure can trouble me," link said, laughing as he clenched his fist.


    taylor looked up at him, saw his confident face shining, and couldn''t help but laugh, "darling, i''ve noticed you''re getting handsomer by the day."


    "oh? you noticed, too? so, miss taylor, be a bit gentler with me. having a super handsome boyfriend like me, you must have saved the planet in your past life."


    link tapped the tip of her nose.


    "show-off!"


    taylor smirked, her lips curving into a smile, and she couldn''t help but hug him tight, delivering a loving kiss.


    ¡ª


    "i just asked you to issue a statement, and you wrote a song?"


    miss eva called to question him.


    "isn''t that good?"


    link asked as he put down the textbook in his hands.


    "good, very good, but with such a nice song, why not release a single? posting it on youtube is such a waste."


    miss eva said with regret.


    mandy had called earlier to say that link had posted on twitter and, by the way, shared a new song.


    she clicked and listened to it, and when she heard the line ''so give me reason to prove me wrong to wash this memory clean,'' she was deeply shaken, sitting dumbfounded for more than ten seconds before snapping out of it. s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    her task for link was to give all those who criticized him a reason to apologize.


    then link turned the phrase ''give me a reason'' into a song that was so explosive and exciting.


    even eva couldn''t help but admire him; the bastard was just too talented. so handsome, so strong, and so gifted¡ªsuch men...


    "no worries, i still have plenty of good songs, so don''t mind these one or two."


    link said nonchalantly.


    "that''s what you say, but next time i ask for a song, you better not tell me you don''t have any."


    "got it."


    after a brief exchange, link hung up the phone and continued studying his high school textbooks.


    ¡ª¡ª


    in the 48 hours since link had activated his twitter account, his followers had skyrocketed from 1 to 2 million, with the numbers still climbing.


    after his tweet asking for one reason, kanye''s fans bombarded the comments section, listing hundreds of alleged errors in a variety of forms.


    however, under the premise of free speech, no one could provide a definite ''crime''. stay connected via empire


    then, many netizens commented that even if link had done nothing wrong, he should still come forward and apologize. if he didn''t apologize, his footing in america would be untenable.


    many internet celebrities joined in, claiming ''even if link was not at fault, he must come forward to apologize because everyone thinks he is wrong. his failure to do so would be arrogant and disrespectful, and that in itself is the mistake''.


    the comments online and in the media were becoming increasingly excessive.


    many celebrities with darker skin tones felt that something was amiss and wanted to quell the dispute, but once the fire had been lit, it was difficult to extinguish.


    things took a turn on march 8th when an article in the miami herald indicated the situation could no longer be ignored.


    the miami herald reported that on march 7th, baker dives shop on miami beach had been vandalized and looted by a group of black individuals, with losses exceeding 5,000 us dollars.


    after the incident, four suspects with darker skin were arrested. they claimed that the comments online had made them feel wounded by link''s arrogance, which led to their extreme behavior.


    the news was promptly picked up and reprinted by the new york post, usa today, american express, and other newspapers.


    this message immediately caused an uproar across the united states, prompting many media outlets to calm down and start thinking about something.


    in a situation where dark-skinned communities had been oppressed for two to three hundred years, and now with their presence in washington, might there be a significant change in their psyche and attitude?


    did kanye and others'' grievances against link relate to this change?


    now daring to target the world boxing champion and olympic gold medalist, might they seek revenge against all lighter-skinned individuals in the future?


    many started to ponder, and many expressed concern.


    several celebrities also came out in support of link, stating that this incident was no trivial matter and not an isolated case, and it had to be taken seriously.


    but because the topic was too grave, too sensitive, and too weighty, bringing it up for discussion would inevitably affect societal stability and the recovery and development of the economy.


    not only did officials in washington wish to avoid such events, but shareholders behind the major media corporations did not want to see it either.


    several major american media outlets reached consensus to avoid this sensitive topic for the time being and to focus only on the conflict between link and kanye and others.


    after several discussions, it was clear that neither link nor kanye were major problems.


    kanye, with his bipolar disorder, often stirred up trouble at public events, and his comment that link took advantage of the financial crisis to make money was not the most offensive thing he had said.


    link''s comment that kanye was sick was also a fact.


    there was no problem with them; the problem was with lil wayne, 50 cent, and others who had blown up a minor issue and would not let go of link, which was clearly too much.


    the new york post believed that lil wayne had been incredibly rude on the grammy stage when he criticized link, who had been invited to attend the ceremony, and he should apologize.


    then, on march 8th, an article in the new york daily news drew widespread attention.


    the article claimed that singers like kanye, lil, 50 cent, jay-z, t.i., and others were fans of boxing and of tyson, with 50 cent being a friend of former wba intercontinental boxing champion jermain taylor.


    after link defeated jermain and tyson, they had posted some hostile comments against link online.


    seeing link now entering the music industry and surpassing them in album sales, their animosity only grew, and naturally, they would not easily let go of link.


    on march 9th, seven days after the grammys, newspapers such as the los angeles times published an investigation, analyzing in detail the feud between link and kanye, lil, 50 cent, and others.


    the study suggested that since the issue originated in the boxing world, with lil, 50 cent, and others targeting link out of anger and jealousy because of their admiration for tyson, it was not related to the new president.


    the washington post, the new york times, american express, and other major newspapers quickly republished and actively guided public opinion.


    "is this true?"


    link asked his assistant anna while looking at the newspaper.


    "it''s true. after you defeated tyson, lil and the others attacked you on myspace, and 50 cent even wrote a rap, recorded a video, and posted it on youtube," anna replied.


    anna opened the computer and played the video.


    in it, 50 cent and several other black singers used a plethora of f-words to insult link, saying he took advantage of the older tyson and that if tyson had been ten years younger, he would have beaten link to the point of wetting himself, even adding link couldn''t stop a bullet no matter how tough he was.


    the video posted on december 10th of the previous year, had garnered over 200,000 views.


    "so, the reason they are hassling me is not because my album sales surpassed theirs, but because of boxing?"


    "it''s likely a combination of both reasons. you defeated their idol in boxing, transitioned to become a singer, and then surpassed the formidable kanye in sales. they got angrier and publicly demeaned your debut album," explained anna.


    link shook his head helplessly, as this was the trouble that came with popularity.


    for someone who had suddenly become popular, it was common to have such troubles. if your album sold well, it was like taking a slice of someone else''s pie.


    perhaps those attacking him were not just kanye and a few others but also other industry peers or companies, aiming to take down this potential competitor.


    on the same day, lil, 50 cent, and others appeared on abc''s talk show "the view" and publicly apologized to all the singers who attended the grammys, as well as to link.


    they claimed that they had gotten too excited after winning and said things that should not have been said, and apologized to their fans for their support. the two immediately announced a donation of 200,000 us dollars to unicef to support childhood education for impoverished children.


    after reading the news, link couldn''t help but admire how well these prominent figures played the game. with a deft diversionary maneuver, they had mitigated a potentially destabilizing major event into insignificance.


    now that the ringleaders had apologized, except for kanye, and made charitable donations, should he forgive them?


    link thought it over and felt he didn''t really have a choice. as he pondered how to ''reconcile'', ms. mandy called excitedly:


    "link, michael jackson''s manager called. he invited you to his comeback concert in new york. you''ll have a chance to perform on the same stage as mj."


    "really?"


    link stood up in surprise.

 Chapter 145 Examination

    experience tales with empirereceiving the invitation to perform with mj, link was initially excited and thrilled.


    mj is the king of pop, the most successful and influential singer in the history of world pop music, with over a billion fans worldwide. even at the peak of stars like britney, taylor swift, lady gaga, and zhou, they couldn''t compare to him.


    being invited to his concert to sing was even more praiseworthy than winning a grammy award.


    however, after the phone call, he gradually calmed down.


    the main purpose of mj''s invitation to his concert was certainly to mitigate the impact of this issue and mend the rift between his and kanye''s fanbases, not because he sang well enough.


    moreover, he remembered that mj had passed away this year, but he didn''t know when or why, and even if he did, it wouldn''t help since he was not a doctor and couldn''t treat him.


    if mj passed away before the concert began, the invitation would just be a bounced check, so there was no need to get too excited.


    link opened twitter and posted three words, ''let it go,'' letting everything pass.


    after posting, the fans'' comments came in quickly, asking if there was no new song?


    someone urged him to release new songs quickly, as it had been two months since his last album. they hoped for more songs like ''give me reason.''


    before he could reply, selena gomez chimed in: there is a song, written by link, a great song that i''m practicing. i''ll release a single in june, so remember to support it, everyone. s§×arch* the novel(f~)ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    after filming a few disney movies, selena became a rising star in the film circles, very popular among teenagers.


    her fans wanted her to learn from link and post a singing video on youtube for everyone to hear how the song sounded.


    after a while, selena shared a video link.


    link clicked on it; it was selena sitting on a couch, holding a guitar, strumming, and singing. she only sang two lines of the chorus, ''let it go, let it go, i don''t care what they''re going to say, let the storm rage on.''


    it sounded good and suited her voice well.


    link commented praising her singing.


    selena sent a heart emoji and asked online how his sat preparation was going. if he needed other materials, she would mail them to him immediately.


    after selena asked this question, their comment sections exploded.


    link, the big star, was taking the sats?


    the world boxing champion is sitting for the sat exam?


    many people were asking if it was true.


    some claimed they scored a perfect sat and offered to tutor him for free.


    link wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and wanted to knock on selena''s head a few times. he had signed up for the sat to experience the feeling of high school exams and see where his knowledge level was.


    to avoid bombing the test, he kept it low-key and only told a few close people.


    now that selena blew his cover, it would definitely be in the news tomorrow, and everyone would know.


    if he bombed the test, he''d be utterly embarrassed.


    ding-dong~ ding-dong~


    selena kept sending messages apologizing, saying she had sent the tweet by mistake, thinking twitter was msn.


    link sent a few emoticons of hitting his head, saying he would settle it once he got to new york.


    selena sent three encouraging gestures, saying she believed he would definitely score well.


    link knew this girl must be laughing with her mouth wide open while sending the messages.


    since things had come to this, there was nothing else to do.


    he just had to spend more time on his textbooks, read a few more books, and do a few more sets of practice papers.


    indeed, to prevent any mishaps, he bought several sets of american sat practice test collections from a chinese training class to implement a brute-force strategy.


    he didn''t believe he couldn''t score well.


    ding dong dong!


    there were just too many things on his plate. hardly had he put down his phone when miss eva called.


    "is it true that you''re prepping for the sat, as the internet claims?"


    "yes!"


    link resignedly said.


    "unbelievable! an olympic champion, world boxing titleholder, a big pop star¡ªpreparing for the sat like a high school student? many young people online say you''re super cool and want to learn from you. congratulations, you''ve gained a bunch of teenage fans,"


    miss eva joked.


    link wasn''t interested in teenage fans. "i''m doing sat practice tests. did you call just to tease me?"


    "you''re doing practice tests?!"


    there was a snicker from eva''s end, followed by a moment of silence. eva coughed twice and then spoke seriously, "of course, i have something to discuss with you. guess how many tens of thousands of copies ''the fighter'' sold last week?"


    "30,000?"


    entering march, the album sales were on a decline.


    he remembered it was 48,000 the week before last, with cumulative sales in the united states reaching 1.652 million.


    "it''s 218,000! the northern states didn''t see much of an increase, only about 15%, but more than a dozen states in the center and south rose by over 210%, doubling in sales. according to estimates by a boston data consultancy, this incident has raised your fame in america by nearly 25%, with many music and boxing fans becoming loyal supporters,"


    miss eva said excitedly.


    link didn''t quite understand the implications of these two figures.


    "but kanye and others have been slinging mud, calling me a racist, which will make me lose some black fans."


    "don''t worry about that. every singer has their market positioning, and it''s precise positioning that brings in money.


    before this incident, the majority of people who bought your album were under 30, mainly white and latino women, who liked your looks and physique first, and then your music.


    after the incident, there''s been a sharp increase in adult male fans, also predominantly white and latino, so the lost portion is not worth worrying about. no one can be loved by everyone, not even mj,"


    miss eva said.


    having never been a singer before, link didn''t know much about these matters. it was only after listening to eva''s explanation that he learned that fans could also be categorized into different types.


    "sounds not too bad."


    "of course, it''s great. there''s also one more thing. the domestic and overseas profit share for the first month should be transferred soon, amounting to about 28 million us dollars. i plan to use 20 million for dividends and keep around 8 million to acquire a recording studio and sign a few new singers. what are your thoughts?"


    "i agree!"


    to build up the link music label and turn it into a major music company, relying on just him as a singer was not enough. it was best to find a few more promising new talents.


    link thought that when he had time, he should visit bars more often; maybe he would encounter one or two future stars.


    "well, lastly, mr. link, how are you doing with the practice tests? do you need me to explain any problems to you? i took the test once myself,"


    miss eva teased.


    "really? what score did you get? send over your score report and let me see."


    beep beep beep! the call was disconnected.


    link chuckled softly. the media reported that miss eva''s sat score was 1080.


    given the full score of 1600, that score was only average.

 Chapter 146 Arrangement

    mid-march, link arrived at the sat test center at new covenant college in los angeles to take the sat exam, which was organized by the college board of the united states. the exam is offered every year in march, may, june, october, november, and december.this exam session attracted a lot of media attention because of link''s participation. everyone was curious about how many points the big star could score.


    at first, link didn''t care much, but after he received the test booklet and saw a few math questions, he immediately regretted coming to take the test.


    these questions were too difficult.


    without a calculator, he would need a long time just to do three-digit addition.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "mr. baker, how did the test go?"


    the paparazzi waiting outside the test center shouted as he walked out.


    "not bad!"


    link responded with a bit of uncertainty.


    "what score do you expect to get?"


    one of the paparazzi asked.


    "not sure, but scoring nine hundred, eight hundred should be no problem."


    link answered a couple of sentences, waved his hand, and got into the van.


    ms. mandy handed him a bottle of water. she and her assistant anna both had irrepressible smiles on their faces. before the new year, link had said he wanted to go to a serious college.


    according to the regulations by the college board, everyone must pass either the sat or act exam before entering college and apply to colleges based on their scores and additional points.


    he was an olympic champion, world boxing champion, well-known singer, and a multimillionaire. all of these are items that could earn him additional points, roughly more than 100 points.


    his sat score only needed to be passing, and the renowned universities in the united states would be up for grabs.


    it''s just that he was usually busy, so he had little time to read books and do problems. the sat required a vast vocabulary, making it a bit difficult even to score a passing mark.


    "link, don''t worry, it''s okay if you fall a little short. i don''t think any university would refuse you as a famous alumnus."


    ms. mandy laughed.


    this was certain. other high school students needed recommendation letters from celebrities to get into college, but he was a celebrity himself. recruiting him would increase the school''s exposure, contribute to its honour, and might even bring in some investments.


    actually, before the exam, several universities had contacted him, inviting him to take the simpler act exam. no matter what he scored, they would admit him and offer a full scholarship.


    link had declined because he wanted to take the examination and attend college to experience and enrich his life, not simply to go to college or take advantage of back doors.


    "what do we have lined up next in terms of work?"


    "you just finished the test, why don''t you go home and rest a bit?"


    ms. mandy asked.


    "no problem! i''m not tired."


    "there''s a lot of work to do."


    anna handed him a stack of documents for him to pick the lead actresses for several music videos.


    "the fighter" album was selling well; it needed music videos for several chart-topping hit songs to extend their promotion, increase the album''s popularity, and gain more exposure. together with "despacito," there were a total of eight, requiring six to ten actresses.


    link heard he could choose beauties and became a bit interested. he flipped through the documents and saw details and swimsuit photos of over fifty girls in a thick stack.


    link flipped through it, "why are they all black girls?"


    ms. mandy explained with a smile, "the last incident had some impact on your public image. using dark-skinned girls in your music videos can help clear your name of any allegations of racial discrimination, so in these six actresses, we plan to use three black actresses, two latinas, and one white girl. what do you think?"


    after some thought, link felt this made sense. just like taylor''s music videos often featured black men as the lead, on one hand, it expanded the fan base among dark-skinned communities, and on the other hand, it avoided accusations of racism.


    he skimmed through quickly, but all he saw was darkness, unable to discern who was prettier.


    discover hidden content at empire


    "you guys choose, i can''t tell who is more suitable,"


    link returned the materials to anna.


    he then checked his upcoming work schedule.


    first was shooting a music video, which would take about half a month.


    filming "fighter" would take a month.


    "deep sea quest 2" and "fast & furious 4" were about to be released, and he needed to attend a few events.


    the single "give me reason" was about to hit the shelves, and he also needed to do promotional activities.


    attending lady gaga''s concert in miami would take at least three days.


    there were also rehearsals for an mj concert, about a week long.


    he had just taken on five advertising endorsements and had to shoot commercials for them.


    there were interviews with tv networks like cbs, abc, nbc, photoshoots for fashion magazines like "esquire," "metropolitan," "gq," and exclusive interviews with "billboard" and "people" magazines.


    additionally, there was the world swimming championships, a few boxing matches, and preliminary work for his second album.


    wait a minute!


    his work schedule was really too full.


    link felt dizzy just looking at it. sea??h th§× ¦Çovelfire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "this is what happens when you get famous in the entertainment industry, sometimes you''re so busy you don''t have time to sleep,"


    ms. mandy couldn''t help but chuckle when she saw the color draining from his face.


    assistant anna also said with a smile, "the more work you have, the higher your popularity. many stars would kill for such opportunities."


    link shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair, recalling something.


    "mandy, have you been keeping up with gal gadot''s news recently?"


    ms. mandy was taken aback for a moment, before saying with a mischievous smile, "yes, she just came back from celebrating the new year in israel. do you want me to set up a meeting with her for you?"


    "does she have a boyfriend?"


    link remembered that she was engaged at the end of last year.


    "no, she''s recently been auditioning for new movie roles, not too successfully. but last year, she did shoot ''the a-team,'' which is an a-list production with several strong actors involved. the box office results shouldn''t be too bad. once it''s released, her opportunities should improve,"


    ms. mandy explained.


    link nodded and didn''t ask anything further.


    "mandy, are you and catherine interested in setting up a talent agency? you could sign a few promising actors and nurture them. if you''re in need of funds, i can invest. having an agency would mean i could eventually hand over my acting matters to you to manage."


    "catherine has thought about it. she worked at william morris agency for six years and considered starting a talent studio. however, there''s a lot of competition among artist management companies in hollywood, and without sufficient resources and contacts, it''s tough to survive in this business,"


    ms. mandy explained.


    link reassured, "don''t worry about that. i''m in my prime now, with plenty of resources at my disposal. for example, casting for music videos, commercials, and fashion shoots all need supporting actors, and i have a film company and a music label. in the future, i''ll have even more resources, so supporting five or six artists shouldn''t be a problem."


    ms. mandy considered it, finding the idea indeed promising.


    "i''ll discuss it with catherine."


    after leaving the test center, the car headed to the abc broadcast center. he had a tv talk show appearance there today, "the view," which lyle and others had been on previously.


    this was arranged by miss eva.


    she believed that appearing on more tv interviews and having exclusive interviews with magazines and newspapers in the near future would help expand his fame, allowing the public and fans to understand him better, providing a clearer perception of who he was, and incidentally removing the tag of ''racial discrimination'' that was attached to him.


    link agreed with her and didn''t refuse the tedious arrangements.

 Chapter 147 Critical Hit

    abc''s talk show "the view" is a midday talk show.it started airing in 2007 and, like the oprah winfrey show, primarily features celebrity interviews and discusses some of the more popular recent topics.


    the difference is that the program has five female hosts of different skin colors¡ªblack, white, red, yellow, brown¡ªmaking race issues crystal clear.


    all five female hosts are middle-aged women over 30, who often talk about gender topics.


    "the view" has more than ten million regular viewers in america, mostly women, which is the main reason why ivanka arranged for him to participate in this show.


    just the thought of the upcoming onslaught from five middle-aged women gave link a bit of a headache.


    "good afternoon, link, and welcome to ''the view.''"


    the host, and academy award-winning actress whoopi goldberg, 54 this year, once won an oscar for best supporting actress for her outstanding performance in "ghost."


    she also got an oscar nomination for best actress for "the color purple," and has a grammy award to her name¡ªa very famous black female celebrity.


    "good afternoon, ms. goldberg!"


    link smiled, hugged the eldest whoopi goldberg, and then greeted the other four hosts, elisabeth hasselbeck, sunny hostin, and others.


    "wow, link is so handsome, even more than in his photos."


    the thirty-something blonde host elisabeth hasselbeck looked link over and exaggeratedly praised, "it''s really hard to imagine that a handsome guy like him could be such a strong boxer and sing so well. most importantly, he''s only 20 years and 8 months old. does anyone want to date this cool guy?"


    "yes!"


    the hundreds of female audience members responded enthusiastically.


    link smiled lightly and waved to the audience.


    "i would, too, link. could you sit next to me?"


    ms. elisabeth warmly invited him.


    "elisabeth, stop being flirty. you should get married soon; your kids are older than link."


    whoopi goldberg scolded with a laugh.


    "link, do you think i''m old?" experience tales with empire


    ms. elisabeth asked.


    link replied with a smile, "ms. elisabeth possesses the wisdom and charm of an older woman; i think it has something to do with age."


    "haha, link, you''ve answered so well, but next time you can just tell her she''s old, no need to be so polite."


    another host, sunny hostin, laughed.


    everyone else applauded for link''s response.


    link sat down with the five hosts, his seat between whoopi goldberg and elisabeth.


    "link, i heard you''ve just taken the sat?" goldberg asked. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "yes!"


    "how did it go? oh, i remember asking my son johnson the same question over twenty years ago, and now asking link, it feels very heartwarming."


    goldberg laughed heartily.


    "i felt pretty good about it, i did all the questions i could."


    "were there many you couldn''t do?"


    ms. elisabeth asked.


    link replied with a small smile to the camera, "i can only say that i did my best."


    everyone laughed.


    "yes, link''s been very busy. we all know his schedule last year¡ªin august, he participated in the olympics and won a gold medal, in september and october he competed in the wba championship and won the world champion''s golden belt, he beat tyson in atlantic city, and in january he released an album and had concerts and signing events across the united states. he''s been non-stop all year.


    link, with you being so busy, do you have time to read and study?"


    ms. goldberg asked.


    link spread his hands, "time is squeezed out, like before the match with tyson, i would do some seventh-grade math problems in the dressing room."


    pfft!


    hahahaha!


    the whole room burst into laughter.


    the thought of a world champion boxer doing math problems before a fight kept the laughter going.


    "link, which do you find harder, solving math problems or beating tyson?"


    ms. elisabeth asked, barely holding back her laughter.


    link thought for a moment and sighed, "i beat tyson, but there are some seventh-grade geometry problems that i still don''t understand."


    many in the audience could relate and burst into applause and laughter again.


    "link, you''re an olympic champion, world boxer, and a popular singer; you are quite successful. why did you decide to take the sat? some media think it''s a publicity stunt; how do you address such skepticism?"


    ms. goldberg asked.


    link said, "i''ve faced a lot of skepticism. taking the sat, i also faced skepticism; this i did not expect. my reason for taking the sat is pretty simple. i believe the sat, act tests are among the significant experiences most americans will go through, a milestone in life.


    i had a less than pleasant childhood, a rather chaotic adolescence, nearly veering off the main path of life, and that is one of my regrets. now that i''m successful and still young, i have the opportunity to make up for this regret, so i did it."


    clap, clap, clap!


    ladies like goldberg and the others led the applause.


    link smiled and added, "i think taking the sat is a form of socializing, too. before, when i chatted with paul walker and james franco, they would talk about taking the sats or going to college. each time they talked about it, i could only be an audience, but now i have the chance to join the conversation."


    the crowd burst into an approving laughter.


    after discussing the sat, the interview moved into the official question segment.


    since the show''s five hosts were all married women and the main audience was also female, the interviews often touched on topics like gender relations, family, child education, growth, career, etc.


    before the interview, the "the view" team gave link a program outline, including the interview outline, main questions, and the theme of this episode¡ªgender relations and family violence.


    upon seeing the theme, link could guess some of the questions and had prepared accordingly, but then the host opened with:


    "link, last time miss amber visited our show, she talked about some private matters between you two. she said you are quite impressive in that department, claiming every time is measured in hours¡ªis that true?"


    ms. elisabeth asked with a smile.


    link paused for a moment, looked at the camera, and asked, "can we discuss this kind of topic on the show?"


    ms. goldberg laughed and said, "you must not watch our show very often. in the last episode, elisabeth said that she often fakes orgasms to avoid hurting her husband''s ego."


    "last year, whoopi revealed on one of the shows how she and her boyfriend made love in the ocean, and it was a very bad experience," ms. elisabeth shot back.


    the remaining three female hosts also started sharing many bold topics they had discussed on the show. in any case, what happened between him and amber wasn''t considered very scandalous for the view.


    listening to five middle-aged women talk about dirty jokes.


    link couldn''t help but feel his face grow hot; the show''s standards were too much for him to handle with his level of embarrassment.


    "ladies, pause for a moment. link''s getting embarrassed."


    ms. goldberg intervened with a laugh.


    "wow, can the world boxing champion also be shy?"


    "haha, i almost forgot, link is still a young man who just became an adult."


    "link, welcome to the adult world," the women laughed.


    "link, if you''re feeling uncomfortable, we can move on to the next question," ms. goldberg offered.


    link wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, "talking about it is no problem, i''m a boxer, everyone knows that boxers train frequently, and our bodies are stronger than ordinary people, in terms of strength, stamina, and rhythm. so, boxers generally perform better in that area, and i am even stronger than all other boxers."


    "oh, are you saying you are the best in the world in that respect?" ms. elisabeth laughed.


    link shrugged and said, "even if i''m not the very best, i''m among the best."


    clap, clap, clap!


    the female hosts led the applause, and the audience clapped and cheered. just when link thought he had answered well, ms. goldberg asked:


    "link, this episode''s theme is about gender relations and family violence. amber claimed that she often faints during intimate acts with you, just like being ko''d by you. i think this could be considered a form of domestic violence, don''t you agree?"


    the atmosphere on set suddenly turned quiet, everyone looked at link¡ªit was a difficult question to answer. if he admitted it was domestic violence, he''d be labeled as an abuser. if he didn''t, but amber claimed she had fainted.


    link glanced at her, this question wasn''t in the interview outline and he started to suspect they were giving him a hard time for that comment he made about ''america not being only for the african-american community.''


    "link, if you don''t want to respond, there''s no need to answer this," ms. goldberg added.


    link said, "no, i''m just pondering the fainting issue. last year at the han jing olympics, when i won the championship and was about to receive the gold medal, i almost fainted from the excitement, too.


    if i could score above 1500 points on the sat, i''d probably faint from happiness as well.


    ms. goldberg, back when you were at the oscars and heard the presenter announce¡ªacademy award-winning actress, whoopi goldberg¡ªdid you feel so excited that you almost swooned?"


    ms. goldberg thought for a moment and laughed, "i did feel something like that."


    link laughed and said, "i think the kind of fainting amber was talking about must be that sensation, which doesn''t seem to be anything bad, let alone violent. if it''s violence, then it must be a blissful strike."


    "wow, link put it so nicely, a blissful strike¡ªi want to experience that too,"


    ms. elisabeth exclaimed dramatically.


    the audience below also clapped and cheered.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "wow! i also want to experience link''s mighty blow,"


    ms. katy perry leaned on the sofa in front of the television, watching link on the screen and pressing her legs tightly together.


    "men are never any good."


    on the opposite sofa sat a beautiful black woman, none other than the pop singer rihanna, her face bearing bruises and a look of grievance.


    rihanna and katy perry, both singers and both with mexican heritage, had a closer relationship in the industry.


    "just because your boyfriend hit you, you think all men are bad. link is absolutely a good man, so handsome, so strong, his voice so sexy. ah, i can''t take it any longer. i don''t know why, but whenever i see him or hear his voice, my body itches all over," katy perry said while rubbing her legs.


    "stop being horny,"


    rihanna gave her a look and said, "he''s taylor swift''s boyfriend, and you''re too thirsty to get a taste."


    "so, what? couples in the entertainment industry never last long, especially when they''re so young¡ªthey''re bound to break up sooner or later. by then, i may very well have a chance. wait for me, darling,"


    katy perry looked at link on the television, kissed her fingers, and blew the kiss towards him.

 Chapter 148 Domestic Violence (Four Updates, Happy Lantern Festival to Everyone)

    "so link, everything amber said about fainting and counting the hours, is it all true?"at the show, ms. elisa asked.


    link smiled, "maybe we should change the subject, i''m worried taylor will come after me if she hears this."


    everyone laughed.


    "link, during the grammy awards, apart from the incident involving you, kanye, and lil, another big thing happened in the music scene. rihanna and her boyfriend chris brown were fighting on the street. did you see the news?"


    whoopi goldberg asked.


    link was a bit impressed by her question; it touched on his issue with kanye and still stayed on topic for the interview¡ªa good question.


    he had naturally seen the news about rihanna and her boyfriend fighting.


    rihanna is a barbadian singer who debuted in 2005, has released three albums, sold over 10 million copies, and has won two grammy awards, making her very famous.


    her boyfriend, chris brown, is a well-known african american rapper and a top star in the music industry.


    the two had an altercation by the roadside on the eve of the grammy awards, leaving rihanna bruised and unable to meet people; she also missed the ceremony.


    before the grammy awards, their fight was the biggest news in the entertainment circle, and chris brown was heavily criticized by many.


    it wasn''t until link and kanye and others had their dispute that the public and media focus shifted to link.


    sometimes link wondered if the actions of lil and others were meant to shield chris brown since they had a good relationship and often collaborated on albums.


    "yes, that news was sensational, and i did pay attention to it,"


    link said.


    "link, as a man, how do you view the issue of chris brown being violent towards his girlfriend rihanna?"


    ms. goldberg asked.


    link said, "my view is consistent with the mainstream opinion, no matter the reason, it''s definitely wrong to hit someone, and it''s even less acceptable to hit someone you love.


    i suggest to everyone prone to violence, including men and women, to try boxing. boxing training involves hitting a punching bag daily, and during the training process, the elements of violence and aggressive traits gradually diminish."


    "really? why have i heard that people who train in boxing have violent tempers and often end up hitting others?" the host sunny hostin said.


    "that''s definitely not true. people see boxers fighting often because they are in matches, but the stereotype of them being violent is misplaced. in reality, most boxers are calmer and more tolerant than ordinary people.


    on one hand, boxing organizations and sports commissions have explicit rules that boxers cannot physically engage with ordinary people; any violation might lead to their license being revoked or even a ban from competing.


    on the other side, boxers train and compete frequently, and also get hit a lot. their violent tendencies and temperaments are refined through these matches.


    if you observe closely, you''ll notice that older boxers have milder temperaments. for them, aggressive tendencies are actually considered a rare quality."


    "i can vouch for that,"


    ms. goldberg said, "i know george foreman, larry holmes, and holyfield, and these old guys are now like santa clauses, always laughing with everyone. according to their wives, no matter how annoying they are, they never lose their temper. they seem like old oxen that had been castrated."


    the audience burst into laughter.


    link smiled helplessly; his intention was to redeem his fellow boxers'' image on the show, but whoopi goldberg''s description rather seemed slightly overcorrected.


    "boxing is a great sport that not only keeps you fit and helps shed excess fat but also trains your willpower and helps perfect personal character flaws. i recommend anyone interested to give it a try,"


    link said.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "blake, i''m thinking of taking up boxing. what do you think?"


    in the large beverly hills mansion, emma roberts turned from the tv to ask blake lively, who was sitting on the sofa.


    "you want to train in boxing?"


    seeing her petite stature, blake lively didn''t want to discourage her, "that might be okay, but i think sports like badminton and tennis might suit us girls better."


    "link said that practicing boxing can train willpower and compensate for personality flaws. i want to try boxing,"


    emma roberts said, clenching her little fists.


    "alright, i support you mentally."


    "thanks, i''ll go learn boxing from link in a few days."


    emma roberts said.


    "you''re going to learn boxing from link?"


    "of course, if you''re going to learn boxing, learn from the best,"


    emma said as if it were obvious. sea??h th§× n?velfire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "you''re trying to hit on link!"


    christine, playing with her phone, said without looking up.


    continue your journey at empire


    emma''s cheeks turned red, and she glared at her, "nonsense, that''s not true!"


    blake lively looked at her, thinking of link''s expertise in ''knockouts,'' and couldn''t help but feel worried for her.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "link, we all know you''ve been dating miss taylor swift. have you ever had conflicts or disputes, and have you ever gotten physical?"


    at the show, ms. elisa asked.


    link shook his head slightly, "of course we have our small disputes like any couple, but when we face them, we sit down and talk it over, and whoever is wrong admits it. i admit fault more often because taylor is very good at writing songs, one after another. if i don''t admit my mistake, she might write me into her songs, and those songs make me break out in cold sweats."


    "really?"


    ms. elisa laughed.


    "yes, and when she releases her new album, you''ll see how brilliant she is. she''s a musical genius, can write anything into her songs, and they all turn out to be great. normally, when we''re together, i love and respect her more, and of course, i would never lay a hand on her."


    link shrugged.


    applause burst from the audience!


    "in the course of our conversation, we could also sense link''s personality, calm, humorous, and polite. i believe such a person would not resort to domestic violence, so taylor''s fans can rest assured,"


    ms. goldberg said with a smile to the camera.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "taylor, has link ever hit you?"


    at the swift family mansion, mrs. andrea asked.


    "him hit me? of course not, it''d be more likely the other way around."


    taylor glanced at her brother austin''s homework in her hands. "all wrong, go redo your homework! no tv watching allowed!"


    austin lowered his head, looking dejected.


    "you hit link?"


    mrs. andrea frowned.


    "uh, no, just occasionally i punch him a few times, on his chest or shoulders. he''s got solid muscles, it doesn''t hurt him at all,"


    taylor gesticulated as she spoke.


    "you shouldn''t do that either, link doesn''t hit you because he''s giving you space, you can''t be too dominant."


    "got it."


    taylor shrugged her shoulders and blinked, looking back at the tv where the host asked link about his cooking skills. link confirmed that cooking was one of his hobbies. the host praised him as a good man, and taylor was very lucky to have a boyfriend like him.


    link responded that having taylor as a girlfriend made him the luckiest man in the world.


    "ew! why speak of such things."


    taylor covered her blushing cheeks, saying coyly.


    mrs. andrea looked at link on tv ¨C suave, handsome, with a gentle smile, then glanced at the disheveled taylor, "i suddenly feel like you don''t quite match up to link?"


    taylor paused, annoyed, "mom, how can you say that, i''m also great, you know?"


    "i''m just saying you should be cautious; men like link are rare, and many women are waiting in line to take your place. best be careful."


    mrs. andrea walked into the dining room.


    taylor furrowed her brows, blinking her blue fox eyes.


    "taylor, is link good at fighting?"


    austin asked.


    taylor just noticed her brother was still watching tv, "he''s the world boxing champion, of course, he''s incredible."


    "someone at school is bullying me, can i have link go beat them up?" austin asked.


    "someone bullying you? why haven''t you told dad?"


    "telling dad doesn''t help, the principal scolds them but they keep picking on me."


    austin rubbed his nose, his voice tiny.


    "spineless!" taylor tapped his forehead. "tell them your brother-in-law is link, and if anyone dares to bully you, next time link will come to school to beat them up."


    "okay!"


    austin grinned happily.


    ¡ª¡ª


    during the tv show, which had been going on for almost an hour and was nearing its end, link took a sip of water just as ms. goldberg asked,


    "link, one last question, which is of concern to many people right now, the controversy involving you and lil after the grammy incident has been blowing up in showbiz and has caught the attention of many.


    last time, when lil and 50 cent came to our show for an interview, they fully recognized their mistakes and apologized earnestly to all the musicians who attended the grammys, to all their fans, and to you personally.


    afterward, you tweeted ''let it go,'' and the media speculated that you were indicating reconciliation. is that right?"


    link shrugged, "i know rappers are a bunch of unique individuals, including kanye; without that character, it would be hard to come up with those cool songs, so i understand their actions and words. now they''ve realized their mistakes and apologized, which i really appreciate; of course, i won''t hold it against them anymore."


    "you mentioned kanye, does that mean you forgive him too?" ms. goldberg asked.


    link chuckled, "yes, if he needs forgiveness."


    "a hollywood-style grand reconciliation, let''s give link a round of applause,"


    ms. goldberg led the way.


    loud applause erupted in the studio.


    link thanked everyone.


    "bullshit! i did nothing wrong, why should he forgive me, this damn bastard is just riding my coattails, i will never forgive him."


    kanye grabbed a bottle from the table and smashed the tv screen.


    "that''s enough, kanye, link is just as famous as you now; he doesn''t need your clout,"


    eminem said, chuckling.


    "humph, that''s because he succeeded in riding my coattails. before this, he was never that famous in showbiz, the cunning guy."


    kanye grumbled with a dark face.


    eminem shook his head; ever since kanye became famous, he often went out wearing a duckbill hat, large sunglasses, or wrapping his head in cloth to avoid being recognized and clout-chased, almost as if he was suffering from a paranoia.


    "let''s go, sit at the bar for a while, lil and the others are there."


    eminem suggested.


    "no, i''ve been too angry these days, wrote a few new songs, i want to release my new album sooner to show link that making a stand in the music industry relies on talent, not just publicity stunts."


    kanye downed his glass in one gulp, stormed out the door, and didn''t forget to put on the duckbill hat as he left.

 Chapter 149 Filming

    "link, your performance just now was fantastic, the show must have had a great effect,"said ms. mandy after leaving the abc television building.


    "hope you''re right."


    link exhaled and got into the car.


    having completed the abc interview, next on the agenda were the tonight show on cbs, saturday night live on nbc, the conan show on tbs, the jimmy fallon show, and others, all presenting the challenge of dealing with various types of hosts.


    link suddenly realized that being a celebrity wasn''t easy. public figures needed to engage extensively with the media to gain sufficient exposure, and the media was a double-edged sword. while highlighting their strengths, their flaws could also be exposed and magnified.


    accidentally saying the wrong thing could impact personal reputations and career prospects.


    it was similar to walking a tightrope, best done without any mistakes.


    ¡ª¡ª


    the view aired on saturday at noon. before the broadcast, abc had promoted it early, announcing link baker as the guest of the week, a figure who had recently been controversial.


    given link''s fame, the show was quite popular.


    after the show aired, its average viewership ranged from 14 to 18 million, peaking at 17.88 million, setting the highest viewership record for the view in 2009.


    the show indeed had a positive effect. link, with his handsome and healthy image and smooth talk, won over a large female audience who viewed him as their ideal date and public lover.


    eva even called to tease him, mentioning that at a party she attended, many high-profile ladies approached her for his contact details, wanting to date him, and asked if he was interested in meeting them?


    link wasn''t interested, of course. in terms of prestigious families, eva and taylor were the real deals, one born into it, and the other had acquired it.


    with these two high-profile beauties, he wasn''t much interested in other high-profile ladies.


    besides the positive aspects, the show also brought some negative impacts.


    some online media, seeking traffic, took some sentences link said during the interview and published controversial news pieces.


    such as ''link says a tendency towards violence is a commendable quality,'' ''link boasts about his sexual prowess on the view, claiming to be one of the most powerful men in the world,'' ''link mentions west on the show, seemingly displeased with west''s failure to apologize.''


    with these topics stirring up controversy, link''s name remained in the media for an additional half-month, and his album sales increased by tens of thousands of copies.


    in march, link was busy in los angeles for a whole month, doing show interviews, shooting commercials, and music videos, among other things. he also returned to miami to attend lady gaga''s concert at the hard rock stadium.


    the concert drew an audience of 68,000, and it was the first time link had sung in front of so many people.


    when he sang "despacito" and "unstoppable" on stage, and tens of thousands in the audience waved their hands and sang along, the scene was incredibly impressive, markedly different from the shouts at a boxing match.


    fortunately, he performed well, and his presence was praised by many media outlets after the concert.


    fans also flooded his twitter, urging him to start his tour sooner so they wouldn''t have to attend someone else''s concert to see him perform.


    after a busy march, link faced an even busier april on the set of fight club.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "link, link, did you see the news? i made it to the finals,"


    during a break from filming fight club, link received a call from mario, who excitedly told him that he had made it to the finals of the united states amateur boxing championships.


    the united states amateur boxing championships is one of the three major amateur boxing events in the united states, organized by the american association of amateur boxing. it takes place every year in march and april. participants are nominated by state amateur boxing associations, with three spots per region per division, who then travel to the venue of the championships to compete.


    the first round is elimination, the second round qualification, and the third round the finals, which include 1/8, 1/4, and 1/2 finals. sea??h th§× nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    considering mario''s level, making it to the top eight in the cruiserweight category was quite commendable.


    "link, our boxing gym is going to have another champion, are you coming to watch my match? my performance won''t be any worse than yours when you started,"


    mario boasted somewhat proudly.


    link raised his eyebrows. this guy was still the same, showing off as soon as he achieved a little.


    "really? what''s your ko rate?"


    "this... in amateur competitions, it''s mainly about technique, ko rate isn''t important."


    mario stammered in response.


    "well, if you make it to the semi-finals, i''ll come watch your match."


    "fine, just wait and see. the cruiserweight champion this championship must be me."


    mario declared confidently.


    link smiled, hung up the phone, and then called coach west.


    he asked about reggie and the other boxers'' results.


    this year, west''s gym was busier than last year, with over twenty adult boxers, a large group of boxing apprentices, and over ten boxing coaches and assistant coaches, truly becoming a major boxing club.


    coach west told him that reggie was competing in the super welterweight division and had also made it to the third round of the finals.


    reggie hadn''t lost a single match in this competition and was ranked among the top three in the super welterweight division, with a chance to contend for the championship.


    mario had lost one match in the second round and was currently ranked eighth, but he had a chance to break into the top five.


    however, the fact that both of them could make it to the finals was also good news.


    "link, we''re starting the shooting."


    assistant anna came over to remind him.


    enjoy new chapters from empire


    link nodded, handed his phone to anna, and walked onto the set to start acting.


    in the movie "fighter," he played micky ward, who was initially a second-rate boxer and later, with the help of his girlfriend, brother, and family, became king of a minor boxing organization.


    the story wasn''t particularly inspirational, at least not as much as link''s own story, but the main selling points of this movie were brotherhood, family, and career.


    today, they were shooting scene 34, take 3 of act 6 of "fighter."


    "action!"


    in a bustling bar, link, wearing a dirty cotton t-shirt, stared blankly at the girl busy at the counter, who was carly, played by amy adams.


    amy adams, wearing a red tank top, with pale skin and long golden curly hair, dressed in denim hot pants, shapely and rounded at the hips, was skillfully mixing cocktails at the counter. her getup was very sexy.


    "are you just going to stand there and stare at my ass?"


    amy adams asked without turning her head.


    this was the first meeting scene between the male and female protagonists. hearing her words, link scratched his head and glanced back at his coach mike and his brother dicky at the booth.


    "go on, be brave!"


    coach mike encouraged him.


    link took another step forward but still didn''t have the courage to speak.


    "your dad often stares at my ass too, but he talks to me."


    amy adams, after handling a few drunks, turned around to speak to him.


    "he, he says you''re the hottest girl around here."


    link approached the counter and said, slightly lowering his head.

 Chapter 150 Acting

    amy adams smiled slightly and poured him a drink, "you''re a road worker, right?""yes, and i''m also a boxer."


    link added with a bit more confidence on his face.


    "oh, i heard you''re a stepping stone?"


    amy adams laughed.


    "i''m not a stepping stone."


    link emphasized.


    "they use people like you to let other boxers climb up."


    as a guest came over, amy adams got busy at the bar again.


    link''s face showed a hint of shame as he clenched his fists and said, "i''ve lost a few fights before, but that''s not my real strength, i''ll show my true ability in the next match."


    find your next read at empire


    "sure, he''ll still lose the match in the end."


    a drunkard at the bar jeered at him, slapping a bill on the countertop, "carly, a soda and a whiskey, one of them''s on you, now get your sexy ass moving, hahaha~"


    "buddy, show some respect when you speak."


    link shouted angrily, grabbing the drinker''s collar.


    "hey, don''t hurt your hand, you''ve got a fight next week."


    christian bale, playing the role of brother dicky, burst into frame from behind.


    "cut!"


    "take it again, link, when you''re angry, tone down the expression a bit, and don''t act too dominant; micky''s character isn''t dominant."


    director david o. russell called from behind the monitor.


    link nodded, exchanged a few words with christian bale and amy adams, and continued with the shooting.


    "david, how''s link doing?"


    producer darren aronofsky approached the director''s area to ask.


    "not bad, better than expected,"


    director david o. russell said, staring at the camera.


    "oh?"


    darren, with his arms crossed, watched the performance of the trio on set.


    christian bale had won multiple awards for "batman: the dark knight rises" and was extremely skilled at acting.


    amy adams had received two oscar nominations for best supporting actress for "junebug" and "doubt" in 2006 and this year respectively; her acting was also very good.


    link, an amateur actor, was in danger of being overshadowed by the two of them.


    "yes, before we started filming, i had looked over link''s information; he was flamboyant, domineering, all sharp edges. my first impression was that he definitely wasn''t the right choice for micky.


    but after we started shooting, his performance was surprising. he was understated, taciturn, introverted, and did you see it? just now, the shyness he showed, his awkwardness at flirting, seemed so genuine, without a trace of acting.


    if it weren''t for his face, i would have mistaken him for actually being that way, which is pretty interesting."


    director david o. russell said, stroking his stubbled chin.


    "really?" s§×arch* the n??efire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    darren frowned, watching link''s performance with even more focus.


    using link as the lead actor had been extensively debated within the production team and was still under discussion until just before filming.


    the focal point of the debate was whether link was suitable for the role, and whether casting him was worth it.


    initially, he had supported link, but then he was convinced by others that, as an amateur actor, having link as the lead would lower the quality of the entire film, affecting its chance at the oscars.


    just when he agreed to replace him, relativity media suddenly changed their stance, determined to have link play the lead.


    because link was a real-world boxing champion, having him play an ordinary boxer was highly topical and would draw in boxing fans.


    second, link''s fame in the entertainment industry grew day by day, and his fan base kept increasing.


    taking advantage of his low fee, casting him in a movie would yield a high return.


    moreover, he was very handsome and had a great physique; he was the epitome of good looks.


    he was an actor with extremely high cost-performance.


    as for acting skills, relativity company believed that pairing a few veterans with a newcomer was more interesting than a cast full of veterans.


    for this reason, the supporting actors hired by relativity company were all strong performers.


    in addition to christian bale and amy adams, melissa leo, who played their mother, received a best actress nomination at this year''s oscars. the old man who played their father and coach had also been a stage actor for over twenty years.


    a group of seasoned actors leading a newcomer like link in performance meant that even if link''s acting wasn''t great, the impact wouldn''t be too significant.


    producer darren and director david o. russell were convinced by the people at relativity media.


    even though convinced, darren kept worrying about this film while he was busy preparing his new project, "black swan," concerned that link''s acting might drag down the crew.


    but after watching for a while, he realized that link''s acting wasn''t so bad. his interactions with the two actors were effective, not amateurish or jarring.


    seeing this, producer darren felt somewhat relieved.


    "david, be stricter with link,"" we''re still targeting the oscars with this film, and we can''t let him affect the quality of the entire movie,"


    producer darren said.


    director david o. russell nodded.


    for filmmakers, they too wanted their works to achieve high box office revenues and win major film awards, but such films were rare.


    when box office success was not guaranteed, they would shift their focus to film awards.


    take "the fighter" for example: the protagonist was not a world-famous boxing star like ali or tyson. micky ward was just an ordinary champion, without classic matches or many old boxing fans, which meant the film''s selling points were not sufficient.


    furthermore, the film''s plot centered around family, kinship, and love, without any grand scenes or explosive performances. it wouldn''t attract many viewers by story alone, being a niche within niche films.


    even with link, the box office wouldn''t be too high.


    therefore, setting higher standards for the performances and firmly aiming for the oscars was safer than expecting a high box office yield.


    "cut!"


    "take it again! link, it''s your issue. i need a better performance from you,"


    director david o. russell shouted.


    "okay!"


    link nodded, apologized to amy, bale, and the other actors. having shot for seven or eight days, he averaged over 20 ngs (no goods) per day, indicating failed shots in filming.


    the others combined didn''t even reach 20 times.


    this made him feel ashamed, and an apology was necessary.


    "link, it''s alright. your performance isn''t the problem. maybe director david o. russell has just raised his demands for the whole scene,"


    amy adams said, leaning against the counter.


    amy was not very tall, around 165 cm, but she had a great figure, smooth pale skin, and was wearing a v-neck t-shirt that revealed half of her ample bosom, exuding a sexy aura.


    "keep it up, link. it''s easy to be an actor, but not so easy to be a good one,"


    christian bale patted his shoulder and swung back to his seat.


    to be part of this movie, bale lost over thirty pounds, transforming from the muscular batman to a gaunt junkie with a balding head and rotten teeth, tottering when he walked, nothing at all like the handsome figure he cut in batman.


    seeing the extent to which the other actor was willing to go for an oscar, and how leonardo had become an obese middle-aged man for the same reason, link wondered whether he too should wreck his image for an oscar?


    link felt that the oscars acting awards were so hard to win because these people kept upping the ante.


    "scene 34, shot 3, take 4!"


    "action!"


    ¡ª¡ª

 Chapter 151 Drunk (Thanks to the patron Grief Unspeakable for the reward)

    After a day of filming, Link trained at the boxing gym rented by the production for over two hours in the evening and didn''t return to the hotel until 7:30 PM.After showering, Link called Taylor for a chat and lay on the sofa, reading Billboard magazine.


    Two months after the release of his debut album "the fighter", seven charting songs had been successively knocked off the list.


    Among these seven songs, there was one champion single, three made it into the top ten, but the longest-staying song on the charts was "Never say never", a lively and catchy tune, which remained on the Hot 100 for a whopping eight weeks.


    His debut album currently had a total of 1.957 million copies sold in the United States, just shy of Double Platinum.


    Overseas sales amounted to 2.74 million copies.


    With a global sale of over 4.7 million copies for his debut, Billboard magazine called him the best new artist of 2009 and projected him as an early lock for the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.


    His single "Give me reason", released half a month earlier, officially surpassed 2 million downloads on Amazon Digital Music Store and ITunes Music Store and received over 130 million plays on US radio, becoming one of the hottest songs in the US for March.


    Additionally, this song was chosen as the theme song for "Transformers 2", with a licensing fee of $1.5 million US dollars.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    There was a series of knocks on the door.


    Link stood up and opened the door, where Amy Adams stood wearing a white tank top, striped shorts that revealed her fair thighs, her freshly washed long curly hair draped over her shoulders and exuding the scent of shower gel, holding a bottle of Scottish whisky in her hand.


    "Link, care for a drink?"


    Amy Adams asked with a smile, shaking the bottle of whisky in her hand.


    "Sounds good."


    Link smiled faintly, inviting her inside.


    Before filming started, he and Amy Adams had talked a few times, and as descendants of Italian immigrants, they found many common topics and became fairly well-acquainted friends; Link had even invited her to his parties.


    "Are you reading magazines?"


    Amy glanced at the magazines stacked on the sofa.


    "Yeah, I have a variety of side jobs, boxing, music, acting. It''s important to keep up with the industry news, and reading magazines saves time."


    Link picked up two glass cups from the counter.


    Amy sat cross-legged on the sofa, took a glass, and while pouring the whisky, said, "You really do juggle multiple careers, and what''s rare is that you excel in each one. As a boxer, you''re a world champion, as a singer, your album sold millions of copies; it''s incredible."


    Link gave a thankful smile, accepting a glass of golden whisky and, smelling the rich aroma, said,


    "Amy, I have a low tolerance for alcohol; I usually only drink light beer, so I can only join you for this one glass of whisky."


    "Really? A world champion boxer who can''t handle his drink?"


    Amy Adams blinked in surprise.


    "Yes, I can only handle a glass of this kind of drink."


    "That''s alright, cheers!"


    Amy held up her glass, clinked it with his, tilted her head back, and finished it in one gulp, playfully sticking out her tongue at him afterward.


    Link hesitated briefly, but then drank about half of his glass, approximately 100g, noticing the strong caramel taste and rich flavors.


    Alcohol was never his strength, and boxing training further limited his consumption. He usually only drank light beer and some wine, with not much interest in liquor.


    "How does it feel?"


    Amy Adams grinned.


    "Not bad, but it''s starting to hit me."


    Amy Adams watched his face redden and couldn''t help but laugh, "Link, you''re so strong, and yet you can''t hold your liquor; no one would believe that if you said it."


    "Everyone has their Weaknesses, and alcohol is one of mine."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Amy Adams gave a slight smile and poured another glass, "How about another round?"


    Link reluctantly sipped a bit more, beginning to feel a bit dizzy.


    As for Amy Adams, she downed her glass in one go, some of the liquid spilling down her chin to her chest, outlining the contours of her braless state. She looked very slender, youthful in appearance, yet there was a voluptuous womanliness to her.


    "How about we do some script reading?"


    Link suggested, holding a script from the table.


    "This is our downtime, you know?"


    Experience more content on empire


    Amy Adams gave him a look and took the script from his hand, "Link, you said on the show last time that you could make a woman faint, was that true or just talk?"


    The subject was a bit risque, especially between just the two of them.


    Link laughed, "Amy, should we be discussing this privately?"


    "We''re all friends here, just chatting. Come on, is it true?"


    Amy nudged him with her leg.


    "Alright! It''s true."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Amy stared at him and biting her lower lip, she asked, "I''m very curious, can I experience it for myself?"


    "What?"


    Link was surprised by her directness.


    "Do you dare to try it with me?"


    With her face flushed, Amy sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.


    Suddenly his arms were filled with a soft warmth, and his nostrils were filled with the scent of shower gel and a woman''s fragrance.


    After having a drink, his head was already a bit dizzy, and now it was even more chaotic, with reason and impulse PK-ing in his brain.


    By the time Amy kissed him, the faint smell of alcohol and the damp touch exploded the desires and primal instincts that had been suppressed deep within him.


    What followed felt like a very strenuous dream.


    ¡ª¡ª


    West Mountain Iron Mine, the very mine he had once worked at.


    In the West Mountain iron mining area, there was a 300-meter-high hill covered in grayish dust and void of vegetation.


    Beneath the summit lay the mine tunnel where Link had worked for three years.


    In his dream, he was back in that tunnel, still a small mine worker.


    Every day, he pushed the cart, ceaselessly hauling ore out. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One cartload after another.


    The cart full of ore was very heavy, weighing four to five hundred pounds, and it was even heavier when he had to push it uphill to the cave''s entrance; each time, he had to clench his teeth, muster all his muscle strength, and push with all his might just to get the cart up the slope and out of the cave.


    After each cartload, he would be drenched in sweat.


    But he still persevered, teeth clenched, to earn more money; he was always the hardest working miner in the mine.


    Once, twice, a hundred times, two hundred times, a thousand times, two thousand times.


    His arms and thighs began to tremble, and the creaking noise from the handling cart sounded as if it was about to fall apart.


    He could only hold on to the cart and continue to forcefully run forward.


    This was a private mine, and every extra trip meant the mining team earned more money daily, and he would receive a larger share, which was why he chose to keep going.


    Three thousand times, four thousand times, five thousand times.


    He didn''t know how many trips he had made, his muscles constantly trembling and he was utterly exhausted, finally collapsing inside the mine tunnel.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The next day when he woke up, he opened his eyes, and it was already 7:30 a.m., not 6:00 a.m. as he used to wake up every day.


    He rubbed his forehead and smelled the fragrance on his hands, which made him recall some of last night''s events. He called out for Amy, but no one responded, and there was no one in the blanket.


    If it weren''t for several strands of golden hair on the blanket, and some additional wrinkles and unidentified liquids on the bedsheets, he would have thought last night''s events were a ridiculous dream.


    "How are you doing?"


    Link sent a message but received no reply.


    He got up for a morning run, having been busy all night in his dreams, but due to his special body constitution, after a good sleep, all his bodily functions had returned to normal, he felt refreshed and invigorated, and his physical strength seemed a bit stronger than yesterday.


    As usual, he ran 20 kilometers, did ten sets of presses at the gym, ten sets of skipping rope, and ten sets of pull-ups.


    At ten o''clock, he arrived at the shooting set, unexpectedly learned that Amy Adams had taken the day off; she had slipped in the bathroom the night before, injuring her hip and knee, and needed three days of rest.


    Link sent another message, asking how she was and at which hospital?


    Amy Adams still didn''t reply.


    With the leading actress absent, the crew made a temporary change and started with the scenes between him and Christian Bale.


    He and Bale had the most screen time as the first and second male leads in the production.


    And Amy Adams, who originally asked for three days off, didn''t show up until the seventh day.


    Perhaps she was scared, as Amy was visibly panicked when she saw him, not daring to make eye contact.


    During their scenes together, director Russell yelled "Cut" more than ten times before Amy gradually regained her composure and overcame her disarray with professional acting.


    However, on set, Amy never spent time alone with him unless it was necessary, and her gaze still held shyness and panic when she looked at him.


    Link had wanted to apologize to her several times but never found the right opportunity.


    He heard she had a boyfriend, and he had a girlfriend; to avoid any misunderstanding, he did not persist too much.


    It wasn''t until he had finished filming and was leaving the set that Amy came to see him off, and he finally had the chance to say sorry.


    "You shouldn''t drink anymore."


    Amy Adams looked at him and said softly as she hugged his waist.


    "Got it."


    Link smiled lightly and waved goodbye to everyone on the set.

 Chapter 152 The Boxing Match

    "Link, what are you looking at?"On the highway outside Kennedy International Airport in New York, agent Simon Curtis asked while driving.


    Link watched the drizzly rain outside the window, drenching the road wetly, like a woman longing for spring.


    "Before coming here, I checked the weather forecast, it said it was sunny in New York, but the moment I got off the plane, it started to rain. I feel like the weather here is against me," he said.


    "Haha, it''s just passing showers. It''ll stop in a bit."


    "I hope so. How''s the fight schedule?"


    Link asked, leaning back in his seat.


    This trip to New York was mainly for three things: to attend the rehearsals for MJ''s concert, to record his second music album, and for boxing matches.


    "There are three fights planned, two are confirmed to take place within the year. Here''s the information, have a look."


    Simon handed over a folder to him.


    Link opened it and took a look.


    The first one was a WBA championship challenge, against Andre Rael, the Middleweight bronze medalist from the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In March, in the championship challenge qualifier, he defeated Jermain Taylor to earn the right to challenge him.


    This match would be in New York, scheduled for June. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The second opponent was Roy Jones Jr.


    After defeating Tyson last year, Franco had started making fight arrangements for him.


    He had reached out to Roy Jones Jr., Joe Calzaghe, Bernard Hopkins, James Toney, John Ruiz, Mayweather, and other star boxers with match invitations.


    So far, only Roy Jones Jr. had accepted.


    Calzaghe was planning to retire and it was uncertain if he would fight one last match with him.


    Hopkins said he wanted to see his fight with Roy Jones before making a decision.


    The others hadn''t responded yet. Find adventures at empire


    The fight negotiations for his match with Roy Jones, including the fight promotion rights and prize money, were still underway, with the date to be determined.


    The third match was originally arranged to be a unification bout with the WBO-WBF dual champion Andre Ward.


    But during the negotiation process, the four major organizations proposed a plan called the Super Six.


    The idea was to have super middleweight champions from various organizations compete against each other, similar to the round-robin battles of the Middleweight Four Kings in the eighties.


    Link had heard of this competition. There were twelve boxers participating in the "Super Six," including Mikkel Kessler, Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham, Jermain Taylor, Andre Ward, Andre Rael, Lucian Bute, Allan Green, and others.


    All were top three ranked super middleweight boxers from the four major organizations, acclaimed as a fierce competition for supremacy.


    After three years of intense competition, Andre Ward emerged with six wins out of six fights, securing all the Golden Belts and also rising to second place on the P4P ranking, just behind Mayweather.


    Now, due to Link''s emergence, Mikkel and Jermain Taylor had been defeated by him consecutively, and the WBA Golden Belt had been taken by him. The other champions weren''t as famous as he was, and the super middleweight scene had developed into a scenario of ''one super, many strong.''


    Nevertheless, the four major organizations still proposed the ''Super Six'' concept.


    This clearly showed they didn''t believe he had the strength to dominate the super middleweight division on his own.


    "Simon, a tournament is too troublesome, and the cycle of matches is too long. Communicate with the four major organizations and either arrange a Super 1+5, bringing in a few of the golden belt champions to challenge me, or proceed with the original plan of unifying the title fights. I plan to get all the golden belts from the four organizations within the year."


    "Okay, I''ll talk to Franco about it later."


    Simon nodded his head.


    ----


    True to his words, as the car traveled from Queens to Manhattan Island, the sky gradually cleared, and the sun peeked out from the clouds with a brilliant, goofy smile, as if playing hide and seek with Link.


    When the sun came out, the bustling streets of Manhattan came alive again. Skyscrapers stood tall and proud under the clear sky, while pedestrians put away their colorful umbrellas, strolling on the damp, yet Spring-infused streets, no longer in such a hurry.


    Upon returning to Manhattan, Link first stopped by the Metropolitan area''s Link Music Company and handed over the data for more than a dozen songs to Mr. Graham Goodall, asking him to adjust the music before proceeding to record his second album.


    "Link, are these songs not love songs?"


    Mr. Graham flipped through them and asked.


    "No, they are mainly about life experiences. Take a look and see what you think. If you agree they''re good, we can include them in the third album," said Link, pointing to several songs marked with red pen.


    After a while, Graham expressed his admiration: "These are very good; all of these songs are of high quality. Link, I have to say, you are a true genius at songwriting."


    Link laughed, "You flatter me. I''m new to the music industry, so I have a lot to learn from you and my colleagues."


    Graham waved his hand dismissively and said with a smile, "Your growth is rapid, and that''s your talent speaking, not much to do with us. However, the style of these songs is similar to ''Give me reason,'' lyrical and alternative rock, which could be released as a separate album."


    Graham paused for a moment, pondering, "Right now ''Give me reason'' is very popular, and the controversies with Kanye, Lil and others haven''t completely died down. The heat is still on, so my advice is to release this album first and then the ''love'' album next year. Love is an eternal theme, and there''s no rush to put it out."


    Link thought it over, and the arrangement seemed fine to him. The songs he had copied were mostly released after 2013, so a delay of six months to a year wasn''t a big deal.


    "That works. Here are two rap songs, a new experiment for me. I''m planning to invite Eminem to collaborate. What do you think?"


    Eminem is a famous white rapper who debuted in ''96 and has released six albums, selling over a hundred million worldwide. His notable works include ''My Name Is'' and ''Lose Yourself,'' and he also starred in the film ''8 Mile.''


    His rapping skills are strong; in the song ''Rap God,'' he spoke 1560 words in 6 minutes and 3 seconds, setting a Guinness World Record.


    Graham shook his head after hearing Link''s idea, "It''s going to be tough. Eminem has good relations with rappers like Kanye, Lil, and 50 Cent, having released several albums together, and your relationship with them is pretty bad. He probably won''t agree to work with you."


    Link was aware of this, but the new song had a significant rap portion, requiring someone proficient in rap. Apart from the well-known Eminem, he couldn''t think of another suitable candidate.


    "Link, don''t just focus on Eminem and a few others. There are many rappers in the United States. Take Snoop Dogg and Akon, for example, who are West Coast rappers. East Coast and West Coast rappers compete with each other and view each other as rivals. These two rap songs are of good quality; I think they''d be interested," Mr. Graham suggested.


    Link nodded, agreeing with the suggestion.


    East Coast rappers are mainly from New York and Chicago, with leading figures like JAY-Z, 50 Cent, Eminem, and Kanye.


    The West Coast rap stronghold is in Los Angeles and San Francisco, with iconic rappers such as Snoop Dogg and 2Pac.


    In the eighties and nineties, East and West Coast rappers briefly joined forces, sparking a global hip-hop trend and pushing rap music worldwide.


    However, style differences and mutual animosity led to the representative figures of both sides, 2Pac and B.I.G, being shot and killed in ''96/''97 respectively.


    Having some discord with East Coast rappers, the West Coast could also be a possible collaboration for Link.

 Chapter 153 Fractions

    "Mr. Baker, the SAT results are out. Have you checked yours?"As Link came out of the music studio, a young man dressed as a reporter, holding a camera, ran out of the coffee shop across the street and blocked his path.


    Link, holding the car door, asked, "The SAT results are out?"


    "Yes, they came out yesterday, Mr. Baker. Why don''t you check them now?" the young man said with a smile.


    Link smiled slightly. He had been busy with filming these days and had forgotten about the exam. He took out his phone and called Anna, asking her to check online via her computer.


    "Link, guess how much you scored?"


    Anna asked in a light tone.


    "Is it a thousand? If not, don''t bother telling me. I have reporters here."


    "1360."


    "1360? How could I possibly score that high?"


    Link said, surprised.


    Anna explained with a laugh that he had almost perfect scores in reading and grammar, nearly full marks in the math section with a calculator, only losing more marks in the last part.


    Link was very satisfied with his score. Although not perfect, it was still quite good. Those more than twenty sets of practice exams hadn''t been done in vain.


    "Mr. Baker, you scored 1360?"


    The reporter hurriedly asked.


    "Yes!"


    "Mr. Baker, congratulations, will you continue with college?"


    "Still considering it, I will have my agency make an announcement when I decide."


    Link replied with a couple of sentences, waved his hand, and sat in his car.


    Before he even returned to his Yorkville apartment, there was already a news report on Yahoo about his SAT score. It stated that while working and studying, he managed to score 1360, labeling him a hidden scholar and suggesting teenagers should learn from him.


    Then Link''s phone exploded with calls, the first of which was from Taylor, asking if he really scored 1360.


    "Of course. As a public figure, I can''t just make up a score to fool the public."


    Link said while opening the door of his apartment.


    "Dear, you''re amazing. Just doing a few sets of questions and you score that much. What if I took the SAT? How much would I score?"


    Taylor asked.


    "Definitely higher than me. You are so clever, and for you, the SAT is ''So easy!''"


    "Hmph, with such sweet talk, are you cheating on me behind my back?"


    "Haha, how could I? I just got off the plane; what could I possibly cheat on?"


    Link laughed nervously, silently praising Taylor''s sharpness¡ªperhaps a sixth sense. It would be better not to have another incident like with Amy Adams.


    "That''s not necessarily true. Last time I just went out shopping and you ended up shooting a popular music video. In half a day in New York, you could have ten dates."


    "Stop joking; why don''t you come to New York too? I just got into the apartment, it''s rather lonely by myself."


    "In a few days maybe, I''ve got a lot of work these days."


    "Alright then!" Read latest chapters at empire


    Link asked about work-related matters; Big Machine Records was still promoting Taylor''s second album, ''Fearless''.


    In March, as Mercedes-Benz chose ''Dream it Possible'' as their advertising theme song, and with the United Nations Children''s Fund also using it as their official promotion song, this track once again topped the Billboard singles chart, staying on the chart for 22 weeks.


    And with the third promotional single ''You Belong with Me,'' it became last week''s Billboard radio songs chart topper with 1.17 billion audience impressions, winning the championship for two consecutive weeks.


    Taylor also became the first female artist to top the Billboard radio music chart with a country music single.


    ''Fearless'' sold over 8 million copies worldwide and was expected to hit the 10 million mark that year.


    With the album continuing to sell well, Taylor''s schedule became even busier, and she was currently in Nashville attending a country music festival.


    After chatting for a while and hanging up, Ivanka called about the exam issue.


    "Link, did you cheat?"


    Ivanka asked bluntly.


    "Cheat on the SAT? I could score over 1300 with my eyes closed. Actually, I admire some people who study in school for seven or eight years, take the exams seriously, and still only manage to score just over 1000. That''s a harder feat than mine."


    "Link Baker! What are you talking about?!" sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the microphone, Ms. Ivanka''s voice was icy, as if she were speaking through gritted teeth.


    Link felt a chill down his spine and thought that he better not offend her, recalling the methods she had used on Kanye and others last time.


    "Ivanka, I was just joking."


    "Hmph, Graham just called to say you wrote over ten great songs again, similar to ''give me reason'', enough to produce another album. If you had so many good songs, why didn''t you bring them out earlier instead of making me keep pushing you?"


    "Ivanka, writing songs takes time. It''s not like I just sit on them once they''re done."


    Link quickly explained.


    "Also, there''s something else. I''ve recently taken an interest in two singers, come over when you have time to check them out together."


    "Really? Just sign them if you like them, you have great taste and I trust you."


    "Just come over when I tell you to, no fussing."


    "Alright!"


    Link heard that she hadn''t hung up yet and asked, "Ivanka, you seem in a bad mood, what happened?"


    From the microphone, Ivanka snorted softly and said in a sultry voice, "There''s a man pursuing me, but I don''t want to get too entangled with him. What should I do?"


    Link, recalling the many wealthy heirs at that party, asked, "Do you need me to play interference?"


    There was silence from Ivanka for a while, "Forget it, I can handle this. Just focus on your work and don''t mess around outside. If you need a woman, I can arrange that for you."


    "Er, I haven''t been messing around."


    "You better not have."


    Ivanka then rudely hung up the phone first.


    Link wiped his forehead, feeling helpless, thinking how, despite being an Olympic champion, world boxing champion, popular singer, and almost a millionaire, he could still sweat nervously while talking to a woman on the phone.


    This woman was too domineering.


    After hanging up, his phone showed twelve missed calls, over fifty messages and MSN notifications from Selena, Ms. Mandy, Dino, Gal Gadot, Franco, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Lady Gaga, Amber, and more.


    Most messages playfully congratulated him on his good test results, congratulated him for becoming a college student, and called him a ''study master''.


    Just as he was about to reply to the messages, a beautiful round face popped up on his screen, it was Selena calling.


    "Selena, are you going to congratulate me? Thanks, I received it."


    "Hmph!"


    With a nasal tone, Selena said discontentedly, "You jerk, who allowed you to score so high? You''re so busy and still score so high, what am I supposed to do? Sob, Link, you must write me one, no, three songs to make it up to me."


    Link chuckled softly, "You''re taking the SAT next year, right? If you score higher than me, I''ll write you three songs."


    "Higher than 1360? That''s really tough," Selena said softly, sounding troubled.


    "Don''t you want to beat me? You can''t do it by fighting or singing, the only way you can beat me is the SAT, so girl, step it up!"


    Link laughed.


    "... Okay, I accept this challenge, I definitely must defeat you in the SAT exam," Selena said confidently.


    Selena then asked him a few more questions about the exam before passing the phone to Catherine.


    Catherine asked him which university he was planning to attend and what major he was considering.


    Link thought about it, realizing he didn''t have time to study at school like other students and wouldn''t be able to earn enough credits, so a sports-related major would be easier; just getting good results in sports competitions would be enough to graduate.


    So he planned to pursue a sports-related undergraduate degree and might double-major if he had spare time to broaden his knowledge. If he wanted to learn more, he would consider applying for a graduate program in another field after graduating to pursue a doctorate.


    When Selena heard that he wanted to go for a PhD in the future, she screamed, "Are you crazy?"


    Catherine, however, admired his thoughts, thinking it was a great idea and suggested Selena should also aim for a PhD in the future.


    Amidst Selena''s protests, Link contentedly hung up, surprisingly finding that the fourth incoming call was from ''Mario''.


    "Mario, did you see my SAT results too? Thanks, I got your congrats."


    "SAT? What''s that?"


    Mario muttered, "Link, last time you said you''d come to watch my game; now I''m in the semi-finals, when will you come?"


    It turned out to be about that, he acknowledged he knew, and promised he would be there tomorrow.

 Chapter 154 The Competition

    The 2009 National Amateur Boxing Championship was held in the City of Louisville, Kentucky, in the Middle East part of the United States.Kentucky, seemingly unremarkable among the large states in the United States, is the home of Colonel Sanders.


    Louisville may sound ordinary too, but it is the birthplace of the champion boxer Ali.


    The championship took place at John''s Cardinal Stadium, a large multipurpose sports complex that could accommodate nearly 80,000 spectators.


    At noon, Link, wearing a baseball cap, entered the stadium with Dino, Simon, and Morales. There weren''t many spectators, about twenty thousand, and in the middle of the two boxing rings, the semi-finals for the Super Featherweight division at 48kg and the Super Heavyweight division over 92kg were taking place.


    The contestants, dressed in red and blue protective gear and competition T-shirts, were attacking each other. Since the Super Heavyweight contestants were larger, they attracted more viewers.


    "Amateur matches are boring, not a single KO after so much fighting!"


    Dino complained as he looked at the ring.


    "If you want to be a professional boxing agent, you need to watch even the boring matches carefully. Maybe among these boring boxers, there hides a future world champion."


    Link said as he walked.


    Last year, just before Christmas, Mario and Morales were inspired by him and set a small goal on the spot, one to participate in an amateur boxing championship and the other in the Golden Gloves.


    Dino also wanted to find something to do and asked Link for advice.


    Link advised him to start as an agent, taking over the family business.


    Travel around the world to scout boxers with potential, sign them, and then develop them.


    He was born into a family of boxers, often watching top boxers train and compete. Having seen so much, he had a better eye than other agents.


    If he was lucky, signing a future world champion could earn him a lot of money.


    Dino thought it made a lot of sense. Early in the year, he traveled around places like Columbia, Mexico, and Canada, and brought back three fiery-bodied Latin women, claiming he would train them to be boxers, which nearly killed old Duvall when he heard it.


    Latter, Dino explained to Link that after scouting around, he felt that none of the amateur boxers were up to par, none as good as he was.


    Link had no choice but to tell him directly about last year''s Olympic qualifiers, Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz Jr., Joe Smith, and the Haitian Pitts, among others, who were all pretty good.


    They''d been through big tournaments and were worth developing.


    Dino then rushed to sign a few people, but unfortunately, he was too late. After the Olympic series, those people had already made a name for themselves and had been signed by others.


    Only Light Heavyweight Joe Smith remained unsigned, so Dino secured him with a promotional contract worth one million.


    Link didn''t know much about Joe Smith''s future, only remembering that he was the only one who had KO''d Bernard Hopkins in a match. His strength was not bad.


    After arriving at the venue, Link went to the coaching area and saw Coach West, Mario, Reggie, and others. He had just seen everyone back in Miami at a concert last time, so there was no need for much small talk when meeting again.


    "Link, today I''m going to win the championship too."


    Blonde Reggie excitedly said.


    "Go for it! I hope you will be the second champion from our boxing gym."


    "Sure! I promise I will!"


    Reggie bumped his fist with him.


    Mario coolly said to Link, "Watch me, Link. This time I''m going to win by KOing my opponent."


    "Stop bragging, just protect your head and be careful not to get KO''d by your opponent."


    Coach West scolded, glaring.


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    "Hmph! Of course not, I''ll definitely win this match," Mario said, pounding his somewhat muscular chest.


    Since preparing to compete in the Cruiserweight division last year, he had started a slimming plan and lost over ten pounds in three months. His belly was smaller, and he had some muscle definition, but his face, still full of horizontal flesh, looked as punchable as ever.


    "Mario, I have a feeling that you''re going to get KO''d by your opponent in this match."


    "Me, KO''d? Nonsense! That definitely won''t happen."


    Mario angrily replied.


    "Is that so? Wait and see."


    Link said with a light smile, sitting down in the front row of the coach''s benches.


    The Super Heavyweight and Super Featherweight matches on the boxing ring had ended in succession, as the Heavyweight and Flyweight semifinalists entered the ring.


    Mario waved his fists at Link to show off and then strode onto the boxing stage.


    "Could Mario really lose?"


    Dino asked from the side.


    "Don''t know, we''ll have to see the match first."


    Mario''s opponent was a 188 cm tall black man, weighing 195 pounds, 25 years old, with an amateur record of 68 fights and 55 wins, strength B+, technique B-. Overall, his ability was nearly equal to Mario''s.


    After the match started, Mario chose to be the aggressor and his opponent was not to be outdone, exchanging dozens of punches in a back-and-forth flurry, with neither winning the first round.


    In the second round, Mario continued to attack and his opponent used the same tactic, ending the second round without a winner as well.


    By the third round, both had expended some energy and were sweating profusely. Mario continued to attack, whereas his opponent chose to defend and counterattack.


    But the opponent''s defensive skills were average at best. Mario often trained with Link and Morales, and he had good technical and punching skills. In the third round, he landed a jab on his opponent''s face, making him stagger.


    "Mario is going to win,"


    Morales said.


    Link nodded. Mario had been a Heavyweight boxer, his strength was no less than his opponent''s, and his technique was slightly better. Mario also had another clear advantage: better mental resilience.


    This was related to Mario''s experience in the main competitive training facilities, where training in a major facility could introduce him to many different types of boxers and even give him a chance to compete against several world champions.


    Once a boxer has fought a world champion, his mindset becomes steadier and his technical application more skilled when facing regular boxers.


    After five rounds of fighting, Mario ended up winning by a large margin with a score of 37:24.


    "Link! Link! I won! Open your eyes wide and look, I won!"


    Mario yelled at Link while clinging to the ropes.


    Link deliberately showed a look of surprise and nodded slightly.


    "Stop shouting! It''s just the semifinal, not the final. Don''t get too excited too soon,"


    Coach West shouted.


    Mario shrugged his large nose and walked off the boxing stage disgruntled.


    After the Heavyweight match concluded, and after several more rounds of competition, it was time for the Super Welterweight final featuring Reggie.


    Reggie''s match was the final. He was quite skilled. After Link and Mario left, Coach West regarded him as his key disciple, transferring all his experience and training resources to him.


    Reggie''s performance on stage was also good, with well-timed advances and retreats, and skilled technique.


    After five rounds of competition, Reggie won the match by a narrow margin of 21:18, taking the Super Welterweight gold medal.


    Seeing Reggie''s victory, Coach West was extremely excited.


    Strictly speaking, Reggie was a disciple he had cultivated from scratch.


    Link was a prodigy, who would shine anywhere. Mario was a tough nut, more influenced by Link. Although Reggie was also influenced by Link, he still followed West''s guidance in training.


    When Reggie clinched the championship, Coach West''s hard work paid off.


    "Coach West, Link, Mario, I also have a gold medal now,"


    Reggie shouted excitedly, holding his gold medal.


    "Well done, Reggie!"


    Everyone congratulated Reggie.


    "Reggie, don''t get too excited. I''ll have one of those too, in a while,"


    Mario, with his arms crossed, glanced sidelong at the gold medal on Reggie''s chest, his face betraying a hint of envy.


    "Mario, you don''t need to feel too pressured. Last year I got the gold medal, this year it''s Reggie, next year it''s your turn. One a year for our boxing gym isn''t bad,"


    Link said with a smile. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why wait? I want one this year too. Just you wait and see,"


    Mario turned away and snorted.

 Chapter 155 Award Ceremony (Alliance Leader Extra 1/10)

    After resting for more than two hours at noon, Link and a few others played basketball at the gym and then returned to the competition site around 2 p.m. to watch Mario''s final match.In the final, Mario''s opponent was also a Latino boxer, Chaoslei Arnold, who had a lean build, solid muscles, stood at 182 centimeters tall, with an arm reach exceeding 192.


    Just by looking at his physique, he was clearly a technically skilled fighter with great agility, stamina, and boxing determination.


    "Mario has encountered a very strong opponent, it might be difficult for him to win,"


    Morales stated as he watched the platform.


    Link nodded, knowing that if it were himself facing such an opponent, he would only need to surpass the opponent in speed and then use heavy punches to execute a KO strategy, defeating him wouldn''t be hard.


    But speed was Mario''s weakness, and it wasn''t certain that his stamina and technique were stronger than his opponent''s¡ªthe only advantage was that his punches were slightly heavier.


    However, in amateur matches, fighters wore protective gear, so having only slightly heavier punches wasn''t much of an advantage.


    Once the match started, Mario went on the offensive for one round, throwing over 60 punches, but only 3 landed effectively while the rest missed entirely. In contrast, his opponent landed 7 solid hits, including one to the face.


    Mario fought very passively.


    "Link, do you have any good ideas?"


    Coach West asked.


    Link, watching the ring, nodded, "I have some thoughts, but we have to wait a bit longer."


    "Why wait? If you have a strategy, why not use it right away?" Dino and Reggie asked curiously.


    Link shook his head, "Mario is poor at executing strategies. It''s no use bringing them out now."


    After the first round, Mario was in a sorry state. Link sent Reggie to Mario below the ring holding a gold medal, telling him to just give up since he couldn''t win anyway.


    Mario was furious, almost lashing out at Reggie.


    In the second round, Mario continued his aggressive onslaught, while his opponent kept up his nimble dodging and counter-attacking defense.


    This round Mario threw 72 punches, only landing 4 effectively, while his opponent hit him 8 times. The score was 7:15, with Mario significantly trailing.


    Link again had Reggie flaunt in front of Mario, mentioning that Coach West was planning to reward him with a sports car, which wouldn''t be inferior to the Pontiac GTO.


    As soon as Mario heard of the sports car, his eyes turned bloodshot, and he roared furiously with fists waving.


    "Link, by provoking Mario like this, do you think he can defeat his opponent?"


    Dino asked, watching Mario, who seemed to be on a stimulant.


    "It''s useless, he will continue to lose this round."


    "Then what''s the point of what you''re doing?"


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    "Just wait!"


    Link found it interesting to watch the action on the ring, reflecting on the times he was the one fighting while being watched by the audience.


    Now sitting here, watching others fight, he realized that being an onlooker allowed him to clearly see both sides'' moves, tactics, habitual actions, the boxers'' personalities, and boxing consciousness.


    He also thought about how fighting in front of tens of thousands of people was actually a display of one''s abilities and characteristics, the charm of the process. The stronger the opponent and the more exciting the match, the fuller the display, and one''s abilities and charm would be ignited and magnified, attracting and conquering more spectators.


    After this realization, he began to reflect on his past competitions, finding that he hadn''t performed well in his professional boxing matches.


    Winning too quickly, with limited time, he hadn''t been able to show more of his abilities and charm.


    Apart from leaving an impressive record in the media, with his immense punching power and speed, there wasn''t much else to boast about, somewhat lacking substance.


    In contrast, boxing champions like Ali, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and others may not have as many victories and records, but they left a deeper impression on boxing fans. That includes their tenacious spirit, their unwavering willpower, exquisite skills, never-say-die attitude, and cunning tactics.


    In the hearts of boxing fans, such boxers are also more charismatic and influential. Thus, decades after their retirement, fans still reminisce about them.


    Link and his contemporaries seemed to share a problem: they were too impatient, overly focused on the outcomes, and failed to immerse themselves fully in the matches to show more to the audience, akin to fast food.


    This might be one of the reasons for the decline of contemporary boxing.


    Having understood this, Link furrowed his brows in contemplation, wondering how he could perform better on the ring and be more charismatic.


    "Link, stop daydreaming. The third round is almost over. Mario has been hit 9 times and only hit his opponent 5 times. He''s about to lose. What''s your plan?" Dino shouted, tugging at his arm.


    Link looked towards Mario on the ring, who had been full of fighting spirit in the first three rounds. After losing three rounds in a row, both his physical and mental stamina severely diminished, leaving him completely disheartened, likely having accepted his impending defeat.


    Link spoke briefly with Coach West, who after a moment''s thought, agreed with his suggestion.


    After the third round ended, Coach West went over to Mario and quietly gave him a few pieces of advice.


    Mario hung his head, looking dejected, showing little reaction to Coach West''s words.


    Coach West, having finished speaking, did not say more and returned to the stands.


    "Go Mario!"


    Reggie and the others shouted loudly.


    In the fourth round, Mario stopped advancing and started to back off while fighting. His opponent, seeing him drenched in sweat and breathing heavily with a lack of fighting spirit, attempted to launch a counterattack to extend the lead.


    One punch after another landed on Mario, who didn''t strike back but passively defended.


    Around 80 seconds into the fourth round, Mario backed into a corner and suddenly launched a counterattack, landing several heavy punches on his opponent, forcing him into the corner, using his bulky body to block the opponent''s escape route.


    Caught by surprise, his opponent could only protect his head with his hands up, continually dodging.


    Mario''s fists kept swinging, hitting his opponent''s head and face until the opponent clinched with him. The referee came over to separate them, ending their exchange.


    "Is this your strategy?"


    Dino said in surprise.


    "A bit early."


    Link shook his head. Just now in the match, he noticed that Mario''s opponent would slightly pause after being hit, as if he were stunned.


    He guessed that the opponent''s ability to take punches wasn''t high enough and that in the face of Mario''s heavy punch, his response was poor.


    Therefore, through Coach West, he persuaded Mario to use the fence strategy, corner the opponent, limit their speed, and then implement a series of hits.


    Unfortunately, Mario''s punches weren''t heavy enough, and his punching speed wasn''t quick enough. If it had been Link himself in the ring, that wave of head attacks just now would have knocked the opponent out directly.


    "Link, if you had such a strategy, why didn''t you use it sooner?" Dino asked. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "In the first three rounds, the opponent''s energy wasn''t greatly expended, and Mario couldn''t trap him. Also, Mario''s mentality has issues; he performs average when he has the upper hand but sometimes excels in adversity."


    Link explained.


    With more than twenty seconds left in the fourth round, Mario took advantage of the fact that the opponent hadn''t recovered and launched a strong attack again. This time, the opponent''s reaction was even slower, getting hit in the head by Mario twice in a row.


    By the fifth round, the opponent began to fight passively, circling around Mario in an attempt to last the remaining two minutes this way.


    Mario directly adopted a foul strategy, reaching out to hug the opponent and taking the chance to land two solid punches.


    After being separated by the referee, Mario pounced once more, swinging his fists and striking the opponent near the ropes, pressing down on him with his belly. Before the opponent could react, he landed several Swing Punches heavily on his head.


    But still, he couldn''t knock the opponent down.


    After the referee separated them again, the opponent continued moving, though his actions were much slower than in the previous rounds.


    Reggie and Morales were shouting from below: "Sports car! Sports car! Sports car!"


    Seizing the moment, Mario attacked and, at 86 seconds, once again successfully cornered the opponent at the ropes and hit his head with five consecutive Swing Punches, causing the opponent to fall for the first time.


    When Mario knocked down his opponent, the audience cheered him on, and both Reggie and the people from the boxing gym shouted loudly.


    Mario''s momentum surged, while the opponent''s condition deteriorated significantly.


    At 112 seconds, Mario landed three more punches and wanted to continue attacking but was stopped by the bell signaling the end of the match.


    Ding! Ding! Ding!


    Since there was only one knockdown, Mario did not win by KO. Both fighters stood in front of the main referee, and everyone watched expectantly as the three judges revealed their scores.


    The final result was 32:31, 30:30, 31:30, with two judges ruling in favor of Mario and one calling it a draw, granting Mario a narrow victory.


    "Roarrr!!!"


    Seeing the score, Mario raised his fists to the sky and roared furiously, and towards Link''s direction, he beat his chest forcefully, looking particularly defiant.


    Link merely smiled, unconcerned.


    The heavyweight competition ended, and immediately the award ceremony began. The sports arena''s sound system played "Unstoppable" as Link and the vice chairman of the Amateur Boxing Association, Mr. John Kadil, stepped onto the boxing ring.


    "Link, I won! I won! I''m a champion now too!"


    Mario stood on the podium, shouting at him.


    Link gently clapped his hands.


    "Haha, Link, you thought I was doomed just now, but how about now? Hahaha, you were wrong, terribly wrong!"


    Mario, waving his arms, shouted triumphantly.


    Link nodded, shook hands with the third-place winner, congratulated him, and placed the bronze medal around his neck.


    "...."


    Suddenly, Mario''s eyes widened, "You, you, you...."


    Link then shook hands with the runner-up, offered his congratulations, and hung the silver medal around his neck.


    "You are presenting the awards?"


    Mario asked, shocked.


    Link smiled slightly, "Am I not qualified to present the award to you?"


    Not only was he an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, but in April, he was also named the ''08/''09 Best Boxing Sport Promoter of the Year by "Boxing Ring" magazine because he promoted boxing matches on numerous occasions, bringing more attention to the sport.


    After the news of his attendance at the match was made public by the media, the boxing association sent someone to invite him as a guest presenter, saying he could choose any rank and that his presence would bring more attention to the event.


    Link did not refuse.


    Mario stared at him, his cheeks trembling non-stop.


    Link picked up the gold medal and smiled at him.


    Through gritted teeth, Mario endured for a few seconds before bowing his head.


    "Not bad! Keep it up!"


    Link patted his shoulder and said.


    Mario''s mouth twitched viciously. He swore, had he known Link would be the award presenter, he would not have fought so hard to win the match.


    After the match, the news that Mario and Reggie had won the National Amateur Boxing Championship in the cruiserweight and super welterweight categories spread widely across the media.


    Since the two were students of Link, who was sensational in the boxing world, the media and public gave them considerable attention, curious whether they would become as formidable as Link.


    However, the one who benefited the most was West''s boxing club. A single club producing three amateur championship winners was an extraordinary achievement. According to Mario''s complaints, Coach West has been smiling every day like a lunatic.

 Chapter 156 Music Festival

    Mario and Reggie received gold medals, and Coach West bought them each a Porsche as a reward.With the sports cars, they often went racing and even sneaked off to participate in illegal races in Great Swamp City. They were inadvertently caught by the Palm Beach County Police Department, Gameover, fined over three thousand US Dollars, and caused quite a scandal.


    After leaving Louisville, Link didn''t immediately return to New York. Instead, he took a tour bus to Nashville, Tennessee, a journey of over three hours.


    The annual Country Music Festival CMA was taking place in this city, spanning five days around April and May each year.


    Taylor was one of the most popular female country singers at the time and was invited to perform and receive awards presented by the Country Music Association.


    Country music, distinct from pop, rock, hip-hop, and folk music, is a genre of American folk music that originated in the southern United States and represents the music of the American white working class.


    It mainly reflects the life, love, heartbreak, and homelands of the blue-collar worker, and is known as ''blue-collar music''.


    Notable figures include Johnny Denver, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Shania Twain, and Taylor¡ªall three women are beautiful with sweet voices and are considered divas of the American music scene.


    Taylor''s first four albums were country music style, but she incorporated a lot of R&B, dance, and rock elements into her later works, making country music more urban and colorful, and turning it into a mainstream music genre around the world.


    The ethnic is also the global¡ªthis is perfectly exemplified in country music.


    This year''s Country Music Festival was held in Nashville''s Cumberland Park, and it was reported by the media that the festival drew over 800,000 visitors.


    On his way there, Link encountered many people rushing to the event. They were mostly in their twenties and thirties, traveling by train, buses, trucks, and motorcycles from all directions, making it seem as if the people of America didn''t need to go to work to earn money.


    Seeing these people, Link thought there was a reason for America''s decline.


    When he arrived at the festival venue, Taylor was on the central stage singing. She was wearing a gold ponytail, a plain plaid shirt, blue jeans, and was sitting in front of a microphone playing a guitar, singing the song "White Horse" from her second album.


    That''s the style of country music¡ªsimple stages, plain and simple attire, uncomplicated musical accompaniment where the singer is like telling a story, singing to everyone.


    There were no seats under the stage; everyone stood on the grass, looking up at the singer on stage, quietly listening to her performance.


    At a glance, the crowd stretched over a two-kilometer radius, limitless, but thanks to the excellent sound system, even those who didn''t buy tickets could listen clearly from outside the park.


    After Taylor finished singing one song, a wave of enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted from the audience, suggesting there were no fewer than forty thousand people.


    The audience shouted, "Taylor, one more song!" After Taylor stood up, she drank a beverage and continued to sing.


    The sound system continued to carry her sweet, warm voice, a sound that could offer listeners pleasure and gentle enjoyment, highly charismatic, fitting for a ''straight-men killer'' type of singer.


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    This wasn''t Link''s first time attending Taylor''s concert; he had seen her perform seven or eight times in his past and current life.


    Now, as an audience member standing in the dense crowd, looking at the tall, radiant girl on stage, who was now his girlfriend, he felt quite peculiar, somewhat proud, yet a little anxious.


    "Wife! Wife! Another song!"


    Suddenly, several male fans nearby shouted out.


    Link''s face darkened. She''s my wife, not yours. How dare you call Taylor ''wife'' right in front of me? That''s utterly shameless.


    "Link, where are you?"


    While watching the performance, he received a call from Mrs. Andrea. Link told her his location, and soon after, Taylor''s assistant Emily came through the crowd to escort him to the artists'' rest area.


    Link followed Emily to a makeshift shelter next to the stage, where there were many band members, singers, and staff bustling around, hundreds of people coming and going.


    No one recognized him as he was wearing a baseball cap.


    "Link, are you going up to present the flowers?" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mrs. Andrea glanced at the bouquet in his hands, a lavish bundle of pink, red, and purple irises that looked particularly striking, attracting the attention of people around, and Mrs. Andrea sighed silently, ''The romance of a straight man.''


    "Taylor is singing, I''ll give them to her after she steps down."


    In spring and summer, Tennessee has a lot of irises. Link had seen many at the flower shops on the way, where ten stems could be purchased for one US Dollar. He had bought a hundred, and although they weren''t heavy to hold, the attention they drew was a bit conspicuous.


    Taylor performed three songs on stage, then waved to the screaming fans and stepped down, heading toward the shaded area. When she saw Link holding the bouquet, she was momentarily stunned and looked at him with surprise.


    "How did you get here?"


    Taylor asked, smiling as she walked over.


    "I was in Louisville watching a match yesterday, and since it wasn''t far from here, I thought I''d come check out your concert."


    "Ah, I see, you came by on your way."


    Taylor raised an eyebrow, dissatisfied with his reply.


    "Of course not, mostly I just missed you too much and wanted to see you sooner," Link said, laughing as he cupped her hips.


    "Hmm, you''ve got a point," Taylor replied, kissing him.


    Other singers, recognizing him once he took off his hat, came over to greet him, and Taylor introduced him to a bunch of country music singers.


    In the ''90s, country music megastar Tim McGraw and his wife Faith Hill, whose signature work is the theme song "There You''ll Be" from "Pearl Harbor";


    Alison Krauss, a leading figure in bluegrass music, who between 1990 and 2009 won 25 Grammy Awards, making her the female singer with the most Grammy wins;


    Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman''s second husband, also a very famous country music singer, with millions of records sold globally and two Grammy Awards under his belt.


    Then there''s Carrie Underwood, who last year received the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocalist; South Carolina singer Josh Turner, and Whitefang''s Luke Bryan, among others.


    The country music scene brims with talent, and amidst these individuals, Link wasn''t considered a major star.


    Everyone sat on the grass, drinking beer and talking about music. When it was someone''s turn to perform, they would grab an instrument and go onstage to sing, while the others watched from below.


    "Link, do you want to go up and sing?"


    Taylor, having drunk a bit of beer and with a flushed face, leaned on his shoulder and asked.


    From her affectionate gesture, Link could tell that Taylor was very happy about his surprise, and he thought he might bring her more such surprises in the future.


    "Can I go up even without a soundcheck?"


    "Country music doesn''t need a soundcheck; it''s okay if you sing the wrong notes. The first half is for invited guests to perform in turns, while the last hour is for newcomers, which is the most anticipated part of the festival every year. As long as you''re brave enough, anyone can go up and sing their story," Taylor explained.


    Link thought about it and shook his head.


    He rarely listened to this type of slow-paced music, and apart from classic old songs like "500 Miles", "Country Roads Take Me Home", "The Eagle''s Song", and "Lemon Tree", he didn''t know any other country songs to sing.

 Chapter 157 Sing a Song

    "Link, go ahead, I''ve never seen your concert, let''s see what your stage presence is like."Ms. Faith Hill laughed.


    "I''ve never seen Link''s concert either, but I did see him at Lady Gaga''s Miami show, where he ripped off his suit. It looked incredibly explosive."


    Carrie Underwood said, shaking her bottle.


    Link also remembered that concert in Miami. He had planned to sing a song in his suit respectfully, but Lady Gaga thought that style was too ordinary and not eye-catching enough.


    She wanted him to sing the first song in a suit and then sing "Despacito" shirtless for the second one, dancing while singing.


    He didn''t feel anything at the time, but when he later watched the broadcast, he felt his scalp tingle with a bit of embarrassment.


    "Alright, I''ll give it a try."


    Seeing that everyone wanted to hear him sing, Link, without making a fuss, took Taylor''s guitar, went backstage to sign up and queue, and then got on stage and sang John Denver''s "Take Me Home, Country Roads."


    He had trained for several months in the recording studio, and his voice was very mature. Having honed his skills through several performances, he didn''t get stage fright when singing.


    It was around 5 pm, and there were fewer people in the audience, only a little over twenty thousand, but still a dense crowd.


    Since he was wearing a hat and didn''t introduce himself, the audience didn''t recognize him. They just felt he sang well, infusing an old classic with a fresh take, showing real skill.


    As he was about to leave the stage after finishing, many in the audience shouted, "Encore!"


    At music festivals, an audience shouting for an encore signifies approval, wanting to hear more. For those who didn''t sing well, the audience would only want them to leave sooner.


    "Link, one more song!"


    Taylor stood on the grass, cupping her hands to her mouth and shouting loudly.


    "Link''s voice is so clear and powerful; it''s even better live," Ms. Faith Hill said, clapping her hands.


    "He''s a very talented young man," Tim McGraw said, cowboy hat on, looking at Link on stage.


    Link felt a bit stuck on stage, having just covered a country song he was familiar with. Should he continue with another old song?


    Old songs were easy to sing, but it was tough to bring a new twist, and there was a risk of a mishap.


    Then, he noticed a piano at the edge of the stage and had an idea.


    Country music primarily uses instruments like the guitar, drums, violin, banjo, and piano. He set down the guitar, sat at the piano, and said into the microphone, "Next, I''ll bring you a new song, ''All of Me,'' dedicated to Miss Taylor Swift."


    As he spoke, suddenly someone in the audience shouted, "Link! It''s Link!" Then more people shouted, "Link! Link!" mainly young women. Before he even started singing, they were screaming excitedly, surging toward the stage.


    Link decided to just take off his hat and waved to the audience, eliciting an even more strident scream.


    After calming the fans several times, they finally quieted down. He placed his hands on the black and white keys, took a deep breath, and started the prelude to the song.


    What would I do without your smart mouth,


    Without your sweet talk, what would I do?


    Drawing me in, and you kicking me out,


    You''re passionate one moment, and cold the next,


    Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can''t pin you down,


    You''ve got me so captivated, yet so untouched.


    "Wow, that sounds amazing!"


    Carrie Underwood and other singers couldn''t help but exclaim.


    They had heard Link''s inspirational songs, and that explosive "Give Me Reason," and thought Link was a hard rock style singer. They didn''t expect his voice to be so tender, so delicate when singing love songs, with a hint of husky magnetism that was very ear-pleasing.


    Taylor also covered her mouth, looking at the stage in surprise, at Link, who was both playing and singing. She had no idea when Link had written the song, and it sounded so good.


    ''Cause all of me


    Loves all of you


    Love your curves and all your edges


    All your perfect imperfections


    "Not bad, although it''s not a country music style, it''s definitely a good song,"


    Tim McGraw said, sipping his beer.


    "If I could write songs like this, picking up girls at the bar would be a cinch. No one could resist my charm,"


    Josh Turner, a young singer from South Carolina, said with envy.


    Everyone rolled their eyes.


    "There seems to be something off with the accompaniment; if it were a bit better coordinated, the performance would be even more spectacular,"


    Faith Hill asked.


    Taylor laughed, "It''s Link''s fault; he''s only been practicing the piano for half a year, so he''s not yet proficient."


    "Only half a year? That''s pretty impressive,"


    everyone exclaimed in amazement.


    On stage, Link played the piano, singing the classic love song "All Of Me". Originally, this song was to appear in the ''Love'' album, but now he had brought it out early for the performance, serving as a preview for the album.


    The song was not particularly challenging to perform, but it required a delicate touch to convey the emotion convincingly. Link had practiced it many times under the guidance of Graham and, combined with his unique voice, his performance was no less impressive than the original.


    ''Cause all of me, Loves all of you..."


    During the second chorus, many in the audience sang along, as if it were Link''s own concert.


    "We should''ve never let him go up there; he''s stealing the show,"


    Ms. Hill said with a laugh.


    "And showing off their love in public, I''m green with envy,"


    Carrie Underwood said with a twinge of jealousy as she glanced at Taylor.


    Taylor laughed heartily, sitting on the grass and hugging her knees, her blue eyes glistening as she watched Link onstage.


    Applause!


    The performance on stage ended, and as the audience clamored for an encore, Link sang it one more time. Amidst the cheers of the fans, he stepped down from the stage, leaving time for other singers.


    After the evening performance, Link followed Taylor and Mrs. Andrea to their home on the outskirts of west Nashville, a detached villa with a red roof surrounded by a large garden.


    Seeing the flowers in the garden, he suddenly realized why Mrs. Andrea had given him such a strange look when she saw him with a bouquet of irises.


    Because the villa was surrounded by these flowers, and April was the perfect season for them. There were large swathes of purple, white, and pink flowers, their fragrance perfuming the air.


    That night, Link stayed in a bedroom on the second floor, on the east side of the house. Following Mrs. Andrea''s orders, the two were not allowed to sleep together at night, saying it was also a rule of the Nashville countryside.


    But Taylor still sneaked over. The two of them sat on the windowsill facing the garden, chatting and kissing.


    The Nashville countryside is beautiful, especially in April and May, with wildflowers and grasses everywhere, trees casting deep shade, butterflies and birds flying all about, and rustic windmills beside the rivers. Passing by farms, you might even encounter a few free-roaming horses leisurely grazing on the plains.


    It was reminiscent of the country cottages painted by the Impressionist Claude Monet, and the irises appeared as if they''d been captured by Van Gogh''s brush.


    It was hard to believe that such a place could exist in the same world as the high-rise landscape of New York.


    Link stayed in Nashville for two days, spending his time walking, songwriting, and attending music festival events with Taylor.


    Until he received a call from Mrs. Mandy, the MJ concert rehearsal had started, and he needed to attend. Taylor''s activities were also coming to an end, and she had to return to Los Angeles to continue promoting her album.


    Link had to leave his pastoral life behind, at least temporarily, and dive back into the concrete jungle.


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 Chapter 158 Knocking

    Bang bang bang!In the brightly lit boxing training gym, Link, dressed in a thin T-shirt and red sports shorts, wearing palm-protective gloves, was relentlessly pounding on the heavy bag that hung from the beam above.


    One punch after another, with each of his strikes, the bag made a puffing sound, swinging only slightly.


    The bag was filled with iron sand, sawdust, sea sand, wheat, and sponge, weighing 100 kilograms. He was able to send the heavy bag flying with his forceful punches but the purpose of training with the heavy bag was to practice footwork and coordination between hands and feet, to develop a sense of rhythm rather than power.


    Therefore, during training, the less the heavy bag swung, the better.


    After more than two hours of practice, Link was covered in a sheen of sweat, his T-shirt sticking to his spine, revealing the inverted triangle of his back.


    After returning from Nashville, he was supposed to go to the Lincoln Cultural Center to attend MJ''s concert rehearsal, but they called again to say that MJ had something urgent to take care of and couldn''t make it to New York for the time being, so the rehearsal would be postponed for a few days, and they would notify him of the new schedule.


    MJ also called to apologize to him in person.


    Link guessed that MJ was probably having some health issues, so he had no complaints, just a bit of regret at probably not being able to meet MJ in person.


    With the sudden free time, he spent time practicing singing in the recording studio, and all his other time was soaked in the training gym. After watching Mario''s match, he had realized he had some problems with his own mental approach and style in competitions.


    In his matches, he was too impatient, too eager to create buzz. This resulted in him having impressive statistics but without much substance, and certainly no classic battles to his name.


    Having reflected on this, Link decided to get serious and refine his boxing skills, aiming to show more boxing qualities rather than just pure power in his next match.


    Bang bang bang!


    While he was training, Mario, Morales, Dino, and the newcomer to the main events, Joe Smith, a 20-year-old Caucasian boxer, 183 cm tall with a 193 cm reach, arrived.


    After winning the Cruiserweight Gold at the championship, Mario, spurred on by Dino, joined the main events company and was planning to move to the professional boxing scene this year.


    "Link, you missed out on a lot of hot chicks at the Screaming Girls bar last night," Dino said, wrapping his large tattooed arms around the heavy bag.


    "If I had gone, there would have been nothing left for you guys," Link replied with a light smile, pulling his punches and asking Morales and Mario, "Who''s going to start training, which one of you first?"


    "I''ll go first!"


    Morales raised his hand and said.


    "Wait!"


    Mario furrowed his brow, looked at Link seriously, and said, "Link, there''s something I think you should pay attention to."


    "Speak!"


    Link grabbed his gloves and started putting them on.


    Mario lifted his chin and, with a face full of tough flesh, said, "Link, I am now the North American Amateur Boxing Championship Cruiserweight Champion. If it hadn''t been for bad timing, I might have been the Olympic Champion as well.


    I think you should be a bit more polite when you talk to me. Like just now, you should have said, ''Mario, do you have the time? If so, how about we have a match?'' instead of roughly asking who''s first. That''s just impolite."


    Link gave a light smile and nodded, "You''re right, so Mr. Mario Joao, do you have the time? How about stepping into the ring for a match?"


    "Alright then, I''ll spar with you to see if you''ve made any progress recently," Mario conceded, shrugging his shoulders and putting on his boxing gloves, following Link up to the boxing ring.


    "How long do you guys think Mario can last?" Dino asked with his arms crossed.


    "Under 10 seconds!" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Morales said with a grin.


    "Come on, Mario is the Cruiserweight Champion. He can only last ten seconds against Link?"


    Joe Smith was somewhat incredulous, knowing that Link was very strong, but since Mario was the North American Amateur Champion and a Cruiserweight Boxer, it seemed impossible that he couldn''t even last ten seconds against Link.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Come on, Link, you used to be stronger than me and could fight me any way you wanted, but now I''m a champion too, and you won''t knock me down easily."


    On the boxing ring, Mario raised his fists high, his head swaying left and right on his shoulders in a display of agility.


    An indifferent glance from Link, "I suggest you put on some protective gear to safeguard your head."


    "I don''t need it! Bring it on!"


    Mario roared and, swinging his fists, took the initiative to slam them towards Link.


    Link swung his fist at even greater speed towards Mario''s forehead, but suddenly Mario stopped, swiftly tilting his head to the left to nimbly dodge Link''s punch.


    Seeing his punch miss, Mario''s mouth curled into a smirk of pride. From today on, the days of being oppressed by Link would come to an end.


    "Watch out!"


    Bang! Mario only felt a blow to the right side of his forehead, his head struck as though by a hammer, the powerful inertia jerking his body stumbling to the left, and then, thud! He crashed heavily to the ground, his left cheek intimately contacting with the rubber of the boxing ring, saliva flinging from his mouth.


    "Why would you space out at such a time?"


    Link looked down at Mario on the ground and asked with puzzlement.


    Blinking, Mario was just as puzzled ¡ª how could he have let his mind wander just now?


    After thinking, he decided it wasn''t his fault ¡ª it was that bastard Link who was too cunning. His first punch was a feint, deliberately letting him dodge, and the second punch was real, catching him off guard with a blow.


    He was too despicable.


    "Drag him off, Morales. Let''s continue!"


    Link gestured dismissively.


    At his words, Mario nearly passed out from anger. He was a boxing champion, rated by "Boxing" magazine as one of the ten boxers to watch, and Link talked of dragging him off as if it were nothing, entirely disrespectful.


    Then he felt someone grabbing his legs, dragging him from the middle of the ring to a corner.


    Mario cursed inwardly; couldn''t they change sides while dragging? Didn''t it hurt to scrape his face against the floor?


    Link looked at Mario, who was rolling his eyes, and shook his head helplessly.


    The guy had gotten too cocky after winning the championship ¡ª street racing, partying with women, smoking weed, and throwing three-day long parties. Without giving him a lesson, with his skills, he would only serve as a stepping stone in the professional boxing world.


    If he lost badly, exposed by the media, it would be a shame on himself as well.


    So, it was necessary to put him in his place from time to time.


    "Link! Let''s start."


    Morales, armed with a head guard and boxing gloves, stepped into the ring.


    Link continued to sparring with Morales, who planned to participate in the Golden Gloves tournament in June. After training with Link for over half a year, Morales''s technique, defense, and punch resistance had greatly improved.


    Competing again in the Golden Gloves, even against old rivals like Andrea Berto and Andzeje, he had a good chance to go for gold.


    During the training, Simon came over.


    He informed him that the WBA championship challenge had been set for May 25, still at Madison Square Garden Arena, hosted by the WBA North American Boxing Association.


    Their promise was that Link''s appearance fee would be no less than five million US dollars.


    After pocketing over ten million US dollars in profits from Link Music and nearly twenty million from advertisements and endorsements that year, Link''s desire for money had greatly diminished.


    What concerned him more was the strength of his opponents. The stronger the opponent, the more interesting it was to win, and the more exciting the match would be.


    He looked over the profile of Andre Ray. At 185 cm tall, with a 190 cm reach, black, and well-built.


    With a current record of 28 fights, 27 wins, and 1 loss, a former WBF super middleweight champion. He lost to Andre Ward last year, losing the title, and at the beginning of the year, he defeated Jermain Taylor to become the WBA Intercontinental Champion ¡ª a decent adversary.

 Chapter 159 Singer

    The afternoon training ended, and Link drove to Rooftop, a music bar on Third Avenue in Manhattan.The last time he had met with Director Darren was here; he''d visited four or five times since finding the environment agreeable and the location convenient, making it a familiar place.


    However, today Ivanka had also chosen this spot for their meeting, which surprised him and made him feel like she might be keeping an eye on him.


    Arriving on the second floor, there weren''t many people; only five of the sixteen booth areas were occupied. Link glanced down the aisle and immediately saw Ivanka.


    She was sitting in the corner next to a magazine rack, wearing a moon-white tube dress that revealed her fair, slender arms, her golden-brown hair pinned up behind her.


    She wore little jewelry, only a finely crafted diamond-studded wristwatch and a thin platinum necklace around her swan-like neck.


    Her spot was originally secluded and dimly lit, but when she sat there, it seemed as though the lighting suddenly brightened, casting a hazy white glow.


    As Link approached, Ivanka was flipping through a magazine, standing next to a young man dressed in brand-name clothes. Not knowing what Ivanka had whispered to the man, he walked away with a sulky face and slouched shoulders.


    "Eva, what did you just tell him?"


    Link sat down across from her and asked with a smile.


    Ivanka glanced at him, straightened her graceful torso, crossed her legs at her knees, and said coolly, "I told him my boyfriend had arrived."


    "So I played the role of your shield again?"


    "Do you mind?"


    "Of course not, it''s my pleasure."


    Link smiled lightly and called the waiter over to order a cup of floral tea.


    "This is a bar, why not order a drink?"


    Ivanka swirled her glass elegantly and asked.


    "I''m only 20, not of legal drinking age yet."


    Link shrugged. In the United States, the legal drinking age is 21; he was just short of it, though of course, no one would really stop him if he wanted to drink¡ªit was just his excuse for not wanting to touch alcohol.


    Ivanka''s lips twitched slightly, then quickly regained composure. While flipping through the magazine, she said, "The news reported that you sang a new song at the country music festival, openly declaring your love for Taylor Swift. You''re quite the romantic."


    "Is that so? I learned it from a movie."


    Link smiled slightly smugly.


    "Hmm, I told you before not to publicly perform the songs from the album before its release, but you didn''t listen."


    Ivanka frowned deeply as she stared at him, her presence becoming sharper.


    Link chuckled dryly; last time at the music festival, he had performed "All of me." Afterwards, the media had hyped up his and Taylor''s romance, labeling them as the entertainment industry''s most compatible couple.


    The song''s exposure had dramatically increased, gaining a lot of popularity and being considered among the most classic love songs in recent years.


    Many fans flocked to his Twitter to leave messages, urging him to release the studio version soon so they could enjoy it more quickly.


    However, this was a song from his third album, which wasn''t due to be released yet.


    "Eva, that was my mistake¡ª I promise it won''t happen again."


    Link spoke while holding his tea cup.


    Ivanka shook her head and glanced at her watch. "I''ve discussed it with Graham; since that song was released, we should move up the schedule for the third album. Release the second album in June, and the third in January next year. Do you have any objections?"


    "No problem, I''ll follow your arrangements on work matters."


    Link nodded and smiled.


    ¡ª


    On the first floor of the Rooftop music bar, a tall girl with heavy makeup and carrying a guitar came in from outside.


    The bar waitress, Lily, immediately approached and said, "Lana, Link is here, at the corner spot on the second floor."


    The heavily made-up girl looked upstairs, perking up instantly, but then shrugged and said, "Forget it. I''ve sung a few times but never caught his attention. He''s definitely not into me."


    "Lana, don''t give up. Your singing is so beautiful. Why not try one more time?"


    Lily encouraged her.


    She and Lana were friends, and she knew Lana wanted to become a professional singer.


    By chance, when she saw Link coming to the bar, she suggested that Lana sing for Link to try and impress him.


    Not only was Link a singer, but he also owned a music company; impressing him could mean a chance to become a singer.


    "Alright, I''ll try once more."


    The heavily made-up girl hesitated for a moment, nodded, and carrying her guitar, arrived at the second floor. She instantly spotted Link sitting in a corner.


    Dressed in a stand-collar baseball shirt, with short black hair and deep blue eyes, his sharply defined profile seemed like it had been carefully sculpted by an artist, exquisite and dimensional.


    His face bore no acne, no scars, not even a freckle, clean and fresh like the sky of Hawaii.


    His arched eyebrows, dark and thick, symbolized his resolute and masculine personality; the slight curl of his lips, however, made him appear gentle and sensitive.


    When Lana first saw him in person, she was stunned by his face and thought that such a person didn''t need any talents¡ªa face alone could make a multitude of girls fall for him.


    Nevertheless, he was still an Olympic champion, world boxing champion, popular singer, and youth idol.


    In private, Lana told Lily the feeling that someone like Link was born to make others envious and jealous.


    To catch his attention, every time she heard Link was coming to the bar, she would put on her beautiful makeup, dress up delicately, and come to sing.


    However, even after singing here three or four times, Link didn''t look her way even once, which discouraged her; she felt like she was wasting her efforts, and slightly resented Link for his poor taste, not appreciating music.


    She also noticed the girl opposite Link, blonde and busty, talking with her neck tilted back, exuding a great temperament, seemingly Ivanka.


    Ivanka was a socialite often appearing in magazines and on television, naturally recognized by her as well.


    Moreover, Ivanka was also a co-founder of Link Music.


    Were the two dating or discussing business?


    Lana glanced at them, revealing a wicked smile. She hugged her guitar, sat in front of the microphone, and began strumming Taylor''s song "You Belong with Me".


    You''re on the phone with your girlfriend,


    She''s upset, she''s going off about something that you said,


    ''Cause she doesn''t get your humor like I do.


    "What do you think of her singing?"


    Ivanka stopped talking and pointed towards the stage.


    Hearing someone singing Taylor''s song, Link also turned to look. It was the female singer with heavy makeup.


    He had listened to her sing a few times at the bar.


    Her singing wasn''t bad; her voice was husky and lazy, reminiscent of the psychedelic music and decadent Trip-Hop style of America in the 1960s, like that of a professionally trained singer.


    But in the bars and nightclubs of Los Angeles and New York, such singers were too many to count, many not lacking in skill compared to professional singers.


    However, musical industry resources were limited, and the competition fierce; without superb singing and composing abilities, or an outstanding appearance, it was hard to make a mark in the industry.


    For example, Taylor had singing abilities and looks above A level, composing ability S;


    Link himself had an S-level appearance, singing ability A-, composing ability would be S for the next twenty years, also bringing fame-based traffic and capital.


    These were their capitals to establish themselves in the music industry.


    As for the girl on stage, her appearance was average, composing ability unknown, singing ability was A level¡ªa singer with potential, maybe worth signing or not.


    "It''s not bad, but her voice is a bit mournful, not quite suitable for upbeat songs like Taylor''s." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link suddenly remembered what Ivanka had mentioned last time about spotting two promising singers and wanting him to check them out.


    "Is she one of the two singers you had your eye on?"


    "Yes, I''ve watched her videos posted on YouTube, and I think she has some potential to be cultivated."


    "Then let''s talk to her. I trust your judgment."


    Link nodded, already somewhat inclined to sign her, and now with Ivanka considering it, it seemed good to try.


    He called over a waiter and handed a business card to the singing girl.


    After finishing her song, Lana was about to step down from the stage carrying her guitar, when a waiter came over and handed her a business card, pointing towards Link''s spot.


    Lana glanced at the two, feeling her heart pounding uncontrollably.


    She had encountered a few talent scouts before, signed a record contract in 2005, but had seen lackluster market response, ultimately being dropped by the record company.


    Last year she self-financed the release of her first personal EP "Kill Kill", which failed to make a splash as well.


    Yet, she didn''t want to give up and had been posting singing videos on YouTube, hoping to attract the attention of record companies and become a contracted singer; only, after several setbacks, she wasn''t very confident about signing.


    Now with both Link and Ivanka present, and a business card sent her way,


    did they see promise in her, were they thinking of signing her?


    With a nervous heart, Lana headed towards them.

 Chapter 160 Thunder Sister

    By six in the evening, when it was time to get off work, the entrance to the Rooftop bar began to see a constant stream of visitors.The over ten booth areas on the second floor were gradually occupied by patrons.


    In a booth next to the magazine rack, Link crossed his legs, listening to the conversation between Ivanka and the female singer across from him.


    The female singer, in her twenties, wore a red leather jacket and jeans. She was tall, over 5''7", wearing sneakers.


    Her face was attractive, but her makeup was heavy, with black eyeshadow, long false eyelashes, and bright red lips.


    Makeup is normal, the women around Link all wore makeup, but Taylor generally only wore light makeup at home, and sometimes, being too lazy, went completely bare-faced.


    Ivanka''s eyebrows, lips, cheeks, and nails were all meticulously groomed, making her look exquisite and beautiful, but as her makeup skills were high, it also appeared to be light makeup.


    Compared to that, Link preferred light makeup. He felt that women who liked heavy makeup were using their face and figure as selling points, implying they had little substance to show, so he didn''t pay them much attention.


    "Miss Grant, I saw many names in your videos, Liz Grant, Fenumonro, Lana Del Rey, which one is your real name?"


    Ivanka asked, turning to her side.


    "None of them, my real name is Elizabeth Woolridge Grant, the others are stage names."


    Lana said, glancing at Link because she noticed something strange in his expression as he kept looking at her face, as if there was something dirty on it.


    When Link heard her stage names, he indeed was a bit surprised. ''Lana Del Rey'' sounded familiar.


    She had performed "The Great Gatsby" theme song "Young and Beautiful," "Video Games," "Summertime Sadness," among others.


    She had collaborated with Taylor on a song "Snow on the Beach," had won several Grammy Awards, and was quite famous internationally.


    Link had seen her posters; a classically beautiful brunette. He wondered if it was surgery or makeup, but her current look did not match the striking appearance on the posters.


    "Lana Del Rey? Does this stage name have a special meaning?"


    Link asked.


    "Yes, it was inspired by Ms. Lana Turner and Mr. Ford Del Rey, who I consider my musical mentors."


    Lana explained.


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    Link smiled slightly. Lana Turner was a Hollywood actress from the 1950s and 1960s, nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress, and was stunningly beautiful.


    Ford Del Rey was a Broadway actor, Link had only heard his name and hadn''t seen his works, but he was reportedly handsome and charming.


    Using this stage name was like someone naming themselves Monroe Kei Hsi.


    Seeing that he didn''t ask further, Lana shared more about herself. She was also from Manhattan, New York, and had studied philosophy at Fordham University.


    Chasing her music dreams, she dropped out in her sophomore year to become a singer. Last year, she had released an EP, writing all five songs herself.


    "Dropping out to become a singer? Did your parents support your decision?"


    Ivanka asked.


    Lana shrugged nonchalantly, "Pursuing dreams is my personal affair, it doesn''t concern them."


    "Cool!"


    A flicker of inexplicable amusement passed through Ivanka''s eyes as she looked at Link, "Anything else?"


    After thinking for a moment, Link wrote down some lyrics and music for "Young and Beautiful" on a piece of paper and pushed it towards her. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just from the name, he couldn''t be sure if she was indeed Del Rey, but he had listened to that song; the voice was distinctive and unforgettable.


    "Miss Del Rey, please try singing this!"


    Lana glanced at it and felt the lyrics and tune were quite common, not pop, rock, or country; they resembled 60s baroque pop, not her preferred style.


    But as it was Link''s request, she picked up the guitar and started the intro as written.


    After playing for a bit, she was surprised. It sounded good. She looked at Link curiously. Had he just written this?


    I''ve seen the world


    I''ve seen the lavishness of the world


    Done it all, had my cake now


    Gone through life''s ebbs, tasted sweet fruits


    Diamonds, brilliant, and Bel-Air now


    Now endowed with diamonds and fame, living in luxury


    "Wow!"


    After singing just a short segment, Lana suddenly covered her mouth; she never knew her voice combined with this tune could sound so good.


    Ivanka also looked at Link in astonishment. Lana''s voice during her stage performance had its unique flair, but it was nothing compared to now.


    Now her voice was like that of a legendary French opera singer, lying lazily on a velvet carpet in the Louvre, singing softly, lazy, charming, and magnificent, absolutely captivating.


    It seemed like signing her might be a good idea.


    Listening, Link nodded his head; the similarity in voices was very high, she must be Del Rey.


    "Miss Del Rey, your voice has a distinct quality. If you plan to be a singer, consider developing with Link Music. We are confident we can turn you into a true artist,"


    Link said.


    Lana was taken aback briefly. They were offering her a contract already; could she really sign with a record company?


    Considering her past experiences of abandoning a record deal after just one album, she suppressed her excitement and asked, "Mr. Baker, how many albums are you planning to sign with me?"


    Link looked at Ivanka, who gestured with her hand, telling him to decide.


    "You are a talented singer, and we want to cultivate you. Naturally, it won''t just be one; my plan is for more than five."


    Lana was somewhat surprised. To start off with more than five albums was a bold decision. If her albums sold well after release, that would be fine, but if they flopped, the company would make a loss.


    But with a contract in place, the company couldn''t abandon her and would need to continue the collaboration until five albums were produced.


    Link proposed a contract for five albums, which meant he really had great faith in her to commit deeply.


    Lana glanced at him, feeling a bit embarrassed. She had sung several times in front of Link, and he had seemed uninterested each time, making her secretly complain that Link had no taste and couldn''t appreciate talent.


    Now, Link had pulled out a major contract to find her.


    She decided to retract her previous words; Link''s level of musical appreciation was extremely high. He was definitely a musical genius.


    "Mr. Baker, thank you for believing in me. I am willing to join Sony Music,"


    Lana said with a smile.


    "Welcome!"


    Link extended his hand to shake hers.


    "Mr. Baker, I have a request. Could you please be the producer for my five albums?"


    Lana asked.


    Link raised his eyebrows; this request was too much for him.


    Being a music producer requires understanding how to train singers, knowing about music composition, sound mixing, electronic sounds, and various instruments, and having knowledge of genres like pop, rock, blues, rap, akin to being an all-around musician.


    For example, Mr. Graham Goodall, who has played in a band and worked at Sony Music for twelve years, possesses a vast knowledge reserve and abundant music production experience to be a producer.


    However, Link did not have these skills.


    "Miss Del Rey, I have many part-time jobs and no time to participate in album production. However, I can promise you that I will be involved in the creation of your album''s songs in the future,"


    Link said.


    Lana first felt disappointed and then surprised. She knew Link was indeed busy with many part-time commitments, but his songwriting ability was very strong; he had written many good songs, including two that topped the singles charts.


    With his help in songwriting, Lana felt her path in the music industry was more secured.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Was that song you just wrote?"


    Outside the bar, the neon lights were dazzling, as Ivanka walked beside him in high heels and asked.


    "How about that? Impressive, right?"


    Link placed his hands in his pockets, his face wearing a smug smile.


    Ivanka looked at the tall, handsome, and strongly built man beside her, immensely talented with seemingly no flaws, yet she knew better than to indulge such a person.


    "Yes, you are amazing, a musical genius, so I plan to make your second album a deluxe edition. You will write the remaining songs, which should be no problem for a creative genius like you, right?"


    Ivanka asked coolly.


    "A deluxe edition? Is that necessary?"


    Link said with a troubled expression.


    A standard album has over ten songs; a deluxe edition requires over twenty, which is also more expensive. But for him to write over ten more songs was just too much.


    "Yes, it''s necessary, and I believe in your ability to accomplish it, right?"


    Ivanka stopped, looking at him with her blue-gray eyes. Link made eye contact for a moment, then shook his head and looked towards the street lights,


    "No, I''m too busy; I don''t have that much time to write songs."


    "You make time. Remember you said you did math problems in the locker room before competing against Tyson? Why can''t you write songs?"


    A hint of a mysterious smile flashed in Ivanka''s eyes.


    Link''s mouth twitched; the last time on "The View" program, he had joked about fitting in some study before a match, and now Ivanka used that to trap him.


    "Then it''s settled."


    Ivanka, seeing his displeased face, secretly delighted inside, said ''goodbye'', picked up her handbag, walked in high heels towards the car under the brilliant neon lights, her tight skirt accentuating her attractive, peach-shaped behind.


    "Hey, when are you going to introduce me to the second singer you are interested in?"


    After meeting Miss Del Rey, he thought Ivanka''s judgment in picking talent was quite good. The second candidate might also be a future star.


    Ivanka stopped by the back door of the black car, her tall and slender silhouette highlighted against the vehicle, making her appear even more striking.


    "There is no second one. That jerk was indecent, with an extremely rude gaze. I won''t work with a crude and disrespectful person."


    Ivanka said coolly.


    Link chuckled dryly, spreading his hands, "Why not give him a chance? Men are like that. Put a million US dollars and a stunning woman in front of them, and they will definitely look at the woman first. It''s a habit inherited through genes, hard to change."


    "Fine, I''ll give you the address; you can go and see for yourself."


    Ivanka gave him a name and address, then disappeared in the twilight streets in her car.


    Link shook his head; this woman was too alluring. Better to keep his distance.

 Chapter 161 The Scapegoat

    Link, noticing it was still early, took the opportunity to visit the Great Falls Bar mentioned by Ivanka, where he met the second person she had recommended.A white rock singer named Orlando Nathan who had a good voice and good looks, but was thin and haggard, clearly an addict.


    Link decided against signing him; the guy might be talented, but he was also trouble, and Link hated trouble.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Ding-dong! Ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong ding-dong!


    "I''m coming, stop pressing it."


    That morning, as he was training in the gym, he heard a series of urgent doorbell rings that made him guess it might be Selena.


    Opening the door, indeed, it was the annoying Selena.


    With a loose braid, wearing a blue printed dress, she was tiptoeing to reach the doorbell on the wall, her round face lit with an excited smile, and upon seeing him open the door, she even pouted in disappointment.


    "How old are you to play such boring games?"


    Link asked helplessly.


    "Hmph!"


    Selena wrinkled her nose with an I-can-do-whatever-I-want look.


    "Selena, I gave you a key, why do you still ring the doorbell?"


    Catherine and Mandy said as they approached from behind, carrying several bags of groceries.


    Since Link was often not in New York, he had left them a set of keys so they could arrange someone to clean regularly.


    Selena trotted over to take a bag, justifying herself confidently, "What if this big guy is at home and I suddenly open the door and he''s not dressed? How awkward would that be?"


    "What on earth do you think about all day?"


    Mandy gave her a look.


    Link chuckled and shook his head, taking a few of the bags and inviting everyone inside. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was the weekend, and nobody had to work, so Catherine and Mandy said they''d come over to his place for a meal to cook him some delicious food, and Link was more than happy to agree.


    Catherine and Mandy were busy cooking in the kitchen.


    Link sat on the living room couch watching the news, while Selena, flipping her braid, bustled around the house, unable to settle down.


    Link saw online that her fans called her the little princess, describing her as quiet, cute, very ladylike and extremely likable.


    If her fans knew what she was really like behind the scenes, who knows if they''d turn from fans to haters.


    "Link, do you know how to use all the equipment in the gym?"


    Selena walked out of the gym clutching a pair of pink dumbbells, which belonged to Taylor, weighing twenty pounds each.


    "Of course! Do you want to exercise? I suggest you try lifting a barbell and build up some muscles, so you can act in ''Charlie''s Angels 3'' someday,"


    Link teased.


    "No way! It''s not pretty for a girl to have too many muscles, don''t try to trick me."


    Selena placed the dumbbells on his abdomen and grabbed a bag of chips, stuffing her mouth by the handful.


    "We are about to eat."


    Link grabbed them and placed them along with the dumbbells on the counter, earning a big eye-roll from Selena.


    Selena picked up the remote and switched to the MTV music channel, where the top ten hot songs of April were playing their music videos.


    There were Taylor''s "You Belong With Me", Britney Spears''s "Womanizer", Lady Gaga''s "LoveGame", U2''s "Where The Streets Have No Name", George Michael''s "Freedom", Eminem''s "We Made You", as well as Link''s songs "Despacito" and "Unstoppable".


    The filming location for Link''s "Despacito" was in a Latin community in Los Angeles, featuring Latin dancers and several hot-bodied Latin models.


    The dance was choreographed by Hollywood''s top choreographer, Mr. Glenn Hanks, who was skilled in Latin dance, modern dance, and ballet and had been a choreographer for the "High School Musical" series.


    This music video had an investment of over one million US dollars.


    But after it was uploaded, fans generally felt that although this version of the music video was more artistic than the original, and the video and audio were clearer, it lacked the liveliness and fun of the original version.


    It was also missing a major highlight, which was the curvaceous Miss Thomp.


    One week after its release on YouTube, the video only garnered a little over 1.1 million views, a far cry from the original''s 20 million views.


    In comparison, "Unstoppable" received more favorable reviews.


    The music video told the story of an underground boxer who never stopped swinging for his dreams, ultimately defeating an opponent whom everyone thought was unbeatable, and winning love.


    Link himself starred as the male lead, while the female lead was played by supermodel Dawn Korlos, a stunning blonde.


    Due to the high attractiveness of the male and female leads and the emotionally moving plot, the story was rated as one of the top ten hot MVs by MTV Channel in April.


    "That''s so fake, how could an underground boxer have such a beautiful girlfriend?"


    Selena pouted as she spoke.


    "Why not, don''t forget he''s a very handsome boxer,"


    Link said.


    Selena blinked her big eyes, curled one leg up on the sofa, turned her head, and shook his arm, "Link, you once told me you were a big playboy with several girlfriends, but I''ve only ever seen Taylor. Where are the rest? Is this Dawn Colossus one of them?"


    "Of course not, she''s Taylor''s friend,"


    Link shrugged his shoulders. During the shooting of this MV, Taylor specifically came to the set and watched them film the kissing scene. They had to shoot the scene four times before getting it right, and afterwards, Taylor teased him about doing it on purpose.


    Link cried innocence¡ª there was no way he could have done that on purpose, especially with Taylor staring right there; he wouldn''t dare.


    "Is it the busty chick Ivanka?"


    Selena asked curiously.


    "No!"


    "Then who? Tell me quickly, I promise, I absolutely won''t tell Taylor."


    Selena said with her lips pursed and a serious expression.


    "Are you sure you can keep a secret?"


    "Really! I swear, now tell me,"


    Selena shouted excitedly.


    "Good, worthy to be my sister, we both excel at keeping secrets, so... I''m not telling you."


    "You!"


    Selena glared with wide eyes, her breath huffing, her expression that of someone irritated and waiting to be appeased.


    Link flicked his finger lightly against her forehead.


    Boom!


    Selena suddenly exploded, screaming and flailing her hands as she lunged at him.


    Link munched on an apple, casually extending three fingers to hold her forehead, keeping all her attempts at striking him at bay, two feet away.


    Selena waved her fists and kicked but couldn''t reach him; frustrated, she pouted even while eating, her cheeks puffed up like an inflated pufferfish.


    "What''s going on here?"


    Catherine looked on with a smiling face at Selena who was bickering with Link.


    "He''s bullying me,"


    Selena huffed.


    Link smiled lightly, focusing on the Mediterranean delicacies on the table, which included mixed vegetable soup, Italian grilled lobster, barbecued beef shank, Zuppa Toscana, Pasta Millestroni, egg meat sauce, and ham pasta¡ªa full table spread with a Mediterranean flavor.


    The color, scent, and taste were all there; he simply had no time to talk.


    "Link, won''t eating all this affect your weight?"


    Ms. Mandy asked.


    "No, an extra two hours of training will burn it off,"


    Link replied while eating the grilled lobster, his fingers greasy. Your adventure continues at empire


    "If you like it, eat more,"


    Catherine served him a bowl of clam soup.


    Selena twisted her slender eyebrows, glanced at her mom and Catherine, "I just said Link was bullying me, aren''t you going to ask him how?"


    "Have your meal and stop talking so much,"


    Ms. Mandy stuffed a shrimp into her mouth, "Even if Link bullied you, it''s your own fault. You should reflect rather than making a fuss here."


    Selena was stunned, pointing to her nose tip, thinking I''m the victim and I need to reflect? Is this really something a mother would say?


    "This beef isn''t bad either, you should try it,"


    Link stuffed a piece of beef into her mouth, blocking what Selena was about to say.


    Chewing on the fragrant shrimp and beef, Selena glared at him, determined to eat her fill first and find strength before seeking revenge on him later.

 Chapter 162 Little Assistant (Additional for the Alliance Leader 2/10)

    "Link, the talent agency is now open, with twelve staff members, including three agents and five assistants. We can start signing artists next. Do you have anyone you''d like to recommend?"At the dining table, Catherine and Mandy talked about the talent agency. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link had previously suggested establishing a talent agency to sign a few promising artists and nurture them, so he could eventually place his acting contracts with the agency.


    After discussing it, Catherine and Mandy thought it was a good idea.


    Following negotiations, both women invested 50,000 US dollars each, and Link invested one million to set up a talent agency named ''Palm Island,'' with its headquarters initially based in New York and a studio in Los Angeles.


    Link thought for a moment and said, "Not for now. Just sign those you have your eye on, and I''ll make recommendations in the future."


    "Okay!"


    Ms. Mandy nodded, thought for a moment, and said, "I spoke with Gal Gadot a few days ago; she has already joined WME, and they have pretty good resources."


    WME is William Morris Endeavor, one of Hollywood''s five major talent agencies with considerable clout.


    Hearing Mandy''s words, Link just said ''forget it.'' He had casually mentioned Gadot before.


    If he really signed Gadot to the talent agency he invested in, and Taylor found out, it would be like intentionally causing trouble for Taylor, who was a person of acute sensibility. It was best to avoid misunderstandings.


    Gal Gadot?


    Hearing this name, Selena, who was eating her salad, immediately stopped her fork and perked up her ears.


    Unfortunately for her, Mandy and Link briefly discussed this and then moved on from the topic.


    Selena glared at him, convinced that this Gal woman must be one of his secret lovers.


    Hmph! Link, you''ve given me leverage against you. Let''s see how you dare to bully me in the future.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After dinner, they chatted about Link''s university selection.


    Following his SAT results, dozens of prestigious American universities, including Harvard, Yale, and Princeton, sent representatives to invite him.


    Considering his busy future schedule and lack of time to travel between places, he decided to join New York University''s Sports Management program, mainly studying sports management, sports economics, sports law, and sports communication.


    New York University offered generous conditions, including a full scholarship and training funds of no less than thirty thousand US dollars a year.


    The university expected him to join the NYU swimming team and arranged a professional coaching team to enhance his swimming skills.


    There would be additional rewards for winning at competitions.


    The university also stated that, given his limited time, they would flexibly arrange his courses to ensure he could absorb enough knowledge and graduate smoothly.


    Originally, Link thought the many college invitations were due to his celebrity status.


    It was only after talking with a few representatives that he learned they were more interested in his swimming talent, hoping he could represent their schools in competitions and win honors for them.


    Link didn''t mind; continuing to participate in competitions, winning gold medals, and adding to his accolades was also part of his plan.


    Competing for a school could offer greater benefits than participating as an individual.


    "NYU is great, close to home. After you''re tired from shooting or performing at concerts, you can rest in New York. Whenever you''re free, you can attend classes and study. And by the time you graduate, you''ll only be 24, about the same age as other college students. This arrangement is pretty good," Catherine said, smiling over her tea.


    "Link plans to continue pursuing a master''s and a doctorate. If all goes well, he''ll be under thirty when he graduates¡ªa thirty-year-old doctor, world boxing champion, Olympic gold medalist, pop star, film star. Link will undoubtedly become one of the world''s top entertainment icons," Ms. Mandy said, clapping her hands.


    Link gave a slight smile. These accolades were indeed numerous and dazzling. Taking any one of them out would qualify him as high-quality human capital.


    Selena rolled her eyes dramatically. Hearing others talk about having a prodigy brother, she used to be envious, but now it only felt painful.


    It seemed to her that every word Catherine and Mandy said was tinged with meaning, intentionally provoking her, and perhaps the next sentence would fall on her.


    "Selena!"


    Selena thought to herself ''just as I expected'' and managed to keep a smile on her face as she asked, "Dear mommy, what did you call me for?"


    Mrs. Mandy shook her head, "I don''t ask much of you, just to get through college is fine."


    Selena''s round face drooped as she let out an ''oh'', completing college would take four years, and during those years she would have to act, record albums, go on concert tours, and hit the books at school. Was this not asking much?


    She saw Link across from her still smiling, almost enough to make her burst with anger. All her accumulated grievances surged up, and she yelled as she pounced on him, opening her little mouth to bite his ear, but just as she clamped down on something, a strong sour taste exploded in her mouth.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw Link holding a piece of lemon with bite marks on it.


    "Wow!!"


    Selena covered her mouth, feeling so wronged she wanted to cry.


    But Mrs. Mandy and Catherine burst out laughing.


    Selena felt even more aggrieved and hugged Link while hitting him a few times in annoyance.


    Ding-Dong!


    It wasn''t until a telephone rang that Mrs. Mandy told Selena to calm down. Selena then sat down with a pout, glaring at Link indignantly.


    Mrs. Mandy stepped away to take a call, later informing Link that it was MJ''s agent calling because MJ had arrived in New York today.


    To prevent the media from exposing his whereabouts, his itinerary was still confidential.


    MJ''s agent was asking when Link would be available today or tomorrow to head to the Lincoln Cultural Arts Center to discuss rehearsal arrangements for the concert.


    "Michael Jackson?"


    Selena no longer cared about being mad, listening intently to Mrs. Mandy''s words.


    "Link, when do you plan on going?"


    Mrs. Mandy asked.


    Link glanced at his wristwatch, it was not yet noon, twelve o''clock.


    "I happen to be free today; I''ll head over now."


    Mrs. Mandy nodded and called back the agent to arrange a meeting time. Continue reading at empire


    "Link, are you going to meet MJ in a bit?"


    Selena asked with wide eyes.


    "Yes!"


    Link nodded.


    Selena blinked her wet eyelashes, "Catherine, I am an MJ fan, a hardcore fan, I really like MJ."


    "You can have Link bring you an autograph."


    Catherine said with a smile.


    Selena twisted her slender eyebrows; clearly, this wasn''t what she wanted.


    After changing his clothes and coming out of the dressing room, Link saw Selena looking at him full of expectation; he smiled gently, "Anna is busy with work, and I''m still short of an assistant, would you like to give it a try?"


    "Yes!"


    Selena jumped up in excitement and ran to the restroom to wash her face and put on makeup.


    "If you use any of the makeup, remember to tell Taylor it was you who used it."


    "Got it!"


    Selena muttered to herself in a low voice, ''scaredy-cat''.

 Chapter 163 Rehearsal Scene (Extra 3/10 for the Alliance Leader)

    Lincoln Arts Center is located in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New York, boasting numerous renowned theaters, opera houses, concert halls, and outdoor music venues. It is the largest arts venue in the world.Michael Jackson''s concert rehearsal was taking place at the Metropolitan Opera House, which is also one of the largest performance venues at Lincoln Arts Center, capable of accommodating over five thousand people.


    However, each show of MJ''s comeback concert was expected to have an audience of over sixty thousand, making the opera house clearly insufficient. The actual concert venue was at Madison Square, which could hold more than one hundred thousand people.


    When Link and Selena followed MJ''s assistant into the opera house, the dress rehearsal had already started.


    Familiar music filled the stage with a rhythmic "boom-boom," it was one of MJ''s signature songs, "Billie Jean."


    MJ himself was on stage performing the moonwalk, wearing a black sequined jacket, followed by over a dozen dancers in black suits, moving fluidly and looking incredibly cool.


    He glanced around but did not see the dancer that resembled ''Xu Jinjiang.''


    Additionally, MJ''s movements were very flexible during the dance, not at all inferior to the backup dancers, and he certainly did not seem to be ill.


    Link began to doubt his memory, wondering if he had mixed up the dates of Jobs''s and MJ''s deaths.


    "Mr. Baker, please wait here for a moment, the dress rehearsal will take about ten more minutes,"


    said MJ''s assistant.


    "Alright!"


    Link nodded, took Selena by the hand, and they stood over fifty meters away from the stage in the audience seats, watching the rehearsal from a distance.


    There were many staff members present, besides MJ and the sixteen dancers on stage; below the stage, there were three to four hundred people responsible for lighting, sound, stage design, live directing, stage art direction, security, and there were even more than ten doctors and nurses.


    Link looked around and noticed it was a bit quiet. He glanced down at the young girl beside him. Selena was staring wide-eyed at MJ on stage.


    "What''s the matter, dumbstruck?"


    Link waved his hand in front of her and asked.


    "You''re the one who''s dumbstruck."


    Selena gave him a sideways glance, shook his hand she was holding, and asked, "Is he really MJ?"


    "Not too sure, could be his stand-in. Big shots all have doubles,"


    Link said with a crooked smile.


    "Are you really going to perform on stage with MJ?"


    "Not sure."


    He didn''t know when MJ had died, or if this concert had taken place, everything was uncertain.


    "If you perform on stage with MJ, what do you plan to perform?"


    Selena asked.


    "Sing and dance! I can do both."


    "Are you sure? MJ was the King of Pop and a world-class dance master. Both his singing and dancing are top-level. Aren''t you worried about being overshadowed by a boxer like you performing alongside him?"


    "Of course not, I''m also great at singing and dancing, okay?"


    Link retorted.


    Selena turned back to look him up and down, then shook her head with a tilted mouth.


    Link rubbed her hair in dissatisfaction. Initially, he hadn''t felt particularly nervous about MJ''s invitation, but after Selena''s reminder, he suddenly felt a bit anxious.


    Selena had a point ¨C MJ was top-level in both singing and dancing, and an iconic performer in the music world.


    As a newcomer to music, Link had average singing abilities and an ordinary dance foundation, and to perform on a world-class stage alongside a top-tier legend, he had a 90% chance of being completely outclassed.


    And this type of overshadowing was something he couldn''t improve in a short time with effort; simply put, he felt powerless.


    Thinking about this, Link suddenly realized that accepting MJ''s invitation may not have been a good idea.


    "But don''t worry, Britney had just started out when she performed with MJ at Madison Square. That show was not bad, so your performance with MJ will probably not be too poor either."


    Selena seemed to notice his anxiety and said reassuringly with a pout.


    Link thought about it and realized that was true. Britney, only 20 at the time, could perform with MJ, so why should he, a world boxing champion, be afraid?


    It was all because Selena was stirring the pot, unsettling my mind!


    Link patted her forehead lightly; without her chattering, he wouldn''t have broken out in a cold sweat. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Selena puffed out her little round face and glared at him.


    "Mr. West, please wait here for a moment.


    Link heard someone speaking behind him, turned around, and saw several familiar faces.


    There was the square-jawed Kanye West, dressed in an all-black tracksuit, wearing a black cap, his expression gloomy and brooding.


    Following him were three thin-faced African Americans: Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Usher, and several rap singers with big gold chains and tattoos on their arms, a group of over ten people.


    Kanye and his entourage noticed Link as well and stopped in their tracks, looking at him with a provocative gaze.


    Although they had been verbally sparring in the media for over a month, this was the first time they stood face to face like this in private.


    "Hello!"


    Link greeted them politely with a nod and continued watching the stage with Selena.


    Kanye and a few others stood by their seats next door, separated by an aisle.


    Then they heard someone whispering next door, wondering whether to go and mess with him. We outnumber him, does anyone call him stupid? That guy is a champion boxer, the kind who can kill with one punch. Even with more people, we''re no match for him. Someone said I brought a knife, and the rest looked at him in shock. You came to the MJ rehearsal with a knife?


    "Quiet down!"


    Kanye West glanced at his companions, and with a dark expression, asked Link, "How did you get here?"


    "I think we''re here for the same reason."


    "MJ invited you to perform? Impossible, why would he invite a racist to his show?"


    Kanye said angrily.


    "Racist? Are you talking about me?"


    Link raised his eyebrows and asked.


    "Yes, you!"


    "Give me solid evidence, or I''ll hold a press conference as soon as I get out, telling all the media that Kanye West is falsely accusing me of racism again, trying to stir up trouble. I think this will be big news."


    Link snorted coldly.


    "You!"


    Kanye glared at him furiously, knowing that if Link held a press conference, given their fame, this would definitely become a hot news story again, and then Link could sell even more albums based on this news.


    No way!


    He absolutely couldn''t let him leech off his popularity.


    "Alright, I take back what I said. You''re not a racist for now, but how does a newcomer like you qualify to participate in MJ''s concert?"


    Kanye said resentfully.


    This time, before Link could reply, Selena huffed and with a smack of her lips said, "Link is no newcomer, his first album went double platinum in the United States, and he''s been leading you all on the Billboard charts. If he''s a newcomer, what does that make you, a no-name?"


    "Well said!"


    Link complimented, patting Selena''s braids.


    "I''m just telling it like it is. These old singers who debuted years ago, relying on their many fans, gang up to bully a newcomer like you, they really have no shame."


    Selena spoke dismissively, pouting her lips.


    Pfft!


    Kanye nearly burst with anger at Selena''s words. What did she mean by calling them old singers, saying they have no shame?


    This young girl''s words stung even more than Link''s.


    Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and a few others heard this and glowered, muttering under their breath as if they were performing a rap.


    Selena stuck out her tongue at them, hugging Link''s arm and hiding her face behind his body.


    Link smiled lightly, "It''s okay. In a forest, it''s often the tallest tree that''s most attacked by the fierce winds. Take me or MJ, for example! On our way to fame, we''ve both faced much criticism, but it''s okay. As long as we continue to do the right things and keep at it, we will only get stronger and become indestructible."


    Selena nodded somewhat understandingly, "Will people be jealous of me in the future?"


    "Definitely. You''re so pretty and cute, you can sing, dance, act, and most importantly, you have a very, very handsome brother. In the future, the line of people jealous of you could stretch to France."


    Link joked.


    Selena covered her mouth, laughing heartily, teasing him for being vain.


    Kanye fumed silently on the side, only to hear the brother and sister laughing and joking, his face turning black with rage.


    "Hey, Link Baker, you just compared yourself to MJ, saying you''re as good as him. You think you''re on par with MJ?"


    50 Cent said disdainfully.


    "Perhaps not impossible!"


    Link declared confidently.


    "Haha, guys, did you hear that? This guy says he can stand shoulder to shoulder with MJ in the future."


    "Psshh, what a loudmouth, the media''s right about him."


    50 Cent and the others scoffed with a mix of cold mockery and heat.


    Link just smiled lightly and shook his head at Selena, signaling her not to speak. Arguing about it was meaningless. Only by taking it seriously, working hard, and striving to achieve it, would it be meaningful.


    "OK!"


    "Take a break!"


    A person with a headset shouted from below the stage.


    The music on the stage came to an abrupt halt, and the dancers on stage began to come down. MJ''s assistant ran below the stage and said something, pointing at Link and Kanye''s direction. MJ, wearing sunglasses, looked over with a smile, but his face seemed a bit stiff.


    "Hey, Mike!"


    Kanye waved his hand and glanced at Link before walking over quickly.


    Link remembered that last year, MJ released the "Thriller 25th Anniversary" album, which included contributions from artists like Kanye and Akon. From this perspective, it seemed that only he was not familiar with MJ.


    But he didn''t care. For someone as ''great'' as MJ, his thoughts were different from ordinary people''s. His invitation to both Link and Kanye was probably to ease the conflict between them, a very positive goal.

 Chapter 164 The King of Music

    "Lights! It''s too dark here!"As Link and Selena walked by, a beam of light fell onto the bottom of the stage, illuminating the front row of the audience.


    West and a few others were engaged in a lively conversation with MJ below, surrounding him like starstruck younger brothers meeting their leader, their eyes filled with intense admiration and eagerness.


    Link glanced at MJ amidst the crowd, tall and slender, wearing a black fedora, a curl of hair hanging over his forehead, and sunglasses, looking as cool as he did in his music videos.


    While talking to West and the others, he gently patted West''s arm, wearing a friendly smile on his face.


    But his complexion was unnaturally pale, his facial contours rigid, with high cheekbones and sunken cheeks, resembling a white mask.


    Link felt Selena''s grip on his hand tighten a bit, he chuckled softly, put his arm around her shoulders, and quickly walked over.


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Jackson, I''m Link Baker, and this is my sister Selena Gomez. It''s an honor to meet you here!"


    Link said enthusiastically.


    MJ also looked up at him, smiled slightly, and stepped out from the group to extend his hand, saying, "Link, I''m also delighted to meet you. I''ve seen your match with Tyson in Atlantic City."


    "Oh?"


    Link was surprised. Had he actually gone to watch his match with Tyson last time?


    However, remembering the media reports from last May, claiming MJ had disguised himself and appeared at the MGM in Las Vegas, watching the ultimate fighting championship amongst the crowd.


    And his frequent disguises as common folk for grocery shopping or visiting CD and antique shops in Beverly Hills.


    It wasn''t impossible that he had come to Atlantic City to watch his match with Tyson. After all, being an Emperor Superstar, he didn''t need to lie to a less famous star like himself.


    "Mr. Jackson, what do you think of my boxing?"


    Link asked with a smile.


    "Call me Mike!" sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MJ replied with a gentle smile, then greeted a nervous Selena, saying, "Link, you are certainly one of the best boxers in the world. Moreover, it''s amazing that you''re only 21 years old."


    Link chuckled softly and quickly responded modestly with thanks.


    "Mike, he''s not that great. If Tyson weren''t older now, this guy would definitely be no match for Tyson," Lil Wayne said, sounding displeased.


    MJ patted his shoulder, saying, "I''ve called Tyson, and he said that even ten years younger, he could only tie with Link. Link as a Super Middleweight boxer defeating Heavyweight Tyson is real strength. No one can deny that."


    While they were talking, MJ''s doctor and nurses hurried over, asking him to sit and rest, and started checking on him.


    In 1999, MJ had suffered a severe on-stage accident when he fell from a bridge 50 feet high, causing serious injuries to his waist and back, necessitating pain-relieving injections. This led to his prescription drug addiction and progressively weakening health.


    He also suffered from severe vitiligo and hereditary lupus among other conditions.


    These ailments and old injuries constantly tormented him, severely affecting his performance on stage.


    This also necessitated that he had a medical team with him during rehearsals and performances.


    MJ apologized to everyone, sat down in a massage chair, and underwent checks from the doctor and nurses.


    Link, looking at the frail MJ, once again deeply understood the burden of wearing a crown.


    He debuted in the 1960s, gained global fame in the 1970s, became a top superstar in the 1980s, and then a unique superstar in the world''s entertainer circle in the 1990s. He was also a musician, a philanthropist, a peace advocate, a humanitarian, among other titles.


    The more titles he held, the more skepticism he faced.


    In 1984, during a Pepsi-Cola commercial shoot, an accident caused his hair to catch fire, leading to severe burns on his scalp and face. Subsequent skin graft operations, coupled with his vitiligo, caused his skin to gradually lighten.


    From that time, much news concerning his skin whitening appeared in the media.


    By 1993, when the child molestation case broke for the first time, he faced a massive public outcry, vilification, and criminal investigations, barely avoiding imprisonment.


    Afterward, he appeared in court multiple times to defend himself and was acquitted twice by the courts, but people tend to presume guilt when judging public figures, to achieve some psychological balance.


    That incident had become an indelible stain on him, with media reports on the event persisting to this day.


    To resolve these problems, he had no choice but to temporarily retreat from the public eye.


    After the change in Washington this year, the situation seemed to have improved, leading to the current comeback concert.


    Link related MJ''s experiences to his own, wondering if he too might be subjected to numerous media condemnations should he become a unique superstar like MJ.


    The answer was definite.


    Every celebrity, after gaining fame, found themselves burdened by their reputation, which seemed to be an inescapable law in the entertainment industry.


    The greater the fame, the more interests are involved; the more people want to profit from him; this law becomes even more apparent.


    Like MJ, the King of Entertainment, with over a billion fans worldwide.


    In the United States and globally, he held tremendous influence; each incoming president invited him to Washington to chat and awarded him various medals to win him and his fans over.


    MJ had indeed become a ''too big to fail'' entity.


    For many people, this was not a good thing.


    There were others like Taylor who would also become immensely influential stars capable of swaying political landscapes.


    During her rise to fame, she too faced massive public scrutiny; however, being a blonde Caucasian, she was relatively less attacked.


    Additionally, she was smart in making her relationships public with many boyfriends, creating a reputation as a bad girl, an imperfect idol, providing the media with a target, thus leaving them with fewer breakthroughs in her private life.


    Link thought that if he truly became a global superstar in the future, he could follow Taylor''s example and mold himself into an imperfect idol to avoid a lot of troubles.


    "Mr. Baker, Mr. West, please come this way."


    While MJ was getting a massage, the concert''s executive director Kenny Ortega sought out Link and Kanye to discuss rehearsal arrangements.


    According to the plan, Link would perform two songs with MJ.


    The first was "Remember The Time," where he would perform alongside MJ.


    The second was "We are the world," led by MJ, featuring Link, Kanye, Lil Wayne, the Backstreet Boys, Billy Gilman, Lisa Minnelli, and several other invited singers; it was one of the reserved numbers in MJ''s concert, somewhat similar to "Unforgettable Tonight."


    Link''s task was to familiarize himself with these two songs over the next month and make time for rehearsals; the concert was scheduled for June.


    "Mr. Baker, any questions?"


    Director Kenny Ortega asked.


    "Is there going to be dancing involved? If there are dance performances, I hope the directorial team could notify me earlier to give me some time to practice."


    Link didn''t want to be outperformed by MJ on stage, so he could only make time to practice more.


    Director Ortega nodded, indicating that was not a problem.


    Link, given his tasks, went to bid farewell to MJ, and MJ asked him about the time of his next match. Link mentioned that he had a boxing championship next month in New York.


    MJ didn''t say whether he would come, just acknowledged it.


    After chatting for more than ten minutes, seven or eight staff members came to discuss matters with MJ. Seeing how busy he was, Link, accompanied by Selena, took his leave.

 Chapter 165 Rapper

    "Feeling any better?"Outside the Metropolitan Theater, Link asked the silent Selena, who had become a quiet fool ever since meeting MJ, seldom speaking.


    Selena took his hand, batting her big eyes: "It feels weird. It wasn''t as amazing as I imagined, but he''s a really nice person... I don''t know how to describe it."


    Link chuckled softly, "It''s normal. Idols are like the moon; they look beautiful from afar, but once you get close, you can see their more real side. That doesn''t stop them from being huge."


    Selena nodded, raising her chin and looking up at him with her sparkling eyes, "Will you become a big star like MJ one day?"


    Link thought about it and shook his head, "I''ll be a star, but not like MJ. He''s very famous, in a league of his own across ages, but he lived too restrictedly. Even going out on dates, he would get pointed at, which is too dull for me.


    In comparison, I''d prefer to be a celebrity like Bill Gates. Everybody in the world knows his name, but he doesn''t have to take on too much pressure because of it, leading a more leisurely life."


    "So, your goal is to become a billionaire?"


    "Yes!"


    Link said with a light laugh.


    "Then I want to be a billionaire in the future too."


    Selena said, clenching her tiny fist.


    "You can do it."


    Link said with a smile, remembering that Selena would later switch to the music field, making a few billion dollars in net worth from hit albums and personal investments.


    But thinking about the little girl beside him also becoming a billionaire in the future, he felt that he should work even harder and not be outdone by them.


    "Link!"


    Just as he was about to get Selena into the car, a shout came from behind. Kanye, accompanied by Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and over a dozen black men, walked up to him, menacingly, like a scene out of Gangs of New York.


    Link patted Selena''s shoulder and turned to ask Kanye, "Is there a problem?"


    "Link, we won''t have conflicts with you anymore, but you can''t provoke us on purpose either. Don''t mention me in the media; I hate it when people stir up hype using my name," Kanye said, removing his sunglasses to reveal his solemn black face.


    His entourage, with their arms folded and chins lifted high, had an air of arrogance.


    Seeing his sunglasses off, Kanye somewhat resembled Wade from the Miami Heat, and Link said with a smile, "We''ll agree on that. But I have to give you a heads up. I recently wrote a couple of rap songs that I plan to work on with Eminem. I hope you won''t see this as provocation."


    "You''re doing rap music?"


    Kanye''s somber face showed a hint of surprise.


    "Hahahaha!"


    "This guy says he''s going to rap?"


    "It''s hilarious; this dude has the guts to talk about rapping in front of us,"


    The others in the group burst into laughter, some clutching their stomachs and unable to stop.


    Link smiled, unfazed. Rap music was a black man''s turf, and anyone of a different color was considered a rap idiot¡ªexcept for Eminem. Like Eminem, geniuses were rare, and as a newcomer pop singer daring to mention this in front of several top rap artists, it did sound like a joke.


    He looked at Kanye and asked, "Teaming up with Eminem or other rappers shouldn''t be considered provocation, right?"


    Kanye gave him a curious look, waved his hand, "Do whatever you want!"


    Then he led his group into a white stretch Lincoln.


    As they got in, someone mentioned, ''That kid says he''s going to rap.''


    Laughter erupted in the car, with people slapping the seats and stomping their feet. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even the usually grim-faced Kanye couldn''t help but flash a broad smile.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, feeling he had the makings of a stand-up comedian. It wasn''t easy to make people suffering from depression laugh, but he could.


    "Link, are you really going to try rap?"


    Selena asked.


    "Of course, we have to try crossing into different fields while we''re young to find out just how much potential we have."


    "Go for it! I support you!"


    Selena cheered, waving her little fist.


    Link smiled softly, started the car, and left the Lincoln Center.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After arriving at Link Music, Link reached out through his company to Eminem''s music studio, extending an invitation to collaborate.


    At the same time, he handed over an unfinished score of "Lighters" for Eminem to take a look.


    The rap lyrics were generally positive and the tune had a great rhythm, which made it one of Link''s favorite classic rap songs.


    Link believed that Eminem would be interested in the score once he saw it.


    Knock knock knock!


    "Come in!"


    Link set down his pen and rubbed his forehead.


    A couple of days ago, Ivanka came looking for trouble, asking him to write a few more songs to add to the deluxe edition of the album.


    After calling Graham, Graham thought that releasing a deluxe edition could boost sales, which was a good promotional tactic.


    He had no choice but to slap his head and figure out how to squeeze out a few more songs.


    Ms. Anna walked in wearing a blue-gray suit, holding several folders in her arms, as if she had come to assign tasks as well.


    "Boss, here''s the work schedule for this week."


    Anna placed a folder on the table.


    Link looked at the folder, feeling like it was a Pandora''s box that would bring endless trouble once opened, so he was somewhat reluctant to look at it.


    "Is there a lot of work this week?"


    "Not much," Ms. Anna said with a smile.


    Link flipped open the folder with his pen and glanced inside. It was packed with a sheet of paper that resembled the school timetable from his elementary school days, but the content was clearly fuller than any timetable.


    First off, last week "The fighter" broke through 2 million in sales in the United States, achieving Double Platinum status, and the American Recording Association would be holding a small ceremony on Monday to certify the record, which he had to attend in person.


    On Friday, the company would host a cocktail party to celebrate his album going Double Platinum, an event he could not miss.


    "Deep Sea Quest 2" was officially releasing on Thursday, and he needed to attend several premiere ceremonies, as per the contract he had signed with the producers, which he couldn''t get out of.


    However, because he was now highly famous, the movie''s distribution company hoped he would participate in more promotions, so they agreed to pay him no less than $200,000 per appearance.


    On Monday, he had to go to New York University to report and discuss participating in the World University Games.


    On Tuesday and Friday, there were two advertising shoots.


    On Wednesday, there were two media interview events.


    On Saturday, Lady Gaga had invited him for lunch to talk about music, and Dino had invited him to watch a boxing match.


    On Sunday, he had also arranged to talk about a script with director Woody Allen, and Leonardo had asked him out for bowling.


    Aside from these ad hoc work commitments, he also had several ongoing engagements, such as practicing boxing every day, coming to the studio to rehearse songs for his second album, practicing MJ''s songs, and potentially being called on-site for rehearsals.


    Link thought this folder was far more terrifying than Pandora''s box; at a glance, there was no rest time at all for the whole week.


    "You call this ''not much''?"


    Link asked, frowning.


    Anna chuckled, "I''ve seen Ms. Ivanka''s schedule, it''s twice as full as this."


    "She''s a workaholic, I''m not," Link retorted.


    He took the other folders and flipped through them. Aside from two contracts that needed signing, the rest were script invitations.


    The first one was for "Twilight 2," where the producers invited him to audition for the fourth male role, a vampire, with a pay not less than a million.


    The second was for "Underground Boxer," inviting him to audition for the lead role with a salary offer of a million.


    The third script, "Blood and Bone," was also a boxing movie, inviting him to audition for the second male lead, with a pay not less than half a million.


    Link quickly scanned the opportunities and said, "Anna, no more boxing movies in the future. I''ve already done one boxing movie, and continuing with such roles lacks freshness and might create a typecast impression in the audience''s mind, which isn''t good for long-term development. The first script, I''ll take a look and then decide."


    The "Twilight" series was extremely popular in the United States, and its film adaptation was a huge hit, turning Kristen and the other two leads into young idols with just one movie.


    Playing a role in such a film could boost popularity, but considering his current celebrity status in the entertainment industry, the fame gain from such a supporting role was minimal and not very beneficial.


    So such roles were optional and dependent solely on whether he had the time.


    "Okay!"


    Ms. Anna nodded her head, picked up the files, and left the office.


    Link shook his head and continued working.

 Chapter 166 Classical Beauty

    "Mr. Baker, are you getting off work?"In the afternoon, at Link Music, Link received a call from Mr. Graeme, preparing to go to the recording studio to practice singing. In the corridor, he bumped into a tall girl who stopped and waved at him.


    "Are you... Lana?"


    Link looked at her, asking uncertainly.


    "Mr. Baker, don''t you recognize me?"


    Lana spread her arms and laughed, shrugging her shoulders.


    Lana was dressed in a dark blue skirt, slender and slim with a somewhat bony figure. Her thick, reddish-brown curly hair cascaded down like satin, complementing her pale skin and giving her an air of a classical beauty.


    Link nodded, recognizing the Lana he remembered.


    "You''ve changed a lot, and you look really good."


    "Thank you!"


    Lana brushed the hair on her shoulders and smiled, "I''ve dressed like this before, but I didn''t really like it."


    "Oh? Why not?"


    Link asked as they walked.


    "This is ladylike attire, but I''m not a lady, nor do I want to be defined as one. Once you become a lady, you have to act like one¡ªno smoking, no swearing, no sitting with legs crossed, and many things you can''t do. It''s very awkward. I prefer being a rock girl."


    Link nodded, understanding her sentiment. This is a country that celebrates freedom, where everyone pursues liberty. Forcing a rock girl to play the role of a lady indeed felt restrictive.


    "So now you''re preparing to be a lady?"


    "That was Ivanka''s suggestion. She thought dressing this way would help attract more fan attention and promote my new song. For the sake of music, I decided to be a lady temporarily," Lana explained, spreading her hands.


    Link smiled gently. She had already signed a six-album deal with Link Music. The next steps were to release singles and albums, aiming to become a singer.


    With her beautiful looks, good figure, solid singing skills, distinctive voice, and decent songwriting ability,


    turning her into a star singer wouldn''t be difficult.


    "Lana, you have good skills and a great image. Why did your initial album release fail?"


    "I used to love country music. My first album was in that style, but following its release, the fans didn''t embrace it. I then switched to rock music, which also didn''t seem right, until I met you. Only then did I understand what kind of music suits me," Lana said, fanning her long eyelashes as she spoke.


    Link smiled at her explanation. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Country music is working-class music, meant for the lower strata to enjoy and unwind to after work, typically sweet, positive, sunny, and warm. Singing it also requires a sunny and warm disposition, like Taylor''s voice, which suits it well.


    But Lana''s voice was melancholic. Listening to her sing country music could often make one feel more depressed instead of better, making it clear why fans wouldn''t buy her album.


    As for rock music, although she wanted to be a rock girl, her temperament and image were too ladylike, lacking the hysteria typical of rock performers. Standing out in the crowded rock scene would be even more challenging.


    Lana''s previous failures were due to misdirection and mispositioning.


    Meanwhile, the song "Young and Beautiful" that Link wrote was not just a song; it was a path, a direction. In a sense, he was Lana''s guide in music.


    As they talked, they arrived at the recording studio together.


    In March, after the album royalties were deposited, Ivanka invested some money and purchased a recording studio in Metropolitan Music City.


    There were four recording studios, all equipped with top-tier furnishings, soundproofing, recording equipment, lighting design, and musical instruments, which cost over eight million US dollars in total.


    When it came to spending money, Ivanka was a professional. She could purchase the best items at the appropriate prices in the shortest time, which Link perceived as an enviable skill.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Good!"


    "Lana, compress your voice a bit more, it will make your timbre fuller and more dynamic."


    In Studio Two of Link Music, Lana stood in front of the microphone, singing "Young and Beautiful."


    Mr. Graham and Mr. David Kahn and other producers were all present.


    Mr. David Kahn, in his forties, was one of the music producers who had switched from Universal Records last year.


    He had previously assisted Mr. Graham, handling things like the scoring for Link''s albums.


    After Lana Del Rey joined Link Music, he would be in charge of producing her singles and albums.


    David Kahn stood outside the soundproof glass, adjusting the mix and frequencies on the sound control console and occasionally giving feedback through the microphone.


    Link listened with headphones and found Lana''s voice deep, lazy, with a touch of decadence and sadness. Although it sounded pessimistic and negative, it was truly pleasant to hear, which was also a characteristic.


    "Graham, Lana has great potential. You and the other producers should discuss and come up with a specific development plan,"


    Link asked.


    "Alright!"


    Graham thought for a moment and responded, "Link, in your second album, there are two songs that need a female duet part. One of those could be given to Lana. She has the capability. Next month, we plan to release this single first to see how the market reacts. If the responses from the fans are good, we''ll consider her first album."


    Link nodded thoughtfully. Lana''s career path was different from his own; she was a complete newcomer with no fame in the entertainment world.


    For a newcomer like her to establish herself in the music industry, she needed strong personal talent, an excellent song that could target market trends, and a powerful record company to handle promotions.


    In terms of distribution abilities, Link Music was mediocre, but Lana had good talent and the song was also good. Now, the only other factors to consider were market trends, which could also be attributed to luck.


    "This song carries a sense of the era; before its release, we could contact some Hollywood movie companies to see if there''s any movie suitable for it to be the theme song."


    Link realized that this song was meant to be the theme for "The Great Gatsby," but since the movie was still years away from release, it was temporarily impossible to capitalize on it to gain fame.


    However, Hollywood produced period dramas every year, and with careful searching, they might find a suitable one. Find your next adventure on empire


    A single supported by a movie could circulate faster, and the company could also save some promotional expenses.


    Just like "Give Me Reason." Once "Transformers 2" was released, this single would definitely have the potential to top the charts in multiple countries.


    After a brief discussion, Link and Mr. Graham headed to Studio One to start recording "Give Me Reason" and practicing songs for his second album, including two songs by MJ.


    On Monday, Link made a trip to the American Record Industry Association (RIAA) New York branch to collect a symbolic platinum record.


    According to RIAA rules, sales over 500,000 copies in the United States qualify for a gold record, one million for a platinum record, and ten million for a diamond record, and certification itself is also a form of publicity, which Link was happy to participate in.


    After the record certification, he immediately rushed to New York University''s Stern School of Business to report and discuss course arrangements and sports meetings with Dean Raghu Sundaram.


    This year, the 25th Intercollegiate Summer Sports Games were held in mid-May in Serbia, Eastern Europe, lasting 15 days.


    Link said he could participate in all the swimming events.


    Mr. Sundaram welcomed him, but for fairness, he needed to participate in the school''s sports meet and achieve a favorable ranking before he could represent the school in competition.


    Link said it was no problem, although it meant adding another item to his already busy schedule.

 Chapter 167 Movie Premiere

    [Wednesday, Billboard magazine interview! Vanity Fair journalist exclusive interview!]Swipe! A colored pen streaked across the form, leaving behind a bright red cross.


    Link gave a slight smile, the joy of crossing things off probably only something a busy person like himself could understand, as he straightened his tie in front of the mirror and put on his sunglasses before leaving the apartment.


    At noon, a silver-grey Porsche business van was parked on the direct driveway in front of Yorkville Apartments.


    Seeing Link come out, the driver, Bob, got down to open the car door and, after Link got in, drove towards the Metropolitan Theater.


    "Boss, Eminem just called; he wants to talk to you about his new song and asked when you''d have the time,"


    his assistant Anna said.


    Link pinched the bridge of his nose. There was an awards ceremony tomorrow, a company cocktail party, and no time the day after tomorrow.


    "Ask Eminem if he''s got time this weekend?"


    "Sure!"


    Half an hour later, the car arrived at the Metropolitan Theater. Today, Deep Sea Quest 2 was holding its premiere here.


    This movie, invested in and produced by Columbia Pictures, had a budget of less than 12 million US dollars and initially wasn''t much paid attention to as a minor production.


    However, as Link''s album sold well and his popularity rose, the film company used his debut movie as a selling point in its promotion.


    In the trailer released in March, he had as much screen time as the male lead, going from the third male lead to one of the main stars.


    In the poster at the movie theater, he and the male lead were shirtless with the female lead standing between them, suggestive of a love triangle.


    Due to his involvement, the media and fans also paid a great deal of attention to the film, curious to see how his first movie turned out.


    As the car arrived in front of the theater, there were thousands of spectators and fans on-site, along with a group of journalists waiting outside the red carpet area, constantly taking photos and interviewing several stars who had been invited to the premiere.


    Including Deep Sea Chase 1''s leads Paul Walker and Jessica Alba, and several other well-known stars such as Lindsay Lohan and Ashton Kutcher.


    They were invited by distributors to show support, which was part of their paid responsibilities and had little to do with the film.


    Link pushed open the car door and got out, and after a while, he saw Paul Walker drive over in a sports car, looking handsome in a gray suit.


    "Hey, Link, didn''t bring your girlfriend?" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Paul Walker called out.


    "I didn''t invite her; she''s busy with work."


    "I''m talking about the other girlfriends; are they all busy too?"


    Paul Walker said with a twinkle in his eye and a laugh.


    "Stop talking nonsense; I''m not as much of a ladies'' man as you are,"


    Link patted his shoulder and pushed him onto the red carpet.


    Both men, one in a blue suit and one in a gray suit, one with black hair and the other with blond, tall and handsome.


    The crowd on-site erupted into lively cheers when they saw the two approaching, shouting their names.


    The photographers also didn''t stop snapping photos, capturing the image of two handsome men walking side by side on the red carpet.


    "Mr. Link Baker, may we interview you?"


    a few journalists shouted.


    Link nodded his head and moved to the edge of the red carpet for the interview.


    "Mr. Baker, Deep Sea Quest 2 is your debut film. How did it feel shooting it? Did you encounter any difficulties?"


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    a Variety entertainment magazine journalist asked.


    "Yes, before shooting this movie, I was completely new to acting and hadn''t received any formal training in acting. In the beginning, I indeed faced a lot of challenges, but director Stephen Herrick is a very capable person, and he taught me a lot on set, helping us get through the hard times,"


    Link spoke confidently to the camera.


    "Mr. Baker, did you participate in Deep Sea Quest 2 as a whim, or do you plan to become a professional actor?"


    The New York Daily News reporter asked.


    "I like movies and love acting, if there''s a good script, I''d consider playing more roles."


    Link responded.


    "Mr. Baker, I heard you''ve enrolled in New York University. We all know you''re involved in a lot of work, boxing, music, movies. How do you manage your time between work and studies? Are you worried about failing any subjects?"


    The American Express reporter asked.


    Link chuckled and said, "Yes, I''m a bit worried. I''ve heard that failing means taking re-exams, and it could affect graduation. I certainly don''t want to become the butt of jokes, so whenever I have time, I try to attend as many classes as possible."


    "Mr. Baker, how is the recording of your second album going? When will it be available for purchase?"


    The Baltimore Sun reporter asked.


    "It''s in the recording process. The specific release date depends on the company''s schedule."


    Link answered a few more questions, waved goodbye to the reporters and fans, and followed Paul Walker into the cinema.


    The plot of "Deep Sea Quest 2" is similar to the first one, telling the story of a couple of divers hired by a big shot to search for the legendary treasure that Columbus lost at the bottom of the sea.


    During their search, they discover the employer''s secret: he is looking for two nuclear warheads.


    In order to save the world and catch the mastermind, the protagonists engage in a battle of wits with the big shot. Eventually, with the help of the police, they capture the villain behind it all, and also find Columbus''s treasure, becoming rich and living happily together.


    In the drama, Link played the role of the big shot''s assistant, who was sent to recruit the protagonists to search for the treasure underwater, but in reality, he was secretly looking for the nuclear warheads.


    In the original script, his character was the trusty confidant of the big shot, leaking information about the male lead, and eventually getting caught by the police. But in the movie, he becomes friends with the lead characters and together, they take on the villain behind the scenes.


    After watching it once, Link couldn''t help but admire the film editor''s skills. Clearly, two unrelated plot segments had been connected through editing, conveying different meanings.


    "Link, what do you think?"


    Director Stephen Herrick turned to ask.


    "It looks pretty good."


    He hadn''t seen the original version and considering its lack of fame, he had assumed it was a poor film.


    But just watching a bit, he realized the plot was more exciting than he expected, with many highlights. The actresses were all very sexy, and Link and a few male actors were handsome.


    There were sports cars, yachts, fights, explosions - all more spectacular than your average low-budget commercial film.


    Plus, his original character was a villain, but now reworked into a hero, increasing his screen time by over ten minutes. He had nothing to complain about.


    The only dissatisfaction was his salary. When he agreed to do the film, he was the Golden Gloves champion, and his pay was just $100,000. Including post-release promotion fees, it added up to only $500,000, which was less than what he got for endorsing a small commercial.


    "Link, you''re well-suited for action flicks, and right now in Hollywood, most of the male stars who are good at action are getting old, and the next generation hasn''t risen up yet. If you want to make it in the film industry, consider becoming an action star," said Director Stephen.


    Link nodded. Indeed, becoming an action star was a suitable direction for him, but he knew that for the next decade, Hollywood would be dominated by Marvel movies. To enter the ranks of top action actors, he''d have to play a superhero.


    "Link, I can''t watch this," Paul Walker groaned, holding his forehead and looking pained.


    "Are you feeling unwell?" Link asked in surprise.


    Paul Walker pointed at the big screen, "Just watch. In a few minutes, you''ll be strutting around naked, showing off your muscles and figure. If I were a woman, I might keep watching, but I''m a man. What do you think I''d think of this movie?"


    "You had as many nude scenes as me in the first film. Oh, I get it, you''re jealous that I''m in better shape."


    "Bullshit, why would I be jealous of you? Fine, even if your muscles are a tad better, my acting skills blow yours out of the water. Just wait and see, by tomorrow some critic will be tearing into your acting, calling you a vase," Paul Walker teased.


    Link simply smiled, unfazed by the criticism of his acting skills.


    Let them see just how poor his acting was, so that when "Fighter" came out, they would see how much he had improved and realize how hard he had worked.


    Underperforming in "Deep Sea Quest 2" might even turn out to be a good thing.

 Chapter 168 Premiere Box Office

    Clap! Clap! Clap!The movie screening ended, and lively applause erupted on the scene.


    Seeing everyone clapping, Link thought the box office for this movie should be pretty good.


    "Link, congratulations, you were fantastic in a great movie."


    Actress Lindsay Lohan approached with an enticing look and congratulated Link.


    "Thank you!"


    Link said, smiling.


    The woman had once been a Hollywood A-lister, famed for her roles in "Mean Girls" and "Perfect Match," but her reputation had plummeted in recent years due to alcohol and drug abuse. Last year, she even won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her role in "Double Jeopardy."


    "Hey, Link, let me introduce you to someone."


    Paul Walker, putting his arm around Link''s shoulder, gestured to a strikingly attractive woman with a caramel complexion and said, "Jessica Alba, I''m sure you need no introduction."


    "Of course, Miss Alba, hello, I''m a big fan of yours."


    Link shook hands with Jessica Alba, who had once been one of Hollywood''s top beauties, famed for her roles in "Dark Angel," "Sin City," and "Fantastic Four." Unfortunately, she had married and had children early in the last couple of years.


    "Mr. Link Baker, congratulations on starring in a decent movie. I wish you blockbuster sales."


    Jessica Alba said with a sweet smile.


    "Thank you!"


    After a brief greeting, Jessica left.


    With his arm still around Link''s shoulder, Paul Walker watched Jessica walk away and remarked, "How about that, she''s really beautiful, isn''t she? I''ve done a kissing scene with her, are you jealous?" Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why didn''t you date her then?" Link asked.


    "Are you crazy? I''m from the industry; having another girlfriend from the industry would make life a total mess. Oh¡ªsorry, I forgot Taylor is from the industry too, but you guys are different. I believe your love will last."


    Paul Walker quickly added.


    Link shook his head, feeling it was better not to explain.


    "Come on, let me buy you a drink!"


    ¡ª


    On its opening day, "Deep Sea Quest 2" grossed $8.85 million in 2,605 theaters across North America, slightly below the expected $10 million.


    The media''s reviews of the movie were more critical than complimentary, describing it as a rough commercial film with significant flaws in the script. The supporting male, Link, had far too much screen time, making the plot disjointed and substantially lowering the quality compared to the first installment¡ªit wasn''t recommended for viewing.


    On Rotten Tomatoes, the film had only a 65% freshness rating, with 24,127 people reviewing it and an IMDb rating of 6.7.


    However, many media outlets reported it as a decent summer movie, full of sun, beach, sea, cruise ships, bikini-clad women, and exciting action and explosion scenes.


    The addition of the world champion boxer and popular singer Link made the movie even more spectacular, making it definitely worth watching.


    The film''s distributor took the opportunity to release a third promotional clip, mostly featuring Link and the lead actors walking on the beach in swimsuits and swimming in the sea, which looked quite appealing.


    According to the film reviews on the movie websites, female viewers rated the movie higher than male viewers.


    In its first three days, the film grossed $16.72 million in North America and was projected to reach around $40 million at the box office.


    Compared to a production cost of $12 million and marketing expenses of $10 million, the movie was not going to incur losses but was expected to make a small profit.


    From this perspective, the movie was deemed passable.


    However, movie critics remained largely negative, especially critical of Link, labeling him a "vase" actor who relied on his handsome looks and muscular physique as selling points and was not skilled in acting.


    "The Hollywood Reporter" commented that Link had high talent in boxing and music but virtually no gift for acting, advising him to spend more time on boxing and music rather than meddling in other fields, "Mr. Baker, you are not a superman capable of excelling in every field."


    "The New Yorker" bluntly told Link to go back to school, advising him not to waste time in the entertainment industry, or he might fail his courses!


    "Look at this, I''m a rookie actor, and yet they expect me to display Oscar Best Actor level skills; their expectations of me are too high."


    In a caf¨¦ on Sixth Avenue in the Manhattan District, Link put down the newspaper and said.


    "Link, don''t mind those reviews. You''re a star, and the media only criticizes you to stir controversy and attract readers. If it were news praising you, how many people do you think would buy their news?"


    Woody Allen, the director, persuaded.


    Link nodded, feeling that he was right. "First praise, then bash" was a standard media hype technique; it wasn''t something to take too seriously.


    "Director Allen, then give me an objective assessment, how was my performance in Deep Sea Quest?"


    "It was fantastic, you might even win a film award."


    Woody Allen praised, giving a thumbs up.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, I think you could win... the 2009 Golden Raspberry Award for Best Actor, hahaha~"


    Director Woody Allen burst into laughter, laughing so hard that his glasses fell onto the table. He scrambled to pick them up, put them back on, and continued laughing.


    Link frowned at the old man who was over seventy, realizing that all this was just a way to mock him, which was in poor taste.


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    "Haha, just kidding, don''t take it seriously. But indeed, you have a great chance of being nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award this year."


    Director Woody Allen laughed.


    Link shook his head, stirring his coffee with a spoon a couple of times.


    "The Golden Raspberry Award isn''t bad either. If they dare to give it to me, I''ll go and accept it."


    To win a Golden Raspberry Award, not only does one need terrible acting skills, but also a big enough reputation, including having seen Regan, Stallone, Madonna, Thomp, Bridget Fonda, Marlon Brando, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, and others receive it.


    "Good mindset, now let''s get to the point. Here''s my new script, take a look."


    Woody Allen pushed a script across.


    Link opened it and saw a familiar name, "Midnight in Paris," a sibling story to "Midnight in Barcelona."


    It told the story of an aspiring American writer who, while touring Paris with his fianc¨¦e and her family, accidentally travels back in time to Paris of the past, where he meets celebrities like Hemingway, Picasso, and Dalymore, experiences the historic charms of Paris, and ultimately finds true love.


    The script wasn''t long, a little over eight thousand words. He read it in half an hour, like completing a reading comprehension exercise.


    "Director Allen, why isn''t it the story about the Boxer you talked about?"


    Link set down the script and asked.


    Director Allen, smoking a cigarette, waved his hand and said, "That script is still in the conceptual stage. I wrote about a top-level boxer who, at the peak of his career, accidentally kills his girlfriend and gets sentenced to three years in prison.


    After being released, he becomes an ordinary person and in his average life, he rediscovers his true self, finds love again, and returns to being a strong figure in life.


    Although the script is completed, you''re too young and your acting is not deep enough, so I''ve decided to shoot this movie first and wait a few more years for that one."


    "That sounds good, but is it suitable for me, a boxer, to play a writer?" Link hesitated.


    Director Allen glanced at him and laughed, "Why, would it be appropriate to have a writer play a writer? A good director will use the plot to construct the protagonist''s identity. A good actor will also immerse themselves in the character they are playing, so a boxer playing a writer isn''t a big issue. Besides, you''re also a singer-songwriter, which makes you a writer too."


    Link considered this and thought it made sense.


    "When do we start shooting?"


    "Don''t rush, it''s still in preparation. Filmmaking is not a simple matter; it requires fundraising, budgeting, building sets, props, casting, and more. You thought we could start shooting just because we have a script?"


    Director Allen shook his head, "I just wanted you to see the script so you would read more and get into your role earlier."


    Link didn''t understand this aspect much, so he didn''t make any judgments.


    He continued discussing the script with Director Allen, and casually mentioned that he also owned a film company, which could participate in the investment if needed.


    "Director Allen? I didn''t expect to find you here."


    While they were chatting, a young man and woman came over and greeted Director Woody Allen.


    Link looked up and recognized them; they were the film stars Ryan Reynolds and his wife Scarlett Johansson.


    Scarlett wore a ponytail and jeans and carried a shopping bag, apparently out shopping. She had worked with Director Allen on three films: Match Point in ''05, Scoop in ''06, and Midnight in Barcelona in ''08.


    Upon seeing Director Allen, Scarlett Johansson was very enthusiastic and full of smiles.


    Director Allen chatted with the couple for a few moments, introduced Link, and Link politely shook hands with them, exchanging pleasantries.


    After the couple excused themselves and left, Director Allen, watching their backs, said with admiration, "Both of them are fine actors, Link. If you want to win the Oscars, you should learn from them. Start with arthouse films to refine your acting, then move on to commercial films."


    Link nodded. Although the couple hadn''t won the Oscars, their acting was indeed commendable.

 Chapter 169 Changing Minds

    ```After chatting with Director Allen about movies, Link drove to Brooklyn to talk music with Eminem.


    By the time he got back to his apartment in Yorkville, it was after seven o''clock, and the streetlights on East 80th Street were lit, with insects flying chaotically around.


    When Link parked the car by the roadside, he felt a bit tired, but his mood was exceptionally light. After a busy week, he had finally marked off every task on that to-do list with red crosses¡ªit had been a fulfilling week.


    Beep beep!


    Before he could go upstairs, a black Mercedes drove by from behind and stopped at the curb.


    "Hey, Link, are you just getting back too?"


    Leonardo, with a slicked-back hairstyle, got out of the car, followed by a blonde model. It was too dark to tell if she was the same Bar Refaeli as before.


    Leonardo was supposed to go bowling with him today. Amid his busy schedule, he had specifically set aside some time to hang out with Leonardo, but at the last minute, Leonardo canceled to go on a date, which annoyed him.


    "Hi! Leo! Bar!"


    Link called out.


    "Ahem, Link, Bar and I broke up, this is Anika!"


    Leonardo glanced at him and said, pointing to the woman beside him, who was also a blonde long-legged model, just skinnier and more of a slender type.


    "Sorry, my mistake, hi Miss Anika, your hair is gorgeous!"


    Link said with a smile as he greeted Anika.


    Inside the elevator, Leonardo looked at Link and laughed, "Link, why do I always see you alone, is your girlfriend busy with work again? Oh, poor Link, looks like you''re sleeping alone tonight."


    Link gave him a glance, "Last time we played tennis, you said your kidney hurt? Feeling better now?"


    Leonardo''s face darkened, and he frowned, "Bullshit, that was back pain, muscle strain in my back, not kidney pain."


    "Okay!"


    Link smiled lightly. Last time the two of them arranged to play tennis, after three sets, Leonardo was panting and complaining of a sore back, and then he stopped asking Link to play tennis and switched to bowling instead.


    "Link, I heard that the movie you starred in broke 10 million in box office in three days and has a good reputation, congratulations!"


    Leonardo said with a smile.


    Link shook his head; this guy knew full well that he had recently been criticized by those movie critics and yet he brought up the movie''s success to his face¡ªtalk about hitting where it hurts.


    He had meant to hit back with the news of Leonardo''s ex-girlfriend Gisele Bundchen getting married, but before he could speak, the elevator reached the seventh floor.


    Back at his eighth-floor apartment, as soon as he opened the door, a warm light poured out from inside, with lights on in the entrance hall and the living room.


    On the countertop, the vinyl record player was slowly spinning, and the sounds of Whitney Houston''s "I Will Always Love You" came from the speakers¡ªdeep and beautiful, like a massage for the ears.


    Link paused, then called out ''Taylor'', but got no response.


    In the walk-in closet where he changed clothes, two silver suitcases lay on the floor¡ªTaylor''s luggage. Her jeans were tossed carelessly onto the carpet, and her leather shoes weren''t put away on the shoe rack either.


    "Darling, where are you?"


    "Over here!"


    A familiar voice came from the kitchen.


    Link walked through the sitting room and saw Miss Taylor at the counter, making matcha pastries. Her hair was in a golden ponytail; she wore a blue tank top and tight shorts that showcased her tall figure and pale, long legs.


    Link went over and wrapped his arms around her waist, inhaling her scent, "When did you get back? You should''ve called me earlier; I would''ve picked you up from the airport."


    "I got back around three o''clock. I wanted to surprise you,"


    Taylor said, turning back with a smile on her face.


    "It definitely is a surprise. I just ran into Leonardo when I got back. He teased me about having to sleep alone tonight. If I had known you were here, I would''ve told him you were at home cooking, waiting for me to come back," Link said as he washed his hands.


    Taylor smiled slightly, pinching the pastry, "Leonardo changes girlfriends every year and never lacks for women around him. Would you be jealous of him?"


    "Of course not!"


    Hesitation on such matters was as good as an error¡ªLink said without a pause, "Even though he''s never short of female company, he must be lonelier than me because when I''m lonely, I can think of you. But when he''s lonely, who can he think of? All the women he''s loved have become someone else''s wives; I think he''s a bit pitiable."


    "Good answer, you get a reward,"


    Taylor said happily, feeding him a warm egg tart with a smile.


    Link laughed and hugged her, helping to make the pastries at the counter.


    ----


    After Taylor''s return, Link''s life became a bit more relaxed. He would get up every morning to exercise, go to the studio to practice singing, and push away all other work to free up as much time as possible to stay at home with Taylor.


    Taylor suggested writing a love song as a male-female duet, which he thought was a good idea¡ªthey might even collaborate on releasing an album.


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    In the morning, as Link was practicing piano in the music room, the phone rang. The caller ID showed it was Eminem.


    "Good morning, Em, are you ready to come over and record the song?"


    A couple of days ago, he and Eminem chatted at a bar. Eminem, having seen "Lighters," praised it highly and agreed to collaborate with him and serve as the producer for the rap song.


    ```


    "Hmm, Link, I have to apologize to you, I probably won''t be able to collaborate with you."


    On the other end of the phone, Eminem hesitated, not sounding like a fast-talking rapper who could spit five words a second.


    "Oh? Why?"


    "I''ve been working on a new album myself, haven''t got the time... Fuck, not going to make excuses, Link, you know, I''m friends with Kanye, Lil Wayne and others, some people say you getting into rap is a direct challenge to Kanye and them, so it''s not convenient for me to work with you," Eminem said.


    "I didn''t mean that, and last time I discussed it with Kanye, he said he wouldn''t interfere with our collaboration."


    "I know, but... sorry, it''s still not convenient."


    "All right, I understand."


    Link shrugged his shoulders, about to hang up the phone, when Eminem mentioned someone well-suited to produce the song, who wasn''t part of the East Coast rap clique but was extremely talented, asking if he wanted to meet him.


    Link wasn''t initially interested, but he hesitated when he heard the person was Bruno Mars.


    Bruno Mars, aka Mars Brother, was a genius songwriter and producer with more than a dozen Grammy awards, nine Billboard number-one singles, and his song "Uptown Funk" had made him a global sensation, a top pop star in the world.


    Moreover, Mars Brother was also one of the original singers of "Lighters," so collaborating with him seemed like a good idea.


    Link thanked Eminem, expressing his interest in meeting Mars Brother.


    "What''s up?"


    Taylor asked as she came out of the piano room.


    "Nothing, let''s continue practicing the piano."


    "Don''t lie to me, you don''t look happy, spit it out!"


    Taylor blinked her beautiful fox-like eyes, staring at him silently.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and simply described the matter of Eminem reneging on his promise.


    That day, to persuade Eminem to collaborate, he had shown off his dart-throwing skills in the bar and even had a drink with the man, only to be let down. It disappointed him.


    However, Eminem had introduced him to Mars Brother, which was a saving grace.


    "How can they do this, agreeing to reconcile and then going behind your back," Taylor said with a cold face, clearly indignant.


    "It''s okay, their targeting me shows that they take me seriously, and it proves that I''m strong."


    "Yes, you are the strongest. So, find a way to beat them and don''t let them get too cocky," she said.


    "Will do," Link replied as he put his arm around Taylor''s shoulder and continued back to the piano room to practice.


    ¡ª


    "Fuck! I hate people who break their promises. Are you satisfied now?" Eminem threw down his phone and cursed unhappily in a music club in Brooklyn. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Em, you''ve got us wrong, we never asked you to refuse Link, we just think Link isn''t a good collaboration prospect, and advised you to be cautious," 50 Cent said, holding a microphone.


    "Yes, Link doesn''t know how to rap. Collaborating with him is just a waste of time," T.I. said, his arm around Eminem.


    Eminem shook his head. He had heard that Link and Kanye had come to a reconciliation and, when Link proposed a collaboration, he found the song good and didn''t reject it.


    But after he agreed to collaborate, he could visibly feel the circle excluding him, with some calling him a traitor, accusing him of helping Link against Kanye and Lil Wayne.


    After careful consideration, Eminem chose to give up collaborating with Link because he was a rapper with his roots in black music, and falling out with the East Coast hip-hop scene was not worth it.


    "Em, let''s drink! It''s on me today!" Lil Wayne put down his microphone and made a call to Kanye to tell him Eminem had declined Link.


    Initially, they didn''t care about Eminem working with Link. A layman like Link getting into rap music had slim chances of success.


    However, after hearing the rap song, they realized that both the lyrics and melody were amazing.


    If Link and Eminem collaborated, the song had a great chance of breaking into Billboard''s Hot 100.


    Having Link''s song enter the charts and rank above their songs would be like a slap in their faces.


    They couldn''t let that happen, so they subtly pressured Eminem to give up and, thankfully, he valued the relationship with his peers more and decisively refused to work with Link.


    As for Bruno Mars, that brown-skinned kid, Lil Wayne didn''t care.


    Bruno Mars was signed to Atlantic Records in 2006, but because of his short stature and average image, he wasn''t given much attention by the label and hadn''t released a single song yet.


    Lil Wayne didn''t think that collaborating with Link could compare to working with Eminem.

 Chapter 170 Rushing to Each Others Side

    The next day, before Link had even reached the company, Anna called to say that someone named Bruno Mars was looking for him.Upon his arrival at the company, he met the legendary Mars Brother in the office.


    Latino, coffee-colored skin, an explosion of curly hair, shorter in person than in his music videos, about 165 centimeters tall, with two dimples on his face.


    Rather than the flirty and playful guy from "Uptown Funk," the Bruno Mars before him seemed somewhat naive, like a little potato.


    "Good morning, Mr. Baker!"


    Mars stood up to greet him as soon as he entered.


    Link greeted him back, "Just call me Link. Have you seen the sheet music for ''Lighters''?"


    "Yes, I have seen it. It''s amazing!" Mars complimented.


    Link smiled lightly, took a look at him, "I hear you''re primarily in charge of songwriting and music production at Atlantic Records, with two years of experience in that field. I''d like to hire you as the producer for this song. Would you accept the job?"


    Mars was taken aback and with a distinctive South American accent, he said, "Mr. Baker, you haven''t heard the music I''ve made, yet you dare entrust me with producing the song?"


    Once Anna had put down the coffee, Link laughed and said, "Although I don''t know you personally, I know Eminem. He''s a very proud man, even stubborn and unruly. The fact that you''ve gotten his recommendation means there''s no need to doubt your abilities."


    Mars hesitated for a moment, then pulled a silver Apple music player out of his pocket.


    "Mr. Baker, I''d be happy to take the job, but first, I''d like you to listen to some of my music."


    "Sure!"


    Link switched on the music player and spent half an hour listening to over ten of Mars'' songs, one of which was "Nothin'' On You," that sounded very familiar, like a hit song.


    "Bruno, are these all your creations?"


    Link closed the player and looked up to ask him.


    "Yes, these are the songs I wrote while at Atlantic Records. I also wrote six songs for other artists, which have been released, including Miss Brandy Norwood''s ''Long Distance,''" Mars explained with a shrug.


    Brandy Norwood was a well-known R&B singer who released her fifth studio album "Human" last year, ranking 15th on the Billboard 200 chart. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link had heard that song too, "These songs are all excellent, especially ''Nothin'' On You'', which I like the most. Are these tracks for your next album?" Link asked.


    Mars scratched his head, saying, "Not exactly, the company doesn''t have any plans for me to release an album right now. They think I''m more suited to songwriting and producing."


    Link nodded, sensing what he meant. Mars was thinking of changing companies, and coincidentally, Link was planning to poach some talent.


    This was mutual attraction.


    He made a call and had Mr. Graham come over, introduced Mars to him, and hired Mars as the producer for his single, offering him a short-term contract.


    After Mars left, Link thought for a moment and made a call to Miss Ivanka, asking for her assistance in recruiting talent.


    Link Music had a cooperative relationship with Atlantic Records. With Ivanka''s skills, it would not be difficult to recruit an insignificant producer.


    "No problem, leave the recruitment to me. How is the recording of ''Keep On Movin'''' going?" Ivanka asked.


    "Keep On Movin''" was the title of his second album, also known as "Keep On Movin''", consisting of 16 songs with ten composed by Link and six gathered from other sources.


    The album included tracks like "Give me reason", "Believer", "Trouble I''m In", "Keep On Movin''", "This Is Me", "Rainbow", and others, featuring pop and rock styles.


    He initially planned to include the two rap songs "Lighters" and "I''m the One" in this album.


    Graham and David Kahn, a few of the producers, thought they weren''t a good fit, arguing that too many different genres in one album would make it seem cluttered.


    Graham suggested releasing the two rap songs separately, so their success or failure wouldn''t affect the overall performance of the second album.


    Link thought their advice made sense and decided to remove the two rap songs, planning to have Mars take charge of producing them.


    "The primary recording of the album is finished, and Graham and his team are working on post-production sound. It should be mostly done before May."


    "Good, that''s very efficient."


    Ivanka praised, in the tone of a female CEO.


    Link smiled lightly, "Of course, I''ve been working overtime in the studio every day, sometimes leaving only in the middle of the night. I''ve put so much time and effort into this album, remember to give me a bonus at year-end."


    "No problem!"


    Ivanka followed up with another question, "Have you seen any recent news about me?"


    Link thought for a moment and chuckled, "The New York Post reported that you have been dating young Kunas, speculating that your two wealthy families are preparing for a union. Is that true?"


    "What do you think?"


    Eva asked indifferently.


    Link shook his head, it was hard to guess. According to the original trajectory, they should have been engaged by now, but it was difficult to determine whether they were still dating.


    "It must be fake, right? You said you didn''t want to get married for the time being. By the way, at the party in Atlantic City last time, Kunas was also there. If you were thinking of marriage, you wouldn''t involve him."


    "No! It''s true!"


    Eva snorted coldly and decisively hung up the phone.


    Link smiled, sending Eva a text message saying that the company was in its start-up phase, hoping she would focus on work instead of thinking about romance all day, as that wasn''t good.


    Eva replied that the company planned to launch his global tour after the release of his second specialty album, and since he was physically fit, his first global tour wouldn''t be fewer than a hundred shows. She told him to be well-prepared.


    Link''s scalp tingled at the thought. He remembered his past advice to himself: never provoke this woman for no reason.


    How had he suddenly forgotten such a deadly matter?


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Mr. Graham, is this Link Music''s recording studio? It looks amazing."


    At the recording booth of Link Music, Mars admired the studio''s decor.


    "Yes, it has just been renovated."


    Graham replied noncommittally, assessing the young man beside him while they walked.


    According to the information, Mars was only twenty-four, hadn''t attended college or a music school, and had no signature works. He had only worked at Atlantic Records for a little over two years.


    Graham didn''t think the other party was up to the task of being a music producer.


    But since he was invited by Link and the contract was signed, even if he wasn''t suitable, they could still give him a trial.


    "Bruno, this is Studio 3. During the production of ''Lighters,'' you can use all the equipment here. You can find your own assistants or ask me to arrange them. All expenses will be covered by the company. If you have any other needs, feel free to seek me out," Graham said, pointing to Studio 1 next door.


    "Okay!"


    Mars expressed his gratitude to Graham. Seeing the plethora of equipment in Studio 3, he excitedly touched and looked around.


    All of the equipment was new, mostly brand names, and even the unassuming piano in the corner was a custom Steinway worth over half a million US dollars.


    He couldn''t help but marvel at how wealthy Link Music was, more luxurious than the studios at Atlantic Records where he worked.


    Atlantic Records, a subsidiary of Warner Music Group with a large business, had many signed artists and numerous music producers. To use a studio, one often had to apply weeks in advance.


    Famous musicians could quickly secure a studio, but lesser-known ones like himself sometimes couldn''t get one for an entire month.


    Thinking of Atlantic Records, Mars coveted the environment at Link Music even more.


    It would be great to work here.


    Mars thought to himself secretly.


    He started as a child star; at the age of 5, thanks to his talent for imitating Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, and The Beatles, he gained media attention and even acted in a movie "Honeymoon in Vegas".


    After high school, he went alone to Los Angeles in search of opportunities and signed with Motown Records in ''04. Because he was short and not very handsome, he was pigeonholed as a behind-the-scenes songwriter and hadn''t produced any notable songs.


    In ''06, after being unilaterally terminated by Motown, he wrote two songs and was hired by Atlantic Records, still performing behind-the-scenes duties including composing music, writing lyrics, and assisting production, among others.


    But his dream was to be a singer.


    During his time at Atlantic Records, he met many famous singers, including Philip Lawrence, B.O.B, and Eminem, and his talent gradually became recognized, but the company still had no plans to debut him as a singer.


    This left him somewhat disheartened.


    Until the other day, Eminem called saying Link was preparing a rap song and needed help.


    He recommended himself to Link, who agreed to let him give it a try.


    When Mars heard the news, he was thrilled.


    Link was one of the most famous pop singers at the moment, with his debut album selling over two million copies in North America and nearly five million worldwide. Working with him and becoming the producer for his new single was without a doubt a huge opportunity.


    After getting the music score for "Lighters," he rushed over to prepare, lest someone else snatch it away.


    The song was well-developed in terms of lyrics and melody, and not difficult to produce. Now, the only thing to consider was how to make the song the best it could be to satisfy Link and gain his appreciation, hopefully becoming his long-term partner.

 Chapter 171 This Young Man

    When Link arrived at the Link Music Studio, he saw Mars busy in the recording room, accompanied by two young men, one white and one black.According to Mars, the white guy named Philip Lawrence was the technician of the trio, responsible for providing equipment, selecting music segments, and offering references; the black guy, Ali Levine, wearing glasses, was in charge of harmonies and accompaniment.


    They were his colleagues at Atlantic Records, and because they got along well, the three of them formed a production team called The Smeezingtons.


    Link found these two somewhat familiar, as if they had appeared in Mars''s music videos, his right-hand men.


    This was even better, a three-for-one deal, he decided to call Ivanka later and poach this whole crew.


    "Mr. Baker, there are a lot of spoken parts in ''Lighters'', do you want to try them yourself, or find another rapper to collaborate with?"


    Mars asked, sitting on the sofa.


    Philip and Ali sat on the armrests on either side, like guardians of music.


    Link shook his head slightly; he also wanted to perform the spoken parts himself, but there were too many words. A song only lasted three to four minutes, and to recite the lyrics fluently and rhythmically in such a short time, he couldn''t do it.


    He had tried several times, but ended up getting tongue-tied.


    "I was initially going to collaborate with Eminem, but I have a conflict with Kanye, and Em declined. Bruno, do you have any suitable candidates?" Link asked.


    Mars had also heard about the conflicts between Link, Kanye, and others, but it didn''t matter to him. He wasn''t black, and after being released by Motown Records, he kept his afro, trying to blend in with the rappers, but unfortunately, he didn''t succeed.


    His specialty was rhythm and blues, funk, soul, and pop music. He knew some rap but was not a master.


    Scratching his head, Mars thought for a moment, "Mr. Baker, do you know B.o.B? Last year he released a single ''I''ll Be in the Sky'', which ranked 15th on the Billboard Rap Singles chart. His rap skills are pretty good, I think he would be a perfect fit."


    "We can invite him to try!" Link nodded after hearing this.


    Mars made a phone call, and within an hour, the singer Bobby B.o.B arrived at the studio, a twenty-something African American from North Carolina, not much associated with the East Coast rap scene. He had released a single last year and was also a newcomer to rap.


    After Bobby arrived, the work began in Studio 3.


    Link was responsible for singing the chorus of ''Lighters'', Bobby was in charge of the spoken words, and Mars and his two assistants stood at the mix console, responsible for mixing and sound effects.


    Fighters keep fighting, put your lighters up, point ''em skyward.


    Warriors, hold firm in battle, light up your lighters, let the flames reach for the sky.


    uh Had a dream I was king, I woke up, still king.


    I dreamed a dream where I was a king, and upon awakening, I remained a king.


    "Mr. Baker, don''t sing these lyrics too forcefully, enunciating too hard can make your voice less smooth, and the rhythm may slow down,"


    Mars advised.


    "Okay!"


    Link gave a thumbs up and sang the lines again.


    While they were recording, Lana Del Rey came to visit the set, and upon seeing a guy with an explosive hairdo standing at the mix console, she curiously asked, "Hello, are you the new producer at Link Music?"


    Mars, holding headphones, was listening to music when he suddenly smelled a fragrance and turned his head, his heart skipping a beat.


    Before him stood a classic beauty with reddish-brown curls and fair skin, taller than him by a head.


    Scratching his curly hair, Mars replied, "Miss, hello, yes, I''m the new producer."


    "You look really young,"


    Lana said, smiling as she sized him up.


    "Miss, you''re not old either, no, I mean, Miss, you also look very young, younger than me," Mars stammered out his explanation.


    Lana didn''t mind his slip of the tongue, pointed to the headset and asked, "May I have a listen?"


    "Of course, you can!"


    Mars handed over his own headphones.


    Lana waved him off with a smile, picking up a spare pair of headphones and placing them on her head.


    Seeing her listening to the music, Mars secretly slapped his own head, extremely dissatisfied with his behavior; he was all over the place, like a boy who had never seen a beautiful woman before, embarrassingly clumsy.


    "....."


    Philip and Ali watched him with disdain.


    Mars felt his face heat up with their stares and rolled his eyes at them, gesturing toward the recording studio for them to focus.


    "This song is amazing, Mister Producer, who wrote it?"


    Lana inquired as she put down her headphones.


    "Mr. Baker wrote it, and my name is Bruno Mars, you can call me Bruno,"


    Mars responded.


    "Mr. Baker can write rap songs too? He''s incredible,"


    Lana admired, looking through the soundproof glass at Link.


    "Yes, Mr. Baker is very impressive,"


    Mars shrugged, secretly envious. It was normal for girls to like a tall, handsome, fit, and talented guy like Link.


    "Mr. Mars, I''m Lana Del Rey, a signed singer with Link Music. We''re all part of Link Music now, so I look forward to your guidance,"


    Lana smiled politely.


    "Okay, alright, Miss Del Rey, please feel free to give me your guidance,"


    Mars said in a hurry.


    Lana smiled slightly, waved to Mars, Philip, and Ali, and left Studio Three.


    When Mars saw her skirt fluttering out of the studio, he couldn''t help but breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Bruno, you''re so embarrassing, acting like you''ve never seen a woman before,"


    Philip teased.


    "Yeah, seeing this guy''s reaction reminded me of myself at thirteen, when I first fell in love. So juvenile,"


    Ali said with a grin, showing his white teeth.


    "Shut up!"


    Mars wiped his cheek, feeling the heat on his hand, and decided not to argue with the two, focusing instead on giving serious guidance to Link and little Bobby''s duet.


    However, after rehearsing more than ten times, there were still some issues.


    Link and little Bobby''s voices didn''t mesh well; Link''s voice was too bright, and Bobby''s was too husky.


    Their coordination wasn''t quite in sync either, and considering that the song was Link''s single, he had no choice but to find another rapper to replace little Bobby.


    Link also noticed some issues while recording, so after leaving the studio, he listened to the song twice with headphones and felt that it wasn''t quite right for him.


    "Bruno, want to give it a try?"


    Link proposed. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The original version of the song was a collaboration between Mars and Eminem, with Mars handling the chorus and Eminem the rap parts. Their collaboration was quite successful.


    Considering Mars would join Link Music in the future, it wouldn''t be bad to pass the song to him.


    There were two reasons he started Link Music.


    The first was to become famous. After gaining fame, he would attract more attention when competing in boxing matches, indirectly promoting the sport of boxing.


    The second reason was to make money, which was also Eva''s goal. With Mars joining Link Music, he would be part of the company. Handing the song over to him for an early boost to his fame seemed like a good idea.


    "Mr. Baker, you want me to sing?"


    Mars asked, puzzled.


    Although he also wanted to sing, he was currently a producer.


    "Yes, you and Bobby are acquaintances, so the collaboration should be better,"


    Link said, holding a water bottle.


    Mars looked at Bobby and nodded. The two of them entered the studio together and sang the song again.


    Link, with headphones on, listened from outside and realized that they were indeed stronger in this kind of music than he was and better suited for this song.


    "Philip, Ali, don''t you think their collaboration is a bit better than mine?" Link asked his two assistants from Mars.


    They nodded. Mars and Bobby had collaborated before and were more in tune with each other. Moreover, Mars was skilled in performing funk music, which is a category of black music, giving him a more relaxed sense of rhythm.


    When Mars came out, Link approached him for a chat, asking if he was interested in performing the song.


    "Mr. Baker, you want me to perform? But I''m not a singer," Mars said, taken aback.


    "Your voice is more suited to this song than mine,"


    Link paused, then looked at him and asked, "Also, Bruno, I''ve listened to your compositions, and I can see that you are a very talented person. I think highly of you. I want to know if you''re interested in developing your career with Link Music."


    Mars was stunned for a moment. "Mr. Baker, are you offering to hire me as a dedicated producer for Link Music?"


    "Not just that, but also a singer''s contract. You sing very well, and I appreciate it," Link said.


    Mars was ecstatic inside, scratching his afro in disbelief, and cautiously asked, "For this single''s contract?"


    Link waved his hand, "Of course not just for this one song. If you''re willing, Link Music can sign a contract with you for no less than five albums."


    "I''m willing..."


    Mars was about to say ''I''m willing,'' but suddenly remembered he was still with Atlantic Records, with two years left on his contract. If he switched companies now, it would constitute a breach of contract, requiring payment of a $500,000 breach fee.


    He hesitated for a moment and then brought it up with Link.


    "Don''t worry about that. As long as you''re willing, you can start working at Link Music tomorrow."


    "Great! Thank you, Mr. Baker!"


    Mars stood up excitedly. Suddenly, he remembered something else and pointed at his two companions outside. They were a production team, and if he left, the team would fall apart.


    Link smiled gently, indicating that their contracts could also be bought out.


    "Thank you, Mr. Baker!"


    Mars grasped his hand and shook it, then hurried out to tell his two companions the good news.


    Link shook his head; Mars was still too young, easily leaping for joy at any piece of good news. It would be good for him to get some real-world experience and learn a bit.


    He then called Eva to talk about Mars''s situation. Eva said it would be taken care of within three days.

 Chapter 172 Joining Forces to Suppress

    It actually didn''t take three days, just one day for Ivanka to send someone to Atlantic Records to retrieve the contracts of Mars and his two partners without paying a penny in damages.Atlantic Records had proposed that they wanted to obtain the distribution rights for Link''s second album in overseas regions.


    Ivanka did not agree.


    The overseas distribution of Link''s first album was handled by Universal Records, and the partnership was quite pleasant; they planned to continue collaborating with Universal Records for the second album and had no intention of changing partners at the moment.


    However, Ivanka suggested that the South American distribution rights could be given to Atlantic Records.


    After considering the offer, Atlantic Records agreed to release the people.


    Link was a popular singer; his first album sold nearly 5 million copies worldwide, and the sales for the second album were guaranteed to be impressive. Securing the distribution rights for one region was sure to yield significant profits, obviously more valuable than three unproven behind-the-scenes personnel.


    For musicians like Mars, Atlantic Records had hundreds of them under its banner, so it was not a loss.


    "Bruno, Philip, Ali, welcome to Link Music."


    After signing the contract, Link shook hands with the three men from Mars.


    "Thank you, Mr. Baker!"


    Mars shook his hand excitedly and even stole a glance at Lana Del Rey passing by the window. He suddenly realized that he truly liked Link Music; it was wonderful here.


    Link also noticed Mars''s expression and turned to see Ivanka passing by outside, secretly astonished¡ªwas Mars attracted to Miss Ivanka?


    That was quite bold.


    After Mars joined Link Music, two rap songs were also quickly recorded.


    "Lighters" was performed by Mars, B.O.B, and Ali Levine.


    "I''m the One" was completed by Link and rapper Wiz Khalifa.


    Wiz Khalifa, a friend of Snoop Dogg and associated with West Coast rap, joined Link Music upon Snoop Dogg''s recommendation after receiving an invitation.


    Wiz debuted in 2006, was 22 years old, and had a tall and slender figure covered with tattoos.


    His notable work was "See You Again," performed previously with Charlie Puth and Taylor, although it hadn''t been released yet.


    I''m the only one oh-eh-oh oh oh-eh-oh


    I''m the one oh-eh-oh oh oh-eh-oh


    I''m the only one


    "How does it feel?"


    In the recording studio lounge, Link played "I''m the One" once through and asked Graham, Mars, and Wiz Khalifa,


    "Out of ten, how many would you give?"


    "10 points!"


    Wiz Khalifa, smoking, blew a smoke ring and laughed, "Link, you should have confidence in our collaboration."


    Mars nodded and said, "The rhythm of this song is great, and your teamwork with Wiz is also good, at least nine points."


    Graham also thought it was good. Mars was better than he had anticipated, and the song was of high quality after production, not inferior to any rap tracks currently on the charts.


    "I hope you''re right, I don''t want to be ridiculed by Kanye and the others after its release."


    "Don''t worry, they won''t have a chance."


    After receiving everyone''s approval, Link''s debut rap song "I''m the One" officially landed on major American digital music platforms, and he also tweeted about it.


    ''Rap song I''m the One, thanks to Wiz Khalifa!''


    Soon after he tweeted, tens of thousands of fans commented, calling it a great song and looking forward to his rap album release.


    Lady Gaga and several acquaintances liked and congratulated him on his cross-genre success.


    In its debut week, "I''m the One" sold 171,000 copies in Amazon digital music store and iTunes music store, among other digital platforms, with over 12 million plays online and over a billion on the radio.


    It shot up to number 48 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and ranked fourth on the Billboard Hip Hop/Rap Songs chart.


    Only behind Eminem''s "We Made You," Lil Wayne and Rihanna''s "Live Your Life," and Drake''s "Best I Ever Had." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a newcomer in the rap scene, Link''s debut single surpassed many veteran rappers in sales and play counts, reaching the top ten on the rap chart and causing quite a stir in the music scene.


    The media reported the event extensively.


    Billboard magazine commented that the song''s entry into the top ten of the rap chart in its first week was mainly due to its high quality and the excellent collaboration between Link and Wiz, calling it a ''stunning'' rap song.


    The New York Post reported that "I''m the One" reaching the top 100 on the Billboard singles chart and the top ten on the rap chart in its first week proved Link''s successful crossover. He was not only a star in the boxing ring but also very popular in the music industry.


    The Chicago Tribune commented that the song''s lyrics and music were of very high quality, perfectly blending electronic, pop, and rap music, once again proving Link''s immense talent in music composition. They mentioned him alongside Lady Gaga, Adele, and Katy Perry as one of the most anticipated new singing talents of 2008/2009.


    Netizens jokingly called him ''Three Queens and a King.''"


    However, after Link released his new song, there were also some negative comments online.


    Some trolls jumped out to criticize him, claiming that by writing the ''rap song I''m the One'' and dubbing himself the number one in rap, he was declaring war on Kanye and other rap artists.


    Other trolls called out to Kanye, Lil, 50 Cent, Eminem, and Jay-Z, top-tier rap artists, asking for their opinions.


    Regarding the online comments, Link was busy attending a school sports meet and did not respond.


    Kanye and others also did not publicly respond.


    Until the second week when "I''m the One" climbed to the 23rd spot on the Billboard singles chart and second on the rap chart, surpassing the songs of Drake and Lil Wayne.


    "How is this possible, Link, a pop singer with not many fans in the rap world, how could his new song be listened to by so many people?"


    Brooklyn, inside a club, 50 Cent looked at the Billboard magazine in his hands, somewhat in disbelief.


    "Could those numbers be fake?"


    Drake asked annoyedly.


    His new song "Best I Ever Had" was released in March and stayed in the top three on the rap charts for over six weeks. Just last week, his song was pushed out of the top three, and he was quite irked.


    "Impossible, Billboard has been around in the music industry for over a hundred years, and it''s known for its credibility. The data they release can''t be wrong."


    Lil Wayne said, holding a pool cue. Enjoy new adventures from empire


    "But why is his performance so good? I''ve listened to that song, and it''s pretty mediocre."


    Drake said disdainfully.


    "Mediocre? I think it''s not bad."


    Eminem leaned on the pool table, striking the cue ball with his pool stick.


    "Em, don''t get too happy. You''re first and he''s second. Watch out next week¡ªhe might stab you in the back."


    Lil Wayne poked Eminem with the pool cue.


    "Fuckin'' hell! So what do you guys plan to do? Stop fans from listening to his song? Or take him out with a gun?"


    Eminem joked.


    Upon hearing this, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and others shook their heads repeatedly.


    In the nineties, gangsta rap was all the rage, consistently leading the pack in record sales among various types of music at the time.


    However, after several shooting incidents in the nineties, Tupac and B.I.G. were killed, many gang-affiliated rappers were terminated from their record companies, and rap music was also somewhat affected.


    If they dared to use such methods to attack their competitors again, the entire group''s careers would be impacted.


    Resorting to violence against Link wasn''t appropriate.


    "I have a good idea."


    Eminem leaned on the table, holding a beer and smiling, "Link is a pop singer who has crossed over to rap and done well. You guys might also try crossing over to pop music and crush him on the pop charts."


    Lil Wayne and the others decisively shook their heads. Pop music wasn''t that simple, not something you could just play around with. The competition was fiercer there, and ordinary people couldn''t even get a foothold, let alone reach the charts.


    Thinking about this, they also felt that Link, that bastard, seemed kind of impressive.


    A boxer who transitioned to the music industry and established himself in the pop music circle in less than a year.


    Now switching to rap, his single soared on Billboard; the guy certainly had some skills.


    But admitting that Link was impressive was absolutely impossible for them.


    "How about we rush our schedules, release a few singles early, and together push Link''s songs down?"


    50 Cent suggested.


    "That''s a good idea. Kanye has a single planned for release next month. Let''s persuade him to release it earlier."


    Lil Wayne stroked his chin and said.


    Everyone thought it was a good idea. They then set down their beer mugs and pool cues and left the club together.


    Eminem looked at the deserted game room, cursed under his breath, and reluctantly picked up his clothes to leave.


    ¡ª


    On the third week of the release of "I''m the One," Kanye released his rap single "Monster" early.


    Lil Wayne, Beyonce, Jay-z, 50 Cent, T.I., Diddy, Shawn Carter, Drake, Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, and other artists publicized this single through various social media platforms.


    On the day of its release, "Monster" reached 174,000 downloads across various platforms, surpassing the first week''s download numbers of "I''m the One."


    In its first week, download numbers soared past 600,000, becoming the highest first-week download of 2009.


    "Monster" also charged straight into the Billboard Singles chart at number 9, ranked number one on the rap song chart, while Link''s "I''m the One" was placed 22nd on the Billboard singles chart and third on the rap chart.


    The media, upon seeing Kanye''s early release of the single, suspected he was targeting Link, and the two sides had not reached a reconciliation.


    Journalists came knocking for confirmation.


    Kanye''s music manager claimed that Kanye had just happened to be preparing the single and it had nothing to do with Link.


    Meanwhile, Kanye''s fans, seeing his new song outsell Link''s and stop "I''m the One" from reaching the top of the rap chart, called it a massive victory and claimed it restored dignity for the rap artists.


    Many trolls went to Link''s Twitter comment section to suggest he listen to Kanye''s new song, saying it was a hundred times better than "I''m the One."


    And commenting that since his "I''m the One" didn''t reach number one, it should be renamed ''I''m the three'' or ''I''m the loser''.


    "''Monster'' has a first-week download of 614,000? Kanye really is strong."


    Link looked at the news in the paper, feeling somewhat envious of Kanye''s popularity.


    At the moment, he was only considered a top-tier artist in the music industry, and compared to someone like Kanye, who was at the peak of popularity, he faced a huge gap in both influence and fan numbers¡ªa gap that couldn''t be closed by just a few singles or albums but also required time to cultivate a loyal fan base.


    "Boss, these trolls'' comments are too much. Should we respond?"


    Miss Anna asked.


    "No need! Responding verbally is too weak, besides being a waste of money. It''s not very cost-effective. I prefer to prove that I''m the best through my actions."


    Link shook his head, tore off the towel he was wearing, and in his swimsuit, dove into the pool.

 Chapter 173 Eight Gold Medals

    "I''m the One" was released in its fourth week, T.I. released the single "Dead and Gone," which was endorsed by Kanye, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne and other rappers.In its first week, it was downloaded 168,000 times, ranking third on the Billboard rap chart, pushing Link''s "I''m the One" out of the top three to the eighth spot, while singles by 50 Cent, Drake, and others re-entered the top five.


    Just as the East Coast rap gang was popping champagne in the studio, the Associated Press reported a piece of news from Serbia in Eastern Europe.


    The 25th Summer Universiade was held in Serbia in mid-May.


    Link Baker, a student from New York University, represented his school in eight swimming events at this Universiade, including the men''s 100/200-meter freestyle, 100-meter/200-meter breaststroke, 200-meter/400-meter individual medley, 4x200-meter freestyle relay, and 4x100-meter medley relay.


    After seven days of competition, Link won eight events, securing eight gold medals for himself and breaking three world records, two of which had been set by the famous swimmer Phelps during the 08 Olympics.


    Once the news reached the United States, it caused quite a sensation.


    "The New York Times," "The Los Angeles Times," "The Washington Post," and other major newspapers all relayed the news from the Associated Press, while CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX followed suit with their TV coverage.


    Due to the small scale of the World University Games and the lower levels of competitor skills, the games were not particularly spectator-friendly, and the public paid little attention to the news.


    During the competition, mainstream US media virtually had no reporters on the scene to cover it.


    It was not until the Associated Press reported that NYU student Link Baker had won eight gold medals and broken three world records that mainstream media began to take serious notice.


    First, Link Baker is a big celebrity: world champion Boxer, Olympic Boxing champion, pop singer, and a controversial figure.


    Second, at the Universiade, Link alone won six individual and two team gold medals, breaking three world records and even surpassing Phelps in speed.


    This achievement was too dazzling and newsworthy.


    Celebrity + sensation equals major news.


    The US media rushed to report and heavily publicized the news of Link''s eight gold medals at the Universiade.


    HBO spent 2.3 million US dollars to buy exclusive broadcasting rights from the hosts in Serbia, primarily covering the eight events Link participated in, and officially broadcast them on May 20 at 6 PM.


    According to Nielsen, this broadcast attracted between 18 million to 25 million viewers, numbers not inferior to last year''s Olympics.


    The American public, through their TV screens, saw Link wearing the same type of sharkskin swimsuit as Phelps, swiftly swimming through each race and leaving the other university athletes far behind.


    In two team events, Link continued to create miracles, leading three less skilled teammates into the finals and securing a gold medal for them.


    "Oh! He''s incredible, Link in the water is just like... a male mermaid."


    In a Los Angeles villa, Katy Perry exclaimed while watching Link on TV.


    "Move over Katy, can you not stand in front of the screen?"


    Blake Lively shouted.


    Katy Perry shrugged her shoulders, turned around, and jokingly asked, "What do you guys think it''s like to sleep with a ''male mermaid''?"


    Lively covered her face, unwilling to answer her question, "Katy, Link is Taylor''s boyfriend, and Taylor is our friend."


    "You mean I should call Taylor and ask her how it feels? That seems like a great idea." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Katy Perry mused.


    Lively was stunned and quickly clarified, "I meant that a friend''s boyfriend is off-limits, not that you should ask Taylor that question."


    "Alright, I was just joking."


    Katy Perry laughed heartily, continuing to watch Link on the TV.


    Lively shook her head, about to invite everyone back to their tarot card game when she noticed Christine and Emma were also transfixed by the TV, obviously attracted to Link''s physique.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Damn, he''s faster than last time."


    In Baltimore, at a swimming club, Phelps watched the swimming race on TV and remarked.


    "How can Link, a boxer, swim so fast?"


    Coach Bob Bowman exclaimed in amazement.


    "His ancestors were fishermen, naturally good swimmers,"


    Phelps said enviously.


    "That''s impossible. Even the most skilled need long-term training to break through their physical limits and achieve greater speed."


    Bob Bowman watched the TV for a while, "His swimming skills are average, but what''s remarkable is his physique, his strength, speed, and extremely high physical coordination."


    Phelps looked at his coach, "So, you mean if he takes professional training, he could be even faster?"


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    Bowman thought for a moment and nodded gravely.


    "Damn it! How can this bastard be faster than me, no way, I absolutely can''t lose to him."


    Phelps cursed as he put on his goggles and dived into the pool.


    Coach Bowman nodded, remembering how Phelps had won eight gold medals at the ''08 Olympics, becoming a sports star and slackening in training. In February of that year, his marijuana use had caused a major media furore.


    With a strong competitor like Link, Phelps would take his training more seriously.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After the broadcast of the Universiade, Link became a sensation in America, with his popularity surpassing that from his days as a world boxing champion, as the media discussed his swimming techniques.


    Previously, it was only rumored that he swam faster than Phelps, even exchanging gold medals with him, but without precise data, many were skeptical.

 Chapter 173 Eight Gold Medals_2

    Back then, he broke three world records at the collegiate athletic meet, proving his swimming skills were indeed strong.Everyone was looking forward to his performance at the 2012 London Olympics to see who was stronger between him and Phelps.


    After the competition, many media outlets wanted to interview Link, asking about the athletic meet.


    But his manager, Ms. Mandy, held a press conference and said, "Link is in closed training, preparing for the upcoming Boxing Championship challenge, and currently has no time for interviews."


    The media then remembered that on May 25th, at Madison Square Garden in New York, there was a boxing match, WBA North American Continental Champion Andrea Rael challenging WBA World Champion Link Baker.


    Although Link was busy training and had no time to deal with the media, on the day the athletic meet ended, he tweeted ''I''m the One, Number One''.


    The tweet received 1.218 million likes and 80,000 comments within 24 hours.


    The comments were extremely positive, most praising his exceptional swimming skills, affirming him as the genuine No. 1


    That same day, the single "I''m the One" bucked trends and reached 82,000 downloads.


    Link''s music released a MV on YouTube featuring his participation in the swimming competition, using "I''m the One" as the BGM.


    The video exceeded 2 million views in three days.


    In its fifth week of release "I''m the One" reached 314,000 downloads, stormed up to number five on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number one on the rap chart, leaving behind songs by Kanye, T.I., 50 Cent, Drake, and others.


    Billboard published news claiming "I''m the One" took first place on the rap chart, setting several records.


    These included Link being the first artist to reach number one on the rap chart with his debut rap single, the second non-African American artist to reach number one with his own rap song, and the first rapper from Florida to achieve this feat.


    Billboard magazine highly praised Link''s talent in music, calling him a talented and daring challenger of the unknown, and stating that the music world needed a singer like him.


    Other media also lavishly praised Link, calling him a double-threat star excelling in both athletics and the arts.


    "How can this be?"


    Lil Wayne and others, seeing their rankings on Billboard, were dumbfounded.


    After Kanye and TI released their new songs, Link''s new song had left them far behind.


    Following the trend of song sales, the first few weeks usually showed the best sales, decreasing as time went on.


    Link''s new song, having been suppressed for four weeks, was expected to fall outside of the top 20 on the rap chart.


    They thought they had totally won this battle.


    But no one had expected that the guy would quietly run off overseas to participate in an athletic meet, winning eight gold medals and becoming a swimming star.


    Riding on the media''s coverage, he soared in popularity; "I''m the One" along with his popularity spiked to number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the rap chart, firmly suppressing their singles beneath his.


    A novice crossing over to rap and shooting to number one with a song called ''I''m the One,'' undoubtedly felt like a slap in the face for them.


    "Haha, what are you guys going to do now?"


    Eminem lay on the couch, looking at Kanye, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and others with extremely gloomy expressions, teasing, "Why don''t you guys also try participating in some athletic meets? If one of you could win a gold medal, you might have a chance to turn defeat into victory."


    They glared back at him with dark faces; if they had the capability, they would have gone to the Olympics long ago, they didn''t need him to tell them.


    "Kanye, cut the jokes, don''t forget your song got crushed by Link as well. You should be brainstorming with us.", Lil Wayne said.


    "No need, I have no beef with Link, nor do I care about the ranking of this song. Besides, have you thought about it? The reconciliation between you and Link was mediated by MJ. Now that you''ve joined forces to suppress him upon his single release, how do you think MJ would feel after knowing this? Wouldn''t he be disappointed?"


    Eminem smirking, his face wearing a mischievous grin, looked at them.


    Hearing these words, Kanye''s face turned even more sullen, his expression even more gloomy.


    Lil Wayne and the others also changed their expressions; Michael wasn''t just a megastar but also an idol and spiritual symbol for them as African American singers, just like Ali.


    In March, after their confrontation with Link at the Grammy Awards, Michael asked through his agent for them to stop creating a scene, not to cause any trouble for Washington.


    When they heard Michael speaking up, naturally, they showed face, refrained from stirring the fans, and even apologized proactively in the media.


    After Michael had visited New York last time, he invited them over and met with Link, intent on promoting peace, and Kanye had expressed his willingness to reconcile at the time.


    It seemed like the matter had passed.


    However, after Link released his rap single and seeing its success, they joined forces to release a single to suppress Link''s new song, and their fans even went to insult Link.


    Would Michael know about this?


    Having been in the music industry for decades, Michael definitely knew about their actions, knew they hadn''t truly reconciled with Link, knew they were dismissing him, dismissing their spiritual icon.


    What''s more embarrassing is that they, a group of dozens, still couldn''t outdo Link, an amateur.


    "Ah!"


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    Thinking of this, Kanye suddenly yelled out loud, kicked over a desk, picked up a folding chair, and started smashing it on the desk, the sofa, and the liquor cabinet.


    Eminem and others hastily stood up and kept their distance.


    Kanye suffers from bipolar disorder. When depressed, he frowns every day as if everyone owes him a million.


    When irritable, he lashes out and smashes things, and could accidentally hit someone.


    "Kanye, don''t lose your temper, it''s not our fault, it''s Link''s fault. He, a pop singer, came into our turf and released a rap song; that''s provoking us, stealing our livelihood. We did nothing wrong by suppressing him."


    Lil Wayne shouted.


    "Yes, it''s Link''s fault; we did nothing wrong. We were just competing normally."


    50 Cent and Drake also followed up, trying to calm him.


    With his arms crossed and touching his chin, Eminem said, "How come I remember that before releasing his rap single, Link had informed you guys, and you said you didn''t mind."


    Everyone was stunned for a moment; indeed, that day in the Lincoln Center parking lot, Link did mention this matter.


    Did he mean to offend them by proposing a collaboration with Eminem?


    At that time, Kanye said ''whatever you want'' and everyone laughed out loud as they left; even the depressed Kanye laughed.


    But in the end, they broke their promise.


    No matter how you look at it, Link was in the right; they were the ones in the wrong.


    If Michael knew that even after Link had reached out, he was still being suppressed, what would Michael think of them?


    Thinking of this, even Lil Wayne and 50 Cent, who usually have thick skins, flushed with embarrassment and irritation at this moment.


    "Ah!!" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Kanye heard Eminem''s words, he became even more irate, wielding a metal baseball bat and smashing everything in the room to pieces.


    Eminem shook his head and was about to say something when he suddenly saw Kanye picking up a dark object from the overturned cabinet, cursing loudly, "Fuck!"


    "Damn it, who brought a gun in here! Run!"


    Eminem shouted as he ran outside.


    Seeing Kanye with a gun, the others also held their heads and sprinted outside.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!

 Chapter 174 Fist Weight Test

    ```Thump! Thump! Thump!


    In the boxing training facility, Link stood in front of the punch power measurement machine and threw ten powerful punches at the target, his expression gradually growing darker.


    Even though his new song had reached number one on the Billboard Rap Chart, his mood was not particularly good.


    Just now, he had tested his punch power and average punch power for ten punches with the punch power measurement machine.


    The maximum for his right punch was 1610 pounds, and for his left punch, it was 1440 pounds.


    Before his fight with Tyson last year, he had secluded himself in training for more than two months, raising his right punch power to 1600 pounds and his left punch power to a maximum of 1420 pounds.


    But in the past six months or so, his maximum punch power for both fists had only increased by a bit over 10 pounds.


    The average punch power for both fists had also only increased by about ten pounds.


    The slowdown in increased punch power meant he had become complacent.


    In the past half-year, he had been busy recording music, releasing albums, shooting commercials, filming movies, and had spent much less time on training.


    Based on the growth rate of punch power from June to December the previous year, if he could have spent more time on training in the first half of the year, his right punch power could have increased to above 1660 pounds.


    What a pity!


    "What''s wrong?"


    A face full of horizontal flesh suddenly peeked out from beside the machine, glancing at the screen.


    "1580 pounds?!"


    "How is that possible?!!"


    Mario yelled in shock, "Last year, when you tested in the gym, your maximum punch power was only 1480 pounds. It''s only been a year, and your punch power has increased by 100 pounds? How is that possible?"


    "Last year I hadn''t gone through systematic boxing training and didn''t know how to throw a punch properly, now I do, and that''s why I''m stronger," Link calmly said.


    "But, an increase of 100 pounds in a year, that''s 1000 pounds in ten years. In another ten years, won''t you become a superman?!" Mario said with envy and jealousy, staring with his small eyes.


    Link shook his head, "This year, my punch power has only increased by ten pounds."


    At this point, he suddenly thought of a problem. Maybe the slowing down of his punch power increase was not only due to less training time but also related to his natural physique?


    Restricted by his own limits, was the improvement becoming slower and slower as he progressed, requiring more time?


    After pondering, Link decided to train seriously for a period after the match before making any judgments.


    "An increase of ten pounds in half a year? And you''re still not satisfied?"


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    Mario looked at him frantically, teeth itching with envy.


    He trained hard every day, yet his maximum punch power was only 1020 pounds; if he relaxed even slightly, it would slip below 1000 pounds.


    For Link, to not only maintain his punch power while engaging in other activities but also to increase it by 10 pounds, was something many boxers dreamt of. Yet, he still seemed unsatisfied, which was infuriating.


    "I''m naturally strong, so you don''t need to be envious of me," Link said, shaking his head. He put on his boxing gloves and walked to the training area to lift barbells.


    Mario waved his fist at Link''s departing figure and moved to the punch power measurement machine, pulling out the punching target and taking a deep breath.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    After five consecutive punches, the maximum punch power was 990 pounds!


    ```


    "Ah!!"


    Mario clenched his fists and bellowed in fury.


    ¡ª


    "97... 98... 99... 100! Phew!"


    In the weight training area, Link set down the 200-pound barbell and took a long breath.


    In two hours, he had completed ten sets of strength training, including clean and jerks, bench presses, and weighted squats. His muscles swelled, his skin was streaked with sweat, and he felt as if his body was filled with immense power.


    He liked this feeling of being physically full.


    During his training, Franco and Simon came by to inform him that the compensation agreement for the championship fight had been signed. In addition to a basic appearance fee of 2 million, he would also get an additional 15% of the ticket revenue and 10% of the TV broadcast income.


    The income from professional boxing matches mainly comes from three parts.


    The first is the basic appearance fee, which the event organizers pay, and it varies with the boxer''s influence and popularity.


    The second part is the pay-per-view (PPV) revenue share from cable television broadcasts.


    As per custom, the producers of the broadcast signal, namely HBO and SHOWTIME, both of which broadcast boxing matches, can get between 10-60% of the PPV share for each match.


    Satellite broadcasters and signal distributors get 30%.


    The participating boxers and their companies can get between 10-60%. The more famous the boxer, the higher the PPV share he can receive.


    The third part is the peripheral income, which includes shares from ticket sales, casinos, hotels, airports, rental car companies, and advertising sponsorships, and also varies depending on the boxer''s influence, with up to 50% being the highest.


    Currently Link''s fame in the United States is significant, but his drawing power in the boxing market is still not as strong as that of top boxers like Mayweather and Hoyle; thus, in the championship fight, he got the lowest share percentage.


    To get a higher share percentage, he needs to win more fights and secure more Golden Belts.


    "Link, the unification bout for the super middleweight title among the four major organizations is also under discussion; it''s likely to take place within the year, so be prepared," Franco advised.


    "How are the four major organizations planning to hold the fight?" Link asked.


    Franco shook his head, smiling, "You disagree with ''Super Six,'' and others disagree with ''Super 1+5.'' The four organizations have stated that they won''t interfere with the fights of the organization champions anymore. The upcoming fights will be negotiated by the various management companies.


    We''re communicating with WBC champion Carl Froch about a WBC/WBA unification bout. Andre Ward''s management company is also talking to IBF champion Arthur Abraham. If the negotiations among the parties go smoothly, it''s possible to hold the unification bout for the Golden Belts of the four major organizations within the year."


    Link nodded, this arrangement aligned with his expectations; it would shorten the competition schedule and allow him to collect all four organization''s Golden Belts sooner.


    After seeing off Franco and Simon, he moved to an open area to practice jumping rope.


    Jumping rope not only helps relax the muscles, making the legs more nimble but also improves the coordination between hands and feet. In boxing matches, this coordination is very important; when the footwork can keep up with the speed of boxing, punches become faster, more powerful, and the range of attack extends further.


    If the footwork isn''t nimble enough and lags behind the punching speed, the punches lose a lot of their impact, causing instability, and making it easy for the opponent to knock the boxer down.


    After a week of secluded training, the WBA super middleweight title challenge began.


    The fight took place at Madison Square Garden, with Link fighting against Andrea Rael.


    Andrea Rael, 28 years old, 185 centimeters tall, with a reach of 190 centimeters, black, and physically well-built. He won a bronze medal in the middleweight category at the 2004 Athens Olympics.


    After the Olympics, he turned professional. A former WBF super middleweight champion and the current WBA Intercontinental champion, his record is 28 fights, 27 wins, 1 loss, with 21 victories coming by way of knockout.


    An explosive puncher.


    Link had studied his opponent''s fight videos; punch power A+, physical fitness A+, technique A-, speed A-, proficient in upper hook punches. He had knocked out opponents with upper hook punches in 16 matches and had caused jaw injuries leading to bleeding in three matches.


    His style is similar to Morales''s.


    S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 175 The Competition Begins

    "Once you''re up there, be careful. If you can''t beat him, just throw in the towel. Don''t let anyone mess up your face."In the Yorkville apartment, Taylor straightened his suit as he spoke.


    "Throw in the towel? Are you joking? Don''t you know how good I am?"


    Link said as he wrapped his arm around her slender waist.


    Taylor rolled her eyes and replied, "Don''t be too overconfident. Even someone as tough as Tyson can be defeated, and so can you. Catherine suggested before that you give up boxing and transition to becoming a singer. I think you should seriously consider it."


    Link shook his head; giving up boxing was out of the question. He was only 21 years old, just starting his boxing career, with goals yet to be accomplished. Why would he retire now and waste all his previous efforts?


    Moreover, becoming a singer was a side hustle he pursued to boost his fame, not his main ambition. He knew he shouldn''t put the cart before the horse.


    "Are you sure you don''t want to come to the match? Today''s fight is going to be really exciting."


    Link looked at Taylor and then over at Selena, who sat on the couch, legs crossed, continuously stuffing her face with snacks.


    "No way! Boxing is so boring. The fights only last a few minutes, better to watch it at home."


    Selena spoke as she nibbled on spicy chicken wings, her cheeks bulging.


    "Eat slower, no one''s competing with you," Mandy said, as she carried a platter out of the kitchen and placed it on the long table in the small living room.


    Catherine and Mrs. Andrea followed suit, bringing various pastries, fruit, snacks, and cold drinks, filling the table to the brim.


    They had all agreed not to go to the match but to stay home and watch the live broadcast instead, preparing lots of delicious food as if it were Christmas.


    But seeing all the food made Link somewhat reluctant to leave for the match. The house was lively with people and filled with tasty treats.


    Yet, if he didn''t go to the fight, there wouldn''t be anything for everyone to watch.


    "Right, if Link leaves, no one will compete with me for the food. It''s all mine then," Selena said, her plump little round face beaming with happiness and satisfaction as she looked at all the delicious food on the table.


    "Eat less, or you''ll turn into a big fat girl." Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mind your own business!" Selena retorted with a roll of her eyes, pouting her shiny lips. "I dance every day, how could I get fat? You''re the one who needs to be careful. The papers are all saying you''ve been running around and haven''t had time to train. Your strength has declined drastically. Be careful you don''t get turned into a pig''s head."


    Catherine and Mrs. Mandy looked at him with concern. He had indeed spent much less time on boxing training in the past six months. They heard that a boxer''s strength could decline significantly if they slacked off in training, which was worrying.


    "Don''t worry, no one can defeat me. Take your time eating, I''ll be right back," Link reassured them.


    He hugged Taylor and ruffled Selena''s hair, ignoring her protests as he strode out of the room.


    ¡ª


    Enjoy exclusive adventures from empire


    "Mr. Link Baker, I''m a reporter from the New York Post. I have a few questions to interview you about," a reporter said as Link stepped out of the business van in front of Madison Square Garden, where a huge throng of reporters circled around him. There were about a couple of hundred people with microphones, cameras, and recorders. Beyond them were thousands of spectators lining up at the entrance.


    A few bodyguards saw the reporters approaching and formed a human wall on either side of Link.


    "Mr. Baker, how confident are you about this match?"


    "Mr. Baker, your first rap song reached number one in the rap category, what are your feelings about this?"


    "Mr. Baker, you broke three world records at the Collegiate Athletic Meet. Will you continue to compete in the World Swimming Championships in July?"


    As Link had been in closed training and had not made any public appearances or accepted media interviews during this period, reporters now had many questions for him. As soon as they saw him, they bombarded him with questions.


    Link glanced at the crowd and noticed several reporters from major media outlets. He stopped and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet. Due to time constraints, I can only answer five questions here. For any other questions, I will hold a press conference after the match and address your concerns."


    "Mr. Baker, in your past 11 super middleweight bouts, you''ve ended all fights within 101 seconds. In this upcoming match, do you still plan to stick to your original tactic and finish the fight in 100 seconds?"


    A journalist from USA Today asked while holding a recording pen.


    Link couldn''t help but smile. In the WBA championship challenge match last October, he had defeated Mikkel Kessler in 100.6 seconds.


    After the match, the media had a long discussion over whether ''100.6 seconds'' belonged to 100 or 101 seconds.


    This answer was crucial to whether Link was a ''talker'' or not. If it was 100 seconds, then he wasn''t a talker. If it was more than 100 seconds, then he would be considered a talker. The USA Today journalist clearly thought he was a talker and was waiting for him to continue talking big.


    Link said, "I set the 100-second goal initially to motivate myself to win the WBA World Championship. Now that I have achieved that and become the WBA World Champion, I can freely arrange how much time I want to take to win a match."


    "Mr. Baker, you once said you could knock out any opponent in your category within one hundred seconds. Are you giving up this plan because you have been neglecting your training, and your strength has seriously declined, making it impossible to achieve your original goal?"


    The USA Today reporter, not satisfied with the answer, insisted on following up.


    Link smiled and replied, "Sir, I don''t want to use words to explain if my strength has increased or decreased. I just want to tell you to watch the match. I will answer this question with a spectacular performance."


    "Mr. Baker!"


    A journalist from the New York Post pushed forward and said, "Congratulations on your new single reaching number one on the rap charts last week. That''s an outstanding achievement."


    "Thank you!"


    "In the third and fourth weeks after the release of your rap single, Kanye West and T.I. released new songs. Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and other East Coast rappers jointly promoted their new music, preventing your song from topping the rap charts. The media interprets their actions as a continuation of the Grammy conflicts.


    Kanye and others are also promoting new singles to suppress you without any intention of reconciling. As the person involved, how do you view this interpretation?"


    The journalist from the New York Post asked while holding a microphone.


    Link, thinking that MJ might come to watch the match, hesitated before saying, "I never thought of it as suppression. Suppression is a form of bullying by the powerful against the weak. Both my single and I are strong, and my fans are united. I don''t believe anyone can suppress us, nor do I think anyone can defeat us this way.


    Last week, ''I''m the One'' reached number one on the rap charts, proving that my statement is entirely accurate."


    "Mr. Baker, after ''I''m the One'' topped the rap charts last week, we''ve seen many comments online claiming that the song hit number one not because it''s of good quality but because you gained fame from winning eight gold medals at the athletic meet. Do you agree with this viewpoint?"


    Reporters from the New York Daily News asked.


    Link shook his head, "That''s a ridiculous comment. Fans don''t just pay for a song they like; they also pay because they like the artist, the artist''s voice, attitude, style, story, and all of that has value. We should not consider Marilyn Monroe''s necklace, which sold for a high price at Christie''s, as anything less than a beautifully crafted piece of jewelry because of its association with her."


    "Last question!" Simon reminded.


    "Mr. Baker, you once told the Miami Herald that you set yourself a tough goal before each match. Have you set yourself a difficult goal before this fight?"


    A journalist from American Express asked.


    Link nodded and said, "Yes, Ande has excellent capabilities and is a formidable opponent. So, when competing against him, I will show even greater strength and make the match fascinating, to present a classic¡ªbut that''s my goal."


    "Mr. Baker, after the Collegiate Athletic Meet, will you continue to participate in other sports events?"


    "Mr. Baker...."


    Amidst the reluctant shouts of the journalists, Link waved his hand and entered the Garden Arena for the match, escorted by bodyguards.

 Chapter 176 Ambush (Two in One)

    "Link, Andrea''s uppercuts are very cunning, be careful."Continue your saga on empire


    At the match venue, Coach Brooks warned.


    "I understand!"


    Link nodded, tore off the towel around his body, and entered the boxing ring through the left ropes.


    "Link! The king of boxing!"


    "Go Link!"


    "Link, you''re the best!"


    As he mounted the boxing stage, tens of thousands of spectators called out his name loudly.


    According to Madison Square Garden, the day before the match, all 26,000 tickets were sold out, including luxury boxes, front row VIP seats, and 20,000 general spectator seats, with an average ticket price of 280 U.S. dollars.


    According to online sources, in the black market, regular tickets for this match had been scalped to over 500 U.S. dollars, and the price of VIP seats exceeded 2,000 U.S. dollars.


    For many people, coming to watch the match on-site is a luxury consumption, even higher than the price of a concert.


    When Link ascended the stage, he noticed that in the spectator seats, there were not only people holding up his boxing posters but also many spectators shaking posters of his albums and the movie "Deep Sea Quest 2."


    This showed that his plan had succeeded. After he became a star singer and actor, some of his music and movie fans had also converted into his boxing fans, coming to watch his boxing match.


    It was a good phenomenon.


    As long as he continued to persevere, in the future, whether he participated in boxing matches, held concerts, or had movie screenings, his fans would come to support him.


    "Andrea! Go for it!"


    "Andrea, take down that pretty boy."


    Andrea''s opponent also stepped onto the boxing stage, and many people shouted his name on-site, mostly African Americans.


    Seeing this situation, Link also felt helpless.


    Although the ''Grammy Conflict'' had subsided, the label of ''racist'' forcibly imprinted on him by Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and others hadn''t been lifted, and he continued to be looked at with hostility by some of the African American boxing fans.


    However, those cheering for Andrea might also be fans of Kanye and others.


    They criticized him online, accusing him of releasing rap singles as a deliberate provocation against Kanye and the like.


    Since they did not receive a response, they probably felt aggrieved and came to attack him offline as well.


    Concerning these "black fans," Link welcomed them, as attending the match in person required buying tickets. As a star boxer, with a 15% share of the ticket sales, the more of them that came, the more he earned.


    The boxing referee stepped onto the stage, greeted the entire audience, and announced the match rules to Link and Andrea.


    When both sides indicated they had no questions, the referee swung their arm down forcefully.


    "Boxing!"


    The match began, and Andrea, showing his white teeth, extended his fist, wanting to touch gloves in greeting.


    Link lowered his right fist, ready to respond when Andrea suddenly closed the distance. The left fist used to greet him midway turned into a lightning-fast left uppercut, aiming swiftly at Link''s chin.


    "Be careful!!!"


    Coach Brooks and others below the stage shouted in alarm.


    Link was also taken aback; in amateur matches, touching gloves before the match was a standard procedure¡ªa matter of etiquette.


    In professional boxing, this etiquette was omitted; you could touch gloves or not, without strict rules.


    Link, seeing his opponent prepare to touch gloves, naturally wouldn''t ignore him; he just didn''t expect Andrea to start his attack in such a sly manner.


    But he could understand the other party''s thinking. Since his own strength was so overwhelming¡ªtop boxer Mikkel Kessler from his rank couldn''t withstand a single round against him¡ªto beat him, one would need to adopt unconventional methods.


    Like sneak attacks.


    If they could launch a successful sneak attack at the start of the match, dealing him a heavy blow, there was a great chance of taking down the match and becoming the WBA World Champion, the first person to defeat Link.


    Although this method was sly, and they would be criticized afterward, earning a label of ''malice,'' the benefits gained were tangible: U.S. dollars, fame, and so it was worth it to fight in such a way.


    Link saw his opponent suddenly change moves, and his muscles tensed instantly.


    He intended to step back, but the speed of Andrea''s uppercut was incredibly fast, as if honed by countless hours of practice; the tip of the fist turned into a crescent-like arc, lashing swiftly at his chin. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Retreating was too late.


    Link, with lightning-fast reflexes, tilted his head.


    He watched as his opponent''s fist grazed the side of his face, passing by his left ear.


    Bam!


    Andrea followed with a right straight punch to his chest.


    This was a heavy cannon punch, with a force not less than a thousand pounds, causing Link to unavoidably step backward.


    "Wow!"


    Seeing that at the start of the match, the challenger Andrea was able to hit Link and even push him back, the audience couldn''t help but exclaim in surprise.


    "Good job, Andrea!"


    "Andrea, another punch, take down Link."


    "Andrea, world boxing champion."


    Many African American spectators stood up and shouted loudly, even giving Link a thumbs-down, hissing at him.


    "Well done!"


    In Brooklyn''s 34th Street Black Gold Music Club, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and others watched the live broadcast on television. Seeing Andrea pushing Link back with a punch, they too shouted excitedly.


    Originally, they were Tyson''s boxing fans. After Tyson''s retirement, they followed various African American boxers, including Lennox Lewis, Holyfield, Roy Jones Jr., Mayweather, Jermain Taylor, and others.


    Unfortunately, some of the former had retired or aged and lost much of their strength. Jermain Taylor was defeated by Link, and Mayweather was in a lower weight class, unable to help them defeat Link and seek retribution.

 Chapter 176 Ambush (Two in One)_2

    ```Seeing Andrei Rer push back Link, they felt thrilled, eagerly anticipating Andrei defeating Link in the upcoming match and snatching away his WBA world champion title. If he truly could, that would be amazing.


    "Link, fight on!"


    "King Link!"


    "Link, you''re the best."


    As the haters loudly cheered for Andrei Rer, Link''s fans and followers also started shouting out, outnumbering the former. In the audience of 26,000, more than half were there for him.


    So when his boxing fans shouted together, their enormous voices easily drowned out the haters'' cheers.


    "Tch! Is this all the world champion''s got?"


    In the ring, Andrei Rer disdainfully said.


    Link glanced at him, not wasting words, and moved swiftly, closing in on his opponent and swinging his fists towards Andrei''s head.


    Andrei was three centimeters shorter than Link, but his muscles were bulkier by a whole size, his deltoids looking larger than his head, and the muscles in his arms were incredibly solid.


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    As Link threw punches, Andrei immediately raised his fists to guard his head.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    One punch, two punches, three punches¡ªLink continuously hammered away, his fists striking Andrei''s arm defense.


    Normally he could have mixed it up with head-body, head-body tactics, striking high then low, then high again, but he didn''t. He directed all his attacks towards Andrei''s head with a barrage of assaults, set on breaking through Andrei''s arm defense to hit his head.


    Andrei got a scare from Link''s massive punches, feeling as if someone was hammering his arms with a wooden mallet, ferociously and fiercely.


    This made him almost want to lower his arms, but he couldn''t.


    Once lowered, his head would be hit.


    So he kept fighting and retreating, trying to widen the distance between him and Link to keep from being taken down.


    But to his surprise, Link''s speed was far too quick, his footwork remarkably agile, and the coordination between his fists and footwork was extremely close. No matter how Andrei retreated, Link could quickly catch up and continue to hammer away at his arm defense.


    "Link, keep it up!"


    "Link, hit hard! Take him down!"


    "Link, that''s the way!"


    The live audience watched Link flail away with his fists, pounding Andrei continuously without letting him run away. He would quickly stick to Andrei and carry on the ferocious attack on his arm defense, punch after punch, not giving his opponent a chance to breathe.


    The spectators could hardly catch their breath either, thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.


    Many stood up, imitating Link by punching the air and roaring loudly.


    "Andrei, hold on!"


    "Andrei, counterattack!"


    Both live and at home, Andrei''s supporters were shouting anxiously.


    Under Link''s aggressive onslaught, Andrei was left breathless with no place to dodge. He could only retreat to the edge of the ring, pressing his back against the ropes and about to deploy a hugging strategy.


    But Link didn''t give him the chance, a right punch hitting Andrei''s left arm, sending him staggering and causing a huge opening in his arm defense. Following that, Link''s swing punch swept from the left, and with a loud bang, it twisted Andrei''s right arm, the punch landing squarely on his forehead.


    Andrei staggered.


    Link followed with a swift jab, striking Andrei''s left cheek.


    Bang!


    Andrei''s head jerked backwards sharply, a ripple effect appearing around his left cheekbone, his facial sweat, and the tears in his left eye, spraying like water on a drum surface.


    Pff!


    Andrei stumbled backward and sat down on the mat, then toppled over onto the ring floor.


    "Wow!"


    The tens of thousands of spectators gasped, only fifty seconds into the match, Link had launched more than eighty attacks in a row, each punch landing on his opponent and giving him no opportunity to strike back.


    During this process, Link''s offense never stopped. The crowd watched the ring with bated breath, not daring to blink, and were very cautious about breathing.


    Until just now, when his opponent had been knocked down by his two punches. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Throughout, Link showcased incredibly fast boxing speed, agile footwork, and exceedingly skilled techniques¡ªevery punch had an impact, and there was not a single second that could be neglected.


    Just like a good movie, with no dull moments.


    It was so thrilling.


    Loud applause erupted in the venue.


    Thousands more stood up, shouting out loud.


    "Link! The King!"


    "Link! The King!"


    "Andrei, come on!"


    "Andrei, get up!"


    In the ring, Link looked emotionlessly at Andrei Rer who was slowly getting up off the floor, as the referee approached and asked if he could continue the fight.


    Andrei glared furiously at Link, spitting out that he could.


    "Boxing!"


    The referee announced the continuation of the match.


    With a roar, Andrei swung his fists and took the initiative to launch a counterattack on Link, but as a power type boxer, his attack speed was slower than Link''s.


    Link focused on his opponent''s fists, moving his feet nimbly, occasionally ducking, swaying his head, and dropping his body, each time narrowly avoiding Andrei''s punches by mere millimeters.


    As he dodged Andrei''s punches, the crowd exclaimed non-stop, turning into a chorus of gasps.


    After throwing more than twenty consecutive punches and barely grazing Link''s skin a few times, not a single one of Andrei''s attacks reached him. Andrei was on the brink of rage, roaring as he charged to grab and grapple Link at close quarters.


    ```

 Chapter 176 Ambush (Two in One)_3

    Bang!As Andrea advanced, the tempo of his attack slowed unintentionally. Link spotted an opening in front of Andrea, and a fierce Right Straight Punch passed through Andrea''s fists, hitting him squarely in the face.


    The force of the punch exceeded 1200 pounds, like a metal ball hitting a basketball.


    Andrea''s face caved in around his nose in an instant.


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    Link withdrew his fist.


    Spurt!


    Blood gushed from Andrea''s nose, and he staggered back three steps involuntarily before falling backwards onto the boxing ring with a thud.


    The referee stepped forward and knelt beside Andrea, starting the countdown.


    "10,9,8,7,6..."


    Andrea, holding on to the ropes beside him, shakily stood up, but before he could take a step, he leaned against the ropes again and fell back to the ground.


    "8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Andrea Rael couldn''t get up within ten seconds.


    Link won and successfully defended his title.


    "Link has won!"


    "King Link!"


    "Link, you''re always the best."


    Link''s fans at the scene shouted excitedly, and a few fans in the second-floor audience hung up a banner that read, ''You Are The One,'' clearly his music fans.


    Link gave a slight smile and waved his fists toward the audience in all directions.


    The live camera focused on his face and broadcast his confident and handsome smile to millions of homes through satellite signals.


    "Ah, lost!"


    Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, T.I., and Drake looked at Link''s handsome face on TV with displeasure.


    "Andrea was too weak. He didn''t even last one round,"


    said 50 Cent.


    "It''s that Link is too strong. Andrea had no chance of winning against him,"


    T.I. said helplessly, spreading his hands.


    "Eh, you''re also watching Link''s match? And it''s in high definition?"


    Eminem walked in from outside and teased while looking at the big screen, "The news says Link will make a 10% PPV revenue share on this match. By paying to watch his fight, you''re essentially giving him money. Turns out you''re also fans of Link."


    The faces of Lil Wayne and others darkened immediately. According to the HBO boxing live pay-per-view pricing, a normal signal cost $69.99 US dollars, and high definition cost $79.99 US dollars. They paid $79.99 US dollars to watch this match, from which Link would receive $7.999 US dollars.


    Normally, with their multimillion-dollar fortunes, a few US dollars wouldn''t matter, but having it pointed out by Eminem like that made it feel like they indeed were throwing money at Link.


    This annoyed them even more.


    "Does it feel like a bad deal? I have a suggestion: you could invite more people to watch the replay, so you don''t feel like you''re losing out,"


    Eminem suggested jokingly, sitting on the pool table with a can of cold beer in his hand.


    "Hey, that actually makes sense,"


    said 50 Cent, touching his chin.


    "Don''t listen to his nonsense,"


    Lil Wayne rolled his eyes and asked Eminem, "Did you come here for a reason?"


    "Of course, last week you said you were going to release a single to knock down Link''s ''I''m The One.'' I advise you not to do that. Now that Link has successfully defended the Golden Belt, riding on the media hype, his single will sell even more. If you release a single now and it doesn''t beat his, that would be embarrassing,"


    Eminem pointed out.


    Lil Wayne frowned and touched his dreadlocks, "So we just let Link''s single stay at number one on the rap chart?"


    If they ignored Link''s rap single after its release and let it climb to number one on the chart, it wouldn''t have mattered.


    But with media promotion, everyone in the industry knew that the East Coast rap was joining forces against Link, and many wanted to see the results.


    If they did nothing and let ''I''m The One'' stay at number one on the singles chart, it would be as if they admitted defeat. Not only would it embarrass them, but it would also disappoint their fans.


    So now they were in a difficult position.


    "We''ve already lost, so admitting defeat isn''t a big deal. Just before the match, Link had an interview with the media, and a reporter said you were deliberately suppressing him. Link didn''t take the opportunity to retaliate. He said it wasn''t suppression but normal competition, implying a willingness to reconcile."


    "I suggest you take this opportunity to agree with that statement, tell the reporters you also like ''I''m The One,'' that you''re fans of Link, and maybe you could even gain his friendship,"


    Eminem advised.


    "Are you joking? Now it''s not just us who have issues with Link, but fans online and at the match are attacking him too. If we suddenly declare we are fans of Link now, what will the fans think?"


    Lil Wayne said, grinning.


    50 Cent, T.I., and others nodded. Their fans were still fighting, and if they made peace with Link first, those fans might well turn against them.


    "What are you talking about?"


    Kanye West walked in from the door.


    The faces of Eminem and the others changed. If it hadn''t been for their quick escape last time, Kanye might have shot them.


    "Quick! Turn off the TV!"


    Lil Wayne quickly said.


    Seeing Link win on the boxing ring on TV would undoubtedly depress or agitate Kanye again and prompt another bout of destruction, costing their club hundreds of thousands of dollars.


    Bang!


    Eminem forcefully smashed his beer can against the screen, and crack¡ªthe screen went dark.


    Lil Wayne glared at him angrily; the new high-definition TV had been ruined again.

 Chapter 177 Open Conflict (4/10 bonus chapters for alliance leader)

    After the match ended, Link returned to his Jacksonville apartment, where the spicy chicken wings on the table were still hot."Uh! How did you get back so quickly?"


    Selena and Taylor, along with Catherine, Mrs. Mandy, and Mrs. Andrea, watched in surprise as Link sat on the carpet, burying his head in eating, while his post-match interview was still playing on the TV.


    Link had expressed his gratitude to all the boxing fans, music fans, and movie fans, and even handed out a hundred signed CDs and 200 signed posters on the spot to thank his fans.


    They were just discussing whether Link had more boxing fans or music fans when Link suddenly opened the door, came in from outside, and without saying much, sat on the floor and started eating.


    It felt like he had just jumped out of the TV.


    Link chewed on the spicy chicken wings and said with a smile to the stunned group, "I thought about the delicious food at home and didn''t stay any longer. I left the work to Anna and Simon and the others and came back."


    "You came back so early just to eat?"


    Selena pouted, looking at him discontentedly.


    The match had been too tense and she hadn''t had a chance to eat anything. She had planned to eat after the match was over, but who would have expected Link to come back early? With Link, the big eater there, her little stomach couldn''t compete.


    Today, the food on the table was going to be eaten by him.


    Selena didn''t dare to say much else and snatched the chicken wings; stuffing her small mouth full, she suddenly found that the snatched chicken wings seemed even more delicious.


    Link chuckled and shook his head: even with her small capacity, she was trying to compete with him for food, completely overestimating herself. He picked up a big box of Boston baked shrimp and started eating.


    "Look at you two, what a sight."


    Taylor teased, sitting between them.


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    "Eat slowly, if it''s not enough, we''ll make more."


    Catherine and the others couldn''t help laughing upon seeing the two of them haggling over the food.


    The WBA Super Middleweight World Championship challenge match was over.


    In this match, there was big news.


    Media captured an audience member who appeared to be MJ leaving the VIP area after the match. Paparazzi managed to snap a profile shot of him.


    But this news has not yet been confirmed by MJ''s side, and it is currently just speculation.


    Additionally, the income from this match for Link had become a focus of media reports.


    According to reliable information, Link''s appearance fee was two million, 15% of the gate receipts, and 10% of the PPV shares. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The gate receipts from this match reached more than 6.7 million, and Link was able to take nearly one million US dollars from this income.


    As for the PPV share, according to Nielsen Data Consulting''s report, the live PPV sold 1.03 million units, including 650,000 regular signals and 380,000 HD signals, averaging 75 US dollars per unit.


    The total PPV revenue was over 77 million, and Link could take 7.7 million US dollars from it.


    Therefore, his income from this match was about 10.7 million US dollars.


    The match lasted a total of 119 seconds, which means on average, he earned 100,000 US dollars per second.


    Although still some distance from the earnings of top boxers like Mayweather and Hoyle, this match was merely a championship challenge, and his opponent was Andre Rael, who had not many fans.


    "American Express" commented that if the match had been against a boxing champion, such as WBO champion Andre Ward or WBC champion Carl Froch, the prize money had a very good chance of exceeding 30 million.


    If it were with top boxers like Mayweather or Hoyle, there was a very good chance of surpassing the 100 million prize money record set by Hoyle and Pacquiao on December 7th of the previous year.


    "American Express" and other media outlets also reported on a match within the year between Link and former Light Heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr., indicating anticipation for their upcoming bout.


    In addition, Link taking 119 seconds to defeat his opponent in this match also stirred quite a bit of controversy in the media.


    Last year, he defeated 11 boxers in the same weight class, using at most 119 seconds, but in the bout against Andre Rael, he also took 119 seconds, and the media generally believed that Andre Rael''s overall strength was not as good as Mikkel Kessler''s, nor was it on par with Jean Pascal''s.


    Yet, he took 119 seconds to defeat Andre Rael.


    There was only one truth: he had regressed.


    "Chicago Tribune" commented that after defeating Tyson last year, Link seemed to have gone down the wrong path; he started making movies, releasing albums, doing advertisements, going to college, venturing into many unfamiliar fields, wasting too much time on several unimportant part-time jobs, neglecting his training, which was the main reason for the decline in his strength.


    "Chicago Tribune" and many other media outlets suggested that he focus on boxing training and not take on so many side jobs. They believed if he could persist, his future achievements wouldn''t be much less than those of Tyson, Mayweather, or Hoyle, nor would the money he made.


    However, some media defended Link.


    Doug Fisher, the editor-in-chief of "Boxing" magazine, commented that Link had showcased more exquisite boxing skills and a more stable boxing style in this match than last year.


    In this match, Link did not rush to end it but enjoyed the process; he attacked his opponent''s solid defense with a high frequency of jabs, a direct hard-hitting approach without any fancy moves, which enhanced the spectacle of the match and made it more exciting than last year''s.


    Doug Fisher stated that not only had Link not regressed in strength, but he had also become more unfathomable and would be a formidable opponent for several Super Middleweight champions and Light Heavyweight boxers to face in the future.


    "KO," "The Ring," "World Boxing," and other boxing magazines also thought the match was more exciting than several of last year''s and mentioned that if Link''s opponent had been stronger, it could have been even more spectacular and possibly become a classic.

 Chapter 177 Open Conflict (4/10 bonus chapters for alliance leader) - Part 2

    Several magazines revealed that De La Hoya''s side is in talks with Link''s agency, and there might be a match between the two at the end of this year or next year.Since the owner of these boxing magazines is De La Hoya himself, the editors do not joke about their boss, thus the authenticity of this news is very high.


    Following the news of De La Hoya''s upcoming battle with Link, a heated discussion erupted in the boxing world, with many eager to see who is stronger, ''Flash'' De La Hoya vs ''Superman'' Link.


    The nickname ''Superman'' was given to Link by the media after he won eight swimming gold medals, proclaiming him a world champion in both swimming and boxing, indeed a ''Superman''.


    Franco and Simon found this nickname better-sounding than ''Anesthetist'', ''Miami Boxing Prince'', ''Big Devil'', or ''Butcher'', and thus unified Link''s nickname to ''Superman'' in all media PR.


    Furthermore, using the boxing match for promotion caused a merging of his boxing and music fans, and "I''m The One" achieved a download amount of 72,000 on the day of the competition, and by the sixth week, weekly downloads were 142,000, slightly below the previous week yet still firmly in first place on the rap chart.


    "I''m The One" stayed at the top of the rap chart for two consecutive weeks, causing quite a controversy in the music industry. As a rap newcomer, it was not surprising for Link''s first single to hit number one, but to stay there for two consecutive weeks was indeed a new record.


    Link''s fans were thrilled, gathering on his personal fan website to celebrate wildly, even planning to raise funds for promotions on Times Square and various major media outlets to stay at the top longer.


    Just as the fans were popping champagne to celebrate, Beyonce''s husband, top rap artist Jay-Z, announced the release of his single "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)".


    Before releasing the song, Jay-Z revealed to the media that his 11th studio album "The Blueprint 3" was set to release in July, and "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" was one of the promotional singles.


    The release date of the single was set at the beginning of the year mainly to promote the 11th album, with no other intentions, so please do not misunderstand.


    Despite Jay-Z''s explanation, the media and fans still believed that Jay-Z''s sudden release was merely to stop Link''s "I''m The One" from staying at number one on the rap chart and to regain some face for the East Coast rap clique.


    Since Jay-Z is an old-timer in the music industry, a top-tier influencer with more fans than Kanye and one of the most influential figures in rap,


    he also boasts significant business achievements.


    He founded two record companies, owns a brand clothing company valued over a hundred million dollars, and is the owner of a 40/40 Club restaurant chain. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A major shareholder in the famous cosmetic brand "Carol''s Daughter," a shareholder in the NBA Brooklyn Nets, and Aston Villa Football Club, his fortune amounts to several hundred million US Dollars.


    In April last year, he and Beyonce were married in New York, becoming the first couple in the music industry with combined assets exceeding one billion US Dollars.


    Following the release of his single, over a hundred singers including Beyonce, Kanye, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Rihanna, Katy Perry,


    along with Oscar Best Actor winners like Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Forest Whitaker, and other famous actors, all recommended it.


    The first day release saw a staggering 800,000 downloads, accumulating to 1,824,000 downloads in the first week.


    With an overwhelming stance, it dominated both the Billboard singles chart and the rap chart at number one.


    The second-place "I''m The One" on the rap chart managed only a pitiful 129,000 copies, merely a fraction of the other''s total.


    This single thus became the most downloaded and played song on the US Billboard Hot 100 since the last 17 years.


    Jay-Z also became the male singer with the highest single download figures in history.


    Upon seeing these results, many media outlets expressed shock.


    On one hand, they were amazed at these numbers, noting that, regardless of the song''s quality, its download figures surpassed many classic songs.


    On the other hand, they admired Jay-Z''s influence.


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    Jay-Z initially was a member of a Brooklyn gang, began dealing drugs in the early ''80s under the influence of his peers, survived three shooting incidents, entered the rap scene in the ''90s, and became a renowned hip-hop artist.


    He initially planned to deal drugs while making music, but eventually found that making music was not only more profitable but also less dangerous.


    In the mid-nineties, he gave up his extensive drug trafficking business to become a rap star and business magnate, and last year he even married the pop princess Beyonce.


    His experience could indeed be called legendary.


    The media considered Jay-Z to have become the leading figure in hip-hop rap music, and the support from hundreds of celebrities for this song after its release proved this point.


    At the same time, the media also expressed concern about this situation.


    Despite Jay-Z announcing through his company before releasing the single that the release time had been set long ago to promote his eleventh album, fans thought his intention was to suppress Link''s single.


    After "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" topped the charts, his fans went to Link''s Twitter and fan sites to boast, posting comparisons of the download count of the two singles.


    "I''m The One" had fewer total downloads in seven weeks than "D.O.A." had in one week, mocking Link as completely defeated and telling him to quit the rap industry sooner rather than later.


    The media thought that this could negatively impact the music industry, potentially leading to division and even greater danger.


    Some media commentators suggested that Link should quit the rap industry and not release any more rap songs, as it could agitate the sensitive nerves of East Coast rappers and their fans.


    The media''s suggestion was reasoned and well-founded.


    The argument was that rap music is the music of African Americans, akin to folk music, and its global popularity is thanks to African American artists, making it clearly inappropriate for Link, an "unwelcome" outsider, to try to share in the rap scene.


    Before Link''s music representatives could respond, magazines and newspapers such as Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, Billboard, and The New York Times took the lead in strongly refuting this notion.


    Rolling Stone magazine commented that music belongs to all of humanity as a shared treasure and absolutely should not be divided by demographics, calling such division extremely dangerous.


    Rap music is not just African music; at its inception, it blended elements of pop, rock, rhythm and blues, and funk, and did not simply appear out of nowhere.


    Everyone should be able to participate in its creation and interpretation without any restrictions.


    Multiple media outlets also urged fans of both sides to show restraint and not continue to diverge on this issue, to prevent deepening conflicts.


    Link also felt helpless about the situation.


    In April, he released a rap song just intending to earn more money and attract some African American fans.


    Before releasing the song, he had even given a heads-up to people like Kanye, but, contrary to expectations, he didn''t attract any fans; instead, he inadvertently gained millions of detractors.


    "With 1.824 million downloads in a week, Jay-Z is really impressive,"


    Link said enviously while looking at Billboard magazine.


    "Boss, the fans'' comments online are too harsh, should we strike back?"


    Ms. Anna asked.


    Link found the words somewhat familiar and shook his head.


    "With a weekly download of 1.82 million, what can we counter with? Words are useless, and as for actions? No matter how hard I try, I can''t compete with those guys; they have the support of hundreds of top celebrities and actors on their side."


    Link looked enviously at the long list; it had too many top figures, and even if he produced another top-notch rap song, even if he got the past 43 presidents of the United States to endorse it, he probably still couldn''t win.


    He thought about tweeting that he felt wronged and seeking comfort from his comrades to see how many would still support him at this time.


    Thinking it over, he decided against it, partly because he didn''t want to put anyone in a difficult position or make future interactions awkward and partly because he was worried that if no comrades came forward, it would be exceedingly embarrassing.


    At this time, remaining silent and letting himself appear as the weaker party could instead garner the support of the mainstream media.

 Chapter 178 Covert Fight (Additional 5/10 for Alliance Leader)

    Leaving the office, Link arrived at the music studio, which was actually not far from the company, both located on Manhattan''s 6th Avenue, about three kilometers away, a twenty-minute walk or just a few minutes by subway.When he arrived at the studio, Mars, Wiz Khalifa, B.O.B Bobby, Phillip, Ali, and Lana were all there.


    Inside the studio, there were not only recording rooms and soundtrack rooms, but also lounges and bars; they were all smoking and drinking in the bar area, making the air smoky.


    However, Link knew this was the style of musicians, and he didn''t stop them. Prohibiting them from smoking and drinking would be like restricting freedom, and generally, no one would want to work with such a company.


    Link had only one rule, no drugs or firearms were allowed inside the studio, and anyone who disagreed could terminate their contract early.


    He remembered news stories of Mars and Wiz getting caught by the police for hiding drugs and taking drugs, which were then exposed by the media.


    "Link, want a drink?"


    Wiz, sporting three dirty braids, was dressed in T-shirt and jeans. A cigarette was clamped in his left hand and his right hand held a glass of golden whiskey, looking every bit the seasoned smoker at just 22.


    Wiz was not officially with Link Music, but Link had invited him, and Wiz agreed to sign a two-record deal with Link Music.


    B.o.B Bobby was the same. Link remembered he was one of the original singers of "Nothin'' On You", so he spent a million US dollars to temporarily transfer him from Atlantic Records, inviting him to participate in the production of Mars'' new album.


    "No thanks! I start hitting people after I drink, and you guys better not let me near any alcohol."


    Link joked.


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    "Definitely can''t let you drink then, even if all of us teamed up, we wouldn''t be able to handle you."


    Wiz joked back.


    Lana handed him a bottle of pure water with a smile, "Boss, you suddenly showed up, any instructions?"


    Link glanced at her, Lana seldom wore skirts in the studio, sticking to her usual attire of jeans and artistic t-shirts, though her makeup was not as heavy as before.


    "Lana, I''ve told you, call me by name. Calling me boss makes me feel like an ugly capitalist."


    Link shook his head as he spoke.


    Everyone burst into laughter.


    Lana smiled and said, "Link, I call you boss out of respect. You''re so talented, your skills are like, max level. You''re like an idol to me."


    "No need for respect, don''t forget you''re a few years older than me." Link chuckled.


    Lana huffed in dissatisfaction, "A girl''s age is a secret, okay?"


    Link gave a gentle smile and looked towards Mars, "Bruno, how''s the recording of the rap singles going?"


    Lately, they had been recording "Lighters", as well as redoing a few songs from Mars'' player and a few rap songs written by Link. Mars, Wiz, and B.o.B were collaborating on Mars'' album, planned for release by the end of the year.


    Mars scratched his afro, still feeling a bit uneasy, "Those songs of mine, it''s the second time recording them, it went pretty smoothly. They were recorded over the past few days, we''re currently arranging ''No Problem''."


    Link nodded; "No Problem" was a single he had written for Mars and the others to collaborate on.


    Since those singles had such chaotic and numerous rap lyrics, and he couldn''t remember everything, he just filled in based on his own experiences while writing them.


    After handing them to Mars and the others, they revised "Lighters" and "I''m The One".


    "I''m The One" originally was a single by Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, Usher, and others in 2017, which topped the Billboard 100 for two consecutive weeks.


    After the revisions by him, Graham, and Mars, it only reached number one on the rap chart, and its highest position on the singles chart was third, indicating there was something lacking in their revisions.


    "Link, you''re not planning to release a song now, and use our collaboration to go head-to-head with Jay-Z and them, are you?"


    Wiz Khalifa asked.


    Wiz was associated with West Coast rap. The rivalry between East Coast and West Coast rap, stemming from the deaths of Tupac and B.I.G, still hadn''t settled down. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tupac was born in New York, moved to Los Angeles in his teens, and by his exceptional talent became the leader of West Coast rap, strongly rising to the top of the rap world and even dated Madonna for two years.


    B.I.G was from New York, gained fame later than Tupac, releasing his first rap album in 1994 to platinum sales, breaking the monopoly of West Coast rap and was hailed as the "East Coast Hip Hop Savior".


    By 95/96, Tupac was the first to attack B.I.G and others in the media, leading to the explosive ''rap war'' between East and West Coasts.


    Their fans were severely divided, often resulting in bloody conflicts.


    In 1996, Tupac was murdered in a Las Vegas car, and police investigations linked the shooter to B.I.G, which also led to the murder of B.I.G in a car in 1997, and the location was West Coast''s Los Angeles.


    Snoop Dogg was Tupac''s close friend, Jay-Z was a classmate of B.I.G and also B.I.G''s prot¨¦g¨¦.


    After the deaths of the top rappers from both coasts, the East and West coast rappers continued to view each other hostilities, rarely collaborating.


    Wiz, being a friend of Snoop Dogg, naturally didn''t mind collaborating with Link.


    However, the East Coast rap scene was extremely strong at the time, with too many top artists like Jay-Z, Kanye, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and others.


    On the West Coast, only Snoop Dogg was somewhat famous, and the others, including Link, were no match for the East Coast.


    At this time, a direct confrontation with the East Coast had no chance of success.


    Link shook his head. He had no intention of getting involved in the East Coast-West Coast conflict, nor did he want to compete with Jay-Z and others at this time.


    "I was just wondering, after we finish recording, why don''t we release ''Lighters'' first and see how the fans react? It could also serve as a warm-up for Mars''s new album."


    Link said.


    "Boss, when should we release it?"


    Mars asked.


    Link looked at him helplessly. He had repeatedly emphasized that they should call him by his name, but the two of them still couldn''t break the habit.


    "The rap scene is a bit chaotic these next two weeks, so let''s wait another two weeks,"


    Link thought for a moment and said.


    "Boss, I think releasing it now wouldn''t be a problem. The rap charts are all top artists now, Jay-Z, Kanye, you, Wiz, Eminem, T.I., Drake, and Bobby and I are newcomers. Releasing a single now might not make the charts,"


    Mars said.


    "Bruno, you should be more confident. ''Lighters'' is a great song, the boss''s lyrics and music are amazing, and your collaboration with Bobby is great too. The likelihood of it charting after release is very high,"


    Lana said, looking at Link and smiling, "Link, if we back down now, won''t it seem too weak? You are the world champion boxer, even Tyson couldn''t beat you."


    Link shook his head, "Even the fiercest boxer can''t dodge a bullet, it''s better to be cautious. We are in New York, and they have more fans here."


    "Link is right. We are all newcomers in the music industry with shallow foundations. It''s not worth it to conflict with them, and it''s easy to be labeled as racists,"


    Mr. Graham said from the doorway.


    Link also had this in mind, and after thinking for a while, he said to Ms. Anna:


    "Leak some news to the media that we had originally planned to release our second rap single this week. Given the current mess, releasing now could lead to misunderstandings. For the bigger picture, our company has decided to delay the new single until mid-June."


    "Link, is this really necessary? People might really think you''re weak. Aren''t you worried about your fans protesting?"


    Wiz Khalifa, sitting with his legs on the coffee table and blowing smoke rings, laughed.


    "It''s okay! Since we''ve already lost, losing a bit of face doesn''t matter. Besides, as an artist, strength is most important; with good songs, there''s no need to worry about lack of fan support."


    "Boss, I think you''re right, I support you,"


    Lana said with a twinkle in her eye and a smile.


    "Thank you!"


    Link gave a gentle smile and clinked his water bottle with hers.


    Mars and the others also expressed their support for his decision.


    That day, Link Music stated through the media that they did not want to conflict with East Coast rappers, so they had postponed their plan to release the second rap single this week to mid-month.


    During the statement, Link Music detailed the creative journey of ''Lighters,'' a rap song Link created in March.


    Eminem was involved in writing and revising the lyrics.


    The original plan was for Link and Eminem to collaborate, but for some reason, the two sides did not reach an agreement.


    It has now been given to newly signed artist Bruno Mars and rapper B.O.B to collaborate, emphasizing that Mars was recommended by Eminem.


    The release is planned for June 15.


    After Link Music conceded, fans of Jay-Z, Kanye, and others were thrilled, popping champagne on Link''s Twitter and fan sites, mocking him as the ''soft egg boxer.''


    Still, many haters were dissatisfied.


    They believed that ''Lighters,'' being sung by two newcomers, would not affect ''D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)'' maintaining its number-one spot on the rap charts, even if released now.


    Link Music was accused of using this opportunity to promote the single, sparking curiosity among fans, still aiming to compete with Jay-Z, Kanye, and the others.


    If they truly had no intentions of competing, they should have postponed it by a few more months, possibly until next year, or not release it at all.

 Chapter 179 Public Relations (Additional 6/10 for Alliance Leader)

    "Isn''t this going a bit too far?"In Brooklyn, inside the Black Gold Music Club, Eminem looked at Kanye and the others and said, "Link has already compromised, so stop targeting him. Continuing this strife is bad for everyone; don''t forget the rap feud of the nineties, which ended with huge losses on both sides."


    "Em, do you call that a compromise from Link? The fans are right, they''re just promoting their single and piggybacking off your fame. Are you okay with that?"


    50 Cent asked.


    Eminem shrugged. "The facts spoken by Link''s side are true, this song was originally a collaboration between him and me. Now that he''s stepped back voluntarily and let me recommend someone else for the song, that''s considerate enough.


    They intentionally mentioned in the statement that Mars was recommended by me to avoid dragging me into it, which was entirely well-intentioned. I don''t mind being mentioned by them.


    Besides, the fans are right; this song is a collaboration between Mars and Bobby. Those two newcomers won''t affect the chart rankings, so what exactly are you worried about?"


    Dreadlock-sporting Lil Wayne stood in front of the turntable, holding a microphone and said, "Em, things are different now. It''s the fans targeting Link, not us. We can''t stop them."


    Eminem shook his head. "I''ve said it before, reconciling with Link''s side is easy. All you need to do is publicly express that you like Link''s songs or that you are fans of his martial artist persona, and your fans won''t target him anymore. The discord between the fans of both sides will cease as well."


    "Em, are you joking? If we say we like Link''s songs, once the fans know, they''ll call us wimps."


    T.I. kept shaking his head; for rap artists, face is very important as it can affect sales of their next album.


    Lil Wayne continued into the microphone, "Also, Em, you forgot someone."


    "Who? Can you stop holding that damn microphone when you speak? We''re not deaf," Eminem said, digging at his ear.


    Lil Wayne shrugged and put down the mic, "Wiz Khalifa. He''s West Coast rap, Snoop Dogg''s prot¨¦g¨¦. After Tupac died, it''s rare for West Coast rappers to top the rap charts.


    His collaboration with Link being number one on the rap chart for two consecutive weeks is like urinating on the heads of us East Coast rappers. Even if we agree, would the fans?" Jay-Z, who initially recommended Kanye and T.I.''s new song, chose to release his own track early last week, partly for this reason."


    50 Cent said, "Link, a pop singer, is deliberately releasing rap songs after clashing with us, which is a provocation. Knowing our conflict with West Coast rap, he still intentionally collaborated with a West Coast rapper. That''s a double provocation. We''re right to hit back."


    Upon hearing their explanations, Eminem realized that the situation had become even more complicated. It wasn''t just a feud between Link and Kanye and a few others, it had also escalated into an East Coast versus West Coast issue.


    The entanglement of these two conflicts made the situation even more serious.


    Eminem felt helpless, "Originally, you guys wouldn''t let me work with Link, and he had no choice but to collaborate with West Coast rap. So how has it become his fault now?"


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    "Em, it''s pointless to discuss who''s right or wrong now. The war has started, and we can only keep winning,"


    Dreadlock-sporting Lil Wayne said as he picked up the mic, clenching his fist.


    "Lil, well said!"


    50 Cent, T.I., Drake, and others shouted, waving their fists.


    Eminem felt that this group was getting more dangerous. He looked at Kanye West, who looked dejected. This guy was the backbone of East Coast rap, with both parents being university professors and having studied in Huaxia. He was one of the few among them from an educated family.


    "Kanye, you should also know that we can''t let the situation get worse. Shouldn''t you step forward and do something?" Eminem asked.


    Kanye frowned and asked, "Do what? That bastard Link first leveraged off my fame, and now he''s leveraging off yours. It''s despicable. I advise you to stay away from him."


    Eminem said helplessly, "Can we not bring up piggybacking off fame? Link is a sports star and a popular singer with international fame far greater than ours. Does he need to piggyback off our fame?"


    "That''s also because he piggybacked off mine. At the beginning of the year when he released his album, he was just a nobody. If he hadn''t deliberately had a beef with me, creating a lot of big news, who would know of a little singer named Link?"


    Kanye said with a dark expression.


    Eminem covered his face, feeling that this guy was impossible to communicate with. He looked at Kanye, Lil Wayne, and the others and shrugged his shoulders.


    "Whatever you want, I''m done. I''m going back to the recording studio to record songs. I''ll be busy for the next two months and won''t be answering calls. Don''t bother inviting me for drinks either."


    Having said that, Eminem waved his hand and left.


    Lil Wayne watched him go and shook his head, "Em is white, his heart is still biased towards Link."


    "Shut up!"


    Kanye yelled, "Damn it, put that f*cking microphone down, and Em is our friend, so stop talking behind his back like he isn''t."


    Lil shrugged, dropped the mic and said, "I know, I was just kidding."


    "Hmph! Don''t make those kinds of jokes in the future. Originally, I didn''t have much of an issue with Link, but you ran onto the Grammy stage and made a huge fuss. When Link released his new song last time, I wasn''t planning to release mine early, but you came to me and persuaded me. Now that things have escalated this much, you hold a lot of responsibility."


    Kanye cursed with a dark expression on his face.


    Lil spread his hands and said with a bitter smile, "Kanye, you''re wronging me. That wasn''t my intention."


    "Hmph! Lately, restrain your fans. MJ''s comeback concert is about to start, can you give MJ some face?"


    Kanye glared at them all, cursed a few f*cks irritably, and left the club too.


    Lil shook his head and cursed that it was all Link''s fault.


    ¡ª


    "Link, there have been a lot of negative comments online recently, and some people want to label you a racist again. Regarding this issue, after a meeting and discussion, we''ve come up with an appropriate solution. Do you want to hear it?"


    Link was on his way to the boxing gym in the morning when he received a call from Ivanka.


    "What''s the solution?"


    Link asked. As a public figure, he didn''t want to be tagged with that label; such a label could greatly limit the development of his career.


    "We suggest you get an African American girlfriend. Considering you already have a girlfriend, we''re ready to arrange an African American model to spread rumors with you. What do you think? If you''re worried about Taylor''s opinion, I can explain it to her personally," Ivanka inquired.


    Link was stunned, "You must be joking."


    Ivanka said in an indifferent voice, "But this really is the most effective way to clear your name."


    "Sure, clear the racist label only to get a new one as a scumbag. I could reject that awful idea with my toes. Is this really the great solution you guys came up with in the meeting?" Link asked helplessly.


    There was silence on Ivanka''s side, but Link faintly heard laughter before she continued, "Okay, I just made that up on the spot. But do you have a better idea?"


    Link shook his head, "I''m an artist. It''s your job as the president to figure out a way to clear my name and build a good reputation. You''re asking me?"


    "Fine, I''ll get in touch with Dynasty Promotion Company and work on a joint PR effort to clear your name. For now, don''t make any public responses about this, and remember to bring bodyguards when you''re outside. Many fans of those rap artists are criminals, so be careful." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I understand!"


    Link glanced at Bob and Wallace in the seat in front of him.


    Bob was of Mexican descent, 45 years old, served four years in the military, six years as a police officer, and came to America ten years ago. He was Link''s driver.


    Wallace was of German descent, 42 years old, had served five years in the Marine Corps, worked twelve years in security at Golden Shield Defense Company, and now was Link''s bodyguard.


    Both men were bodyguards arranged for Link by Link Music and Dynasty Promotion, and they both had gun permits.


    In terms of safety, Link wasn''t too worried. He didn''t believe there was anyone who would try to pull off an assassination in this day and age.


    However, to avoid any accidents, he had mostly been in closed training at the boxing gym since the competition ended.


    He really wanted to know if the slowing down of his strength and speed gains was due to reduced training time, a bottleneck, or physical limitations, and whether there was a solution to the problem?


    After all, a healthy body and strong capabilities were fundamental to standing on his own and earning a living, no matter the environment.


    Becoming stronger was more important than earning hundreds of millions of US Dollars.


    He was very clear on that.

 Chapter 180 First Place

    After some defamatory remarks about Link emerged in the media, Link Music and Dynasty Promotion Company filed lawsuits against multiple media outlets and news websites, accusing them of spreading false statements and infringing on Link''s right to reputation, demanding a public apology.Meanwhile, the two companies also interviewed more than a dozen people through the media who had interactions with Link, including Latinos and African-Americans.


    Including Mario, Coach West, Morales, Coach Brooks, Manager Robinson, Tyson, Holyfield, and others, they all stated that Link was a very friendly person and definitely not a racist. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Miami Herald also reported that Link''s grandmother was an immigrant from Latin America, with darker skin, possibly having African ancestry.


    Link was startled to see this news, and quickly told Ivanka and Franco to stop investigating, as he could potentially be hyped as a little black guy. He would rather be slandered than become black.


    After a period of public relations, there were far fewer instances on the internet and media using the term "racist" to attack him.


    However, there were still some trolls online claiming that Link Music''s announcement to delay the release of a new single was because they feared it wouldn''t surpass Jay-Z''s new song, and that it was just an excuse.


    Regarding this, Link made no comment and continued his training at the boxing gym.


    "77.3KG!"


    Link looked at the number on the electronic scale, shook his head, and saw that his weight had increased slightly.


    After the matches, Selena, Catherine, and Mrs. Andrea often came by. Each visit, they brought lots of delicious food, and being a bit of a foodie himself, Link couldn''t resist tasting more than a few bites.


    For an ordinary person, a height of 188 cm and a weight of 77 kg would be just about right, not appearing too sturdy, but for ordinary people, their bodies and bellies are all filled with fat and excess water.


    For a boxer, fat and water are burdens, not only affecting the classification of weight class but also affecting the boxer''s performance in the ring, which makes it necessary to train every day to shed fat and water, keeping the body fat percentage below 10%.


    Last week, Link had his body fat measured, which was less than 6%. The weight he had gained now was all solid muscle.


    However, within the year, there were two more title unification fights, and the standard weight for a Super Middleweight boxer is under 168 pounds or 76.2 kg. Before the matches, he needed to shed one kilogram of muscle, which was a significant challenge for someone with only 6% body fat.


    Link headed back to the training area to continue lifting weights.


    Dino came over to discuss some matters during this time.


    Mario was preparing to participate in a WBC Cruiserweight internal ranking match this month, officially becoming a professional boxer.


    Dino told him that Mario also had plans to become a singer, wishing to divide his focus between boxing and singing just like him, to increase his exposure and earn more appearance fees.


    Dino asked him if this plan was feasible?


    Link listened without much expression. He had become a well-known singer in such a short time not only because of his World Champion and Olympic glories, an endless supply of great songs, a singer girlfriend, understanding of music creation, and good vocal conditions.


    More importantly, he was handsome enough to attract many female fans.


    But Mario had an average appearance and mediocre vocal abilities, showing no potential as a singer.


    "Stop daydreaming. If you have time, have Mario train more to establish a footing in boxing. Thinking about anything else is useless," Link said as he wiped his sweat.


    "Not even a slight possibility?"


    Dino was Mario''s agent and also wanted to make big US dollars like Franco Simon by following Link. In the last championship challenge, Link earned over ten million, with Dynasty Promotion getting over three million from it. The speed of making money was too fast.


    "No, you becoming a singer would be more suitable than Mario."


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    Link eyed his tattoos, which gave him the look of a rock singer.


    "Hmph!"


    Mario, frowning, came from behind the weightlifting machine and spoke discontentedly. "I can sing and dance. That ''Despacito'' video on YouTube has tens of thousands of comments from netizens praising my dance as the best and urging me to debut as a singer. This shows that I also have a market in the music industry."


    Link smiled gently. The beach version of "Despacito" on YouTube had garnered over 50 million views and become one of the top ten music videos on the site, making James, Mario, and Michael quite famous and turning them into minor Internet celebrities.


    James mentioned that Baker''s little shop was now the most famous diving shop on Miami Beach. To go diving, people had to book a week in advance, and many sought his autograph.


    Many local malls were hosting events and invited them to dance in their stores for an appearance fee of over ten thousand U.S. dollars, which was more profitable than running a shop. Michael from the surfboard shop was even considering becoming a celebrity.


    In that video, besides Link and the great beauty Eva, Mario was the most popular.


    The guy, with his big belly, danced seriously and with a confident look, causing many to burst out laughing and praising him as a clown.


    "Well, you could try it too. With some luck, you might become a big Internet celebrity too."


    "Could you write me a song?"


    Mario asked with a grin.


    Link looked at him in surprise, finally understanding the guy''s purpose for coming; his answer, of course, was a definite no. Aside from the fact that Mario couldn''t sing, even if he could, Link had no suitable song in mind.


    After seeing off a disappointed Mario, Link continued practicing with his sparring partners, Tubbs and Curry.


    The other sparring partner, Morales, was currently in North Carolina participating in the 2009 Golden Gloves tournament.


    He had successfully made it to the final round and would next face two familiar opponents, Jones Fullos and Andzeje. Whether he could win the championship was still uncertain.


    After training in the afternoon, Link took a shower in the bathroom and took out his phone from the locker. He found dozens of congratulatory messages on his phone from friends like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Emma Roberts, Wiz Khalifa, Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, and Dawn Chorus, among others.


    When these people sent messages, they simply congratulated him, saying he was incredible, with various praises.


    But none of them explained what exactly had happened.


    Ding dong!


    This time, even Taylor, who was attending a concert in Seattle, sent a message, saying excitedly, "Dear, you are so amazing, I''m proud of you."


    Link was utterly confused.


    In the past two weeks, the music scene had been rather chaotic. There were many haters on the internet using Jay-Z''s single "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" to mock him, as it had topped the charts and outsold "I''m The One." Link Music had been forced to delay the release of their single.


    He didn''t want to bother with these issues, so he just focused on training in the boxing gym and rarely went out for public events. Now, he was receiving a bunch of congratulations, but the reason was unknown.


    "What happened? I received many congratulatory texts, but no one told me why."


    "Didn''t you see the latest issue of Billboard? Your single topped the chart!"


    "''I''m The One'' topped the chart?"


    Link asked in surprise. "I''m The One" had fallen to below twenty thousand copies in sales in its eighth week since release, both in physical stores and music platforms, and it had also fallen out of the top ten rap chart. The sales potential of the song had almost exhausted.


    Even if the company spent millions more on promotion, it would be hard to break into the top fifty of the Billboard singles chart, let alone number one.


    "Not ''I''m The One,'' it''s ''Give Me Reason.'' Number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Didn''t you know? My dear, can''t you spend less time training in the boxing gym every day? You are also a singer; you should stay more informed about the industry."


    Taylor said over the phone.


    "''Give Me Reason''? Number one on the singles chart?"


    Link suddenly remembered something. "Transformers 2" had been released last Friday.


    His studio single "Give Me Reason," which had been released four weeks earlier, had not attracted much attention when released because he had dropped a music video in March. It only reached the 92nd and 96th positions on the Billboard singles chart in the first two weeks before being squeezed out.


    Was it boosted by the movie?

 Chapter 181 Conspiracy

    Link called Anna to inquire about "Transformers 2" and the single.Anna told him that "Transformers 2" had a box office of 82.95 million US Dollars on the first day of release, and after five days, in North America alone, it had taken in 210 million and 1.2 million US Dollars, becoming the second-highest in the "five-day box office record" in history, and in the overseas box office market, it also had 162 million US Dollars.


    Because the movie was recently a big hit, the theme song "Give Me Reason" matched the movie plot very well, and was jokingly referred to by the audience as the MV for the song, leading to many people going online to download the song or visiting physical stores to buy the record after watching the movie.


    In just five days, the total sales volume of this single, online and offline, reached 627,000 copies, 5,000 more than "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" in its second week of release.


    By a slim margin, it reached number one on the Billboard singles chart, becoming Link''s second number one single.


    "So that''s how it is!"


    Initially, when he and Graham discussed releasing the single just before the movie premiere, their intention was to use the movie''s popularity for promotion. He had also anticipated that the song would sell a few thousand more copies after the release of "Transformers 2," but selling 627,000 copies in a week and topping the singles chart was completely beyond his expectations.


    Anna told him that after the movie''s release, many mainstream media were actively promoting this single, believing the song''s lyrics to be positive and uplifting, deserving of extensive promotion as an anti-war and anti-discrimination anthem.


    The video he released on YouTube in March had also surpassed 20 million views, with many fans leaving messages of support, urging him not to muddle through the rap scene and to continue with pop and rock music.


    In one of the trailers released by the "Transformers 2" distributor, this song was used as a backdrop, and that particular trailer had over 5 million views on YouTube.


    Moreover, this song was of high quality and Link performed it very well.


    It was a combination of several advantages that led to "Give Me Reason" topping the singles chart.


    The fact that this song surpassed "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" to top the Billboard singles chart also stunned countless people in the industry.


    Two weeks prior, Link had been at odds with an East Coast rap collective on the rap charts and had his top spot taken away by Jay-Z''s single.


    Facing numerous attacks from haters, Link''s team was forced to compromise, announcing the postponement of the release of a new single by half a month.


    But in the blink of an eye, he quietly regained lost ground on the singles chart with a rock song, once again defeating Jay-Z.


    The result was completely unexpected.


    Many strategists, seeing this news, unanimously regarded it as Link''s ploy, claiming that Link had used many clever tactics in this battle, including misdirection, strategic retreat, feigned defeat, the Trojan horse, and the return-charge among dozens of strategies.


    These strategists called him a master of boxing tactics who had defeated strong opponents several times using clever ring strategies.


    Now he had applied these tactics to the music industry, defeating the rap scene''s top dog, New York''s rap king Jay-Z, giving the East Coast rap collectives a resounding slap in the face, which was incredibly impressive.


    Meanwhile, Jay-Z, Kanye, Lil Wayne, and their fans were all caught off guard by this sudden chart-topping single.


    Previously, upon hearing that Link''s music was delaying song releases, they privately mocked Link as a wimp for thinking he could take on the East Coast rap collective alone.


    But in just one week, the situation on Billboard changed dramatically, with Link using a pop-rock single to forcefully claim the top spot on Billboard.


    "This must be Link''s conspiracy. He first pretended to be weak, making us let our guard down, then he delivered Sneak Punch and blindsided us, truly a despicable fellow," Lil Wayne said angrily.


    Jay-Z didn''t speak, just frowned and silently smoked his cigar.


    Rihanna glanced at Jay-Z; she signed with Jay-Z''s Def Jam Recordings in 2005, becoming one of Jay-Z''s artists.


    Her current three albums were also created in collaboration with Jay-Z, Kanye, and others, helping her establish herself in the North American music scene, which also kept her in a very close relationship with the East Coast rap teams.


    However, frequently hearing Katy Perry mention Link had given her a favorable impression of him.


    Rihanna thought for a moment and said, "I think it''s a coincidence. ''Give Me Reason'' sold so many copies in its fifth week of release, and Link''s music side probably didn''t expect it either."


    "Rihanna, you''re underestimating Link," Lil Wayne shook his head and said, "Link''s music initially stated they wouldn''t compete with us for the charts, but after the release of ''Transformers 2,'' they immediately stepped up the promotion of the song, got the media to hype it up. Isn''t that competing with us for the charts? sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, the sales of the song were just enough to beat ''D.O.A.'' by 5,000 copies. That''s clearly a slap in our face. I suspect they did it on purpose. They might be hiring people to boost sales."


    The practice of boosting sales isn''t new in the music scene. There are companies engaged in such services everywhere, but it''s costly, and if exposed, it can impact the artist''s reputation. Hence, indie label artists rarely engage in this.


    Only major record companies would resort to such unconventional methods to package their artists and give them the halo of bestsellers.


    Having listened to a few of Link''s songs, Rihanna felt that from the lyrics and composition to the singing, everything was very good. He was a talented newcomer. With his many accolades and good image, it didn''t seem problematic for his album to sell that many copies.


    "Rihanna, Lil is right. Link is no good guy."


    Her ex-boyfriend Chris Brown said.


    Rihanna gave him a glance, huffed, turned her head away, and folded her arms, no longer speaking.


    "What do we do now? Continue fighting for the charts?" 50 Cent asked.


    "How to fight? It''s the Billboard Hot 100 chart number one, not a genre-specific chart champion. It''s too hard to clinch the top spot," Kanye said with a straight face.


    There are many musicians in the United States, with new works released every month. Songs that make it onto the Billboard Hot 100 have exceptional quality. The difficulty of getting on the chart is immense, let alone clinching the number one on the singles chart.


    Even a megastar like MJ had only 14 number one singles, while The Beatles, the legendary rock band, only had 20 number one singles, ranking first.


    The last time Kanye''s ''Monster'' sold 610,000 copies in its first week, it could have claimed the first spot on the singles chart, but unluckily it coincided with the Black Eyed Peas'' hit ''Boom Boom Pow,'' which reigned at number one for twelve consecutive weeks, making it impossible for other songs to rise to the top.


    It wasn''t until Jay-Z released a single and everyone supported it together that they managed to snatch the champion spot from the Black Eyed Peas, but before they could settle in, they were pulled down by Link.


    Thinking of this, Kanye suddenly widened his eyes, his face showing a look of disbelief.


    Link had only been in the industry for half a year and already had two number one singles, while he, after five years, only had four. At this rate, it wouldn''t take two years for Link to catch up with him.


    "Bastard! I won''t let you succeed," Kanye roared abruptly, kicking over the coffee table in the middle, then put on his hat and sunglasses, and without a word, stormed off angrily.


    Those around watched in astonishment, but considering Kanye''s bipolar disorder, they didn''t make too much of it.


    "Jay-Z, the track ''Forever'' that I worked on with Kanye, Eminem, and Drake is finished recording and the quality is very good. Should we release it early to compete on the charts?" Lil Wayne suggested.


    Jay-Z, puffing on a cigar, thought for a moment and said, "Let''s put a hold on the chart battle for now. We''ll talk after the MJ concert is over."


    Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and the others nodded and didn''t argue further. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire

 Chapter 182 Lighters

    "...So give me reason to prove me wrong, to wash this memory clean, let the floods cross the distance in your eyes..."In the Metropolitan movie theater, Link, holding a microphone and accompanied by the band, performed a song called "Give Me Reason."


    This was the New York premiere of "Transformers 2," and Link had been invited to sing the movie''s theme song before the film started.


    Applause!


    The performance ended to enthusiastic applause and cheers from the audience.


    Link waved his hand and went down to the front row to watch the movie, right when the ''Autobots'' and ''Decepticons'' were clashing, his phone vibrated a few times in his pocket.


    He took it out, looked at it, and hesitated for a moment, then texted Anna. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes! MJ''s family already issued the obituary, it happened at two o''clock this afternoon."


    Anna texted back.


    Link shook his head and sighed.


    He had had a premonition a few days before; originally, MJ''s concert was scheduled for early June but had been postponed twice due to MJ''s poor health. At the Lincoln Center rehearsal, only one session took place, and the rest were canceled because MJ was unable to attend.


    Though he and MJ had only met twice and were not close, the disappearance of a familiar figure from the world also filled him with a sense of melancholic solidarity.


    "Link, is the movie not good?"


    Michael Bay, director of the "Transformers" series, asked.


    "No, it''s great, the most exciting movie I''ve seen this year."


    Seeing Michael Bay''s confused look.


    Link smiled gently and shared the news of the other Michael''s death; Director Michael Bay also responded with a sigh.


    After the movie, on the streets, many electronic screens were broadcasting the news of MJ''s death in Los Angeles.


    The hospital announced that MJ had suffered a cardiac arrest at home and fell into a deep coma before being taken to the nearby University of California Los Angeles Medical Center for emergency treatment, where he later passed away after rescue efforts were unsuccessful.


    As Michael was a major figure and had many dealings, in the days following his death, there were rampant rumors all over the internet, with various speculations about his cause of death.


    Also, because of Michael''s significant influence, all the media were filled with related news, and many music industry events and concerts were postponed in the days after his death.


    Link''s second album, "Keep On Movin''," was delayed until July as well.


    "Anna, how are the sales for ''Lighters'' this week?"


    In the office, Link asked while flipping through files.


    "Lighters" was released on major digital music platforms in mid-June according to the original plan, with no extensive promotion, its first-week downloads were 75,000, ranking 74th on the Billboard singles chart and 5th on the rap chart.


    For newcomers Mars and Bobby, this was a very commendable achievement.


    "This week it sold 108,000 copies, ranked 21st on the singles chart and second on the rap chart, just 2,000 copies behind the first place ''D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)'' and 30,000 above Kanye''s third place ''Monster,''" said Ms. Anna, holding a file folder.


    "That sounds pretty good," Link said, taking a lollipop into his mouth.


    Anna looked at him and laughed, "Yes, and not only are the sales good, but the media reviews of the song are also very high. They praise this rap track for perfectly fusing funk, rhythm and blues, and rap together, creating a new rap style and changing the limitations of how people listen to music, pioneering for rap music.


    ''XXL'' magazine gave it a five-star rating, calling it one of the ten most recommended rap singles of the year."


    "Five-star rating?"


    Link was somewhat surprised; ''XXL,'' also known as double-X-L, is the most authoritative professional magazine in the rap music industry, headquartered in New York.


    Each month it reviews songs on the rap chart, giving ratings from 1 to 5 stars and featuring the best single of the month.


    Link''s own "I''m The One," and Jay-Z''s "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" had only received four-star ratings, but ''Lighters'' got five stars, which clearly showed high regard for the song and indicated its high quality.


    Given this momentum, "Lighters" could very likely hit number one on the rap chart next week.


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    Unfortunately, that afternoon, a rap single "Forever" created by Lil Wayne, Kanye, Eminem, and Drake was launched on various music digital platforms.


    Since the song was performed by three top rappers in the industry plus the rising star Drake, and because everyone knew their purpose was to stop "Lighters" from reaching the top of the rap charts,


    the song immediately garnered a lot of attention upon its release.


    Issued by Epic Records, the record company''s representatives explained to New York Daily News reporters that the song was one of the soundtracks for the biographical movie about NBA star LeBron James, "More Than a Game".


    The movie premiered in early June, and the single "forever" was originally scheduled for release then, not for the purpose of chart rivalry.


    However, few believed in such an explanation. If it wasn''t for the competition, they wouldn''t have chosen to release it just as "Lighters" was about to top the rap chart. This situation was akin to Kanye releasing "Monster" ahead of time to suppress Link''s "I''m The One".


    Despite the controversy over the release timing, it didn''t affect the song''s sales.


    "Forever" sold 237,000 downloads in its first week, successfully claiming the number one spot on the rap charts and ranked eighth on the Billboard singles chart.


    "Lighters" sold 96,000 copies in its third week, surpassing Jay-Z''s "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)", and continued to rank second.


    "Three top artists ganging up to suppress the newcomer Mars, it''s too despicable. Link, should we fight back?"


    Wiz Khalifa said indignantly in the Link music studio.


    Link flipped through the latest issue of "Billboard" magazine and shook his head, "Three top artists plus a popular newcomer, even if we collaborate on another ''I''m The One'', we still can''t beat them."


    "Link, you''re a master tactician. Last time Jay-Z''s ''D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)'' was so strong, and yet ''Give Me Reason'' managed to take the first spot. We can definitely do it again," Mars said with a beaming afro.


    Bobby, Philip, and Ali beside him all nodded in agreement.


    Link glanced at them and smiled helplessly.


    "Give Me Reason" made it to number one on the singles chart due to the traffic generated by the movie and the song''s high quality, which had nothing to do with tactics.


    But some people thought it was his tactics, otherwise, why would he announce a compromise one week, only to surge to number one the next week? Media called it "Link''s surprise counterattack", and even people from Link music believed it, leaving him with no room to explain.


    "Let''s put the chart competition on hold, MJ has just passed away, and it''s not good to stir things up too much."


    Everyone nodded.


    MJ was so famous that his death was a significant shock to both the American music scene and the world. In recent times, millions of MJ fans around the world have been holding memorial events and parades, reportedly reaching into the millions.


    MJ had also collaborated with East Coast and West Coast rappers to release two rap albums and had quite a few fans in the rap community.


    Being too high-profile at this time could attract attacks from haters.


    For instance, the recent chart rivalry actions of Kanye and Lil Wayne have encountered quite a backlash.


    As a newcomer, Link had to learn how to attract fans, win hearts, increase his supporters, and minimize the number of enemies to remain undefeated.


    After discussing for a while, they continued to talk about music creation.


    All the artists signed with Link music were songwriters. Mars could come up with all the tracks for his first album, Lana had been an underground musician for four or five years with a thick songbook,


    Wiz had worked with Warner Records in 2007 and had a hit single "Say Yeah". In September last year, he became a free agent after Warner delayed the release of his second album and opted to end his contract early.


    At Link''s invitation, Wiz agreed to have Link Music handle the production and release of his second album.


    Bobby was an Atlantic Records artist brought in by Link mainly to help produce Mars'' first and second albums.


    Link would sometimes drop by to discuss music with everyone, occasionally playing some music snippets for reference and inspiration or collaborating with them on songwriting and lyrics, but he no longer handed over complete songs to them.


    For songwriting artists, performing songs they''ve penned themselves can lead to a higher level of singing. Relying on others for songwriting is not a good habit.


    Moreover, the artists had signed contracts with Link music for multiple records, and if they were all dependent on him for songs, he couldn''t produce that many quality tracks.


    "Boss, MJ''s memorial service is set for next Tuesday," Anna called to say.


    "Alright, book me a flight," Link said after a moment''s thought.

 Chapter 183 Memorial Service

    In early July, the MJ memorial service was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.That day, more than 20,000 people attended the ceremony, including MJ''s family, friends, partners, and hundreds of cultural and sports celebrities.


    Among them were "Queen of Pop" Mariah Carey, African American singer Lionel Richie, blind musician Stevie Wonder, actress Bo Derek, NBA stars "Magic" Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Madonna, Beyonce, Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, and others.


    The weather in Los Angeles was extremely hot that day, with local temperatures exceeding 34 degrees Celsius. To prevent fires, the funeral committee conducted a small-scale artificial rainfall before the start of the memorial service.


    Link, wearing sunglasses and a dark suit, walked across the drenched plaza, surrounded by red, white, and yellow flowers, like a sea of blossoms.


    After arriving at the venue, Link laid a bouquet of flowers in front of MJ''s portrait and exchanged a few words with the director of MJ''s concerts, Kenny Ortega. As he prepared to leave, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and others came walking towards him.


    A group of black people, dressed in black suits, looked like a dark cloud as one glanced over.


    Not far away, Jay-Z, Kanye, Jamie Foxx, and others stood together, looking over in this direction.


    "Link, how about we make peace?"


    Lil Wayne stepped forward and said.


    "Oh, and how would we make peace?"


    Link stopped and quietly looked at the group.


    This week, "Forever" remained at the top of the rap chart for another consecutive week, keeping "Lighters" stuck in second place, unable to move.


    The East Coast rap collective, although saving face with this song, also faced a lot of criticism, including from the media, their rap industry peers, and rap fans.


    "The New Yorker" magazine criticized the East Coast rap collective led by ''Jay-Z and Kanye'' in last week''s music review section, accusing them of being too domineering.


    In May, Link released his first rap single "I''m The One," which shot to the top three in its first week, looking set to take the number one spot. Kanye, T.I., and others subsequently released songs, blocking Link''s new song from rising to the top.


    Later, Link took a different approach, leveraging a sports event to gain massive traffic and attention, allowing "I''m The One" to reach number one on the rap charts, with a good chance of remaining there.


    Just then, New York''s rap king Jay-Z released a new song, earning endorsements from over a hundred people in the entertainment industry and snatching Link''s top spot away.


    As a result, Link Music had to announce the postponement of its artist Bruno Mars''s new song by half a month.


    But half a month later, when Link Music released the new single "Lighters," they were again attacked by East Coast rappers and failed to reach the top spot on the rap chart.


    Compared with newcomers Link and Mars, Jay-Z, Kanye, and others are top streamers in the rap industry, having a lot of fans. They joined forces to suppress the newcomers, using tactics such as encirclement, blocking, and group assaults, which was considered unfair competition.


    "Rolling Stone" magazine commented that the East Coast rappers teaming up to suppress newcomers was petty. They were criticized for using unconventional tactics to fight for the charts and for treating the Billboard rap chart as personal turf, which was not commendable.


    "The New York Post," "Chicago Tribune," and "Los Angeles Times" newspapers also reported on the chart battle between the East Coast rap team and Link Music.


    In their articles, they detailed the origins of the conflict between the two sides, indicating that it was a continuation and worsening of the ''Grammy conflict.''


    The "Chicago Tribune" specifically mentioned MJ in its report, stating that MJ had tried to mediate the conflict between the two sides, even inviting Link and Kanye among others to attend his comeback concert, achieving a brief respite. However, the conflict reignited when Link released the rap song "I''m The One" and looked set to take the number one spot on the rap chart.


    The "Tribune" believed Link''s crossover into the rap field was the trigger for the explosion of the conflict.


    However, "The New York Post" disagreed with this assertion.


    In a recent news report, "The Post" cited insiders, revealing that Link and Kanye reached a settlement during the rehearsals for MJ''s concert with the mediation of MJ himself. At the same time, Link had shared his intention to try rap music with Kanye and others, who expressed their encouragement.


    However, after Link invited Eminem to work on the single "Lighters," Lil Wayne and others opposed the collaboration. Eminem and Link subsequently withdrew from the recording of "Lighters," leaving the song for the newcomer Bruno Mars and Atlantic Records singer Bobby to complete.


    The New York Post believed that East Coast rap never considered reconciling with Link and were trying to blacklist a very talented new rapper, Link Baker.


    Newspapers like the Los Angeles Times suggested that both parties should reconcile, especially after MJ''s death, as continuing the conflict was extremely inappropriate.


    West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg also publicly mocked Jay-Z and others in an interview, calling Jay-Z narrow-minded for thinking of himself as the king of the New York music scene, unable to accommodate others, and even suggested that Billboard should cancel the rap chart or rename it the "East Coast Self-Entertainment Rap Chart."


    Rap fans expressed disappointment at the East Coast rap''s deliberate suppression of Link''s music, especially those who liked the songs "I''m The One" and "Lighters." They commented online that they would no longer purchase any East Coast rapper''s work.


    Facing widespread skepticism, it was impossible for the East Coast rappers not to feel the pressure.


    This was probably one of the reasons why Lil Wayne and others took the initiative to come forward and propose reconciliation.


    But Link did not want to chat with Lil, 50 Cent, and a few others.


    Although these two were also top-tier in the rap world with total album sales in the top twenty, compared to Jay-Z and Kanye, they were more than just a notch below in terms of ability and influence.


    "Link, we have more fans, and continuing this fight won''t benefit you. I think you should understand that," Lil Wayne said. "As long as you admit on Twitter that you''re a fan of Jay-Z, we won''t compete with you for the charts anymore. How about that? Isn''t this request very simple?"


    Wearing his dreadlocks, Lil Wayne''s neck and face were covered in blue tattoos. He spoke with his hands in his pockets, his attitude casual and seemingly insincere.


    Link looked at him, smiled faintly, and continued walking forward.


    "Hey, you haven''t answered me yet."


    Lil Wayne tried to reach out and grab him, but Link''s bodyguards, Bobby and Wallace, stepped in from behind to block the two and reached into their pockets.


    Seeing the two men make a motion as though drawing guns, Lil Wayne and his group were startled and hastily retreated.


    In fact, Bobby and Wallace were not carrying guns, as the Los Angeles police would check with metal detectors before entry to prevent accidents.


    "Hey, man, I just wanted to talk to Link, no hard feelings. Link, what do you think of our proposal?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lil Wayne said, raising his hands and stepping back two paces.


    "It''s a great proposal, but my request is quite the opposite. As long as Jay-Z and Kanye publicly express that they like my songs and are my fans, I''ll agree to reconcile with you."


    Link stopped and said.


    "You want Jay-Z to admit he''s your fan? Are you crazy?"


    Lil and his group looked at him stunned and angry.


    Jay-Z was currently the top figure in the rap music world, worth hundreds of millions of dollars. It was impossible for Jay-Z to publicly admit he was a fan of a little pop singer; he wouldn''t do such an embarrassing thing.


    "That''s my condition, it''s up to you to accept it or not."


    Link shrugged and left the scene with Bobby and Wallace.


    "Link, you''ll regret this." Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire


    Lil Wayne snorted coldly and also took his people to report to Jay-Z.

 Chapter 184 New Script (Additional update 7/10 for Alliance Leader)

    When he stepped out of the Staples Center, the artificial rain had ended, and the crowd who came to pay tribute had put down their umbrellas, revealing faces filled with sorrow.Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    Link looked at the never-ending stream of people in front of the venue and felt some admiration for MJ. A black singer had become a world-class idol through music, captivating hundreds of millions of people around the globe and causing them to mourn his death¡ªa feat many heavyweight politicians could not achieve.


    Around the streets of the Staples Center, there were hundreds of police cars, and thousands of police officers maintaining order at every traffic juncture, with four helicopters patrolling back and forth in the sky. Besides them, numerous media reporters and paparazzi crowded the sidewalks.


    While MJ was alive, they were like wolves eyeing their prey, often prowling around him, making a living and even amassing wealth through the news they dug up from him. Now that MJ was gone, today''s memorial might be their last chance to cover him.


    "Mr. Link Baker, may we interview you?"


    "Mr. Baker, could you share your thoughts on MJ?"


    "Mr. Baker, will you continue to compete with Jay-Z and Kanye for the rap charts?"


    A large group of reporters and paparazzi, holding cameras and microphones, shouted as they spotted him.


    Link waved his hand, indicating that it was not convenient to accept an interview. This was a memorial service, and accepting interviews here might seem like he was capitalizing on the situation, something he didn''t lack.


    Once inside the car and with the air conditioning blowing, he felt much more comfortable.


    Mandy handed him a bottle of water and said, "Link, Jay-Z and his group are very strong in the music industry and have a huge influence. Our Link Music only has a few people. Shouldn''t we avoid competing with them? Wait until they''re older to deal with them. You''re only 21 now; there''s plenty of time, so there''s no need to rush."


    Link smiled lightly at her suggestion, "That''s a bit difficult. Except for Jay-Z, who is over forty, the rest are all in their twenties. By the time they get old, I''ll probably be ready to retire, so if I want to beat them, it''s better to do it while they are still powerful; the rewards will be much greater.


    Besides, it''s not that I want to compete with them; they''re too petty and don''t want to see me succeeding in rap, nor do they allow anyone from Link Music to get ahead. I am only reluctantly engaging in battle."


    "But they''ve been in the business longer than you, and there are so many of them."


    Mandy said with concern.


    "It''s okay, I have confidence."


    Link said, clenching his fist and smiling.


    During this time, many media outlets reported on the chart battles between Link Music and the East Coast rap groups.


    However, compared to the Grammy conflict in March, the media now reported with much restraint.


    They discussed only the competition in the music industry, conflicts in the rap world, and the competition between Link Music and record companies like Epic Records and Def Jam, tightly focusing the topic solely within the music circle and absolutely avoiding any issues of racial discrimination.


    It was precisely for this reason that Link dared to keep competing with Kanye and others. If the media had suggested that Link Music''s chart battle with East Coast rap was racial discrimination, he would have definitely steered clear of them.


    In addition, as media reported on the conflict between both parties, Link Music quickly established a reputation in the industry, becoming one of the most prominent new labels of the year, and a banner that attracted many musicians'' attention and recruitment. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The up-and-coming singers under the label of Link Music would also receive extra media attention.


    With this attention, when Lana, Mars, and Wiz released their records, a significant amount of promotional expenses could be saved.


    This was one of the benefits of continuing to compete with Kanye and others on the charts.


    Furthermore, in the current music scene, rock music was gradually declining, and pop, country, and hip-hop/rap were poised to become the mainstream, as well as the most profitable genres.


    The pop music field was overcrowded with competition, including major record companies like Universal, Sony, and Warner, who focused on this area. With limited funds, Link Music alone couldn''t easily make money in this segment.


    Country music had a unique style and presented high barriers to entry. Besides, Taylor was his girlfriend; no competition was needed there.


    That left rap music as a necessary domain for him to break into, and to make money in rap, he could only have two kinds of relationships with the likes of Kanye: competition or cooperation.


    Due to the exclusivity of the East Coast rap gangs, it was difficult for outsiders to integrate.


    If he had been black, cooperating with Kanye and others wouldn''t have been a problem, but he wasn''t. Moreover, due to the boxing controversy at the beginning of his career, he had drawn the enmity of Kanye, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and others.


    Therefore, he could only have a competitive relationship with the East Coast rap groups.


    Competing with the East Coast also meant receiving support and help from the West Coast rap scene, which was quite beneficial.


    Considering all these reasons, he was in no rush to seek reconciliation.


    "How is the album release coming along?"


    "It''s going smoothly. The first batch of 20,000 vinyl records, 50,000 deluxe editions, and 500,000 standard records has been delivered to distributors across the country, just waiting for the official release on shelves next Monday. Overseas, Universal Records and Atlantic Records are also ready to release on the same day."


    Mandy reported.


    Link nodded. By July, the second album "Keep On Movin''" release work was also scheduled. Thanks to the excellent sales performance of the first album "the fighter,"


    As of now, the album had sold 5.27 million copies worldwide, a five-times platinum result that made the publishers and distributors very optimistic about his second album.


    After representatives of several companies had listened to songs from the album, their confidence in it had only increased.

 Chapter 184 New Script (Additional update 7/10 for Alliance Leader)_2

    The online and offline presale activities have already started, and the presale volume reached 45,000 copies in three days, leading the weekly album presale charts. This also indicates that fans are quite looking forward to this album."Also, the concerts and autograph sessions for the new album are being arranged. There are 22 shows in July, almost one every day. Starting next week, you''ll begin to get busy."


    Ms. Mandy said with a smile, shaking a thick stack of documents in her hand.


    "A show every day? Didn''t you arrange the Berlin swimming championship?"


    Link reminded her.


    The swimming championship was to be held in Berlin, Germany, over seven days, with more than thirty events, and Link had entered eight of them.


    "I''ve arranged it; some days have two events."


    Ms. Mandy laughed.


    "Alright then!"


    Link shrugged his shoulders, knowing he would be busy for a while to come, but since he chose the path of hard work, he couldn''t expect to have any chance to slack off.


    The business van returned to Santa Monica Beach, and Link bid farewell to Ms. Mandy and the others before heading back to the villa.


    The villa was still rented; he planned to buy a villa in Beverly Hills, only he had gone shopping several times without finding a suitable one. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Was it crowded at the Staples Center?"


    Taylor, sitting on the rattan chair on the second-floor terrace, her hair in a ponytail, wearing a white tank top and blue shorts, called out from upstairs.


    "Tens of thousands of people, you should have come with me."


    Link stripped off his clothes, placing them in the basket, wearing only a pair of shorts, feeling much cooler as the wind blew over him.


    "Too many people, I didn''t want to go. Besides, I don''t like those sad scenes, seeing so many people crying makes me feel extremely uncomfortable."


    Taylor swung her legs and said.


    Link smiled lightly, as when they were about to leave earlier, Taylor had planned on going, but it was too hot to put on makeup and change clothes, so she decided against it halfway through.


    "Taylor, as a creator, you should try to expose yourself to such things to draw inspiration and material for songwriting, just like earlier, when I saw MJ''s portrait, a melody suddenly popped into my head. On the way back, I turned it into a song, a really great song."


    "Are you serious?"


    Taylor, holding onto the terrace railing, asked in surprise.


    "Of course! I never lie to you."


    Link laughed proudly and dove into the swimming pool, splashing about in the light blue water.


    "Wait! Stop swimming, come up and sing it for me; I want to hear how it goes."


    Taylor, picking up the guitar leaning against the chair, called out.


    "It''s been a long day without you, my friend, And I''ll tell you all about it when I see you again..."


    Link floated on his back in the water, kicking around while singing out loud, "Dear, how''s that?"


    Taylor hummed a few bars and asked in amazement, "Is that what you just wrote?"


    "That''s right!"


    Link said with a smile.


    Taylor pursed her lips enviously, "You knew that kind of atmosphere could stimulate creative inspiration, so why didn''t you take me with you? If you had, maybe I could''ve written a good song too."


    "I did call you, but you didn''t want to go."


    Link laughed.


    "Hmph! You are so domineering. If you had dragged me into the car, I definitely wouldn''t have resisted. Why didn''t you drag me along? That''s it, I''m going now; I want to write a song that''s better than yours."


    Taylor ran back inside to change clothes.


    "Taylor, don''t go, you were not close to MJ and without feelings, you won''t get any inspiration even if you go."


    Link called out.


    Taylor, holding up her skirt, came out from the terrace, saying as she got clothed, "But what if I do? Come on, get up and go with me."


    Link slapped his forehead, regretting his earlier boasting; it was so hot, and going out dressed would be torture.


    Luckily, before they had even left the house, Mrs. Andrea arrived, saying she needed to talk to them.


    Link silently thanked the heavens, finally someone to take charge of Taylor.


    ```


    "Are you guys going out?"


    Madam Andrea asked.


    Link didn''t speak but poured a glass of lemonade for Madam Andrea to cool off.


    Taylor said, "We''re planning to attend MJ''s memorial service."


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    Andrea looked at Link, "I remember Taylor saying you went this morning, didn''t you?"


    Link looked at Taylor and tilted his head, signaling her to explain, and Taylor shrugged her shoulders and laughed, "He''s accompanying me. Just now, at MJ''s memorial service, he got the inspiration and wrote an amazing song. I''m planning to go to the scene as well; maybe I''ll find inspiration too."


    Andrea was a bit surprised. For a song to be called good by the picky Taylor, it must be quite something. Writing a song after just one visit to the memorial service was impressive.


    "With the weather this hot, if you want to go, then go alone; why drag Link along? You''re an adult, don''t be too willful,"


    Madam Andrea said.


    Taylor looked at her mother in surprise. When she initially expressed her interest in dating Link, it was Andrea who strongly opposed it, believing Link was uneducated and too rough, and might be abusive.


    But now, Andrea''s attitude towards Link seemed even better than towards her own daughter. She was worried that Link might get too hot from accompanying her daughter on a short trip.


    The contrast was too stark.


    "Sit down, I have something to discuss with both of you,"


    Madam Andrea beckoned.


    Link sat down on the couch across from them, and Taylor gave him a glare. She squeezed him off his spot with her butt and sat down in his place.


    Madam Andrea chuckled as she watched the two of them play around. She took out a script from her bag and handed it over for them to take a look.


    "What kind of script? And you want us both to see it?"


    Taylor snatched it over and flipped through it, the title page had two words written on it: ''Valentine''s Day.''


    Upon seeing the title, Link thought of a terrible movie.


    It starred Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, as well as Taylor, and Taylor Lautner, the male supporting actor from "Twilight." It was also Taylor''s debut film.


    The movie imitated the structure of the British film "Love Actually," using a multitude of big-name actors as its selling point and intertwining several love stories to compose the film, like a holiday feature.


    "Mom, this script is fantastic, I''ve decided to take it,"


    Taylor said after only reading a few lines and closing the script.


    "Don''t make a decision so hastily; read the script in full first,"


    Link reminded.


    Taylor shook her head, "No need to read it, Anne just said the script is modeled after ''Love Actually.'' I''ve seen that movie; it''s terrific. Plus, Julia Roberts has agreed to act in it. There''s no way this movie will be bad."


    "Link is right, read the entire script first,"


    Madam Andrea said as she took the script from Taylor and handed it to Link; Taylor pouted unhappily.


    Link opened the script and felt it was quite average. The plot was pieced together haphazardly, quite scattered, as if trying to cram dozens of characters into a 90-minute video. His and Taylor''s parts were too minor, like mere extras.


    Seeing that Taylor really wanted to act, he thought for a moment and said, "Anne, our parts are too small and not flashy enough. Acting in this kind of movie won''t be much help to us. My suggestion is if they really want us, they should make the story better and more interesting."


    Madam Andrea nodded, "You have a point. I will discuss it with the movie company and see what they think."


    "Will the movie company agree to that?"


    Taylor asked with a blink. This was the first time such a big production had approached her, and she was to act with a superstar like Julia Roberts; she didn''t want to miss the opportunity.


    "Don''t worry, we''re popular stars; the film company will take us seriously. If they don''t agree to change, I''ll find you an even better role to ensure you get your fill of acting,"


    Link said with a smile.


    Taylor was a bit of an acting enthusiast. Since becoming famous, she often accepted scripts to act in movies, but her ability to pick good scripts was quite poor. Her first movie, "Valentine''s Day," featured her as a high-school girl hugging a dumb bear, acting clueless with very little plot.


    Later, she also played a rich girl in the movie "Amsterdam," by "The Fighter" director David O. Russell. Her character appears a few minutes before being pushed under a car and killed, another terrible film.


    Link felt that as her boyfriend, he had a responsibility to help her plan as well.


    "You said it, I''ll hold you to that. Let''s go find some inspiration."


    Taylor said, pulling him along.


    Link smiled helplessly and stood up, agreeing to accompany her on the trip.


    ```

 Chapter 185 Second Special Issue

    After making a round at MJ''s memorial service and watching a concert commemorating MJ with performances by divas like Mariah Carey and Lionel Richie, dozens of singers took the stage to perform MJ''s "Heal the World."In the evening, Link drove Taylor back home.


    "So, got any inspiration?"


    On Santa Monica Boulevard, Link looked over at Taylor, who sat in the passenger seat, and asked with a smile.


    Taylor, dressed in a blue dress, curled up in her seat, frowning deeply, scratching her head constantly, and her golden curly hair was tousled, resembling a pile of instant noodles.


    "Why? Why can you find inspiration at the memorial service, but I can''t?"


    Taylor blinked her blue fox eyes and looked at him jealously.


    Link chuckled lightly, "I''ve said it before, you didn''t know MJ personally, so his passing doesn''t touch you, and naturally, it won''t spark your creative inspiration."


    "Are you saying it has to be someone close to me?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor propped up her chin, batting her long lashes, and slowly turned her gaze towards him.


    "Hey, don''t look at me like that!"


    Link pushed her forehead away with his finger, "I''ve already given you plenty of inspiration, you can''t just sacrifice me to God to write a song."


    "I wasn''t thinking that at all!"


    Taylor glared at him and continued, "Just now, I was thinking about my deceased relatives. My grandfather passed away too early, I was only eight or nine years old, and I don''t have a strong memory of him. My grandmother¡ªdid you know?¡ªshe was also a singer from Tennessee, very beautiful in her youth, and she had the biggest influence on me. Unfortunately, she passed away in ''03."


    "I''m sorry!"


    Link said politely.


    Ignoring him, Taylor held her face and said, "Maybe I could write a song for my grandmother."


    Link nodded, agreeing she could not only write about her grandmother but also her grandfather, Mrs. Andrea, and so on. Link remembered that Mrs. Andrea might have a tumor, he wasn''t sure if it had been diagnosed, and thought he could take them for a health check next time.


    "When do you plan to release your third album?"


    "Next year, or the year after that, I don''t have any plans yet."


    "That''s so slow. I debuted two years after you, and next week, I''m releasing my second album, and next year will be my third."


    Link said with a smirk at the corner of his mouth.


    Taylor clenched her fist and tapped his shoulder, "Don''t be too happy. Everyone in the industry knows that it''s best to release an album a year. If you release them too frequently, fans won''t buy them, so be careful, or they might not sell."


    Link smiled, acknowledging her point. Releasing albums too quickly could lead to promotional and distribution issues. If an artist''s fame is too minimal, it could also lead to album sales stagnating, which was one of the reasons he delayed his second album by a month.


    However, he wasn''t too worried; the quality of the songs on his second album was high, and the company was willing to spend money on promotion, so there was no need to fret about not selling.


    Additionally, after the release of his second album, Ivanka wanted him to conduct world tours to promote the songs from both his first and second albums.


    "Do you have enough songs for your third album? Do you need help?"


    "No! I have hundreds of songs in my songbook, more than enough for the third album. I just want to write better songs to dedicate to my fans, unlike some people who rush out a few songs and release them without any sincerity."


    Taylor gave him a sideways glance and said with an upturned corner of her mouth.


    Link just shook his head with a smile, choosing not to argue with her.


    Taylor humphed, fixed her tousled hair in the mirror, and said, "The news says that Link Music is a mom-and-pop shop, one handles management, and the other takes care of the creation. It sounds quite nice."


    Link had seen articles hyping up his relationship with Ivanka.


    Some claimed he was Ivanka''s lover, often secretly meeting at the top of the TP Tower.


    Others said that the Thompson Family was the financial backbone and silent partner of Link Music, and there were stories about him and Ivanka secretly getting married license in Las Vegas, as well as more reports suggesting he was two-timing with Taylor and Ivanka, branding him as a major playboy.


    Especially after his fallout with the East Coast rap collectives, such negative coverage was on the rise daily.


    But those tabloids didn''t have any real evidence, so they were limited to speculative gossip that was relatively harmless.


    "I have no special relationship with Ivanka, I''ve definitely not lied to you about that."


    "I know."


    Taylor pursed her lips, turned her head, and looked at him with her blue eyes, "I just want to tell you, the Thompsons are businesspeople focused on profits. Her constant pressure on you to release records, two or three a year, treating you as a money-making tool, isn''t good. It can waste your musical talent and potential.


    If you want to be a great singer, you can''t focus too much on profits but should value your work more. Even though your last album had six charting singles, a good result, if you took the time for creation, all twelve songs on the first album could have the chance to chart."


    Link nodded, acknowledging Taylor was right.


    Artists too driven by profit can make their work feel mercenary, and to cater to the mass market, they may have to lower the quality of their output. Good art often has a niche audience¡ªlike pure, lofty works¡ªbut sometimes it takes decades or centuries for such great works to be accepted.


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    However, this didn''t apply to Link.


    Although he had learned to play the piano and guitar and compose music from Taylor, his current skills were not enough to produce an original piece presentable to the world. At this stage, he could only borrow from the few hundred pieces of future music in his head to mix in the music scene.


    Because these pieces were time-sensitive, he had to speed up the pace of releasing albums.


    There were also those time-sensitive investment projects on his mind, deciding that he needed to make money faster.


    So Ivanka urged him to release an album to make money in this way, which also fit his planning.


    "I get what you mean, but don''t you worry, now is the peak of my creativity. I can definitely handle two albums a year."


    Link pinched her cheek and smiled.


    Taylor swatted his hand away and hummed lightly, "Stop making excuses. You just can''t part with that big-breasted, big-bootied woman. I feel like touching that booty myself, don''t tell me you don''t want to."


    "Uh, dear, we''re discussing music creation here, can we not drift so far off topic? You said it yourself just now, trust that there''s nothing special between me and Ivanka."


    Link said, feeling helpless.


    "But you''ve definitely had an emotional affair. Just like the movies say, men are always looking for new thrills, fickle creatures that are never satisfied...."


    As she spoke, Taylor suddenly stopped, pulled out a notebook and pen from her bag, placed them on her knees, and started to write and draw.


    Link knew she was inspired and dared not disturb her. He reduced the speed of the car, which cruised along the West Coast highway lined with tall palm trees, slowly towards the sun-drenched beachfront villas.


    On Wednesday, the second promotional single "Believer" from the album "Keep On Movin''" was released, the first being "Give Me Reason" released in May.


    The second one is also a rock song, originally released by Imagine Dragons in 2017.


    The style of the song is hard and fierce, like Link''s boxing style, with heavy backbeat drums and a robust rhythm, coupled with Link''s impassioned voice, it''s like a rap with a strong rhythmic pulse, making it a battle hymn for overcoming adversity and breaking through hardships.


    From the theme, style, to the background story, it all fits very well with Link''s identity and experiences.


    "Believer" had once reached number four on the Billboard singles chart, and number one on the rock song chart, demonstrating its high quality.


    On its release day, it achieved 126,000 downloads on digital music platforms, becoming the champion of iTunes Music Store downloads in 12 hours and the champion of Amazon Digital Music downloads in 16 hours as well as topping the Billboard Digital Song Sales chart.


    Many in the industry also gave the song high ratings, with 23,049 people on the Amazon Digital Music store awarding it a 9.1 out of 10.


    Rolling Stone magazine gave it a five-star spotlight recommendation on their official website.


    The good reception of "Believer" also led to a surge in pre-order sales for the album both online and offline. By Friday noon, the cumulative pre-sales had surpassed 100,000 copies, and, according to expectations, the first-week sales of the album would not be less than 300,000 copies.


    However, on Friday, Jay-Z also released the second promotional single of his 11th album, "Empire State of Mind".


    This song is about New York, a signature piece of Jay-Z, also very high in quality. It garnered 164,000 downloads on various digital music platforms on its first day, directly taking away the position of "Believer" as the champion of the digital music download chart.


    Following the release of "Empire State of Mind," entertainment media also shifted their focus to the music scene, concentrating on the new songs from Link and Jay-Z.


    Within two or three months of spread, the news of Link''s discord with East Coast rappers like Jay-Z had created a buzz in the entertainment circle, becoming the most heated news in June and July, apart from MJ''s passing.


    Media reports stated that from April, the two sides had begun to compete for the charts, first vying for the number one spot on the Billboard Rap Chart, and then for the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100.


    Those who entered the fray on the Link Music side included Link, Wiz Khalifa, Bobby from Atlantic Records, and newcomer Bruno Mars under the Link Music label. Among these five individuals, except for Link and Wiz Khalifa who each had an album, the other two were considered new artists.


    On the East Coast rap side, those who entered the battle included Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem, Lil Wayne, T.I., Drake, 50 Cent, and others. In the rap music scene, their album sales and influence were all within the top 20.


    Comparing the fame and number of participants from both sides, the East Coast rappers had the power to completely dominate Link Music.


    However, to everyone''s surprise, Link Music''s side was not crushed after the battle for the charts began.


    Link''s "I''m The One" and "Give me reason" successively defeated Jay-Z''s "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," Kanye''s "Monster," and T.I.''s "Dead and Gone" on the rap chart and the Hot 100, securing the double championship.


    The only defeat came in mid-June with the release of the rap song "Lighters," which was suppressed by "Forever," a joint creation of Kanye, Eminem, Lil Wayne, and Drake, to the second spot on the rap charts and was never able to reach number one.


    Yet, considering that the song was performed by two newcomers and was pressed down by three top streamers, it was an honorable defeat.


    And now, the two sides are going to compete for the charts once more, this time not only for the singles chart but also for the album sales chart.


    Link''s new album "Keep On Movin''" is set to be released next Monday, while Jay-Z''s 11th album "The Blueprint 3" is scheduled to release next Tuesday.


    The release dates of the two albums are just one day apart.


    From the current situation, both albums have the potential to succeed.


    Both "Keep On Movin''" and "The Blueprint 3" saw their first promotional singles successively reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100.


    The second promotional singles also successively topped the digital music download charts as champions.


    Judging from the albums themselves, it''s hard to tell which one has the upper hand.


    Speaking of fame and influence, Jay-Z, who has been in the industry for over twenty years, has deep roots in music, a large following of loyal music fans, and is known as the ''King of New York Music,'' seems to have an edge.


    "But we can''t underestimate Link; he''s a miraculous guy. His debut album went Double Platinum in the United States. When ''I''m The One'' contended with ''Monster'' for the charts in May, everyone thought Kanye was sure to win. But then, Link astonishingly won eight swimming gold medals at the World University Games, which was incredible.


    This news also pushed his song to number one on the rap charts. I heard that Link has enrolled to compete in the Berlin World Swimming Championships next week. If he can beat Phelps and other world champions to win another eight gold medals, ''Keep On Movin'''' may just have a chance to win.


    Yes, ''Keep On Movin'''' is the name of Link''s second album, and from the two singles released previously, we can hear that the album tells the story of a fighter, with a very positive theme....


    So it''s still uncertain who will win and who will lose between the two albums."


    John Ferreiro, a famous music critic from the Los Angeles Times, wrote in his article.


    In addition to the Los Angeles Times, other major U.S. newspapers, television stations, and radio stations have also recently discussed the topic of Link and Jay-Z''s new albums battling for the charts. They are deliberating which album will be more successful, which will have more charting songs, and whose single will reach the top of the charts.


    For this reason, betting companies have set up new betting projects, wagering on the first week, first month, and three-month sales numbers of the two albums. Looking at the odds released by various betting companies, the odds for Link''s new album to win in weekly sales are 1:1.8, and for Jay-Z''s album to win are 1:1.2, suggesting that Jay-Z has a greater chance of winning.

 Chapter 186 First Weeks Results

    "Hey, Link, can you win?"Dino called from New York. Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Standing in an aisle of the Los Angeles Public Library, Link walked and talked on the phone, "This is about selling albums, not a boxing match. How many albums can be sold in the first week? I can''t be sure until the results are out. Are you placing a bet?"


    "Yes, I''m ready to wager some pocket money."


    "Alright, how''s Mario''s match going?"


    "Of course he won. I specially arranged the first opponent to be a stepping stone for him, and Mario knocked him out in three rounds."


    Dino said.


    Link thought of Micky Ward from "Fighter," who was also initially a stepping-stone boxer.


    "Mario has an attitude problem; he tends to get cocky after winning. If you want to condition him, find him some tough opponents to beat him down a bit. Maybe he''ll get even better."


    "It seems that way, alright. I''ll get him a tough opponent for the next match."


    Dino laughed.


    Link smiled lightly and handed the phone to Anna, then walked out to the plaza in front of the library.


    "Link!!"


    Seeing him appear, thousands of fans on the plaza started shouting loudly.


    Today was the first day of release for his second album. The California regional album distributor hosted an album release event here to extend the promotion.


    At the release event, Link performed "Keep On Movin''" and "Rainbow" from the second album on stage and invited Joaquin Phoenix to join him, collaborating on the hit song "Believer." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Joaquin Phoenix had expressed that he really, really liked this song, especially the line ''Pain! You made me a, you made me a believer, believer''. Hence, Link specially invited him to perform at the release event.


    While performing, Joaquin Phoenix clenched the microphone in both hands, his face contorted with fierce emotion, incredibly engaged, nearly outdoing the original singer himself.


    The reaction from the fans below was extremely enthusiastic, with thunderous applause.


    After the concert ended, pursuant to the distributor''s arrangement, Link proceeded to the second-floor hall of the library to sign autographs for the fans.


    On the first day at the public library, he signed 8,600 albums, not breaking the previous record, mainly because the concert delayed him for two hours, and the distributor''s staff had to finish their shifts on time.


    On its first day, the second album "Keep On Movin''" sold 54,000 copies in record stores across the states and 88,000 digital album sales online, totaling 142,000 copies.


    That was only 84,000 fewer than last week''s Billboard album sales chart topper, "BLACK summers'' night", a very good start, with a solid chance to snatch the weekly album chart championship.


    However, considering Jay-Z''s "The Blueprint 3" was also about to be released, he and his team couldn''t slack off just yet.


    The next day, he participated in two signing events at the Central Metro Station and City Music Hall in Los Angeles, delivering 13,500 signed albums in total, undeniably making the news again as the quick-shooter Link returned to the scene.


    In the following days, he held more than ten album signing events in major U.S. cities including New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Charleston. He also invited singers like Taylor, Lana, Wiz, Mars, Lil Bobby, Selena, and Snoopy Dogg to support the events.


    When returning to New York for the signing event, Eminem even called him, wanting to join his signing session.


    After meeting, Em explained the issue with "Forever" to him, revealing he was cloistered in the music studio at the time, and only learned about Lil Wayne''s early single release after coming out. He himself wasn''t interested in competing for the charts.


    Link had heard some rumors, learning that Eminem and Lil Wayne had a spat once, and it took Jay-Z''s intervention to prevent a fight between them.


    Link wouldn''t hold a grudge against Eminem over this matter, because even if he lost in the chart competition, there was no downside for him.


    In New York, at the autograph session, Link and Eminem performed "Lighters" together, and the response was very good.


    The first week''s album sales and chart performance were also released.


    "How much?"


    In the Las Vegas hotel, Link and members of the promotional team looked at Mandy as she walked in slowly with the documents in hand.


    Mrs. Mandy''s face was taut, making it difficult to tell if she was genuinely displeased or just pretending to be to tease everyone.


    Mrs. Mandy opened the folder, glanced at everyone, and said, "''Keep On Movin'''' sold 427,000 copies across the United States in its first week."


    "Yeah!!"


    "That''s fantastic!!"


    The staff on site jumped up excitedly, the sound of champagne bottles popping resounded, and the liquid sprayed everywhere.


    Link also smiled slightly. Although this result was a bit lower than Taylor''s second album in its first week, it was much, much higher than the 97,000 copies of his own first album and more than 200,000 copies above last week''s Billboard 200 album chart winner, so the first-week top spot seemed secured.


    But Mrs. Mandy was still keeping a straight face without saying anything, which gave him a bad feeling. He took two glasses of champagne and handed them to Mrs. Mandy.


    "We didn''t get the top spot?"


    "That''s right, the top spot goes to ''The Blueprint 3,'' with sales of 458,000 copies this week."


    "3.1 thousand more than us? That''s the mark of a seasoned artist."


    Link remarked.


    In fact, he had a feeling¡ªJay-Z was a top figure in the music industry, one of the richest in the scene, with profound connections. After the release of "The Blueprint 3," many superstars, film emperors and empresses, and famous hosts helped promote it directly or indirectly.


    Besides, "The Blueprint 3" is the third installment of "The Blueprint" series, which had accumulated a large fanbase. Jay-Z''s record company claimed this was the final installment during the promotion, and naturally, fans of the series wouldn''t miss it.


    His second album "Keep On Movin''" selling over four hundred thousand copies against such a strong competitor, far exceeding the predicted 300,000 copies, also proved that the promotional strategy of competing with Jay-Z was effective.


    "Mandy, how''s the single chart performance?"


    Link asked, sipping his champagne.


    "Black Eyed Peas'' ''I Gotta Feeling'' is still number one on the single chart, Jay-Z''s ''Empire State of Mind'' is in second place, Maxwell''s ''Pretty Wings'' is third, and our ''Believer'' is currently in fourth,"


    Ms. Mandy reported.


    "Black Eyed Peas is really impressive."


    Black Eyed Peas released their latest album "The E.N.D." at the end of May. Their first official single "Boom Boom Pow" got ten weeks as number one on the single chart, later dethroned by Jay-Z''s "D.O.A." and Link''s "Give me reason."


    The second single "I Gotta Feeling" was released afterwards, holding the top spot on the single chart for seven consecutive weeks, and also powerfully held off "Empire State of Mind" and "Believer" this week. Indeed, they were very formidable.


    "But there is some good news as well."


    Ms. Mandy said with a dimpled smile similar to Selena''s, "Although ''Believer'' didn''t become the number one single in its first week, eight songs entered the Hot 100 singles chart, with ''This Is Me,'' ''Trouble I''m In,'' and ''Keep On Movin'','' making it into the top twenty. We have two more songs on the chart than ''The Blueprint 3,'' which shows our album is of very high quality."


    "That''s indeed good news, cheers!"


    Link clinked his champagne glass with Ms. Mandy''s.

 Chapter 8/10 for Alliance Leader)

    While Link was popping the champagne in celebration, Roc Nation Records also held a cocktail party at the Hilton Hotel to celebrate "The Blueprint 3" topping the weekly album sales chart.But at the party, Jay-Z wasn''t happy.


    Before the album''s release, he had high hopes for it and, according to his and the company''s projections, the first-week sales were supposed to be at least above 800,000 copies, with a great chance to break one million and set a new record in his career.


    But it didn''t, with first-week sales only at 458,000 copies.


    For many first and second-tier singers, that number was something ''they wouldn''t even dare to dream of.''


    For him, a top figure in the music industry with the rank of a king, 458,000 copies seemed rather ordinary, even a failure.


    The main reason for the failure was that Link''s album had eaten into a portion of the market share. Without Link''s album, "The Blueprint 3" had a great chance to sell over 600,000 copies in the United States.


    Thinking of Link, that young man, Jay-Z frowned deeply, his plump black face tensed as he smoked a Cuban cigar, coldly watching the lively ball. Seeing his wife Beyonce dancing with Duck Drake, his face darkened even more.


    "Jay-Z, what''s wrong?"


    Kanye approached with a glass of wine and asked.


    "What do you think about the album''s sales?"


    "Sales champion, of course it''s good,"


    Kanye said.


    Jay-Z shook his head. The rap music market had been doing well in recent years. Kanye''s "Graduation" in ''07, Lil Wayne''s album "Tha Carter III" last year, both broke over 900,000 copies in their first week.


    Eminem, T.I., Chris Brown''s new albums also had first-week sales of over 600,000 copies.


    Compared to these artists, he clearly felt a significant decline in his appeal and influence in the industry, which made him uncomfortable.


    "I heard Link is going to Berlin next week to participate in the swimming championship. If he gets a few more gold medals, his album sales next week could very well surpass ours. Do you have any suggestions?"


    Jay-Z asked.


    Kanye was also one of the producers of "The Blueprint 3," responsible for the production and featuring on ten songs on the album. If the album sold well, Kanye would also get his share of the profits.


    Kanye thought for a moment. Link was going to participate in the World Swimming Championships, competing against the top international swimmers. If he could defeat those competitors and win more gold medals, the media would heavily cover it, which was inevitable.


    The increased media exposure for Link would also draw more attention to his new album, and sales would rise, which also seemed inevitable.


    This week, "Keep On Movin''" was only over 30,000 copies behind "The Blueprint 3." Following this trend, the former was very likely to surpass the latter next week and climb to the top of the album sales chart.


    Media were now keenly observing the sales battle between Link and Jay-Z''s albums, and if Jay-Z were surpassed next week, it would be quite embarrassing for him.


    However, after some thought, Kanye couldn''t come up with an effective countermeasure.


    "Should we also hold a few more autograph sessions, call some celebs to perform?"


    Kanye suggested.


    Jay-Z, holding his cigar, waved his finger, dismissing the suggestion. He was a rap mogul, worth seven to eight hundred million dollars. For him to sit in one spot all day, endlessly signing autographs for fans, was possible when he was younger, but not anymore.


    He couldn''t afford to lose face like that.


    Jay-Z saw Lil Wayne, T.I., Chris Brown, and beckoned them over, recounted the situation, and asked if they had any ideas.


    Lil Wayne, stroking his chin, thought for a moment and then chuckled, "It''s simple. We keep hyping up Link''s racial discrimination issue, making the fans attack him. His album definitely won''t sell then."


    "That''s not going to work!"


    Jay-Z shook his finger. Washington had already made it clear they could vie with Link on the charts and pressure him through industry competition, but they couldn''t touch on racial discrimination issues again.


    Link was an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, a popular singer, a swimming star, a youth icon. He had a lot of fans and significant influence in the United States.


    Accusing him of racial discrimination without solid evidence would be damaging; making a big fuss would be bad for everyone involved.


    "How about we dig up some dirt? Link cares a lot about his reputation and public image, and that''s also why those fans stand by him. If we just expose some dirt on him in the media, tarnish his reputation, then those young fans won''t support him anymore."


    T.I. proposed.


    "That''s a good idea."


    Jay-Z''s eyes lit up.


    It had been analyzed by the media that Link had gained massive popularity in just over a year because he had an excellent public image.


    He came from humble beginnings and made it to the top through his efforts, becoming a world boxing champion and a multimillionaire, the epitome of the American dream.


    He was diligent and studious. Even after becoming a multimillionaire, he pursued further education and took the initiative to attend college, setting a good example for the youth.


    He could sing and compose music, known as a pop music prodigy and a youth idol.


    He also actively participated in sports competitions, winning honors for his country.


    Aside from some issues before reaching adulthood, he was almost a perfect idol.


    If they could use some scandal to ruin his good image, his fans would be disappointed, and his album sales would suffer.


    "Scandal? What kind of scandal does Link have?"


    Kanye asked.


    Jay-Z looked at T.I., who had offered the suggestion.


    T.I. paused for a moment, "I heard the guy is really strong in that department; his private life must be a mess, heh, maybe dozens of girls in one night."


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    "Who told you that? Do you have any photos to show me?"


    Kanye asked curiously.


    "I''m guessing, I think he''s that kind of person."


    "We can''t do anything without evidence, think of other scandals."


    Jay-Z waved his hand, urging everyone to think of black material against Link.


    After pondering for a while, Kanye and the others couldn''t find any dirt on Link.


    He didn''t do drugs or alcohol, didn''t participate in prostitution or gambling, nor did he abuse violence. Although he had a few scandalous girlfriends in the past two years, he never dated more than two at the same time.


    Overall, in terms of private life, he didn''t have much scandal.


    "Impossible!"


    Jay-Z didn''t believe that there could be a perfect idol in the entertainment industry. He himself rose from the bottom and knew how hard it was to climb up, and he knew how many shiny public figures hid filth inside.


    Link had to be the same.


    Lil Wayne''s eyes shifted, "Why not plant a pack of drugs in his car and then call the cops on him?"


    Jay-Z thought about it, but it wouldn''t work.


    Link was a multimillionaire with many lawyers at his disposal. He had connections with the Duvall and Thomp families and was also a valued elite athlete by the sports commission. Thus, framing him would have no impact.


    Seeing that everyone couldn''t come up with any scandal on Link, Jay-Z, annoyed, threw down his cigar, stomped on it, and turned to the music manager, saying:


    "Invest another 5 million in promotion, get in touch with more media outlets, I want to stay on top next week."


    Thinking about it, the others agreed the method wasn''t bad at all. With Jay-Z''s vast fan base and the quality of his album, increasing promotional efforts could easily secure him the top spot on the album sales charts for another week.


    As long as they could outdo Link for another week, with other artists releasing new albums in the following weeks, Link wouldn''t stand a chance to reach the top of the album charts again.


    If Link''s album failed to reach the top, they would have won this battle of the charts.


    In the second week after the release of Link''s album "Keep On Movin''", Jay-Z''s Roc Nation, together with Epic Records, Kanye''s GOOD Music, and Lil Wayne''s Young Money, invested millions of US dollars, promoting "The Blueprint 3" through various channels. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under the auspices of the "Shawn Carter Foundation," Jay-Z hosted multiple charity concerts in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and other cities to raise funds for out-of-school children from low-income black families and invited hundreds of singers, actors, and sports stars from the circle.


    At the New York concert, Jay-Z donated half a million US dollars on the spot, which caused a sensation throughout the venue.


    The concerts, broadcast live on MTV, reached a peak viewership of over 15 million.


    Almost simultaneously, good news came from the World Swimming Championships in Berlin, Germany.


    Sportsman Link Baker beat French swimmer Bernard and South Korean swimmer Park Tae-hwan in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle events, winning two gold medals.


    When the news reached the United States, all major US media outlets reported on it. ESPN broadcasted the swimming championship live via satellite signal.


    In the following days, "The Blueprint 3" distributors invested a substantial amount of money in promoting across the United States, aiming to give the album more exposure and ensure they retained the number one spot on the charts.


    Link also fought valiantly at the Berlin Olympic Swimming Center, eventually winning seven gold medals, including the 100/200/400/1500-meter freestyle, 100-meter/200-meter breaststroke, and the 4x100-meter freestyle relay.


    He broke two swimming world records and is currently the holder of four international swimming Federation records.


    The only regret was that American swimming legend Phelps, before competing in the 100-meter breaststroke, accidentally slipped and injured his knee, forcing him to withdraw from the competition, so Link missed the chance to directly compete against him.


    After the competition, Link and the US swimming team flew back to Los Angeles.

 Chapter 188 Who is the Champion (Additional update 9/10 for alliance leader)

    "Phil, before the 100m breaststroke final, did you really trip by accident?"On the plane, swimmer Ryan Lochte asked, looking at the bandaged knee of Phelps.


    Phelps, wearing headphones and leaning on his seat, didn''t want to talk. His eyes were fixed on his teammate Link Baker, who was sitting in the front row of business class. A few female athletes from the swim team were gathered around that jerk, chatting and laughing with him. They seemed particularly happy.


    "Phil, tell us the truth. Did you hurt your leg on purpose because you were worried about being defeated by Link in the 100m event? If you tell me privately, I promise I won''t tell anyone else."


    Ryan Lochte said, removing his headphones.


    Phelps turned and saw Ryan and three other teammates leaning in, eager to hear what he''d say.


    Phelps glanced at them irritably and said, "You think I''d be afraid of him? Joking aside, Link is just strong and fast, doing well in freestyle. But in technical events, he performs poorly. Don''t believe me? Let him compete with me in the individual medley. I could give him a five-second head start, and he still wouldn''t win."


    "Hey, Link, Phil wants to challenge you in the individual medley, are you up for it?"


    Ryan Lochte shouted.


    "Phil''s individual medley is really impressive. Phil, when you have time, could you teach me how?"


    Link turned around and said with a smile.


    Phelps tugged at the corner of his mouth, "Sure!"


    But internally, he categorically refused. After witnessing Link''s performance in person, Phelps was stunned by the power and speed he displayed in his upper limbs.


    In the water, Link swam swiftly and fiercely, with an excellent sense of balance, like a shark.


    The guy''s weaknesses were also quite apparent¡ªimprecise movements and rough techniques, proficient only in freestyle and breaststroke. In more technically demanding events like butterfly, backstroke, and individual medley, his performance was mediocre.


    However, Coach Bob Bowman was right. Link''s potential was enormous. With a few years under the guidance of a professional swimming coach, his swimming technique could improve dramatically.


    Eventually, all the male swimmers in the world would live in his shadow.


    What''s more desperate is that the guy was only 21 years old.


    Having such a strong competitor as a teammate put a lot of pressure on Phelps. It was for this reason that, before the breaststroke final, he was so focused on Link that he tripped and fell, injuring his knee.


    The spot where he fell was rather flat, making a fall less likely, and the incident was coincidentally captured on camera.


    After the video went public, many made fun of him, suggesting he deliberately injured himself to save face, fearing defeat to Link in the breaststroke final.


    Of course, this was impossible. Link''s breaststroke was not bad, but much inferior to his freestyle. If Phelps hadn''t injured himself and withdrawn from the 100/200m breaststroke events, it would have been difficult for Link to claim the championships in those events.


    "Phil, it''s settled then. I''ll come to Baltimore to train with you when I have time."


    "Alright," Phelps said reluctantly nodding his head. With so many people around, declining would appear too petty.


    Link laughed softly, seeking out Phelps for training was not just talk¡ªhe genuinely wanted to practice with him.


    In the college sports meet, he entered eight events and won championships in all eight.


    However, at the world championships, with strong opponents in every event, clinching the championships would be much more challenging.


    He entered eight events and won seven; the one loss was the 4x100 medley relay, where, due to Phelps''s injury, the substitute wasn''t up to par, and they only secured a silver medal. In the other seven events, he led only by a few seconds.


    Having seen the swimming skills of top athletes, he felt his technique was somewhat rough. To win gold in butterfly, backstroke, and individual medley and break world records, he acknowledged that he needed to carve out specific time for practice.


    But not right now.


    The plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport, where the swim team held a press conference in front of Terminal 7, attended by more than sixty media reporters.


    Because Link was famous and had won the most gold medals at the championship, the coaching staff placed him at the forefront to be interviewed.


    "Mr. Baker, congratulations on winning seven events at this world championship and setting two world swimming records. We all know you are the world boxing champion, and boxing and swimming are different types of sports. How have you managed to achieve great results in both? What''s the secret to your success?" asked the host of the ABC News channel.


    Link thought for a moment and said, "It''s a mixture of innate talent and effort. If you''ve looked at my profile, you''d know that before I started boxing, I was a professional diving instructor living by the coast. My swimming and diving skills were honed in the Atlantic Ocean, which could be attributed to natural talent. But what''s even more important than talent is the effort you put in afterward.


    Through consistent and relentless fitness training, I''ve made significant improvements in both my boxing and swimming techniques."


    "Mr. Baker, after becoming the world boxing champion and a famous singer, will you continue to be a diving instructor?"


    The reporter from American Express asked.


    Link smiled lightly, "Yes, I do have that idea, but I''ve been too busy lately and haven''t had the time to go back to Miami. When I have some free time in the future, I will continue to be a diving instructor. Everyone is welcome to come to Miami for diving."


    "Mr. Baker!"


    A reporter from the Los Angeles Times, holding a cellphone, suddenly shouted from the back, "I just received information that your second album, ''Keep On Movin'','' has reached number one on this week''s Billboard 200 album chart. How do you feel about this?"


    Link looked surprised, "Mr. Reporter, are you sure about this information?"


    "Yes, Billboard has just released the data. ''Keep On Movin'''' sold 518,000 copies in its second week, 12,000 more than the runner-up, ''The Blueprint 3''," the reporter shouted.


    Link waved his fist at the camera of the TV station and said with a smile, "That''s fantastic news. I''ve won another championship. Last week, I won eight championships. Thank you everyone for your support, and thanks to all my colleagues and fans."


    Link picked up the seven gold medals hanging on his chest and said, "As a thank-you to my fans, on the 1st of the next month, I will randomly select 15 lucky fans from the albums sold and give them all the medals, including these seven and the eight I won at the collegiate sports meet."


    "Mr. Baker, is that true?"


    Upon hearing him say this, the reporters instantly became excited; this was another valuable piece of news.


    "Of course!"


    "Mr. Baker, will you include the Olympic gold medal in the giveaway?"


    The reporter from USA Today asked loudly.


    Link thought for a moment. Since he was giving away medals, he might as well give them all; after all, there would still be opportunities to win more in the future. He looked at Phelps, "Phil, can I give away your gold medal?"


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    "It''s yours to do with as you please!"


    Phelps shrugged indifferently.


    He had been worried that Link would ask for the boxing gold medal back. If he did ask, Phelps would be reluctant to give it up.


    As professional boxers were not eligible to compete in the Olympics, Link could only ever win one Olympic boxing gold medal, which was worth as much as ten swimming gold medals.


    Many collecting institutions had already expressed interest in acquiring Link''s medals, with the highest bid reaching 100,000 US dollars. As Link''s fame soared, the value of that medal would only increase.


    "Yes, the Olympic gold medal will also be given away randomly, but it will be in the middle of next month, drawn from fans around the world."


    "Oh! That''s amazing!" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link''s fans will surely be ecstatic."


    The reporters got excited once more, feeling that Link was the best interviewee in the world, offering up big news in spades.


    "Mr. Baker, some media outlets have reported that you and Miss Ivanka are secretly engaged. Is that true?"


    The reporter from The Sun shouted out, thinking that given Link''s generous nature, he might drop an even bigger story on the spot.


    Link looked at him helplessly, having been enjoying the interaction with the reporters until the reporter from The Sun abruptly asked that question, which immediately dampened his enthusiasm. He waved his hand and said, "Today is the swim team''s press conference, and I''m sure you all have many questions to ask the other members of the team, so I won''t take up any more of your time."


    Link voluntarily moved back behind Phelps and Ryan Lochte.


    Many reporters looked at the reporter from The Sun with displeasure, thinking they could have asked Link more questions while he was in good spirits, earning themselves more fees, but that reporter''s inappropriate question had caused Link to end the interview prematurely.


    That was utterly unprofessional.


    However, seeing ''The Flying Fish'' Phelps standing there on crutches, their eyes lit up again because Phelps''s injury had led to the swim team''s heartbreaking loss of the gold medal in the 4x100m medley relay. Rumors even suggested that Phelps feared being defeated by Link and had gotten injured on purpose.


    All of this was big news that the public was interested in, with great value for an interview.


    Phelps, seeing the reporters eyeing him like hungry wolves, felt a chill down his spine. He had wanted to take a step back to avoid the spotlight when Link suddenly grabbed his shoulder, preventing any movement, and he had no choice but to face the reporters'' barrage of questions with gritted teeth.

 Chapter 189 Who Wins and Who Loses

    Leaving the airport, Link, carrying a sports duffle bag, boarded the business van driven by the chauffeur Bob, while his assistant Anna was also waiting in the vehicle."Boss, I just called Miss Ivanka to discuss giving the golden records to fans, and she also thinks it''s a great publicity method."


    Ms. Anna, holding her work briefcase, spoke from the opposite seat.


    Link nodded, drank a glass of iced lemon water, and felt much cooler. He wiped his hands with a wet towel.


    "I only heard from the reporters that the second album topped the weekly sales, but how is the situation with the singles chart?"


    "Empire State of Mind took the number one spot on the singles chart this week, Black Eyed Peas'' ''I Gotta Feeling'' is in second place, ''Believer'' moved up a spot to third, ''This Is Me'' is ninth, and ''Keep On Movin'''' is at 18th. Including the originally released ''Give me reason,'' the second album has nine songs on the chart.


    Rolling Stone magazine gave the album a 4.2 rating, and on iTunes and Amazon Music Store, the album scores over 8.5, with very positive reviews," Anna said with a smile.


    Link crossed his fingers and nodded, "All good news, any negative press?"


    Anna thought for a moment and said, "There is! Some media are hyping up your private life, saying it''s chaotic. Apart from Taylor, you''re also maintaining lover relationships with Ivanka, Amber, Emma Watson, and Du Chen Kloster, claiming you have hundreds of secret lovers."


    Link laughed it off, unconcerned. Gossip comes with celebrity, and it didn''t affect him much.


    "Also, two women in Miami have come forward claiming to be your ex-girlfriends who you dumped after becoming famous, with one claiming you are the father of her child and asking for child support," Anna continued, looking directly at him.


    Link raised his eyebrows. Before being assassinated, Link had four ex-girlfriends, but none of the relationships lasted long, and he wasn''t sure if any children were involved.


    "Is it true?"


    "After the news broke out, Ivanka immediately arranged for an investigation. Only that woman named Sunny had spent a few days with you, but the child was fake. Someone gave them a thousand US dollars to lie to the reporters," Anna explained.


    Link also breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, he wasn''t becoming a father just yet.


    "Any other bad news?"


    "Yes, there are many rumors on the internet claiming that the sales for our album are fabricated, suggesting that the record company is spending money to boost the numbers for such high data. There are also accusations that your second album''s songs are plagiarized, with intentions to sue you in local court.


    The legal department is already looking for the source of these rumors and has filed lawsuits against several social platforms, accusing them of lax supervision and holding the related individuals legally responsible," Anna reported.


    Link nodded. While rumors of sales manipulation didn''t worry him, the plagiarism accusation was malicious, intending to destroy him completely.


    However, it served as a wake-up call for him; he would be more cautious when drawing inspiration from songs in the future.


    He could provide music snippets or song ideas to Graham, Mars, and the others to complete and compose a broadly similar song. With his fame and singing ability, he could still be a big seller.


    Alternatively, paying others to write songs was also an option, as his first and second albums included such songs.


    If plagiarism was ever proven, earnings from his records wouldn''t be enough to cover the damages.


    The car returned to the Santa Monica beach villa, where Taylor had invited a group of friends living in Los Angeles to the villa for a party.


    It was a celebration of both his world championship victory and his second album topping the weekly sales chart¡ªa double joy.


    Guests included Blake Lively, Emma Roberts, Katy Perry, Paul Walker, Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Du Chen Kloster, Jamie King, among others.


    Looking around, Link realized his and Taylor''s social circle was quite small, limited to just a few fixed friends.


    "Link, why are you standing here by yourself?"


    Katy Perry came over with her wine glass in hand.


    It was a beach party today, and everyone was dressed in cool outfits. Link was only wearing beach shorts, while Katy Perry had on the breeziest attire, a red bikini with straps, barely covering her ample bust and curvy hips. Standing over one meter seventy tall, she had a very hot figure.


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    Her hair was originally black, but she had recently dyed it blonde. Combined with her British-heritage face, she looked a lot more stunning.


    "I have to go to Vancouver for a signing event tomorrow, so I need to get some rest in advance,"


    Link called out.


    "I heard that every signing event you do, you sign more than ten thousand albums. That''s really impressive. My fans suggest I learn from you, Link. You''ve just raised the bar for being a singer,"


    "It''s my honor,"


    Link joked.


    Katy Perry sat down in a beach chair next to him, made small talk for a while, then hesitated before saying, "Link, the thing last time about recommending a single for Jay-Z was arranged by the company..."


    Link raised his hand to stop her, "Katy, I understand, there''s no need to explain. We''re friends on a personal level and don''t get involved in business matters. Those things are quite boring."


    Katy Perry was a signed artist under the Capitol Music Group, which had collaborations with record companies like those of Jay-Z and Kanye, so promoting Jay-Z was quite normal.


    When he released "Give me reason," the other party had also helped forward and promote it.


    "Link, are you going to continue competing with East Coast rappers? They have a lot of people and a wide network. Continuing the competition isn''t in your favor. Have you thought about making peace? I''m also friends with Rihanna, and I can be the messenger of peace for you two."


    Katy Perry leaned on the beach chair, turning her body towards him. As she moved, she revealed even more of her voluptuous figure to him, bringing to mind the saying ''tip of the iceberg'', suggesting that only a tiny part was visible, while the larger portion remained hidden.


    Link shook his head and said, "Katy, it''s not that I want to compete with them, it''s that they don''t want to let me win, and I''m someone who doesn''t like to lose. Unless they''re willing to give up fighting for the charts and stop deliberately suppressing my songs and albums, I''ll consider making peace with them."


    "Yes, Jay-Z and Kanye are also very strong-willed and hate to lose. But your competition for the charts has livened up the music scene a lot. Now, I look at the news about your chart battle every day to see who wins and who loses,"


    Katy Perry laughed.


    Lady Gaga, listening nearby, laughed, "Yes, the news about Link and Jay-Z is very hot right now and a lot of people want to see it. It has also significantly reduced the publicity for other albums. All the artists releasing albums this year are complaining that their competition for the charts means everyone else loses."


    Katy Perry laughed out loud, in agreement with Lady Gaga''s remarks.


    Link smiled as well. Before he and Jay-Z released their albums, the media had focused on both of them, eager to see who would win or lose this ''battle for the charts''.


    After the competition started, he and Jay-Z''s camp both put in a lot of effort and created big news stories, providing the media with plenty of material to report on.


    Some media outlets even created a ''Link vs Jay-Z'' column, updating daily on the sales of both their albums, changes in song rankings, and their activities from the previous day.


    The two of them took up so much media attention during the battle for the charts that it led to other artists'' albums getting far less exposure, as the news about promoting their albums was less readable and interesting compared to the news about the battle between Link and Jay-Z.


    Also, both Link and Jay-Z were big stars in the United States with a lot of influence and many fans. The competition between them was like joint promotion, where 1+1£¾2, and nobody else could compare.


    "Link, will you be able to surpass Jay-Z on the album chart next week?"


    Katy Perry smiled.


    "I don''t know, but I''ll do my best." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Go for it! I wish you another week as the defending champion on the album chart,"


    Katy Perry and Lady Gaga said, raising their glasses with a laugh.


    Link also lifted his champagne glass and clinked it with the two of them.

 Chapter 190 Issuing Gold Medals

    ```On the third week of the release of "Keep On Movin''," Link and the promotion team continued to hold autograph sessions in various places and also participated in some TV shows and music events, staying incredibly busy every day.


    But Jay-Z invested even more in promotion, with teams led by Jay-Z himself, Kanye, Alicia Keys, Lil Wayne, and 50 Cent doing publicity in various places.


    They also joined forces with Madonna and Mariah Carey''s concert tours, promoting the new album through various channels.


    The third week sales of "The Blueprint 3" reached 416,000 copies, accumulating to 1.36 million copies, taking the top spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart.


    "Keep On Movin''" had a total sales figure in the United States of 407,000 copies this week, accumulating to 1.35 million copies, earning the runner-up position on the Billboard album chart. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Maxwell''s new soul album "BLACKsummers''night," in its debut week, sold 85,000 copies and ranked third.


    The Black Eyed Peas'' "The E.N.D" in its seventh week, saw 71,000 copies sold, ranking fourth.


    On the Billboard singles chart, "Empire State of Mind" continued to hold the number one spot for the second consecutive week, and "Believer" ranked third for the second consecutive week as well.


    However, nine singles from Link''s second album entered the Hot 100 singles chart. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    The same period''s "The Blueprint 3" had only six, including "What We Talkin'' About," "Run This Town," and "Young Forever," among others.


    The Black Eyed Peas'' "The E.N.D" had five songs, including the previous two number one singles and three decent hip-hop dance tracks "Rock That Body," "Meet Me Halfway," and "Imma Be."


    "BLACKsummers''night" had just three songs.


    Looking at the album data, "The Blueprint 3" had a slight edge this week.


    But it was only 9,000 copies ahead of Link''s, a number that made Jay-Z and others feel like they had a thorn in their side. Originally, they planned to stop competing for the charts after the third week, once other artists released their albums.


    However, Maxwell''s new album sales were mediocre, with no chance of claiming the top spot.


    Under the current circumstances, not competing for the charts would equate to giving up and being far surpassed by Link.


    Naturally, they were not willing to concede, so they had to invest a lot of time and money to continue to compete with Link for the charts.


    This also caused Lil Wayne, Drake, and 50 Cent to grumble incessantly about it.


    They were not the kind of people who could work an eight-hour shift in one day, nor did they like running around doing promotions, but the situation forced them to keep moving, like a bunch of blue-collar workers.


    Eminem, who did not participate in the promotions, often called to mock them, saying they got what they deserved and had brought the trouble on themselves.


    Also, during the fourth week, Link Music Company announced that the "Keep On Movin''" album gold disc giveaway event had officially started.


    Link selected fifteen copies of the already sold albums that had the catalog number containing the number 13, Taylor''s lucky number.


    And the fifteen sets of catalog numbers were announced through Twitter and the media.


    Winning fans only needed to call, leaving behind their contact address.


    Link Music Company would send the gold discs to the fans'' hands or to a nearby record store via FedEx.


    This lottery event was also reported and reprinted by many media outlets, and fourteen of the winning fans called in turn. The reason there were only fourteen was that one fan had two winning albums in hand.


    This fan lived in Arizona and was very excited upon receiving the gold disc.


    She told the media reporters that she was a fan of Link, liking him very, very much. After the release of "Keep On Movin''," she immediately bought four copies, planning to give them to classmates and friends.


    ```


    Among two tickets with the number 13, which initially seemed unlucky, both ended up being drawn. She felt she was the luckiest person in the world.


    The female fan also expressed that she would follow the original plan to give the other gold medal and album to her best friend so they could support Link together.


    The news of Link giving all the championship gold medals to his fans was widely reported by major media outlets around the world.


    Such an act had never been done before. Link was the first, which made the news very interesting and newsworthy.


    Taylor and Lady Gaga among a few other acquaintances also complained that he had raised the bar for being a singer.


    In the past, when giving back to fans, all they had to include in a deluxe album were cards, water cups, tapestries, canvas bags, dolls, and the like.


    Now that Link was directly giving away championship gold medals, no one could compare.


    "Do you know what people in the music industry are saying about you? They say you''re like a catfish that swam over from the boxing world, naturally fierce and combative. Because of you, the competition in the music industry has become much more intense. Even billionaires like Jay-Z have to give up their rest time and hold concerts in 95¡ã weather."


    While reclining on a beach chair and flipping through a magazine, Taylor teased.


    Link shook his head and didn''t agree with this statement.


    Compared to the music industry, boxing is just a niche market. Last year, a group of boxers'' collective GDP didn''t even reach 20 billion, while the top singers in the music industry generate economic revenue of tens of billions every year.


    For example, Taylor, whose upcoming year''s concert and merchandise sales are expected to exceed 12 billion US Dollars, surpassing the annual GDP of many countries. The GDP of cities where she holds concerts also spikes. Because of her significant economic impact, it''s called ''Swift Economics,'' with related courses and research at prestigious universities like Harvard.


    The music industry is much larger and employs more people, which naturally leads to more intense competition, not because of himself.


    Moreover, in terms of spoiling fans, Taylor has given her fans houses, donated 3,000 US Dollars to each fan in financial difficulty, and other artists have found various ways to give back to their fans. Link didn''t think his act of giving away gold medals was that unusual.


    Link laughed, "Because of me, the atmosphere in the music industry has become livelier and more enthusiastic. It also made you lazy sardines swim faster and be more creative with your music. So, you all should be thanking me."


    "No way, nobody will thank someone who makes everyone work during their holidays. Look at this report.


    Maxwell and Grizzly Band''s management company announced at a press conference that due to your and Jay-Z''s chart battle, they had to spend more time on promotion and go over their original budget by one-third."


    Taylor pointed to a piece of news in the magazine, but before Link could lean in to see it, Taylor pushed him away by the face and pointed to the script on the table,


    "Focus on the script. This is the revised version. What do you think? You''re not allowed to say no. Emma said she wants to act with me."


    Link shook his head, the new script merely changed his role from a school track team hurdler to a swim team athlete.


    Taylor was still the high school girl who walked around carrying a large stuffed toy on Valentine''s Day. His character was somewhat afraid of his girlfriend, while Taylor''s character was a bit dumb.


    Both characters were silly and dull. Apart from showing off his muscles and good looks, there was not much point in playing such roles.


    But since Taylor wanted to do it, he had no choice but to accept.


    Luckily, the pay was not too bad; both he and Taylor would get one million US Dollars each.


    "Alright, then let''s do it."


    "Great, I''ll call Anne right now."


    Taylor kissed him on the face and ran back to make the call.


    Link threw off the towel on his body and dived into the deep blue pool to swim.

 Chapter 191 Far Ahead (Extra for Alliance Leader 10/10)

    "Keep On Movin''" was released in its fourth week, with domestic sales of 389,000 copies, claiming the Billboard 200 album chart title for the second time."The Blueprint 3" ranked second, with sales of 232,000 copies this week, directly trailing "Keep On Movin''" by 150,000 copies.


    Media analysis suggested the first reason for this was Link''s gold disc giveaway event last week, which gained extensive exposure.


    On the other hand, Jay-Z''s promotional activities were boring and lacked highlights, and additionally, Lil Wayne, Drake, and others were often late to events, showing a negative attitude.


    The second reason was the style and quality of the album.


    "Keep On Movin''" featured rock, pop, and electronic styles, appealing to a broader audience.


    The songs on this album were also great, similar to "give me reason" and "Believer," with high, stirring melodies, intense rhythms and music, paired with Link''s impactful voice, making them very uplifting.


    "The Blueprint 3" was also good, rated as the best rap album of 2009 by the hip-hop magazine "XXL," and Jay-Z salvaged his declining reputation and popularity in the music industry with this album.


    But rap music is less popular among light-skinned people.


    This also caused "The Blueprint 3" to have a narrower audience than "Keep On Movin''."


    Also, although the album had two chart-topping singles, the overall quality of other songs couldn''t match "Keep On Movin''," nor could their popularity match some of the songs from Link''s second album.


    The "Los Angeles Times" cited a third reason related to the artists themselves.


    Compared to Jay-Z, a chubby 41-year-old black middle-aged man, Link was 21, young, handsome, tall, strong, and had a good public image as a youth idol.


    One was a seasoned male star, the other a rising new star.


    When it came to influence and appeal among young people, Jay-Z was far behind Link.


    This was also why "The Blueprint 3," despite its continuous promotion, still lagged far behind.


    However, there was some good news for Jay-Z this week¡ª "Empire State of Mind" remained at the top of the Billboard singles chart for the third week, with "Believer" falling to fourth place.


    This time, it was a chart rivalry between Link and Jay-Z.


    In terms of album sales, both Link and Jay-Z each claimed two weeks at the top of the album chart, but Link was victorious in total sales.


    On the singles chart, "Keep On Movin''" had only one top single "Give me reason," which was number one for a week.


    "The Blueprint 3" had two, topping the singles chart for four weeks.


    But Link had more songs ranked on the charts.


    The "New York Post" commented that the two had wins and losses in their chart battle, ending in a draw, and suggested they make peace.


    People in the music industry felt the same, seeing it as a tie and better to propose peace during this even match, as continuing the rivalry would stall the sales of other artists'' albums released at the same time.


    But for Jay-Z and the East Coast rap crew, a draw was a hard result to accept.


    They were all top-tier in the music industry; Jay-Z was a veteran top-tier, the king of New York''s music scene. If several of them together, working overtime on promotions, only managed a draw against Link¡ªa newcomer with just two albums¡ªthat was a loss, a group losing to one person.


    "Is there any other way?"


    Jay-Z asked.


    Kanye and the others shook their heads together. The album had been released for four weeks, similar to a movie, with the highest data in the first month, and sales would decrease afterward. A high-quality album would sustain longer with long-tail effects, leading to higher cumulative sales.


    "The Blueprint 3" was of decent quality but not top-tier; the record company predicted total sales in the United States would be under 2.5 million copies.


    Continuing promotion wouldn''t make much difference.


    They had no better strategies to reverse the disadvantage.


    "I suggest making peace."


    Beyonce leaned back on an Italian sofa, legs crossed, swirling a glass of Bordeaux wine, and said, "Rihanna and Katy Perry talked it over; Link isn''t interested in competing with you guys. It''s only because you kept pushing to top the charts that he felt compelled to react. Maybe it''s better to propose a truce while it''s still a draw."


    "Bullshit! His statement outside the Grammy Awards, saying we became aggressive and domineering after a black individual took office, filled with hostility towards us, and then suddenly releasing the rap single ''I''m the One'' as a deliberate provocation; he dares say it was forced? Bullshit!"


    Jay-Z cursed with a stern face.


    "So, do you have any way to beat him?"


    Beyonce asked with a smile, looking over Jay-Z, Kanye, and Lil Wayne.


    Lil Wayne, eyeing Beyonce''s legs with envy, said, "Jay-Z, we haven''t lost. Initially, we were only competing with Link for the rap chart champion, but the media hype led us astray, shifting the battleground to the album chart."


    "Now, we just need to use the media to refocus everyone''s attention back to the rap charts and continue to battle with Link for the top spot on the charts,"


    Seeing everyone looking over, Lil Wayne laughed excitedly and said, "Currently on the rap singles chart, ''Empire State of Mind'' is the champion, and ''The Blueprint 3'' has 12 songs in the hot 40.


    Link''s ''I''m the One'' has been squeezed out of the chart long ago, and ''Lighters'' is only ranked 16th. Link and Link Music have completely collapsed in the rap arena, so this time in the chart battle, we have a great victory and Link is utterly defeated."


    Everyone thought about it, and it really seemed to be the case.


    Initially, they only competed with Link on the rap charts.


    It was only because ''Give me reason'' seized the number one spot from Jay-Z''s promotional single ''D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)'' on the singles chart, that everyone shifted their focus from the rap chart to the singles chart.


    Led astray by the media promotions, the battleground shifted from the singles chart to the album chart, and that''s where Link''s albums defeated them.


    If they had not changed battlefields initially, staying in the realm of rap, Link, a rap newcomer accompanied by three greenhorns from Link Music, would definitely not have been a match for several top-notch rappers.


    Slap!


    Jay-Z, with a stern face, heavily smacked the arm of the sofa.


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    "We''ve been tricked! We fell for Link''s cunning plan. That damn bastard knew he was no match for us in the rap field, so he used tricks to lure us out of it and then compete with us in other areas. This bastard is too deceitful."


    Upon reflection, everyone agreed that Link was indeed very crafty.


    Perhaps his attacks on Kanye at the press conference early in the year were deliberate provocations, meant to ignite conflict and blow the situation up to gain more attention and increase the exposure and sales of his debut album.


    The fact that his debut album as a newbie sold Double Platinum in America speaks volumes about the success of his tactics.


    He lay low for two months, then, before releasing his second album, he sparked up the feud again with a rap single, leveraging everyone''s popularity to create a flood of news for himself and his second album.


    Seeing a new kid being bullied by a bunch of top rappers, a young pretty boy being pushed around by a bunch of black guys, the public and media would surely empathize and support him.


    And then he succeeded, his album sold like hotcakes.


    "Damn you, Link! You''re really riding on my coattails,"


    Kanye West exclaimed furiously, kicking the table. The marble table didn''t budge, and he immediately gasped in pain, cradling his foot as he collapsed on the couch, calming down.


    Others, having realized this point, looked furious, almost wishing they could shoot Link dead.


    "Is Link really that formidable?"


    Rihanna, sitting next to Beyonce, asked incredulously.


    Initially, it was Kanye, Lil Wayne, and 50 Cent who targeted Link, forcing Link to fight back. If this had been Link''s promotional strategy from the beginning of the year all the way to now, that would be terrifying.


    "Rihanna, the news says Link is a boxing strategy master, winning many matches through cunning and deceit.


    During his amateur boxing days, he was very adept at leveraging other boxing stars'' fame for his hype. Right from the start, his fame surpassed even that of second-line boxers, all these pointing out that Link is a shrewd guy," Chris Brown added.


    Rihanna snorted softly, not buying it.


    Hearing Chris Brown''s words, Kanye felt even more assured that Link had been leeching off his fame, furiously kicking the couch several more times. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We should hit back," Lil Wayne shouted angrily.


    "How do we hit back?"


    Jay-Z and the others turned to Lil Wayne, known for his many braids and sharp mind.


    Lil Wayne scratched his braids, "How about we plant some drugs and guns in his car?"


    "Link is no ordinary man; such methods won''t work on him," Jay-Z said, frowning.


    T.I. chuckled and suggested, "Hey, how about we send him a woman? He''s strong in that department for sure, and he must be going out often to meet women. We plant one, then accuse him of harassment and rape. His reputation would surely be destroyed."


    Jay-Z stroked his chin, liking the idea because it targeted Link''s weakness.


    But it was challenging to execute; they needed to find a beautiful woman firstly, and secondly, Link had to be willing to accept her. Such a plot couldn''t be completed in a few days.


    Jay-Z thought for a while, "First, let''s control the media to shift public attention back to the rap field. Make everyone know that we are the kings of rap music, unbeatable in this field. We''ll settle other scores later."


    Everyone nodded in agreement, liking the idea.


    Beyonce and Rihanna exchanged looks and shook their heads, finding the men utterly trivial, always fixated on battling one another.

 Chapter 192 Emma Stone (Added for book friends)

    Los Angeles, on Hollywood Boulevard, the sun shone brightly, palm leaves swaying in the breeze.Christine Stewart pulled over in her blue sports car, a lollipop in her mouth, and stepped into a Mars Candy store on the side of the street.


    Mars is the world''s largest candy company, with over 60 brands under its belt, including Dove, Green Arrow, Snickers, Skittles, Eclipse, big bubble gum, true knowledge lollipops, and nearly all the famous candy brands.


    Besides supplying candies around the globe, Mars Company also has candy stores in major US cities. Each year, they introduce some new flavors of candy, inviting customers to taste them. These candies are bespoke and tend to be expensive, making them a luxury item.


    "Good morning, Mr. Louis, I would like a box of blueberry lollipops."


    Christine said as she took off her sunglasses. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The plump manager behind the counter looked up and, setting down the candy jar, smiled and said, "Miss Stewart, blueberry flavor has been quite popular lately. The blueberry candies that arrived yesterday have already sold out. The other flavors are also good, would you like to try them?"


    Christine leaned over the bright display case for a look.


    Inside were a dazzling array of candies: chocolate bars, fruit drops, tart candy beans, soft nut candies, and suddenly she saw a box labeled blueberry lollipops, decorated with pictures of several blue-purple blueberries that just made one''s mouth water.


    "Mr. Louis, you might need to get yourself some glasses."


    Christine tapped on the glass with her finger.


    Laughing, the rotund shopkeeper patted his belly and said, "That box has been pre-ordered by a customer who said he''d come to pick it up this afternoon. Maybe you''d like to check out some others?"


    "No, that won''t be necessary. I only feel like blueberry right now. Mr. Louis, please remember to reserve one box for me next time, no, make that two boxes."


    Christine put on her sunglasses and was about to walk out when suddenly she saw a familiar face coming in.


    Tall, dashing, handsome, wearing a coffee-colored shirt and grey-white finely striped trousers, coupled with a pair of RayBan sunglasses, he was dressed very fashionably, like a star out for a street photo shoot.


    But this guy was indeed a star, and a big one at that. He''d been all over the newspapers recently.


    "Hey! Chris, are you also here to buy candies?"


    Link was surprised to see Christine here and took off his sunglasses to greet her.


    Christine was a friend of a friend of Taylor''s; she had come over to a party at his house once, so they were acquainted.


    "What brings you here? Buying chocolate for Taylor?"


    Christine asked with a lollipop in her mouth.


    "Taylor likes soft, sweet desserts, not candies. I''m the one who likes candies, here to stock up."


    Link took out a lollipop from his pocket and put it in his mouth before approaching the counter and collecting his pre-ordered box of blueberry lollipops from the plump shopkeeper, Louis.


    Christine stared at that box of lollipops for a few seconds before looking at Link and licking the corner of her mouth, she asked, "Aren''t you afraid of being called childish for a grown man like you liking lollipops?"


    "Not at all, it''s just a little hobby,"


    Link said with a smile.


    Christine scratched her ear, puzzled. This guy was the world champion Boxer, a tough guy; how could he, just like herself, enjoy lollipops?


    "Aren''t you buying candies?"


    Link asked as he was leaving and saw Christine was also heading out.


    Christine shook her head, her eyes fixed on the box of blueberry lollipops in his hands. With a cold, indifferent face, she said, "I only like blueberry ones. What about you?"


    Link glanced at her empty hands, smiled lightly, grabbed a handful from the box, and handed it over to her.


    "No need, I don''t need any. I''ll buy some next time."


    Christine turned her head away and waved her hand, but Link forcefully handed them to her anyway. She could only reluctantly accept them, feeling that he was rather domineering.


    Peeling open a blueberry-flavored lollipop and popping it into her mouth, Christine instantly tasted the sweet and sour flavor of real blueberry syrup¡ªa candy a hundred times purer in flavor than those with artificial fragrance, truly fantastic.


    "Link, you haven''t answered my question yet. What flavor of lollipop do you like?"


    "I''m not picky about flavors. Blueberry, citrus, mango, strawberry¡ªI can go with any."


    "Is that so? I''ve heard that men who only like one flavor of lollipop are more faithful in love, and those who aren''t picky are playboys. You look like the latter," Christine remarked, glancing at him.


    Link laughed and said, "I''ve also heard that men who only like one flavor are monotonous and dull in life, even boring, and generally no one likes these types. Would you date a guy like that?"


    Christine thought seriously for a moment. She probably wouldn''t, but she definitely wouldn''t admit that to Link''s face. So, she decided to change the subject.


    "Link, why are you over here? Did you come specifically to buy candy?"


    "No, I''m filming a music video for my album over at the Universal Studios next door."


    Link stepped out of the candy store, and a silver-gray Mercedes sports car was parked at the curb¡ªhis recently acquired ride. With not much work on his plate lately, he''d often take it out for a drive.


    "Can I take a look? I''m free today," Christine asked.


    "Of course, you can! Please, follow me!"


    The two drove to a Universal Studios filming location.


    The crew was there to shoot the music video for "Believer," which would be aired on television music channels to increase the exposure of the album''s songs and to enhance the songs'' depth, making fans like it even more.


    "Wow, that girl is really pretty."


    Christine arrived at the set, her eyes shining as she saw the female lead of the MV.


    The MV''s female lead was the newly signed actress Emma Stone from Palm Bay Talent Agency, also known as the future ''Stonester''.


    At 21, she started her career in ''05 and spent the last couple of years doing extras in various projects. This year, she landed supporting roles in the low-budget comedies "Ex-Girlfriends'' Ghosts" and "Paper Man."


    Catherine saw her decent performance in those movies, recognizing her potential, and asked Link for his opinion.


    Seeing it was the ''Stonester,'' Link naturally didn''t want to miss out.


    Emma Stone had starred in "Birdman," "La La Land," "The Amazing Spider-Man," and won Academy Awards for Best Actress twice¡ªshe had a lot of potentials. Signing her before she became famous was undoubtedly a profitable deal.


    After the contract was signed, Emma Stone naturally became the female lead in many of his music videos.


    "Christine, there''s a lot of shooting today, and I won''t be free to come over. If you get bored, feel free to leave without saying goodbye," Link said.


    Christine nodded, licked her lollipop, and lay down on the couch next to Director Herrick with her handheld gaming console to play games.


    Link paid her no mind and continued filming with the crew.


    Originally, the "Believer" MV depicted a boxing match between two boxers, with one beating the other severely, using fists and pain to turn the other person into a believer.


    However, Link''s music promotion department suggested that since the debut album featured a lot of boxing scenes, the second album should avoid using boxing shots to prevent the stereotype that his music was all related to boxing from forming in the fans'' minds.


    That would seem too monotonous and not diversified enough.


    Link felt their point made sense, so he accepted the new script.


    In the new script, Link became a rock climber who, while conquering steep cliffs, also got battered by the precipices. During one climb, he lost his soulmate due to an accident¡ªplayed by Emma Stone¡ªand the male lead was in great agony, becoming a painful believer.


    Stephen Herrick, an old acquaintance, was chosen to direct the MV. His directing skills were solid, especially when it came to shooting people and scenery. He could make people look very beautiful, which was precisely the effect Link needed.


    The MV started with the shooting of the intimate scenes between the male and female leads indoors, and then moved to Yellowstone Park to capture more thrilling climbing shots. Some places were quite dangerous and required special effects.


    The entire MV had a budget of between $500,000 and $1,000,000, not much less than a small movie.


    "Cut!"


    "Emma, you did a great job. Link, make your performance more natural, add more emotion to your eyes. For the next shot, we need to film close-ups of the face,"


    Director Stephen called out.


    Link gave an OK sign, sat down again, and resumed filming the segments of the daily interactions between the male and female leads.


    When Link acted opposite Emma Stone, he truly understood what natural acting talent was.


    Once Emma Stone received the script, she would look it over once and didn''t need to rehearse at all. As soon as the director yelled "action", she could instantly produce what the director wanted, her immersion into the character was incredibly fast.


    Link was temporarily outmatched and often got outperformed by her.


    Fortunately, she did not know that he was the major shareholder of Palm Bay Agency; otherwise, being overshadowed by one''s employee would be too embarrassing.


    After wrapping up the shoot in the afternoon, when Link came out, Christine was still lying on the couch playing video games, not having moved an inch, still with a lollipop in her mouth, surrounded by a pile of candy wrappers.


    "Don''t you have work today?"


    Link sat down, handed her a bottle of water, and Christine shook her head, took the lollipop out of her mouth and said, "Twilight 2 is wrapped up, I''m on a break now."


    "I envy you, I haven''t had a day off in half a year,"


    Link said, sipping water.


    "I don''t feel sorry for you,"


    Christine said with swinging legs.


    "Uh, I''m just stating a fact, not asking for your pity,"


    Link glanced at her. With her short hair, jeans, and a loose T-shirt, despite her delicate features and fine figure, her tomboyish demeanor made her look more like a boyish girl.


    "Link, goodbye!"


    Emma Stone came over with a small bag to bid farewell.


    Link waved and said goodbye.


    "Hey, Emma wait up!"


    Christine threw down the game console, got up, and chased after her. She returned a while later with a napkin written with a number, a happy smile on her face.


    Link looked at her oddly. He had heard she had a boyfriend, so why was she interested in girls too?


    He did not discriminate against lesbians, but it felt odd to have a pretty girl hit on another girl right in front of him. It was as if all men in the world, including himself, held no attraction for her.


    The existence of such a girl seemed like a mockery to all men.


    "You waited this long just to get Emma''s contact information?"


    "No, I have a question for you,"


    Christine sat opposite him, looked at him with her blue-grey eyes, and blinked.


    "Go on,"


    Link unwrapped a lollipop.


    Christine scratched behind her ear and leaned in closer, as there was no one else around, and with a breath smelling of blueberries asked, "What position do you usually like for ML?"


    "What?"


    Link looked at the young woman in front of him with confusion, wondering how she could ask such a question at her age.


    Christine blushed under his gaze, turned her head away, and said emotionlessly, "It''s not that I wanted to ask, but Blake, Emma, Katie, and a few others were curious about which position you prefer. I''m mostly asking on their behalf since we are all friends. It''s just a conversation, don''t be too stingy about it."


    Link twitched the corner of his mouth, "Sure, what position do you like?"


    Christine blinked and thought for a moment, "I prefer front-facing."


    "Alright, I got it. It''s getting dark, do you plan to stay over?"


    Link said as he stood up and picked up his jacket.


    "Wait, you haven''t said which position you prefer,"


    Christine tugged at his arm.


    "We are the same,"


    "You also prefer front-facing?"


    Christine touched her chin in confusion, "But Katie said you liked it from behind, that''s why Taylor''s butt is getting firmer."


    Link covered his forehead with his hand.


    Do these women really enjoy talking about such things all day?


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    They''re too wild for his taste.


    He was not adept at discussing such topics.


    "Link, slow down, I still have a few questions to ask you,"


    Christine called out.


    Link sped up.

 Chapter 193 Its Not Dark Yet

    Having escaped from the blunt Christine, Link drove back to the beach villa.While it was still light out, he booted up his computer and discussed the upcoming work schedule with Ivanka, Ms. Mandy, and Graham.


    By the fifth week of "Keep On Movin''" release, the media and the internet suddenly burst out with numerous negative stories about Link.


    The source of this negative press was related to a recent interview show.


    On Wednesday, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and T.I. attended a night-time talk show on CBS.


    During the show, the host brought up Jay-Z''s chart competition with Link and asked for their thoughts.


    Lil Wayne declared that Jay-Z had won the battle.


    When they competed with Link for the charts, it was only for the Billboard Rap Chart''s first place, not for the album chart.


    After "The Blueprint 3" was released, all tracks from the album entered the rap chart''s hot 40, while none of Link''s rap songs did.


    Without a doubt, Jay-Z was the winner.


    T.I. also said publicly that he wanted to share a joke, and his joke was, "Link says he can rap."


    The host and audience didn''t understand what was funny about that statement.


    But after T.I. said it, rappers like 50 Cent burst into laughter.


    T.I. then explained that Link is a pop singer who doesn''t rap at all, that in "I''m The One," Link only took care of the singing part, and strictly speaking, Link is not a rap artist.


    His sudden release of a rap song in May and claim to compete with rappers for the charts was just a promotional tactic to increase exposure for his second album.


    50 Cent also shared an experience with a fan of his who, after hearing "I''m The One," really liked it and thought Link''s second album would be a rap album.


    But when he bought the album, he discovered not a single rap song on it. His fan was so angry that he immediately burned the disk and called Link a fraud.


    50 Cent jokingly said that Link''s actions were misleading to consumers.


    Lil Wayne also mentioned in the interview that Link had participated in amateur boxing matches.


    Claiming that Link is a master of hype, in the semifinals of the Golden Gloves amateur tournament, he promoted himself by disparaging boxing stars like Chris Byrd, Bernard Hopkins, and Giant Valuev, earning himself the nickname ''Mouth Cannon'' from netizens.


    After entering the music industry, he continued to use his ''mouth cannon'' skills, promoting himself through attacking top stars like Kanye, his tryst with Amber, sporting events, competing for the rap charts, and so on.


    In less than six months, he had gained extremely high popularity in the music industry.


    Lil Wayne and his peers expressed admiration for Link''s promotional tactics, saying he was more suited to be a media journalist than a singer.


    Being a singer requires talent and good music; artists who rely solely on hype to become famous are not good singers.


    Lil Wayne claimed that Link''s fame far exceeded his abilities and, with the tone of an elder, advised him to calm down and focus on his music creation, not always thinking about becoming an overnight sensation. Fame from hype is just a bubble and useless.


    This show caused quite a controversy in the music industry after it aired on CBS.


    First of all, the rumor of Link''s bad blood with East Coast rappers had previously only been media and fan speculation, never confirmed publicly by any involved parties.


    Yet, on this show, Lil Wayne and others openly admitted to competing with Link for the Rap Chart number one.


    Lil Wayne and his peers publicly mocked Link, attacking him with unflattering terms like ''Mouth Cannon,'' turning business competition into verbal attacks, and making the conflict public.


    This behavior went against the industry''s competition rules.


    Secondly, Lil Wayne and others accused Link of loving hype, stating that from his boxing career onwards, he rose to fame through various means, labeling him as someone who would stop at nothing for fame.


    These seemingly nonsensical attacks could still mislead the public and fans, inflicting considerable damage on Link''s reputation.


    Online, many people debated whether he was a star who became famous through hype alone.


    On Yahoo Sports & Entertainment forums, there was a popular post titled "Celebrities Trampled by Link in the Past Two Years."


    The author detailed a list of dozens of sports and entertainment stars.


    It included over twenty boxers like Roy Jones, Tyson, and Hopkins,


    as well as Kanye, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, Emma Watson, Ms. Thomp, Lady Gaga, Taylor, and other famous singer and actor celebrities.


    Although the post was potentially libelous and removed after half a day, it had already sparked widespread debate online.


    More people believed that Link built his fame on news hype and riding the coattails of celebrities, seeing him as a celebrity in name only and not the bright and shiny youth idol.


    Suddenly, a large amount of negative information about Link flooded the internet.


    It included accusations of racism, using performance-enhancing drugs in competitions, plagiarizing other people''s songs, drug abuse, hosting adult parties, and even having committed murder in his teens.


    Someone also posted an image of an adult party online, where a man resembling Link and more than ten scantily clad women were engaging in a wild mess, creating quite a spectacle.


    Although it was later confirmed by professionals that the image was photoshopped,


    as Link often fought shirtless in the boxing ring, it was not hard to find such material, and someone had clearly framed Link using this kind of image.


    The image was later removed by the platform, but it still caused a stir online.


    Because everyone knew about Link''s strength in that area, and since he had publicly admitted it, privately, people speculated that the scenes in the picture could be real, just not exposed.


    Suddenly, more negative rumors and stories about Link appeared on the internet.


    The many dazzling halos around Link were greatly diminished, and this reduction directly reflected in his album sales.


    The offline sales couldn''t be tallied just yet.


    On various online digital music platforms, day-to-day sales fell by more than 25% from the previous day.


    "Link, put the lollipop down; we''re in a meeting."


    In the video, Ivanka wore a ladies'' suit and rested her hands on a desk, staring at him with a serious expression.


    "I know, carry on, I''m listening."


    In the study, Link said while eating a lollipop.


    Ivanka shook her head, "It''s clear that Jay-Z''s group knows they can''t beat us in album sales, so they''ve started to sling mud at you, tarnishing your reputation. Next, we will clarify some rumors through the media and use legal measures to uphold our rightful interests. Link, you''ll be busy the next few days. Make sure to arrange your time."


    "Got it. Can we dig up dirt on them too, like Jay-Z, who used to be a drug dealer? There should be a lot of dirt on them."


    "It''s no use. He changed careers more than a decade ago, and bringing it up now won''t have much impact on him. Moreover, don''t forget he''s a billionaire in his forties. Even if there''s dirt, it doesn''t really matter," Ivanka said.


    Link nodded; it did seem to be the case. This is also one of the reasons many older people turn bad: lacking moral constraints, they start to let themselves go.


    "Ahem! Ivanka, I think people in their forties should be considered middle-aged, not old," Mrs. Mandy reminded her.


    Ivanka smiled, "Yes, of young middle age. Mandy, keep a closer watch on Link for the next few days and urge him to complete all his tasks."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t let Link drive around aimlessly again."


    Mrs. Mandy nodded with a smile. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Urge? You make it sound like Eva sent you to be my supervisor,"


    "Link, Lana''s first album recording is finished. When will you come and have a listen, or should we send you the audio source?" Mr. Graham said.


    "I''ll listen to it when I stop by, there''s the MTV Music Video Awards next month."


    "All right!"


    After the video chat ended, Link closed his laptop and got up to stretch, when he suddenly noticed Taylor appearing silently at the door.


    Her golden ponytail tied up, in a purple polka dot dress with fair legs under silver high-heeled sandals, she looked even more slender and tall.


    "When did you get back?"


    Startled by his sudden gaze, Taylor patted her chest and said, "Don''t look at me like that; I just got back. I saw you were in a video meeting and was hesitating whether to leave when I heard you finished. I didn''t mean to eavesdrop on your conversation, I''m not interested in your work."


    "I know, I didn''t misunderstand, you don''t need to explain so much," Link said with a smile.


    "Who knows? The way you were looking at me earlier, you probably think I''m a petty woman who always sneaks around listening to your conversations with that big butt, right?"


    "I didn''t think that, I heard the car, and can you please not say ''big butt''? It sounds weird."


    "But it''s the truth."


    Taylor walked back into the bedroom, took off her dress, and unhooked her bra, ready to change into a loose T-shirt.


    Link approached from behind and hugged her slender waist, kissing her neck.


    It had a warm scent and a smooth touch.


    Even after all these years of marriage, the feeling was still wonderful.


    "Stop it! I''m all sweaty, I need to take a shower first," Taylor said, knocking his arm away with hers.


    "No rush, let''s sweat a bit more, and then we can shower together later." Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "No! It''s not even dark yet, stop moving around."


    An hour later, as the sky darkened, Link came out of the bathroom in shorts, feeling refreshed.


    But remembering those negative news stories, he took out his phone and opened Twitter.


    Since he registered his Twitter account in March, after several months of work and accumulation, he now had 8.013 million followers. Although not the most followed celebrity account, it ranked within the top hundred.


    He didn''t tweet often, only 12 posts in total, all about promoting songs, boxing matches, and lottery numbers for gold. He didn''t delve into politics or other social news.


    Due to the abundance of negative rumors online these days, many haters flocked to his last lottery tweet to attack him.


    Accusing him of not knowing how to rap, challenging Jay-Z and Kanye in the rap scene was just for clout, attention-grabbing, and album sales. They called him the king of music industry hype.


    Haters also challenged him to release another rap to listen to, questioning why there hadn''t been a single rap work since May?


    The albums he released were not rap albums, leading them to accuse him of misleading consumers and suspecting him of commercial fraud.


    Apart from the haters'' comments, there were more messages from fans in the comment section, refuting the haters'' remarks one by one, staunchly defending Link''s reputation, and urging him to sue Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and a few others.


    Regarding the lawsuit against these individuals, Link and his team of lawyers discussed it. Although the comments made by Lil and others on the show were somewhat aggressive, they did not constitute defamation. Suing would not be very likely to succeed.


    To win this public opinion battle, Link''s best course was to use media channels and the power of public opinion.


    Link sat on the couch, pondering for a while, then composed and sent out a tweet.


    "Link!"


    Taylor called from the bathroom.


    "Yes?"


    "You forgot to help me apply body lotion."


    "Alright!"


    Link shrugged his shoulders, put down his phone, and went back into the bathroom.

 Chapter 194 Strong Counterattack

    At night, Kevin Merida, the executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, took off his glasses and lay down to sleep when a loud ringtone from the phone pierced the silence from outside.His wife slapped him on the side, chiding him for not turning off his phone, and told him to quickly go and answer it.


    Mr. Merida sighed, put on his thick glasses again, and went outside to answer the call.


    The call was from James, an entertainment reporter at the newspaper. James informed him that just moments ago, Link had posted a tweet responding to Lil Wayne and the rumors circulating online in the past few days.


    James believed this tweet was highly newsworthy and might become a major news story tomorrow. He suggested that he take a look and consider writing a report on it tomorrow.


    Mr. Merida sighed helplessly. In the days before the internet, hot news came once a few days or even months.


    Sometimes, for lack of good news, they would fabricate false news.


    With the internet, hot topics arise daily or even more frequently, multiplying the workload for journalists like them drastically.


    Previously, there were a few days off each month, but now even weekends and leisure time after work weren''t guaranteed. Every day was spent in busyness, but they had no choice but to accept this change.


    With the advent of the internet age, traditional media such as newspapers faced unprecedented challenges.


    If they couldn''t adapt to these changes, they would eventually be eliminated, and being eliminated meant losing their jobs, leading to bankruptcy, which would be disastrous.


    Mr. Merida opened the Twitter application on his computer. He also followed Link, so he quickly found the tweet that Link had posted ten minutes ago.


    In the tweet, Link wrote: "In response to the recent accusations from Lil Wayne and others that I excel in creating hype, I affirmatively respond.


    Yes, I excel at promoting myself, which led me to visit Huaxia, win an Olympic Gold Medal, participate in the WBA Super Middleweight championship, claim the World Boxing Champion title, attend the World University Games, break four swimming records, win eight Gold medals, and seven more at the World Championships.


    Yes, I excel at creating hype, which is why I specifically wrote an album to fulfill my dream as a singer. Thanks to the fans'' support, ''The Fighter'' sold over five million copies worldwide.


    Encouraged by the fans, I wrote a second album.


    Currently, the album sales in North America have exceeded 1.9 million copies. The two albums together have two singles that topped the charts, sixteen entered the Hot 100 chart, and, oh, ''I''m The One'' also reached number one on the rap chart.


    Yes, I excel at creating hype, but I''m even better at proving myself with my abilities."


    Mr. Merida read through and felt that Link still had more to say, but Twitter''s 280-character limit meant he could only write this much.


    However, these few paragraphs still conveyed Link''s attitude towards the recent rumors¡ªa disdain.


    With his achievements in boxing and sports alone, any one of them would make him a sports star, not to mention a popular singer with two hit albums.


    Does someone like him need hype?


    Yes, they do! But not him¡ªit''s the media and America that need it.


    The media industry needs to use his news to attract audience attention and sell their news products.


    America also needs to use his story to sell American culture and image, telling the story of the American Dream to the world, thereby attracting more talents to America to chase their dreams.


    The recent media and internet hype about Link''s scandals are also driven by interests.


    Because Link''s fame is significant recently, whether criticizing him or praising him, there will be buyers. As long as the news is linked to him, it can sell well, so the media can''t possibly not report on it.


    Even large newspapers like the Los Angeles Times took on an air of objective neutrality in yesterday''s news.


    Commenting on the discussion about Lil Wayne and others on the CBS television program.


    They neither said that Lil Wayne and others were talking nonsense nor denied that Link was hyping.


    They only wrote comments that both Link''s and Lil Wayne''s fans could accept.


    This approach, on the one hand, prevents offending the involved parties and their fans, avoiding legal disputes.


    On the other hand, if the two sides want to continue the public opinion battle, they need to spend money on public relations, making the Los Angeles Times one of the beneficiaries.


    Thus, Mr. Merida and all other media practitioners hope this dispute continues.


    They can sell more newspapers by reporting these news stories.


    But times have changed.


    Mr. Merida put down his phone and wiped the sweat off his face with a towel.


    Since the establishment of blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites, the media''s influence has been greatly diminished.


    Public figures can use these social platforms to express their views directly to their intended audience without relying on traditional media.


    Just like Link''s tweet.


    A decade ago, he would have had to contact a television station or newspaper first, pay a PR fee, and have journalists interview him. He would use the media''s channels to express his viewpoints or attitudes.


    But now Link just posts a tweet.


    Link had over eight million Twitter followers, and even if only one-tenth of them were active, the effect was as astounding as that of a major newspaper.


    Now, Link publicly expressed his doubts about recent public opinion. Although it was only 280 characters long, every sentence was impactful, undeniable, and not even major media could question it.


    According to Mr. Merida''s grasp of public sentiment.


    Because Link''s response was so forceful, it became difficult for the media to market news that questioned him; the media and online skepticism towards Link would gradually decrease.


    Also, because people like Lil Wayne openly admitted to competing with Link for charts.


    The media and the public would refocus their attention on the dispute between Link and the East Coast singer.


    Mr. Merida pondered for a while, then made calls to his editors and reporters.


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    He asked them to remove the articles questioning Link from tomorrow''s paper and replace them with articles discussing Link''s achievements, debating whether his fame was due to sensationalism or true skill, concluding that it was indeed well-deserved.


    After making a few calls, Merida checked the time, it was after nine in the evening, and he thought about the articles that had to be sent out the next day.


    He had a love-hate relationship with Link, loving him for the news he provided freely, yet hating him for tweeting at such a time, which forced an overtime shift.


    Apart from Merida, after Link tweeted, many journalists had to get up and check his tweets and the comments below.


    Within just three hours after the tweet was posted, it garnered 1.04 million likes, 158,000 shares, and 115,000 comments.


    Many journalists were shocked by these numbers.


    Link tweeted at a little past eight in the evening, and within three hours, he had garnered over a million likes in support; his fans were exceptionally active.


    Most of the comments in the comment section were supportive.


    Some people marveled at his achievements, thinking that someone like him, who had looks, talent, and ability, didn''t need to hype himself to become a superstar.


    Others urged him to participate in more sports competitions, win more Golden Belts, release more albums, and promote himself openly and legitimately, frustrating those who doubted him.


    Some fans were more considerate, urging him to go to sleep quickly and not be affected by the negative messages, arguing that no one would believe them and that everyone would always support him.


    Apart from these, there was one particular comment that garnered over thirty thousand likes.


    That comment suggested that Link should be mindful of the timing of his tweets in the future, aiming not to post them in the morning or evening, when user activity was at its lowest, as it would not be effective.


    Merida and other journalists saw this comment and collectively liked it in support.


    The next morning, when Link woke up and saw this comment, he also responded, acknowledging the advice and apologizing to everyone.


    "When did you post this tweet?"


    At the breakfast table, Taylor asked as he scrolled through his phone.


    "Just after the third round, during the break."


    "Feels like you''re bragging about yourself, to put it in one sentence, ''I''m this awesome, do I even need to hype myself up?''"


    Taylor quipped with a smirk.


    "It''s true, isn''t it?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link stuffed bread into his mouth, snatched Taylor''s phone from her hand, and urged her to hurry up and eat. Taylor rolled her eyes at him and, while he wasn''t looking, punched him again.


    After breakfast, he dropped Taylor off at the studio to practice singing, then headed to a nearby boxing gym for training.


    For the next two months, not only did he have to promote his album, shoot music videos, film the movie "Valentine''s Day", but he also had a boxing match.


    Link was set to face WBC Super Middleweight champion Carl Froch in a WBA-WBC world championship unification fight.


    Carl Froch was a British boxer, 32 years old, debuted in 2002, and his current record stood at 26 wins with one loss, 24 by knockout. His only defeat was last year when he vied for the WBA European champion title, losing to Mikkel Kessler.


    But earlier this year, he successively defeated Polish powerhouse Albert Roybaiko, Canadian champion Jean Pascal, and Jermain Taylor.


    As well as Mikkel Kessler, who had previously defeated him, securing the WBC World Champion Golden Belt.


    Famous under the nickname ''Cobra,''


    known for his extreme speed and tricky, fierce jab,


    he was extremely strong.


    One important point to note, Franco, during negotiations with Carl Froch''s management, agreed to the match but insisted on having it take place in London, Britain.


    The downside of competing internationally was that if he could not KO his opponent within 12 rounds, even if he dominated the fight, there was still a great chance he would be declared the loser.


    Therefore, before the match, he had to take out time to train and maintain a good competitive condition.

 Chapter 195 See You Again

    After Link spoke out on Twitter, everything unfolded as Mr. Merida had predicted¡ªthe number of articles on the media and internet claiming that Link rose to fame through hype sharply decreased. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.The reason was that Link''s aura was too dazzling, and the titles he held carried substantial weight. Someone as capable as him could completely withstand the hype, to the point that even the media''s praise seemed justified.


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    Those attacking him couldn''t find a single example to refute his success, so they could only change topics, shifting their attacks to his music.


    They said he couldn''t rap and that he was outperformed on the rap charts by East Coast rappers. When he initially proposed entering the rap scene to compete for the championship against East Coast rappers, it now seemed more like a joke.


    The music magazine The Source mocked Link, saying he ''thundered'' into the rap scene only to ''quietly'' leave, leaving behind a bunch of East Coast rappers without an opponent and claiming that Link won again with ''brilliant tactics''.


    The mockery reached its peak when Jay-Z''s "Empire State of Mind" was the Billboard single chart champion for the fourth consecutive week.


    It was during this time that ABC''s program commemorating MJ featured Link and Wiz Khalifa as special guests, performing his second rap single "See You Again."


    The day was a Saturday, and the viewership of the first half of the program fluctuated around 20 million homes. During Link and Wiz Khalifa''s performance segment, the peak viewership soared past 26 million homes.


    "See You Again" became an immediate sensation across the internet upon its release.


    The video of the duo''s performance on YouTube garnered over 12 million views in two days, simply because the video title included ''In Memory of MJ,'' prompting many people to click without a second thought.


    Following the broadcast, Link also released "See You Again" on Twitter.


    He made it clear that the song was created in memory of MJ and announced that he would donate 50% of the song''s royalties from the artist''s share to the MJ charity foundation and the other 50% to the International Red Cross Association to support children out of school.


    The MJ Charity Foundation, MJ Fan Club, and the official account of the International Red Cross Association subsequently retweeted Link''s post to express their gratitude.


    Link''s music label also released the studio version of "See You Again" on major digital music platforms.


    On the first day of release, digital downloads reached 2.056 million copies, easily topping the download charts of major music stores, breaking records for single-day streams and downloads on platforms like iTunes, Amazon Music, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, and more.


    Professional reviewers in the music industry also highly praised the song, describing it as ''the best tribute track'' and ''the most moving'' song.


    In the days following the release of the song, massive gatherings of MJ fans took place in Los Angeles, New York, London, and other places, with crowds reaching the hundreds of thousands.


    Fans sang "See You Again" in front of MJ statues to mourn the recently deceased MJ, in what appeared to be a pilgrimage event and an outlet for their emotions.


    When Link saw these news reports on TV, he was somewhat shocked. He had heard that after the song was released, it received a following from Paul Walker fans, who held several memorial services, though the news reported the gatherings to be small, with only a few thousand people.


    However, with MJ as the focal point of commemoration, the impact expanded more than tenfold, turning into a massive rally, becoming a mainstream and international news topic.


    These events far exceeded his expectations, leaving him unsure how to respond.


    "Hey! Link, how did you manage to write such a great song? ''See You Again'' is amazing," Paul Walker said excitedly over the phone.


    Link''s expression stiffened for a few seconds before he responded with a smile, "You like ''See You Again,'' do you?"


    "More than just like it, I absolutely love it. I listen to it every day now, over 100 times. It''s the best song I''ve ever heard, and it''s now my ringtone," Paul Walker laughed.


    "I''m glad you like it!"


    Link said with a gentle smile, then asked about Paul Walker''s film shooting and when he would return to Los Angeles, proposing a car race bet where the loser wouldn''t be allowed to drink for a year.


    "See You Again" sold 5.458 million copies online in its first week, once again breaking the digital music platforms'' weekly download record and setting a daunting new standard.


    It also set a YouTube record with 87.27 million views in a single week.


    Within one week, the song had been played 560 million times on various radio stations, setting yet another new record.


    Simultaneously, "See You Again" debuted at number one on the Billboard single chart, ending "Empire State of Mind''s" four-week reign with a figure that was more than sixty times greater.


    This song''s popularity not only skyrocketed but also boosted the ranking of Link''s other songs.


    "Believer" re-entered the Billboard single chart top ten, landing at number five.


    "Give me a reason," "Trouble I''m In," "Keep On Movin''," "This Is Me," "I''m The One," "Unstoppable," "Never say never" and other songs re-entered the Billboard single chart''s top 100, totaling 14 songs.


    Apart from MJ and Auntie Susan, he had the most songs on the singles chart.


    On the Billboard rap chart, "See You Again" debuted at number one, "I''m The One" returned to second, Mars and Little Bobby''s collaboration "Lighters" to third, and Wiz Khalifa''s single from last year "Say Yeah" ranked ninth.


    After listening to "See You Again," MJ''s fans went crazy, continuing to listen to Link''s other songs and buying his albums.


    Not only was Link shocked this time, but the media and record companies were also taken aback, having not anticipated a single song could cause such a stir.


    The "New York Times" published an investigative report of over ten thousand words, explaining in detail the origins of the song, its impact, and the reasons behind it.


    The origin was Link''s inspiration, gained while attending Michael''s memorial service and seeing his portrait.


    The song had an enormous impact, becoming the official MJ fan club''s tribute song for Michael.


    Whenever fans sing this song, they think of MJ, and whenever they think of MJ, they sing this song.


    MJ''s fans span nearly two hundred countries worldwide, over a billion fans, and this song would be sung across the globe.


    The reasons behind it are simple.


    First is MJ''s huge fame and influence, the ''King of Music'';


    Second, the song''s quality is extremely high¡ªthe lyrics, melody, pop and rap music¡ªit''s all fantastic.


    The energy produced from the collision and combination of these two factors is immense.


    It is like the legendary ''whale fall,'' where the death of a single whale gives life to many organisms.


    After MJ''s death, the popularity, attention, and public resources that once centered on him would gradually disperse and shift to other singers in the music circle.


    Including those who debuted in the past two years like Taylor, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Adele, Link, and others.


    With this song, Link seemed to inherit the largest share of those resources.


    The "New York Times" commented that if Link did not stray from the path, he would undoubtedly become a superstar in the music world.


    When Ivanka saw this news, she lifted the corner of her lips and looked at Mr. Graham across from her, "Last year, I told you to be strict with Link and to mold him into a top tier singer. At that time, I estimated that he had the chance to become a top tier singer in five or ten years. Obviously, my estimate was too conservative; he achieved the goal in just one year."


    Mr. Graham sighed silently, too, startled by the immense influence this song had brought.


    Two weeks earlier, when Link and Wiz Khalifa were recording in the studio, he had listened to the complete song and felt that it was terrific¡ªa top-notch production with the potential to be a huge hit.


    Although he knew the song was great, the energy and influence it produced after Link connected it with MJ went far beyond his imagination, like a music storm.


    Link was the center of the storm and became a top tier star in the music world.


    What the company needed to do now was to figure out a way to help him maintain his current position and not fall back to the second or third tier.


    "You guys discuss and work out a better development plan according to Link''s current situation. Link is the face and pillar of Link Music, and we must take his affairs very seriously,"


    Ivanka said with a serious expression, crossing her fingers.


    "Understood."


    Mr. Graham nodded and picked up the documents on the table to leave.


    Ivanka stared at the newspaper on the desk, and seeing the photo of Link''s face with contours as sculpted as ancient Greek statues, a thoughtful expression appeared in her eyes.


    Knock knock!


    The office door was knocked, Ivanka straightened her back, trying not to let her full bust touch the edge of the desk.


    "Come in!"


    "Ivanka, the concert is about to start, when do we leave?"


    Lana Del Rey said with a smile from the doorway.


    Ivanka said let''s go, picked up the newspaper from the desk, put it into her Gucci sling bag, and left the company with Lana.

 Chapter 196 Secret Deal

    "Damn, how did this song get so hot?"At Roc Records, Lil Wayne couldn''t believe his eyes when he saw the magazine data.


    "See You Again" had sold 5.45 million copies online in its first week alone, surpassing the first-week sales record of 1.82 million set by "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)" by more than threefold.


    It was ridiculous.


    Even the biggest fraudster wouldn''t dare to fake these numbers.


    But Link had done it.


    "This bastard is riding on MJ''s coattails. Without MJ, this song would never have been this popular,"


    Lil Wayne said angrily.


    Thinking that MJ had passed away and Link dared to exploit his popularity was infuriating. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even more infuriating was that MJ''s fans and the public not only didn''t blame Link for exploiting MJ''s popularity, but they also spent money to support him, praising him loudly, calling him MJ''s best friend and most genuine friend.


    Otherwise, why was he the only one who could write such a deeply moving song after so many attended MJ''s memorial?


    This showed his feelings for MJ were real, very sincere, unparalleled by others.


    Thus, many MJ fans supported him unconditionally, transferring their admiration and longing for MJ onto Link.


    When Lil Wayne saw these news reports, he almost went insane.


    Among those fans, a significant portion were Black fans who, after hearing "See You Again," greatly changed their perception of Link. Many switched sides on the spot, becoming staunch followers of Link.


    Thinking that his own people and fans were supporting his enemy, Lil Wayne was so angry that he clenched his teeth, his face transformed, and he kicked over a chair.


    Heh~


    Beyonce, seeing his skewed nose and crooked eyes, couldn''t help but want to laugh, but due to a shared enmity, it wasn''t the time to laugh. She had to cover her mouth with her hand, her chest quivering continuously inside her top.


    "Alright, don''t just get mad, getting angry now isn''t useful. We need to think of a way to deal with this,"


    Jay-Z sat behind his desk, taking a cigar cutter, cutting open a cigar, and looked towards the others.


    Kanye''s face was solemn, looking as if his depression had relapsed.


    50 Cent, T.I., and Drake crowded on the sofa, with twisted expressions, unsure of what to do.


    Jay-Z looked towards the braided, quick-thinking Lil Wayne.


    Lil Wayne shrugged his shoulders helplessly and said:


    "''See You Again'' is not only high quality but also cashed in on MJ''s popularity. Even if we now could produce a rap song of comparable quality, and invest millions in promotions, we couldn''t surpass it."


    Jay-Z furrowed his brows. "See You Again" had exploded globally, becoming a phenomenal rap single.


    It brutally dominated the sales data of all East Coast artists, and its reputation also experienced a significant turnaround.


    Many insiders began to accept Link as a formidable rapper.


    Even if he wasn''t a rapper, they regarded him as a songwriter with strong capabilities in rap music, considering him one of their own.


    Rap fans also started to accept him, trying out his rap songs, and even his two pop and rock albums, including many Black fans.


    Simply put, with "See You Again," Link not only firmly planted his feet in the rap field, but he also successfully broke barriers, getting rap fans interested in pop and rock music.


    This kind of behavior, stealing the spotlight and even taking the pot, was too despicable.


    Besides Link, newcomers like Wiz Khalifa, Bobby, and Bruno Mars were also becoming famous in the rap scene.


    In the latest issue of Billboard''s rap artist popularity chart, Link was unsurprisingly first.


    Wiz, this guy who ran over from the West Coast, also climbed to the second position in rap because of his impressive performance in "See You Again."


    He was third, Kanye was fourth, Eminem fifth, and Lil Wayne sixth, with twelve out of the top twenty from the East Coast.


    These twelve were stepped on by two enemies, yet they could do nothing about it.


    Jay-Z was so angry he felt murderous, but seeing his wife Beyonce with her legs crossed, playing with her nails and humming a song next to him, humming Link''s "See You Again," made him even more aggravated.


    He slapped the table angrily, "Stop, Beyonce, please don''t sing that song in front of me."


    Beyonce shrugged her shoulders, looked at the crowd, and smiled, "I have a good proposal, do you want to hear it?"


    "Speak!"


    Jay-Z lit a cigar.


    Kanye glanced over with a grim face.


    Lil Wayne and Drake stared at Beyonce''s exposed thighs and voluptuous buttocks, swallowing their saliva.


    Beyonce smiled, "I suggest a reconciliation. Last time at MJ''s memorial, Link mentioned that as long as you guys publicly acknowledge being his fans and liking his songs, he would agree to reconcile.


    You could contact a media outlet, openly express your fondness for ''See You Again,'' a song commemorating MJ. Liking it is normal, and if you praise Link a few times, once Link receives the signal for reconciliation, I believe he''ll consider reconciling."


    Jay-Z frowned and thought for a moment, "No, if it was before ''See You Again,'' showing willingness to reconcile might have made us seem magnanimous. Now, reconciliation would seem like we are afraid of Link, and the fans will think so too. The consequences of doing so are bad."


    Kanye still had a sullen face, showing little reaction.


    Lil Wayne and others also felt that proposing reconciliation at this time seemed more like surrender and would upset the fans.


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    "Suit yourselves then!"


    Beyonce shrugged, picked up the hem of her dress, and left the office.


    Jay-Z shook his head and called Kanye, Lil Wayne, and the other guys over to discuss what to do next.


    ''See You Again'' was too hot, and whatever they released couldn''t compete, so for the time being, everyone agreed to keep a low profile, not publicly criticize Link, and also not to release any songs, until the popularity of ''See You Again'' had passed.


    They had more people on their side, Link had fewer, they lost this time, but they could eventually win back.


    Kanye nodded, his face still gloomy, and left Roc Records.


    "Mr. West!"


    As he was about to get into his car in the parking lot, a man wearing a cap approached him with a black bag slung over his shoulder.


    Kanye''s heart skipped a beat. Was it an assassin sent by Link?


    This bastard has already won, why was he still out for blood?


    As he was about to jump into the car to escape, he heard the man shout, "Mr. West, I''m a journalist, I have something that can help you defeat Link, but it''s quite expensive, requires 200,000 US Dollars, would you like to take a look?"


    Kanye paused for a moment, steadied himself on the car door, and turned to look at the man. The man took off his cap, spread his hands to show he meant no harm.


    "I have no grudge against Link, I don''t need to defeat him."


    "Alright, Mr. West, sorry to have bothered you."


    The man put on his cap and turned to leave.


    "Wait!"


    Kanye stared at the man, furrowed his brow, "What is it? I need to take a look first."


    "Okay!"


    The man opened his backpack and took out a camcorder.


    "This can help me defeat Link?"


    Kanye asked skeptically.


    "Definitely!"


    The man smiled confidently, inserted a tape into the camcorder, and invited Kanye to watch together.


    After watching for a while, Kanye''s gloomy expression gradually cleared, and he couldn''t help but get excited.


    "Mr. West, is it worth two hundred thousand US Dollars?"


    The man asked.


    "Good, I''ll take it!"


    Kanye immediately pulled out a checkbook, wrote a check for two hundred thousand US Dollars, and bought the tape. He was confident that this could turn the tide and restore his lost honor.

 Chapter 197 Presenting a Golden Belt?

    "Keep On Movin''" was released for the sixth week.Initially, Link encountered a barrage of attacks from haters and suffered from negative rumors, causing a significant dip in album sales.


    However, after the release of "See You Again," album sales unexpectedly surged.


    On the sales chart, there appeared a pronounced ''¡Ì'' sign, marking a strong comeback.


    In the sixth week, "Keep On Movin''" sold 259,000 copies, holding the Billboard album chart''s number one spot for three weeks.


    The runner-up was Grizzly Bear''s album "Veckatimest," with first-week sales of 136,000 copies.


    The third place went to Maxwell''s "BLACKsummers''night," with second-week sales of 107,000 copies.


    "The Blueprint 3" dropped to the fourth place, selling 74,000 copies.


    "Keep On Movin''" had reached cumulative sales of 2.25 million copies in the United States, becoming the sixth album of 2009 to break the two-million mark in sales.


    Link also became the fastest artist in the United States music scene to achieve double album Double Platinum status, in just nine months.


    Furthermore, in the sixth week of release, the album''s overseas sales were also progressively tallied, with a first-month total of 2.757 million copies sold abroad, 910,000 more than the first album.


    Asia contributed the most to these numbers, with sales of 1.35 million copies in Huaxia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, among other countries and regions, doubling the sales of the first album.


    Also, due to the high sales in Asia, in the fifth week''s Olympic Gold Medal giveaway activity, he drew an album code sold to the Huaxia region, and that medal was given to a Huaxia fan.


    It is said that when the Olympic Gold Medal was returned to Huaxia, it caused quite a sensation locally. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many media outlets reported on it, saying that this medal originated from Huaxia, and now by a fortuitous coincidence, was brought back to Huaxia, echoing the historical phrase ''returning the jade intact to Zhao.''


    Moreover, this Olympic Gold Medal originally belonged to Phelps, was won by Link, and then returned to Huaxia through a lottery event.


    The backstory of this medal is quite interesting, and its market value is no less than 100,000 US Dollars.


    It is said that many collectors have shown a keen interest in this Olympic Gold Medal, wanting to purchase it at a high price, but that fan, who is not short of money, expressed the desire to keep it for personal collection, absolutely unwilling to sell.


    The news of the Olympic Gold Medal giveaway was hotly covered by major media outlets around the world.


    Fans from across the world flooded Link''s Twitter with messages, urging him to participate more often in sports meets and championships to win more gold medals.


    Some fans even suggested that he should enter more events in the next Olympic Games to win more Olympic Gold, so that everyone would have a chance.


    This message garnered over a hundred thousand likes within 24 hours.


    In addition, some fans with wilder imaginations suggested that Link was not only a swimmer but a world boxing champion, and that he could even offer a Golden Belt as a lottery prize.


    This message also received a lot of support.


    Link made a phone call to discuss with Ivanka and Franco, and they both agreed it was possible.


    The World Boxing Champion''s Golden Belt is a leather gold-plated craft, not made of pure gold.


    Within each organization, there are multiple belts for each weight class.


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    As long as a boxer earns the champion title, they can receive a belt upon paying 2000 US Dollars.


    Even after being defeated by an opponent, a boxer can still keep one as a memento.


    In terms of intrinsic value, it might not even compare to a single World Championship Gold Medal.


    For the boxer themselves, the symbolic meaning far outweighs the practical significance.


    However, for boxing fans, owning an authentic Golden Belt engraved with the name of a boxing champion would be an incredible gift.


    Link replied to the fans, stating that it could be done.


    He informed all the fans who wished to win the WBA World Boxing Champion Golden Belt that it didn''t matter their nationality, age, or gender.


    Before December 20, record a boxing training video lasting over 30 seconds, no matter the training style or equipment, as long as it''s boxing training.


    Taylor will select a lucky fan from the top 300 boxing videos based on viewership, by their video number, on the day before Christmas.


    Simultaneously, he also stated that he would compete in two title unification matches within the year, confident that he could get more than four Golden Belt championships.


    The remaining belts will also be given away gradually through a random draw based on the video numbers.


    After seeing his reply, the fans were extremely enthusiastic.


    Everyone was just joking around at first, but he actually agreed and even planned to give away all of the Golden Belts.


    Within an hour, the comment section had over 60,000 comments and more than 150,000 shares.


    Fans of other singers forwarded his reply to those singers, urging them to learn from Link by participating in sports events and boxing matches, to get some Gold Medals and Golden Belts to pamper their fans.


    The other singers all expressed that they really couldn''t do it.


    Taylor and other familiar singers like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry saw this and warned him in various ways not to go too far, since what he was doing could be seen as unfair competition and could provoke public outrage.


    Taylor had the most vehement reaction; every time her fans asked her to learn from her boyfriend, she would clench her fists and punch Link a few times to vent her frustration.


    After communications between Dynasty Promotion Company and YouTube''s operations department, Link officially announced the new prize drawing activity on Twitter:


    Record a boxing training video for a chance to win an official WBA Golden Belt and other belts.


    After posting on Twitter, the number of comments in the comment section kept rising.


    The biggest change was on the YouTube site, where YouTube staff created a separate category for sports.


    All fans who wanted to participate in the drawing could upload their videos to that category.


    The first video in this category was a 50-minute boxing training video by Link.


    In the video, he detailed his training methods, fitness routines, tips for using equipment, important considerations for boxing training, and the rules of boxing competitions, among other things.


    This video had over 2 million views and more than 1.3 million likes on its first day, and many people commented that the video was too long, so they saved it to watch later.


    After he uploaded his video, over two hundred boxing training videos were successively uploaded to the category.


    Judging from the training venues and equipment shown in the videos, most of these people were amateur boxers, boxing enthusiasts, and even professional boxers.


    The boxing category opened by Link provided many boxers with exposure, and some boxers expressed their respect to Link online.


    The magazine "The Ring" also praised Link in its latest article, proclaiming that Link''s method greatly increased the general public''s interest in and attention to boxing, and was a fantastic method for promoting boxing.


    The article also mentioned that actively promoting the sport of boxing was something a true champion should do and that giving away Golden Belts was the best way to preserve their honor.


    Mr. Fisher Doug, the chief editor of "The Ring" magazine, praised Link as a true champion.


    Guest columnist Rafael Varane also expressed his delight in seeing Link''s enthusiastic attitude towards promoting boxing matches even after becoming a big star, calling him always the pride of Miami.


    Boxing magazines like "The Ring," "KO," and "World Boxing," all under De La Hoya, also reported the news about YouTube''s new boxing category, giving it great affirmation and support.


    De La Hoya himself uploaded a boxing training video to the category and stated that he would not participate in the draw.


    Tyson, Holyfield, Mario, Reggie, Morales, Andrea Berto, and Andzeje and others also uploaded sparring videos to support the event, specifying that they would not participate in the draw either.


    Since the videos were quite chaotic, with some coming from professional boxers, some from amateurs, and some from ordinary people, YouTube''s tech department suggested separating videos into different categories: professional boxers, amateurs, and enthusiasts.


    Link thought this was a good idea, agreed to the proposal, and stated that to be fair, he would only draw from videos submitted by amateurs and enthusiasts.


    This proposal was well-received by the majority of fans.

 Chapter 198 Valentines Day Photoshoot

    "Why are you watching videos again? Are you checking out girls dancing?"On the set of "Valentine''s Day," Link was sitting under a sunshade, watching some boxing enthusiasts'' training videos.


    Taylor leaned over to take a look, saw that it was boxing videos, and shrugged, "Stop watching little clips all day. The doctor said the screens are too small, and they''re bad for your eyes."


    "Alright, I was just bored, only watched a couple, hey, Emma, have you finished your scenes?"


    Link put away his phone and greeted Emma Roberts, who was standing next to Taylor.


    Emma Roberts, 18 this year, wasn''t even 160 cm tall. Standing next to Taylor, who was 180 cm, she looked even more petite and dainty.


    He thought about the other Emmas, remarking that girls named Emma were not tall, yet they had delicate features, each like a little princess.


    "Hey, Link, Taylor and I don''t have many scenes together, so it was quick," Emma Roberts said with a sweet smile.


    "Emma, it''s not that we didn''t have many scenes, but that our acting was so good, we got it in three takes," Taylor said, draping an arm over Emma''s shoulder and grinning proudly.


    Link smiled subtly, as Taylor had that personality that went wild with an audience. Her desire to perform was very strong.


    Whenever there was an audience around or a camera rolling, she would instantly strike a pose, ready to perform. That was why her stage performances, be they singing or dancing, were always so passionate and highly entertaining.


    However, her shortcomings were also very clear: she was lazy when there weren''t any audiences¡ªlazy to get out of bed, to do makeup, change clothes, cook, or even shop.


    Even in bed, she''d be too lazy to switch positions. It seemed all her passion was on stage and in her music, quite dull in private life.


    "Well done, I usually need two or three takes myself; you guys are almost catching up to my level," Link joked.


    Taylor rolled her eyes, "Stop acting like you''re some seasoned actor, you''ve only done one movie, even less than Emma has."


    Emma chuckled, "Link''s acting is really good, he was great in ''Deep Sea Quest.''


    Link smiled appreciatively at Emma. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor looked at Emma in surprise, "You watched that awful movie? You definitely got misled by the publicity."


    Emma covered her mouth and laughed.


    "Mr. Baker, Miss Swift, it''s your turn on set,"


    Assistant Director Janson called out.


    Link and Taylor made their way to the set to film their scenes.


    The set was at the University of California, Los Angeles. He played a swim team athlete named Link, and on Valentine''s Day, he gave his girlfriend Taylor a polar bear soft toy. Taylor walked around with it, showing off her Valentine''s Day gift.


    The character he played was muscular and simple-minded, quite indulgent and utterly submissive to his girlfriend.


    His role only had thirteen scenes, quicker to shoot than a music video.


    "Scene 35, Shot 3, Take 1, Action!"


    Director Garry Marshall yelled from behind the monitor.


    Director Marshall, an elderly director at 75, hailed from New York.


    He had directed famous films like "Pretty Woman," "The Princess Diaries," and "Runaway Bride," specializing in women-centric films, and in "Valentine''s Day" the plot also mainly revolved around female characters, with Taylor having more scenes than him.


    "NG!"


    Before Link could speak on camera, Director Marshall shouted, "Link, perk up. I heard from Director Allen that you aim to be an Oscar Best Actor. With your current performance, it will be tough to achieve that goal."


    "Wow!"


    Hearing Director Marshall reveal this, the crew emitted a sound of surprise.


    Everyone looked at Link curiously. A boxer and singer, who would have thought he also aspired to be an Oscar Best Actor?


    His ambition seemed a bit too great.


    Link felt helpless, having impulsively dug himself into a hole in front of Director Woody Allen, hoping Allen would forget so he could quietly erase that goal.


    After all, becoming an Oscar Best Actor was no easy feat.


    Those who had won usually had to gain weight, lose weight, look ugly, change their gender, or become perverted¡ªalmost a destructive way of performance, sacrificing their health and body to the Oscars.


    Link admitted he couldn''t do it, feeling hesitant about the goal.


    Now that Director Marshall knew and had exposed it in front of everyone, he couldn''t deny it.


    "Dear, you want to be an Oscar Best Actor? Are you thinking of bringing home a little golden man to raffle off to your fans, haha!"


    Taylor laughed mercilessly.


    Link shrugged, looked at the old man Marshall, and said, "I understand, Director Marshall, from now on, please hold me to the standards of an Oscar Best Actor."


    Hearing his words, Director Marshall''s under eyes twitched.


    Link''s acting was mediocre at best. Holding him to the standards of an Oscar Best Actor, this scene wouldn''t pass even after a hundred takes, and such a commercial film didn''t require such high-level acting skills.


    "Alright! Let''s start!"


    "Scene 35, Shot 3, Take 2, Action!"


    The clapperboard snapped.


    Link and Taylor began to act. Taylor walked over, holding a big polar bear, placed it on the railing, her hair tied in a golden ponytail, and dressed in a plaid shirt and blue jeans, just like her regular attire.


    "Have you been holding it the whole time?"


    Link, donned in a white collared shirt and jeans, looked handsome and sunny, extremely pleasing to the eye on camera.


    Director Marshall saw his profile and secretly marveled at how accurate Director Woody Allen''s eye for talent was.


    Link''s face was very handsome, flawless from any angle, like a crafted piece of art.


    His face and eyes carried a certain artistic quality, making one feel that the person behind this face was brimming with stories.


    It was this quality that made his handsomeness even more profound and intriguing.


    It was a pity he had no suitable roles recently, otherwise he would definitely compete with Director Allen for the lead actor.


    "Yes!"


    Taylor patted the plush toy and asked, leaning on the railing, "Do you like this gift?"


    "I haven''t opened it yet."


    Link picked up the pink gift box, Taylor''s Valentine''s Day present to him.


    "Open it and see."


    Taylor waved his hand urging him on.


    Link gave a gentle smile, about to open the box, when he heard Director Marshall shout:


    "NG!"


    "Link, don''t adopt your usual expression while acting; your expression just now told the audience you knew what was inside without opening it. I need a bit of curiosity and anticipation. Can you do that?"


    "Sorry, I can!"


    Link said.


    "Double NG!"


    Taylor held up two fingers, teasingly stated, "Future Oscar Best Actor, sir, shall I teach you how to act? At this rate, when will you ever get that Oscar statuette?"


    "Don''t get cocky; I''ll seriously act next, and you be careful not to get outshined."


    "Hmph, as if I''d be afraid of you."


    Taylor dismissed with a sniff of his nose.


    "Scene 35, Shot 3, Take 3, Action!"


    The script supervisor clapped the slate again.


    Link picked up the box, unwrapped the colorful ribbon, revealing a sports t-shirt inside. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "This... this is my training shirt."


    "Yes, but I had your lucky number printed on the back."


    Taylor picked up the t-shirt and spread it out to show the number on the back, a red ''13''.


    "That''s your lucky number."


    Link said resignedly.


    "Don''t you like it?"


    Taylor frowned unhappily.


    "No, not at all, I really like it, I can''t wait to wear it."


    Link quickly explained.


    Taylor hugged him happily, "Then put it on now."


    "Now? We''re in a public place, isn''t undressing here a bit inappropriate?"


    Link hesitantly said.


    Taylor immediately pulled a face, clearly not pleased.


    "Hey, I promise I''ll put it on in a bit, okay?"


    "OK!"


    Taylor started smiling again.


    "Cut!"


    "Let''s do another take, Link, I hope you can perform better this time."


    Director Marshall shouted.


    Link responded with a resigned OK.


    "Three NGs, is this how you said you''d outshine me?"


    Taylor couldn''t help but laugh.


    "I said later tonight."


    "You''re awful!"


    Taylor hit him with the stuffed bear, Link raised his hand to block it, then heard the script supervisor call the scene, and he began to act seriously again.


    "Scene 35, Take 2, Action!"

 Chapter 199 Video Exposure (Two in One)

    "They really look like they''re in love,"Emma Roberts licked her ice cream while watching Link and Taylor filming on set, a hint of envy in her eyes.


    Link, a sports star or a big singing sensation, so handsome and strong, considered by many girls as the perfect dating material. Taylor wasn''t bad either, a best-selling singer with a good boyfriend.


    Now, many in the circle were envious of them.


    "Fake, they''re definitely not as in love as you see,"


    Christine sat on the wooden railing with her phone in hand, glanced at the set, and said indifferently.


    "How do you know? Did you chat with Link privately and he told you?"


    Emma Roberts asked curiously.


    Christine kept playing her mobile game, ignoring her. Emma, annoyed, snatched away the phone and shoved it into her back pocket.


    "Give it to me!"


    Christine reached out to grab it back, teetering and almost falling off the railing.


    Emma quickly supported her knee, laughing, "Tell me the reason first, then I''ll give you back your phone."


    Christine shrugged, looking at Link and Taylor on set, "It''s not hard to guess, they''re both too busy for a relationship. Now, give me back my phone."


    "So it was a guess,"


    Emma shrugged disappointedly and returned the phone.


    Christine looked at her, "What''s with that look? You really want to see them break up."


    "I don''t, stop talking nonsense,"


    "I''m not talking nonsense, you, Katie, Lively, and Beverly all want to snatch Taylor''s boyfriend, shameless."


    "Shut up! They''re coming over,"


    Emma nudged Christine.


    Christine glanced at Link approaching from the opposite side and whispered in Emma''s ear, "Link said he likes it from the front, can you handle that position?"


    Hearing this, Emma''s ears and cheeks instantly turned red as she secretly pinched Christine on the calf.


    "Hey, Chris, are you still on vacation?"


    Link called out.


    After filming that afternoon, Taylor invited Emma and the idle Christine to shop on Beverly-Rodeo Drive, with Link agreeably joining.


    The three girls sipped their cold drinks, strolling and laughing merrily in front.


    Link, carrying several shopping bags, felt like a bag carrier trailing behind.


    He intended to hand the shopping bags to his bodyguard, Wallace, but Wallace declined on the spot, stating he was a bodyguard and carrying things would impair his gun-drawing speed.


    Link thought it made sense.


    "Link, keep up,"


    Taylor called from ahead.


    "Taylor, Link doesn''t want to shop with you,"


    Christine, with her hands in her jean pockets, looked at Link without expression.


    "Is that so?"


    Taylor asked dissatisfied.


    "Of course not, I just think you''re walking too fast and missing a lot of the scenery,"


    "That''s more like it!"


    Taylor gave a slight smile, kissed him on the cheek, and continued shopping with her two companions.


    Emma offered to help him with two of the shopping bags but he declined; she was too petite and didn''t look strong enough, unless Christine would help, but Christine stood there indifferent, lips pursed and silent.


    Just as they reached the front of the LV boutique, a group of people looking like reporters suddenly rushed towards Link.


    Wallace and Bob stepped up immediately to block them from getting too close, while patrolling police officers also moved closer to the scene.


    "Mr. Baker, is the content of that video on YouTube true? Are you really a fan of Kanye?"


    One reporter with a microphone shouted.


    "What?"


    Link looked puzzled at the questioner.


    "Mr. Baker, no need to hide it, everyone knows you''re a fan of Kanye now,"


    "Yes, your friends confirmed it too,"


    The reporters and paparazzi clamored.


    Link shook his head, "Gentlemen, please quiet down for a moment, and tell me what''s going on."


    Then, the people resembling reporters began to explain tumultuously.


    Two hours earlier, a video suddenly appeared on YouTube, titled ''Shocking! Pop Prince Link Baker Claims to Be a Kanye Fan ¨C Ironclad Evidence Inside!''


    The video was published less than two hours ago and had already reached over a million views.


    Hearing the reporters'' explanations, Link took out his phone, opened YouTube, and sure enough, there was the video published at around three in the afternoon with views already exceeding three million.


    The video was only twelve minutes long.


    He watched it and his expression immediately turned grave.


    In the video, a pale-faced young man sang Kanye''s "Stronger" on the stage of a bar with a mic in hand.


    ''Work it, make it, do it, makes us harder, better, faster, stronger. That that don''t kill me can only make me stronger.''


    That young man was Link Baker.


    The video also contained interviews with staff members at the Pink Lover Bar, inquiring what songs Link liked, and they all answered that Link frequently requested to play "Stronger."


    Among those interviewed were even James and Michael. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When asked by a reporter what song Link liked, James thought for a moment with his eyes squinting and said "Stronger," which he listened to every visit to the bar; they all found it annoying, but he liked it.


    When Link saw James'' response, he suddenly remembered that Link Baker did indeed like that song, always listening to it whenever they visited the Pink Lover Bar, to the point that when he went to the bar later, the staff would play it in advance for him. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    He had been puzzled before about why it played every time he went there, but now he was getting the picture.

 Chapter 199 Video Exposure (Two-in-One)_2

    "Link, so you like Kanye''s songs?"Taylor laughed.


    "Link, are you really a Kanye fan? Then why did you guys start fighting? It sounds quite interesting."


    Emma Roberts laughed.


    Helpless with video and interview evidence, Link couldn''t deny it.


    After sending a few reporters away, Anna and Mandy called one after the other, informing him about the YouTube video, and Ivanka also knew, with the company preparing for public relations.


    Link told them not to worry, a single video wouldn''t make much impact, even being seen as a Kanye fan wasn''t consequential.


    Kanye debuted earlier, was a top-stream singer, and he had sung his songs before, which was quite normal and not a big trouble.


    However, with more paparazzi gathering in the streets, continuing to shop would block the traffic, so Link and Taylor could only say goodbye to Christine and Emma and drive home early. Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    Because of his recent fame, all matters relating to him became hot news. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Plus, the East Coast rap chart battle wasn''t over, and suddenly, it came out online that he was supposedly a Kanye ''fan.''


    This piece of news was not only fresh and bizarre, but also tinged with a bit of cold humor.


    After fermenting overnight, the news successfully captivated everyone''s attention.


    The next day, there was even more discussion in the media about this news.


    Mostly mocking his relationship with Kanye, saying the adversaries secretly admired each other, the fan and singer loved and fought each other.


    Many were curious, what caused Link, the fan, to suddenly turn against Kanye, the idol.


    By noon, there was a theory online, which many people accepted.


    It said that as a teenager, Link used to hang out on the streets, fight, and frequent bars and dance halls, while rap songs are mostly associated with sex, drugs, crime, gun battles, and murder.


    Under those circumstances, it was normal for him to like rap music.


    As an adult, his thoughts gradually matured, his taste in music also changed, beginning to like pop, rock, country, and the like.


    This change also displayed his growth and maturity.


    Netizens thought this theory was very credible, after all, everyone has a youth, rap music''s explosive rhythm and provocative lyrics are very appealing to the young.


    Apart from that, there was another theory that also gained much support.


    It said Link was Kanye''s fan, only Kanye was too slow in releasing new songs, so to hear Kanye''s new songs sooner, he entered the music scene to compete directly with Kanye and push Kanye to release more songs.


    Then Kanye released "Monster" ahead of schedule.


    Apart from Kanye, other East Coast rappers released new songs this year, releasing songs faster than before.


    It also said fans of Kanye, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, and others should thank Link.


    If he hadn''t crossed over to the rap field to compete on the charts, they wouldn''t be able to hear so many new songs ahead of time.


    This theory was nonsensical and more of a jest, yet some people accepted it.


    By the afternoon, many Kanye fans flooded his Twitter with messages, claiming they misunderstood, realizing that he was on their side, and even thanked him for hurrying the songs.


    Some also took the initiative to delete comments they had previously made against him.


    Link watched, baffled, even if he had sung Kanye''s songs before, how could he be confirmed as his fan?


    This kind of reasoning was far-fetched.


    The East Coast rappers, for the sake of face, really resorted to any means necessary.


    James also called, saying he didn''t know about his feud with Kanye, and when a reporter had asked, he had offhandedly mentioned that song "stronger", James asked if he had caused any trouble?


    Link said it hadn''t, just a small matter, not worth worrying about too much.


    "Really?"


    James asked, not reassured.


    "Of course, I''m a big star now, this little thing isn''t much, just a bit embarrassing."


    Link laughed.


    "Okay, as long as I haven''t caused you trouble, when are you coming back to Miami, the beach is very crowded and lively now, "


    James said in an exaggerated tone.


    Thinking of the scenery at Miami Beach, Link also felt like returning to rest, but he had been too busy lately, simply had no time.


    After hanging up, he made a call to Ivanka, called up Mandy, Graham and a few others to hold an online video conference to discuss how to handle the current troubles.


    After discussion, they came up with three plans.


    First, ignore the video, act as if nothing happened, do not respond even if asked by reporters, and in a few days, other news would explode in the circle, and no one would bring up this matter again.


    Second, publicly deny the video, stating he once liked that song, but now his taste has changed, no longer likes Kanye''s songs.


    And also take the opportunity to attack the East Coast rappers, urging them not to promote drugs, sex, guns in their lyrics, as those songs can misguide the youth.


    Third, publicly admit he had liked Kanye''s songs and express appreciation for Kanye.


    After a show of hands, everyone thought the third option was somewhat better.


    Firstly, his fame now wasn''t less than Kanye''s, there was no need to fight Kanye on the stage to attract media attention.


    Secondly, he was now one of the top stars, had many fans, and his attitude often represented his fans'' attitudes.


    Kanye was the same.


    A proactive reconciliation could avoid conflicts among fans and also had a chance to win over fans of Kanye and others.


    Last, in the recent period, his news of competing with East Coast artists on the charts had been bubbling fiercely, well known by many people.

 Chapter 199 Video Exposure (Two in One)_3

    Now, the "Keep On Movin''" album sales were outpacing Jay-Z''s album everywhere, both in the United States and overseas."See You Again" also topped the Billboard singles chart and the rap chart for two consecutive weeks, with sales continuing to rise, suppressing all other singles from ascending.


    In this battle of music, he was the absolute winner.


    A winner offering reconciliation to the loser is a magnanimous gesture.


    Once he, the winner, expressed his willingness to reconcile, the pressure shifted to the East Coast rappers. If they refused to reconcile, both the mainstream media and fans would judge them.


    Therefore, Link''s initiative to signal reconciliation was more beneficial than harmful.


    Link thought their opinions made a lot of sense.


    The day after that video exploded, he wrote on Twitter, "Yes, that ''stronger'' is indeed great, and Kanye and Eminem are also rappers I like."


    After the tweet was posted, the comment section became very lively, with fans of both Link, Kanye, and Eminem coming to leave messages.


    Over ninety percent of the comments were positive, with only a few people wishing they would continue their rivalry so fans could hear those good songs sooner. Without their competing for the charts, the rap chart would become boring.


    There were also a few trolls claiming he had lost to the East Coast artists and was begging for peace, then fans blasted them with sales data from "Keep On Movin''" and "See You Again."


    More than an hour after his tweet, Kanye also posted a tweet, "No doubt, ''See You Again'' is a great song, and Link is a very promising new artist."


    The first half of the tweet was fine¡ª''See You Again'' was too popular, and it was okay for Kanye to praise it opportunistically.


    But his later remarks angered many people.


    Link had already achieved Double Platinum with two albums in the United States, and over 10 million global sales for those albums. This is promising? This is a new artist?


    Link''s fans thought Kanye was posturing. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    In their previous chart battles, Kanye and the East Coast rap crew had been thoroughly defeated.


    Here he was, a loser in the chart battle, facing Link''s goodwill, yet he adopted a condescending attitude to comment on Link, which was rather displeasing.


    Despite some controversy surrounding Kanye''s tweet, mainstream media perceived it as a sign of reconciliation between the two sides, predicting a calmer period ahead in the music scene.


    "Keep On Movin''" in its seventh week of release.


    Continued to top the Billboard album chart with sales of 368,000 copies, marking four consecutive weeks at number one and the only album in 2009 to achieve this feat.


    The second place was taken by Grizzly Bear''s album "Veckatimest," with figures steady at 146,000 in its second week.


    Maxwell''s "BLACKsummers''night" came in third, with sales of 114,000 copies.


    "The Blueprint 3" fell to nineteenth place, with sales of 34,000 copies.


    According to media analysis, "Keep On Movin''" continued to sell well partly because of the popularity "See You Again" brought to Link.


    Another part was due to Link''s reconciliation with Kanye.


    According to media surveys, fans of Kanye, Jay-Z, and Lil Wayne, after the reconciliation, also publicly bought Link''s albums and singles, including many African American fans.


    Kanye, initially in a good mood, became depressed after seeing this news, feeling as though he had once again been overshadowed by Link, this time seemingly by his own volition.


    He suddenly felt that reconciling with Link in that manner was not a good idea.


    "See You Again" still dominated the Billboard singles chart as number one, with online sales surpassing 10 million copies.


    According to Link''s earlier decision, all revenue from the artist''s share would be donated: 50% to the MJ Charity Foundation and 50% to the International Red Cross Association.


    Media estimates suggested that in 2009 alone, this donation would amount to no less than 2 million US Dollars, with subsequent earnings expected to be even greater, not less than 10 million US Dollars. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Link was also able to earn a substantial income through songwriter, producer, and copyright royalties.

 Chapter 200 Scandal Plan

    Bang, bang, bang!Los Angeles, at Muscle Beach Fight Club, Link, dressed in a blue training vest and shorts, was sweating profusely in front of a punching bag.


    "Keep On Movin''" continued to sell well, and the competition with East Coast rap artists had also come to an end, and the early shooting of "Valentine''s Day" was completed, so he could spend more time in the gym, working on his fitness and enhancing his boxing skills.


    While he was training, Catherine and Emma Stone walked in.


    Catherine was now the president of Palm Beach Agency, responsible for managing the daily operations of the agency, as well as handling the representation of Selena and Emma Stone.


    For a top agent, having a few stars under her was entirely manageable.


    Catherine was dressed in a gray business suit and glasses, tall and poised like a corporate elite.


    In terms of looks, seven parts of Link''s attractiveness came from her, with the remaining three parts coming from his own rigorous training.


    Emma Stone followed behind her obediently, her shoulder-length light brown hair and wearing a blue knit top, skirt, and blue high heels, looking very ladylike.


    But looking at the figure punching the bag, a hint of unease hid in her blue-gray eyes, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her skirt.


    "Don''t worry, Link isn''t so petty," Catherine consoled.


    "Really?" Emma Stone asked uncertainly.


    A few days ago, while shooting a music video, she didn''t realize Link was the company owner and just saw him as a big star. She wanted to impress him; consequently, she went all out in her performance, often overpowering Link in acting, causing Link to mess up many takes.


    Outshining a big star felt incredibly thrilling, and she was in a good mood every day.


    Later, she even boasted to her colleagues, saying that Link''s acting was just average.


    But then, she overheared other people in the company talking and realized that Link was a major shareholder and the hidden boss of the company, and Catherine was Link''s mother.


    At that moment, she wanted to die from embarrassment.


    Today, hearing that Catherine was coming to talk to Link about a film project, she took the initiative to propose that she apologize to Link in person.


    "Hi~ Catherine Emma, glad you could come!"


    Spotting the two approaching, Link stopped his training, wiped off his sweat with a towel, and walked over to the resting area.


    "Mr. Baker, I''m sorry!" Emma Stone quickly stepped forward and apologized sincerely.


    "Sorry? Why are you sorry?" Link asked puzzledly.


    Emma Stone blinked, her initial thought was to say she shouldn''t have overshadowed him during filming, but that would have felt like rubbing salt in the wound.


    Catherine smiled slightly, stepped forward, wrapped her arm around her shoulder and said, "It''s okay, it''s all in the past, and Link has never taken it to heart."


    Emma Stone looked uncertainly at Link.


    "Oh, I remember now," Link said with a smile, looking at Miss Emma Stone, "I recall that breakup scene where I took 12 takes, and afterward, you clenched your fist and quietly cheered ''yeah,'' so you did it on purpose?"


    Emma Stone''s face turned red instantly.


    In that breakup scene in the music video, she had enjoyed her performance thoroughly and hadn''t given Link any breaks, causing him to take 12 takes.


    Link''s mood darkened at that time, and thinking about how she made a big star upset excited her so much that she couldn''t help but quietly cheer.


    She didn''t expect that Link would hear her and confront her about it now.


    If it weren''t for the good treatment and resources at Palm Beach Agency, she might consider quitting the industry right away.


    "Good performance! No wonder Catherine has high hopes for you, keep it up," Link said with a laugh.


    "Mr. Baker, you''re not mad at me?"


    "It''s okay, let''s not bring it up again, and please don''t tell anyone else, or it would be very embarrassing for me."


    Emma Stone nodded repeatedly but felt a bit anxious thinking about how she had told her colleagues about overshadowing Link.


    "Link, here''s the script for ''Scandal Plan,'' take a look."


    Catherine sat on the bench and handed over a script.


    Link opened it and saw the title was "Scandal Plan," about a high school girl who, wanting to stand out, deliberately created a scandal by claiming she had slept with a boy and was not a virgin.


    Because of this, she became very popular at school, a person of interest, but also faced mockery and isolation from her classmates because she was not a virgin. Someone even hung worn-out shoes on her door.


    Link had seen this movie before, and when he first saw this plot, he felt it was a bit strange, having heard that American girls mess around from a young age, like the plot in "American Pie."


    But in this movie, after a high school girl announces she''s not a virgin and is then isolated by her classmates and given old shoes, it didn''t seem like something that would happen in the United States.


    However, after living in the United States for over a year, he realized that the United States has 50 states, each with different situations.


    In some states, sexual norms are liberal, and premarital loss of virginity is common, mainly in the coastal states of the East and West Coasts, while in conservative areas, many women still preserve their virginity until their wedding night, and this is still very common, especially among some religious women.


    The story of "Scandal Plan" takes place in a conservative area.


    "The script is good, what''s the situation with the production company?"


    Link asked.


    "Originally, Silver Screen Treasures Films agreed to invest in making this movie, but they preferred a more popular actress than Emma for the lead role. Now, the producer, Will Guler, is considering recasting,"


    Will Guler is the producer and director of this film, having directed "Cheerleader Summer Camp." "Scandal Plan" is his second film.


    Since his debut film had mediocre box office results, Will Guler struggled for half a year to find investors, until last month when Sony''s Silver Screen Treasures Films agreed to invest.


    The film was officially greenlit and casting began.


    Emma Stone, who had performed well in several campus comedies such as "King of Rock" and "Campus Bunny Girl," also received an audition invitation and won out in three rounds of auditions, earning Will Guler''s approval.


    However, the producer sent by Silver Screen Treasures Films was not satisfied and wanted to replace her with a more famous actress to ensure better box office returns.


    Now, Will Guler faced a dilemma, whether to change the investor or the female lead. Undoubtedly, changing the female lead was easier.


    After Catherine knew about this, she proactively contacted Will Guler and the Silver Screen Treasures side to handle public relations, but progress was not smooth.


    After Link learned about this through Miss Mandy, he called Catherine and asked her to bring the script over to see if it was the original "Scandal Plan."


    The original "Scandal Plan" was Emma Stone''s breakthrough role, a box office hit that made her a second-tier Hollywood star.


    This confirmed the investment value of the "Scandal Plan" project.


    After reading the script, he confirmed it was the original script.


    "Catherine, what is the budget for this movie from Director Will Guler''s side?"


    Link closed the script and asked.


    "The initial budget is 8 million!"


    "Only 8 million? Catherine, contact director Will Guler and tell him Palm Beach Films is willing to invest in this movie."


    "Link, you want to fund it all? That''s too risky. The movie industry is extremely competitive. Each year, four or five hundred movies are produced, most of which lose money. Don''t be too impulsive, I think participating in the investment is also good," Catherine advised.


    "I understand, Catherine. Don''t worry, leave the contact with the film crew to you and leave the investment to me," Link said.


    Seeing he insisted, Catherine no longer tried to persuade him. The script for the film was good, the investment was not too large, and Link had long planned to invest in films, so using this project as a trial seemed appropriate.


    Emma Stone sat beside them listening to their conversation.


    When she heard Link say "only 8 million," she looked at him in surprise. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eight million US dollars was not a small amount for anyone, yet Link mentioned it so casually, which was very impressive.


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    What shocked her even more was that Link, a year younger than her, had earned all his money on his own.


    How could someone be so incredible?


    Emma Stone stared at Link absentmindedly until he looked over, then she blinked and looked down at her water bottle in her hand.


    "Keep it up, Emma! I think you''ll do great!" Link said, raising his fist with a smile.


    "Okay, I will," Emma replied nervously, bumping fists with him.

 Chapter 201 Emma Roberts

    ```After seeing off Catherine and Emma Stone, Link continued his training in the boxing ring, and it wasn''t long before another Emma arrived, Emma Roberts.


    Last time they were filming, Emma Roberts said she wanted to learn boxing from him, and she even planned to shoot a training video to upload to YouTube for a lottery draw, asking if it was okay with him.


    Link thought she was joking and didn''t refuse.


    But at noon, Emma Roberts really showed up.


    She wore a limited edition Nike boxing training suit, pink gloves that were exquisitely made, a white wrap that revealed a segment of her pale and slender midriff, and tight-fitting sports shorts that showcased her slender legs, like something out of a cartoon.


    Although Emma was petite and didn''t have much in terms of breasts or butt, she had a very delicate face, fair skin, and a strong sense of youthfulness.


    Under his guidance, Emma practiced the punching bag for half an hour, panting heavily, with strands of hair sticking to her sweat-dampened cheeks, looking utterly fragile.


    "Link, doesn''t it get boring to keep hitting like this?"


    Emma sat on the sofa, holding a water bottle, and watched him continually punch the bag.


    "It''s a bit boring, but if I don''t train this way, I won''t be able to win the fights," Link said while pounding on the punching bag.


    Emma nodded, her gaze lingering on his strong, muscular arms, which struck the punching bag with such force that it emitted a heavy thud, as if it might burst at any moment.


    Emma walked over and stood beside him, asking, "So, how long do you train every day?"


    "Over four hours."


    "That long? I was exhausted just from ten minutes of practice," Emma said, sticking out her tongue playfully.


    "For a beginner, ten minutes is already impressive."


    Emma smiled faintly, brushed her hair off her face, put her gloves back on, and came to the white punching bag next to Link. Following his instructions, she struck the bag over and over.


    Her arms were slender, and her fists didn''t pack much punch, hardly causing any damage to the bag.


    "Link, I''m here! Eh, who''s this little girl?" Morales walked in wearing a training vest.


    Morales was from Northern California and used to train in Los Angeles. He was more familiar with the city than Link and had introduced him to this Muscle Beach gym.


    Link introduced the two and then went to spar on the ring.


    In June, Morales participated in the Golden Gloves boxing match and defeated his old rival Andzeje in the final, smoothly claiming the Super Middleweight Championship.


    After the Golden Gloves, Morales signed with Hoyle''s ''Golden Boy'' boxing promotion company, planning to transition to professional boxing within the year.


    Based on his current strength, he had the chance to become a world champion; to become a continental champion, however, he still had to put in more effort.


    In the sparring session, Link was the aggressor, continuously attacking Morales'' head with his fists. Morales focused on defense, wearing a sponge guard and constantly dodging.


    Link''s task was to find a way to break through his defense and land punches on his head.


    Morales needed to defend at all costs and dismantle Link''s offense.


    If he could manage that, almost no one could break through his defense in professional matches.


    But Link''s boxing speed was too fast, and his combination punches were exquisite; defending against them was very difficult.


    After over an hour of sparring, Morales took more than twenty punches to the head. Thankfully, Link had held back some strength, so Morales wasn''t knocked out.


    "Link, Hoyle sparred with me yesterday," Morales said, sitting at the edge of the ring and wiping the sweat off his forehead.


    "How did it go?"


    "He''s very fast and incredibly agile. In the twelve rounds, he knocked me down twice, but I wasn''t KO''d, and I managed to last all twelve rounds," Morales recounted.


    "That sounds not too bad."


    Hoyle had defeated the Middleweight Champion Vargas in 2002 and won four Middleweight Championship Golden Belts. He was very strong.


    For an amateur like Morales to last twelve rounds with him was quite an achievement.


    "Hoyle also asked about you, inquiring if he fought you, what his chances of winning would be. I said less than 1%, but he didn''t believe me and argued he had at least a 30% chance. I told him to try for himself," Morales said, chuckling. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link gave a soft laugh, "1% is probably an exaggeration. Although Hoyle is past his prime, he still has at least 70% of his strength. If I fight him, I''d also need to be careful."


    "He definitely can''t beat you," Morales laughed.


    After resting a while, they continued to spar on the ring until past 4 p.m. when the training ended.


    As Link was getting ready to leave after tidying the place, he suddenly noticed two pale slender legs on the sofa, small feet with strawberry nail art, not even half a palm in size ¨C it was Emma Roberts.


    She lay sideways on the sofa, covered with a towel, still wearing her gloves, eyes closed. Her long lashes complemented her small, delicate face, making her look like a doll.


    "Hey! Emma, wake up!"


    ```


    "Link, are you done with practice?"


    Emma sat up, rubbing her eyes.


    "I thought you had left."


    Link helped her take off her boxing gloves and put them in her sports bag.


    "I felt sleepy watching you guys box, so I took a nap right here."


    Emma said while stretching.


    "Well, remember to tell me next time; otherwise, I might leave you here."


    Link pulled her to her feet.


    After showering and changing into clean clothes at the boxing gym, Link drove her back to her Beverly Hills villa.


    It was a private estate covering five to six thousand square meters, with vast green lawns and pine woods, where they also encountered her guardian and aunt, Julia Roberts.


    Even though both were actors in the "Valentine''s Day" cast, their scenes had no connection, and the sets were not in the same place. This was his first time meeting Julia Roberts in person.


    The former queen of Hollywood had aged, dressed in a casual tee, loose sweatpants, slippers, with a cigarette hanging from her mouth, and without any makeup.


    Julia Roberts was also surprised to see him and invited him for a coffee at the villa, but Link, citing the lateness of the hour, drove away from the Roberts residence.


    "Goodbye, Link!"


    Emma Roberts waved to the car.


    Julia Roberts frowned at her. "Emma, you told me you were going to a friend''s gathering. Why were you with Link?"


    "Link is also my friend, is there a problem?"


    Emma shrugged her shoulders and walked toward the villa with her sports bag.


    "What were you just doing with Link?"


    Julia followed and asked.


    "Boxing practice!"


    "Really? I didn''t know you liked boxing."


    Julia asked doubtfully.


    "There''s a lot you don''t know."


    "Just boxing practice?"


    "Yes."


    Emma entered the living room of the villa, placed her bag on the rack, took off her shoes, and walked barefoot onto the floor inside.


    "You just showered, I can smell it, Emma, you better come clean, what exactly did you do?"


    Julia grabbed her wrist, speaking seriously.


    "Isn''t it normal to shower after training?"


    Emma looked at her oddly.


    "Is that really all?"


    "What else would it be, you think Link and I had sex in the gym? You''re thinking too much."


    Emma rolled her eyes, shook off her hand, and walked into the changing room to get dressed.


    Julia shook her head and shouted into the house, "Emma, I just want to remind you, Link has a girlfriend, being the other woman is not a good thing."


    "But you and Danny are happy."


    Emma teased with a smirk as she took off her T-shirt.


    Julia was immediately infuriated, wanting to drag her out for a beating.


    Her current husband, Danny Moder, was a married man with a newborn child before marrying her. However, after their relationship started, Danny quickly divorced his previous wife.


    This affair was a big scandal back then and earned her a lot of criticism, but she didn''t care. As long as she found true love, a few pointed remarks from others were nothing.


    Now Emma was using this to argue against her, leaving her with no comeback.


    "Emma, Taylor is your friend!"


    Julia stressed.


    "I know, I''m just practicing boxing with Link; I have no intention of ruining their relationship."


    Emma said indifferently, waving her hand.


    "You better remember what you said."


    Julia pointed at her, closed the room door, and instructed the servants to make some extra food.

 Chapter 202

    Driving back to Santa Monica, it was already evening, and the setting sun cast slanted rays on the beach, making the distant pier and the gigantic Ferris wheel in the park look especially enchanting in the sunset glow.Perhaps due to the hot weather, there were still thousands of residents and tourists scattered across the beach at dusk, walking dogs, playing volleyball, or strumming guitars on the sand, drinking and frolicking, enjoying the free seascape.


    On the east side of Santa Monica Beach, there is also a row of bars, with more than a dozen bars, dance clubs, restaurants, and amusement parks.


    By evening, before the sun had set, the neon lights on the street were the first to come on, a blaze of colors and lights, with even denser crowds than during the day.


    Link parked his car in front of a dance club called Venice Coast.


    Walking into the bar and then taking the elevator down to the underground dance floor, the moment the elevator doors opened, he was hit by a huge wave of sound and a chaotic scene, as if a heavy punch to his head, leaving him slightly dazed.


    He saw hundreds, maybe thousands of people crammed into the bustling dance floor, screaming and twisting to the rhythm of the music.


    The dazzling lights made his eyes a bit uncomfortable.


    Link took out his phone to make a call, but couldn''t get through, so he looked around the booth area and heard someone shouting, ''Link, over here!''


    Link looked toward the corner spot, and it was Carrie Underwood, the country singer he had met last time in Nashville, waving at him.


    Next to her were Taylor, Miley Cyrus, Ke$ha, and two men in their thirties.


    He had left the boxing gym earlier and seen a message from Taylor on his phone, inviting him for drinks at the bar and mentioning good news, so he rushed over.


    Among these people, he was more familiar with Carrie Underwood, as they interacted on Twitter.


    Miley Cyrus, whom he had greeted at the Grammy Awards backstage, was also friends with Selena.


    Ke$ha, also a newcomer who debuted this year, was nicknamed "Money Granny" by fans because of the US Dollar symbol in her stage name ''Ke$ha''.


    In March, Ke$ha debuted with her single "Right Round," topping the singles chart for six consecutive weeks.


    Last week, she released her second single "TiK ToK," which sold 610,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number two on the Billboard singles chart, showing signs of overtaking "See You Again" for the top spot.


    Fortunately, "See You Again" maintained its number one position as it still surpassed two million downloads across various platforms in its third week.


    Of the two other men, he only recognized the more handsome one, John Mayer¡ªwho debuted in ''99, released four albums, with the second and fourth reaching the top of the first-week sales charts, and the third album as the runner-up.


    At the Grammy Awards in March, he won Best Pop Male Vocal Performance and Best Rock Vocal Performance for his songs "Say" and "Gravity," respectively.


    John Mayer had three quite famous ex-girlfriends, one being Jennifer Aniston who played ''Rachel'' in "Friends." They had started dating last year, but announced their breakup at the beginning of this year and were now single.


    The next one seemed to be Taylor, with whom he had collaborated on a love song "Half of My Heart."


    The next one after that was Katy Perry.


    There were rumors that Taylor and Katy Perry had a falling out later, partly because of this man.


    Of course, with Link around, those things probably wouldn''t happen again.


    "Hey! Carrie, Miley, Ke$ha!"


    Link walked over and hugged Carrie, then greeted Miley Cyrus and Ke$ha.


    Before her transformation, Miley was a very cute young girl, always grinning, showcasing a sweet and adorable smile. Seeing her smile, one would easily think of the saying, ''A girl who loves to smile is never short on luck.''


    After transforming, she let herself go¡ªdoing drugs, twerking, leaking risqu¨¦ photographs, getting into lesbian relationships, and pursuing a mature and sexy style; but she was still doing well in the music industry and won quite a few Grammy Awards.


    Kesha is simply known as Kesha, there''s no need to call her ''Miss'' or ''Lady''. Anyway, these musicians don''t care about that.


    "Link, why did you just get here?"


    Taylor staggered to her feet and said, clinging to his arm.


    "How much have you had to drink?"


    Link noticed her cheeks were flushed, and there was a hint of alcohol on her.


    "Two Mojitos!" S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor said laughing, waving her fingers.


    A Mojito is a cocktail made with rum as the base liquor, mixed with cane sugar, lime juice, soda water, and mint. It''s a refreshing and slightly sweet drink that is suitable for ladies to drink and also happens to be one of Taylor''s favorite cocktails.


    "With the smell of alcohol on you, I thought you had finished off a bottle of vodka."


    Link said, laughing as he wrapped his arm around her waist.


    After Taylor introduced him, he shook hands with John Mayer and his friend Richard Sinn, and then pulled Taylor down to sit on the empty couch in the middle.


    "You haven''t told me why you just got here. I messaged you almost an hour ago."


    "I just came from the boxing gym, Emma was there too; she wanted to practice boxing with me."


    Link explained to Taylor proactively so it wouldn''t be blown out of proportion by the paparazzi, which would be even harder to explain.


    "Why does she want to practice boxing? She''s so tiny, I could knock her down with one hand."


    Taylor said, throwing punches in the air.


    Link shook his head, retrieved her fist, and turned to Carrie and the others, "Please continue what you were discussing, don''t let me interrupt."


    "Link, we were talking about you."


    Carrie Underwood said with a laugh, "You''re amazing, two albums released in your first year on the scene, both with global sales over 5 million copies. You''re really the first in the history of world pop music."


    "Yes, Link, and that song ''See You Again'', it''s fantastic. How did you manage to write such a beautiful song? If I could write just one song like that in my lifetime, I''d die happy."


    Miley Cyrus said with her charming smile.


    "Miley, you''re only 17, you have decades to write hundreds of songs. It''s too early to say something like that," Link replied with a light laugh.


    "It''s not too early, I know no matter how old I get, I couldn''t write a song like that."


    Miley said, shaking her head so her hair swirled around her.


    Link smiled gently and looked at Carrie, "Good music isn''t about sales, but quality. There was a lot of hype around my albums. Without the hype, the sales wouldn''t have been so high, so don''t idolize me too much."


    "You''re too modest, it''s as if nobody does promotion for their albums," Carrie Underwood said, holding her glass and laughing heartily.


    Seeing her laughter, Link realized that country music singers were different from pop rock singers.


    They seemed cleaner on the outside and had an air of an artistic youth about them, making them easier to get along with. The country music scene often produced ''artistic goddesses'' like Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Faith Hill, and Taylor was somewhat in that league too.


    Pop rock female singers all tend to follow Madonna''s lead, starting out innocent and then turning sexy, choosing a visually oriented path.


    "Kerry, you guys should stop praising him, there''s praise for his new album all over the newspapers, and I don''t even want to read them anymore," Taylor said, leaning on Link''s shoulder and waving his hand.


    "You two are equally impressive, and your album is sure to set a new record this year."


    "Kerry, don''t say it yet!"


    Taylor cut off Carrie Underwood, looked at Link with a somewhat proud tilt of his chin, and said, "Link, do you think selling 2 million copies of your album in the United States is a lot? Do you know how many copies my ''Fearless'' sold?"


    Link gave a light laugh, guessing the answer, but asked as if he didn''t know:


    "How many?"


    "Let me tell you, 3 million copies! It''s this year''s first album in the United States to break through 3 million copies."


    Taylor bragged with the corners of his mouth raised proudly.


    "Wow, that''s amazing, dear, you''re a hundred times better than me."


    "Of course!"


    Taylor covered his mouth and laughed.


    "Hey, is it really okay for you lovebirds to be singing each other''s praises like this?" Carrie Underwood teased.


    "Sorry!"


    Link picked up a can of light beer and said, "Everyone! How about we toast to Taylor''s album sales breaking 3 million copies?"


    "Cheers!" Miley shouted, raising her cocktail glass.


    Kesha, along with John Mayer and Charlie Sheen, also raised their glasses for a toast.


    Earlier, as he chatted with Kerry and Miley, Kesha stared at him blankly, as if studying him.


    John Mayer also looked at him, occasionally at Taylor, with a faint smile on his face, wearing a watch on each hand. After setting down his glass, he would take off a watch and fondle it in his hand like a rosary.


    "Kesha! When Link wasn''t here, you were the loudest, so why don''t you say a word now that he''s here?" Miley pulled on Kesha sitting next to her and asked.


    Kesha glanced at Link, shrugged her shoulders, and said, "I''m a fan of Link; I get nervous seeing my idol in person."


    "Really? Your music style is different from Link''s, how can you like his songs? I don''t like his songs," Taylor said, hugging Kesha and laughing.


    Kesha shook her head, "I also like Link''s songs, but I''m a fan of his boxing; I think he''s really strong, and I would love to be like him."


    "Link, I''m also a fan of your boxing. I didn''t watch boxing matches before, but ever since I found out you''re a Boxer, I started watching boxing programs," Carrie Underwood said with a smile.


    "Me too!"


    Miley nodded in agreement.


    Link chuckled lightly, "Thanks for your support, everyone. Next time, I''ll invite you to a boxing match. Kesha, I heard that you wrote both the lyrics and music for ''TiK ToK,'' that''s incredible. Let''s collaborate sometime."


    "Sure!"


    Kesha nodded with her drink in hand.


    Link thought about how she didn''t have a pleasant collaboration with the record company she''s currently signed to.


    Her debut single "Right Round" topped the US charts for six consecutive weeks, but her name wasn''t credited on the record, nor did she get a single US cent in royalties. The news said that at the beginning of the year, while listening to her song played in a supermarket, she couldn''t even afford a potato there.


    Because of this, she changed the S in her name to a $.


    Link had plans to poach her, but Kesha was currently on the rise in her career, making it too difficult to lure her away.


    "Link, do you like watches?"


    John Mayer put his glass down and, playing with his watch, asked.


    "Yes, I have two."


    He had two luxury watches, one was a Patek Philippe given by Taylor on Valentine''s Day, and the other was a Vacheron Constantin given by Ivanka for New Year''s, advising him to use it for appearances, so as not to look too poor, both valued at over half a million US dollars.


    However, because he usually trains, he''s accustomed to wearing sports watches, and those two watches were kept in boxes, only to be used as ornaments at public events.


    "Link, which brand of watches do you prefer?"


    John Mayer leaned forward, posing as if he wanted to have a serious talk about watches, his Rolex gold watch indicating he was a fan of Rolex.


    "Stop!"


    Miley interrupted with a wave of her hand between the two, exclaiming, "Don''t you think talking about watches here is boring?"


    "Yes, let the guys talk. Let''s go dance."


    Taylor got up unsteadily, pulling Kerry towards the dance floor.


    "Let''s go! To the dance!"


    Miley and Kesha also stood up to join.


    Link saw that the dance floor was overflowing with people, like a tank crammed with fish, teeming with all sorts.


    Worried that Taylor might be taken advantage of by someone, he signaled to John Mayer and followed them to the dance floor.


    Taylor, having had a few drinks, was in high spirits. He followed the DJ''s rhythm, tossing his hair and moving his tall, sexy figure, his pert buttocks sometimes teasing Link, burrowing into his arms and kissing him.


    Link just danced politely and without expression, like Vincent in "Pulp Fiction."


    After the dance, the girls all laughed at him, saying he couldn''t let go and looked like he was performing a solo act in a crowd.


    Link didn''t deny this. He wasn''t a nightclub person, nor did he enjoy being in a crowd.


    To be able to move with the music in the dance floor was already a big step forward for him.


    When they returned to their booth, John Mayer and his friend weren''t there, and it was unclear whether they had gone to dance or had left early.


    Link and Taylor, along with the others, chatted about gossip in the entertainment circle for a while. Then, as it was almost 8 o''clock, they left the bar together.

 Chapter 203 MTV Awards

    The sea breeze blew in through the open car window.Taylor leaned on the passenger seat, her cheeks flushed charmingly, her golden hair messily plastered on her face, exhaling a faint smell of alcohol, her blue eyes bright under the moonlight. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Feeling sick? You''re not 21 yet, you shouldn''t drink so much in the future."


    Link touched her forehead and said.


    Taylor glanced at him sideways and pushed his hand away, "First of all, Mr. Link Baker, you are my boyfriend, not my parents. Even if you were my parents, you couldn''t control my drinking."


    "And secondly?"


    Link chuckled.


    "Isn''t the first reason enough?" Taylor snorted, paused to think, then added, "Secondly, I''m only a few months shy of 21, the police wouldn''t bother me, why should you?"


    "What about lastly? There''s a first and a second, so there must be a last; they''re like three brothers, separating them would be a logical mistake."


    Link reminded her.


    Thump!


    Taylor swung her fist at him, "You are so annoying. A first and a second are enough; there is no last, and you better not ask anymore."


    "OK!"


    Link shrugged.


    Taylor leaned back in the seat, her hand propping up her cheek, quiet for a while, then suddenly said, "Lastly, Kerry flew from Nashville to Los Angeles and invited me for drinks. It would have been rude of me to decline. It was social, not something I could refuse."


    "I see. So, how did you end up running into Miley and Kesha when you were hanging out with Kerry?"


    "Hehe, you want to ask about John, don''t you?"


    Taylor tilted her head and mocked him, "Jealous man, you get all paranoid seeing me drink with other guys. Can''t you, a world boxing champion, be a little more magnanimous and confident?"


    "Instinct. To attack any male that dares to encroach on his territory is every lion''s instinct,"


    Link said nonchalantly with a smile.


    "Hmph, I''m no lioness of your territory."


    Taylor waved her hand-paw, telling him that she had a date with Kerry first, and bumped into Miley and Kesha along the way, both of whom were also going out for drinks.


    The four of them ended up going to a bar to dance. Later, John Mayer called her to talk about music, and he joined them as well.


    "Why would John Mayer want to talk music with you? He''s into pop rock, and you''re country, not the same genre at all. My debut album was pop, the second was pop and rock. If he wanted to talk music, he should have come to me."


    Link said.


    Taylor rolled her eyes, "He wrote a new song and needed a talented female vocalist to collaborate with. He thought I was the most suitable."


    "Impossible! You are a beauty with talent, but your vocal skills aren''t even in the top ten among female singers; don''t deny it, that''s a fact. If he needed a powerful female vocalist, people like Katy, Joanne, or P!nk would be suitable. He chose you because you are young, beautiful, your albums sell well, and you''re popular."


    "Hmph, I don''t want to talk to you anymore."


    Taylor crossed her arms and turned her head to look out the window.


    As both stayed silent, the car was filled with some quietness, only the sound of the sea breeze could be heard howling outside the window, causing Taylor''s hair to flutter messily.


    Concerned that the evening breeze was too cold for Taylor''s health, he rolled up the car windows from the driver''s side, earning an eye roll from Taylor followed by a punch that stemmed from her irritation.


    Wuu wuu wuu!


    A siren sounded from behind, a Los Angeles PC patrol car approaching.


    "Look, it''s a police car."


    Taylor pointed out the window and said.


    "Is it strange?"


    "Not strange, so how about we do something exciting?"


    Taylor said as she leaned in, grasped his face, and kissed him, her lips soft and wet with a hint of alcohol, like jelly soaked in whiskey.


    Caught off guard, Link swerved the car slightly on the highway, continuing to kiss Taylor while he slowly pulled over to the roadside.


    "Stop it! This is dangerous!"


    Link pushed Taylor''s shoulders, pinned her to the passenger seat, and fastened her seatbelt.


    Taylor covered her mouth and laughed uproariously, like a drunken maniac.


    Wuu wuu wuu!


    Before he could restart the car, the police vehicle approached from the rear side, and an officer stepped out. Link rolled down the window and heard the officer ask, "Good evening, sir, I saw you braking suddenly. Is there a problem with your car?"


    "Good evening, officer; no problem, just a slight mishap in handling."


    Link explained.


    "Mr. Link Baker? Hello, Mr. Baker, I smell alcohol. Have you been drinking?"


    The officer also recognized him.


    "Yes, we''ve just come from a bar in Venice,"


    Taylor laughed.


    Link shook his head and told the officer, "I only had a third of a can of Bud Light; my senses are very clear and I''m not drunk."


    "Mr. Baker, for your safety, would you please step out for a test?"


    The officer asked politely.


    Link had to comply, got out of the car, and followed the officer''s instructions to walk a straight line on the roadside.


    Taylor took photos with her phone, laughing loudly as she snapped.


    Once it was confirmed that he was not drunk, the officer asked for his autograph and then drove away.


    After getting back into the car, Taylor was still laughing incessantly.


    Link pinched her nose and drove off swiftly back to the villa in Santa Monica Bay, not giving Taylor a chance to escape. He carried her over his shoulder, went into the bedroom, closed the door, and gave her a fierce lesson.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The next day in Los Angeles was still beautifully clear, with temperatures already above 15¡ã C in the morning and promising to exceed 35¡ã in the afternoon.


    It was expected that today, Santa Monica and surrounding beaches would see even more visitors.


    In the morning, dressed in sports gear and carrying 10 pounds of weight, Link ran along the breezy, lush bay road, heading south to the breakwater pier, covering a total distance of more than 18 kilometers.


    Santa Monica Pier is one of the famous attractions at Santa Monica Beach.


    A guitar-shaped pier extends west into the Pacific Ocean, dotted with numerous yachts. He planned to have his yacht from Miami transported here, but considering he didn''t have much time for sea outings, he eventually decided against it.


    On his way back, he picked up some of Taylor''s favorite breakfast from a roadside Mexican restaurant and an Italian restaurant and brought them back to the villa.


    Taylor was still not up and had locked herself in the bedroom, telling him that she was inspired to write songs and would not leave the room all day, asking him not to disturb her.


    Link complied with her request, simply leaving the breakfast at the door and took Olivia and Meridian downstairs for breakfast, telling them not to act like their "little master": crazy, neurotic, cave dwellers who in the past would have been witches of the Magic Forest.


    After he and the two kittens had eaten and were lining up to stroll on the lawn, Mandy called, asking if he had been driving under the influence last night?


    Link was surprised and asked if she had read about it in the newspaper?


    Mandy said no, it was a photo Taylor sent to her, showing him walking a straight line on the highway in front of a police officer.


    Link sighed and explained.


    Mandy found it amusing and then started talking to him about the MTV Music Video Awards.


    MTV is the largest global music television network, a channel dedicated to playing song MVs, mainly featuring pop, hip-hop, rock, and other types of music videos, as well as some music-related shows and events.


    The role of the MTV music channel is similar to a platform promoting music products.


    By presenting the packaged image of singers and bands, they seek to enhance the social visibility of the artists and thereby gain business profit, similar in nature to music videos produced like television commercials.


    Following the release of a new album, Link and Taylor also filmed several MVs that aired on MTV to promote their new songs and increase their own recognition.


    As MTV broadcasts a large number of MVs each year, since 1984, MTV started awarding the best music videos and artists annually, known as the MTV Music Video Awards.


    It''s one of the most prestigious awards in the American music scene, along with the Grammy Awards and American Music Awards.


    The MTV Music Video Awards begin eligibility reviews on July 1 each year, and the awards are presented from late August to mid-September.


    Nominations and winners are determined by a voting committee and public vote.


    The awards include categories such as Video of the Year, Best Male Video, Best Female Video, Best Pop Video, Best Hip-Hop Video, Best Rock Video, Best Lyric Video, Best New Artist, and so on.


    This year, Link received two nominations, Best Male Video and Best New Artist, for his works "Unstoppable" and the remix version of "Despacito."


    Last year, Taylor received a nomination for Best New Artist, and this year she was nominated for Best Female Video.


    This edition''s most nominated artists were Beyonc¨¦ and Lady Gaga, each receiving nine nominations.


    Britney Spears received six nominations.


    Kanye West, Eminem, and Coldplay each received four nominations.


    Green Day Band received three nominations.


    Katy Perry, Jay-Z, T.I., Lil Wayne, Rihanna, and others also received nominations.


    Looking at the historical winners, the MTV Music Video Awards tend to favor hip-hop music, and black artists often win the most awards each year.


    Given the strong competition, Link''s chances of winning are not high.


    Taylor was likely to win an award, but influenced by him, whether she will still receive it and whether the incident of Kanye interrupting her speech will occur, remains uncertain.


    Everything is still undecided before the MTV awards ceremony.


    Link and Mandy talked for a while, discussing the plans and outfits for the day of the award ceremony.


    After hanging up the phone, he continued walking the kitten.


    Olly and Meridian were just over a year old, with short legs, moving slowly when they walked, especially Olly, who paid great attention to her posture. She stepped carefully, avoiding grass tips and stones, like a little noble lady, always lagging behind.


    Beep beep!


    Two honks came from the main driveway of the villa; Link walked over with the two kittens as a black Mercedes sedan slowly came to a stop, and Mrs. Andrea got out holding her bag.


    "Link, how could you drive after drinking? Drunk driving is too dangerous, be more careful next time."


    Andrea criticized.


    Link was speechless. Taylor might have mass-sent the photo of him walking in a straight line, trying to get everyone to see him get embarrassed as revenge for his actions last night.


    "Anne, you know, I can''t hold my liquor at all; I''m done after just one drink. I wouldn''t dare to drink, here''s what happened."


    To reassure Andrea, Link explained last night''s incident.


    When Andrea heard that Taylor had gone on a drunken frenzy, intentionally causing trouble while he was driving, she stormed angrily into the villa.


    "Anne, Taylor locked the door from the inside; the keys are on the counter."


    Link shouted.


    A few minutes later, he walked into the living room holding the two kittens, and saw Taylor, frowning and rubbing her arms as she came down the stairs, dressed in a white spaghetti strap dress, her long hair in disarray over her shoulders, showing several palm marks on her delicate, slender arms.


    Mrs. Andrea followed her, scolding as she walked: "How could you mess around while driving? What if there had been an accident? You''re over twenty, an adult, can''t you stop the reckless behavior?"


    "I know, I was drunk at the time, it wasn''t intentional."


    Taylor, seeing him enjoying the scene downstairs, narrowed her blue, fox-like eyes, sending him a dangerous signal with a cold snort, lifted her head, chest out, and bumped past him toward the dressing room to change.


    "Link, Taylor can be a bit capricious; if she acts up again, feel free to scold her, or even hit her a few times, I''ll back you up,"


    Mrs. Andrea said.


    "Got it, Anne, I will,"


    Link chuckled.


    "Link, if you dare to do that, you''re dead, I swear!"


    Taylor shouted from the dressing room.


    "Quiet! Hurry up and change your clothes and make up, I still have to design a new dress for you."


    Mrs. Andrea yelled as she entered the dressing room.


    "Why is Link still petting the cat?"


    "I''m a guy, a black suit is good enough for 99% of events."


    Link chuckled.


    "No! You must wear a new dress too, or I won''t walk the red carpet with you."


    "Stop yelling, just change your clothes."


    Mrs. Andrea urged.


    Link smiled lightly, cuddling the two kittens to watch TV.

 Chapter 204 Before the Awards Ceremony

    Swinging in the backyardPull up in your fast car whistling my name


    Open up a beer


    In the Link Music Studio, Link wore a headset, listening to Lana Del Rey''s songs from her debut album "Video Games," which had gone through multiple revisions and was finally completed in mid-August.


    There were a total of twelve songs, with the lead tracks being "Young and Beautiful."


    Initially completed in May, there were sixteen tracks, including songs accumulated over the years by Lana, two written by Link for Lana, and a cover of "This Is Me" from Link''s second album.


    However, after the recording was finished, the initial response to the album was generally not high.


    The issue was that the styles of the songs in the album were too chaotic, including vintage Baroque pop, rock, pop music, country music, and more.


    The quality of the songs was also uneven.


    After discussing, the production team members decided to remove several country and rock songs from the album, leaving only eight classical style songs like "Young and Beautiful," "Video Games," and "This Is Me."


    These songs shared a common motif of classical sorrow, with melodies and lyrics that were deeply melancholic.


    Having only eight songs was not enough for a standard album, so producer David Kahn had three more songs written for Lana, and Lana wrote one herself, rounding it out to twelve songs.


    After more than three months of polishing and refining, the style and tone of the album were consistent throughout.


    When Lana sang, her voice had matured a bit, no longer switching between pop mixed with rock and country music.


    Now, when she started singing, she could quickly get into the mood, with a tone that was low and mournful, and from her singing, Link could see her growth and transformation.


    "Link, how is it?"


    Lana, wearing a purple sleeveless dress and with her wavy chestnut hair cascading down, stood in front of him vivaciously.


    Graham and David Kahn, along with Mars, were also there.


    Graham was the chief steward, David Kahn was responsible for Lana''s album production and supervision, and Mars voluntarily helped adjust the mix and instruments. So far, the atmosphere in the Link Music Studio had been harmonious, with no workplace conflicts.


    This was probably also because of the few people involved. Fewer people meant fewer issues and no need to compete for resources.


    Link felt that the current situation was pretty good and should be maintained, even if more artists were signed later, the total number of people would not exceed five.


    Seeing everyone looking at him, Link put down his headphones and said, "Great job, Lana, I give this album a nine out of ten."


    "Only nine?"


    Lana was somewhat dissatisfied.


    "Nine is very good. I''m afraid you''ll become conceited if I give a perfect score."


    Link smiled lightly and then turned to Graham, asking, "Any progress with the movie theme song?"


    "I''ve sent samples of the two lead songs to several production companies. So far, I''ve only received responses from two small film projects, one ''Remember Me'' and the other ''Fugitive Band.'' But their films are still in production and won''t be released until next year, so they can''t promote us ahead of time."


    Graham explained with a shrug.


    "Let it be; the songs on this album are all good, and Lana''s singing style is quite distinctive. After its release, the performance should be very good. Just follow the normal promotional procedure, release a single to test the waters first, and see how the market reacts."


    Link said.


    Before an album''s official release, singers usually release one or two singles to promote and chart.


    For new singers, releasing promotional singles can increase the popularity of the singer and the album. For star singers, it helps gauge market trends.


    If the single charts on the Billboard Hot 100 after release, it indicates the quality is good, fans are willing to pay, and the higher it charts, the more popular the song is.


    Just like Taylor''s second album "Fearless," which had three singles released consecutively and each reached the top ten of the charts.


    Link''s second album released a single "Give Me Reason" two months before the album release, and it topped the singles chart.


    His first album did not release singles in advance, but the songs were of high quality. After the album''s release, "Unstoppable" debuted at the top of the singles chart, and other songs also achieved decent rankings.


    Lana was both a rookie and not quite a rookie, having previously experienced a failed debut.


    During the release of "Keep On Movin''," she performed publicly with Link several times and participated in the recording of "This Is Me" and "Rainbow."


    After the big success of "Keep On Movin''," she also gained some fame, with her name appearing frequently in music magazines, and Link''s fans and people in the industry knew he had a female singer named Lana Del Rey under his label.


    Now that Lana was about to release an album, the conditions were relatively mature. The only thing worth noting was her music style leans towards classical, tragic themes.


    Whether the market will accept this type of artist still requires time to prove.


    Link then turned to Mars, inquiring about the status of his debut album recording.


    Mars stated that all the songs for his album were recorded and also in the polishing and refining stages, striving for perfection.


    Link agreed with his approach. Mars was not only an excellent singer but also a top-tier music producer and creator, with higher pursuits in music, which would likely be the reason he could become a top star in the music industry in the future.


    "Link, we should be going,"


    Wiz Khalifa called from the doorway.


    He was dressed in a white Dior suit, adorned with a gold chain, wearing a few dreadlocks, and holding a cigarette, ruggedly handsome.


    After collaborating with Link on "See You Again," his fame in the music industry skyrocketed, moving from a second or third-tier artist directly to the top tier. In the hip-hop rap scene, his current popularity also ranked among the top five.


    Wiz mentioned that previously, his appearance fee was less than $50,000. Now, it''s $500,000, and he even landed a few commercials, earning two to three million US dollars.


    A real overnight sensation.


    Now his issue was being too popular. Every time he went to perform, the organizers wanted him to sing "See You Again," which he had sung dozens of times this month, and he was getting a bit tired of it.


    However, today he had to sing it again.


    At this year''s MTV Video Music Awards, one important segment was dedicated to commemorating the late superstar MJ.


    Now, any public event involving a tribute to MJ must include "See You Again" as an essential song, it seemed to have become a consensus among MJ fans worldwide.


    Wiz Khalifa was also invited by MTV as a singing guest to perform "See You Again" alongside Link.


    The awards ceremony was at eight in the evening.


    Link checked the time, it was already seven, and it was time to leave.


    He and Wiz said goodbye to everyone, got into a Rolls-Royce Phantom, and headed to the MTV awards ceremony.


    This year''s awards ceremony was held at the Radio City Music Hall on Manhattan''s Sixth Avenue, not far from the Rockefeller Center.


    Before he even arrived, Taylor called to ask where he was and why he hadn''t arrived yet?


    Link said he would be there soon.


    Taylor asked if he had changed clothes and if not, he should hurry and change since she was dressed very beautifully today and didn''t want her look to be downgraded by his attire.


    Link assured her with a smile, promising he would be graciously handsome.


    At the intersection of Sixth Avenue, the Rolls-Royce Phantom met with the car Taylor was in¡ªa black Bentley State Limousine, the same model used by the Queen of England at her Golden Jubilee.


    Link temporarily said goodbye to Wiz and entered Taylor''s car.


    He and Taylor were the most famous duo in the music industry at the moment, both also nominated for this year''s MTV awards for Best Male/Female Artist.


    If they did not appear together, the media would speculate about a rift in their relationship tomorrow or even claim they had broken up.


    As Link opened the car door, he saw Taylor sitting in the back, dressed in a silver sheer chiffon one-shoulder gown, personally designed by the renowned designer Kaufman Franco. Her delicate, fair left shoulder was exposed, her golden hair swept up with only a few strands of curls cascading down the sides.


    Today, her lips bore a strawberry red hue, and her eyebrows and lashes had been neatly groomed, making her face look even more delicate and attractive.


    "Wow! So beautiful, how can there be such a beautiful girl in the world? You must be the reflection of Venus de Milo on earth," Link praised unreservedly.


    Taylor didn''t even look at him, just curled the corner of her lips and gave him a composed expression.


    Link smiled lightly and sat opposite her. "Beautiful miss, may I kiss the back of your hand?"


    Taylor slowly lifted her fingers and presented them to him.


    Link took her hand and kissed the back, inhaling a scent of Chanel mingled with a hint of sweets. She must have snuck some desserts earlier.


    "Can I kiss your cheek?"


    "No, you''ll ruin my makeup," Taylor said with a glance, drawing back her hand. "Sit properly, I want to check your suit. If it''s too ugly, you''re getting off here to change."


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    "How could that be? With my looks and figure, even if I wore a trash bag, I could start a fashion trend. Besides, I''m wearing a suit specially tailored for me by Dior, and even my hairstyle, tie, and shirt have been meticulously vetted by stylists. My attire could never be subpar," Link bragged, crossing his legs and leaning back in his seat with a grin.


    Taylor scrutinized him for a moment, noting that his suit''s style was very trendy and suited his temperament and build well, which only enhanced his already handsome features, making them even more distinct in combination with his bright eyes, clean demeanor, and barely-there smile. He was too handsome.


    Taylor thought that even if the guy in front of her wasn''t a top singer, just based on his looks alone, she would have fallen for him.


    "Not bad, only slightly less impressive than me," Taylor said, gesturing with her fingertips.


    "Thanks for the compliment!"


    "You two stop messing around and get ready, we''re almost there," Andrea, Mrs. warned.


    Link and Taylor quieted down and looked out the car window. As they approached the venue near Radio City, the crowd on the streets grew denser.


    Tens of thousands of fans crowded the sidewalks, and cheers rose and fell as each celebrity singer arrived.


    As Link and Taylor''s car was about to make its entrance, a yellow fire truck drove in from outside. Members of Green Day Band alighted one after another from the fire truck, sparking cheers from the fans on the scene.


    Besides the fire truck, there were buses, double-deckers, coaches, ambulances, and various other vehicles.


    This marked the difference between the MTV and Grammy awards.


    The Grammy awards favored conservatism and classical music, making the atmosphere at their ceremonies rather solemn.


    Attendees of the Grammy awards would also adhere to this tradition, avoiding any out-of-the-ordinary performances.


    In contrast, the MTV Music Television Awards were relatively avant-garde, advocating leading the world''s music trends, inclusive and open to outstanding musicians from around the world. Huaxia singers like Cui Jian, Zheng Jun, and Jolin Tsai had once won related awards.


    When attending the MTV awards, singers also went all out with their outfits, sporting various quirky and bizarre looks, akin to a grand all-star costume party.


    "Link, that''s Joanne," Taylor pointed to someone in a nearby car and said, "Her outfit is really cool."


    Lady Gaga also spotted them and pointed to a spot ahead, suggesting they go first.


    Link waved his hand, indicating she should proceed as her spot was further up front.


    The traffic marshal on the street also directed Lady Gaga''s car to go ahead.


    As Lady Gaga''s car left and the Bentley was about to start, a white stretch Lincoln swooped in from the side and cut in front.


    The door opened and Beyonce, Lil Wayne, T.I., 50 Cent, Drake stepped out one after another.


    Lil Wayne and the others also turned back and grinned at him.


    Link shook his head and sarcastically gave a thumbs down.

 Chapter 205 Entry Ceremony

    "Hi! MTV viewers, good evening, this is the pre-show of the MTV Awards Ceremony, we''ve just sent off Green Day Band that arrived in a fire engine, and next up is Lady Gaga entering, wow, I bet her outfit today is definitely the best in the house."At Radio City Music Hall, outside the red carpet of the awards ceremony, Black host Quincy Jones watched Lady Gaga walk on the red carpet and said with an exaggerated tone.


    Lady Gaga wore a black knitted feather gown and sported a golden ''The Phantom of the Opera'' mask covering half of her face, also donning a black dome hat, which made her look extremely unique.


    After Lady Gaga appeared, the fans on site started screaming loudly, even louder than when Green Day Band entered just before.


    Lady Gaga was extremely popular this year. She had released her debut studio album "The Fame" in August last year, and it had already sold over 15 million copies worldwide.


    Her lead single "Poker Face," since its release, had topped the charts in 20 countries including the United States. The single had sold over 10 million copies in the United States and received a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association.


    Even though Taylor''s second album "Fearless" had also sold over 10 million copies worldwide.


    Its leading singles "Dream It Possible", "Love story", "You belong with me" had also topped the charts in more than ten counties including the United States. "Dream It Possible" had reached sales of 8 million copies in the United States.


    But in terms of influence and fame, Taylor was still a notch below Lady Gaga at the time.


    Even Beyonce, a seasoned diva, wasn''t a match for her in terms of popularity.


    In just two years after her debut, Lady Gaga had become a phenomenon-level pop superstar.


    The only one who could compete with her in popularity was Link Baker, who had also released two best-selling albums, various number one hits, and whose phenomenon-level single "See You Again" was a massive success.


    "See You Again," four weeks after its release, was still far ahead of other songs, continuing to dominate the Billboard singles chart and had also topped the charts in 32 other countries and regions including Britain, France, Germany, Belgium, Australia, Japan, and South Korea.


    Last week, this single broke 15 million in total sales in the United States, with world sales nearing 40 million, making it one of the best-selling diamond singles in the world music scene.


    Although "See You Again" had become a phenomenon-level single, Link himself had not yet become a phenomenon-level superstar.


    Thus, in terms of influence, he was still a step behind Lady Gaga.


    "Good evening, Lady Gaga, your outfit is simply unbelievable, I just said that you would win the best outfit of the night, and I still stand by that,"


    Host Quincy Jones approached Lady Gaga to conduct a live interview.


    "Thank you! Quincy, you look charming tonight too,"


    Lady Gaga, holding a big-mouthed doll on her hand, said in a strange tone.


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    Quincy Jones laughed out loud, "Miss Gaga, your outfit today is very classic, can you share with everyone the meaning behind these designs?"


    "Sure, Quincy!"


    Lady Gaga didn''t speak directly but used the big-mouthed doll in her hand to explain the concept behind her outfit design.


    Since her big hit single this year was "Poker Face," she needed to wear a mask, and her black knitted feather gown and dome hat were all coordinated with several hit songs from the album "The Fame."


    Before the interview concluded, a wave of cheers came from the street.


    Beyonce had arrived, dressed in a deep red V-neck evening gown that, combined with her reddish-brown skin, made her look like a peeled sausage, voluptuous and full.


    Beyonce, 28 years old this year, debuted in ''93 with the girl group ''Destiny''s Child'', becoming a top girl group. She went solo in ''03, released three best-selling albums, and became a music diva and a billionaire. This year she had received 9 nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards with "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)".


    Like Lady Gaga, she was also one of the hot tickets at this year''s MTV.


    There were also betting agencies setting up gambling projects on who would win more awards between the two.


    Quincy Jones hadn''t expected her to make an entrance right after Lady Gaga; it might make it difficult to conduct interviews if they ran into each other.


    Singer Gaga saw Beyonce approaching, waved at the camera, and left the red carpet area.


    Quincy also sighed in relief and walked towards Beyonce with a microphone in hand.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Honey, how about we bet on who will win an award tonight?" Taylor said, looking down the street.


    "What''s the reward if I win?"


    Link, leaning back in his seat, asked with a smile.


    "If I win and you don''t, I''ll make desserts to console you, but if you win and I don''t, you have to tell me ten jokes to cheer me up,"


    "And if both of us win or neither of us does, what''s the reward?"


    "Both of us winning is unlikely; MTV is not a couple''s feat. If neither of us wins, I''ll make desserts, and you tell me jokes," Taylor replied. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Great idea!"


    Link nodded.


    "Link Taylor, it''s time for your entrance,"


    Anna knocked on the car door from outside.


    As the car slid forward about fifty meters, it stopped at the entrance of the red carpet.


    Link opened the car door, stepping out first.


    Immediately, the street erupted with cheers, with many fans shouting ''Link Link'', both males and females, the females slightly louder.


    Taylor reached out her fair, slender fingers into his palm and, led by him, walked out of the car with her head down.


    When the two stood side by side on the street, the screams of the onlookers were deafening, echoing between the buildings on either side of the street.


    Several fans tried to cross the barriers to come closer, but were stopped by the on-site security personnel.


    Link and Taylor waved at the audience and the MTV camera crew while signing autographs for a few enthusiastic fans.

 Chapter 205 Entrance Ceremony_2

    "Wow! Link is so handsome, and Taylor is so beautiful. They''re both the most popular male and female singers in the music scene. It''s hard to imagine them as a couple, but they are certainly the most matching pair in the world,"exclaimed host Quincy Jones as he watched the two walking down the red carpet.


    Dressed in a sharp, tailored dark suit, Link looked dashing and tall, while Taylor wore a gorgeous evening gown, tall and stunning.


    Hand in hand, they walked on the red carpet. In terms of looks, fame, and talent, there was no couple in the entertainment industry at that time stronger than them, and what made it even harder to believe was that they both averaged 20 years old.


    "Good evening, Link. Good evening, Taylor!"


    Quincy Jones moved forward with the microphone to greet them.


    "Hi, Quincy!"


    Link and Taylor arrived at the interview area in the middle of the red carpet, ready for an interview with MTV.


    The surrounding photographers continuously pressed their shutters, capturing the pair from every angle as flashes lit up the scene. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Outside the barriers around them, many fans were still shouting Link and Taylor''s names.


    From the volume of the shouts, it was clear that the fans of the two were equally numerous.


    "Link Taylor, before the award ceremony, I heard you two were going to make an appearance together, and I thought, ''Wow, Link and Taylor coming together will definitely be the most dazzling couple tonight,'' and I still stand by that,"


    said Quincy Jones.


    "Thank you! Quincy, I hear that every time you host a show, you prepare a lot of exquisite words to praise your guests, so tonight Link and I got ''most dazzling,'' didn''t we?"


    Taylor said with a smile.


    Quincy laughed, "Yes, and ''most popular,'' ''most well-matched.'' I think it''s not an exaggeration to use all the superlatives to praise you. You are a dream couple."


    "Dream couple? I like that description, Quincy, thank you!"


    Taylor said, laughing.


    Quincy smiled and then asked about their outfits.


    Pointing to the one-shoulder dress she wore, Taylor said it was the outfit of Juliet, the protagonist from "Love Story," and then grabbed Link''s hand and said to the camera, "This is ''You Belong With Me,'' you belong only to me."


    "Wow! That''s so sweet."


    Host Quincy and the surrounding fans all cheered loudly.


    The camera at the site also focused on Link and Taylor''s intertwined hands.


    "They look so in love, I''m so envious of Taylor!"


    Lana Del Rey said while watching the live broadcast on MTV from her high-rise apartment in the TP Tower.


    Beside her, Ivanka, wearing a silk nightgown, sat sideways on the sofa, her golden-brown hair loosely draped, holding a glass of red wine. She looked at Link and Taylor on the TV and hummed softly through her nose.


    Lana turned to her and asked, "Eva, do you like Link?"


    "I''m just his business partner,"


    Ivanka said emotionlessly.


    "But you must like him, too. Link is excellent both inside and out, any girl would find it hard to control her feelings and not fall for him, I bet you''re the same,"


    Lana said with a smile.


    Resting her forehead on her hand and swinging her slender leg, Ivanka retorted, "So you like Link, too?"


    Lana shrugged, "Of course, Link is so outstanding and charming. Having interacted with him a few times, it''s even harder to resist his charm."


    "You might have a chance if you pursue him," Ivanka suggested with a smile.


    With a glance at the TV, Lana shook her head, "Taylor is also very outstanding, I can''t compete with her, but I know someone who definitely could."


    "Oh, who?"


    Ivanka fluttered her long lashes.


    Lana smiled faintly and pointed her index finger towards her. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I know you like Link very much, so much so that you haven''t had a boyfriend in such a long time, don''t have even a hint of a scandal, and have even shut down other companies to spend more time and effort on Link Music. It''s all because of Link, isn''t it?"


    Sipping the edge of her wine glass, Ivanka gave a noncommittal hum.


    "I also know if you made a move, you could definitely take Link away. I just don''t understand why you haven''t acted yet. Are you waiting for the right moment?"


    Lana said, looking at her with a smile.


    "You''re wrong; I care more about my career than men,"


    Ivanka said as she got up from the sofa, causing the silk nightgown to slide down along her pale thighs, clinging tightly to her full curves.


    "When a woman has her own career, she can control her own life, including her love life."


    As Ivanka spoke, she walked over to the bar.


    Watching the subtly revealed peach-shaped curves beneath her nightgown, ripe and round like a juicy peach, Lana couldn''t help but drool despite being a woman; she doubted Link would remain unmoved by such a sight.


    And considering how handsome and talented Link was, with his strong physique, Lana also doubted Ivanka would be indifferent to him.


    She didn''t know Ivanka''s plans, but she felt that things couldn''t go on like this.


    Ivanka turned and walked into the bar. Lana turned back to the TV and suddenly let out a chuckle.


    "Eva, guess what Link is wearing to walk the red carpet?"


    "A boxing glove as big as a sandbag,"


    Ivanka''s voice floated over from the bar.


    "You know? Well, since you''re partners, he certainly wouldn''t hide it from you,"


    Lana said with a shrug as she watched Link show the audience his super invincible boxing glove on TV. It was a red boxing glove two to three times larger than an ordinary one, worn on his left hand, with a cartoon smiley face on it.

 Chapter 205 Entry Ceremony_3

    When he walked the red carpet earlier, his right hand was holding Taylor, and his left hand was hidden behind his back, which nobody noticed. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.It wasn''t until the host asked him a question about his outfit that he took out his left hand and gave it a shake.


    He was wearing a crisp, formal suit yet sported an oversized boxing glove, which looked very amusing.


    "Link, I''m very curious, why did you wear a boxing glove to the MTV Awards? Are you trying to promote boxing through the MTV channel?"


    Host Quincy Jones asked.


    "No, my nominated single is ''Unstoppable'', and the songs in my debut album tell the story of a boxer. I thought wearing a boxing glove would be a good idea. Don''t you think?"


    Link asked, waving his fist.


    "Haha, yes, absolutely terrific, no one can deny that."


    As the interview with Link and Taylor was underway, a burst of cheers came from the street, along with shouts of ''Kanye''s here''.


    Link pulled Taylor''s attention towards the red carpet entrance.


    There, Kanye West was stepping onto the red carpet with his girlfriend, Amber Rose.


    Kanye was dressed in a black short-sleeved shirt and blue jeans, with the left front tail of his shirt tucked into his belt, carrying half a bottle of Chivas whisky, exuding a very cool demeanor as he walked.


    His current girlfriend, the model Amber Rose, was sporting a shaved head and wore a tight snake-skin lace dress that fully revealed her voluptuous figure, appearing almost as if she was wearing nothing.


    Looking at Amber Rose''s figure and attire, Kanye was a man of consistent taste, no matter his age, preferring bombshell women and girlfriends whose dress was revealing and avant-garde.


    Seeing Amber Rose reminded Link of something: this woman was going to be Wiz Khalifa''s future wife; Wiz also had quite unique tastes.


    "See you at the venue!"


    Link and Taylor waved at the camera.


    "Hold on, Link, it''s said that you and Kanye have made up. Would you like to talk about it here? I think that would be a great idea."


    Quincy Jones said excitedly.


    "No need, the next moment belongs to Mr. West; we''ll leave the stage for him."


    Link waved his hand dismissively and pulled Taylor into the Radio City Music Hall.


    Quincy Jones looked a bit disappointed as they left.


    Link and Kanye were both kings of pop and rap, respectively, publicly known to have a feud, although they had a momentary Twitter interaction not long ago that suggested reconciliation.


    However, whether this was a real reconciliation or a staged one was something many people were curious about.


    If the two could be photographed together on the red carpet or chat face to face, the ratings for the MTV Awards would skyrocket, and there would be more trending topics.


    "Hi! Kanye, Amber! Wow, you two definitely are the wildest, sexiest couple here tonight."


    Quincy Jones exclaimed with an exaggerated tone.


    "Hey! Buddy, is that Link ahead of us? He looks like he''s about to go to a high school prom, super boring."


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    Kanye said, draping his arm around his girlfriend and smirking.


    Quincy chuckled and looked at the bottle in his hand, "Is this your idea? It looks pretty cool."


    "Yeah, 18-year-old Chivas, want a taste?"


    Kanye offered, his breath reeking of whiskey.


    "Oh, no, thank you, I''d love to try it, but I still have work to do."


    After interviewing Kanye about a few questions, Quincy Jones sent the couple off and then saw Katy Perry approaching in a revealing, shiny silver evening gown.


    He thought hard: What adjectives were left to compliment her?

 Chapter 206 Performing on Stage

    Radio City Music Hall is the world''s largest indoor theater and one of the world''s renowned art venues.Since its establishment in 1932, it has hosted symphony, singing, dance, and variety shows, as well as hundreds of movie premiere ceremonies.


    The theater has 6,200 seats upholstered in purple-red velvet, stretching 50 meters from the back of the auditorium to the stage, with a ceiling height of 25 meters. The walls and ceiling are lined with rows of streamlined arches from the outside in.


    From the entrance, the interior looks like a space full of dazzling, curved lights.


    Because the venue is quite luxurious, the performances held here require a very high standard.


    After receiving invitations to perform, Link and Wiz Khalifa rehearsed here twice to prevent any stage accidents.


    Also, since Link needed to play the piano on stage, he practiced the piano for over three hours each day during this period, relentlessly tapping the keys until his fingers were nearly numb each day. Fortunately, his recovery ability was strong, and he could continue practicing the next day.


    Under his intense practice regime, his playing skills had noticeably improved, avoiding a repeat of his near disaster at a country music festival.


    "Mr. Link Baker, are you ready?"


    "Ready!"


    "OK! Start!"


    Upon hearing the director''s voice in his earpiece, Link took a deep breath¡ªit was time for the performance to begin.


    He sat up straight, positioned at the Steinway piano, his hands resting on the black and white keys. Gently pressing down, a string of melodious piano sounds flowed from his fingertips, the intro to "See You Again."


    Ding ding dong dong!


    As the piano sounded, the purple-red velvet curtains around the circular stage slowly rose, eliminating the barrier between the stage and the audience.


    The previously concealed Link was now exposed in front of thousands of spectators.


    "Link! Link!"


    Whoo Whoo Whoo!


    The audience erupted into waves of applause and cheers from all directions, a scene he hadn''t experienced during rehearsals.


    The setting now more closely resembled a boxing ring.


    He was in the ring, with the audience all around him.


    The difference was that previously he had to defeat his opponents, now he just had to conquer his own fear and insecurity, bringing out his best performance.


    This was the scene of the 26th MTV Music Video Awards ceremony.


    As one of the key segments of the ceremony was to honor the recently deceased Michael Jackson, and "See You Again" was considered the ''most sincere'' song of remembrance for MJ,


    thus Link and Wiz Khalifa were invited to be the opening act of the ceremony.


    Being invited to perform was expected by Link.


    However, being invited as the opening act was unexpected.


    In a major show, the opening and closing are the most crucial, also known as ''the grand openings and closings,'' and nothing could go wrong.


    Hearing the applause rise and fall like the tide, Link felt even more calm inside, his playing more skillful¡ªcapabilities and mental strength honed from hundreds of boxing matches.


    He continued playing the piano, his lips approaching the microphone on the piano lid, softly singing:


    It''s been a long day without you my friend


    And I''ll tell you all about it when I see you again ....


    "Wow! That was amazing!"


    "Link! Link! Link!"


    The fans below cheered and applauded loudly as he began to sing.


    "Link! You''re the best!"


    Taylor, sitting in the second row, hands cupped around her mouth shouting towards him, her cheeks flushed with excitement.


    "This is too cool!"


    "He can box, swim, sing, play the piano, and he''s so handsome¡ªhe should be my boyfriend."


    "Don''t forget to mention his strong physique, that''s the most important thing."


    The female singers in the audience couldn''t help but cheer loudly and whisper among themselves as they saw Link at the piano.


    "Link is the coolest guy I''ve seen in a suit. If I were his girlfriend, I would want him to wear a suit every day, even during intimate moments."


    Katy Perry clapped her hands, speaking to Lady Gaga beside her.


    "Keep it down, Taylor is right behind you."


    Lady Gaga spoke with a hand puppet.


    "I''m just praising Link, it''s fine if Taylor hears it."


    Katy Perry replied nonchalantly.


    Although Taylor hadn''t heard Katy''s words, she did hear other female singers'' praises and couldn''t help but curl the corners of her lips. She knew she should have made Link wear a trash bag¡ªthat would have kept other women from ogling him.


    She suddenly realized that being too handsome was not necessarily a good thing.


    "F***! Why did they let that bastard Link be the opening act? This year''s MTV is held in New York, it should have been us New York singers opening."


    In the third row of the audience, 50 Cent grumbled unhappily.


    "Because ''See You Again'' is his work. All of you claim to be MJ''s die-hard fans, treating him as a spiritual idol, then why can''t any of you come up with a decent song after he passed away?"


    Eminem teased as he clapped his hands.


    50 Cent, Lil Wayne, T.I., and Drake had nothing to say in response.


    Kanye also looked toward the stage with a stern face, internally frustrated, wondering why Link was able to write such a song, and he could not.


    "Alright, I get it¡ªyou all are fake MJ fans."


    Eminem smirked.


    Beyonce, sitting in the front row, turned around and laughed, "Em, you''re MJ''s anti-fan, being here at the MJ memorial, doesn''t that feel awkward?"


    Eminem''s smile froze. Back in 2003, he had written a rap song "Just Lose It," mocking MJ for child molestation, getting burned and turning white during a Pepsi commercial shoot, and having plastic surgery on his nose.


    Michael publicly expressed that he was hurt and even borrowed a friend''s words to call Eminem a piece of shit.


    This incident was also one of the hot news in the entertainment industry in 2003, and Eminem was forced to apologize in a radio interview, admitting he was also a fan of MJ.


    But MJ''s fans did not forgive him, and he was also considered the leader of MJ''s haters.


    "Hey, Em, do you feel embarrassed?"


    Lil Wayne and others laughed as they looked towards Eminem.


    "I won''t!" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eminem put on his hood, crossed his arms, and leaned back in his chair, ignoring them.


    We''ve come a long way from where we began


    Oh, I''ll tell you all about it when I see you again


    When I see you again


    In the middle of the stage, Link played the piano and sang, and as he finished the first verse, a lascivious and salacious voice came from the speakers.


    Damn, who knew all the planes we flew


    Good things we''ve been through


    That I''ll be standing right here


    Wiz Khalifa, dressed in a white suit, took the mic and walked up the stage through the center aisle, rapping as he walked, his arms keeping the rhythm, and his braids swinging wildly.


    The atmosphere of the place was instantly elevated by him.


    The audience swayed their arms to the rhythm.


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    Fireworks also sprayed around the stage, making it more dazzling, and the atmosphere was ignited.


    It''s been a long day without you my friend


    And I''ll tell you all about it when I see you again


    After Wiz Khalifa finished, Link''s voice followed, one lascivious and one serious, making a very smooth collaboration.


    Link sat at the piano singing, Wiz walked around the stage''s elongated pathway, constantly waving his arms, stirring up the crowd.


    Because the song was so popular, during the repeat of the chorus the second time, many audience members sang along with Link.


    Buzzing, buzzing, buzzing!


    A flurry of chaotic lights flashed, and gradually, an image of MJ appeared in full form above the stage.


    The image, over three meters tall, depicted MJ performing on stage, dressed in a sequin suit, his mouth moving as if he was singing.


    This was created by Hollywood special effects staff using 3D holographic projection technology, invited by the MTV Awards organizers.


    In 2009, 3D holographic projection technology was still a very cutting-edge image technology, not as common as ten years later.


    After the MJ image appeared, an excited shout rose from the venue, many fans looked up at the sky image, loudly singing "See you again".


    When I see you again


    When I see you again, see you again


    When I see you again


    Clap, clap, clap!


    After singing it twice, amid the applause of several thousand spectators, the curtain slowly fell, and the opening performance ended.


    Link still sat at the piano, playing the accompaniment as the stage slowly descended, and seconds later, he and Wiz came to the underground lift.


    This was a hydraulically powered lift mechanism, capable of rapid scene changes and special stage effects.


    Clap, clap, clap!


    "Link, well done!"


    As the two arrived below, Ms. Mandy and several workers clapped and cheered, along with the nearby Madonna, who was preparing to go on stage.


    Link and Wiz hugged each other.


    It was Wiz''s first time performing on such a large stage, and he was somewhat nervous after going up.


    "Hey, Link, you''re cool. If I were ten years younger, I''d definitely ask you out," Madonna joked after sizing him up.


    "Thank you! Westacott, madam, you also look very young now," Link responded.


    Grandma Madonna, though 51 this year, maintained herself well and still had a charming vibe, although back in her day she was quite the flower of the entertainment circle.


    "Oh, Link, do you mean to say if I asked you out, you would agree?" Madonna smiled.


    "Of course, I''m your fan. It would be an honor to go out with you,"


    Link shrugged, knowing she was joking and played along easily.


    "You''ve said it now, wait for my call."


    Madonna patted his shoulder, smiling radiantly as she stepped onto the lift.


    She was about to go on stage to give a eulogy for MJ. As the lift rose, her smile gradually faded, turning into a sombre and mournful expression, matching her black dress, looking like a widow who had lost her husband.


    Link shook his head, thinking how these celebrities, who had reached such heights, were no simple characters.


    "Hey, Link, if Madonna really asked you out, would you actually agree?" Wiz Khalifa nudged him and asked.


    "Maybe!"


    Link smiled lightly, walking with Wiz through the underground passage to the front audience seats, waiting for the award ceremony to begin.

 Chapter 207 Enemies on All Sides

    Upon arriving at the music hall, Madonna''s tribute to MJ had ended, and the host, Russell Brand, took the stage to liven up the atmosphere with some politically charged jokes."Hey! Link, congrats on the successful performance."


    Eminem greeted him as he returned to his seat in the audience.


    "Thanks!"


    Link replied with a light smile and took his seat next to Eminem.


    Before coming to the award ceremony, he had thought he would be seated with Taylor, since they were a couple, and sitting together would make them a hotter topic when captured on camera.


    However, the organizers knew how to create buzz better than he did.


    MTV had arranged his seating in the midst of the East Coast hip-hop crowd.


    In front of him were Jay-Z and Beyonce, to his right T.I., Rihanna, Kanye, and behind him sat 50 Cent, Drake, and a few others¡ªenemies all, except for the neutral Eminem, by the look of it.


    But there was some reasoning behind the organizers'' arrangement.


    For this year''s MTV Best Male Video Award, five artists had been nominated.


    They were Jay-Z''s "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," Eminem''s "We Made You," Kanye West''s "Love Lockdown," T.I.''s collaboration with Rihanna "Live Your Life," and Link''s "Unstoppable."


    Having them seated together also made it easier for the cameras to catch them.


    But once he sat down, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, T.I., Drake, and others all craned their necks, glaring at him with clear hostility and anger.


    The East Coast hip-hop crew had once been endlessly glorious in the rap world and even in the music industry as a whole.


    MJ, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Justin Timberlake, and other music royalty sought them out for collaborations.


    Even the rising star Beyonce married Jay-Z because their rap music was just too hot.


    Other genre artists wanted to rub off some of their heat to attract young fans and expand their music market.


    Following collaborations with them, MJ, Madonna, Justin, and others achieved great success in the hip-hop rap field.


    This made them incredibly self-satisfied.


    But everything changed when they encountered that bastard, Link.


    At the Grammys, Lil only criticized him a bit, asking him to apologize to Kanye, which was a perfectly reasonable request.


    That bastard, however, took advantage of the media and blew the situation out of proportion, almost causing an uncontrollable mess, even alarming the folks in Washington and forcing them to apologize, which was a huge embarrassment.


    Later, that guy came over, pretending to want peace and tried his hand at rap music.


    In truth, it was one of Link''s schemes.


    He pretended to be a newcomer who didn''t understand rap, wanting to give it a try, and once he released a single, it shot up to the top three on the rap charts.


    A classic case of the little bunny eating the big bad wolf.


    Of course, they wouldn''t let him strut around unchallenged, so Kanye, T.I., and Jay-Z released songs in succession attempting to suppress him and restore the East Coast rap group''s pride.


    Initially, it went well, with Kanye and Jay-Z''s singles successively defeating Link''s "I''m the one" and "Lighters," taking over the number one spot on the rap singles chart. Jay-Z''s "Empire State of Mind" also firmly bested Link''s "Believer" on the Billboard singles chart.


    Even though Jay-Z''s album sales were a bit lower than Link''s, in the rap music field, songs by East Coast rappers still dominated the charts, so their pride remained intact.


    But then came "See you again," and everything changed.


    That crappy song stuck to the number one spot on the rap singles chart like a turd for four consecutive weeks, unmoving.


    And beneath that turd were their songs.


    You can''t imagine how nauseating that felt, even more so than being cuckolded.


    They also tried releasing singles, attempting to snatch back the top spot on the charts.


    But that song was just too hot, blaring from every street and alley, and when they got home, even their own family members were singing it.


    There was no competing with it.


    Link''s rookie rap creation had left them, a group of veterans, helpless, which was not just professional competition but also a kind of spiritual insult.


    Now seeing Link right before their eyes, if they had a gun in hand, they would have shot this bastard long ago.


    "Hey, good evening!"


    Link sat with his leg crossed, comfortably in his seat, and with a composed smile waved at the few dark faces beside him.


    Lil Wayne and his crew, seeing him still able to smile, grew even angrier. It was clear he didn''t take them seriously. Had it been the eighties or nineties, they would have riddled Link with bullets.


    Link was still alive to this day, thanks to the times.


    "Cameras are coming, watch your image,"


    Eminem shouted.


    Lil Wayne and the others glanced at the cameras in front of them and had no choice but to adjust their expressions and sit properly again.


    Link still wore a serene expression, looking straight ahead. When he saw Taylor glancing over from the diagonal front, he waved his hand.


    Taylor''s seat was in the middle of the second row near the aisle, while his was on the left in the third row, with five or six seats between them.


    "Link, about what happened earlier when we were entering, I''m sorry, we drove the car too fast,"


    Beyonce said quietly, turning her face slightly after the cameras had passed.


    She was referring to the incident with the Lincoln limousine cutting in line.


    Beyonce was also in the car. At the time she came over to apologize, asking them to go ahead, but Link and Taylor refused. They were not in a hurry to walk the red carpet and saw no need to compete with these people, especially since winning the race wouldn''t bring any reward.


    "No worries, it was just a minor issue,"


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    Link replied politely, leaning back slightly. Beyonce was in a deep red, low-cut V-neck evening gown. Her chest was quite prominent, and many things were crystal clear when she turned to the side. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He did not want to be caught by the cameras in a compromising look, so he consciously averted his gaze to an appropriate place.


    Beyonce noticed his movement, her lips twitching slightly before turning back to face the stage.


    After the last performance ended, Latin superstar Shakira and three actors from the "Twilight" cast took the stage.


    Included were Taylor Lautner who played a werewolf, and supporting actresses Ashley Greene and Leighton Meester, who were invited as award presenters.


    This year, "Twilight" was as big as Lady Gaga.


    Just the first movie in the series had won massive fame for its lead and supporting actors, male and female, even though the second movie hadn''t premiered yet.


    The guests today were only some of the supporting actors, but the audience''s screams were louder than for the pop singers when they saw them.


    Seeing Taylor Lautner and the others, Link remembered that ''idle'' Christine.


    She was the lead actress in "Twilight." Her current popularity was a cut above the rest. If she were willing to run around on shows, she''d likely be too busy to catch her breath.


    Shakira and Taylor Lautner presented the first award, a significant one: Best Female Video.


    There were five nominees.


    Beyonce''s "Single Ladies," Katy Perry''s "Hot N Cold," Lady Gaga''s "Poker Face," P!nk''s "So What," and Taylor''s "You Belong With Me"


    All were strong contenders, not a single weak one.


    After all, who could win the award?

 Chapter 208 The Microphone Snatching Incident

    Link had been pondering this question since before the award ceremony; originally, the award was meant for Taylor.She was also the first country music singer to ever win this award since the inception of the MTV Video Music Awards.


    It was during her acceptance speech that the earth-shaking ''Kanye mic-grabbing'' incident occurred, deeply impacting both Taylor and Kanye''s careers.


    The incident was related to the verbal altercation that ensued over social media between Taylor and the Kanye-Kardashian couple after Taylor was attacked by trolls 17 years ago.


    Now that he was here, would Taylor still win the award? Would Kanye still rush up to grab the microphone?


    Link cupped his chin, curiously watching Taylor Lautner on stage opening the envelope; this guy seemed to be one of Taylor''s ex-boyfriends.


    "And the Best Female Video goes to... Taylor Swift!"


    Wow!!


    The venue erupted with surprised exclamations.


    Taylor excitedly stood up in the front row, embraced Carrie Underwood and Lady Gaga next to her, and even reached out to Link for a hug.


    Link waved his fist and stood up to applaud.


    Taylor blew a kiss to him and walked up to the podium amid the enthusiastic applause, lifting the hem of her dress.


    "Fuck! Why did she win? Beyonce''s ''Single Ladies'' was the best."


    "That''s not fair! It''s rigged! That award should have been Beyonce''s."


    Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, T.I., and Drake complained among themselves.


    "Shut up, what you say doesn''t count."


    Link glanced at the group, his gaze then shifting to Kanye beside T.I., only to see Kanye rising from his seat and walking towards the podium.


    Link shook his head; some things that were meant to happen would still happen. The effect of The Butterfly Effect was not as significant as he had imagined.


    After Kanye had left, he thought for a moment, then also left the audience and headed to the podium.


    "Hey, what are you guys all doing up there?"


    On stage, Taylor had just taken the ''Astronaut'' statuette trophy from Shakira and began speaking into the microphone.


    But then Kanye came up, snatched the microphone from Taylor''s hands, and said, "Hey, Taylor Swift, I''ma let you finish, but I gotta say, Beyonce''s ''Single Ladies'' is the best."


    Wow!


    A commotion spread through the audience.


    The spectators looked incredulously at Kanye.


    The MTV Video Music Awards is one of the three major music awards in the United States, with a significant reputation and followed by a large number of viewers.


    The winners of the MTV Video Music Awards are decided by a voting committee and the fans; the whole process is relatively fair and just.


    Kanye, a long-time industry veteran and new king of hip-hop, had abruptly taken the stage to snatch the microphone from a rookie singer, delivering an inappropriate comment.


    This was not only an act of suppressing the younger generation but also a disregard for the entertainment industry''s rules of conduct.


    If everyone acted like him, relying on their fame and status to question the fairness of awards and criticize that artists shouldn''t win during their acceptance speeches, the integrity of all award ceremonies in the entertainment industry would collapse.


    But Kanye had just done that.


    When Link saw Kanye head to the stage, he considered various ways to handle the situation.


    One was to drag him back to his seat; another was to knock him out and drag him away, to keep him from disturbing Taylor, and the last was to let things take their course.


    After thinking it over, he felt the third option was more appropriate.


    Kanye had done something wrong and would face public backlash later, which was better than him taking action himself.


    This incident could also stimulate Taylor, helping her to write a few more songs.


    If he chose the first two options, he''d be helping Kanye out of a hole, using violence to counter violence in full public view, and that could bring some negative attention to himself, possibly even leading to a suspension from the New York Sports Commission.


    "Hey, jackass, give Taylor back the microphone!"


    Link walked onto the stage, waving at Kanye to come over.


    Wow!


    The audience cheered again, and the spectators in front of the TV widened their eyes.


    The night''s ceremony was too eventful; first with the unexpected win by Taylor, followed by the hip-hop king Kanye West storming the stage to grab the mic.


    Now, Taylor''s boyfriend, the boxing champion Link, had also stepped up to reclaim the microphone for her; the plot was even more thrilling than in a movie.


    "Link, hit him! Hit him hard!"


    Selena, watching the TV, shouted as she waved her fists.


    "Link won''t really go up there and fight, will he?"


    In front of the TV, Nora Duvall said in surprise.


    "No way, Link''s not that impulsive."


    While Franco was busy drying his daughter Vera''s hair, he spared a glance at the TV.


    "Daddy, can Link win against that guy?"


    Vera''s eyes widened as she stared at the TV and asked.


    "Haha, you should ask if you can punch Kanye, and my answer is yes,"


    Franco laughed.


    "Link brother, hit him!"


    Vera also shouted, waving her little fists.


    On the stage of the MTV award ceremony, Link beckoned to Kanye, who glared back at him furiously.


    Link shook his head, reached for the microphone, pushed Kanye aside, and addressed the audience, "Everyone, I''m sorry, I never thought I''d be coming up here at this time, but I must say, Beyonce''s ''Single Ladies'' is great, but Taylor''s ''You Belong With Me'' is the best of the night, and she deserves this award."


    "Yes! Link, we support you!"


    "Taylor is the best!"


    "Go Taylor!"


    "Kanye, get off the stage!"


    The audience below erupted into lively chatter, many giving Kanye a thumbs down on stage and booing.


    Kanye snorted coldly and walked down the podium with a dark face.


    "Hey, Taylor, congratulations, how are you feeling right now?"


    Link asked, holding the microphone.


    Taylor covered her mouth in surprise, looked at him, and laughed, "Not bad, I wasn''t affected."


    "You''re brave! You said before that if you won and I didn''t, you would compensate me with desserts. Will you go back on your word?"


    "Of course not!"


    Taylor gave him a look.


    "Good, please continue your acceptance speech!"


    Link gave a gentle smile, hugged Taylor briefly, and turned to leave the stage.


    "Why didn''t they fight?"


    "Oh! I thought it was going to be an action movie next, why did it turn into a romance, so sweet."


    "I can''t take it anymore, why do I have to get fed dog food while watching an award ceremony? Can''t you give us single dogs a way out?"


    "Link is so cool, boyfriend goals!" Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "God, I wish I had a boyfriend like Link."


    "Hey dude, wake up, you''re a boy."


    "Swifties, unite, and attack Kanye!"


    During the MTV award ceremony, Twitter was also broadcasting live.


    Twitter''s technical department would determine which celebrity was more popular based on the number and frequency of ''celebrity names'' mentioned in the tweets posted by users during each time period.


    In the opening performance segment, Link''s name was mentioned 380,000 times by Twitter users, earning him the undisputed first place. It wasn''t until Madonna took the stage to deliver her tribute that his popularity began to wane.


    When Taylor won and Kanye went up to grab the microphone, online opinion exploded, and Twitter user activity also surged.


    Taylor and Kanye''s names were mentioned 450,000 and 520,000 times, respectively.


    Then Link took the stage, and online opinion went nuclear, doubling Twitter user activity.


    ''The 26th MTV Award Ceremony'' became a hot topic across major social platforms, with Link''s name skyrocketing to first place, breaking 1.5 million mentions, while Taylor''s also surged above 1 million and remained high.


    Link returned to his seat to find Lil Wayne and his group glaring at him as if they wanted to devour him.


    "The camera is coming over."


    Eminem reminded.


    The group begrudgingly hummed and sat up, concealing their expressions as Kanye sat with a sullen face, casting angry glances at Link from time to time.


    Link ignored them and continued to watch the performance on the stage.


    After Taylor took back the microphone, she didn''t say much before leaving the stage to perform at the Sixth Avenue subway station.


    According to MTV''s award rules, each winning artist is to perform live onsite or offsite after receiving an award, which could be viewed on the screens by the audience.


    Taylor sang her award-winning single "You Belong With Me."


    The incident with Kanye grabbing the microphone didn''t affect her much; her performance offstage was very steady.


    After Taylor''s performance ended, the ceremony continued to present other awards.


    Lady Gaga won the Best New Artist award for "Poker Face," while Link narrowly missed out on this category. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Beyonce won the Video of the Year award for "Single Ladies."


    The two were tied with one award each.


    Eminem won the Best Hip-Hop Video award for the single "We Made You."


    Then came the Best Male Artist category, and Link immediately focused.

 Chapter 209 Angry Departure

    "Hey, Em, congratulations!"Link said to Eminem after his performance ended.


    "Thanks! Link, you''ve got a chance now,"


    Eminem said as he fist-bumped him and sat down with the ''Astronaut'' trophy.


    "What chance?"


    "The chance to win the Video of the Year for Best Male Artist."


    Eminem swung his trophy, "They gave me this, they definitely won''t give me another Best Male Artist."


    Link thought about it, did he really have a chance to win?


    The probability was quite small.


    This year Beyonce and Lady Gaga were the two favorites, each with nine nominations.


    Link and Lady Gaga were competing for the Best New Artist award, and if Lady Gaga could win Best Female Artist, he might have a chance at Best New Artist.


    But Taylor had taken that award, so Lady Gaga''s chances of winning Best New Artist were even greater.


    Additionally, the deadline for MTV award registration was before July.


    The nomination he received was for a song from his first album.


    The first album performed slightly worse than the second one in all aspects, so the chance of winning this time was extremely slim.


    It was very likely that he would have two nominations this year and win Best Male Artist or something else next year, just like Taylor.


    "Hey, Em, what are you joking about? With that lousy MV he also wants to win Best Male Artist? MTV gave him a nomination just because he rode on MJ''s coattails."


    Lil Wayne said discontentedly upon hearing Eminem''s words.


    "Have you seen the MV for ''Unstoppable''? It''s really good, I suggest you check it out,"


    Eminem stated.


    "I''m not watching that kind of story-based MV; it''s not cool at all,"


    Lil Wayne said disdainfully.


    "Exactly, if the voting committee gives him the award, I swear, I''ll never attend the MTV awards ceremony again,"


    T.I. said, showing his white teeth.


    "Me too!"


    50 Cent, along with Drake and Chris Brown also nodded.


    As they were talking, the Latin superstar Jennifer Lopez and Australian actress Rose Byrne went on stage to present the award.


    "The winner of the Video of the Year for Best Male Artist is, Link Baker ''Unstoppable''!"


    "NOOOOOO!!!"


    Just as Jennifer Lopez pronounced Link''s name, several roars came from the audience.


    Kanye, Lil Wayne, and 50 Cent stood up, enraged, and even the usually unflappable Jay-Z turned to look at Link, his eyes like daggers.


    Link was also very surprised; the ''Unstoppable'' MV was narrative-driven, more like a five-minute mini-movie, not flashy enough, with few special effects, and the dancing wasn''t explosive enough. Visually, it seemed far less spectacular compared to the MVs by Jay-Z, Kanye, and others. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And MTV Video Music Awards always favored MVs with more impressive visual effects. Hip-hop and rap MVs, with better visuals and dance routines, tended to win more frequently.


    Yet the MTV award organizers had given the award to him.


    Link was more surprised than anyone else at the event.


    "Link, I told you so, you really won!"


    Eminem also pushed him in surprise.


    "Em, maybe it''s your luck you passed on to me."


    Link laughed heartily, bumping shoulders with Eminem and Wiz.


    "Hey, Link, congratulations on winning the award!"


    Beyonce and Rihanna congratulated him from the front.


    "Thank you!"


    Upon leaving his seat, he hugged Doutzen Kroes, the leading lady of the ''Unstoppable'' MV, and as he passed by Taylor, Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, they each hugged him as well.


    As he left his seat, Kanye, accompanied by Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and T.I., also left their seats one after the other, causing quite a stir at the venue.


    And the news about the ''26th Annual MTV Music Video Awards'' undoubtedly shot to the top of all news websites.


    As Link won the award, Twitter exploded with tweets about the prize, breaking 1.2 million within ten minutes.


    After Kanye and others indignantly left their seats, the trending topic surged past 4 million mentions, three times more than Kanye''s previous microphone-grabbing incident.


    In terms of TV viewership ratings, according to Nielsen''s data, the MTV awards show saw three major peaks halfway through: Explore new worlds at My Virtual Library Empire


    One was during Link playing the piano with MJ''s hologram appearing in the air, reaching 14 million viewers;


    Kanye and Link''s microphone-grabbing moment shot up to 22 million viewers, and afterwards, the ratings mostly stayed between 12 to 15 million.


    After Link won the award and Kanye and others left the event, the viewership directly broke through 28 million, reaching a peak of 28.72 million.


    Although it couldn''t compare to the Super Bowl or major sporting events like the football leagues,


    in the category of entertainment programs, it was already on par with the Oscars ceremony at the beginning of the year, and the peak viewership was even higher than the 2009 Oscars.


    "Wow! Link wins unexpectedly! Kanye and Lil Wayne angrily leave their seats¡ªso thrilling."


    "Are these segments real? It feels like there''s a script."


    "I feel the same! Everyone knows they don''t get along; if there was no script, they wouldn''t have arranged for Link to sit there."


    "The organizers arranged for Link to sit with Jay-Z, Kanye, T.I., and others to increase the show''s effect, definitely scripted!"


    "Impossible that there was a script, given the relationship between Link and the East Coast rappers. Would they quietly cooperate with Link for a performance? Absolutely not!"


    "Support Kanye to win the award! Link, put down that trophy."


    "It must be scripted. If it weren''t, after Kanye grabbed the microphone, Link would have fought him right there and then. How could he have not laid a finger on Kanye? This year''s MTV awards are just a big show."


    At this time, traffic massively increased on various social media platforms online. People who previously didn''t follow the MTV Music Channel couldn''t help but switch on the TV to see whether tonight''s drama was scripted.


    Therefore, when Link went up to the stage and took the shiny spaceman trophy from Ms. Rose Byrne, preparing to give his acceptance speech, the program''s viewership officially broke through 28 million.


    "Thank you! Thank you, everyone! This is a wonderful moment, and I will stand here again to receive this important award. It''s the best encouragement for my work over the past year.


    Thanks to the MTV Music Channel, thank you to all viewers, all fans, I love you. Without your votes, I don''t think I could be here saying these words."


    Link said, holding the heavy trophy while looking at the thousands of audience members below.


    Although he had won several music awards before, their prestige and the scale of their ceremonies paled in comparison to this trophy.


    Now standing here, looking at the hundreds of star singers below him, Taylor, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Britney Spears, Madonna, Jennie Jackson, Beyonce, Eminem, Shakira, Ashley Greene, Paris Hilton, Ambrosius Alexander, Green Day Band, Coldplay, and others,


    each one a star he had once paid attention to. Now, he was the one being noticed by these people, even more so by a greater number of people.


    The feeling was very different from raising a Golden Belt or wearing an Olympic Gold Medal.


    On receiving this trophy, he felt that he had truly entered the American entertainment industry, not just as a Boxer doubling as a singer.


    "Thanks also to director Stephen Herrick. You were the first director I worked with and the most important one. Thank you, the beautiful Ms. Donna Collins, and all the staff of the ''Unstoppable'' MV crew for your hard work.


    At the same time, I want to thank my partner Miss Ivanka and everyone at Link Music. This award also belongs to you."


    Link looked at Director Stephen Herrick, Donna Collins, and others below before his gaze landed on Taylor.


    "Lastly, I must thank my girlfriend, Miss Taylor Swift. She taught me about music and songwriting; she will always be my eternal teacher in music."


    "Link, I love you!"


    Taylor put her hands on her red lips and sent him several passionate kisses.


    "Wow, a large-scale public display of affection. I want to see Kanye and the others try to take the trophy and then get KO''d by Link one by one, and you''re showing me this?"


    "Go Link! You''ll always be the best!"


    "This award should have gone to T.I. and Rihanna, definitely rigged."


    "Jay-Z is the king of New York, supporting Jay-Z to win the award!"


    As Link was giving his acceptance speech, his personal fan site also saw a surge in activity, with tens of thousands of fans posting messages and photos online to celebrate Link receiving an important music award.


    "Catherine, Link has won an award, the MTV Best Male Singer award."


    Selena called out to the study.


    "I know!"


    "I want to sing too, and I will win awards in the future."


    Selena glanced at the TV and started strumming her guitar.


    Originally, she had planned to release a single called "Let it go" in June. However, after the music department at Disney heard her singing that song, they felt she had great potential in music and decided to help her create an album.


    The album is currently in production, scheduled to be released in November, so she now considers herself a semi-professional singer.


    "Ivanka, how could Link have won this award?"


    In the high-rise condo of TP, Lina turned to Ivanka, who was flipping through a magazine with glasses on, and asked, "I think he would be more fitting for Best New Artist."


    "I''m not sure either, but I can guess. In recent years, the viewership of the MTV awards ceremony has been declining year by year, and MTV is also trying to improve their ratings and the influence of the MTV Music Awards in the music industry. The conflict between Link and the East Coast rappers also gave them an opportunity," Ivanka said slowly.


    "Give Link the award to create a topic? But arranging for him to be nominated alongside kings of rap like Jay-Z and Kanye, and then letting Link win, seems like a deliberate provocation of conflict between the two parties."


    Lina said after some thought.


    "What does it matter? Conflict generates news. MTV is a brand under Viacom Media Group, and the ongoing competition between Link and the East Coast rappers is also beneficial to them. Besides, giving the award to several veteran singers who have won before isn''t as topical as giving it to a new star like Link," Ivanka said, yawning softly, while also glancing at her watch.


    "I have a lot to do tomorrow, so I''m going to sleep first!"


    "You''re not going to watch Link''s performance?"


    "It''s just dancing, nothing interesting to see."


    Ivanka rubbed her shoulders and, swaying her voluptuous figure, walked into the bedroom.

 Chapter 210 Backstage Beyonce

    Back at the Radio City Music Hall backstage, Link took off his white jacket and exhaled.After winning the Best Male Artist award, he was scheduled to perform the award-winning song "Unstoppable" in the adjacent Bryant Park.


    To honor MJ, during the performance, he and his dancers did the moonwalk, drawing crowds of thousands.


    Hundreds of spectators joined them, dancing in the streets, and the atmosphere was incredibly lively.


    It wasn''t until he heard from Mandy later that he learned those people were also dancers arranged by MTV.


    Speaking of the moonwalk, he picked it up during rehearsals at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.


    In order to master the dance, he had even personally sought MJ''s guidance.


    With his good physical condition, strong legs, and coordination, it wasn''t difficult to learn.


    He had just mastered it when MJ passed away, and now he was using it to honor MJ.


    It was not a waste at all.


    Returning to backstage and looking at the busy staff in the corridor, he suddenly felt like taking a rest.


    After two performances and conflicts, he was mentally drained and didn''t fancy going to a noisy place just yet.


    He took out a lollipop, sat in a quiet corridor, and sent Ivanka a message asking how his performance was.


    Ivanka replied that she was too busy with work to watch the live broadcast.


    Link texted: I won the Best Male Artist award. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ivanka responded: Congratulations! But don''t get too happy too soon, that award is hot to handle and not easy to win.


    Link smiled lightly and said, "I understand. Jay-Z, Kanye, and the rest will probably despise me even more, but I''m not worried."


    Ivanka said, "I''m not talking about them. I mean Washington. In March, at the Grammy Awards, you publicly blasted the opposition, and in the eyes of many Elephant Party members, you are their man. Viacom''s chairman, Lei Shidong at MTV''s parent company, will think so too.


    You''re young, influential, light-skinned¡ªa great asset. The better and more prominent you become, the bigger the role you''ll play in the future. That''s what they want to see happen."


    Link read her message several times and rubbed his forehead: Can even a small trophy be connected to all these issues?


    Ivanka said, "But you, who won the trophy, are not a small player."


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    Link shrugged his shoulders and asked, "So, what should I do?"


    Ivanka replied, "I don''t know. I''m going to sleep now."


    Link shook his head; this woman was too annoying, opening up a can of worms and then going to sleep without resolving anything. It was so irresponsible.


    He was about to head to the dressing room to change when he saw Jay-Z and Beyonce walk by from the opposite direction. Probably because it was too dark where he was standing, they didn''t see him, and they were arguing as they walked.


    "Beyonce, you shouldn''t have let Taylor go back on stage to make her acceptance speech. That''s going to embarrass Kanye even more."


    "It was Kanye who embarrassed me first. At Taylor''s award moment, he took to the stage, grabbed the microphone, claiming to support me. This will make many people think I can''t handle losing, even though I don''t really care."


    "Kanye did that in support of you."


    "Really? I knew about the awards I would win in advance. I don''t need him playing Robin Hood.


    He''s just trying to suppress Taylor and embarrass Link under the guise of my name. Didn''t you guys fail to stop him in time because you had the same idea?


    You simply didn''t foresee Link daring to take the stage. Yes, you''ve always underestimated him, thinking he was a newcomer and easy to deal with, and that''s why you''ve been defeated by him time and again. Just now you lost the Best Male Artist to him again. How does that feel?"


    "Shut up!!"


    Jay-Z suddenly stopped, grabbed Beyonce''s shoulders, and shook them, glaring at her as he growled, "Don''t mention Link again. Don''t mention him in front of me, understand?"


    "Why? Because Link embarrassed you? Ha, Link is really amazing. I seem to be liking him more and more."


    Beyonce said with a cold laugh.


    "Beyonce, don''t go too far. You''re my wife and you must stand with me. Link is our enemy."


    "Sorry, but I am me, an independent individual, not your appendage. I''m not interested in your battles and won''t be joining you. You have no right to tell me what to do or what not to do."


    Beyonce said coldly.


    "You!"


    Jay-Z raised his hand high.


    "You want to hit me? Jess, don''t think I don''t know about you and Alicia and those other ''pools.'' I just don''t want to argue with you, but now you turn around and interfere in my business? Fuck off!"


    Beyonce cursed.


    "...Okay Paul, I got your congratulations, I''ll buy you a drink when I''m back in Los Angeles... No, I can''t sing ''See You Again'' this time; I''ve sung it too many times these days..."


    Link was on the phone, walking by when he saw the two of them and politely nodded his head, continuing on his way.


    Jay-Z and Beyonce stopped arguing and looked at him in surprise when he suddenly appeared.


    Jay-Z glared, his face turning from black to red and then back to pitch black.


    Link didn''t stop, still on the phone, and went straight into the dressing room.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Thump, thump, thump!


    As he was changing clothes, a knocking sound came from outside the dressing room.


    Thinking it was Anna coming to see him for something, he opened the door to find Beyonce standing in front of it.


    Her black wavy hair was loose, and she wore a red strapless evening gown, revealing half of her ample bosom.


    She was over 170 centimeters tall, and with high heels, she looked even more slender and statuesque, her black and red skin resembled candy syrup from a gingerbread house.


    "Link, would you like a drink?"


    Beyonce, holding a bottle of whiskey and a glass, didn''t wait for him to invite her in and barged right into the small dressing room.


    "No, thank you, Beyonce. I appreciate the offer, but I''m an athlete and rarely drink alcoholic beverages,"


    Link declined.


    "Is that so?"


    Beyonce gave a small smile and didn''t continue to persuade him. She sat on the sofa chair and poured herself a glass of golden whiskey.


    The aroma of the alcohol suddenly filled the air, mixed with the stronger scent of women''s perfume ¨C the scent of Chanel Chance, mature with a hint of seduction.


    "What were you just doing?"


    Beyonce asked, holding her glass.


    "Are you asking about the corridor? I was on the phone there, I didn''t hear your conversation,"


    Link explained.


    Beyonce shook her head, smiling, "I meant here, what were you doing just now?"


    "Changing clothes!"


    Link pointed to a suit on the wall, another champagne-colored Dior suit.


    For the award ceremony, Miss Mandy and Anna had prepared for him three suits and two performance outfits, all valued at over five thousand US dollars, often worn only two or three times.


    "Please continue! Don''t let me disturb you,"


    Beyonce said with a leg crossed, swinging her high-heeled shoe and speaking in a cheerful tone.


    "Ok, I hope you won''t feel offended."


    Link shrugged, took off his artistic T-shirt, and put on a white striped shirt.


    He removed the casual pants he wore for dancing, already wearing shorts underneath, unafraid of being seen by her.


    Just as he was about to put on his trousers, Beyonce got up and walked over, slipping off the strap from her shoulder.


    In his astonished gaze, she slowly knelt down in front of him.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Oh, what happened?"


    In the main concert hall, host Russell Brand had just stepped off the stage when the lights suddenly went out¡ªthe audience, the stage, and the two thick marble columns at the corner were all swallowed by darkness.


    Whoosh! Two seconds later, a spotlight shone on the stage again.


    The audience gasped in surprise to see two people hanging in mid-air, wearing very little, singer P!nk and her dance partner.


    P!nk, a well-known pop singer known for her quirky outfits and strong persona, often referred to by the media as ''the next Madonna'',


    had received a nomination for Best Female Video at the MTV Video Music Awards. Although she didn''t win, she was invited to perform onstage.


    Her performance that day was quite daring, as she and her dance partner swung more than ten meters in the air, singing her single "Glitter in the Air" from her fifth album.


    While singing, P!nk and her partner performed various high-difficulty moves, akin to an acrobatics show.


    The audience looked up at the high-flying acts, emitting gasps of awe.


    The performance lasted for seven or eight minutes, and when the lights came up, there was loud applause from the audience, many of whom stood up to clap for P!nk and her dance partner.


    Applause!

 Chapter 211 Awards Ceremony Concludes

    In the dressing room backstage, the corner''s incandescent light remained bright.On the coffee table, a small fan whirred, but with the doors and windows of the dressing room tightly shut, not a single cool breeze entered, and the fan merely stirred the stagnant hot air in vain.


    The scent of whiskey mixed with perfume, sweat, and hormones¡ªalthough they weren''t gasoline, gunpowder, or explosive shells.


    They could still ignite the air, making the room even hotter and more stifling.


    "How do you feel?"


    Slowly rising to her feet, Beyonce flashed a spicy smile.


    "You''re an incredible woman."


    Link replied with a slight smile, pulling out a wet wipe and handing it to her.


    "And you, an incredible man, so very incredible."


    Beyonce said in a hoarse voice, pinching her throat.


    "Will it affect your performance coming up?"


    "Now you think of it, isn''t it a bit late?"


    Beyonce glanced at him sidelong, picked up the half-cup of whiskey on the table, downed it in one gulp, shook the empty glass, then staggered out the door on her high heels.


    "Your whiskey!"


    Link said, picking up the bottle from the table.


    "Consider it your payment."


    Beyonce walked away without looking back.


    Link shook his head, tucked the hem of his shirt into his waistband, and wiped off the sweat on his body.


    Remembering something, he took out his phone, turned off the recording function, thought for a moment, and then deleted the recording he had just made.


    In such a special period, he also had to be careful. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When he re-entered the concert hall in his suit, P!nk''s performance had already finished, and the venue was continuing with the Best Special Effects award.


    The winner was Lady Gaga''s single "Paparazzi."


    This year at the MTV Music Awards, Lady Gaga had two singles nominated, "Paparazzi" and "Poker Face," while her competitor Beyonce only had one, "Single Ladies."


    When Link returned to his seat, he was surprised to find that those who had stormed off earlier had returned to their seats.


    Kanye, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and a few others sat with gloomy faces, exuding a ''I''m super angry, don''t mess with me'' vibe.


    Link thought for a moment and guessed why they had come back.


    Despite their status as rap stars, they still fell short of the weight of Viacom Media Networks, which stood behind MTV.


    And MTV was also an important platform for rappers to promote their singles and albums.


    At this stage in the music industry, no promotional platform could rival MTV.


    That''s also why an award from a TV channel could stand on equal footing with the Grammy Awards and the American Music Awards.


    Their action of leaving their seats as a protest couldn''t threaten MTV.


    There were plenty of musicians in the United States music scene, especially rappers¡ªit was said that one in three African Americans could rap.


    With enough resources, it wouldn''t be too difficult to cultivate one or two more Kanyes.


    They couldn''t blackmail MTV, but MTV had ways to make them come back.


    Understanding this, the joy Link felt from winning an award gradually faded, and he suddenly felt listless.


    In the eyes of capital and media conglomerates, he was just like Kanye and the others, a valuable resource to be manipulated and controlled within their sphere of influence.


    Even if he beat them in single charts, album sales, and awards, he wasn''t the biggest winner of the game, nor the one who got the largest slice of the cake.


    The real winners were the capitalists.


    It felt as if he were in the ring, facing a formidable opponent, gritting his teeth and enduring the hits, and finally beating the adversary with difficulty.


    But when it was time to be awarded, the Golden Belt was taken away by someone in the audience.


    Such a fight was very unsatisfying.


    After he sat down, Kanye and the others continued to glare at him.


    Link didn''t want to bother with them and had no more thoughts of competing.


    His current goal was to make more money, acquire several major websites and TV stations, establish an entertainment media group and become one of the players.


    "Link, don''t get cocky, we won''t let you be arrogant for long,"


    "That''s right, you made us lose face, and we''ll make you lose face too,"


    Lil Wayne and 50 Cent said sinisterly from behind.


    Link shook his head and said, crossing his legs, "All this talk is pointless. Let''s do this, we''re all singers. If you can write a song that outsells ''See you again,'' I''ll concede defeat willingly and admit you are superior. But if you can''t do it, please shut up. Can you do that?"


    Lil Wayne and 50 Cent were stunned; "See you again" was currently at 15 million sales in the United States, with global sales at 40 million. With this trend, total sales could very likely exceed 100 million.


    How on earth could they beat that song?


    Unless Elvis Presley, The Beatles, MJ, or Garth Brooks themselves stepped up, for any other artist to release such a hit would be extremely, extremely difficult.


    "Can''t you do it?"


    Link looked over the group''s faces with disappointment and spread his hands, "So how do you plan to beat me? Assassinate each other like Tupac and B.I.G, physically eliminating the competition?"


    "Heh heh heh~"


    Eminem, biting on the drawstring of his hood, let out a repressed laugh after hearing his words.


    Next to him, Wiz Khalifa also laughed soundlessly.


    "We can!"


    Enraged by their laughter, 50 Cent spoke firmly, clenching his fist.


    "That''s right, we can,"


    Drake said seriously.


    "Good! When you beat ''See you again,'' I''ll concede defeat to you voluntarily,"


    Link said, clenching his fist toward 50 Cent.


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    50 Cent smacked it hard, then sucked in a breath of cold air and sat down, massaging his fist.


    The others snorted and returned to their seats with disgruntled expressions.


    "Link, you''re a cunning guy, with just a few words you backed them off."

 Chapter 211 Award Ceremony Concludes_2

    ```Eminem gave him a thumbs up with a smile.


    Link shook his head with a smile, it was only a temporary retreat, and it hadn''t truly conceded defeat.


    Among these few individuals, Duck Drake is the next generation rap king, with global album sales of two to three hundred million copies, possessing more than a dozen chart-topping singles, surpassing MJ in numbers.


    Perhaps in the future, he might write a song that surpasses the numbers of "See you again."


    Applause!


    Amidst enthusiastic applause, Jay-Z and his companion Alicia took the stage to perform "Empire State of Mind," closing the night''s MTV awards show.


    During Jay-Z''s performance, Kanye and others led the crowd in loud cheers, creating a mini-climax at the venue.


    Beyonc¨¦ also returned to her seat in the front row at this time, wearing a golden evening gown, holding a spaceman trophy, and looking back at him as she sat down.


    Link nodded and said ''Congratulations.''


    ¡ª


    At 9:45 p.m., the 26th MTV Music Video Awards ceremony came to an end, and the winners were successively reported on headlines of major news websites.


    Pop queen Beyonc¨¦ was nominated nine times winning three, taking home the most prestigious Video of the Year, Best Choreography, and Best Editing.


    Lady Gaga also had nine nominations and won three, taking Best New Artist, Best Art Direction, and Best Special Effects.


    Green Day Band won all three of their nominations, clinching Best Rock Video, Best Cinematography, and Best Director, making them the most successful nominees of this edition.


    Coldplay had four nominations but won none, becoming the most regrettable runner-up.


    However, without a doubt, the biggest underdog of this MTV Awards was Link.


    No one could have predicted he would win this year, especially defeating several old rivals - Jay-Z, Kanye, T.I. - to win Best Male Artist of the Year.


    The second dark horse was undoubtedly Taylor, a country music singer who beat Beyonc¨¦ and Lady Gaga to win Best Female Artist, which certainly was a major upset.


    She also became the first country music singer to win this MTV award since its inception.


    When the two underdogs are a couple, the related news becomes even more interesting.


    "New York Post" and other media jokingly commented, ''MTV Music Video Awards are the most romantic awards in the world,'' and ''Link and Taylor became the first couple in MTV history to win Best Male and Female Artist at the same time.''


    They even used a teasing tone to advise the Grammy, Billboard Awards, Oscars, etc., to learn from MTV''s awarding style to propagate goodwill.


    Actually, "New York Post" was mocking the MTV voting committee for not being professional in their awards selection.


    The belief was that Link should not have won the award, at least not this year, and it would have been more appropriate for him to win next year with "See you again" or "Believer." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some media thought that MTV''s way of awarding was entirely reasonable.


    First of all, among the five nominated singers, Eminem won Best Hip-Hop Video, so he could be discounted;


    Jay-Z is older and had already won the award before, giving it to him was not as encouraging as giving it to a newcomer;


    Giving the award to Kanye West after he stormed the stage to snatch the microphone would be like encouraging such behavior, so he was also passed over.


    That left a head-to-head between Link and T.I.


    In terms of music video quality, T.I. had a slight edge, but his fame fell short of Link''s.


    During the public vote, he received fewer votes than Link, which was one of the reasons MTV gave the award to Link.


    Secondly, Link has sold over 2 million albums in the United States this year, with three singles hitting number one on the Billboard charts, and "See You Again" is also steady at the top of both charts.


    Knowing he would win various music awards next year, why not give him an important award earlier? It''s better to send charcoal in the snow than add flowers to the brocade.


    Lastly, MTV Networks is a commercial entity and considers commercial factors such as ratings and influence when presenting their awards.


    Link''s surprise win meant more profit for MTV and was clearly more in line with commercial operations.


    Taking all these conditions into account, Link''s win was also very reasonable.


    Since the above article was published by "Today''s New York News," a newspaper closely associated with MTV, the public took it as the official explanation.


    After a somewhat official explanation, discussions about this event in the public opinion gradually subsided.


    But


    Another matter, like a lavish meal, was presented before the media ¨C renewed conflict between Link and the East Coast rap clique.


    The conflict between these two parties started at the beginning of the year, during Link''s debut album press conference.


    The mutual accusations at the outset escalated to a confrontation at the Grammy Awards, stirring up plenty of major news.


    In April, the relationship between the two sides briefly eased.


    In May and June, they erupted in a battle for chart positions.


    This battle continued into July and August, evolving into a struggle between Link and Jay-Z for album sales on the charts.


    The conflict was fierce.


    By mid-August, a video leaked showing Link was actually a fan of Kanye?


    Once again there was reconciliation, and Link''s relations with East Coast rappers were ameliorated.


    At the MTV Music Awards in September, Kanye took the microphone from Link''s girlfriend Taylor on stage, and Link grabbed it back, signifying another fallout between the two.


    Link''s unexpected award win and the angry departure of Kanye, Lil Wayne, and others from their seats also announced the reignition of the conflict between Link and the East Coast rap clique.


    From the beginning of the year to September, the two sides had three conflicts and two reconciliations.


    Insider Eminem revealed that the two sides reached their third reconciliation at MTV, but this news has not been confirmed by either party.


    The struggle between Link and East Coast singers, with three battles and three reconciliations, was more exciting than the plot of an average movie.


    The media enthusiastically reported it and the public eagerly consumed the drama.


    ¡ª


    The first big piece of gossip was naturally the ''microphone-snatching incident.''


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    ```

 Chapter 211 Award Ceremony Concludes_3

    After the MTV award ceremony, mainstream media published critiques strongly criticizing Kanye West''s behavior during the ceremony.Being a hip-hop mogul and a black superstar who has been in the industry for many years, taking the microphone away from a rookie singer on stage is not only disrespectful to Taylor but also to the audience, the organizers, the fans, and MTV.


    Fans were also baffled by Kanye West''s actions. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The MTV Video Music Awards seemed like a game of musical chairs, with Beyonce taking three trophies, Lady Gaga clinching three, and giving the Best Female Artist award to Taylor, who had the best album sales of the year, made sense.


    Kanye jumping on stage and interrupting Taylor''s acceptance speech was simply foolish.


    Even the guy in Washington publicly criticized Kanye during a press conference, calling him a "jackass."


    Faced with public criticism, Kanye was forced to publicly apologize to Taylor on Twitter and through the media twice, on the second and fifth days after the incident.


    He explained that he had been drinking and was suffering a bout of bipolar disorder; he acted impulsively and now deeply regretted it, begging for Taylor''s forgiveness.


    Taylor quickly responded, claiming she didn''t mind and shared a link to Selena''s debut single "Let It Go."


    After Taylor''s response, the buzz around the incident gradually subsided.


    The next juicy bit was when Kanye and others left their seats in protest during Link''s award moment.


    Leaving the seat during a contestant''s award moment is equally disrespectful to the competitor, the audience, the fans, and the organizers of the MTV Music Awards.


    If everyone in the industry acted like them, deciding who wins or loses based on their whims, where does that leave the fairness of these awards?


    After the relevant newscast, Kanye''s and Lil''s actions were again criticized by mainstream media.


    The public began to think there was some truth to what Link said back in March, feeling that from this year, Kanye''s group seemed increasingly arrogant, reckless, and dismissive of everyone else.


    The third juicy bit was netizens debating and speculating whether the 26th MTV Awards had been scripted.


    Mainly because this year''s MTV Awards were too spectacular, not just the music and dance performances, but also the spectacles in the audience.


    From Link and Taylor being forced to sit apart, Kanye grabbing the microphone, to Link winning an award, East Coast artists angrily leaving their seats, and then returning voluntarily ten minutes later, rumors even said they had reconciled again.


    46% of netizens supported the idea that it was a scripted show.


    Because when Eminem went on stage to receive an award, the host Russell groped him, and Eminem cursed in response.


    Latter, Eminem admitted on a show that Russell had discussed this segment with him before the evening, so Link and the East Coast rap crew''s episode might also have been scripted.


    43% of netizens thought it was not scripted, whether it was grabbing the microphone or leaving their seats, it was negative news, and the East Coast rap group would not jest about their reputation; they aren''t that foolish.


    The remaining netizens said it was good to have some juicy gossip, scripted or not.


    ¡ª¡ª


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    When the MTV Awards ended, "Keep On Movin''" released its eighth-week sales figures.


    This week with sales of 231,000 copies, it again clinched the top spot on the Billboard album charts, becoming the first album in 2009 to enjoy five consecutive weeks at number one.


    Currently, "Keep On Movin''" has sold 2.752 million copies in the United States, becoming the third album of 2009 to exceed sales of 2.7 million copies in the country.


    The second place went to Italy''s famous blind tenor, Andrea Bocelli, with his "Christmas Special" selling an initial 225,000 copies, closely chasing "Keep On Movin''."


    Media predicted that "Christmas Special" might hit number one next week.


    Meanwhile, influenced by the ''microphone-grabbing incident,'' Taylor''s second album "Fearless" saw a spike in sales this week, selling 125,000 copies, a 3.2-fold increase from the previous week, and ranked fifth.


    "Fearless" also broke through 3.2 million copies, becoming the first album in 2009 to surpass 3.2 million sales in the United States.


    By the eighth week, data from the second month''s international sales also began to be reported.


    The album sold an additional 2.338 million copies in its second month, nearly 400,000 fewer than the first month, but its total international sales exceeded 5 million copies.


    According to data sent by Universal Records and Atlantic Records, Link''s album continued to sell well overseas.


    If a world tour were to start immediately, total sales could be expected to break through 10 million copies by year-end, potentially boosting sales of his debut album too.


    After considering, Link agreed to initiate the tour but stipulated it should not interfere with two upcoming boxing matches.


    Once he agreed to the tour, Link Music, Universal Records, and Atlantic Records quickly began arranging his tour schedule meticulously and invited Dynasty Promotion Company to participate, jointly allocating his upcoming year.


    But when he got the initial draft of his tour schedule, his eyes couldn''t help but twitch.


    "236 shows? Isn''t that a bit much?"


    Link asked Mandy.


    "Not at all, Taylor held 107 shows last year and this year abroad, and Lady Gaga''s new tour plans on hitting over 200 shows. Can''t you keep up with them as a young man?"


    Mandy laughed.


    "Yes, Link, if you want to be a singer, you need to be diligent, don''t be too lazy."


    Taylor, dressed in a white yoga outfit, said while doing yoga on the balcony.


    "You do your yoga and keep quiet."


    Link waved his hand and stroked his chin thoughtfully, "More than two hundred shows are too many. Over the next two years, not only do I have boxing matches, but I also have to film movies. Try to reduce the number somewhat, condense it to around 150 shows, and leave me some time to train for boxing."


    Mandy smiled slightly, packed up the folder, and said, "Alright, I will go back and discuss it with them."

 Chapter 212 Daily Life of the Young Couple

    Los Angeles, the brilliant sunshine shining on the clear water, heated the pool to a slightly warm temperature.Link swam two laps in the pool wearing shorts, then returned to the balcony where Taylor was still sprawled on the yoga mat; however, she wasn''t practicing yoga, but was writing songs.


    Her second album "Fearless" had been released almost a year ago and was nearing the end of its promotional cycle; it was time to consider the third album.


    Taylor had been writing songs and poetry since she was ten years old and had even won a national poetry contest. Over the years, she had accumulated more than 300 songs, a true tycoon.


    She could have chosen songs for her third album from her existing list, but she didn''t want to rely on old materials, feeling that the songs she wrote now would definitely be better than those from the past; she wanted to write even better songs.


    Link admired her professional spirit.


    "Link, what if I can''t write anything?"


    Taylor was lying in the sunshine, dressed in yoga pants and a white tank top, displaying her tall, sexy figure completely.


    Seeing him approach, Taylor lifted her head, her delicate eyebrows furrowed, a hint of irritation on her face.


    "Don''t rush, take it slow. You''re a master songwriter; this little trouble shouldn''t stop you."


    Link gave a gentle smile, wiped his hair with a towel, picked up a sports t-shirt, and put it on over his head. He took off his swim trunks and changed into a looser pair of sports pants.


    "Hey, exhibitionist, we''re still here. How can you just strip down completely?"


    Taylor covered Olivia''s eyes with her hand, giving him a reproachful glare. Olivia meowed softly and yawned.


    Link smiled gently, "Sorry, I forgot Olivia and Meridian were here!"


    "Hmph!"


    Taylor sat up cross-legged, petting Olivia and Meridian, and said, "It''s not just these past few days I can''t write; I haven''t been able to write a single song that satisfies me this month."


    "Is that right? Sounds serious."


    "It''s very serious. Not just this month, but ever since we started living together, it seems like my inspiration suddenly dried up, and the quality of the songs I write is getting worse."


    Link fingered his ear and looked at her speechlessly.


    "So, you can''t write songs because of me?"


    Taylor blinked her blue eyes at him, nodding seriously.


    "When I used to live alone, I would feel lonely, sad, and sob uncontrollably at romance movies and novels, deeply moved each time. Ever since we started living together, those feelings vanished, and my senses became dull. My ability to empathize with characters in stories has declined. If this continues, I fear I won''t be able to write a good song in the future. What should I do?"


    "...."


    Link was stumped by her question, too.


    The reason Taylor had become a music icon was due to her strong ability to write and perform songs, producing high-quality music.


    The reason for her ability to write those songs was her sacrifices involving many ex-boyfriends and numerous relationships.


    But the situation had now changed. She didn''t have as many stories or materials to draw from for her writing, which naturally led to difficulties in creating.


    Link thought for a moment, "What if I write some? I have a few songs that could suit you?"


    "No! I am a songwriter. I must write my own songs. Singers who rely on others to write their songs will only become mere vocal tools in the future. I don''t want to become that kind of person."


    Taylor spoke earnestly. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, not pressing her further.


    "Alright then, why don''t you talk to some of the more accomplished seniors and ask if they''ve encountered this problem and how they solved it? There are so many master songwriters in the music industry, I''m sure you can find a solution."


    Taylor pursed her lips, glanced at him, and nodded hesitantly.


    Link grabbed a basket of freshly picked strawberries from the fridge, sat cross-legged opposite Taylor, and spoke while eating the strawberries, "Remember the other day at the award show when the mic was snatched away? Were you really angry about that? Want to write about it?"


    Taylor tapped her chin with her pen, thinking,


    "I was a bit surprised at the time. I hadn''t thought he''d dare to do that. Just as I was about to get angry, you came up. Seeing you snatch the mic back, Kanye was too scared to move, and I found it funny. Afterwards, the fans all supported me and criticized Kanye, so I guess there was no need to be angry."


    Link smiled gently.


    At the original microphone-snatching incident, Taylor had stood alone on the award stage.


    After Kanye claimed that Beyonce''s "Single Ladies" was the best,


    a wave of booing came from below, many audience members stood up giving thumbs down.


    Taylor thought those audience reactions were directed at her, thinking she didn''t deserve the award, which was quite shocking to her.


    But this time, since he had gone up with her and rallied the fans to support her, Taylor wasn''t affected, which made it hard for her to find inspiration from the incident.


    Link offered her a cream-covered strawberry,


    "Imagine if I hadn''t gone up and you stood there alone, facing the mockery of Kanye and the East Coast rappers. Would you have felt panicked or angry? Think about these things; maybe you''ll get some inspiration."


    Taylor ate the strawberry, tilted her head, and thought for a while, then frustratingly scratched her head.


    "Still no inspiration. What should we do?"


    Link didn''t have a better idea, but as Taylor''s boyfriend, he couldn''t just ignore her troubles.


    At his suggestion, they went to Santa Monica''s 14th Street Aero Theatre to watch a newly released romance movie, "500 Days of Summer."


    The movie is about a devoted man who starts to recall and reflect on the past 500 days of being with his girlfriend after she dumps him.


    This film was the best-reviewed romance movie of late, with impressive box office results.


    Released in early August, it had accumulated $52.37 million in North American box office in its first month, on a mere $7.5 million budget.


    It even had a higher attendance rate than "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" which was released around the same time.


    Taylor watched the movie with no expression, commenting that the male lead was like a child, unsuitable as a boyfriend.


    Link and Taylor went to the Los Angeles Music Center again, where they attended a personal concert by the blind singer Andrea Bocelli and learned vocal techniques from the master. Afterwards, they chatted with him backstage for a bit.


    "Don''t be anxious, inspiration comes unexpectedly, and hastening won''t help,"


    Link said as they drove back.


    Taylor, leaning back in his seat and eating a cherry ice cream, said, "I wasn''t that agitated to begin with; you thought I was anxious. You keep dragging me to the movies and then to concerts as if those places will conjure up inspiration."


    Link smiled lightly. "So, I''m the one needlessly worrying?"


    "Now you know,"


    Taylor said, scooping up a spoonful of ice cream and bringing it to his mouth.


    Link opened his mouth and ate it, the cool and sweet flavor soothing the heat on his lips considerably.


    Ding ding ding!


    The cell phone in the tote bag rang several times. Taylor took it out to see it was Selena calling.


    "Selena, Link is driving; is something the matter?"


    Taylor asked, switching the call to speakerphone.


    "Taylor, the new Billboard singles chart is out, have you guys checked it?"


    Selena''s voice was lively over the phone, filled with joy and excitement.


    "Not today, tell us quickly, where did ''Let It Go'' rank on the singles chart?"


    "Haha, why don''t you guess first? Guess! Link, you guess too,"


    Selena said.


    "I guess the 99th spot,"


    Link chuckled.


    "Hmph, wrong! Way off, Taylor, Link is too silly, you guess,"


    Selena said indignantly.


    Taylor slightly smiled, "The song was well sung, and the lyrics were great. I guess it made it into the top twenty."


    "Haha, it''s the 18th, my first single debuted at 18th on the singles chart in its first week. I''m so awesome,"


    Selena exclaimed excitedly.


    Both Link and Taylor couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Selena, congratulations! You''re not even 18 and your first single has entered the Billboard singles chart at number 18, that''s really incredible,"


    Taylor praised.


    "Haha, it''s not that special. Miley is the amazing one; she has many singles that made it into the top twenty. And that Canadian kid, Justin Bieber, just 15, also had his single enter the top thirty last month,"


    Selena said modestly.


    "Not bad, being humble shows you still have room for improvement,"


    "Hmph, if you had a brother whose albums were champions in sales for several weeks and singles reigning the charts for many weeks, you''d be humble too,"


    Selena muttered under her breath.


    "So it''s my fault again?"


    Link chuckled.


    "Again?" Selena asked, puzzled.


    Taylor joined in, "Selena, does ''See You Again'' continue to dominate the singles chart this week?"


    "Yes, ''See You Again'' sold 817,000 copies this week, twice as much as Kesha''s ''Tik Tok,'' the second-placed song, and more than ten times the sales of the songs behind us. It''s crazy; this song might top the chart for a year,"


    "It won''t. ''See You Again'' has a clear downward trend. Based on this week''s sales, it can probably hold on for another two or three weeks. Hang in there, you all have a chance,"


    2009 was a year with too many top acts in the Western music scene.


    Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Adele, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, and veterans like Beyonce, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Avril Lavigne, Amy Winehouse, etc. ¡ª it was like a battleground of the gods.


    For any song, continuously dominating the charts for these two years was quite challenging.


    Link also asked about the release date of Selena''s first album to avoid any conflict with Lana.


    Selena said she planned to release it globally at the end of October, after the second promotional single was out.


    Link had written two songs for Selena''s album, and after its release, he would also receive some royalties as the songwriter.


    "By the way, how did your exams go this year? We agreed on Christmas Day, you needed all B+s for me to write you songs. I already gave them to you in advance, so why haven''t I seen your report card?"


    "Ah? What did you say? Speak louder, I have a bad signal here, let''s talk another day."


    Beep beep!


    Selena hurriedly hung up the phone.


    "Haha, you''re such a killjoy, why bring up exam scores now?"


    Taylor slapped his shoulder.


    Link shook his head and was about to put away his phone when it rang again. The caller ID showed Ivanka.


    Taylor blinked, swiped his finger to answer the call, and brought the phone to his ear.


    Link felt a little numb.

 Chapter 213 Preparation for the Boxing Match

    "Hi! Ivanka, what''s up?"After connecting the call, Link braced himself and chatted with Ivanka in front of Taylor.


    Luckily, Ivanka was talking about business. Lana''s debut single "Young And Beautiful" had also been released last week.


    The first week sales were 12,000 copies, ranking 42nd on the Billboard singles chart.


    The position was a bit lower than "Let It Go."


    But professional magazines such as Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Pocket Music gave the song very high ratings.


    They said the song, using a retro aesthetic, sings desolately of heartbreak, sorrow, and other similar dark themes.


    Similar to Britain''s Amy Winehouse and Adele, but Lana''s singing style has more of a classical flavor.


    Rolling Stone magazine praised Lana as one of the most promising newcomers in the field of baroque pop, without a doubt.


    Baroque pop might not be mainstream music, but there''s still a portion of die-hard fans who really love this genre, and if Lana Del Rey can keep it up in this field, her future looks bright.


    Following the release of "Young And Beautiful," Link Music is going to continue with the release of the second single "Video Games," with plans to release the debut album in early November.


    Ivanka mentioned the world tour to him as well.


    From the tour schedule Mandy had sent over, in all the cities planned for concerts, sales of his two albums were over 50,000 copies each.


    It meant he had a market there, and in those places, he could sell concert tickets.


    Upon hearing his refusal, Universal proactively raised their offer, increasing the base fee for each concert from 800,000 US Dollars to 1 million US Dollars per show, with the 30% ticket revenue sharing unchanged, and extended the tour period to 18 months.


    1 million per show, multiplied by two hundred shows, adds up to 200 million US Dollars in base fees. It sounds like a lot, but this money isn''t all for the artist alone.


    The artists often operate in a team mode, including backup dancers, makeup, costumes, lighting, director, art director, camerawork, etc., sometimes amounting to hundreds or even thousands of people.


    These people''s wages and expenses would also take up above 30%.


    If there''s a management company, they have to share profits; if the song rights aren''t with the artist, the creators get a share too.


    Typically, artists can take home 30% to 60% of these earnings.


    All the song rights belong to Link, and Link Music is his own label, so he earns over 60% from each concert.


    If he could stick it out for more than two hundred concerts, just the base fee and ticket revenue alone could net him over 200 million US Dollars.


    Factoring in album sales and other ancillary income, a tour''s earnings wouldn''t be less than 300 million US Dollars.


    At the same time, touring also expands his fame and influence.


    Overall, it''s very profitable for a hot-shot singer to go on tour, with a secure and strong continuity of income, allowing one to continuously earn money.


    In this respect, it''s even better than boxing. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A boxing match isn''t just about fighting to make money, it also requires promotion, selecting the right opponents, and creating selling points.


    After beating an opponent, or being defeated by one, the audience would lose interest in the match.


    For instance, De La Hoya, a top boxer, fought Pacquiao last December for a fight purse of 100 million US Dollars, but after the match, De La Hoya had to consider retiring.


    He had fought against other top boxers including Bernard Hopkins, Mayweather, and Pacquiao.


    The audience knew who was more formidable and lost curiosity in their fights, so they wouldn''t pay for them anymore.


    If nobody is buying, then the boxer can''t make money, and retiring becomes the only option.


    Whereas in the music industry, with a larger market size, although one can''t make tens of millions or hundreds of millions like a top boxer in a single match, it''s common to make several hundred million or over a billion from a tour.


    Taylor held a small-scale tour in ''08/''09, grossing over 30 million US Dollars, and counting the record royalties, she''s nearly a millionaire several times over, with future tour earnings projected in the hundreds of millions.


    After hearing Ivanka''s explanation, Link decided to agree to the proposal.


    He needed money now.


    Tens of billions, to do something big.


    Additionally, going on a world tour could also enhance his influence, leading to higher PPV and ticket sales for future boxing matches.


    The two complemented each other, and there was no contradiction.


    "That sounds good, but I need time to train for boxing, um, and to spend time with Taylor. She cancelled over ten concerts for me last year. I can''t just go on tour and leave her at home."


    Link glanced at Ms. Taylor beside him.


    Taylor lifted the corner of her lips and turned her eyes away, refusing to meet his gaze.


    "Alright, we''ll have another meeting to cut it down. Also, please say hello to Taylor for me."


    Ivanka hung up the phone.


    "Okay, goodbye!"


    Link secretly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "See, we were just talking about work, you don''t have to worry about anything else."


    "I wasn''t worrying, it''s you who are too nervous."


    Taylor took a tissue and wiped his forehead, half-smiling, "Look, you''re sweating from being so tense."


    "It''s just too hot, not nervousness," Link retorted, pushing her hand away, and focused on driving.


    With her fingers propping her chin, Taylor pondered for a moment and then said:


    "Actually, going on tour is a good thing for you. On one side, you can increase your visibility and sell more albums.


    On the other side, while you''re on tour and I am alone at home, I might find inspiration while missing you and write a few good songs."


    "I hear it, you''re trying to kick me out of the house, aren''t you?" he accused.


    "No, I am a country singer, small country towns are where we thrive. I was planning on taking a trip to find creative inspiration after a while.


    I just didn''t know how to tell you. Now that you''re going on tour, I don''t have to worry about you, and I can arrange my time freely in the future."


    Taylor said excitedly, waving her hands.


    "Alright, just be careful and don''t go to any strange places," he warned.


    Link could see that Taylor was like a wild horse that needed a vast prairie to grow quickly; the land by his side was too small to fulfill her needs.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not a child."


    Taylor kissed him excitedly on the cheek, nearly causing him to drive the car into a drainage ditch.


    After returning home, Taylor continued to read books, play the piano, and pet the cat, while Link went to the boxing gym to train.


    The WBA-WBC Super Middleweight championship battle was about to begin, and he needed to use every moment to train.


    Sometimes De La Hoya would come to watch him while he was training, keeping an eye on him and sparring with Morales.


    When he invited De La Hoya to come up for a round, De La Hoya declined, saying they should wait and leave some suspense for when they get into the ring for their match.


    Morales mocked him for being afraid to lose.


    Of course, De La Hoya wouldn''t admit it and claimed he had found a way to beat Link, estimating his chances of winning at sixty percent when they would actually fight.


    Sometimes Emma Roberts also came by; when no one else was around, she would practice boxing with Link, but when others were present, she would just stand to the side for a while before leaving early.


    In mid-September, two days before the opening of the WBA-WBC championship match, Link brought his logistics and medical team to London to prepare for the event.

 Chapter 214 Paparazzi in Action

    After becoming a top figure in the music industry, every move Link made attracted a lot of attention.While his plane was still flying over the Atlantic Ocean, a senior entertainment reporter from "The Sun" in London was plotting something big.


    ¡ª¡ª


    September in London, at The Sheaf pub on the East Coast of the Thames.


    The weather was slightly chilly, the leaves of the plane trees on the street were starting to turn yellow, curling inward, and the double fruit balls hanging among the branches were exposed, looking like bells.


    Bernard Gary withdrew his gaze, took out his phone and glanced at it, it was already past three in the afternoon, and Officer James Reed, who had agreed to meet him here, had not yet arrived.


    He sent a message, and Reed replied that he was on his way.


    Officer Reed also told him that the world boxing champion Link Baker was coming to London for a match.


    The police officers from the Greenwich District police station all had to work overtime.


    They were to maintain public order at the airport and surrounding streets to ensure that nothing unexpected occurred during the match.


    He had patrolled the streets for two hours at noon and only had time to come out in the afternoon.


    Officer Reed asked him why he couldn''t just speak over the phone.


    Gary said he would explain when he arrived, assuring it was good news.


    More than ten minutes later, Officer Reed burst into the pub, dusty and in a rush.


    He was wearing a gray woolen coat, a blue police shirt, and police trousers, with a tall and agile figure.


    Although he was just over thirty, his face was resolute, and he already possessed a composed demeanor.


    "Hey, Bernard, why couldn''t you say it over the phone? Why did you make me come all this way?"


    Officer Reed exclaimed as soon as he saw him.


    Gary chuckled, adjusting his glasses, "Wouldn''t you come for a drink?"


    "Just for a drink? Then you should pick a different time, like a weekend afternoon or evening. Drinking on a Wednesday won''t be satisfying."


    Officer Reed said as he took off his coat, sat down opposite, crossed his fingers, and looked seriously at Gary, "You just said on the phone that you had good news, can you tell me now?"


    Gary was about to speak when he looked up at the entrance and gestured with his hand.


    At the pub''s entrance, a young man with small eyes and blond curly hair walked in.


    "Jack Charlotte?"


    Officer Reed glanced at him, surprised, "Bernard, why did you bring him here? You want to investigate the dismembered body case in the northern suburbs? I''ve told you before, that case is still under investigation, and I have no leads here. Jack Charlotte won''t be of any use to you despite being a detective, but his capabilities are not that great."


    "Hey, James, saying that in front of me isn''t nice, I may not be a superstar detective, but my 55% success rate far exceeds your Greenwich police station''s 15%," Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Charlotte, the detective with small eyes, said indignantly, frowning.


    "Are you including the cases of helping neighbors find cats and dogs you guys hid, or helping a lady find evidence of her husband''s affair? If so, our police station indeed can''t compete with your detective agency,"


    Officer Reed sneered sarcastically.


    "Hey hey, right, Jenny saw me last time and said she suspected you were seeing other women, wondering if I could help find evidence, James, should I take this case?" Charlotte asked jokingly with a grin.


    "Jack Charlotte, are you threatening me? Threaten a police officer?"


    Officer Reed stood up and pointed at Charlotte''s nose and shouted.


    "Stop, stop fighting!"


    Gary quickly stood up and held back the angry Reed, looking at the two and saying, "James, Jack, we''re all friends here. I invited you today to discuss something, can you please stop arguing for now?"


    Officer Reed and Charlotte glanced at each other, huffed, and sat down across from each other with their arms crossed. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gary picked up the bottle on the table and poured each of them a glass of whiskey.


    "Here''s the thing, yesterday Joseph, the chief editor, approached our entertainment reporters, giving us a significant task, whoever completes it will get a ¡ê50,000 reward."


    "¡ê50,000? What kind of task merits such a reward?"


    Officer Reed asked in surprise.


    Gary is a senior reporter at "The Sun", and also Reed''s friend and collaborator. Reed had collaborated with Gary before, exchanging clues from police cases for quite a few pounds.


    Gary looked around, lowered his voice and said, "I think you both know who Link Baker is, and Emma Watson will be even more familiar to everyone."


    From what we understood, when Emma Watson was shooting in Florida, she indeed had a brief relationship with Link Baker, but since it took place in the United States and wasn''t for long, it was difficult to gather evidence of their affair.


    Now, Link is coming to Britain to compete and according to reliable information we''ve obtained, Emma Watson stopped promoting ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'' three days ago and came to London before everyone else.


    We speculate that her purpose in coming to London is definitely to meet with Link."


    Gary paused, looking at his two long-time collaborators, "Our task is to capture any photographs of Link Baker and Emma Watson on a date at all costs. If we can do that, we can get ahead of everyone else and claim that ¡ê50,000 reward."


    "A photo of Link and Emma dating is worth that much?"


    Officer Reed asked, furrowing his brow.


    Pfft!


    Charlotte the detective scoffed dismissively, "You, who only knows football, probably don''t even know who Link is, right?"

 Chapter 214 Paparazzi in Action_2

    "I certainly know."Officer Reed angrily glared and said, "Link is the WBA Super Middleweight World Champion, right? Last year, he was bragging in the media about challenging Mr. Carlzah."


    Later, after Mr. Carlzah defeated the American legendary boxer Roy Jones and won the Ring Light Heavyweight World Champion Golden Belt, he never brought up challenging Mr. Carlzah again.


    "Hmph, you think I only pay attention to football? Don''t forget, I''m also a fan of Mr. Carlzah."


    "No, no, Link isn''t afraid of Mr. Carlzah. Don''t forget, last September in the WBA championship match, he defeated Mikkel Kessler in just 100 seconds.


    And in the unification fight of the four major boxing organizations'' titles in November 2007, Mr. Carlzah took 12 rounds to barely defeat Mikkel Kessler. Isn''t it obvious who is more formidable?"


    Charlotte argued.


    "Nonsense! Link might have defeated Mikkel Kessler in a shorter time, but that doesn''t prove he''s better than Mr. Carlzah. Boxing matches depend largely on performance on the day."


    Just like Tyson defeated the champion Frank Bruno in three rounds in ''96, Bruno took 12 rounds to defeat McCall. McCall defeated Lennox Lewis in two rounds, and Lewis took eight rounds to defeat Tyson. Can you say McCall is better than Tyson?"


    Also, Mr. Carlzah is a Light Heavyweight, Link is a Super Middleweight. Anyone who knows boxing understands that the heavier the weight, the heavier the punch and the stronger the power, so Link is definitely no match for Mr. Carlzah."


    In defense of his idol''s reputation, Officer Reed''s face flushed red, and his voice became vehement and loud.


    "But Link has defeated Tyson."


    "43-year-old Tyson? If I faced Tyson, I wouldn''t necessarily lose either. The match between Link and Tyson was just a sham arranged by Americans to boost Link, totally unconvincing."


    Officer Reed said.


    Detective Charlotte, not knowing much about boxing, waved her hand dismissively.


    "I don''t want to argue here about who is more formidable between Link and Mr. Carlzah. What I want to say is, apart from being a World Champion boxer, Link is also a leading swimmer, with 8 varsity sports Gold medals, 7 world championship Gold medals, and four world swimming records. Currently, only Phelps can compare to him in the swimming world."


    Officer Reed shrugged, "His swimming skills are indeed good."


    "Apart from being a World Champion boxer and a top swimmer, he is also a singer. This year, his two albums both sold over 500,000 copies in Britain and over 5 million worldwide. The Guardian," said his second album released in July has now sold over 7 million copies globally.


    Songs like "Give Me Reason," "Unstoppable," "This Is Me," "Believer," and more than a dozen others have successively hit the UK''s Hot 40 chart. Last month, ''See You Again'' topped the UK singles chart for two consecutive weeks. I think you might have heard them."


    Detective Charlotte listed Link''s songs like a fan, clearly having followed his news closely.


    "I''ve certainly heard them. I prefer ''Give Me Reason'' and ''Believer.'' I''ve listened to ''See You Again'' too much recently, I''m a bit sick of it."


    Officer Reed said while drinking whiskey.


    "Now do you understand why their photos are so valuable?" Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Link is not only a World Champion boxer and a top swimmer but also a highly popular singer in the Western entertainment circle."


    "The Guardian" rated him as the new king of pop in Western music circles, the next George Michael, and Emma Watson as the most popular actress in Britain right now," said Detective Charlotte. Taking a pause, she squinted at Gary, "Are you sure their photos of them together are only worth 50,000 pounds?"


    Bernard Gary adjusted his glasses and said, "Yes, our newspaper is offering 50,000 pounds, but if a video can be captured, the price could double."


    "Sounds good, are you in?"


    Detective Charlotte looked at Officer Reed, who was drinking.


    Officer Reed frowned, thinking for a moment before slamming his fist on the bar table.


    "In!"


    Since his son Harry started primary school, the household expenses had gradually increased. Each month, food, laundry, gas, water, and electricity costs exceeded 1,500 pounds.


    His lover Louise had even larger expenses; she enjoyed smoking, drinking, perming her hair, and buying luxury items, costing over 3,000 pounds each month.


    His monthly salary, along with other grey income, only totaled five to six thousand pounds, sometimes even less.


    To cover expenses on both sides and maintain a decent lifestyle, he was under great pressure and often lost sleep over money worries.


    Link finally had a lucrative project, and Officer Reed didn''t want to miss out.


    "Alright, let''s discuss how to divide the money."


    "Hehe, three respectable gentlemen, I''m very interested in your project too. Can you include me?"


    As the three men were discussing how to distribute the prize money, a hoarse voice came from the next booth.


    Gary turned his head in surprise. He had just checked next door and hadn''t seen anyone. Where did this person come from?


    The man appeared to be in his thirties, with gaunt cheeks and a shiny, bald top with only a few sparse blond tufts remaining. He wore a gray tracksuit, was lean and short, his rolled-up sleeves revealing numerous tattoos and needle marks from drug use.


    He cracked a smile, showing a few rotten teeth.


    "Culo Biggs?"


    Officer Reed looked at him disdainfully, "I remember last year you were sentenced to three years in prison for failing to steal Lord Campbell''s safe. How come you''re here?"


    "Hehe, because I performed well in prison, I got a chance for parole."


    The thief Biggs sat down, poured himself a whiskey, and smiled at the three men, "Hehe, gentlemen, don''t look at me with that disdain. Listen, I can be very useful.


    You three are respectable people, unlikely to engage in petty theft or snoop in the drains, but I can. I think your plan needs someone tough and resilient like me."


    Reporter Gary and Detective Charlotte looked at Officer Reed, inquiring about the man''s situation.


    Reed looked at thief Biggs, "He was once a formidable thief, involved in multiple burglaries. Even when the police departments of various districts in London joined forces, they couldn''t catch him. However, after he got addicted to drugs, his physical functions declined, and we were able to catch him. Still, his lock-picking skills are quite decent."


    "Hehehe!"


    Thief Biggs grinned, a triumphant smile on his face.


    "Should we include him?"


    Reporter Gary looked at the others.


    Officer Reed snorted, "Culo Biggs, I offer you five hundred pounds to pick locks and gather information when necessary. How about that?"


    "Hehe, give me a thousand pounds, and I might agree. Otherwise, I''ll find another tabloid to collaborate with. I believe there are more than just "The Sun" interested in the scandal involving Link and Miss Emma Watson at this time."


    Biggs wagged his finger.


    The three men exchanged glances and nodded.


    "Deal!"


    Ding-a-ling-ling! Reporter Gary''s phone suddenly rang. He took it out and said to the others, "Link''s flight will arrive in London in half an hour. I need to head to the site for an interview now."


    Officer Reed''s phone also rang. He checked it and said, "I also need to go on patrol in the area. It is said that tens of thousands of Link''s fans are at the airport to welcome him."


    "Okay, let''s plan this.


    Reed, the two of us will go to the airport to follow Link.


    Charlotte, please investigate Emma Watson''s whereabouts; it would be great to know when she might appear around Link;


    Mr. Biggs, as I understand it, Link will stay at the Tower International Hotel in London after his arrival. Try to sneak into the hotel and find out which room Link will be in; we''ll reimburse the expenses later," said Reporter Gary.


    "Alright, that''s settled then."


    "Hehe, leave it to me, you can count on me."


    "Come on, fellows, a toast to the prize money."


    Clang! The four raised their glasses of whiskey and downed them in one go, laughing heartily.


    Then they split into three groups to start their respective missions, aiming to catch celebrity stars Link Baker and Emma Watson in bed together. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 215 Press Conference

    "Good afternoon, passengers, this is Jenny, the chief flight attendant on United Airlines Flight UA714. We have safely arrived above London and are in the process of a smooth descent. For your personal safety, please do not get up and move around until the seatbelt sign is turned off. Before opening the cabin door...""Mr. Baker, the plane is about to land, and there might be a bit of turbulence, please be careful."


    In the business class of the Boeing airplane, a blonde flight attendant in uniform knelt down in front of Link to kindly give him a heads-up.


    "Thank you!"


    Link nodded, setting aside the travel magazine he was holding.


    As the Boeing plane began its descent, Link turned to the window, observing the previously clear blue sky now crowded with thick clouds, which shifted from pure white to grayish-white. As they descended to an altitude of over a thousand meters, what was visible was the thick haze floating in the London sky. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During this process, Link often felt as if he was falling from heaven to hell.


    The airplane jolted slightly as it landed at London Heathrow International Airport.


    Franco and Simon, Anna, Bob, and Wallace, along with Coach Brooks and members of the logistics medical team from Dynasty Promotion, got up one after another.


    "Link, due to publicity needs, after disembarking, the boxing event organizers will hold a press conference at the Sofitel Hotel. After the press conference, we will rest a bit at the hotel before moving to the London Tower International Hotel in the city center in the afternoon," Franco came over and said.


    "I''ll follow your arrangements."


    Link nodded.


    The WBA-WBC World Boxing showdown was held at the O2 Arena in the Greenwich District of the City of London.


    This arena was built by the British to celebrate the millennium in 2000 and is also known as the ''Millennium Dome.''


    The arena, located on the Greenwich Peninsula on the south bank of the Thames in the City of London, is a circular dome-shaped structure.


    From the airplane, it looked like a pearl inlaid on the banks of the Thames, also dubbed ''the Pearl of London.''


    The interior of the O2 arena is large, with a seating capacity of over 23,000. After its completion, it gradually replaced Wembley and the CTC Arena to become the most famous sports venue in the City of London.


    The arena mainly hosts various sports events, entertainment activities, and large-scale concerts, and is also one of the venues for the upcoming London Olympic Games.


    The match was jointly hosted by the British Competitor''s Room Promotion Company, the WBA Britain Boxing Association, and the WBC Britain Boxing Association.


    Link''s appearance fee was US$6 million, which he would receive regardless of winning or losing, due to his considerable fame.


    The prize money for the match was US$10 million, split 70-30; he and Carl Froch would take the higher share depending on who won.


    In terms of box office revenue, Link would receive 15%.


    Continue your journey with My Virtual Library Empire


    PPV broadcast fee revenues were split into three segments: 20% from Britain, 50% from North America, and 15% from other countries and regions.


    PPV revenue sharing was the major part; if one million households chose to pay to watch the fight between them, his and Dynasty Promotion''s earnings from this match would exceed US$40 million.


    If he received that money, his total earnings for the year from boxing and music would exceed US$100 million.


    With such a hefty sum of U.S. dollars in sight, he maintained high expectations for the match.


    "Link! Welcome to London!"


    "Link, I love you!"


    When Link arrived at the airport with his team, he saw thousands of fans gathered in the square in front of the airport, a dense crowd holding various supporting signs and posters, loudly shouting his name.


    Before becoming famous, Link did not quite understand the psychology of fans. After all, everyone is human; what''s the point of idolizing stars?


    After gaining fame, he seriously read research papers on this subject.


    According to the articles, idolizing celebrities is a ''hero-worshipping'' phenomenon that exists at all stages of human development and is one of the basic instincts.


    Following celebrities is also a form of pop culture, a social activity akin to a group of like-minded people coming together to party and alleviate loneliness.


    Besides, idolizing can provide emotional support, such as feeling a sense of achievement when seeing one''s favored artist become more successful, which is known in psychology as the Halo Effect.


    Link summed it up: following celebrities is a societal activity to meet personal spiritual needs as human material civilization advances to a certain stage.


    Becoming a qualified idol and enduring celebrity also poses a significant challenge because idols age, fans age, and everyone''s preferences and interests constantly change with time.


    No one can remain hugely popular forever¡ªMJ is a prime example.


    Before 2003, wherever he appeared, tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of fans would run to meet him.


    After his death, his memorial only attracted over thirty thousand fans, much less than the media''s predictions of several hundred thousand or even millions.


    It is said that vendors selling MJ memorabilia outside the Staples Center that day suffered losses due to the lower-than-expected fan turnout.


    After becoming a celebrity, Link naturally thought about being famous for a hundred years, but he knew it was impossible.


    Therefore, he would do his best within his ''term'' to fulfill the responsibilities of an idol, like releasing more quality works, winning more Golden Belts and medals, and making himself more successful.


    He would also try to be as close as possible to his fans, leaving them with a good impression.


    Seeing that there were many fans onsite and that they were quite excited,


    Link willingly approached the barrier area, waved to the fans, signed autographs, and took photos with them.


    He arrived at the Sofitel Hotel on the east side of the airport, half an hour later than originally planned, to hold a press conference.

 Chapter 215 Press Conference_2

    ¡ª¡ªMany people attended the press conference on site, including media from Britain, Europe, the United States, and even many Asian countries, totaling two or three hundred journalists and cameramen.


    As he stepped onto the main platform, the journalists each maintained a crouching stance, microphones ready in their hands.


    Link sat down on the sofa, took a sip of water, and told the host to start.


    "Mr. Baker, welcome to London. As we understand, this is your first visit to London. How do you find the city?"


    a BBC television reporter asked.


    The BBC is Britain''s largest television broadcaster and biggest news organization, possessing a lot of priority in interviews.


    Link spread his hands and laughed: "Yes, this is my first time in London, and so far, I''ve only seen London''s sky and the busy Heathrow Airport. My impression of the city is very one-sided, so I can''t answer your question for now.


    However, I''ve worked with many Brits, Londoners, who have all left a great impression on me. The gentlemen in Britain are all refined and well-educated, exuding a very cultured vibe.


    The ladies in Britain, too, are poised and gracious, with great taste in dressing; they are true ladies.


    In our eyes, Americans, they are excellent dating partners, though few succeed, obviously because the British gentlemen are too outstanding, making it hard for foreign men to win their hearts."


    Hearing his words, the British men in the audience let out a burst of friendly laughter.


    "Mr. Baker, are there any British actors or singers you particularly admire? Who are they?"


    "Daily Mail" reporter asked.


    Link smiled and said: "I have many favorite British actors and singers. Since I was born in ''89, I''m not very interested in old films, and I prefer those released in the last decade, so the actors I like are also relatively young.


    For example, Ms. Kate Winslet, she was my idol during my teenage years, and Ms. Keira Knightley, she is truly an elegant lady. I''ve watched almost all of her movies.


    And Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Robert Grint, all three are good friends of mine. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, Mr. Christian Bale, his acting is absolutely fantastic, and he works very diligently. On the set of "Fighter", he nearly became my acting coach. I really respect him.


    I have many favorite British singers too, like Mr. John Lennon, whom I think no one dislikes, many older-generation singers, and undoubtedly from the newer generation, Adele."


    Link also talked about the news of sitting with Adele at the Grammy Awards, praising her as cool, with excellent singing skills and his idol, claiming she would become a great singer in the future.


    The reason he only mentioned the younger actors and singers in the interview was not only because he liked them but also because his fan base was relatively young and overlapped with those stars'' fans.


    When he praised these stars, his fans would also be happy to see it, enhancing their identification with him.


    "Hello, Mr. Baker, I am Bernard Gary from The Sun!" Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "The Sun" reporter Gary adjusted his glasses and stood in the third row of people holding a microphone, asking, "You just mentioned Miss Emma Watson is a good friend of yours. During your matches in London, do you have plans to meet with her?"


    "Yes, that''s the plan, along with Daniel and Robert, but recently "the Half-Blood Prince" is so popular, I''m not sure if they will have time. If they do, I might ask them to buy me a drink," Link said looking at him.


    Reporter Gary wanted to ask more, but the host then motioned towards "The Guardian" reporter.


    Most of the reporters present were from several major British media outlets.


    Some have a reporting style that leans towards sports and entertainment, like "The Sun", "Daily Mail", "Daily Mirror", etc.


    There are also a few more serious and formal media, like "The Guardian", "The Times", "Financial Times", etc.


    In interviews, journalists from media focusing on entertainment news tend to ask questions about entertainment and gossip, often inquiring about celebrities'' private lives.


    However, serious media like "The Guardian" journalists will ask about his matches, the chances of defeating Carl Froch, and after becoming a pop culture icon, what his next goals are, career planning, etc.


    "Financial Times" reporters will inquire about his match earnings, business developments, and whether he has considered making commercial investments in Britain.


    When answering entertainment reporters'' questions, Link would improvise based on his thoughts.


    But for serious media like "The Guardian", he would provide more professional answers prepared in advance by Simon and Anna.


    If the answers are unprofessional or contradictory, the reports could cast him as uninformed, affecting his ''inspirational college student'' label.


    So being a public figure is not an easy task, as it requires not only professional skill but also strong social ability and cultural enrichment, and it necessitates a professional management team.


    Many entertainment stars'' early demise is not just due to weak abilities; at critical moments, their management teams often fail to perform their roles effectively.

 Chapter 215 Press Conference_3

    "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you once again for attending my press conference. Due to my schedule, I won''t be able to answer everyone''s questions, but I will be holding several more public events over the next two days. If you have additional questions, you can ask them at the next interview or contact my agent for a private interview. Goodbye!"The press conference lasted over forty minutes. Link answered more than twenty questions before he stood up to bid farewell to the journalists, as the sound of camera shutters filled the air again.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "James, where are you?"


    After leaving the Sofitel Hotel, Bernard Gary got into his car and called James Reed.


    "I''m outside the terminal maintaining order. Damn it, I don''t know what these young people are thinking; Link has already left and they still don''t want to leave."


    Officer Reed said, clearly annoyed.


    "James, think of a way to see if you can blend into Link''s security team. To get photos of him on a date with Emma Watson, we need to get closer to them."


    Bernard Gary said as he looked at the entrance of the Fiat Hotel.


    "It''s tough. I just inquired, and Link''s security is handled by the Kingston Security Company. We police are only responsible for maintaining public order and managing traffic on the perimeter, we only get a chance to get close to them if something happens."


    "James, even being on the outskirts is fine. Anyway, to get the photos, we must get as close as possible. If we can capture concrete evidence of their date, we''ll make a fortune."


    Bernard Gary said excitedly.


    By then, not only would he receive a bounty of hundred thousand pounds, but also he would have a chance for a promotion and a salary increase. It was too good an opportunity to miss.


    "Alright, I''ll try."


    Officer Reed hung up the phone.


    Bernard Gary then called Charlotte to ask if he had located Emma Watson''s whereabouts.


    Charlotte replied that since returning from Paris, Emma Watson had spent the past two days in her apartment on Cambridge Street in North London and seemed to have not left the house.


    Gary instructed him to keep an eye on that side and report as soon as Emma left the house.


    He also reminded him to watch the movements of Emma''s aunt, Irene, through whom they might learn Emma''s exact whereabouts.


    After hanging up, Gary contacted Culo Biggs.


    Biggs cackled, saying he had blended into the London Tower International Hotel and had booked a business suite costing ¡ê668 per night, urging Gary not to forget to reimburse him.


    Upon hearing this, Gary frowned and asked why he didn''t book a cheaper room?


    Biggs explained that Link and his work team had booked almost all the rooms at the London Tower Hotel, and the remaining twenty-plus rooms had also been reserved by others.


    Besides the London Tower Hotel, the major hotels near the O2 Arena were nearly full recently.


    The suite he secured for ¡ê668 was the cheapest room available at the London Tower Hotel, which he got only after he threw a mouse in there, scared away the original guests, and seized the opportunity. Otherwise, even ¡ê2000 wouldn''t have gotten him a room.


    Biggs thought Gary shouldn''t blame him, but rather praise him.


    Gary thought about it and realized it was indeed true.


    Link and Carl Froch''s championship boxing match had attracted many wealthy people from the British Isles recently. In the coming days, not only would hotel prices increase, but rental car companies and flights would also become busy.


    That Biggs managed to get a suite in the hotel where Link was staying for ¡ê668 indeed showed some competence.


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    Gary changed his tune and praised him, instructing him to stay in the hotel as Link''s convoy was likely to arrive there in the evening.


    Biggs''s task was to try to find out Link''s room number, the elevators, or any other means of moving between floors.


    After the call ended, Gary phoned a few of his paparazzi to keep an eye on Link. If they could capture photos of Link with Emma Watson or any other female celebrities, he would pay ¡ê100 per photo.


    After making several calls, Gary loosened his tie, took a few deep breaths, grabbed the heated mineral water from the seat, and drank it all in one go.


    While drinking, he noticed many of his colleagues outside the Sofitel Hotel and couldn''t help but sigh inwardly. There were too many people watching Link, making it not an easy task to earn this money.

 Chapter 216 Emmas Plan

    After a simple meal at the hotel, which consisted of toast, milk, and roast beef brought from the United States,he was extremely cautious with his diet before the competition to avoid any issues with food incompatibility. He did not eat any spicy food or indulge in the typical British foods and beverages.


    Back in his hotel room, he received a call from Emma asking when he would visit her home.


    Link felt somewhat helpless.


    After Emma left Miami last year, he had intentionally minimized contact with her.


    He had hoped that after more than a year, they could revert to being just friends, perhaps catching up over drinks.


    But Emma wanted more than that.


    When it was announced in early August that he was coming to London for a boxing competition, Emma continuously messaged him asking when he would arrive in London and suggesting they go on a date.


    Link, not being good at rejecting invitations, reluctantly agreed.


    But after giving it some thought, he realized it wasn''t realistic. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both being popular celebrities, attempting a risk-free date under the scrutiny of the media was as challenging as winning a high-difficulty championship boxing match.


    Especially when they would have to deal with the type of entertainment journalists who drove Princess Diana to her fatal accident, increasing the difficulty even more.


    For his own safety and career prospects, he thought it best to cancel or postpone.


    However, Emma was somewhat willful and insisted on the date, which complicated things.


    Thinking it over, Link said, "Emma, many media were aware of our past relationship rumors. Just now at the press conference, a journalist asked about it. They are likely to follow our movements. Being photographed could lead to trouble. How about we talk about it next year? I''ll be in Britain for a concert tour then, and we''ll have more time."


    "Next year? That''s too long. Link, I just saw your interview. You mentioned meeting up with me, Daniel, and Robert, right? We could meet at Daniel''s or Robert''s place. They are both in London these days, and I''ll contact them right now,"


    Emma said excitedly on the phone.


    "Meeting at their place? Is that appropriate?"


    Link hesitated, having met ''Harry Potter'' and golden-haired Robert a few times, but they were just casual friends.


    Visiting their homes for a date, unless officially dating, would be awkward.


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    "Don''t worry, I''m very close to them; they wouldn''t dare refuse. Wait for my good news,"


    Emma quickly hung up the phone.


    Link shrugged, turned off the shower, and went back to his bedroom to rest for a while.


    Around five in the afternoon, he took a vehicle provided by the organizers to the Tower Hotel located in the Central District by the Thames Riverside in the City of London.


    The hotel wasn''t the most luxurious, but it boasted a great surrounding environment. The views from the windows included the Thames River and London Bridge, and nearby were multiple historical museums, theatres, and bars. It was also close to the O2 Arena on the Greenwich Peninsula.


    After settling into the hotel, Eddie Hearn, the general manager of the sports promotion company, and the president of the WBA/WBC boxing associations came to the hotel to discuss the schedule for the upcoming days with him and Franco.


    In addition to the competition, there would be several press conferences, an exclusive BBC interview, gatherings for boxing enthusiasts, and charity galas.


    These activities would increase his exposure during his time in London and attract more viewers to the boxing event on the day.


    The more viewers there were, the higher the PPV shares would be.


    When it came to making money, Link was not one to slack off.


    Eddie Hearn also informed him that not less than one royal family member would be attending the event. Having royal family members present would make the match even more notable.


    "The Royal Family? If I defeat Carl Froch in just a few seconds, wouldn''t that make the royal member lose face?"


    Link looked at Eddie Hearn and smiled.


    Eddie Hearn, thirty years old this year, is the son of Barry Hearn, the president of the athletic promotion company.


    Barry Hearn is also a renowned boxing promoter, having successfully promoted top boxers such as Frank Bruno, Chris Eubank, Nigel Benn, and ''Prince'' Hamed.


    Eddie Hearn had been in charge of boxing promotions since 2003, managing first-rate boxers like Carl Froch and Mikey Garcia.


    In the future, he would become the most famous boxing promoter in the world, with future British champions like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua under his management.


    He was also the most successful among the second-generation boxing promoters.


    Since the other party was doing well in boxing promotion, Link also had plans for long-term cooperation with him.


    "Haha, Link, you''re quite the joker. The royal family members are just here to watch the match. They wouldn''t care about that. All you need to do is win the match; don''t worry about anything else."


    Eddie Hearn waved his hand and laughed.


    "Even better."


    Link nodded.


    Eddie Hearn gave him a look and chuckled, "Link, are you really confident of defeating Carl within a few seconds?"


    "Not sure, but I''ll try to end the match early."


    "You really are a fierce guy!"


    Eddie Hearn didn''t say anything else and turned to discuss long-term cooperation matters with Franco.


    His words also expressed envy toward Franco.


    Indeed, it wasn''t just him; every promoter in the circle envied Franco''s good fortune.


    Link was not only a skilled fighter but also a top stream singer and a famous athlete.


    With the triple boost of these halos, Link''s future appearance fees would only get higher. He might even surpass De La Hoya and Pacquiao and become a cash cow in the boxing world.


    In June, after Link successfully defended his WBA world boxing championship title, ''Boxing Arena'' magazine revisited last year''s Golden Gloves Tournament.


    Link rose to fame rapidly during the Golden Gloves series. Facing offers from numerous promotional companies, he asked for a hundred million signing bonus and 70% revenue share, which led to ridicule from many industry insiders.


    Now, even if it cost three hundred million US dollars and a 90% revenue share was offered, promotional companies would still see a huge profit margin.


    Franco and Dynasty Promotions indeed struck a gold mine.


    After sending off Eddie Hearn and others, Link went to the fitness center next to the hotel for some light boxing training.


    When he left the hotel, he noticed many suspicious-looking people on the street, nearly dozens of them. As he walked toward the fitness center, these people followed at a distance, with some even taking photos with cameras.


    His bodyguard, Wallace, told him that based on his many years of experience working as a bodyguard for stars, many of these people were elite paparazzi who were well-equipped and often operated in groups, a bunch of troublesome fellows.


    Link nodded, indicating that he understood.


    During his training, ''Harry Potter'' Daniel Radcliffe and ''Ginger'' Robert Grint called to ask if he was free tomorrow. They enthusiastically invited him to a gathering at their place to chat.


    After thinking it over, Link figured he was free tomorrow afternoon, so he accepted the invitation.

 Chapter 217 The Thiefs Tricks

    Bang, bang, bang!At the training center, Link had been skipping rope for half an hour, weight training for an hour, and boxing sparring for two hours. He was drenched in sweat and his body had become fatigued.


    However, the jet lag and physical discomfort caused by the long flight were somewhat relieved through training, making him feel a lot more relaxed overall.


    When he came out of the training center, night had already fallen on the Thames Riverside in London.


    During the daytime, the streets were bustling with traffic and flanked by advertisement billboards, making London seem not much different from New York or Los Angeles.


    But at night, everything changed.


    Near London Bridge, almost no cars were to be seen, yet the number of pedestrians and tourists surged.


    On Tower Bridge, along the Thames embankments, and on the riverboats, tourists were everywhere.


    The ancient buildings that had survived through the long course of history, such as The Shard, the Walkie-Talkie Building, the Tower of London, the London Eye, Big Ben, and the Gherkin, all revealed their majestic and stunning profiles under the neon lights.


    The nighttime London was five to six hundred years older than it was during the day.


    Link took out his phone on the Thames Riverside and snapped a few pictures of Tower Bridge in front of him. The camera quality was average, and the photos came out rather blurry, but one could vaguely make out the delicate and elegant outline of the bridge.


    He sent the photos to Taylor, Selena, and Ivanka.


    London was five hours ahead of New York and eight hours ahead of Los Angeles; it was still daytime in the United States.


    Upon seeing the photos, Selena kept saying how beautiful they were and insisted that he take more. She became more excited as she looked at them, expressing her wish to visit London.


    She also wanted him to speak to Catherine and Mandy on her behalf. Since he was their boss, neither would dare to disobey him.


    Of course, that was out of the question, as she was busy promoting her new album and didn''t have the time to come over for now.


    Link promised to bring her along for a concert the next time.


    Ivanka replied to his message too, merely remarking, ''Nice scenery, photography skills need improvement,'' like a photography teacher grading his assignment.


    Then she added another comment, ''British paparazzi are crazy, don''t mess around over there,'' clearly questioning his character.


    Taylor''s reply came a bit slower, asking him who he was out with?


    Link replied that there were many people, Anna, Wallace, Bob, and members of the training team; they had decided to take a night cruise on the Thames.


    Taylor responded that she had spent a couple of days in London the previous year and suggested he take a look around Waterloo Bridge, a filming location for the classic movie "Waterloo Bridge." She mentioned that the nighttime view there was very nice but warned that the wind could be chilly over the river in September, advising him to wear a jacket.


    Link acknowledged her advice, and from the many photos he had taken, he selected four that he deemed the prettiest and posted them to Twitter.


    He currently had 11.2 million followers on Twitter, making him one of the users with the most followers on the platform.


    After he posted the photos, his fans reacted enthusiastically; within less than three minutes, the number of likes surpassed 30,000, and the comments skyrocketed.


    Most of them praised how beautiful night-time London was and expressed a desire to travel there.


    Some asked what he was doing in London, if he was holding a concert?


    Link replied that he was in London for a boxing match.


    Soon, his fans were all online cheering him on, hoping he could win all the Golden Belts to give away in a raffle.


    Some people criticized his photography skills and the average camera resolution of his phone, suggesting he switch to a digital camera. Others wanted him to be in the photos, curious to see him at the Thames Riverside.


    Link thought these people were asking for too much.


    "Boss, the police station called and asked if you''re near Tower Bridge. If you are, they advised you to head back earlier. A lot of fans are on their way here, and it could get dangerous with so many people at night," Anna said, hanging up the phone.


    Link gave a wry smile, having been too busy posting photos to remember that he was a major celebrity.


    He noticed quite a few young people heading in his direction over Tower Bridge and had no choice but to change his night cruise plans and take a car back to the hotel early.


    ¡ª¡ª


    In a small caf¨¦ not far from Tower Bridge, journalist Bernard Gary peered through his camera lens at the figure of Link boarding a business car and picked up the phone on the table:


    "Biggs! Pay attention! Link is heading back to the hotel. Find a way to follow him and find out which floor and room number he''s in."


    "....Hiss-gasp~"


    "Damn it, what are you doing?"


    "Heh heh, nothing, just took a hit," said Culo Biggs with a snicker.


    Grinding his teeth, Gary cursed under his breath, "F***, Biggs, Link is a big fish. If you want to get paid, you''d better get serious."


    "Heh heh, I understand, I get it. I''m using drugs right now to do a better job, not slacking off."


    "Alright, Link is about to return to the hotel. Find a way to follow him or ask a service staff member for his room number. We have to keep a close eye on him so we don''t miss out on this big fish."


    "Heh heh, don''t worry, with me, Culo Biggs, the master thief on the job, not only can I find out his room number, but I can also find out what color underwear Link wears and what brand of condoms he uses."


    "Keep me posted if there''s any news."


    Gary didn''t waste more words, hung up, and called Reed next to ask if he had managed to infiltrate Link''s security team.


    Officer Reed replied no, but he had volunteered to work overtime and was currently assigned to patrol outside the Tower Hotel in London.


    Gary said that was good, and asked him to keep a close watch on the hotel entrance and promptly inform him if he spotted any suspicious vehicles or women wearing sunglasses and hats.


    Gary then called Detective Charlotte to inquire.


    Charlotte reported that Emma had gone out in the afternoon, strolled around the shopping center, purchased more than ten sets of clothes, and returned to her apartment with no further activity.


    "Excellent!"


    Gary hung up the phone and immediately drove to the Tower Hotel.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Hehe, good evening, Mr. Baker!"


    Link had just returned to the hotel lobby when a man in a suit doffed his hat and greeted him. The man was of slight build, and when he opened his mouth, several yellowed, decaying teeth were revealed.


    In the film "Fighter," Christian Bale played Dicky, an addict with a set of rotten teeth that only whitened slowly after he got clean.


    Seeing those teeth, Link knew the man probably wasn''t up to any good.


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    "Hello, sir!"


    Link responded politely.


    "Mr. Baker, my daughter Alice is a fan of yours. She really loves your songs. Before I left home today, she made me promise that if I saw you, to ask for your autograph for her. Mr. Baker, could you do that?"


    Biggs pulled out a record of Link''s and earnestly pleaded.


    Link looked at him unexpectedly, not thinking that this drug addict could actually be a good father.


    He didn''t refuse, paused, took out a pen, and wrote on it, ''To Alice, grow up healthy, be a brave girl¡ªLink.''


    At that moment, a hotel waiter came by pushing a food trolley.


    Link stepped back, and Biggs also moved aside when suddenly, he stumbled, hurtling toward Link. Wallace, seeing something amiss, quickly stepped between them, reaching out to grab Biggs by the collar.


    "Hey, buddy, watch it!"


    Wallace held Biggs steady on his feet.


    "Hehe, sorry sir, the floor is too slippery, I couldn''t stand properly, thanks a lot."


    Biggs said with a strange smile, showing his teeth.


    Link shook his head, returned the record to the man, and after he had left, he told Wallace, "He seems to have put something in your pocket."


    Wallace felt around and pulled out a small listening device.


    "Fuck, damn paparazzi." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s hand it over to the police."


    Link waved his hand and walked into the elevator.


    In the Internet age where communication is advanced, the market is flooded with many sophisticated spying devices, small like bugs, that can infiltrate anywhere.


    Because of these devices, Link rarely stayed out, and before he checked into a hotel, he would always scan for such equipment to prevent from being filmed and blackmailed.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Squeak¡ª¡ª


    After returning to the hotel, thief Biggs opened his computer, ready to eavesdrop, but only heard a shrill buzzing coming from the listening device, prompting him to curse and angrily throw down the headset.


    "Fuck!"


    A few years ago, to rob a bank, he had taken it upon himself to learn some Internet technology.


    By relying on his expert thieving skills and computer technology, he had actually made quite a bit of money during those years.


    But he should never have fallen victim to addiction.


    After using drugs, his physical condition and mental state were far from what they used to be, and because of that, he went from robbing banks to being a petty thief breaking into doors and locks.


    Despite becoming a petty thief, his skills and experience in theft remained.


    His original plan was to approach Link under the guise of getting an autograph and then take the opportunity to slip the listening device into Link''s pocket.


    By the intensity of the sound coming from the device, he could estimate the location of Link''s room and, if lucky, overhear some important conversations.


    However, many things are easier said than done.


    He didn''t expect Link''s retreating step to be that quick. Yes, he had only thought of Link as a singer, completely forgetting that he was also a boxing champion renowned for his speed.


    Unable to place the listening device on Link, he had a sudden idea and slipped it into the pocket of Link''s bodyguard, reasoning that, as per celebrity habits, the bodyguard would likely stay next door or across the hall and could be used to track down Link.


    But even that plan had failed.


    "Link, the game has just begun, I will definitely catch you out."


    Biggs was not willing to give up so easily. He changed into a different set of clothes and a hat, went out for a spin, and luckily, learned Link''s room number from a drug-using staff member, B25 on the sixth floor.

 Chapter 218 Keira Knightley

    Morning, Tower Hotel London, Room B25.Sunlight poured in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the room brighter, and the sound of the Thames flowing and the horns of the cruise boats below surged into the room along with the sunlight.


    Link sat by the window for breakfast, browsing through the newspapers of the day.


    British newspapers like The Times, The Sun, and the Daily Mail all reported on his arrival in London for the match, as well as his responses at the press conference the day before.


    Serious newspapers like The Guardian reported almost verbatim according to his original statements, providing in-depth analysis and commentary.


    For instance, a Guardian journalist had asked him yesterday about his statement from last September, where he claimed he would defeat all boxers in his rank within 100 seconds, and whether he would stick to this timeline in his match against Carl Froch.


    Link''s response was the same as before the WBA boxing title defense, focusing on the match itself, aiming to provide a thrilling game without insisting on a quick victory.


    When reporting, The Guardian journalist suggested that he was preparing to change tactics, no longer using ''blitzkrieg'' against Froch, but also reminding Froch that Link was a tactical master, implying the statement could also be a smokescreen.


    Entertainment-oriented newspapers like The Sun, however, had more ambiguous headlines.


    One headline read ''Link claims to admire Miss Keira Knightley and publicly expresses his desire to date British ladies.'' Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    This was clearly a splice of his first and second responses.


    Though not fabricated, it led to speculation among readers, who might think he was pursuing Keira Knightley.


    Another headline announced, ''Emma and Link arrive in London one after another, rekindling an old flame?''


    This news linked Link''s arrival in London yesterday with Emma''s return to London three days earlier.


    Moreover, at the press conference, he had mentioned the possibility of meeting up with Emma, Daniel, and Robert, but in the media reports, ''Daniel'' and ''Robert'' were replaced with ''et al.'', implying he had a date with Emma.


    Such half-true, half-false stories are the fabricated scandals of entertainment media.


    If the media continue to follow up and capture evidence of his contact with Keira Knightley or Emma Watson,


    these rumors could turn into ''big scoops.''


    There were also reports claiming he was a fan of Adele, praising her as a great singer, and that he claimed to study acting from Christian Bale, etc.


    These stories used his presence to promote British stars, and British audiences enjoyed such news.


    Of course, this was also his intention, leveraging these stars to gain favor with the British public and enhance his fame and market presence on the British Isles, a practice known as ''riding on the coattails.''


    However, for Knightley, Bale, and Adele, being associated with such a top influencer would bring them a lot of exposure as well, making it a mutually beneficial arrangement.


    "Boss, it''s time to head out,"


    Anna knocked on the door as he was reading the paper.


    "Let''s go!"


    Link, dressed in a casual suit, followed Anna to the British Boxing Museum for a visit, exchanging experiences with a group of teenage boxing apprentices.


    Later, he went to Kensington Park in the West End to attend the Dior new product fashion launch.


    As a global brand ambassador for Dior fashions, the brand had invited him to watch the show after learning he was in London.


    Link did not decline.


    However, at the event, it was somewhat awkward to find Keira Knightley there as well.


    Dressed in a blue Dior dress, she stood on the grass, holding a glass of champagne, and smiling warmly at him.


    Keira Knightley wasn''t very old, only 24 this year, and had risen to fame in 2003 with the Pirates of the Caribbean series; she had also starred in Pride and Prejudice, Atonement, Duchess, The Imitation Game, Anna Karenina, and others.


    Her looks were not particularly stunning, and her figure not particularly voluptuous, but her acting was good. She conveyed a sort of British woman''s quality¡ªfresh, classic, subtly sexy, and quite different from American girls.


    "Hi, Miss Knightley, I''m delighted to see you here!"


    Link approached her to say hello.


    "Hi, Mr. Baker, I''m also happy to meet you, and thank you for the compliments in the media yesterday; it''s an honor,"


    Keira Knightley replied with a laugh, holding her champagne glass.


    "I meant what I said; I''m a fan of your work. I''ve seen Atonement and Pride and Prejudice, and they''re great; your acting really did bring the characters to life,"


    Link praised.


    Keira Knightley lightly bit her upper lip with a smile and, while tucking her hair behind her ear, walked and spoke, "I''m also a fan of your music, ''See you again'', ''Give me reason'', ''Believer'', are all fantastic songs."


    Link smiled lightly, uncertain if she was just engaging in mutual business flattery, but being praised by a star to his face was quite pleasant.


    "Hey, Link, Keira!"


    Just a few steps ahead, Adele, in a black lace dress, waved from a distance, laughing, "I hope I''m not interrupting your date?"


    "Not at all!"


    Link smiled lightly and stepped forward to embrace Adele.


    Adele was a year older than him, with a fuller figure, her eyes laced with long eyelashes, and her makeup impeccable. After slimming down, she too was a beautiful young woman, bearing a slight resemblance to Lana.


    "Link, it''s a pity you''re so trim; if you were a bit heavier, I''d definitely date you,"


    Adele grabbed his arm, comparing whose was thicker, and naturally, Link''s muscular arm was somewhat sturdier than hers.


    "Really? I could gain a few more pounds, no problem at all."


    "Alright, once you hit 300 pounds, we''ll go on a date,"


    Adele laughed, patting his shoulder.


    Keira Knightley watched the two of them joke around, her eyes lingering more on Link.


    Link was an Olympic champion, a Boxing king, and a popular singer, each being a notable title, and in the entertainment industry, his fame was somewhat greater than hers.


    Originally, the two had no connection, but that morning, she saw rumors about them on the internet after waking up.


    It felt very strange!


    The three met and chatted for a while and then headed to the lawn area to watch an outdoor fashion show.


    After the event, Link rushed to the BBC television studio to take part in a program interview.


    To extract more material from this dual top-tier celebrity in the boxing and music scenes, the BBC planned a boxing interview segment and even specifically invited former British Boxing king Lennox Lewis to the program recording.


    The two discussed the current state of boxing in the United States and Britain and, under the guidance of the host, commented on a few top boxers in the current ring.


    Lewis was a retired boxer and spoke without reservations.


    He said that current Boxers are much less strong than before, with many relying on advantages in height, weight, and arm reach, whereas Boxers from the ''70s and ''80s relied more on boxing technique and tactics.


    Therefore, the excitement of boxing matches today is nowhere near what it used to be.


    Link agreed with his view but wouldn''t say it outright since he was still fighting in the ring, saying today''s boxing matches weren''t as good would be undermining himself.


    He pointed out that in the current internet age, the diversification of entertainments forms, along with the development of events like WWE and UFC, posed a severe impact on the boxing industry.


    This impact extends to the audience''s aesthetics; in the past, before watching a boxing match, spectators would study boxing tactics and rules, and many would understand boxing better than the Boxers themselves, which is what insiders call knowing the ropes.


    Audiences who understood the ropes would get excited and shout aloud when they saw the exquisite skill and tactics of the Boxers.


    Not anymore.


    Nowadays, there are too many amusing diversions.


    People no longer have the time or inclination to deeply understand a sport, particularly niche ones; they watch boxing more as a spectacle.


    That''s why taller, stronger, more aggressive, and handsome Boxers receive more attention, like Valuev, Pacquiao, and De La Hoya.


    But this does not mean the three lack skills; based on their level, they would still have been top-tier Boxers in the ''80s.


    Upon hearing his words, Lewis looked at him unexpectedly, not expecting Link to have such a deep understanding and knowledge of the boxing industry.


    "Link, you will be fighting Carl Froch tomorrow, what do you think of him?"


    Lennox Lewis inquired.


    When Lewis was still active, he had a full head of dreadlocks, tall and muscular; he looked like someone not to be trifled with.


    Now with a crew cut, wearing a suit, he resembled a British gentleman more than ever.


    He was also the owner of a major underwear brand, with a net worth in the hundreds of millions of British pounds.


    "Without a doubt, Carl is a very strong opponent!"


    Link confirmed, "I watched his match with Jean Pascal last year. His punches are fierce, and he''s quite agile. His willpower impresses me the most, fighting to the death without retreating, like a true warrior."


    It was the WBC Boxing championship in December last year, Carl Froch VS Jean Pascal.


    The match was bloody, with Carl suffering a perforated eardrum and fractured ribs after being hit by his opponent, but he didn''t want to give up. He continued fighting despite his injuries and ultimately won the WBC Golden Belt, while Pascal''s eyebrow bone was smashed by his heavy punch, leaving him bloodied.


    "Mr. Baker, you seem to admire Carl quite a bit, but are you confident you can beat him?"


    The host Alan Campbell asked.


    "Yes, Carl is very good, but I am a bit better."


    Link said, shaking his fists slightly.


    "What if you lose, have you thought about losing?"


    Lennox Lewis asked with a smile on his face. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve thought about it, so in the match, I will fight even harder to ensure such an unpleasant thing doesn''t happen."


    Link replied with a smile.


    "Alright, I hope tomorrow''s match will be a thrilling one."


    Lennox extended his fist as he spoke.


    "It certainly will."


    Link bumped fists with him.


    Clap clap clap!


    The audience below applauded and cheered.


    After the interview, Link returned to his business van.


    ''Harry Potter'' Daniel and ''Blond'' Robert called one after another, asking when he would arrive; Link said he would be there soon and told Bob to drive to Daniel''s Hampton Street residence.


    ----


    As he drove to Hampton Avenue, the journalist Gary promptly followed by car. On the road, he received a call from Charlotte, who informed him that ''Emma has left the house, destination currently unknown''.


    Upon hearing the news, Gary was overjoyed; after waiting all day, he was finally about to catch a big fish.


    He quickly notified Officer Reed and Biggs to come and join him; having more people would give them better chances.

 Chapter 219 Gathering

    Hampton Street is located in the Islington district in the northern part of London and is the cultural and arts center of the city.The area is home to numerous theaters, including the Pleasure Garden Theatre, the Almeida Theatre, the King''s Theatre, and the Sadler''s Wells Theatre, as well as the famous Egg Bar nearby.


    Link''s apartment is less than 800 meters away from the King''s Theatre. It''s a high-rise row house, with its exterior featuring grid-patterned marble panels, paired with Gothic pointed-arch windows and stained glass, full of classic charm.


    "Haha, Link, welcome!"


    When Link arrived at Daniel''s apartment, the door was wide open. Over a dozen young men and women were inside, drinking and chatting in the living room, most of them actors from the Harry Potter series.


    As he appeared at the door, golden-haired Robert turned his head, stretched out his arms, and warmly greeted him.


    Daniel also made his way through the crowd to welcome him.


    "Hi, Daniel, Robert, long time no see!"


    Link hugged them both and handed a bottle of Bordeaux wine he brought as a gift to Daniel, who expressed his thanks.


    Robert, pulling Link into the party, shouted:


    "Hey, everyone, allow me to introduce our esteemed guest here beside me. This man is the current WBA world boxing champion, Olympic boxing gold medalist, world swimming champion, globally renowned singer, and famous actor, Mr. Link Baker."


    Applause erupted!


    The crowd in the living room clapped enthusiastically as they looked at Link.


    "Robert, thanks for the introduction, but I don''t have that many titles; just call me Link,"


    Link said with a light laugh.


    "Link, I''m a fan of your songs, can I get an autograph?"


    Tom, who played young Master Malfoy and had blond hair, took out two record albums and said.


    "Hey, Tom, this is a party, not a signing event. Don''t turn this into a fan meeting, okay? If you want an autograph, come to me later."


    Robert invited Link to sit on the sofa in the middle.


    Link was quick with his hands, and in just a matter of seconds, he signed autographs for a few fans who wanted them.


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    There were a few familiar actors among them, and Link politely mentioned that he had seen their performances and found them brilliant.


    Besides Master Malfoy, the others weren''t very famous. Hearing that he had seen their shows, they were all thrilled.


    "Link, you truly are a remarkable guy."


    Robert passed him a glass of sparkling wine, leaning on his shoulder as he said, "Last year in Orlando, you were just an amateur boxer. In just a little over a year, you''ve become a big star. It''s amazing. How did you do it?"


    As the two talked, the others stood around the sofa listening to their conversation.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and said with a smile, "I guess I just got lucky. After becoming boxing champion, I got a bit of fame, and since then, other things seem to have become easier."


    "You''re too modest. Lucky people don''t get to win the world boxing championship belt or break world swimming records, and definitely can''t sell tens of millions of albums. Link, you''re really amazing. It''s hard to believe I know someone as incredible as you."


    Robert said excitedly, patting his shoulder.


    "Yes, Link, every time we see news about you, every time you achieve those astonishing feats, it feels unbelievable."


    Daniel stood in front with a glass of wine and said with a smile. He wore a V-neck sweater, was not very tall, and had a shy smile. Even without ''Harry Potter''s'' round glasses, he still looked a lot like Harry Potter.


    "Okay, no more flattery, or I''ll have to tell you I grew up watching your movies."


    Link said teasingly to the two.


    "Haha, that doesn''t sound wrong."


    Robert burst into laughter, then, like a flash, his smile vanished, and he looked past the crowd with a serious expression.


    Everyone followed his gaze and saw a girl in a blue round-neck knit sweater and a white Chanel skirt walking in.


    With black leather shoes on her feet, and her golden medium-length hair tied into a ponytail, her delicate oval face and fair collarbone were revealed. The knit sweater was quite loose, only showing a slight fullness in the front, but her waist was accentuated by a belt, creating a pronounced curve of her hips.


    She pressed her thin lips together, her fair little face showing no emotion, looking rather aloof. Her dark brown eyes scanned the crowd, finally settling on Link.


    "Emma, you''re here."


    Daniel greeted her warmly.


    "Daniel, congratulations."


    Emma Watson handed over a small paper bag to Daniel, who was puzzled, "Congratulations on what?"


    "Your new movie has grossed over 800 million US dollars worldwide. Isn''t that worth a congratulations?" Emma Watson said.


    Daniel understood then. She was talking about ''Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,'' which had surpassed 800 million in global box office revenues. But since she was also a star of the movie, what was there for him to be congratulated on?


    Suddenly, he remembered that Emma called yesterday, saying that the movie''s box office had broken 800 million, and everyone was throwing a party to celebrate. They had invited Link to join, and it seemed that was the theme of today''s party.


    "Okay then, Emma, congrats to you as well,"


    Daniel said with a laugh.


    The others also greeted Emma.


    "Hi Emma, long time no see."


    Link stood up to greet her.


    Emma looked up at him, her pert nose huffed, and she stretched out her hand to pull Robert beside her over, lowering her voice to say, "I mentioned yesterday that it was just the four of us getting together, so why are there so many people here?"


    "Ah? Did you say that?" Robert asked with innocent eyes.


    Emma''s face turned cold, and she twisted her finger on his arm forcefully, making Robert hiss in pain, his expression instantly becoming twisted. He covered his mouth with his hand to prevent himself from crying out.


    "It was Daniel who called them, not me."


    "Impossible, Daniel''s not as mean as you are."


    Emma snorted and, patting her skirt, walked over to sit down on the couch beside Link, sitting up straight with her knees together, looking very ladylike.


    "What were you guys talking about just now?"


    "We were talking about how hot your new movie is, box office champion, congratulations."


    Link said, holding a light beer.


    Next to him, Robert rubbed his arm and took a sharp breath. Ever since he met Emma on the set of Harry Potter at twelve years old, after seven or eight years, he didn''t know how many times she had pinched him, but this time it hurt particularly badly.


    Seeing Link and Emma chatting, Daniel stood by with a smile, looking superfluous yet unaware.


    Robert couldn''t help but sigh, walking over to drag Daniel onto the balcony, rolling up his sleeves and pointing to the reddened spot.


    "Buddy, all of this is for you,"


    "How did that happen?"


    Daniel looked and asked.


    "It was Emma, that wild girl who pinched me. I swear her fingers are poisonous."


    Robert glanced at Emma and whispered, "Emma meant yesterday to invite only Link over for a get-together among the four of us. I deliberately called Tom and the others too. Do you know why?"


    "You were worried Link would feel left out. The more, the merrier for the party."


    Daniel thought for a moment and said.


    "Wrong!"


    Robert wrapped his arm around Daniel''s shoulder and whispered, "Buddy, I''m doing this all for you. Emma proposed inviting only Link; she wanted to have a secret meeting with Link at your place, making us cover for them to prevent rumors, heh heh. Now that I''ve invited Tom and the rest, with more people here, she won''t be able to have her secret meeting with Link, get it?" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Robert raised his eyebrows smugly.


    Daniel shook his head, "Robert, you shouldn''t have done that, Emma is our friend. If she wants to date Link here, we should help her out. You shouldn''t have deliberately caused trouble."


    Robert was stunned for a moment, "You don''t like Emma? You don''t mind seeing her have a secret meeting with Link here?"


    Daniel glanced at Emma, saying softly, "A little, but I know she really likes Link, and I don''t want to see her disappointed and sad."


    "You!!"


    Robert clenched his teeth, glaring at Daniel with a look of frustration, "Fine! Fine! You''re the great lover, and I''m the fool, it was me who was presumptuous."


    "But still, thank you,"


    Daniel said, hugging his shoulders.


    "No need, I don''t deserve your thanks,"


    Robert shrugged off his hand, his face still showing his frustration.


    "Hey, what are you two whispering about over there?"


    Emma called out and asked.


    "Robert was saying he likes watching the sunset from my balcony."


    Daniel walked over with a big smile and said.


    Robert glanced at the sun in the west, looking like a tangerine hiding in the thick haze, with nothing much to see.


    However, he noticed a lot of unfamiliar vehicles parked along both sides of Hampton Avenue below, and some suspicious-looking people, slinging cameras, wandering aimlessly on the streets. As a long-time celebrity, he could tell at a glance that these guys were paparazzi.

 Chapter 220 Fame and Fortune

    "Bernard, this place seems to be Daniel Radcliffe''s home."On Hampton Avenue, Detective Charlotte sat in a black Lotus sedan, eyeing a row of connected apartments through the car window.


    "Yes, journalists have snapped photos of Daniel around here."


    Journalist Gary leaned against the car window, holding a telephoto lens camera, incessantly surveying the windows above.


    Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of Blond Robert fleeting by the balcony, which must be Daniel''s place, Link and Emma Watson were there too.


    "What do we do now? I just asked around, and it''s not only Link and Emma who came here, several actors from the ''Harry Potter'' series are here too, having a party. Can we prove they are dating with just this information?"


    Charlotte asked.


    Gary sighed, shaking his head.


    Celebrities in the circle all like to host parties, gathering a bunch of people together for fun.


    Entertainment journalists loathe these parties the most. If two celebrities go on a date and are photographed, it becomes a scandal.


    If a group of people go on dates at a party, unless actual evidence is captured, spreading the news doesn''t have much impact.


    Now, they knew that Link and Emma Watson might be using the party as a pretext to date, yet they couldn''t find evidence. It was like knowing there''s a stack of cash upstairs, but being unable to get their hands on it, and he was not content with that.


    "Jack, when you usually help people catch cheaters, how do you manage to snap photos?"


    Gary adjusted his glasses and asked.


    "It''s different; our targets are usually regular people, not very vigilant, without bodyguards. The places where they live or the hotels are more ordinary, with general security measures. Usually, following them for a few days does the trick. But celebrities are often tailed by paparazzi, making it difficult to gather evidence of their activities."


    Gary was aware of this too, and he looked around at the apartments in the vicinity.


    "Jack, why don''t you go to that building over there and see if there''s a way to use a telescope to observe Daniel''s home, while I''ll try to figure out a way to sneak upstairs."


    "Okay!"


    Charlotte shouldered her work backpack that held a telescope and camera, and walked towards an older apartment building next to King''s Theatre, which looked like it was built before World War II, with its Gothic-style roof being quite distinctive.


    There happened to be an empty apartment up for rent in the building. Charlotte, under the pretense of wanting to see the unit, handed over a 100-pound deposit, got the keys from the apartment manager, and made her way to the top floor of the building.


    Initially, she was secretly pleased, thinking her method was clever and might yield unexpected results.


    However, upon reaching the top floor, she found three peeping tom-looking people already there with their long-lens telescopes, ceaselessly scrutinizing the building opposite.


    Charlotte let out a dejected sigh; the paparazzi business was too competitive. To make money, one had to run even faster.


    She called Gary and reported the situation on this end.


    Gary acknowledged, telling her to stay put there.


    While on the phone, Gary also faced difficulties; the apartment building''s entrance was secured by a code lock, requiring identity verification before entry, and the elevator was shared between just two households, making it impossible to blend in.


    As he was pondering what to do, he suddenly saw a pizza delivery person approaching. An idea popped into his mind.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Link, you''ve gotten way too famous lately. Look at all the paparazzi downstairs."


    Robert walked into the living room and said.


    "Wow, at least a hundred of them."


    The blond Malfoy boy peered out the window, saying in an exaggerated tone.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, indicating there was nothing he could do. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fame and fortune often came hand in hand.


    After becoming famous, one''s every move became entangled with the interests of many others.


    Just like now, if he and Emma were photographed sitting together and chatting, and that photo was uploaded to the internet.


    He might get a bit of a bad reputation, and Dynasty Promotion and Link Music would have to spend more money on PR to fix his image, and it might even affect his album sales.


    But the paparazzi would make a killing from this, and the media behind them would take the opportunity to sell more of their news products.


    Link''s rivals, like the East Coast rap groups, would probably be grinning from ear to ear.


    "I told you guys, the party should have been low-key, Robert, you were too showy,"


    Emma said, staring at Robert.


    Robert, lying on the couch, shook his head and said, "It''s definitely not my fault. After Link arrived in London yesterday, there were already lots of news about you guys rekindling your old flame. I believe many paparazzi wanted to snap photos of you two on a date, so there must have been a bunch of them following your car when you left the house."


    "There were indeed some paparazzi tailing me when I left,"


    Link nodded in agreement.


    Emma snorted quietly, put her hand behind her back, and sneakily stretched it toward him, gently pinching his waist.


    "Hey, Emma Link, there are rumors online that you guys dated last year, is it true?" asked Bonnie, the actress with a laugh. She played Ginny Weasley, Blond Ron''s sister, in Harry Potter.


    "Bonnie, do you even need to ask? Just look at them now, practically glued together. It''s clear their relationship isn''t innocent," Robert said with a wink and a mischievous smile.


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    Emma''s face turned cold, and she picked up the fruit knife from the table.


    Robert jumped in fright, fell back on the carpet, and after getting up, he hugged Daniel to use him as a human shield.


    Emma glanced at him and said while peeling an apple, "Yes, Link and I dated. When we were together last year, there was no Taylor in the picture. After I finished filming and had to return to Britain, considering all the inconveniences, we decided to break up temporarily."


    Link nodded; what Emma said was true.


    When he was dating Emma last year, he was just friends with Taylor. Only after his relationship with Emma was exposed by the media did Taylor suddenly call, wanting to be his girlfriend.


    In a way, Emma was the matchmaker between him and Taylor.


    "Emma, did you dump Link? How could you let go of such an amazing boyfriend?" another actress asked in surprise.


    "We broke up amicably," Emma explained with a wrinkled nose.


    "Yes!"


    Link said, spreading his hands, "I''m a boxer from Miami, and Emma is an actress from London. For us to keep going in the long run, there would be a lot of issues we can''t resolve for now, so we broke up."


    "That''s a pity. It would be great if you were still together."


    "Yes, you two look like a perfect match."


    The guests at the party babbled on.


    "Hey, Emma, can I ask you a personal question?"


    Bonnie, the actress, whispered in Emma''s ear, "The news says Link is pretty amazing in that department, is it true?"


    Only her voice was a tad loud, and everyone around heard it.


    Robert, Malfoy, and a few other boys immediately objected, calling the topic boring and asking the girls to stop discussing it.


    The girls mocked the boys for their inferiority complex and didn''t want to talk about adult topics.


    Hearing them joke around, Link did not join in the conversation, but suddenly his phone vibrated in his pocket, prompting him to stand up and walk to the window to answer the call.


    The caller was Wallace.


    He said a few paparazzi had disguised themselves as delivery people and snuck into the apartment building, probably aiming to take secret photos.


    Moreover, on the rooftops of some buildings opposite, cameras with long-range lenses spied on them.


    Wallace warned him to be careful.


    Link looked through the window and indeed saw several figures on the rooftop of the building diagonally opposite.


    He couldn''t help but remark that the British paparazzi were indeed quite crazy.

 Chapter 221 Wiretapping

    "Shit!"On the street, Gary watched as Link''s car drove away and kicked a metal trash can on the curb, causing a few water bottles to jump out.


    To blend into the building, he had spent two hundred pounds on a delivery person''s outfit, but just after he entered, Link left with his bodyguards. All that effort for nothing.


    "Damn, I ran up and down over twenty floors of stairs, I''m exhausted. Bernard, do we continue following them?"


    Charlotte came over with a tool bag on her back, her face sweaty and her expression annoyed.


    Gary adjusted his glasses and sighed softly, unsure of what to do.


    Entertainment journalists are somewhat like gold miners; whether they strike it rich often depends on luck.


    Like his boss Joseph, who was just a minor journalist over a decade ago.


    Once, bored after work, he was walking along the Thames and just happened to encounter Princess Diana and her lover meeting on Waterloo Bridge. With a gentle press of his camera shutter, he won a prize of fifty thousand pounds, and now he''s the editor of the entertainment section.


    Gary didn''t want to remain a minor journalist. He aimed for a promotion and a raise, to be a cut above the rest, and the scandal between Link and Emma was a perfect opportunity.


    "Let''s rest for now, we have another day tomorrow. We''ll see how things go then."


    Gary waved goodbye to Charlotte and, feeling somewhat tired, got into his car.


    Ding-a-ling!


    The phone rang, and he picked it up to see it was a call from the thief Biggs.


    "What is it?"


    "Hehe, you sound really down. Was your trip wasted?"


    Biggs asked with a strange laugh.


    "Cut the crap, just spit it out."


    "Hehe, don''t be so fiery. I''ve got good news, I promise it''ll cheer you up instantly... Okay, I''ll cut to the chase, do you know where I was half an hour ago? I was in Link''s bedroom."


    "Oh? You managed to get into the room Link was staying in?"


    Gary said, surprised.


    "Of course, don''t forget who I am. I''m the thief Biggs; there''s no door I can''t open. Guess what I left in his room? Hehe, it''s a listening device that lets me hear his phone calls. From now on, as long as he makes a call, I''ll be able to hear everything he says, know all his secrets, how about that?"


    Biggs said excitedly.


    Gary frowned. "Installing a listening device in someone else''s room secretly, that''s committing a crime."


    He had just disguised himself as a delivery person to enter the building, which was also a crime, but compared to installing a listening device, it was much less severe.


    "A crime?!"


    Biggs''s voice suddenly sharpened.


    "I''ve robbed banks several times and spent seven or eight years in prison. Are you telling me this is a crime? I know what crime is better than you do. Hey, are you in or out? If you''re out, I''ll find someone else; I believe many people are interested in my proposal now."


    Gary sighed; indeed, compared to robbing banks, installing a listening device seemed like a trivial matter.


    He thought for a moment and decided to keep collaborating with Biggs.


    Many of his peers were keeping an eye on Link, and to dig up something useful from him, merely following him might not suffice. They needed some unconventional methods, even those not permitted by law.


    "All right, Biggs, in about half an hour, Link will probably return to the London Tower Hotel. Keep an eye on that place and contact me if anything happens."


    "Hehe, don''t worry. From now on, I''ll listen intently to every word Link says. However, I need some money first to buy the equipment and clothes, and for food and drink. I think two thousand pounds is a good number."


    Biggs said.


    "Two thousand? No, at most one thousand."


    "Alright, one thousand works. When will you bring it over?"


    "Wait for it!"


    Gary hung up the phone annoyed. Now he hadn''t gathered any news but had spent money instead. Suddenly, he felt that following Link might not be such a good idea.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Back at the hotel, Link finished showering in the bathroom and changed into lightweight workout clothes.


    Just as he was about to head to the training center, he received a message. Taylor sent him a text asking what he was doing.


    Link replied that he had just come back from a party and was about to go work out.


    Taylor asked him what kind of party.


    Link told her honestly.


    "A ''Harry Potter'' cast party? Did Emma Watson not go?"


    "She did!"


    "Hmph! Hmph! Hmph!"


    "Have you turned into a pig?"


    "You''re the pig. Emma Watson is your ex, isn''t she? Did old flames reignite after you two met? Tell me, confess and I''ll forgive you."


    "Taylor Swift, aren''t you a bit too idle today? You don''t think that when I''m not by your side, I''m fooling around with other women, do you?" Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "I didn''t say that, you said it. You just admitted it yourself."


    Taylor sent in the message.


    Link read it and felt helpless, "Sorry to disappoint you, but it was just a regular get-together with friends, a dozen people, oh, and there were hundreds of paparazzi outside."


    "Got it, if there hadn''t been paparazzi watching, you definitely would have cheated, right?" Taylor asked. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link sent a few slapping emojis, "Go ahead and slander me. I''ll teach you a lesson when I get back."


    "You dare!"


    Taylor sent three punching fists emojis. "Seriously though, sometimes I kind of hope to see scandals about you in the news, seeing you cheating on me with other women. It would hurt me, and maybe that hurt would inspire a few songs. Why don''t you try it out?"


    Link was rendered speechless by her proposal, feeling like he was being treated as a bug to be exploited.


    "Alright, I''ll give it a try."


    "Smile.jpg"


    "Are you threatening me?"


    "Smile.jpg"


    Link shook his head, asking her how her songwriting was going.


    Taylor said she lacked inspiration.


    Link teased her, mentioning that she had once said she might feel inspired when she missed him after he left. Now that she didn''t feel inspired, it showed she didn''t miss him much, and she should reflect deeply on that.


    After chatting for a while, he put away his phone and drove to the nearby training center to exercise.


    "Shit! Why can''t I hear anything?"


    In a suite on the third floor of the hotel, Biggs had been listening for a while. Apart from the sound of a door closing earlier, he couldn''t hear anything else.


    He thought for a moment, then picked up his equipment bag and sneaked back to Link''s room, installing two more listening devices in the suite''s living room.


    He refused to believe that he still wouldn''t be able to hear anything this time.


    Three hours later, as Link returned from his training, Biggs heard Link''s voice in his earphones and burst into laughter.


    But the next second, he heard the hotel manager''s voice telling Link that someone had been seen sneaking up to the sixth floor on the surveillance cameras. For safety reasons, the hotel wanted to recheck his room.


    A few seconds later, a harsh buzzing sound came through the earphones as the two listening devices were uprooted.


    Biggs cursed loudly, annoyed at the hotel manager''s meddling.


    Fortunately, the listening device by the door hadn''t been discovered, and no one would guess that he had placed a listening device around the corner of the door.


    "Hehe! Link, just wait. Once I get something on you, I''m going to blackmail you good."


    Biggs put his earphones back on.


    Bang! The sound of a door closing came through the earphones, and Biggs frustratingly dug at his ear.

 Chapter 222 Before the Match Starts

    "I''m off to work."In the morning, inside an apartment in the eastern part of the city, Officer Reed devoured some bread and stood up, picking up the cap on the table.


    "Dad, can I have a pair of roller skates? Tom downstairs has them."


    His son Harry looked up and said crisply.


    "You''re only five years old; roller skating is too dangerous. I''ll buy them for you next year."


    Officer Reed said with a slight headache.


    "Alright!"


    Harry pouted his little mouth, looking somewhat disappointed, and used his fork to break apart a small biscuit.


    Officer Reed ruffled his soft hair, "Make a wish, maybe it''ll come true this Christmas."


    Little Harry blinked his big eyes, saw him nodding, then excitedly closed his eyes and quietly told Santa he wanted a pair of roller skates, preferably blue, like the color of his dad''s uniform.


    "Reed, here are some sandwiches I made for you, take them for lunch."


    His wife Jenny came out of the kitchen wearing an apron, holding a yellow paper bag in her hand.


    "No need, no need, they''re providing lunch at the gym."


    Officer Reed waved his hand and put on his hat.


    "Take it just in case, the boxed lunches are small, and I worry you won''t have enough to eat."


    Persuaded by Jenny, Officer Reed took the paper bag, left the apartment, got into the police car parked at the roadside, and on the way, picked up his colleague Charlie from the next street; the two drove to the O2 arena on the Greenwich Peninsula.


    Today was the day of the WBA/WBC boxing match, scheduled for two-thirty in the afternoon.


    It was just after nine in the morning, yet many people had already gathered around the arena.


    Among them were employees of the arena, who needed to clean the venue again before the match.


    The security staff would also use professional equipment to check the venue to ensure the match could proceed normally.


    The ticket inspectors too were seated at the windows, doing some preparatory work. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Several TV station employees were also there with their broadcasting equipment, setting up early inside the venue.


    Beyond these people, there were many street vendors selling fruits, drinks, food, and souvenirs.


    Officer Reed had seen on the news yesterday that this match would generate revenue of no less than a hundred million pounds for the surrounding area. Initially, he thought this figure was exaggerated.


    Seeing these vendors, as well as the surrounding fully booked hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, and the constant flow of taxis and buses,


    He thought that number might be an underestimate.


    "Charlie, keep an eye on things here; I''m going to use the restroom."


    Officer Reed tapped the car window and said to his colleague, who was reading the newspaper in the passenger seat.


    "Okay!"


    Their work for the day wasn''t too demanding; mainly, they were to stand by the street at the north gate, maintain the order of entry and exit, prevent disturbances, and also deter the local thieves.


    Officer Reed entered a public restroom by the street, and taking a call, said, "Louise, I''m on duty on the street; it''s inconvenient for me to take calls right now. What''s up?"


    "Damn it, Reed, you haven''t been over in five days. Have you found another woman? Is it Lucina?"


    Lover Louise shouted dissatisfiedly; her voice was a bit coarse, and her appearance was average, her sturdy body resembling that of a farm woman, but Reed liked this type about her.


    "Louise, don''t get any ideas. The O2 arena is hosting a boxing championship, and we need extra patrols. I''ve been busy till midnight every day. I''ll come over once it''s done,"


    Officer Reed explained.


    "You better not have another woman; if you fool around, I won''t let it go. Also, I saw a dress at Prada, the same one Anne Hathaway had; I want to buy it, it costs 600 pounds. Bring the money next time you come."


    "600 pounds?!"


    Officer Reed couldn''t help but rub his forehead.


    "Louise, we are just ordinary people, stop trying to wear Prada like those rich ladies. I think those lesser-known brands are also fine. There''s a department store on York Street owned by Huaxia, their clothes are even better quality than those luxury brands."


    "Reed, you don''t even have six hundred pounds? Did you give it to another woman?


    Damn Reed, when you first seduced me, you said you would always adore me and spend all your money on me; now you won''t even spare six hundred pounds?


    Alright, forget it, I''ll go to Edward; that damn fool is always staring at my ass; I think he''ll surely buy me Prada."


    "No, dear Louise, please don''t do that, Edward is just a pig head; he doesn''t deserve you. Alright, I took a part-time job recently, I''ll bring you the money once I earn it."


    After pacifying his lover, Officer Reed breathed a sigh of relief, hung up the phone, and called reporter Bernard Gary to ask if he had made any progress yesterday.


    He had been busy at the station the previous day and didn''t participate in tracking Link.


    He heard that Gary and Charlotte both went, and he wanted to know if they had managed to snap photos of Link and Emma Watson on a date.


    Gary disappointedly informed him they hadn''t; Link was too cowardly, seeing too many paparazzi downstairs, he didn''t dare to stay and had left early; they had wasted their whole day.


    Reed could tell from Gary''s tone that he was disappointed, so he encouraged him to keep going.


    As long as Link was still in London, there was always the possibility of him dating Emma Watson again. Men always desire what they can''t have even more.


    Gary thought his advice made sense and asked him to keep an eye out de the arena; he would also be coming over later.


    After hanging up, Officer Reed got back into the police car, only to see his colleague Charlie counting money, a thick stack, around four to five hundred pounds.


    "Where did that money come from?"


    "Hehe, someone sent a gift."


    Charlie took out two hundred pounds and handed it over, saying it was for those who saw it.


    Then Charlie explained that it was a favor from the ticket scalper, Raymond.


    Three days ago, the sports arena had started selling tickets, and Raymond, through his connections, managed to snatch up over five hundred tickets.


    The ticket prices were divided into five categories based on the distance from the seats to the boxing ring: 100 pounds, 200 pounds, 500 pounds, 1000 pounds, and 2000 pounds.


    The news reported that the first batch of 18,000 tickets released by the sports arena were sold out in just 21 minutes.


    Many people who wanted to watch the boxing match onsite but didn''t have tickets had no choice but to turn to scalpers.


    Now, the black market ticket prices had risen by at least 50%, and the highest-priced VIP seats were already going for more than 5000 pounds and were still hard to come by.


    "It went up that much? Raymond must be making tens of thousands of pounds this time, right?"


    Officer Reed asked in surprise.


    "At least thirty thousand pounds."


    Charlie said, swinging his finger.


    Officer Reed felt somewhat envious. That was thirty thousand pounds, equivalent to half a year''s salary for him.


    The sun was gradually rising, and the pearl-like dome of the O2 sports arena shimmered in the sunlight, looking like a bright pearl lost on the banks of the Rhine River.


    The pedestrians and vehicles on the surrounding streets were also growing denser, converging from all directions towards the sports arena, like rivers flowing into the sea.


    Officer Reed and his colleague couldn''t focus on chitchat; they put on sunglasses and stood in the densely populated areas, their eyes scanning around.


    Although their gazes were aimless and even somewhat unfocused, to the ordinary eye they appeared to be engaged in a serious task, providing a great sense of security.


    The first to enter the arena were mostly tourists and locals from the regular seating area, who had taken buses and subways, then walked to the sports complex.


    This group was the largest, numbering tens of thousands.


    By the afternoon, there were increasingly more luxury cars on the streets¡ªFerraris, Maseratis, Rolls-Royce Silver Spurs, and so on.


    Officer Reed also spotted many celebrities in the crowd, including Prince Andrew and Harry who came in a McLaren, members of the House of Commons, the city police chief, sports department officials, and others.


    There were also stars like Keira Knightley, Adele, and several actors from the "Harry Potter" movies, such as Daniel, Robert, and Emma Watson.


    There were also several sports stars, including the Beckhams, boxing champions Lennox Lewis, Joe Calzaghe, Frank Bruno, Chris Eubank, and so on.


    Some of the celebrities wore baseball caps and large sunglasses, covering their faces completely, making them unrecognizable to Officer Reed.


    "So many celebrities, are they all here to watch Carl and Link''s boxing match?"


    Charlie said, looking towards the entrance.


    Officer Reed shook his head, "Last December, Carl had a match against Jean Pascal here, and there were less than ten thousand spectators. I reckon most of these people are here for Link."


    "Link''s fame is indeed massive. I even have his album at home. Can you believe a singer became a boxing champion, is the Golden Belt that easy to get?"


    Charlie asked. Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "You got it wrong. Link became a boxing champion before he was a singer."


    Officer Reed then shared what he knew and what he had heard from Charlotte a few days ago about Link''s achievements and news.


    Things like Olympic champion, seven-time world swimming champion, becoming the world boxing champion in ten minutes, and global album sales of over ten million copies.


    As they were talking, Gary came from across the street, holding a camera and taking shots of the crowd in front of the sports arena.


    Apart from him, several media reporters were also there, randomly interviewing spectators, asking where they came from, whose boxing fans they were, and who they hoped would win.


    "Hey, James!"


    Gary shouted from across the street, casually taking a couple of photos of Reed and Charlie.


    "Anything unusual or particularly interesting happen here today?"


    Reporter Gary shouted.


    "All''s well, buddy!"


    "Oh, that''s too bad."


    Gary said regretfully, preferring the chaos over the peace beloved by the police. The more chaotic, the more newsworthy, and they would be able to meet their monthly interview targets and earn the top salary.


    "But I saw Emma Watson, and also Keira Knightley, Adele; Link really is a popular bastard."


    Officer Reed said, his hand resting on his belt.


    Gary shook his head, "There are too many people here, hard to keep an eye on them. Oh well, let''s leave it to luck. If we can''t catch them on a date, guess it''s not our day to strike it rich."


    Beep beep!


    A horn beeped through the street as two Mercedes vans drove from the north and stopped at the north entrance.


    Two burly men in black suits, wearing sunglasses, got out and looked around, followed by a lean, muscular young man with black hair, in his early twenties, handsome, with a gentle demeanor, bright clear blue eyes, and a slight smile, seeming in good spirits.


    Officer Reed and Gary exchanged glances¡ªLink Baker had arrived.


    Gary quickly raised his camera and snapped a photo of Link.


    Link, hearing the noise, greeted, "Good afternoon, gentlemen!"


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Baker!"


    Officer Reed replied, tipping his hat, thinking to himself that if they could capture a photo of him on a date with Emma Watson and make a fortune, his mood would be even better.

 Chapter 223 Link Takes a Step Back from Being Hit

    Link arrived at the entrance of the O2 Arena and answered questions from a few reporters. Just as he was about to go inside, he saw his opponent Carl Franke''s convoy arrive. He turned his head to size up the other party, and also recalled his opponent''s profile.32 years old, 185 cm tall, with a reach of 186 cm. He debuted in ''02 and currently has a record of 26 wins, 1 loss, with 24 victories coming by way of knockout. The only defeat was last year when he fought for the WBA European championship and lost to Mikkel Kessler.


    Later, he avenged this loss in the WBC world championship fight and beat champions such as Jean Pascal and Jermain Taylor.


    His nickname ''The Cobra''. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire


    His jab is extremely fast and tricky.


    His fighting style is fierce; the more he fights, the stronger he becomes, excelling in bloody, ferocious battles.


    As Link looked over, Carl Franke also glanced at him a few times and nodded in his direction.


    Link nodded back in acknowledgment, then led his support team into the pearl-shaped dome of the stadium.


    The fight was to start at two in the afternoon.


    Reporters Gary and detective Charlotte also entered the venue right on schedule. When they reached the back row of the spectator seats, the stadium was packed full.


    Centered around the blue ring in the middle, from the VIP seats below the ring to the last few steps, there were people everywhere.


    About 28,000 people.


    This is the maximum capacity for a boxing event at the O2 Arena.


    In the stands, many young people were holding Link''s posters: boxing posters, singer posters, and even Link''s fitness posters, which were not widely distributed and came with the luxury edition of the album.


    When Link made his entrance, all his fans shouted loudly, cheering ''Go Link!'' and ''King of Boxing Link!'' Some were urging him to fight hard and win more Golden Belts to raffle off to them.


    But this is London, Britain.


    When Carl Franke made his entrance, the cheers were even louder, and the applause was more enthusiastic.


    More than twenty thousand people were cheering for Carl Franke, hoping he would defeat Link and keep the WBA and WBC Super Middleweight Golden Belts in the country.


    "Emma Watson is over there!"


    Charlotte said, pointing to the front row seats while holding binoculars. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gary lifted his camera and looked, Emma Watson was wearing a blue dress with her hair tied back in a golden ponytail.


    Next to her sat Harry Potter, Gold-hair Wayne, and young master Malfoy, all of whom were concentrating on Link in the ring and whispering to each other.


    "Keira Knightley is over there!"


    Charlotte pointed to another spot.


    "Never mind Keira for now; the rumors about her and Link are fabricated by us media folks, and Keira has a boyfriend now," Gary said.


    To capture valuable material, they needed to eliminate a few distractions before acting, and Keira Knightley was one of them.


    Charlotte shrugged her shoulders and lifted her binoculars again, focusing her gaze on the boxing ring.


    Up on the ring, Link was wearing red boxing shorts with his name ''LINK'' embroidered in white silk threads on the waistband, and fitting red gloves, as he took part in an interview with the hosts from BBC Television and the European Television sports channel.


    His opponent, native British boxer Carl Franke, was in black shorts and black gloves, and his coach was speaking to him on the side, with him nodding occasionally.


    From a height perspective, Link looked a bit taller, but his muscles were more evenly distributed, making his physique appear not as bulky as his opponent, Carl Franke.


    "Bernard, who do you think will win?"


    Charlotte asked, putting down her binoculars.


    "It should be Link; the guy KO''d Mikkel Kessler in 101 seconds, Jermain Taylor in 98 seconds, and Jean Pascal in 42 seconds. Although Carl also beat them, he didn''t do it as effortlessly."


    "If only Carl could win, I bet 100 pounds on him," Charlotte said.


    "How high are the odds?"


    "For Link to win, it''s 1 to 1.05. For Carl to win, it''s 1 to 51.5."


    "That high?"


    Gary exclaimed in surprise.


    He had only heard about the time Tyson and James Douglas had a match with odds exceeding 1:50.


    In that upset, Tyson lost, and many who had bet on Douglas made a fortune. It was rumored that Tyson had bet on him too.


    "If Link bet one million on himself and then deliberately lost the match, he could make fifty million?"


    Gary guessed.


    "The betting companies aren''t that stupid; they investigate the identity of anyone placing large bets in detail. Moreover, given Link''s current status and value, he wouldn''t do something that damages his reputation,"


    Charlotte said.


    Ding ding!


    The bell for the match sounded, and all the presenters and staffers on the ring stepped down, leaving only Link, Carl Franke, and the ring referee.


    Charlotte immediately lifted her binoculars, focusing on the ring.


    "Boxing!"


    The referee gave the command, and the match began.


    Link and Carl Franke touched gloves and then started moving their feet, constantly changing positions.


    "Come on! Go Link!"


    "Go Franke! Franke for the win!"


    The live audience also started shouting loudly.


    Amid the cheers of the crowd, Carl Franke was the first to launch an attack, his fists flying like shuttles, hammering down on Link without giving him a chance to strike back¡ªheavier and fiercer with each punch.


    Link raised his fists high, nimbly moving his feet, continuously dodging.


    In under fifty seconds, Carl Franke had thrown 87 punches.


    At the 52-second mark, Carl Franke used rope-a-dope strategy, cornering Link to the edge of the ring. Taking advantage of Link''s inability to reposition himself, he pierced through Link''s defenses with several consecutive punches, one of them landing on Link''s cheek.


    Link stepped back from the blow.


    "Wow!"


    The audience let out a huge gasp with that punch.


    It was said that Link had incredibly high boxing skills; he usually needed only a few dozen seconds or rounds to beat others on the ring and was rarely hit in the face.


    But this time, he was struck on the cheek by Carl Franke and even staggered.


    The British fans in the audience started shouting excitedly.


    "Come on, Carl!"


    "Carl will win!"


    "Carl, you''re the best!"


    The shouts from the crowd grew louder and more intense.


    Amidst the cheers of tens of thousands of spectators, Carl Franke fought even harder, his fists moving faster than shuttles, often throwing four or five punches in a second.


    Even the live commentary became excited.


    Mr. Edward Campbell from the BBC stood in front of the camera, speaking in an extremely provocative voice that Carl Franke was now possessed by Pacquiao, displaying all of boxing''s speed and ferocity.


    The commentators suggested that before the match, everyone believed Link would win, but now there seemed to be a twist in the fight.


    The scale of victory was tipping in favor of Carl Franke.


    ''The undefeated champion'' Link Baker might taste defeat for the first time at the O2 Arena.


    From a distance, Charlotte glanced at the live broadcaster and said in surprise to Gary, "Is Link going to lose?"


    Gary, watching the match on the ring, was also unsure about the situation.


    "Not sure, but the papers from the United States said that Link has been busy selling albums for the past few months, with no time for training. It was reported that his strength noticeably declined during his match with Andre Rael, so it''s possible he might lose."


    "If Link loses, that would be great for me; I bet one hundred pounds on Carl, with odds of 51 to 1, which means five thousand pounds!"


    The more Charlotte spoke, the more excited she became, yelling towards the ring.


    "Go Carl!"


    "Carl must win!"


    At that moment, she joined the cries of over ten thousand British fans. When their voices fused together, they made the dome of the O2 Arena buzz with vibrations.

 Chapter 224 Truly a Formidable Opponent

    "Link is going to lose?""No, come on Link!"


    In the eastern section of the arena, Emma Watson shouted loudly.


    "Emma, don''t forget you''re British, you should be cheering for Carl."


    Robert teased her.


    "Cut the crap, shout!"


    "It''s useless, everyone is cheering for Carl now; only a few of us are cheering for Link, it''s not making any difference. But I think it''s only right that Link is losing; after all, he''s now a singer and doesn''t have time to train in boxing. I heard he''s also got several girlfriends; it''s inevitable that his performance would drop."


    Robert shrugged his shoulders and laughed.


    "Nonsense, Link won''t lose."


    Emma slapped him lightly.


    "Yes, come on Link!"


    Daniel clasped his hands and shouted toward the stage.


    Robert looked at him helplessly, thinking he was a bit simple-minded.


    "Wow, this is my first time coming to a live match, and I never imagined the atmosphere at a boxing match would be this intense."


    Adele said to Keira Knightley next to her.


    She was still wearing her pretty dress, with her exquisite makeup done, and her brown big wavy hair, with eyelashes like fans on either side.


    "It''s my first time watching a boxing match live as well. Watching people fight up close is indeed thrilling."


    Keira Knightley supported her chin and laughed.


    "Oh no, Link has been hit again, he isn''t really going to lose, is he?"


    Adele clapped her hands and said, restraining her emotions to protect her voice, without joining the audience in yelling.


    Keira Knightley pursed her lips and smiled: "Isn''t it good if he loses, he''s American."


    "Haha, you''re right, if he loses, our country''s boxer gets another Golden Belt; if he wins, well, we''ll congratulate him. So no matter who wins or loses, it''s all good for us."


    Adele laughed. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bang!


    At 105 seconds into the first round, under Carl Franke''s fierce attacks, Link was hit again and his back slammed against the ropes.


    Boom!


    Seeing him being pushed back by Carl Franke again, the British crowd in the venue got even more excited, and shouts of ''Go Carl,'' ''Carl must win'' were thunderous, causing the eardrums of those in the front rows to buzz from the noise.


    "What''s happening, why is Link''s performance so weak today?"


    Frank Bruno, known as the ''British Boxing King'' and former WBA Heavyweight champion, loudly asked while plugging his ears.


    Lennox Lewis, with his arms folded, looking at the match on the stage, said, "This might be his tactic."


    "I don''t think so."


    Chris Eubank, the famous British boxer, said, "This might be the real strength of Link. Previously, he only fought in the United States, in professional matches. With the media''s hype, his ability was greatly exaggerated, transformed into an invincible boxer, a superhero boxer, an undefeated boxer, like a big bubble.


    Last year, when I heard the news that he jumped three classes and defeated Tyson, I felt something was off. Now, it seems like that was just a fake match concocted by the promotional company to boost Link''s fame."


    "Not likely, even if his match with Tyson was a bit staged, but defeating Miko Kessler in 101 seconds, Jermain Taylor in 98 seconds, and Pascal, those matches couldn''t possibly be fake."


    Lennox Lewis, with his arms folded, shook his head as he spoke.


    "I think the venue could be a factor."


    Frank Bruno said, "I heard Link likes to fight home matches; every time he fights at home, he would perform spectacularly, such as in the Gold Glove Championship finals. Now, coming to London facing Carl on his turf, it''s understandable if he performs somewhat worse."


    "Another thing, this guy has clearly slacked off in his training after getting the WBA title. Look at him these past two days in London, constantly attending shows, press conferences, friend gatherings, and I even heard he went to a fashion show."


    Chris Eubank shook his head, "The most important thing for a boxer is focus, focusing on training, focusing on matches. When a boxer stops focusing on boxing, their decline in strength is inevitable."


    Lennox Lewis didn''t argue and turned to Joe Calzaghe, who was attentively watching the match: "Joe, what do you think?"


    Joe Calzaghe, former WBA-WBC-WBO-IBF Super Middleweight world champion, said: "I''m not sure, I''ve watched every match of Link, including amateur ones. He''s better in defense than in offense, but today his defense seems to have significant gaps. I''m not sure if it''s his tactic or if Carl''s offense is too sharp for him to handle."


    Wow!


    At 135 seconds, Carl Franke broke through Link''s defense with his fists, aiming a punch at Link''s face, only slowing down slightly, the fist just grazing past his face.


    The crowd let out a disappointed sigh.


    If that punch hadn''t been dodged, Link would have definitely been knocked down. Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    "130 seconds! Only 50 seconds left in the first round, this is a number never seen in Link''s Super Middleweight fights before; Carl is creating a miracle."


    BBC presenter Edward Campbell said excitedly to the camera.


    "Link, you''re fighting terribly, can''t you keep your fists from blocking your head, throw some punches!!"


    In a Fight Club in Las Vegas, United States, Tyson watched the live broadcast on TV, cursing angrily.


    Next to him, ''Quickfire'' champion Chris Byrd glanced at him, took a sip of beer, and asked, "There''s a lot of media saying that last year''s match between you and Link was fixed, is that true?"


    Tyson, showing his gold teeth, said: "Bullshit, that match had a prize of 10 million, split seventy-thirty. If I could have beaten him, why wouldn''t I have taken the larger share?"

 Chapter 224 Truly a Formidable Opponent Part 2

    "Is Link really that fierce? This guy started provoking a few of us in amateur competitions, and I''ve always felt he''s all talk."''Lights Out'' James Toney lay on the couch like a Buddha, stroking his belly as he asked.


    Tyson grinned, glancing at the two men.


    "You haven''t retired yet, so you could totally fight him. Right now, this guy''s fame is top three in boxing, and his appearance fees are high too. Even if you lose against him, there''s money to be made."


    "I have that plan. If his strength is just as it seems, I''ll let him know how sinister the boxing world can be."


    Chris Byrd swung his fist and grinned.


    "Unbelievable! I don''t even know how Link has turned into this. When he fought me, his punches were fierce, and I felt like vomiting blood when I was hit. Now, he''s changed into this."


    Tyson saw Link being forced to step back again and cursed under his breath.


    "Heh, I''ve heard he has a lot of scandalous girlfriends. Maybe he''s been learning from you, getting his legs softened by women."


    James Toney said with a sly smile.


    "Nonsense! I would never get weak knees."


    Tyson glared at him, and upon hearing an ''oh'' from the TV, quickly turned back, only to see Link staggering, nearly falling down.


    "Crap! This guy has definitely regressed. Before, no one could make him retreat."


    Tyson cursed loudly.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Is Link about to lose?"


    In Las Vegas, in a top-level promotion company''s lounge, Bob Arum spoke while watching the TV.


    Greg Cohen shook his head and sighed, "What''s happened to this guy? When I first saw him, he was full of confidence in boxing, even told me his goal was to surpass Mayweather and De La Hoya to become the unparalleled boxing champion. Now to see him like this, it''s a real shame."


    "This is Lou Duva''s fault," said Bob Arum holding a cigar. "The more talented the boxer, the stronger the management should be. You have to tie him down with contracts, make him obey, to prevent any accidents. But Dino didn''t do that. He gave Link too much freedom, letting him mess around in the music industry and Hollywood, taking up a lot of his training time. It''s come back to bite him."


    Bob Arum drew on his cigar, slowly blowing a smoke ring.


    "Yeah, Dino isn''t a good agent. If Link had signed with our top promotion, it would never have gotten this far. Also, Link is a bit too arrogant. He acted like he was the best in the world at only twenty years old. Clearly, he lacks experience. Hopefully, today''s match will teach him that lesson."


    Greg Cohen shook his head and sighed.


    But he felt a sense of relief. Ever since Link became a top boxer, people praised Franco Duvall for having an eye for talent, for discovering a gem like Link.


    And yet, he''d become an example of what not to do, for not daring to agree to Link''s proposed 70% share and that had become one of the stains on his career.


    If Link lost today and couldn''t get back on his feet afterward, he would have the chance to wash away that stain.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Cough cough~ Nora, when Frank comes back from London, talk to him. Tell him to spend more time on Link''s mental coaching, to make Link spend more time on training instead of fooling around in showbiz."


    In the Duva Family mansion in New York, Lou Duva said to his daughter-in-law Nora Duwa.


    Nora nodded while watching the TV, but then said, "That might be difficult, Link is also very successful as a singer."


    "Don''t worry, I can see that Link loves boxing the most. For boxing, I think he''ll agree." Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Lou Duva said.


    "Hey!"


    Dino Duva, squatting in front of the TV, turned around and rolled his eyes, "The first round isn''t even over, and you''ve already decided Link is going to lose. Isn''t that a bit rash? What if this is Link''s tactic? Don''t forget he''s a master tactician."


    "Whether it''s a tactic or not, his decline is obvious."


    Lou Duva said, gasping for breath.


    Dino shrugged, and with even Lou Duva saying Link had regressed, he couldn''t argue.


    Perhaps Link really had declined; after all, he had to make movies, release albums, and chase girls. It would be normal if he regressed.


    "But I''ve heard the odds on Link losing are 1:51. Could he be throwing the match?"


    Dino said, stroking his chin, "If that''s true, he''s really not playing fair. He should''ve invited me to join in."


    Seeing Link''s weak performance on the stage, not only did Dino suspect he was throwing the match, but many people in the arena at the O2 also harbored the same suspicion.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Bernard, it would be awesome if Link really is throwing the match; I stand to win 5,000 pounds out of this."


    In the spectator seats, Charlotte said excitedly to the reporter Gary beside her.


    "Congratulations then!"


    Gary, with his camera ready, stood in the aisle, taking pictures of the audience shouting ''Come on, Carl!''


    This match wasn''t just a showdown between WBA champion Link and WBC champion Carl, it was also a clash between the top super-middleweight boxers from Britain and the United States. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Carl could defeat the invincible champion Link in this fight, it would be a joyous occasion for all British boxing fans.


    And those loudly cheering for Carl in the audience deserved media coverage.


    Wow!!


    Suddenly, a wave-like exclamation erupted from the crowd, filled with immense shock and astonishment.


    Gary quickly turned his head towards the ring, only to see Carl Froch, who just a moment ago was fiercely attacking, now lying sprawled on the canvas.


    Gary, not daring to believe his eyes, quickly turned back to Charlotte.

 Chapter 224 Truly a Formidable Opponent_3

    "What happened? Tell me quickly, what just happened?"Charlotte pointed at the boxing ring, her mouth moved a few times before she finally spoke, "Just now, Carl continued his fierce attack on Link, and suddenly Link, without dodging, threw a punch from behind, landing squarely on Carl''s face. That punch was extremely fast and ferocious. Carl had no defense against it, and with a loud thud, he was smashed onto the canvas."


    "A punch thrown from behind? The Rear Hook Punch?!"


    "Yes, the Rear Hook Punch!"


    "It''s Link''s Rear Hook Punch!!"


    At this moment, not only did Gary recall Link''s ace move¡ªthe notorious ''Rear Hook Punch''¡ªmany in the audience also remembered this technique.


    The news said that last year, Link used this move to fight his way from the Golden Gloves preliminaries to the Olympics, where he used it so often during the Americas Zone qualifiers that he strained a muscle.


    But the move was so powerful, anyone who got hit by it ended up overturned on the ground.


    However, since entering the professional boxing ring, Link had rarely used this move against others. Today, he suddenly unleashed it and with one punch knocked Carl Franke flat.


    That was something no one expected.


    That was also the reason behind the gasps and cries of astonishment from the tens of thousands in the venue.


    First, everyone knew Link had this move, but nobody expected him to suddenly pull it out here¡ªit was completely unexpected.


    Secondly, although everyone knew about the destructive power of Link''s Rear Hook Punch, they had never seen it with their own eyes.


    Just now, watching Link''s fist come down like a hammer and flip Carl Franke over, that violent visual impact was also incredibly shocking.


    On the ring, Link held his fists tightly, silently watching Carl Franke, who was sprawled on the canvas.


    After taking the punch, Carl did not pass out. He propped himself up on the canvas, gritting his teeth, trying to stand up bit by bit.


    "Come on Carl!"


    "Carl, get up quickly!"


    "Carl, you''re the best!"


    In the stands, tens of thousands of people stood up and shouted in unison, the noise buzzing in Link''s ears.


    "Come on Carl! Hang in there!"


    In the corner of the ring, Carl Froch''s sparring partners also shouted words of encouragement loudly.


    With everyone''s cheers, Carl struggled for six or seven seconds and, as the referee counted down to two, let out a roar and stood firmly on the canvas.


    "Carl!!!"


    The audience on the scene also raised their arms, shouting his name loudly.


    Link nodded in recognition, Carl Franke''s ability to take a punch and his willpower were indeed formidable; he could surely rank within the top three among the boxers Link had fought.


    The referee stood beside Carl, asking if he could continue the match.


    "I can!"


    Carl gasped for air and said, eyes on Link.


    "Boxing!"


    Upon the referee''s instruction, Carl Froch let out a roar and swung his fists, launching another powerful attack on Link.


    "Come on Carl!"


    "Way to go, Carl!"


    "Carl, watch out for his Rear Hook Punch!"


    The British fans on the scene started shouting loudly.


    "Come on, Carl, you''re the best boxer."


    BBC presenter Edward Campbell held the microphone, his voice hoarse as he spoke into the camera lens,


    "Listen, everyone, right now behind me, tens of thousands of fans are cheering for Carl Franke. Because of Carl, all the British boxing fans are closely united. Well done, Carl!"


    "Come on Carl!"


    Charlotte, forgetting she was a detective, also screamed hoarsely.


    But the situation on the ring for Carl was not optimistic. After standing up, he threw his punches and launched a strong attack against Link again.


    This time, however, Link didn''t dodge anymore. He swiftly swung his punches, exchanging blows with Carl.


    Both exchanged punches, blow for blow, flesh to flesh.


    In less than 20 seconds.


    Link threw 57 punches, Carl threw 42.


    The audience watched as if entranced, even forgetting to cheer.


    "This is so thrilling, this is boxing!"


    Charlotte said excitedly.


    Boom!


    171 seconds!


    Link launched a fierce attack, unleashing six heavy punches in a row, and Carl, unable to dodge in time, slammed into the ropes with his back.


    Link pressed forward, a Swing Punch breaking through Carl''s defense, solidly striking his cheek.


    Carl''s head snapped from the punch, his body twisting half-round before crashing heavily to the ground.


    Whoa!! Seeing Carl hit the deck, the crowd finally snapped back to reality, letting out a gasp of astonishment.


    "10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1!"


    This time, there was no miracle. The referee counted down from ten, and Carl struggled a few times but couldn''t get up.


    Link had won the match.


    "Yeah! Link won!"


    The fans of Link on-site cheered loudly, though much quieter compared to those rooting for Carl.


    "Ah! Carl lost! Damn Link is just too strong."


    Charlotte shrugged and said.


    "Carl didn''t do bad, nobody has lasted 170 seconds against Link before; Carl did it," a spectator said up front.


    Charlotte nodded in agreement.


    Carl went down, and Link won the match; the WBC and WBA Boxing organizations'' chairmen both climbed into the ring to present him the Golden Belt.


    "How do you all see this match?"


    Lennox Lewis turned and asked several of his colleagues.


    The match looked a bit strange. Initially, Carl launched a strong offensive, seemingly having the upper hand, as if he might be able to win.


    Just when everyone started to glimpse hope, Link unleashed a ferocious Rear Hook Punch, shattering that hope completely.


    Lewis wondered what would have happened if that punch hadn''t landed, or if Carl had blocked it?


    "I think Carl''s loss is a bit unjust. If he had been a little more cautious and guarded against Link''s Rear Hook Punch, he likely had a good chance of dragging the match into the second round and increasing his chances of winning," Chris Eubank said.


    Lewis then looked to Frank Bruno.


    Bruno furrowed his brow and stared at the ring, "I''m not quite clear either. It feels like it was a tactic of Link; once the match started and he saw Carl attacking, he chose to stay on the defensive, with tight guard, letting Carl go on the offensive. When Carl started to tire from his attacks, Link suddenly threw a Rear Hook Punch, turning the tide in an instant."


    Joe Calzaghe sighed next to him, "That''s what I think too. I have watched all of Link''s matches, and he has two styles of fighting. If the opponent attacks, he defends, and if the opponent defends, he goes on the offensive. He also likes to lure his opponent into attacking, waiting until they''re exhausted before delivering a cruel blow to end the fight."


    "Are you saying that the weak and retreating poses he was showing in the ring were all an act, deliberately luring Carl to attack?" Chris Eubank asked in surprise.


    Calzaghe nodded, looking at Link who was being interviewed in the ring, "I suspect it''s not just the acting weak; some of the punches Carl landed were also purposefully taken by Link with the intent to give Carl hope of winning, to tempt him to keep attacking and wear himself out."


    "How is that possible?! I can''t believe it, no one would take punches deliberately in the ring," Chris Eubank said with disbelief.


    "It''s true! When I had my rematch with Holyfield, I used the same tactic to lure him into attacking, to drain his stamina as much as possible, and I won in the end," Lennox Lewis said with a shrug.


    "Moreover, though Rear Hook Punches are vicious, they''re slow due to the long distance and easy to dodge. They are relatively easy to land in amateur fights, but in professional bouts, landing them is extremely difficult, which is why Link uses them rarely since turning professional. Today, he first used tactics to draw Carl in, depleting his energy and speed, and only when the time was right did he suddenly launch the Rear Hook Punch and score the hit successfully," said Calzaghe.


    "This guy, really... tough to deal with!"


    Boxing legends Frank Bruno, Chris Eubank, Calzaghe, and Lewis all looked toward Link in the ring with complex expressions.


    If all of this was true, then Link was too cunning. Already a fierce fighter, his guile made him an even more difficult opponent. How could anyone fight against him?


    And this man, who amazed everyone, was only 21 years old this year. How could the world of boxing produce such a character?


    Bruno and the other retired boxers felt relieved they hadn''t faced such an opponent in their day, as it would have been difficult to become champions.


    Yet, they also regretted not having the chance to confront such a formidable adversary.


    To spar with the best is the pursuit of top boxers.


    "Joe, would you fight him?" Lewis asked, looking at Calzaghe.


    Calzaghe looked towards Link on the stage, crowned with two Golden Belts, nodded, and then shook his head.


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    "I''m not sure, but I''d really like to have a match with him. He''s truly a great opponent." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 225 Post-Match Interview

    After the match, Link walked down the boxing ring carrying two golden belts, surrounded by a crowd."Link, well done!"


    Coach Brooks came over and patted his shoulder, "You''re just too good, and you didn''t give me a chance to show my skills."


    Link smiled lightly and said he might need his advice for the next match, and then he took the clothes Anna handed him and put them on.


    Although his body was dripping with sweat, and wearing clothes might be uncomfortable, in September London was a bit chilly. Wearing a coat could keep him warm and prevent his muscles from cooling down too quickly and getting strained.


    "Hey, Link, next time you fight like that, remind me," he almost had a heart attack while watching the match.


    Franco said with a laugh, patting his chest.


    Link laughed out loud and bumped fists with him, "Next time you watch my match, you don''t have to think too much, just know that I will definitely win."


    "Haha, Link, congratulations on your win, you really are a formidable guy."


    Eddie Hearn came through the crowd, dressed in a suit, slightly overweight.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, "How''s Carl, is he injured?"


    "I just checked on him, he''s not too bad, but you really are brutal, not giving Carl any chance."


    Eddie Hearn said helplessly.


    Carl was one of his boxers, and before the match, to counter Link''s tempestuous offensive rhythm, he had summoned all the coaches to discuss how to block Link''s heavy punches and strong attacks, trying to drag the match into the second round.


    After several rounds of negotiation and discussion, the tactic they came up with was to fight speed with speed.


    At the start of the match, they launched an attack on Link, the longer they maintained the attack, the greater their hope of victory.


    Before the match, Carl Froch underwent special training with the coaching team.


    They trained for almost two months.


    They thought this strategy would allow Carl to endure a few more rounds, but unfortunately, he was still caught off guard by Link.


    Link heard this and smiled, saying if it weren''t for trying to earn a higher share of the PPV and to bring a better viewing experience to the live audience, Carl would have lost even faster.


    "Link! You''re the best!"


    "Link, I love you!"


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    In the stands, many fans were still not leaving and were shouting loudly at Link.


    Link waved his hand and walked to the edge of the ring to sign autographs and take photos with the fans.


    Seeing that Keira Knightley and Adele were still there, he went over to chat for a bit and thanked them for coming to support him.


    Adele joked that he had taken the golden belt that rightfully belonged to the Brits, and now they were on opposing sides.


    "Link, BBC presenter Edward Campbell said he wants to interview you on site, do you want to accept?"


    Simon pointed to a middle-aged man in a blue suit holding a microphone below the ring.


    Link nodded, said a word to Keira and Adele, and followed Simon''s lead to the BBC TV camera.


    The match was broadcast jointly by TV stations like BBC and HBO, and participating in this live interview was also part of promoting the match.


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Link Baker,"


    Host Edward Campbell introduced from behind the camera, then holding the microphone he asked, "Mr. Baker, the match has ended, congratulations on becoming the super middleweight champion of both WBA and WBC organizations."


    "Thank you!"


    Link waved at the camera.


    Host Edward asked, "Mr. Baker, are you satisfied with your performance in this match, and if full marks are ten, how many would you give yourself?"


    "Certainly full marks!"


    Edward looked at him in surprise, "Previously, when you fought Mikkel Kessler and Jermain Taylor, it only took about 100 seconds, but today''s fight with Carl took nearly a round, don''t you think you are regressing? Can such performance also deserve full marks?"


    Link shook his head, "It''s not like that, before the match I told the media I would bring everyone a spectacular match, not rushing to finish, so during the match, I tried my best to perform at my best, not minding how long it took.


    At the end of the match, I noticed a lot of people had hoarse voices, which means everyone was really enjoying shouting, and that the match was exciting, wasn''t it?"


    Edward thought about it; during the match, the audience''s emotions were indeed very high, and the shouts were continuous.


    But everyone was cheering for Carl, hoping Carl could defeat him and take the two golden belts, if Carl had succeeded, the match would have been truly spectacular.


    Unfortunately, Link did not cooperate.


    Edward shrugged, continuing to ask, "Many netizens commented that in the match just now, Carl''s performance was better than yours, and if it wasn''t for your successful rear hook punch, Carl might not have lost, do you agree with this point?"


    Link laughed, "Carl did have a chance to win, but it was very small. If you had watched the match carefully, you would understand that Carl''s tactic was to overpower the weak mercilessly.


    Right after the start, he launched a fierce attack on me, aiming to knock me down within the first round, or drag the match into the next round. If he had managed to knock me down in the first round, he would have won;


    If he hadn''t won in the first round, after his strong and fierce attacks, his stamina would decrease, leading to a lack of follow-up strength, and my counterattack would arrive on time.


    My rear hook punch was executed precisely when he was faltering, and it knocked him down right there. It was not a fluke, but a moment I had seen coming and took advantage of. Even without that punch, the winner would have been me."


    Link explained his point earnestly; as an idol boxer, he didn''t want to leave his fans with a bad impression of winning by luck, so it was important to elaborate a bit more.


    Host Edward nodded, "Some netizens asked, after the start of the match, you kept retreating as if feigning weakness, then suddenly executed the rear hook punch. Was this a tactic you had predetermined?"


    Link shook his head and smiled, "Tactics can''t be predetermined, and I''ve never had the habit of planning tactics before the match starts. I usually decide on suitable tactics based on the opponent''s reactions during the match.


    Today Carl went on the offensive, and after he launched the attack, I switched to defense, guarding strictly. In the last ten-plus seconds, when he switched from offense to defense, I switched from defense to offense. This was adapting on the spot, not a preset tactic."


    Edward nodded, "Users say that the match was exciting but too short, and they didn''t have enough, feeling a bit of regret. They hope you can have a rematch with Carl, wanting to see if Carl has a chance to beat you. Have you considered a second fight with Carl?"


    Link laughed, "Maybe there will be one. I am now the WBA-WBC champion. If Carl wants the golden belts, he''ll have to challenge me. Then everyone can witness it."


    "Alright, Mr. Baker, thank you for the interview, and congratulations again on winning the match,"


    host Edward said.


    "Many thanks! And once again, thank you everyone for your support!"


    Link shook hands with him and waved at the camera, then turned and left the match venue. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 226 Stars Holding the Moon

    "Hehe, my dear father, did you see that? Link''s weakness and retreat were all tactics, not a setback. What do you have to say now?"In New York, Dino Duva turned to old Duva with a grin on his face after watching the interview on TV.


    Old Duva glared at him fiercely and cursed, "Unfilial son!" then stormed off with his cane.


    "Dad''s getting on in years, why do you have to anger him?"


    Nora chided.


    Dino grinned, saying nonchalantly, "I bet he''s not really angry. Right now, he''s probably hiding somewhere outside with a smirk on his face."


    Nora smiled faintly. With Link''s victory in another fight, becoming the WBA-WBC dual champion, Dynasty Promotion''s fame spread from the United States to Europe, and Franco''s career moved up another level.


    Indeed, old Duva''s mood wouldn''t be bad at this time.


    "It seems like the length of Link''s fights is getting longer. Is he planning to finish a round next time?"


    Nora mused, watching the exciting replay on TV.


    "I don''t know, but I''ve seen him often discussing with Tommy how to make the fights more exciting. Tommy says it mainly depends on the atmosphere among the live audience. The more enthusiastic the atmosphere, the better the fight looks. I think Link might have been led astray by Tommy."


    Dino said with a shrug and a laugh.


    Tommy was Tommy Brooks, the coach.


    Nora nodded, understanding Link''s idea of controlling the fight to enhance its spectatorial attractiveness, attracting more viewers.


    The idea was great, but acting as both the main performer and director was extremely difficult; one small misstep, and he could be counterattacked by his opponent.


    In the past, only boxing kings like Ali and George Foreman dared to do so, delivering many classic fights in the seventies.


    Boxers like Tyson and Holyfield, though skilled, fell short in tactics.


    They struggled to win their fights, and as for trying to enhance the spectatorial experience, they wouldn''t dare take the risk.


    For newcomer Link to dare such a thing, one must admit, he had quite the audacity.


    Meanwhile, in the Fight Club in Las Vegas.


    Tyson, James Toney, and Chris Byrd exchanged glances after seeing the interview on TV.


    Three black men, glowering with six white eyes.


    "Motherfucker! All of this was Link''s tactic?"


    "Damn, this guy''s acting skills are too good. He even fooled us."


    "We heard before that he was double-jobbing as an actor. I thought he was preparing to make it in Hollywood, but it turns out this guy has been using his acting on the boxing ring, what a sly dog."


    The three of them watched Link on TV with displeasure.


    During the fight, they saw Link constantly retreating and thought he hadn''t trained enough, his legs softened by women, and his strength diminished.


    But it was all tactics.


    Link''s tactics were just too cunning, even fooling these three veterans of the ring.


    "Link''s quite the handful, are you guys still up for fighting him?"


    Tyson asked the others.


    "Fight! Link''s too arrogant. If he fought the matches steady and stable, I''d have only a sixty percent chance of beating him, but now that he''s playing this trick, I have at least a seventy percent chance."


    Chris Byrd clenched his fists, his expression set determinedly as he spoke. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    James Toney, stroking his prominent belly, said, "Chris, you fight him first, I''ll follow up after, hoping he doesn''t lose too quickly."


    "Alright, when the time comes, I''ll definitely place a bet on you guys to win."


    Tyson grinned, baring his teeth as he laughed.


    Meanwhile, at a top promotion company in the same city.


    Greg Cohen''s eye muscles twitched as he saw Link with two Golden Belts draped over his shoulder on television¡ªcould this guy have actually won?!


    Gazing at president Bob Arum across from him, he sighed, "I was wrong, Link really is a cunning and formidable fellow."


    President Arum, puffing on a cigar, peered through the smoke at the TV screen and said, "Link is indeed quite impressive, seeking ways to improve the quality of matches right from the start¡ªsurpassing 99.99% of boxers."


    Greg Cohen clenched his fist on his knee, remaining silent. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    President Arum looked at him again, waving his hand with a smile, "Greg, you shouldn''t blame yourself for not signing Link. I''ve never faulted you because with those terms, even I couldn''t have signed him."


    Cohen shrugged, "I really hadn''t expected Link''s growth would be so rapid."


    "Yes, Link is an incredible boxer, and his presence will definitely influence the top promotion companies," said Arum.


    President Arum paused, then chuckled, "However, this guy is also a great promoter and spokesperson for boxing. After he became famous, he did a lot of promotional work for boxing, like that YouTube boxing segment¡ªthat''s quite entertaining. From that perspective, his success is extremely beneficial for the whole boxing industry."


    Cohen nodded in agreement.


    All of us are in the same industry; if we only compete internally, fighting over a small cake instead of making the cake bigger, we will all starve in the end.


    After becoming famous, Link kept promoting boxing, leading to more people becoming aware of the sport through him, thus becoming fans of boxing.


    Once they become fans, they will purchase boxing training equipment and watch boxing matches. This consumer spending boosts the GDP of the boxing industry. It''s also a way of building the cake.


    From this perspective, Link''s success is beneficial to everyone.


    Greg, I''m assigning you a task, go get in touch with Franco and Link, forge a good relationship with them¡ªwe want to be their long-term partners in the future," Arum said with a smile, holding a cigar.


    "Bob, do you think Link and Franco will agree?"


    "They will! Link''s ambition and potential are enormous, even greater than Mayweather''s. But times have changed, the boxing industry is shrinking, and if Link wants to be the next Tyson, the next Ali, relying on Dynasty Promotions, or even the main event companies, isn''t enough¡ªhe needs all the promotion companies in the boxing industry to exert their full effort."


    President Arum shook his clenched fist, "Link and Franco are smart people; they should understand this."


    Cohen nodded, hesitating for a moment before saying, "But cooperating with Dynasty Promotions to promote Link could impact Mayweather''s development to some extent, using up resources meant for Mayweather."


    "No matter, in a few years Mayweather will move up to middleweight too. We can arrange a fight between him and Link. Whoever is more formidable will become the next superstar of the ring¡ªafter all, the ring still speaks through strength," President Arum said.


    Greg Cohen nodded; this approach wasn''t bad either. Letting Link, Mayweather, and Pacquiao all rise together and then staging a few decisive battles.


    Like ancient Roman gladiators, the ultimate victor would become the king of the ring.


    Considering the comprehensive strength displayed by several individuals at the moment, Link''s chances of winning were not small.


    Cohen decided to phone Franco and Link later, to express congratulations and suggest a partnership.


    As for the possibility of losing face, he didn''t care in the slightest¡ªmaking money was what mattered most in the boxing world.

 Chapter 227 Eavesdropping on the Situation

    At the O2 Arena, after the WBC-WBA boxing title unification match concluded, other weight class bouts continued on the ring.Spectators interested in the matches could continue to watch, while those uninterested had the option to leave early.


    However, most of the audience chose to stand up and leave, and the once-packed boxing hall began to empty.


    Gary, holding a voice recorder, randomly interviewed several audience members, asking for their thoughts on the match.


    Eighty percent of the interviewees were quite positive, saying the match was thrilling, and that watching boxing live offered a stronger sensory experience than watching on television.


    A few expressed that it would have been better if Carl Froch had been a little more formidable or if the match had lasted longer, as many felt they hadn''t got their fill.


    During his interviews, his phone started to ring.


    Charlotte called, her voice filled with excitement, informing him that Emma Watson had just followed Link''s assistant Anna to the dressing room at the back.


    "Really? Just her alone?"


    Gary asked, surprised and pleased.


    "Daniel and Robert are also there. Do you want to go have a look? You have a press pass; those staff might let you in,"


    Charlotte suggested.


    After some thought, Gary decided to give up.


    The dressing room area behind the arena was guarded by security and bodyguards, making it difficult to approach.


    Furthermore, with Daniel and Robert there, it was unlikely they would have a rendezvous in front of them.


    They were probably just chatting about the match.


    He didn''t want to make a fruitless trip like he had the day before.


    Charlotte sounded somewhat disappointed when she heard he was giving up, as giving up meant all their work over the last two days had been for nothing.


    Gary felt bad and promised to buy her drinks over the weekend.


    Leaving the O2 Arena, Gary drove back to The Sun''s offices. As he was sorting out his articles, he received a call from the thief Biggs.


    Gary slapped his forehead, almost forgetting, he should have told Biggs to check out of the hotel, which would save a day''s expenses.


    But before he could speak, Biggs shouted in a strange voice, "Bernard, there''s a woman in Link''s room, I bet Link is in there having a date with her."


    "How do you know?"


    Suddenly, Gary remembered that Biggs had installed a bug in Link''s room, "You eavesdropped?"


    "Hehe, that''s right. Send me your email, and I''ll send it over for you to listen,"


    "Okay!"


    Gary quickly opened his computer, and a few minutes later, an audio file arrived in his inbox, which he played immediately.


    Thud, thud, thud!


    Creak! The door opened.


    The voice in the audio was crystal clear.


    "Eh, what brings you here?"


    That was Link''s voice.


    "Can''t I come?"


    The moment Gary heard that voice, he jumped up from his seat, startling the colleague next to him.


    "Bernard, what''s the matter?"


    Ignoring the colleague, Gary played the audio again.


    The second voice was definitely a woman''s voice, and she seemed familiar with Link.


    "Biggs, well done, send me another one, let me listen and see whose voice it is,"


    Gary said, trying to contain his excitement.


    After leaving the O2 Arena, he''d been ready to give up, giving up on the ¡ê100,000 prize, the chance for a promotion and raise, leaving him deeply frustrated.


    But Biggs''s audio file reignited his ambition; a promotion and raise might not be just a dream.


    "Emm, that''s the only one,"


    Biggs replied in the message.


    "Only that one?!"


    Gary, thinking Biggs was trying to extort him, said annoyedly, "Biggs, we are partners. We can only claim the reward if we find evidence of Link cheating, and you too. Don''t forget you booked the hotel with my money."


    "It''s really only this one,"


    Biggs explained the reason in a follow-up message.


    Gary was grinding his teeth in anger, this useless thief couldn''t even properly install a listening device, and still dared to call himself a master thief, bullshit!


    As he was cursing under his breath, Editor-in-chief Joseph approached, holding a color photocopy in his hand and placing it on Gary''s desk.


    "Bernard, Kent called. He said he saw Link''s assistant with an unidentified woman entering the hotel. Go support Kent and try to get some clear photos,"


    Joseph tapped the photocopy as he spoke.


    Glancing at the color photocopy, Gary saw a blurry image of two women.


    The one in the front could vaguely be made out as Link''s assistant, Anna.


    The person behind, wearing a sun hat and large sunglasses with a tall figure and long legs, didn''t seem to be Emma Watson.


    Gary felt certain that this woman was the female lead from the audio.


    However, hearing that Kent had taken the photo made him quite displeased. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    Kent was his rival, and if Gary helped Kent and they captured evidence of Link cheating, Kent would get the lion''s share of the credit.


    But this was a task assigned by Joseph, so he couldn''t just ignore it.


    Gary agreed, slung his bag over his shoulder, grabbed his camera, and left the newspaper''s building.


    ----


    On his way there, Gary notified Charlotte and Officer Reed, asking them to stake out the hotel entrance and attempt to capture evidence of Link''s infidelity.


    In the matter of secret photography, he did not want to cooperate with Kent.


    With Kent around, even if he captured something explosive, the credit would go to Kent, and Gary didn''t want to hand over the glory to his rival. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By the time he arrived at the London Tower Hotel, Charlotte and Officer Reed had also shown up, and the three of them went to Biggs''s room to discuss what to do next.


    "Damn it, you dared to sneakily install eavesdropping devices in the hotel rooms? You know that''s a crime, right?"


    When he heard Biggs had been listening in on Link''s room, Officer Reed habitually reached for his handcuffs at his back, only to remember he was in plain clothes and didn''t have them on him.


    Biggs jumped at his movement, instinctively moving further away, waving his hands as he spoke, "Hey, Officer Reed, please calm down a bit, we''re in this together now, trying to make a big score."


    Gary watched James Reed''s dark face and internally cursed his mistake.


    Although Reed wanted to make some easy money, he had no intention of breaking the law. It wasn''t a good idea to have brought him into a crime scene so hastily.


    "James, we''re making money here, can you set aside your badge for a moment?"


    Charlotte squinted her eyes, scrutinizing the surveillance equipment on the table, a glint of interest in her gaze.


    "James, I know this is wrong, but we don''t have a choice now. Can you just pretend you haven''t seen anything? We''ll have Biggs take it down afterward, and no one will know."


    Gary also tried to persuade him.


    Officer Reed frowned and sat down on the opposite sofa, falling into silence.


    Seeing Officer Reed relent made everyone breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Biggs, are Link and that woman still in the hotel? Did you overhear anything else?"


    Gary asked.


    Biggs spread his hands in resignation and said, "Nothing, aside from Link ordering room service for a table of French cuisine after five, I didn''t catch anything else. But I guess they might be enjoying the French meal by now, probably getting ready for a date next."


    "Just guessing doesn''t help, we need them to come out, get photographs of their date to claim the reward," Gary said, resigned.


    "Biggs, you were able to sneak into Link''s room, why didn''t you install a video camera?"


    Charlotte asked.


    "Do you think I haven''t thought of that? There''s no Wi-Fi here, and setting up a video camera requires an ethernet cable, it''s too big of a job for me to handle alone," Biggs said with a grimace.


    The three of them thought for a while but couldn''t come up with a plan. If Link wasn''t willing to leave his room, they couldn''t just barge in.


    "I have an idea, but it''s a bit risky, are you guys willing to give it a try?"


    Biggs said with a grin, revealing his bad teeth.


    "What idea?"


    Gary and Charlotte turned to him and asked.


    Biggs took out a tool kit from the cabinet, opened it, and then pulled out a bundle of nylon rope, roller skates, a winch, and other tools.


    "What are you planning to do?"


    "Hehe, there''s a bodyguard stationed outside Link''s door, so forcing our way in is out of the question. I checked the location of Link''s room; if we hang down from the hotel rooftop, we''d be right at his window. We could enter through the window while they are busy messing around in the room and catch them in the act. What do you think?" Biggs said with a wicked laugh.


    "Breaking and entering to take photos, you risk at least five years if you''re caught," Officer Reed said sternly.


    "Do you guys have any better ideas?"


    Biggs asked, looking at the three of them.


    "No, photos obtained this way won''t be published by the newspapers," Gary shook his head. Illegally obtained photos¡ªif the papers dared to publish them, Link''s lawyers would sue The Sun out of business. Gary would lose his job and maybe even end up in jail, a loss far outweighing any gain.


    "Hey, guys, can''t you think outside the box, be a bit more daring? Do you realize who Link is? He''s a bona fide billionaire. If we manage to get proof of him cheating and then use it to blackmail him,


    he wouldn''t hesitate to spend a few million pounds to settle the matter for the sake of his reputation. Even if it''s just a million pounds, if we split it four ways, that''s 250,000 pounds each," Biggs said excitedly.


    "It''s 250,000 pounds," Charlotte reminded.


    "Right, extorting a million from Link gives us 250,000 pounds each, extort four million, and we''re talking about a million pounds each. Guys, a million pounds¡ªyou''ll all be millionaires if we pull this off. Don''t you want to be millionaires?" Biggs said, his expression filled with excitement.


    Millionaires?


    At the mention of that word, Officer Reed''s eyes flickered with temptation, imagining living in a villa, driving luxury cars, buying his son Harry hundreds of roller skates, treating Louise to many designer bags.


    He wouldn''t have to patrol the streets anymore; he could get a more relaxed job and receive more respect from others, elevating his social status.


    The feeling of being a millionaire sure sounded great.


    But what if they failed?


    Going to jail, losing his job, going bankrupt¡ªLouise would leave him too.


    With that thought in mind, Officer Reed gave Biggs a glare and snapped, "Damn you, Kulo Biggs, you want to land us all in jail?"


    "Officer Reed, don''t put it so harshly, we all know making money isn''t easy. Who can become a millionaire without taking some risks?" Biggs smirked back.


    Gary shook his head too, "I don''t agree either. I only want to make a little money, not commit crimes."


    Charlotte glanced at Biggs, squinting and smiling, "I feel the same way."


    "I''ve got other things to take care of, I''m leaving first."


    Officer Reed announced as he got up and left the hotel room.


    "Biggs, keep listening in, and if Link leaves the hotel, make sure to let me know," said Gary as he also picked up his camera and bag to leave.


    Charlotte shook her head, following them out.


    "Fuck! A bunch of cowards, the lot of you¡ªlike this, you''ll never make a fortune in a lifetime," Biggs stamped his foot and cursed loudly.


    Thud, thud, thud!


    After more than an hour had passed and the sky had gradually darkened, Biggs took out his tool bag, getting ready to act alone when there came a knocking at his door.


    Biggs looked through the peephole, smirked, and opened the door.

 Chapter 228 The Dark Shadow Outside the Window

    Thud, thud, thud!In the bedroom of Hotel B25, Link Baker was sleeping when he heard a clear knocking sound from outside. He yawned, turned over in bed, casually picked up the wristwatch from his bedside, and glanced at it, 6:10 AM.


    He drew back the curtains, and the early morning golden dawn streamed through the towering spires of the Tower Bridge, hitting the floor-to-ceiling windows, clear as water, carrying a hint of early autumn chill.


    Outside the window, the Thames flowed quietly, as through it had flowed through countless ages, and today was just another extraordinarily ordinary day in its long life.


    Link tied the sash of his robe and walked to the coat rack to open the door. Standing at the door were Franco, Anna, Simon, Wallace, Paul, the hotel manager, and two hotel security guards.


    Just as he was about to speak, Franco gestured with his finger for him to stay silent.


    Immediately, the hotel security guards took out a metal detector and meticulously scanned around the door frame. At a corner, they pried out a listening device the size of a thumb.


    "Fuck!"


    Link couldn''t help but curse when he saw the device.


    He had seen one just like it in Wallace''s pocket when he had checked into the hotel. Yesterday, the hotel staff had conducted a search and found two more. After returning from his match yesterday, he had specifically asked Wallace and Bob to search the room again, but they hadn''t found anything.


    Yet here was another one hidden.


    The British paparazzi were indeed insane, worthy of a nation that could produce a James Bond. If Bond''s skills as a spy were so poor that he couldn''t even outdo these paparazzi, he wouldn''t have made a name for himself out of Britain.


    "Can someone tell me what''s happened?"


    Link asked with an air of incredulity.


    "Mr. Baker, this was an oversight on our hotel''s part, and we have failed to protect your privacy. We are willing to take full responsibility,"


    the hotel manager said with a face full of apologies.


    "Now is not the time to assign blame. I need to know what has happened."


    Link closed the bedroom door and invited the group into the living room to sit.


    The hotel manager along with Franco, Anna, and Simon walked in.


    Anna opened her laptop, launched Google, entered ''Link Baker'' into the search bar, and clicked to search. Instantly, the screen displayed numerous news links. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    The top link read ''Caught in the act: Thief arrested during attempted burglary, claims to have seen Link Baker dating a beauty in a hotel (with photos)''


    The second was ''Link Baker cheating in London during competition? British media abuzz (with photos)''


    The third read ''Who is Link Baker dating? "The Sun" journalist captures side profile of mysterious lady (with photos)''


    All the first page results were related news stories, not one reporting his victory as the dual world champion for both WBA and WBC organizations.


    Link clicked on the first search link, which was from the British "The Sun," authored by journalist Bernard Gary.


    In the article, Gary narrated the events from a first-person perspective.


    After work last night, he was strolling along the Thames Riverside. Around 9:40 PM, suddenly someone pointed across the river at the Tower Hotel and shouted, ''Look, there''s someone there.''


    Gary hurriedly looked up to see a person in a black coat, hanging outside the window of a room in the hotel, secured by a rope, resembling Spider-Man.


    (Image 1)


    The image was quite blurry, but with the help of the riverside lights, one could faintly see a figure hanging outside the sixth floor''s floor-to-ceiling window of the Tower Hotel in London. The curtains of the window were drawn, casting a dim light that made the figure''s position even more noticeable.


    Reporter Gary continued to explain, thinking it was a hotel employee doing some maintenance work on the air conditioning or something, he didn''t plan to pay any attention to it.


    But after waiting for more than ten minutes and seeing that the person was still there, he felt that something was unusual, so he quickly took out his phone to call the police.


    Latter, the police arrived at the scene, and with the assistance of the hotel, they captured the unidentified individual.


    After being arrested, the unidentified person claimed he was a fan of Link Baker, wanting to enter through the window to talk with Link. He even mentioned that he had a signed album from Link, which could completely prove his fandom.


    However, upon investigation, the police discovered that the individual was named Kulo Biggs, a parolee who was arrested three years ago for breaking and entering, and had participated in multiple bank, vault, and jewelry store heists ten years ago, making him a habitual criminal.


    (Image two)


    A photo of the suspect, Kulo Biggs, along with the signed album Link Baker gave to Biggs.


    Upon seeing the photo, Link immediately recognized him as the guy with bad teeth he had encountered in the hotel lobby the day before yesterday. The album even had the inscription, "To Alice, grow up healthy, be a brave girl¡ªLink Baker."


    After a sudden interrogation by the police, suspect Kulo Biggs confessed to the motive and process of the crime.


    Not long ago, he had seen through the news that world boxing champion Link Baker was coming to London for the WBA-WBC championship fight, hearing that Link earns tens of millions of US dollars per match, and being a famous singer, his net worth is several hundred million dollars.


    Kulo Biggs, seeing an opportunity to make a quick buck, decided to exploit Link.


    This was the motive of the crime. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crime process was quite complex. According to the suspect Kulo Biggs, after hearing that Link had checked into the Tower Hotel, he took the chance to check in too and sneaked into Link''s room while he was out, installing three eavesdropping devices.


    Unfortunately, hotel personnel spotted him through surveillance, and two of the devices were dismantled, leaving only one near the door.


    His original plan was to steal valuable personal items from Link, but after seeing news that Link Baker would meet Emma Watson in London, he changed his plan to secretly photograph Link and Emma Watson during their date and extort money from Link.


    He had been staying at the hotel for the past two days, monitoring the situation in Link''s room.


    Just yesterday afternoon, he heard through the listening device that a woman entered Link''s room and mistook her for Emma Watson.


    To capture a photo of their date, he bought a Spider-Man suit, planning to dangle from the rooftop to outside the hotel room window to take the shot from the floor-to-ceiling window.


    Everything went according to plan initially.


    But as he dangled outside the window, he found all the curtains drawn. To take the photos, he needed to open the curtains, so he took out a glass cutter to break through the window.


    Regrettably, during the act, his drug addiction kicked in, causing him to fumble the glass cutter, which fell to the ground below.


    As his addiction made him weak and unable to return to the rooftop, he was left hanging outside the window, unable to move up or down, until eventually, the police saved him using a safety rope.


    The above details the entire course of the crime.


    Link put down his laptop and went back to his bedroom, pulling all the curtains open.


    Indeed, on the floor-to-ceiling window, he saw a round cut, and with a flick of his finger, a piece the size of a bowl fell to the ground below, making a clanging noise.


    "shit!"

 Chapter 229 Is Link Cheating?

    "Link, the London police are here. They want to enter to inspect the scene and are asking if it''s convenient," said Simon, coming in from outside in his B25 Hotel coat, while two uniformed police officers stood in the hallway."Tell them it''s not convenient right now. Ask them to come back later."


    Link glanced over, then sat down and continued browsing the news.


    The Sun''s reporter, Bernard Gary, continued in his report that after thief Biggs was rescued, he convulsed with foam at the mouth and fell into a semi-comatose state. The police had to inject him with medical morphine to alleviate his symptoms.


    Biggs told the police he hadn''t misheard; indeed, there was a mysterious lady in Link''s room, and the two were having a secret meeting.


    He also said that when he was hanging down, he heard laughter coming from the room. More than an hour later, when the police rescued him, the sounds from the room were still ongoing.


    Reporter Gary said in a neutral tone that Biggs was a drug addict, and the description might be the result of a drug-induced episode, therefore, it shouldn''t be taken as fact. The true nature of the event still needed further investigation and confirmation.


    "Is it a violation of my privacy rights for the media to write like this?"


    Link asked the newly arrived lawyer, Aaron Hornak.


    "Strictly speaking, yes! However, The Sun has been rather cunning in their handling of this matter. In their report, they quote the parties involved and take an objective and neutral stance to narrate a burglary case. This is within the freedom of media reporting and aligns with the public''s right to know. Also, as you are a public figure, winning a lawsuit could be very costly," Hornak contemplated.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and continued to click on the next news story titled ''Link Baker caught cheating during a London match? British media is boiling.''


    The news source was the New York Post, posted at two o''clock in the morning.


    Seeing this time, Link felt helpless.


    In the past, the media reporting process was more complicated: during the day, reporters submitted their drafts, which the editorial department would vet and select value-added news to categorize and settle the headlines of various editions. After forming news templates, they were submitted for review by the editors and deputy editors.


    After passing the review, it was sent to proofreaders to check for typos before being sent to the printing press for typesetting and printing. Some official newspapers had even stricter reviews.


    The timeliness of general news reporting was more than 24 hours.


    Now, internet news reports are much faster and more efficient.


    Just like the events of last night, in less than half a day, even media across the Atlantic Ocean were reporting on the incident, and he, the person involved, was the last to know.


    The New York Post was even more cunning in their handling of the news; they entirely reproduced The Sun''s report, adding comments and discussions.


    They incidentally mentioned that Link''s official girlfriend, Taylor Swift, was still in Los Angeles recording the "American Idol" show two days ago.


    The implication was clear: the mysterious lady couldn''t possibly be Taylor.


    It seemed an established fact that Link was cheating.


    Link browsed through other news articles, all of which were rehashed versions of The Sun''s reports.


    Some media even elaborated on this basis, listing all the girls connected to Link in an attempt to identify the mysterious lady.


    These included Ivanka Trump, Emma Watson, Gal Gadot, Amber Heard, Dove Cameron, Emma Roberts, Lady Gaga, Lana Del Rey, Keira Knightley, and even the new music video''s lead actress Emma Stone and Adele, reaching a total of sixteen.


    To the blissfully ignorant public, this made it seem as though all these women were Link''s rumored girlfriends, subconsciously branding him a playboy.


    Once such an impression was established, it was like sulfuric acid on skin; impossible to completely wipe off.


    "Cough!"


    Franco coughed lightly and said with a smile, "Link, don''t worry, I''ve just contacted Mandy, and soon our two companies will join forces in a PR effort to minimize the negative impact. But there''s one thing I want to ask."


    Franco paused, glanced around the room, and asked in a hushed voice full of gossip, "Who is this mysterious lady?"


    "Of course, it''s Taylor; who else could it be? Anna, didn''t you tell them?"


    Link said with a dark expression.


    "I was just woken up by them; they didn''t ask me,"


    Anna said, straightening her dishevelled hair. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Taylor? Is it really Taylor?!"


    Franco said with a mix of surprise and regret.


    If it were Taylor, handling the matter would become extremely easy, hardly costing much to resolve.


    Unfortunately, it meant missing out on a juicy story.


    Buzz buzz buzz! Before Link could respond, his phone on the table vibrated; it was a call from Ms. Mandy.


    As soon as Mandy began speaking, she blamed herself for not coming to London with him, saying she could have kept an eye on him and prevented him from causing any trouble in London.


    She also mentioned that she had just called Taylor but her phone was off.


    "Link, Taylor must be upset. You need to come back from London quickly and explain things to her,"


    Ms. Mandy said with an anxious voice.


    Link covered his forehead and reluctantly said, "Mandy, have you considered the possibility that she is Taylor?"


    "Taylor? Really? She was still filming a show in Los Angeles the day before yesterday, how could she be in London?"


    Ms. Mandy exclaimed in surprise.


    "She was in Paris yesterday for Fashion Week and came to London on a whim, saying she wanted to surprise me."


    "Haha, if it''s Taylor, that''s great, if it''s Taylor, that''s really great. I''ll call Ivanka right away and explain the situation."


    Ms. Mandy said cheerfully before hanging up the phone. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    After Link hung up, he then noticed several missed calls and messages on his phone, four of which were from Selena.


    In the first message, she excitedly asked, ''Link, did you really cheat? And the whole world knows about it now? How thrilling!''


    In the second, she said, ''Oh no, I just tried calling Taylor but couldn''t get through, and she isn''t responding on MSN either. Taylor must be upset. Sigh, I told you before to be a faithful good man and not to be fickle, but you never listened. Have you realized your mistake now? Go apologize to Taylor, and make sure your apology is sincere (I''ll speak well of you too)''


    Link read these with a grimace, betting that Selena''s face must have been flushed with excitement while texting, more thrilled than the average gossipmonger.


    He checked the time; the last message was sent an hour ago, and given the time difference, it was the middle of the night in New York.


    Link felt as her brother, he should be concerned about her schedule, demanding that she must go to bed by eight o''clock from now on.


    Noticing a call from Catherine, he sent her a text explaining the situation, to which Catherine replied ''glad it''s nothing serious''.


    Yet Selena sent another message: "Is it really Taylor? When did Taylor go to London? Why didn''t I know?"


    Reading this, Link felt like hitting someone.


    "What time is it now? Why aren''t you sleeping yet?!"


    "The internet is too lively; I''m watching the news."


    "Is the news that interesting? With all this time, why aren''t you reading instead? Do you not realize how poorly you performed on your exams last semester?"


    "You''re so annoying! Goodnight!"


    The message also included a pig emoji, presumably as a token of her respect and apology to him.


    Considering her genuine intent, Link decided to let her off the hook this time.


    "Boss, there are many reporters outside the hotel. Should we take this opportunity to clear things up?"


    Anna came in and asked.


    Link checked the time; it wasn''t even seven o''clock yet, an inappropriate time for a press conference.


    "Anna, go tell the reporters that I was dating Taylor, and ask them not to fabricate stories. Media outlets that spread rumors and slander my reputation will need to bear legal responsibilities afterwards."


    "Okay, boss!"


    Anna nodded and left the room.

 Chapter 230 Consequences of Ones Own Responsibility

    "Ms. Anna is here!"Just after eight o''clock, Anna arrived at the hotel entrance, and the media reporters in the lobby, like mice discovering cake, swarmed around her in less than ten seconds, bombarding her with questions.


    "Ms. Anna, has Mr. Baker gotten up yet? Can he accept our interview?"


    "Ms. Anna, yesterday a reporter captured you entering the hotel with a mysterious lady. Who is she?"


    "Ms. Anna, it''s said that Link had a great time talking with Miss Knightley at the Dior fashion show. Is that mysterious lady Miss Keira Knightley?"


    The reporters raised their microphones, one after another asking questions, their voices louder than the last.


    "Everyone, please be quiet!"


    With Bob and the hotel''s security by her side, Anna walked up to the steps and said, "I have three things to clarify here: first, Miss Taylor arrived in London yesterday at noon and came to the O2 Arena to watch the match. She cheered for Link on the spot, and after the match, we returned to the hotel together. There is no mysterious lady;"


    second, in response to the false reports from ''The Sun'' and ''Daily Mail,'' we will be filing a lawsuit with the local court in London to pursue the related responsibilities;


    third, regarding the online rumors, Mr. Baker will respond later today. Until then, I ask everyone to exercise restraint. Do not spread false information. For any individual or media that infringes on Mr. Baker''s reputation, we will pursue the related responsibilities."


    In the crowd, Gary from ''The Sun,'' who had not slept all night yet was beaming, heard Anna finish and raised his hand to shout, "Ms. Anna, when will Mr. Baker respond? Will Miss Taylor attend at the same time?"


    "I will notify you all later on Twitter. Please be patient,"


    Anna said.


    "Ms. Anna, you just mentioned that Miss Taylor rushed to London yesterday to cheer for Link. Why hasn''t she made a public appearance?"


    A reporter from the ''Daily Mail'' asked, raising his hand.


    "That is Miss Taylor''s private matter, no comment!"


    Anna said coolly.


    "Ms. Anna..."


    The other media reporters also eagerly asked questions.


    After answering a few questions, Anna left the hotel lobby and returned to her hotel room.


    However, after the interview ended, the news on the internet about Link''s secret rendezvous with a mysterious lady at the London Tower Hotel did not disappear but became even more sensational.


    More online media outlets joined in, hyping up the news.


    The reason is simple. Link is hot news, and the public loves to read any news related to him, especially when it''s about scandals.


    Additionally, his official girlfriend is the popular singer Taylor Swift, whose fame is tremendous.


    Since their relationship, the media hyped them up as the ''golden boy and girl,'' the next ''Britney and Justin Timberlake.''


    Not long ago, during the MTV awards ceremony, Link publicly stood up to support Taylor, fully displaying his boyfriend power and winning the affection of many fans.


    Mainstream media also hyped the two as ''the perfect couple in the entertainment industry,'' ''the couple everyone envies,'' ''making people believe in love again.''


    Their love story became the ''top trending topic'' in the entertainment circle.


    If Link were to be revealed as cheating at this time, it would gain massive attention in a very short period.


    Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    The fact that this scandal spread across the Atlantic in just six hours, even going around the world, is clear proof.


    "Boss, what time should we hold the press conference? The public opinion is very heated right now. I think the sooner, the better,"


    Anna suggested.


    "What time is our flight?"


    Link asked, checking his watch.


    "Half-past two in the afternoon."


    "Then let''s hold it at one o''clock."


    "Ok, I will notify them now."


    Anna nodded, taking her laptop with her as she left.


    Link, carrying a breakfast tray, entered the bedroom to find Taylor with messy hair, sitting cross-legged on the bed playing with her phone, laughing as she looked at it.


    "What are you laughing at?"


    Link asked, setting down the breakfast.


    "Take a look here. There are so many people online saying you are a jerk, and with your looks, you seem like a playboy. They even say they saw your cheating coming but didn''t expect you to do it so soon, hahaha!"


    Taylor said, covering her mouth, laughing uncontrollably.


    "All of this is your doing, and you dare laugh?"


    Link pinched her nose and said.


    "Stop it! I just wanted to give you a surprise."


    Taylor slapped his hand away, swung her long bare legs out of bed, and skillfully tied her hair into a ponytail with a hairband from the table.


    "More like a shock! You secretly came here, surely to see what I was up to in the hotel, whether I was messing around with some woman, right?"


    "Don''t try to frame me. I''m not that petty."


    Taylor gave him a look, casually brushed her teeth, and then sat down on the sofa to eat breakfast.


    Link shook his head, pulled back the curtains, and took several photos of the hole in the floor-to-ceiling window. He casually posted them on Twitter with the caption, ''Check out what this is.''


    Whoosh!


    After the tweet was posted, it only took a moment for the traffic online to surge like the raging Thames outside the window, flooding in instantly.


    In five minutes, the likes surpassed 33.2K, retweets reached 68.1K, and comments were over 11K.


    Lady Gaga commented: Really scary, thank goodness you''re okay.


    Carrie Underwood commented: Are British entertainments journalists this crazy? I''ll need to be careful next time I go to London for a concert.


    Paul Walker commented: "007: World Champion''s London Adventure."


    Katy Perry asked in the comments: I just tried it, the sound of scratching glass is very loud. What were you guys doing at that time, how come you didn''t hear it?


    Beyond these familiar faces leaving comments, there were many more from fans asking who the mysterious lady was, urging him to come out and explain, and some even labeled him a scoundrel for deceiving Taylor''s feelings. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 230 Bear the Consequences_2

    What made Link both cry and laugh was that someone enlarged a photo and, through the reflection in a floor-to-ceiling window, spotted a blurry figure, claiming that this silhouette must belong to the mysterious lady, but it didn''t look like Taylor.Then people teased Link, saying he tried to use this method to debunk the rumor but accidentally confirmed it instead.


    He also had Anna inform the media that he would hold a press conference at one in the afternoon when he left London to explain last night''s events.


    But the British media thought this was just a stalling tactic by Link.


    According to the flight speed, it only takes about 12 hours to fly from Los Angeles to London.


    If Taylor was put on a plane to London right after yesterday''s incident, it''s very possible that she could arrive in London before one o''clock to join Link in his act.


    Link shook his head; these media outlets really have no scruples.


    Once they accept a fact, no matter what the truth is, they only interpret it in a way that benefits their hype, leading the clueless public astray.


    "Hey, beauty, a lot of people want to know who the mysterious lady is. How about showing your face?"


    Link said to Taylor, who was eating, while holding his phone.


    "No! I haven''t washed my face yet, don''t just take pictures recklessly."


    Taylor shifted her seat, turning her back towards him.


    "How about a photo of just your silhouette?"


    "Okay, but make sure it looks good."


    Taylor put down her fork, tidied her hair and straps, and stood up straight.


    Link took five pictures of her silhouette, then showed them to her for approval; Taylor looked over them several times and picked the most flattering one for him to post.


    So Link posted another tweet, with the picture captioned "The truth just got up, while rumors have already made three laps around the Earth."


    "Why do you say I just got up, waking up after nine, fans will call me lazy if they find out,"


    Taylor complained while patting his shoulder.


    "It''s just a metaphor, and besides, you really did just get up."


    "I got up early; I was just playing with my phone."


    "Alright, I''ll be more careful next time."


    After the tweet went out, nitpickers jumped back in, asking why it was a silhouette photo, and if it was indeed Taylor herself, why wasn''t there a frontal photo?


    Some netizens commented that the photo was Photoshopped, done by a PR team who hired a model whose silhouette looked a lot like Taylor, still aiming to stall for time.


    If it really was Taylor herself, they should have posted a photo of them together, standing in front of that broken floor-to-ceiling window to prove Taylor was indeed in London.


    Moreover, if this ''mysterious lady'' really was Taylor, why hadn''t she liked Link''s two tweets?


    Previously, Taylor would always like and retweet Link''s tweets.


    That Taylor didn''t like it today shows she was upset, indicating communication issues between them.


    Link looked at these comments and could only smile helplessly.


    He believed that even if he now posted a frontal photo of Taylor and then asked her to like it, those people would still close their eyes and shake their heads saying ''I don''t believe, I don''t believe''.


    He decided to ignore it for now, letting the media speculate; for an entertainment star, having some scandal might even be better.


    Partly because he couldn''t be bothered to explain further and partly because he had just beaten the famous British boxer Carl Froch, a lot of the British media were unfriendly towards him.


    Seeing the opportunity of a scandal, even a disgraceful one, they started aggressively promoting the issue, attempting to defeat him this way and recover their lost face. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For this reason, the day after Link won the WBC Golden Belt, the media was filled with news of his alleged infidelity.


    Even though that afternoon Link held a news conference at Heathrow International Airport, made some clarifications, and walked into the airport side by side with Taylor in front of numerous journalists.


    Still, many media outlets were unwilling to accept the reality.


    They thought that ''Taylor'' was a stand-in, not the real Taylor.


    Some said Taylor had rushed over from America to save the day, even praising her as ''America''s good girlfriend''.


    This incident even dragged several British actresses into the fray, including Keira Knightley, Emma Watson, Adele, and models who had walked the runway at the Dior fashion show.


    The news about ''Link''s infidelity'' made noise in the British media for half a month before it finally started to calm down.


    Because of this scandal hype, Link Baker''s fame in Britain rose sharply, and even the general public in Britain knew there was a boxer and singer named Link Baker.


    The promotional effect was even better than the advertisements the promotion companies spent millions of pounds on.


    According to data from the Kingston data survey company, before the boxing match, among 5000 surveyed individuals, 1059 had heard of Link, 658 knew he was a singer, and 297 knew he was a boxer.


    After the scandal, among the same 5000 individuals, 3858 had heard of him, 3617 knew he was a singer, 3522 knew he was a boxer, and 3809 thought he might be a playboy.


    Link''s fame in Britain skyrocketed, turning him into a ''notoriously famous'' celebrity.


    And in this fake news event, the biggest beneficiaries were media like "The Sun" and "Daily Mail"; during that period, their news drew the attention of the entire world.


    ¡ª


    "Haha, thanks to Link that we made a fortune, I''d call him my lucky star,"


    said Detective Charlotte with a laugh, flipping through the news at The Sheaf pub on the East Coast Docks.


    "Jack, this is yours!"


    Reporter Gary pulled out a stack of pounds, about ten thousand, and pushed them in front of Detective Charlotte.


    "Ten thousand?"


    Charlotte squinted her eyes, looked at the stack of bills on the table, then glanced at Gary opposite her, and said with a half-smile, "Bernard, I''m a detective, adept at digging up information. I heard that you''ve become the head of the photography team in the entertainment news section of The Sun and got a bonus of 100,000 pounds from this scoop¡ªplus other fees, which should amount to tens of thousands. Giving me only ten thousand might be a bit too little?"


    Reporter Gary adjusted his glasses and said with a smile, "Jack, you''re right about the 100,000 pounds, but this time we divided the payoff based on contribution. The more one did, the more one got. I think ten thousand pounds is reasonable."


    "Fuck! Bernard, I followed you around tirelessly over the past few days, even accompanying Biggs to a hotel rooftop, risking jail to help you create a big news, and now you''re telling me I did the least?"


    Charlotte, with a cold expression, said angrily.


    Gary frowned, "Jack, you weren''t the only one taking risks. James and I were as well. In comparison, we had to assume greater risks."


    "But your gains were also greater. You got a promotion and salary increase, James contributed to the capture of Biggs and will be heavily relied upon in the future; I gained almost no credit. I think I deserve a bigger share,"


    Charlotte said determinedly.


    Reporter Gary shook his head and pushed over another stack of money.


    "Is this enough?"


    "I think it''s better to discuss the division when James arrives,"


    Charlotte said, crossing her arms.


    As they spoke, Officer Reed walked into the pub with a stern face.


    "James, it''s a celebration today, why are you so late?"


    Charlotte asked.


    "There''s trouble!"


    Officer Reed glanced at both of them and said in a low voice, "I always said not to cooperate with Biggs, and you wouldn''t listen. Now that bastard has sent someone to tell me to get him out early and prepare 500,000 pounds for him, or he''ll blow the whistle on our scheme."


    "500,000 pounds?"


    Gary and Charlotte exclaimed in shock.


    "That bastard is nothing but a robber; we never should have worked with him,"


    Officer Reed said, downing his glass of whiskey in one gulp, his expression gloomy.


    "What do we do now?"


    Reporter Gary asked, looking nervously at Officer Reed and Detective Charlotte.


    If Biggs blew the whistle on the news being a collusion forged by the four of them, he wouldn''t just lose the chance for a promotion and salary increase; he could also be fired from The Sun.


    That was definitely not the outcome he desired.


    "If he blows the whistle, could we end up in jail?"


    Charlotte asked, looking at Reed.


    Officer Reed silently nodded.


    Gary and Charlotte''s expressions immediately turned grim.

 Chapter 231 Multiple Good News and One Bad News

    After the Super Middleweight Golden Belt unification fight, Link took a flight back to Los Angeles, and during his return, the false news about him cheating was still quite popular online.Therefore, when he stepped out of the Los Angeles International Airport, many journalists blocked his way, asking who the mysterious lady was.


    Link said it was Taylor, whom he had already talked about at a press conference at the London airport.


    The journalists asked again where Taylor was and why she wasn''t seen.


    Link replied that Taylor was having fun in Paris and would be back in a few days.


    The journalists all looked unconvinced.


    Link couldn''t be bothered to explain; he went home to play with his cat and to rehearse for the tour.


    Not long after the boxing match ended, related statistics were also released.


    The ticket revenue for the O2 Arena that day was 12.67 million US dollars, and Link''s 15% share was about 1.8 million US dollars.


    As for the Pay-Per-View (PPV) revenue split.


    In North America, a total of 630,000 units were sold, 550,000 standard definition and 280,000 high definition, with an average price of 75 US dollars per unit, resulting in total revenues of approximately 47.25 million US dollars.


    In Britain, a total of 460,000 units were sold, with an average price of 65 US dollars per unit, resulting in total revenues of 29.9 million US dollars.


    In Europe and other regions, a total of 1.07 million units were sold, with an average price of 59 US dollars per unit, resulting in total revenues of 63.13 million US dollars.


    According to the original agreement, Link and Dynasty Promotions would receive 60% of the PPV revenue from North America, 20% from Britain, and 15% from Europe and other regions.


    Link and Dynasty Promotions earned approximately 43.8 million US dollars from the PPV alone.


    Add that to the 6 million appearance fee, 7 million match bonus, and 1.8 million US dollars from ticket sales.


    The total revenue for him and the Dynasty company from this match was 58.6 million US dollars, nearly 20 million more than the 40 million forecasted by "Boxing" magazine.


    After the figures were disclosed by the media, it caused astonishment among all parties.


    Link earned 58.6 million US dollars in just 171 seconds, making 350,000 US dollars per second, a veritable human money printing machine.


    Moreover, in this match, his opponent was the relatively unknown Carl Froch. Had it been De La Hoya, Mayweather, or others, the total prize money for the match would have had the chance to exceed 200 million US dollars.


    "Boxing" magazine wrote that ''Link has become a top boxer in the ring, it took Hoyle 6 years to achieve this, Mayweather 10, Pacquiao 12, while Link has taken only 1 year and three months,'' ''Link will not be the next Ali, the next Tyson, the next De La Hoya, his achievements in the sport of boxing will be immeasurable.''


    "The Ring" magazine commented that ''Link is not only a powerhouse in the ring but also a commercial boxer. With his striking appearance, muscular body, and witty speech, he''s favored by women all over the world, Hoyle called him the next Golden Boy.'' S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During an interview with the Chicago Tribune, top promotion company president Bob Arum stated:


    ''Link has become the best spokesperson for boxing. Due to his outstanding image and ability to hype, his commercial value is greater than Mayweather, De La Hoya, or Pacquiao.


    Currently, Top Rank Promotions and Dynasty Promotions have reached multiple cooperation agreements, and we will jointly promote Link''s boxing matches with Dynasty Promotions, Main Event, Combat Sports, Golden Boy Promotions, Don King Promotions, and other major companies.


    We can anticipate that the PPV revenue and peripheral income created by Link in the future will be even higher, and his matches will be even more exciting.''


    This time, even the elusive boxing magnates Don King and Lou Duvall also spoke publicly about Link in the media.


    Don King praised Link as a ''thrilling'' boxer, and his matches as ''pleasing to watch.''


    In an interview with The New Yorker, Lou Duvall claimed:


    ''Boxing has evolved into a new stage, we are facing numerous crises and challenges, and during this process, we need someone to step up and do something for boxing. Us old folks are also looking for a spokesperson for boxing... Link may not be the most famous or have the most dazzling record among the current champions, but his contribution to the development and promotion of boxing will be no less than any champion.''


    Amidst the praise from his peers, Link''s fame in the boxing world soared.


    He even surpassed stars like Mayweather, Pacquiao, and the Klitschko brothers, becoming the brightest star in the ring.


    Although being famous was great and made it easier to make money, Link knew he was still a newcomer.


    In terms of professional record, the number of Golden Belts, and overall fan base, he was far behind several veteran champions.


    These gaps couldn''t be filled with mere media hype at the moment.


    Too much hype was just a bubble, and not necessarily a good thing.


    "Franco, can you ask Mr. Duvall why recently Mr. King and President Arum have come out to support me? Do they have some sort of conspiracy?"


    Link was lying on a lounger by the pool, flipping through a magazine, and made a call to Franco.


    "A conspiracy? Why would you think that?"


    Franco asked in surprise.


    "Although I''m not bad in terms of strength, and I''m quite famous, I don''t have the standing to make all three elders come out to support me. I feel like this could be a ''support to death,'' one can''t be too careful."


    "Support to death?"


    Franco was a little confused about the meaning of the word.


    Link explained that when a person wants to smash a piece of porcelain, the higher they lift it, the more it shatters.


    Franco burst into laughter and explained, "It''s very simple. You''re strong, your boxing matches are thrilling, plus, after becoming a champion, you actively promote the sport of boxing. This shows that you practice boxing not just to make money but also to grow the sport and help others in the industry earn money as well."


    "They are happy that you think this way and act on it. They believe that you''re doing a better job in this regard than Mayweather and Tyson. There''s another reason, though, which might not make you very happy."


    "Oh? What is it? I''ve only been seeing praise in the articles recently, so I could use some bad news to keep my mood in check,"


    Link joked.


    Franco laughed loudly, "My father said that pushing you is also because there aren''t many outstanding figures in boxing at the moment. Choosing you, someone who doesn''t focus on boxing, is a measure of last resort, haha!"


    What Duvall meant was, in a land of dwarfs, a giant stands tall; in the absence of heroes, a mediocre person can become famous.


    Hearing this, Link actually felt relieved. As long as there were no conspiracies or tricks involved, it was good because he was too busy recently to deal with other people''s schemes.


    "Merry, come over here, be careful not to fall into the water."


    Link called out to Meridian by the poolside.


    The little one glanced at him, meowed, trotted with graceful cat steps away from the pool''s edge, and made its way over to the bench beside him, meowing to Olivia.


    Olivia lay there, not wanting to move, fluttered her eyelids, and continued to doze off on her own.


    Merry, finding no entertainment there, ran off to the lawn to catch bugs for Link to eat.


    Ding-ling-ling! No sooner had he put down the phone than it started ringing again from under the blanket. Link picked it up and saw that it was a call from Ivanka.


    "Hey, beautiful, got any new work?"


    "You sound very relaxed?"


    Ivanka asked with a light voice.


    "Are you joking? I have to train every day, shoot advertisements, and rehearse with the tour group. How could I possibly be relaxed? You''re the CEO; you should know this."


    "Okay, I have one piece of good news and one piece of bad news, which one do you want to hear first?"


    Ivanka asked bluntly.


    Link thought for a moment, "The bad news."


    "Culo Biggs is dead."


    "Culo? Who?"


    "That thief who was hanging outside your window."


    Link remembered; it was that guy with the rotten teeth.


    "How did he die? And what does his death have to do with me, is that even considered bad news?"


    "According to information from the British police, he died of a drug overdose. Since he divulged your privacy to the media some time ago, media outlets like The Sun in Britain are trying to link you to his death to create a false narrative that you hired someone to kill him.


    Although such false accusations don''t impact you much, they still have some negative effects. We are dispatching a team of lawyers to Britain; we certainly cannot let The Sun off easily this time."


    Ivanka said coldly.


    Hearing her tone, it was obvious she was angered by The Sun''s report.


    Link chuckled lightly, "Leave legal matters to the team of lawyers; we don''t need to spend too much energy on this. What''s the good news?"


    "Last week, ''Keep On Movin'''' saw an increase in sales of 77,000 copies in Britain, climbing to number 3 on the British album sales chart. Your two albums have sold over 2 million copies in the British region, making you the first male singer from The United States this year to achieve this.


    "That news sounds very good."


    "There''s more good news. Several companies in Britain are looking to invite you to be their product endorser. About 27 companies, and from those, 6 with endorsement fees over 5 million and with good reputations. I''ve already sent the product list to your email; you can look at the product descriptions and decide for yourself what to endorse."


    "Great, I''ll check it out later."


    Link nodded and continued to discuss the concert tour arrangements with Ivanka.


    The tour was scheduled to start in mid-October, with the first performance in Miami. There were plans to hold twenty-two concerts before the end of the year, averaging two a week, and the mere thought of it made Link''s scalp prickle.


    But with earnings of over 2 million per concert, over forty million from more than twenty shows, thinking about that got his blood pumping again.


    Link hung up the phone, stretched lazily, and dived into the light blue swimming pool.


    Meow meow!


    Meridian arched its back, ready to leap from the edge of the pool.

 Chapter 232 Visiting the Film Crew

    "Keep On Movin''" was released for the tenth week in the United States with sales of 78,000 copies, dropping to fourth place on the Billboard album sales chart, with its potential nearly exhausted.The champion was Canadian pop-jazz singer Michael Buble''s fourth studio album "Crazy Love," which sold 147,000 copies in its first week.


    The runner-up was Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli''s "Christmas Special" with 125,000 copies.


    In third place was Madonna''s newly released greatest hits album "Celebration," selling 96,000 copies.


    "Keep On Movin''" had a total sales of 2.943 million copies in the United States and was expected to break the 3 million mark in three weeks, but it was still a bit short compared to Taylor''s "fearless."


    On the Billboard singles chart, "See You Again" with weekly sales of 327,000 copies maintained the top spot for five consecutive weeks. The song had sold over 18 million copies both online and offline in the United States and had a global total sales of 50 million copies, becoming the highest selling single of 2009.


    Selena''s "Let It Go," released for three weeks, made it into the top ten this week under Disney Music''s strong promotion, ranking at number 7.


    Lana''s "Young and Beautiful" ranked at number 31.


    Canadian youngster Justin Bieber''s "One Time" ranked at number 17.


    Media reports stated that Justin Bieber''s debut album "My World" was expected to be released in early November, coinciding with the releases of Selena and Lana''s first albums, setting the stage for a fierce battle.


    Also, Mars Bruno''s new album was also ready, with a planned release in December.


    The album includes the hot rap single "Lighters" and a cover version of "I''m the one," as well as "Nothin'' On You," a collaboration with little Bobby, making it a very competitive album.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Hey, Kenny!"


    At noon, at the Los Angeles Arts Theatre, Link, dressed in a tee and sweatpants, entered the dance rehearsal hall and greeted Mr. Kenny Ortega.


    Kenny Ortega, the director of MJ''s comeback concert, had to put a halt to his work when MJ passed away, resulting in the concert''s cancellation.


    Link had collaborated well with him during two rehearsal sessions, and Director Ortega''s mastery of stage control, artistic aesthetics, and special effects design was all top-notch in the industry.


    When preparing for the tour, he invited Ortega through his company to serve as the tour stage director, offering him and his team a 3% share of the box office from each performance.


    After deliberation, Director Ortega agreed to join and became the tour stage director.


    In addition to the live stage director, the tour team included an artistic director, band, choreographers, lighting director, costume director, sound director, and others, totaling 207 people¡ªcomparable to a large film crew.


    Since finalizing the tour plan in September, everyone had been busy preparing for the tour.


    After finishing his training every day, Link would also come to the theatre''s stage to rehearse under the guidance of the choreographer. Sometimes, he had to sing while dancing, and performing five songs in a row was as intense as a boxing match.


    "Hi, Link!" sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Link arrived, Director Kenny Ortega was talking with choreographer James J. Millar Cam.


    Millar Cam, of Dutch ancestry, was a famous dancer and renowned Hollywood choreographer who had worked on the choreography of films such as "High School Musical" and "Dreamgirls," as well as the dance design for MJ''s comeback concert, and was a top-tier choreographer in the industry.


    Seeing the two of them frowning and looking unhappy.


    "What''s happened?"


    Link asked.


    "Two of our dancers have been chosen by the ''Black Swan'' film crew and are preparing to leave the dance team to become actors, so we''re discussing new candidates," Director Ortega said.


    Link nodded. "Black Swan" was a new film project by director Darren Aronofsky, started in September, starring the famous actress Natalie Portman as the lead female, and was one of Hollywood''s hot projects.


    Being selected by this film crew was indeed a great opportunity.


    He didn''t say much about it, as the dancers were Millar Cam''s people; whether they stayed or left was not his concern.


    After warming up, Link and his dance partners began rehearsing on stage.


    With over thirty songs in his two albums, eight were suitable for singing and dancing simultaneously, so he only needed to rehearse eight dances. For the other songs, he just needed to hold a mic, carry a guitar, or sit at the piano to perform, which was not too challenging during shows.


    After rehearsing at the Arts Theatre, Link drove to Burbank''s Wood Middle School to check on the filming progress of "Scandal Plan" and play a small role in the movie.


    In August, after he decided to invest in the film, Catherine, on behalf of Palm Beach Films, negotiated with Director Will Guler. After Link assured that he would not interfere with the film''s shooting and casting, Director Guler agreed to collaborate.


    However, upon hearing that Link''s Palm Beach Films wanted to invest, Warner''s subsidiary Screen Treasure was not willing to back out.


    They expressed willingness to co-produce the film with Palm Beach Films, casting Emma Stone as the female lead and also inviting Link to play a supporting male role¡ªthe boy whom the female lead secretly adores¡ªfor a fee of one million dollars.


    The reason was that his fame was big enough to completely make up for Emma Stone''s lack of box office appeal.


    After Link read through the supporting male role''s script, which only had twelve scenes similar to his part in "Valentine''s Day" and required only five days of concentrated filming, he agreed to it.


    Additionally, Silver Screen Treasures is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Pictures, with a mature production and distribution system, so working with them can also save some budget.


    "Scene 47, take 2, first attempt!"


    "Action!"


    When he arrived on set, the crew was filming a classroom scene where the literature teacher was discussing the story from the classic novel "The Scarlet Letter," describing how a woman who lost her chastity would be branded with a scarlet ''A'' and become a woman scorned by everyone.


    Emma Stone, who portrayed the heroine, became a ''loose woman'' because of a scandal. She found inspiration in it, sticking a red ''A'' on her chest and causing quite a stir at school.


    It was a rather light-hearted and humorous campus comedy film.


    "You''re about to start a tour, how do you have time to come here?"


    Catherine asked, wearing a sun hat and walking over from under the sun, handing him a bottle of ice water.


    Link smiled faintly and took the water bottle in his hand.


    "Actually, I''m not that busy with the tour. I now train in boxing for four hours a day and rehearse for the concert for four hours. The rest of my time is quite free."


    "Four hours of boxing and four hours of rehearsal, that''s eight hours. You call an eight-hour workday quite free?"


    Catherine asked, amused.


    "It''s quite free compared to before. The first half of the year was too busy; my daily routine was almost a mess. Now I get up at six in the morning and go to bed at nine at night, getting back to a regular schedule,"


    Link shrugged and said.


    "It''s good to have a habit of sleeping early and waking early. Since Selena got a laptop, as soon as she gets home, she lies on the couch and watches videos, plays games. If I don''t let her play, she hides in her bedroom, under the covers, and continues. I didn''t have time to manage her while I was in Los Angeles recently; she must''ve been playing even crazier."


    Catherine said helplessly.


    "No worries, she''s young, it''s the age to love playing. Besides, next month she''s releasing an album, probably too busy to lay around playing at home."


    Link said with a smile.


    Catherine smiled slightly, "Where has Taylor been lately?"


    "She called the day before yesterday, said she was in Nashville."


    After returning from Paris last time, Taylor said living together wasn''t inspiring, so she moved back home for a few days, then stayed in her New York apartment for a few days before driving back to her hometown in Nashville, saying she wanted to find inspiration as she walked.


    Link didn''t insist on her staying at home.


    Watching the performance on the set, Catherine suddenly asked, "You and Taylor have been together for almost a year, have you talked about getting married or engaged?"


    "Married?"


    Link shook his head and laughed, "We''re both only twenty years old, it''s too early to talk about that."


    He hadn''t thought about it either. Taylor was too famous, spending all year not on tour then on the road to the next. There were record recordings, songwriting, and after finishing all this work, how much time could she allocate to a family?


    And he was too busy himself, between boxing, music, movies. If they were to get married, it would be in seven or eight years, or maybe even longer, when both of their net worths accumulated to the point where they wouldn''t need to work and could still make a fortune every day. That would be a more appropriate time to start a family.


    "Yes, you''re young, there''s no rush to get married, but I think if you really want to spend a long time with Taylor, you should learn how to manage a family early on, invest more time at home. Taylor should do the same,"


    Catherine said.


    Link nodded, feeling that Catherine made sense.


    "How to manage?"


    He had never married; although he''d had several girlfriends in the past, none of those relationships lasted more than six months. Taylor was the longest relationship he had been in, and he trod carefully with her. So when it came to managing relationships and family, he wasn''t adept.


    Catherine meant to say it''s not hard, you just need to do this and that.


    But she suddenly remembered he was her son and thought of her own failed marriage, which left Link an orphan. Saying she was good at managing a family in front of him seemed like a joke.


    She also remembered her husband in New York and their three-year-old daughter. She had been too busy with work these past years, running around everywhere, and the household was mainly taken care of by the husband. If it weren''t for his good temperament and gentle nature, her second marriage would probably have ended in failure as well.


    With her situation, what successful experience could she pass on to him?


    "Catherine?"


    Link called out to Catherine, who was suddenly lost in thought.


    Catherine shook her head and patted him on the shoulder, "This question is too complicated, it can''t be explained in a few words. There are books on this in bookstores, if you want to know, go read. Treat it as a course, it will be more effective than listening to me."


    "Alright!"


    Link nodded, touching his shoulder.

 Chapter 233 The Bachelor

    "Hi, Emma!"


    After finishing a scene, Emma Stone walked over from the set, wearing a blue dress. Her figure was quite good, and although her looks weren''t top tier, she was highly recognizable, particularly due to her smart, pine-green eyes.


    "Hi, boss, you came."


    Emma Stone brushed her hair behind her ear and gave him a slight smile.


    Link raised his eyebrows, having just complimented her intelligence, he then thought about retracting his comment. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are you sure you want me to talk to you as ''the boss''?"


    "Alright, Link, I was just joking."


    Emma blinked while smiling, a hint of shrewdness in her eyes.


    "The lead role has more scenes, are you feeling tired?"


    "Not at all, I love it like this, having endless scenes to shoot every day. I don''t have to worry about wrapping up a role in a few days and then look for another one, sometimes not finding anything for months, which is terrible. The way it is now is truly fantastic."


    Emma Stone''s cheeks were rosy, and she seemed very excited.


    Link nodded and turned to Catherine saying, "Emma is young and has good stamina, we could give her a few more roles to help her train in our crew." Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Catherine nodded and laughed, "Lately, we''ve been looking for suitable scripts and attending movie auditions, at least three films next year."


    "Very nice, and if there''s a good script that lacks investment, bring it to me, I have quite a bit of funds available."


    Link looked at Emma Stone and said with a smile, "Congratulations, you''re going to be a movie star."


    Emma Stone forced a smile, appearing somewhat rigid.


    Just now, when Link asked if she was tired, she thought he was concerned about her health, but...she should keep calling him boss; this guy is a capitalist, thinking only about extracting surplus value from employees the moment he meets them.


    Just the thought of this capitalist being younger than her, likely to exploit her for more years, maybe even over a decade, made Emma feel somewhat hopeless.


    "Keep it up! One day you will become the most dazzling star in Hollywood."


    Link waved his fist, laughing.


    "Thank you for the compliment, boss!"


    Emma Stone forced a smile.


    "Link, Emma still has some time, why don''t you rehearse the scene together? It might make shooting smoother in the future."


    Catherine pulled out the script and suggested.


    "Yes!"


    Before Link could speak, Emma Stone shouted excitedly.


    Seeing Link and Catherine looking puzzled, Emma Stone ran her fingers through her hair and smiled lightly, "Link is so busy, it''s rare for him to visit the set, and I just happen to have some time; I''d love to rehearse the scene with him."


    "Alright, Emma, thank you."


    "You''re welcome, boss!"


    Emma suppressed the urge to grin from ear to ear, quietly thrilled at the opportunity for revenge.


    Link played the character Todd, the school heartthrob and athlete, who becomes the object of affection for the protagonist, Olly. As Olly becomes the queen of school gossip, Todd starts to notice her and develops feelings.


    His role wasn''t heavy, with less than fifty lines, and wasn''t difficult to perform.


    However, during their rehearsal, Emma Stone got into character quickly, bringing her emotions to a high pitch, which made his lines difficult to deliver and his emotional expression was off, making it awkward to perform.


    Link had to call for a break several times to adjust his performance.


    But Emma was very happy, her smile reaching almost down to her ears.


    ----


    After spending over an hour on set, Link bid a reluctant farewell to Emma Stone and drove home.


    On the way, he received a call from Director Darren Aronofsky, who didn''t know that the two dancers were members of his tour team and had already terminated their contracts with them, apologizing to him.


    Link was surprised by Darren''s reaction.


    This issue wasn''t important to him, he didn''t even think about asking for people from the crew, but Darren had decisively fired them, which was quite resolute.


    Link said it was fine, the tour team was still being formed and it wouldn''t cause any problems.


    Darren also told him post-production on "Fighter" was completed and if the schedule fit, it was expected to premiere at the end of November or early December.


    Link asked if he was aiming for the Oscars with it.


    Darren affirmed, explaining that the operation of art films differed from commercial films, relying mainly on awards from various film festivals rather than extensive commercial promotions.


    The more awards an art film receives, the higher its quality and the cheaper its distribution costs.


    If "Fighter" could secure a few Oscars or nominations, its box office performance would likely be more impressive.


    Link had wanted to ask Director Darren if he had a chance at getting an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, but he thought better of it to avoid any awkwardness.


    After returning to the villa, he cooked a plate of pasta and two servings of cat food, and during dinner, he called Taylor to ask what she was up to that day.


    Taylor said she was disguised as an ordinary person, performing in a small Nashville pub where the audience said her voice sounded like Taylor Swift and urged her to try out for American Idol as she could become a singer.


    Link advised her to be careful and to remember to take Emily and her bodyguards when she went out.


    While on the call, Olivia and Meridian kept meowing around him.


    Hearing their meows, Taylor said she missed the two little ones terribly and asked him to send them over via FedEx air freight.


    Link said no, as Olivia and Meridian were fold-ear cats with generally weak constitutions. Putting them in an airplane''s cargo hold could cause them to faint and scare them to death mid-journey.


    Taylor also felt that air freight wasn''t a good idea and asked him to send some photos instead.


    Link didn''t take pictures, and jokingly suggested she channel her longing into writing a song about the two cats.


    Taylor huffed at him disapprovingly and said she would take the little ones with her next time she came back and wouldn''t let him hold them.


    Link had no choice but to take a few pictures to send to Taylor to cheer her up.


    After finishing the call with Taylor, while he was cleaning the dishes in the kitchen, his phone rang again. Dino called, saying, "Hey, Link, Mario''s into some trouble."


    "What happened?"


    Remembering that Mario had a professional match that day, Link asked, "Was he injured by someone?"


    "No, it''s not a physical injury. Just watch the ESPN broadcast; they are covering his match news right now,"


    Dino explained.


    "Alright!"


    Hearing it wasn''t a physical injury, Link wasn''t too concerned.


    After finishing the housework, he went to the living room, made a cup of tea, and switched the TV to the ESPN channel.


    ESPN stands for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, a free sports channel that broadcasts sports events 24 hours a day, including the NBA, football leagues, baseball, boxing, and is the highest-rated sports channel.


    Link turned on the TV and saw that it was broadcasting Mario''s boxing match in Atlantic City.


    His opponent was a newbie boxer weaker than him. The match went smoothly, and Mario won by knocking out his opponent in just three rounds.


    His professional record now stood at 5 fights, 4 wins, and 1 loss.


    After the match, an ESPN anchorwoman interviewed Mario, asking how he felt about the match and what he thought about his opponent''s strength.


    Mario grinned at the anchorwoman''s ample bosom and said with a smile, "You''re asking about David? Hahaha, his strength is very good, he nearly KO''d me."


    The anchor pointed out that the boxer named David seemed not to have the strength to defeat him.


    Mario, puffing out his belly, burst into laughter, "Beautiful miss, that''s not what I mean. David is very fast. He ran around me in the match like a fan. If he had spun a bit faster, I might have caught a cold. After the cold, I might have had a fever, and if it got worse, I might have fainted, then David could have KO''d me, hahaha!"


    Mario thought he was being humorous.


    However, the show attracted some negative responses, accusing him of humiliating his opponent and being too arrogant.


    After Mario switched to professional boxing, the main promotion company advertised him as the top sparring partner of Boxer Link, one of the earliest boxers at the West Boxing Gym, joining three years before Link.


    Riding on Link''s fame, Mario also garnered quite a bit of attention in the boxing world and became a somewhat well-known boxer.


    Naturally, famous remarks like these drew some criticism.


    "Link, have you seen the boxing news? A lot of people are criticizing Mario,"


    Dino asked over the phone.


    Link shook his head, dismissing the minor issue, "Bad reputation is still a reputation; it''s no big deal."


    "Link, you also became famous by talking big. I''m planning to have Mario learn from you, to continue talking wildly in the media, challenge heavyweight champions from afar, and attract attention. Hehe, what do you think of this idea?"


    "Are you joking?"


    Link shook his head and said, "I talked big because I had the strength. Can Mario do it? If you want to train him into a true champion, urge him to train seriously and fight properly, and not talk nonsense publicly. If you want him to become a famous celebrity boxer, you might try that method."


    "Celebrity boxer? Sounds not too bad,"


    Dino muttered softly.


    Link was helpless. With the rise of the internet, many people became celebrities through platforms like YouTube, like Justin Bieber and Lana Del Rey.


    Becoming famous was getting easier, leading many to attempt shortcuts, from internet fame to celebrity status.


    When a crowd opts for internet celebrity, and some succeed, both the entertainment and boxing circles become impatient.


    Everyone was desperate to become famous, by any means necessary, rather than trying to enhance their real abilities.


    Link couldn''t change this situation, nor did he want to. All he could do was train diligently, rehearse earnestly, first be a true champion, then be a good singer.


    After over a month of rehearsals, his tour was about to start, with the first stop in Miami.

 Chapter 234 Tour Guest

    In mid-October, Link''s debut tour kicked off, with the first stop being in Miami, at the Hard Rock Stadium which had hosted the WBA boxing championship matches.


    That inaugural concert drew a crowd of 87,000 Miami spectators.


    It was even more lively than Lady Gaga''s concert scene in Miami back then.


    The opening song of the concert was "See You Again," performed with Wiz Khalifa, and in the latter half, it led to tens of thousands of people in the audience joining in for a massive sing-along.


    The finale was the Spanish song "Despacito," with special guests, including the chubby James, Michael, Daniel, and over thirty beach neighbors, along with fifty professional dancers, all doing Latin dance on stage.


    While they performed, the audience below danced along.


    The atmosphere on site was explosive.


    "It''s awesome, Link, do you see that? Tens of thousands of people dancing with us down there, it''s like an earthquake," James said, his excitement making him jump around, his face flushed with a glow.


    He still had his baseball cap on, with his reddish-brown curly hair cascading under the brim like a cape, he wore an oversized Heat jersey, and a gold chain hung around his neck, dressed like a hip-hop youth.


    "Yes, dancing on stage really feels amazing," Link agreed.


    "It''s like a dream. I never thought I''d dance in front of so many people," said Daniel, the hot dog shop owner, and Michael from the surfboard shop, both chattering excitedly.


    Sitting in the nanny van, Link looked at the three of them with a smile. Deciding to invite them and the neighbors on stage to dance during his concert in Miami had been a spontaneous idea.


    After consulting with Director Ortega and choreographer Micaram, the two thought it was worth considering, so they asked everyone to give it a try to see how it worked out.


    After the trial, it was pretty good.


    Most residents of the beach knew Latin dance as they regularly threw parties on the beach, singing and dancing together. The only consideration was their courage, as performing in front of tens of thousands on stage could be intimidating, leading the timid to freeze up or make mistakes.


    James had initially been reluctant to go up, but after being persuaded by the others, he braved it out and ended up having the most fun of all.


    "Hey, Link, you''re a big star now, how does it feel?" Michael asked with wild gestures.


    "It feels pretty good," Link responded with a light smile, pouring champagne for the three of them.


    "Just pretty good? I think it must be incredibly cool. When you stepped on stage, over eighty thousand people cheered together. Wow, that sight, as I watched from below, my heart was pounding so hard. If I were up there, facing eighty or ninety thousand cheering people, I''d probably have a heart attack," Michael said, panting as if he were experiencing that moment.


    "You know, this isn''t the first time I''ve been in a situation like this. I''ve been on the boxing ring, at other concerts, on MTV, and the Grammy stages. Those events weren''t any smaller than this, and I''ve been through so much that I''m accustomed to it," Link explained.


    "Link, I thought you were boxing, how did you suddenly become a superstar singer? That''s amazing," Daniel inquired, holding his champagne.


    "I got lucky. Originally releasing an album was just testing the waters, but the first one was a huge hit, and from there I became a singer," Link said, chuckling.


    And that was the truth.


    If the first album had poor sales and the market didn''t accept him as a singer, he would have focused on boxing to make money. As it turned out, both his albums did well.


    "Being a singer is that easy? Look at me, Link. Do you think I could become famous if I tried singing?" Michael inquired eagerly.


    Link eyed Michael. His image would fit somewhere above average in the music industry, but singing required a high level of vocal and creative talent. Whether a person could become a singer wasn''t something you could just see.


    "Why don''t you sing something for us to hear?"


    "Here? Forget it, I''d be too nervous to sing in front of you," Michael said with a shrugging laugh.


    "Michael, stop dreaming. It''s not that easy to become a singer," James said, blowing the air conditioning in the van.


    Link shook his head. He knew Michael harbored a dream of stardom and didn''t want to be just an ordinary surfboard shop owner. Having such an aspiration was good, better than chubby James who only ever thought about sticking to the Baker shop all day.


    "It''s not that difficult either. Michael, if you really want to be a singer, you could try filming cover videos and posting them on YouTube. Many talent scouts from record companies pick people from there now. You could give it a shot," Link suggested.


    "Alright, I''ll keep that in mind," Michael nodded.


    "Link, can you stay in Miami for a few days after the concert?" James asked, turning around.


    "Everything is ready in Houston. I''ll go there to rehearse tomorrow, and then perform the day after tomorrow," Link replied.


    "That soon? You''re too busy. We were planning to throw a beach party to celebrate your successful performance," James said, frowning.


    "Next time! I''m too busy right now, no time for fun. Next year should be a bit more relaxed," Link said with an easy smile.


    Reaching Palm Beach Ocean Avenue, the van came to a slow stop, and James and the others got out. Link watched from the window as they left and his gaze lingered on Baker''s little shop by the sea. Then he told Bob to drive away.


    "Link''s a big star now; I feel like he might never return to the beach," Daniel said, watching the van disappear into the distance.


    "Yes, he''s a billionaire now, worth several hundred million US dollars. I heard he has mansions in both New York and Los Angeles, so why bother coming back to the beach?"


    Michael said enviously.


    "He''ll come back, he said if he ever got rich, he''d buy a big mansion in Miami Gardens. I believe what he said."


    James said nonchalantly.


    The three walked side by side to the beachside shop as the setting sun cast their long shadows. Suddenly, Michael let out a sigh and said, "Don''t you guys think life is so boring right now?"


    James shook his head, "No!"


    Daniel said it was a little but felt okay.


    Michael spread his hands, "I think living like Link is the real deal¡ªstaying in luxury hotels, driving fancy cars, dating a pop star girlfriend, and doing whatever you want every day. He gets so much attention everywhere he goes, living like that must be so thrilling."


    "Stop kidding, flying around all day without any time to rest¡ªI couldn''t handle that."


    James said, shaking his chubby face.


    "Isn''t it good to be a bit busy? I''d like to be as busy as Link."


    Michael waved his hands and returned to his surfboard shop, and a short while later, the sound of a guitar filled the shop.


    "We''re going to be one playmate short again."


    Daniel said, eating his ice cream.


    James scratched his cheek and pushed the door into Baker''s shop.


    The second stop of Link''s concert tour was in Houston, the biggest city in Texas.


    The concert was held at NRG Stadium, with 65,000 tickets sold, all of which were sold out within three hours of going live. Due to the limited number of tickets, they sold even faster than in Miami.


    The guest of the concert that day was Selena Gomez. She was a native Texan and had moved to New York at age ten. She was about to release her first album soon, and being a guest at his concert was also a great platform for publicity.


    During the concert, Link sang "Let it go," "Rainbow," and "Unstoppable" with her.


    The atmosphere on-site was also very enthusiastic.


    "Link, how was my performance?"


    After singing "Unstoppable" and coming offstage, Selena held his hand, batting her eyes at him with a ''quick, praise me'' look written all over her small round face.


    "Wow~ Unbelievable! Selena, you almost stole the show from me on stage. You''re only seventeen, how can you be so amazing? Are you a genius?"


    Link said, feigning shock as he praised her.


    "Haha, you''re right, I, Selena Gomez, am indeed a genius."


    Selena patted her modest chest and smirked triumphantly, and if she had a tail, it would be wagging to the sky.


    Ding!


    Ms. Mandy tapped her on the forehead and said, "Genius Miss, could you please score all A''s in your next exam?"


    Selena immediately puffed up her cheeks, holding her forehead and complaining:


    "Mom, everyone is so happy, why say something so disappointing? And, Ms. Mandy, I''m a guest you invited here, not your daughter. You better be a little more polite to me, or I''ll complain about you."


    "What?"


    Ms. Mandy stared with wide eyes, feeling the urge to hit someone again.


    Link smiled gently and stopped Mandy, saying, "Selena is right, she''s our guest today, and we should be nicer to her."


    Selena tilted her proud little face, sticking out her tongue at Mandy, then heard Link say, "But we can always beat her after the concert."


    Selena''s expression fell in an instant, and she gave him a big eye roll, feeling dissatisfied, she slapped him again.


    Link had more performances to do and couldn''t spend more time chatting backstage.


    After changing costumes, he came out wearing a glittering leather armor, showing off his muscular arms. He rode the elevator lift, and amidst dazzling fireworks, appeared again on stage.


    There was also a rock band beside him, a famous underground band from Texas, invited to join the concert.


    "Link! Link! Link!"


    Over fifty thousand fans below waved their glow sticks and chanted loudly, their voices like tidal waves.


    Dang dang dang dang!


    The band started to play the prelude to "Give me reason," the sound high-pitched and intense.


    The shouting from the audience was like the waves at the sea, one after another.


    It wasn''t until Link, with a guitar slung over his shoulders, walked up to the microphone and began to sing that the audience''s shouting gradually subsided.


    I remembered black skies, the lightning all around me


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    I remembered each flash as time began to blur


    Like a startling sign that fate had finally found me


    From mid-October to the end of November, Link held 17 concerts in major cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The concert with the largest audience was in Miami, with attendance numbers in other cities also exceeding thirty thousand.


    According to the plans of Universal Records and Atlantic Records, there were expected to be seventy-three concerts in the United States and the Americas, fifty-five in Europe, and over fifty in Asia and Oceania.


    The concerts were to take place in several phases, and after each phase, Link and his tour team would have some time to rest and do other things.


    So, at the end of November, after finishing his performance in Vancouver, he flew back to Los Angeles to prepare for the early December WBA-WBC-WBO-IBF Super Middleweight Golden Belt unification bout. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 235 Celebrity Neighbor

    In the morning, Santa Monica was graced with pleasant weather, the outdoor temperature sitting above 12¡ãC, which was quite comfortable as North America gradually entered winter. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Against the golden sunrise, Link, wearing headphones, dressed in a red sports tee and shorts, with 20 pounds of weight strapped to his legs and waist, strode forward on the bay road. He started from the beach villa and ran to the guitar-shaped pier.


    He watched a sunrise on the pier before running back from the jetty.


    The more than ten-kilometer run left a patch of sweat on the back of his sports tee.


    Beep beep!


    As he was about to reach the villa area, a black Hummer SUV came toward him and stopped about ten meters from Link.


    "Hey, Link."


    The car window rolled down, revealing a familiar face behind sunglasses, with rugged features.


    It seemed to be Arnold Schwarzenegger, the protagonist of the "Terminator" series and the current Governor of California, serving since ''03 for his second term.


    "Mr. Schwarzenegger, it''s great to see you here."


    Link stopped and greeted him.


    "Haha, call me Arnold."


    Schwarzenegger opened the door and stepped out, extending his hand from afar.


    He was taller than Link by some, standing at 190 centimeters, dressed in gray casual wear and black leather shoes. At over 60 years of age, he still looked very strong, and his gait was powerful and confident.


    Link smiled lightly, wiping the sweat from his hand, and said, "Arnold, when I rented this property last year, the estate manager told me you lived nearby. I never saw you and thought I had been fooled."


    "Haha, I have a villa here too, but I''ve been too busy with work to stay often. I''ll be living here for a while, so come over when you have time."


    Schwarzenegger pointed to a villa estate not far in front.


    Link nodded and also shared his own villa number, inviting Schwarzenegger to drop by.


    "Link, I hear you have a match with Andre Ward at Staples Center this weekend? Good luck, I''m rooting for you!"


    "Thank you!"


    The roadside was not the place for a chat, so after exchanging a few words, both individuals went their separate ways.


    Meeting Schwarzenegger here wasn''t unusual; the Santa Monica Bay villa area where he was renting belonged to an affluent neighborhood.


    Those who lived here were celebrities, billionaires, new Silicon Valley magnates, and the like.


    For instance, Google executive Eric Schmidt, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Netflix film division head Scott Stuber, and his girlfriend, supermodel Molly Sims, all owned properties in this area.


    Link had been living here for nearly a year and found it quite nice; he was considering buying the villa.


    When he returned to his villa, Miss Anna was also there, bringing a stack of magazines and newspapers.


    As a public figure, he needed to read newspapers and magazines daily, to stay informed about the industry''s happenings, his peers'' information, and understand the outside world''s perspective on him through media evaluations to accurately position himself.


    Atop today''s pile of publications was People Magazine, featuring him on the cover this week.


    This was the third time this year he graced the cover of People. His debut in the United States sold over one million copies at the beginning of the year, and his second album in August sold over 2 million copies, both of which landed him on the cover of People Magazine.


    Appearing on the cover of People Magazine wasn''t too extraordinary for him.


    This issue of People Magazine contained a detailed article on his recent concert tour, 17 shows in 17 cities over 49 days, attracting over 800,000 people to the venues, with box office earnings exceeding 65 million US Dollars.


    People Magazine described him as a new idol of American pop culture with tremendous influence on the young crowd, calling him ''a rising superstar''.


    The second publication, Business Week, focused on reporting his recent activities and the business value they generated.


    Including the boxing match in September and the North American tour in October, it estimated his income for the past three months at around 80 million US Dollars, with related business profits not less than 500 million US Dollars. Business Week named him the highest-earning individual in sports and entertainment in ''09.


    Apart from these two magazines, other newspapers and magazines also reported on his North American concert tour, and the reviews were generally positive.


    Link flipped through them and felt pretty good about it. Although he found the praise a bit excessive after a while, it was still more pleasant to the ear than criticism.


    "Anna, how many copies did the album sell this week?"


    Link asked, setting down the newspaper.


    Besides earning ticket revenue, another purpose of his concert tour was to sell albums. For every album sold, he could make a profit of 5 to 12 US Dollars, easy money.


    "This week, the first album sold 26,000 copies in North America and 6.87 million copies worldwide. The second album sold 92,000 copies in North America and a cumulative total of 9.37 million worldwide, and it''s expected to break 10 million by the end of the year."


    Anna said while swiping through her tablet.


    Link nodded, feeling somewhat useless.


    As a second-generation celebrity with countless chart-topping singles and the added bonus of being a boxing star, he still couldn''t outsell the albums of two female artists, Lady Gaga and Taylor, which gave him a sense of defeat as if even a hero couldn''t withstand the turn of the tide.


    "How are Selena and Lana''s album sales doing?"


    Link continued to inquire.


    "Come and Get It is ranked 16th in sales this week, with a cumulative total of 634,000 copies in the United States. Young and Beautiful is ranked 9th, with a cumulative total of 487,000 copies."


    "Wow, that sounds pretty good."


    Link remarked with admiration.


    Come and Get It, Selena''s debut album, was released on October 22nd, featuring a pop electronic and dance music style.


    It debuted at number 2 on the Billboard album chart in its first week, ranked 5th in the second week, 8th in the third week, and 16th this week.


    Young and Beautiful, Lana''s debut album, was released on November 2nd, characterized by a style of sadcore, baroque pop, and classical music.


    The lead promotional single, Young and Beautiful, peaked at number 15 on the singles chart.


    The second promotional single, Video Games, reached a high of number three.


    Within three weeks of its release, the album had placed 5th, 7th, and 9th on the Billboard album chart, ranking more steadily than Selena''s.


    Both artists had the chance of breaking 500,000 copies in the first month of their album''s release, which was a very impressive achievement.


    According to Billboard''s 2008 data, among the albums released in the United States that year, only 20 surpassed sales of 1 million copies, 52 sold over 500,000 copies, and 168 albums sold over 200,000 copies.


    The sales of their debut albums in the first month were already close to or above 500,000, which was enough to rank them in the top 50 on the Billboard''s annual sales chart, and with potential to rise into the top thirty by the year''s end. For two new artists, this was indeed very good.


    "Anna, is there anything else I should be aware of?"


    Link asked.


    Ms. Anna scrolled through the tablet a few times and said, "Boss, yesterday T.I. was sentenced to one year and one day in prison by the Atlanta City District Court for illegal possession of firearms. This is the second time he''s been arrested for possessing guns illegally."


    "T.I.? What''s that got to do with me? I''m not vying for the charts with them anymore,"


    Link said, eating a fruit salad.


    Ms. Anna laughed and said, "It wouldn''t really matter, except that last month the New York police found four ounces of marijuana, one ounce of cocaine, 41 grams of a hallucinogenic drug, and a handgun on Lil Wayne''s tour bus. This is his fourth arrest related to drugs or firearms.


    In the past, when they were arrested, they were usually given suspended sentences and could leave jail by paying bail. But this time, after being sentenced, they will have to serve at least two to three months and perform no less than 1,000 hours of community service.


    Everyone knows that you have had feuds with them, and I''m worried that at the premiere of Fighter, journalists might ask you about this situation and inquire about your opinion on the matter, so you need to be prepared in advance."


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    "Alright, I got it."


    After breakfast, Link spent four to five hours training in the gym. By about two in the afternoon, he left for Universal Studios to attend the premiere of Fighter, which was also his first leading role in a film.

 Chapter 236 Movie Premiere

    Driving up to Hollywood Boulevard, I arrived at the outdoor caf¨¦ outside the cinema, where I ran into Selena, who had arrived early.


    Dressed in a blue off-shoulder dress, her long curly dark brown hair cascading over her shoulders, and paired with her round cherubic face and delicate collarbones, she gave off the impression of a young woman coming into her own.


    "What took you so long, I''ve been waiting here for ages."


    Selena''s eyes lit up as she saw me coming but then she pouted, expressing her dissatisfaction.


    "Wow, whose princess is this, and how can she be so beautiful?"


    Link eyed her up and down, expressing his admiration.


    With a light huff, Selena raised her chin and slowly stretched out her hand in front of him.


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    Link smiled gently, took her hand, and they walked onto the red carpet in front of the cinema.


    The premiere of "Fighter" was held at the Laser Theater at Universal Studios. The premiere was not a large-scale event, but it still attracted dozens of journalists and thousands of fans waiting to enter.


    Seeing Link walking with Selena, fans started to shout out loud.


    "Where''s Taylor? Why didn''t you invite her?"


    Arm in arm with him, Selena walked and asked.


    "She has been recording songs in the studio recently, and I haven''t seen her for three days," Link said, waving to the fans at the side of the venue.


    "She''s too strong, such great creative talent and so hardworking, what are we peers supposed to do? And you''re the same. Netizens say that the music scene wasn''t so competitive before, but since you and Taylor joined, it has become very, very intense, especially in the pop music field," Selena complained in a soft voice. Hearing fans in the audience area shouting ''Selena'', she quickly flashed a sweet smile and waved to the fans, quite the little actress.


    "You should be complaining about Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Britney, Rihanna, Adele, Avril Lavigne... okay, the competition among you female pop singers is indeed fierce," Link said, listing the active female pop singers of 2009 and realizing that they were all formidable.


    Compared to that, the competition in the male pop singer arena felt less daunting.


    Male singers often debuted in groups like Super Boys, Backstreet Boys, Westlife, Linkin Park, Coldplay, Maroon 5, Green Day Band, most of them rockers.


    Solo male singers were mainly in country music and rap, like Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Kanye, Eminem, etc.


    In the pop field, there were few solo male singers, but if successful, they could become very popular, from Elvis Presley, MJ, to Justin Timberlake who successfully transitioned after the millennium.


    And now there was Link, as well as the still-growing Justin Bieber.


    For Link to have come this far in the fiercely competitive music scene was no small feat.


    Apart from high album quality, a boxing star background, good looks, decent singing ability, and great promotion, the continuous cycle of news hype was indispensable.


    Others, lacking these conditions, naturally couldn''t reach the same level.


    "But you''re amazing too, runner-up in the first week album sales, selling 600,000 copies in the United States in the first month, that''s incredible, nowhere near my debut performance," Link praised.


    Hearing his praise, Selena''s eyes nearly squinted shut with joy as she clutched eagerly at his arm, saying:


    "I think I''m pretty amazing too. To sell six hundred thousand copies of my first album in the United States in just one month, six hundred thousand¡ªyou know what that means? It means that over six hundred thousand people are willing to spend money to listen to me sing. It feels just fantastic."


    As Selena was talking, her body could hardly keep from bouncing up, as if she wanted to jump, forcing Link to place his hand on her shoulder to prevent her from making a scene in front of the media and journalists.


    "Yes, you''re amazing, and in the future, you''ll become a great singer like Britney, Taylor, or Lady Gaga, performing concerts everywhere, and everyone will call you superstar Selena. Then, when I ask you out to watch a movie, you won''t have the time," he said.


    "Haha, that won''t happen, I''ll make time just for you," Selena said affectionately, clinging to his arm.


    Link smiled softly, thinking that the Selena of the present was just fine, simple and happy, hoping she could always stay this joyful.


    "Mr. Baker, may we interview you for a moment?"


    Outside the red carpet area, a few journalists called out loudly.


    Link nodded and walked to the side of the field with Selena.


    "Mr. Baker, your first North American tour has just concluded. When will the next round start?"


    The Hollywood Reporter journalist asked.


    "It is anticipated to be around April or May of next year."


    There are more than seventy concerts in the Americas, divided into three stages according to the plan, with one round every half a year, and the closing ceremony of the world tour will also be held within the United States.


    "Mr. Baker, yesterday the singer T.I. was sentenced by the Atlanta district court for illegal possession of firearms, and last month the singer Lil Wayne was found with a large quantity of drugs and firearms in his car and was arrested by the police. There is online speculation that these incidents are related to you and a continuation of your competition with East Coast rappers. Do you acknowledge this point?"


    The USA Today journalist asked.


    Link shook his head with a smile, "It sounds very interesting, like a Hollywood movie plot, but I don''t have a role in it."


    "Mr. Baker!"


    The Los Angeles Times journalist passed the microphone and asked, "At Justin Bieber''s album release for ''My World'' last week, a reporter suggested that his album style had many similarities with ''Keep On Movin'','' and that he was influenced by the musical style of ''Keep On Movin''.''


    Justin Bieber denied this, claiming he prefers songs by Jay-Z and Kanye, Lil Wayne, and that his album style is more influenced by them. Mr. Baker, have you heard Justin''s new songs, and what do you think?"


    Link was somewhat surprised; he had been busy with concerts last week and hadn''t heard this news, nor had Anna mentioned it.


    Moreover, he hadn''t listened to any songs from ''My World,'' so couldn''t judge whether the style was similar to ''Keep On Movin'','' but even if it was, it wouldn''t be abnormal.


    Both artists are in the pop music domain, ''Keep On Movin'''' was very successful, and there were more than one follower afterward.


    It''s said that after the success of ''The Fighter'' and ''Keep On Movin'','' there were dozens of albums with similar styles and even names on the European and American music market, unfortunately, not many were successful.


    "Link, that guy named Justin is just riding on your coattails, don''t mind him," Selena whispered.


    Link pulled her hand slightly and said to the journalists, "Yes, I know Justin Bieber, and I''ve seen his cover videos on YouTube. He''s a very promising young man. As for his new album, I''ve been on tour recently, and unfortunately haven''t heard it. I''ll give it a listen when I have time."


    "Mr. Baker, some people believe that when Justin Bieber answered the reporter''s questions, he deliberately mentioned Jay-Z and Kanye and others, taking a stand with the East Coast rappers in their competition with you. What''s your opinion on this?"


    The American Express reporter asked.


    "Such controversy is unnecessary, and besides, today is the premiere of ''Fighter.'' I would prefer to answer questions related to the movie, please gentlemen, cooperate," Link waved his hand and said. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the journalists heard him say this, they reluctantly ended the previous topic and shifted to ask about the movie, while also asking Selena some questions related to her new album.


    After answering seven or eight questions, Link and Selena finally entered the cinema''s lobby, Selena''s little face also turned red from the Los Angeles sun.


    "Humph, that guy named Justin is just leeching off your popularity, so annoying," Selena said, puffing up her cheeks.


    Link chuckled softly, thinking of the long, turbulent relationship between Selena and Justin Bieber, the next pair of star-crossed lovers in the music world.


    If Selena disliked Justin Bieber over this, would they ever get back together in the future?


    "He''s just a fifteen or sixteen-year-old kid, it''s not worth it to take him seriously. His album style and attitude come mainly from his manager''s guidance. His head manager, Scooter Braun, was Kanye''s former manager and has good personal relationships with Kanye, Jay-Z, and others. In this matter, of course, he sides with Kanye."


    Besides, Justin Bieber''s mentor is Usher, a famous African American R&B singer.


    Usher''s mentor was Puff Daddy.


    Puff Daddy is a big name in the New York rap scene.


    In the early nineties, he founded ''Bad Boy'' records and cultivated many famous singers, including B.I.G., Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, Latin diva Jennifer Lopez, diva Mariah Carey, and others.


    Because of his manager and mentor being closer to East Coast rap, Justin Bieber is also greatly influenced by this group of people.


    His several hit songs have a distinct African American music style, making him a ''white and black'' type of artist.


    Given these points, when Justin Bieber publicly said his album style is closer to Jay-Z, Kanye, and others, he was telling the truth.


    However, by voluntarily mentioning Jay-Z on such an occasion, Bieber indeed had the appearance of taking sides.

 Chapter 237 Pregnant, But Its Not Yours

    When Link arrived at the movie theater lobby, the cast and crew of "Fighter" had almost all assembled, including producer Darren Aronofsky, director David O. Russell, Christian Bale, and others.


    Since leaving the set in April, Link hadn''t seen many of them. Now that they were gathered together, they inevitably had a lot to talk about.


    "Link, when is your next album coming out? I''m a fan of your music now,"


    Christian Bale said with a smile.


    "Really? Around March or April,"


    Link said with a light smile, and introduced Selena to Bale.


    Selena said her favorite Bale role was Batman and that she was a super fan; Bale was delighted and kept praising her as beautiful and cute.


    Link also chatted with director Aronofsky about his new movie "Black Swan" and asked if there were any suitable supporting roles, expressing his willingness to give it a try.


    The director laughed and said if he was willing to wear tights and learn ballet, he could consider him for a role.


    Link thought it over and decided to pass, as the image of a boxing champion dancing ballet seemed quite odd.


    He then found director David O. Russell and inquired about any new projects.


    He remembered Russell had a movie called "Silver Linings Playbook" that was well-received and even helped Jennifer Lawrence of "The Hunger Games" win an Oscar Best Actress award, although he had no idea when production would start.


    He took the opportunity to let the director know in advance that if there was a need for a male lead, he was willing to try, and if there was a need for investment, he could contribute too.


    After chatting with everyone, he realized someone was missing¡ªAmy Adams, the lead actress.


    Since finishing "Fighter," he hadn''t seen Amy, only reading about her marriage to her boyfriend in the newspapers. He was about to ask director Russell about Amy when,


    Amy Adams walked in from the corridor, wearing a flowing green dress that couldn''t conceal her rounded belly despite its loose cut. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing the pregnant Amy, Link was momentarily stunned, recalling the night they spent together and couldn''t help feeling anxious.


    However, he then remembered that Amy Adams got married and had a baby that year, which likely had nothing to do with him.


    "Hey, Amy!"


    As everyone went to greet her, Link also walked over and said hello to Amy.


    Amy Adams saw him and smiled gracefully. "Link, you''re really popular this year. I can hear your songs everywhere."


    "It''s not too bad. Congratulations on becoming a mother,"


    Link said, glancing at her belly.


    "Thank you!"


    Amy Adams caressed her belly, her face adorned with a tender smile that, matched with her fair and soft cheeks, made her look radiant.


    The movie premiere began, and Link and the main members of the crew talked about the filming on stage, answered a few questions from the media, and then the movie started playing.


    The opening scene was Link training in the boxing ring with Bale''s character Dicky coaching by the side.


    An HBO director kept interrupting, saying they were going to make a documentary about Dicky.


    Dicky thought it was promotion for his comeback and excitedly told everyone about his impending return.


    In reality, it was an HBO documentary about the dangers of drug abuse, with the former professional boxer Dicky as a cautionary example.


    Link''s character Micky also worked as a road paver, fixing highways with his tools. His mother, once Dicky''s boxing manager, was now acting as his manager.


    But she was more concerned about Dicky''s comeback than his own boxing career.


    In one match, Micky was set up in a lopsided fight and got badly beaten.


    Because of this, Micky had a falling out with his family and met the female lead in a bar, falling in love, and with her encouragement, found a new manager and won several matches in a row.


    This caused discontent in Micky''s family who thought he was being led astray by his girlfriend¡ªchoosing her over his family led to a heated argument, with his mother demanding that he choose between his family and his girlfriend.


    As the protagonist faced a severe crisis, the ultimate choice was between his career or his family.


    This type of storyline was something David O. Russell excelled at, making the film very compelling.


    Link, Bale, and Amy''s performances in the movie were excellent, and they worked together in perfect harmony, especially Link and Amy Adams in their love scenes, which were captivating.


    Before, Link had felt that the Oscar for Best Actor was a bit out of reach for him.


    After watching this movie, he felt he had performed superbly and it wasn''t impossible for him to take home the Oscar.


    "Selena, what do you think of my performance?"


    Link casually asked, but when he didn''t hear a response, he turned and saw Selena sleeping sweetly in her seat, eyes closed, with a tiny trail of drool at the corner of her mouth.


    "..."


    Link shook his head. The last time at Selena''s film premiere, he had fallen asleep. Now, at his own premiere, it was Selena who was sleeping. It was a taste of his own medicine.


    "Link, you were fantastic!"


    Amy Adams whispered with a slight smile beside him.


    "Thanks, I owe a lot to your guidance on set. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have been able to perform at this level."


    "Don''t mention it,"


    Amy Adams shrugged casually, and then let out a soft exclamation while covering her mouth with her hand.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Link asked with concern.


    Amy Adams smiled faintly and, holding her belly, said, "The baby just gave me a kick."


    "How many months along are you?"


    Link inquired, looking at her protruding belly. Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Almost six months."


    Amy Adams glanced at him and said with a small move of her lips, "Don''t overthink it, it has nothing to do with you."


    "I... Well, I did consider that possibility."


    Link spread his hands and exhaled in relief, grateful that the incident from that time hadn''t led to serious consequences or damaged Amy Adams''s marriage.


    But after the sense of relief, there was an inexplicable touch of disappointment, a very strange feeling indeed.


    Applause!


    The movie ended, and a round of warm applause filled the venue.


    Selena was jolted awake by the applause and immediately sat up straight, her eyes wide as she blanked out for a few seconds. She looked around, then suddenly stood up and started clapping her hands while shouting:


    "Wow, that was amazing, this movie is so exciting, Link, your acting was incredible, definitely Oscar Best Actor level, absolutely Oscars..."


    "Enough! That''s too exaggerated."


    Link shook his head. If he hadn''t just seen her sleeping and drooling, he might actually have been fooled by her.


    "Spill it, what were you up to last night?"


    "Emm, reading books!"


    Selena blushed and stuck out her tongue.


    "Reading books?! Do you think I''d believe that?"


    Link pointed at her forehead.


    The reason Selena was in Los Angeles was partly to promote her new album. She was signed to Hollywood Records, a division of Walt Disney, which is headquartered in Los Angeles, and the promotion of her album was also focused there.


    On the other hand, Catherine and Mandy had their recent work centered in the area. Mr. Gomez was busy with business, leaving her in New York unattended, addicting to online games and chasing TV series all day.


    Mandy brought her over with the thought of urging her to study as well.


    But Selena''s current state clearly showed her bad habits were hard to break and that she needed Catherine and Mandy to take more care of her.


    "These days Catherine and Mandy are busy and have no time to look after you, so you''re staying at my place. You''ll get up early to run with me every day."


    "Ah? Have to run every day?"


    Selena frowned slightly, feeling a bit troubled.


    "Aside from running, you''ll also practice boxing. How can you protect yourself without learning boxing when you''re so pretty?"


    "OK!"


    Selena, hearing him compliment her beauty, paid no mind to the rest and agreed without hesitation.


    The movie premiere ended, and on the same day, the movie was shown in 6 theaters across the United States, earning $28,000 at the box office, with an average of $4,667 per theater and an occupancy rate of 68%. In the category of art films, these were good opening figures.


    The media reviews for the movie were also very positive.


    Some praised director David O. Russell for telling a compelling and amusing story with his unique directorial style, saying that ''Fighter'' was a movie worth watching.


    Some newspapers praised Bale''s explosive acting, suggesting he could be in contention for an Oscar Best Supporting Actor nomination next year, and called Amy Adams''s performance as always exciting, highlighting her as a powerhouse actress.


    As Link was a popular star, the media had even more to say about him.


    Famous film critic Adam Simmons wrote in the Los Angeles Times, "When I first heard that ''Fighter'' was preparing to cast Link Baker as the male lead, I thought director David O. Russell had made a terribly wrong decision.


    Link is a world boxing champion, but not a world-class actor. To have him play the leading role in an art film, I had low expectations for the film. With this mindset, I''ve been watching the film''s progress from start to finish...">


    "This past Friday, I couldn''t wait to enter the cinema and watched ''Fighter''. After seeing it, to my surprise, Link wasn''t out of place at all. His performance in the film wasn''t particularly outstanding, but he certainly did not waste his character nor affect the quality of the movie...


    Link''s performance in this movie has improved compared to ''Deep Sea Quest'', but he still has a lot of room for improvement, I give him three and a half stars."


    The New York Post commented, "The film is filled with the style of a David O. Russell movie, with a rich storyline, showing the emotions and outbreaks of a powerful and strong boxer...


    The leading actor Link is also quite a revelation, his impressive acting skills shine through, holding his own in scenes with Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo, which is quite an accomplishment and successfully shut up those who doubted his acting."


    Variety magazine commented, "There''s no doubt, with his wonderful performance in ''Fighter'', Link has made a comeback. However, Christian Bale''s performance in the drama is comparably more brilliant."


    Along with the praise, there were many criticisms as well.


    The New York Times said his performance in the movie wasn''t as strong as Christian Bale''s and that the character he portrayed wasn''t as rich and dimensional as Bale''s Dicky. They also said he was ten movies away from becoming an actor known for his skills.


    Hollywood Reporter said he chose the right role but not the right partners, calling a rookie actor daring to act alongside powerhouse actors such as Christian Bale and Amy Adams in this movie ''masochistic''.


    Rolling Stone and Ring Magazine criticized him for not focusing on his career, advising him to devote more time to his new album and boxing matches. At twenty years old, he had plenty of time ahead; if he wanted to become an actor, there was no need to rush.


    Overall, around sixty percent were good reviews, with forty percent bad, a sizable improvement from the seventy-thirty split for ''Deep Sea Quest 2''.


    "Link, your performance in this movie was good and acknowledged by many. If we increase our PR efforts, there''s a chance to win some film awards. Do you want to give it a try?"


    Eva called and asked.


    "Is there a chance to get the Oscar statuette?"


    "Of course not!"


    Eva said bluntly.


    "All right, I was joking. If it''s not the Oscars, then forget it. My goal as an actor is the Oscar statuette, the Golden Globe is also fine, but I''m not interested in other film awards for now. Besides, I still have a lot of room for improvement in my acting; we can talk about PR for awards in a couple of years."


    Link thought for a moment and replied.


    "Also, get ready for the possibility that you might not win many awards at the American Music Awards because of MJ. Prepare yourself mentally."


    Eva said.


    Link nodded, indicating his understanding, and seeing Taylor and Selena coming down the stairs hand in hand, he said goodbye to Eva and hung up the phone.

 Chapter 238 American Music Awards

    "Who were you on the phone with? Why did you hang up when you saw us coming down?"


    Taylor and Selena came down one after the other from upstairs.


    They had just changed into their outfits upstairs, ready to attend tonight''s American Music Awards ceremony.


    Taylor was in a long black dress with a small blazer over it and black high heels, which made her look even taller and slimmer.


    Selena wore a black leather jacket over a red dress and white sneakers, looking very fresh and cute.


    Both were dressed casually with a bit of a cool vibe.


    "It was Ivanka, my new movie role is getting good reviews, and she asked if I wanted to campaign for awards."


    On this matter, Link did not intend to hide anything from Taylor. Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Is that so?"


    Taylor smiled slightly and asked with a twinkle in her eye, "She''s your partner in music, how come she''s thinking of helping you campaign for movie awards? She''s really good to you."


    "Don''t get it wrong, winning movie awards helps the album promotion too. Ivanka has more experience in this area than Catherine and Mandy, so that''s why she called."


    "Alright, have it your way, but don''t be surprised if I walk in on you two in bed one day."


    Taylor bumped his shoulder and walked into the dressing room.


    Selena followed Taylor for a few steps, then suddenly came back to him, leaned in, and whispered, "Dude, listen to me, back off. With a girlfriend like Taylor, you better cut ties with other women quickly. Taylor is fierce; watch out, she might catch you cheating."


    "Stop talking nonsense, when have you ever seen me with another woman?"


    Link flicked her forehead.


    "Last year, you told me you had many girlfriends, don''t deny it."


    "I was just teasing you."


    "You better not have been. On this matter, I''m on Taylor''s side."


    Selena sniffed and followed into the dressing room.


    Link shook his head and waited outside for over half an hour. At about 6:30 p.m., the two beauties, Taylor and Selena, came out of the dressing room, all dolled up and smelling great.


    Standing together, one tall and sexy, the other pretty and cute, both with their chins up, they looked quite unapproachable.


    Link didn''t care what tricks they were playing, he hurried them into the car, as the American Music Awards ceremony was about to start.


    This year''s American Music Awards were held at the Nokia Center in Los Angeles.


    The American Music Awards are one of the three major music awards in the United States, held annually at the end of November.


    The American Music Awards are primarily based on the artist''s album sales and number of clicks within the year.


    The data is compiled from Billboard magazine and the Billboard website, including album and digital single sales, radio requests, streaming data, social media activity, and tour box office revenue.


    Voting starts in mid-November, where fans can vote once for all categories through a platform.


    Simply put, the higher the album sales in the United States and the more fans an artist has, the greater their chances of winning an award¡ªit''s a winner-takes-all situation, unlike the Grammy and MTV Video Music Awards that share the spoils.


    By November, the Billboard album sales chart for 2009 had also been released.


    There were three albums with sales over 3 million copies in the United States, which was a better performance than the years 2008/2007 and on par with 2006.


    The sales champion: Taylor Swift''s second studio album "Fearless," released in December last year, had accumulated sales of 3.32 million copies in the United States.


    Runner-up: Susan Boyle, famously known as Surprising Susan, debuted early in the year on "Britain''s Got Talent." Her first album "I Dreamed A Dream" sold 3.15 million copies in the United States.


    Third place: Link''s second album "Keep On Movin''," 21 weeks after its release, accumulated sales of 3.12 million copies in the United States.


    The fourth place was MJ''s greatest hits album "Number Ones," with sales of 2.48 million copies in the United States.


    Fifth place is Lady Gaga''s "The Fame," with sales of 2.38 million copies in the United States so far.


    Sixth place goes to Andrea Bocelli''s "Christmas Special" with sales of 2.21 million copies.


    In seventh place is Link''s "The Fighter," which was released almost a year ago and has sold 2.19 million copies in the United States, ranking seventh in annual sales.


    Eighth place goes to the "Hannah Montana" TV show soundtrack, with sales of 1.83 million copies.


    Ninth place is occupied by the Black Eyed Peas'' "E.N.D." with sales of 1.78 million copies.


    Tenth place belongs to Eminem''s "Relapse" with sales of 1.73 million copies.


    Eleventh place is Jay-Z''s "The Blueprint 3," with sales of 1.71 million copies.


    Since the American Music Awards primarily involve domestic artists, Susan Boyle does not participate in the evaluation, and Lady Gaga''s sales fall behind Taylor''s, giving Taylor the opportunity to sweep the female singer awards.


    On the male singer side, the situation is more complex.


    Although Link''s second album had higher sales than MJ''s "Number Ones," with a combined total reaching 5.31 million copies.


    However, when MJ suddenly passed away in June, his earlier released albums also became hot commodities on the market.


    Including "This Is It" with sales of 1.29 million copies ranked 13th, "Thriller" with sales of 1.27 million copies ranked 15th, and the compilation "The Essential Michael Jackson" with sales of 1.15 million ranked 21st.


    So far, MJ''s total sales for all albums this year have reached 8.2 million copies, which is higher than the combined total sales of Link''s two albums.


    According to the winner-takes-all rule and in honor of MJ. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    MJ had a greater chance of winning the award, thus Ivanka mentioned this on the phone.


    In fact, MJ was also one of his idols, and having just passed away, he was reluctant to compete for awards with a deceased person.


    This conjecture was confirmed during the evening''s American Music Awards.


    Taylor won five awards, including the highest honor of Artist of the Year in comprehensive categories, Best Female Pop Singer, Best Female Country Singer, Best Country Album, and Breakthrough Artist of the Year.


    MJ won four awards, including Best Male Pop Singer, Best Male Soul Singer, Best Album, and the Contemporary Legend award, making him the most awarded singer in the history of the American Music Awards.


    Link won two awards, Best Pop Album for "Keep On Movin''," and Best Artist of the Adult Era.


    Jay-Z took home Best Rap Singer and Best Rap Album.


    The Black Eyed Peas, Beyonce, Whitney Houston, and others also received awards.


    Meanwhile, this year''s breakout artists Lady Gaga and Katy Perry went home empty-handed, and Eminem was merely a runner-up throughout.


    In this regard, the difficulty of winning the American Music Awards is greater than that of the Grammys and MTV Awards; to win this award, both album quality and sales are essential.


    "Mr. Baker, based on your achievements this year, you also had the opportunity to win Artist of the Year and Best Male Pop Singer but did not get them. Many fans feel regret for you; do you feel the same?"


    asked a reporter from Billboard magazine after the award ceremony.


    "Of course not."


    Link, standing on the stage holding two pyramid-shaped crystal trophies, said: "Taylor is my girlfriend and my music teacher, MJ is my idol, and the goal I strive towards. They deserved the awards more than me, and I owe my achievements to them too."


    "Mr. Baker, it is said that next year, you and Taylor will both release your third albums. Many believe the album chart competition next year will be a contest between you and Taylor; who do you think will win?"


    asked the editor from Vanity Fair during an interview.


    Link thought for a moment and said, "Taylor and I have agreed to collaborate on one or two songs for our next albums, so no matter who wins, it will be a win-win situation."


    "Mr. Baker, you are currently very popular in the Western pop music scene, the most popular male pop singer. Many media outlets are calling you the new king of pop music. What do you think of this title?"


    asked the Vanity Fair editor.


    Link smiled gently and said to the camera: "It''s an honor for me, and I''m working towards that goal, trying not to disappoint fans and those who support me."

 Chapter 239 Big Machine Records

    After answering a few questions, Link said farewell to the crowd of journalists and editors and returned to the party.


    Following the American Music Awards, Vanity Fair held a celebration party at the Hilton Hotel, inviting many singers to attend, and Link was there with Taylor, Selena, Lana, and others.


    "Link, will these two trophies be put up for a raffle?"


    With a champagne glass in hand, Lana walked over from the crowd, wearing a white pleated dress and her chestnut brown curls loose, looking quite classic and elegant.


    "Do you want to take part in the raffle as well?"


    "Yes, but with tens of millions of albums sold, I think it''s going to be hard to win."


    Lana shrugged her shoulders as she spoke.


    "Your album sales are pretty good; you''ll have a chance to win this trophy in the future. Here, I''ll give this to you, and we can exchange when you win one next time."


    Link said with a gentle smile, handing her the trophy for best album.


    "What if I don''t win one?"


    Lana said, laughing while holding the trophy.


    "Then you should be reflecting on that, not asking me what to do?"


    Link shook his head, and upon seeing Selena approaching, handed her the other trophy.


    "I''m about to head back, where''s Taylor?"


    "She''s over there!"


    Selena pointed at a crowd ahead, where Taylor was with Mrs. Andrea and Big Machine Records President and Producer Scott Borchetta, Justin Bieber and his manager Scooter Braun, among others.


    "Taylor and Justin Bieber seem pretty close, does it make you angry to see that?"


    Selena said while hugging the trophy.


    "Of course not."


    Link shook his head and replied with a smile.


    Taylor and Justin''s acquaintance dated back to the MTV Video Music Awards.


    At the MTV Awards ceremony in September, after Taylor left the stage, Justin Bieber took over as host and said, "Taylor truly deserves it," asking the audience to applaud Taylor.


    Later, upon seeing the broadcast, Taylor developed a good impression of Justin Bieber.


    This incident also welcomed Justin Bieber into Taylor''s circle of friends, including his manager Scooter Braun.


    It wasn''t until a few years later that Taylor''s conflict with Kanye erupted again, with Justin and Scooter siding with Kanye, leading fans to accuse Taylor and causing her considerable trouble.


    Scooter also became the person Taylor despised the most.


    Latterly, when Taylor''s contract with Big Machine Records ended, and she announced her decision not to renew, it displeased Big Machine Records'' President Scott Borchetta.


    Scott, without Taylor''s knowledge, sold her masters from her first six albums to her worst enemy, Scooter, for three hundred million US dollars.


    Taylor fought publicly for her rights against Scooter and others.


    Justin Bieber also sided with Scooter, criticizing Taylor and writing songs that mocked and belittled her.


    One side being the pop king, the other the pop queen¡ªtheir feud had repercussions throughout the music world, making many people take sides.


    Even though Link knew about these future entanglements, he wouldn''t tell Taylor now to stay away from those people; it would be of no use. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor was very decisive and smart, knowing how to handle trouble.


    Even if she was outmaneuvered by the few, she didn''t suffer much and actually garnered more sympathy from her fans and support from the music industry, becoming No. 1 in the music world.


    This also proves that some setbacks and attacks are necessary in the growth of a celebrity. Just like after the microphone-grabbing incident, Taylor''s popularity surged, while Kanye West faced mockery and didn''t even show up at this year''s American Music Awards.


    "Hey! Link, congratulations!"


    Lady Gaga came over with a glass in her hand.


    Though Lady Gaga didn''t win any awards tonight, she was the closing act of the awards ceremony.


    Read latest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Furthermore, two weeks ago Lady Gaga reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with her hit "Bad Romance," ending the 12-week reign of "See You Again" as the champion.


    Lady Gaga even called afterwards to apologize, offering to buy him a drink, and today repeated the gesture upon seeing him.


    Of course, Link didn''t need such an apology; the fact that "See You Again" could reign for 12 weeks in the competitive year of ''09 was far beyond his expectations, and he had no dissatisfaction.


    "Link, I''ve written a song that needs a male singer for a duet, your voice is a perfect fit. Are you interested in collaborating?"


    Lady Gaga asked, her eyes smiling.


    "Of course, I love your songs. Just call me when it''s time to record."


    Link agreed without hesitation.


    Lady Gaga might seem like a flashy, attention-seeking artist at first glance, but once you really listen to her music, you''ll start to appreciate her style.


    Moreover, Lady Gaga''s songs are innovative, and collaborating with her could offer an opportunity to learn some useful things.


    After seeing off Lady Gaga, Link chatted with a few acquaintances like Katy Perry, Eminem, and Carrie Underwood.


    Katy Perry was a bit unlucky this year, her songs were popular, and her album sales were decent.


    But she was always overshadowed by Taylor and Lady Gaga.


    At the Grammys, MTV, and the American Music Awards, she was a constant runner-up, unlike Lady Gaga who won a few awards at the Grammys and MTV.


    However, her time would come next year with "California Gurls" becoming a smash hit, selling over four million copies in North America, crowning her as a leading artist.


    Carrie Underwood, too, was a little country music princess, having released her third album "Play On" last week, which sold 315,000 copies in the first week in the United States, and promptly topped Billboard''s 200 albums chart, closely matching Taylor''s momentum.


    Then there was Eminem, whose next album "Recovery" seemed to be the next year''s album sales champion, selling over 3.4 million copies and marking a successful comeback.


    Seeing these three, as well as newcomers like Lana, Selena, Justin, and Mars.


    Link felt that the competition in the music industry would likely become even fiercer next year, and continuing to win would be even more challenging.


    After chatting with the few, Taylor, Mrs. Andrea, and Scott Borchetta came over.


    Scott was forty-eight years old this year, previously a production manager at Universal Music in Nashville.


    He left Universal in ''05 to start Big Machine Records, signing Taylor, who had just switched from RCA Records, and successfully helped Taylor produce and release her debut "Taylor Swift" and second album "Fearless."


    Big Machine Records thus became a well-known record company in the United States.


    Last year, when discussing the rights to "Dream It Possible," Link had met with them.


    At that time, "Despacito" went viral on YouTube, reaching over 50 million views, and Link became an internet sensation.


    Scott wanted to sign him to have him and Taylor both as artists under Big Machine Records.


    After giving it some thought, Link refused.


    The other party was a businessman and a capitalist, focused more on interests. At the time, Link was already a boxing champion, not short of money, and was not keen on working for others. He later convinced Ivanka to set up Link Music and became a capitalist himself.


    After his two albums and Lana''s debut sold well, Link Music''s reputation in the music circle rose sharply, not much less than Big Machine Records.


    However, he and Ivanka were novices in album production and promotion, as well as grasping market trends, temporarily no match for a music industry veteran like Scott Borchetta.


    That was also why he did not step in to poach Taylor, knowing that she would be tricked by Scott regarding the contract issue in the future.


    If he had dug Taylor over in advance, he wasn''t sure he could make her as successful, and Taylor, being independent in nature, wouldn''t have agreed to work under Ivanka.


    "Haha, Link, congratulations on winning two awards."


    Scott Borchetta said with a smile as he extended his hand.


    Link shook his hand, "Thank you! And congratulations to Big Machine for winning the biggest award at this American Music Awards, it''s quite remarkable."


    "Haha, compared to your two albums selling over five million copies in total, everyone else in the music industry is a bit behind you this year," Scott said with a laugh.


    Link smiled lightly, had it not been for MJ''s passing and Taylor''s breakout, he might have had the chance to sweep all the awards this year.


    "Link, look over here, jealous?"


    Taylor came over, lifting the Artist of the Year trophy with a laugh.


    "Stop showing off! Next year will be mine."


    "I''ll be releasing my third album next year too; it''s not certain who will win this award."


    Taylor said defiantly.


    Borchetta chuckled as he glanced at both of them, "Link, you and Taylor are a couple and also the most formidable male and female singers in the music industry. Have you ever thought of collaborating on a couple''s album? I think it would create a miracle."


    "We discussed this issue in June, it''s just that we got too busy afterward and didn''t have the time."


    "You both should consider it; I''m looking forward to collaborating with you and Link Music," Borchetta said.


    Link nodded and looked at Taylor, "What do you think? After your third album, how about we collaborate on one?"


    After thinking for a moment with twinkling eyes, Taylor said, "Collaborating isn''t bad, but I like to write melancholic love songs. I''m worried that working together, we won''t be able to produce good music."


    "How will you know if you don''t try it out?"


    "Alright, let''s give it a shot!"


    Taylor shrugged and laughed.


    "You two collaborating? That''s terrifying. Could you leave a way out for us lesser singers?"


    Selena protested with a scrunched-up face.


    "We''ll collaborate on another album next time."


    Link said laughingly as he slung his arm around Selena''s shoulders.


    "OK!"


    Happiness is just that simple, as soon as Selena heard him mention collaboration, she was excited again in an instant.

 Chapter 240 Xiao Lizs Invitation

    On the evening of the 25th, the American Music Awards ceremony concluded at the Nokia Center.


    Taylor swept five major awards, becoming the biggest winner of the awards, but Link, who did not feel aggrieved, was considered by the media to be ''the most disappointed person at the American Music Awards.''


    With sales of more than five million copies of his two albums within a year, he would have qualified for Artist of the Year any other year.


    This time, faced with MJ''s passing, he didn''t even win Best Male Pop Artist.


    Many people lamented his bad luck.


    However, Link''s response to reporters afterward also won him much praise.


    Taylor is his girlfriend and music teacher, MJ his idol and goal, losing to these two people is indeed nothing too regrettable.


    After the American Music Awards, Link was busy with training and participating in the promotion of "Fighter."


    "Fighter" earned $127,000 at the box office in six theaters in the United States in three days, with an average daily increase to $7,055, an occupancy rate of 81%, ranking it among the upper echelon of art films, a respectable performance.


    Seeing the good preview performance of the film, the distributor, Paramount Pictures, increased the number of theaters to 1,209 on Monday, with an estimated box office of around $20 million for the first week.


    However, it''s also the release period for major commercial films like "Twilight 2," "2012," "Weakness," "Up," and so on.


    "Fighter" faces significant challenges breaking out among these major films and achieving good results.


    "Link, stop looking at that stuff,"


    at an open-air caf¨¦ on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, Director Woody Allen came over, took the newspaper out of his hands, sat down on the wicker chair opposite him, and removing his hat, said,


    "You''re an actor, after a movie is released, it''s no longer your concern; no matter the box office or the reviews, they are fixed facts. You cannot change them; looking at those things is just a waste of your time."


    "I want to see how these people criticize me so that I can improve and avoid making the same mistakes next time."


    Link greeted Woody Allen. Originally, he was training at the boxing gym. Woody Allen called, saying he wanted to talk, so he had to put down the barbell and come over to sit for a while.


    Woody Allen let out a laugh, took out a cigarette and smiled, "Very few people who write movie reviews know what they''re talking about. Following their advice, you would end up veering off track. The best place for an actor to improve is on a film set."


    "Alright!"


    Link nodded in agreement, calling a waiter to get a cup of coffee for Director Allen.


    "Here, take a look at this, find a girl you like."


    Director Woody Allen took out a few photos, placing them on the glass table.


    Link picked them up and looked, there were Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson, Rachel McAdams, Christine Stewart, Amanda Seyfried, Liv Tyler, Megan Fox, and others.


    All popular actresses with decent acting skills.


    "I like?"


    After looking through them, Link laughed, "They''re all great; it''s hard to find one I don''t like."


    "You need to pick one because after the movie starts shooting, you''ll be spending several days with her, playing lovers. If you make the wrong choice, you''ll be the one who suffers in the end,"


    said Director Allen as he stirred his coffee. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling the sunlight was too glary, he called the waiter over to move the sunshade to block it.


    "How about Christine? I know her well, I should get along with her just fine, and she''s very popular too."


    Link understood that Woody Allen, during filming, preferred to work with popular stars, placing lesser importance on acting skills.


    Late in his life, he still collaborated with Selena on "A Rainy Day in New York," a delightful mix of a charming young star and an old playful director, which must have been a cheerful scene.


    "Christine? Why do you have her photo?"


    Woody Allen took the photo and looked, "Christine won''t work, her face is too cold, suited for tragic dramas, not for the light comedies I do. Her style doesn''t fit."


    Link shook his head helplessly and pulled out Scarlett Johansson''s photo.


    "You''ve worked with her most often, how about another collaboration?"


    Director Allen took the photo, stroking his chin as he pondered.


    "She was originally the first choice for the female lead, but she''s a bit older than you, with a more mature face, not quite matching as an unmarried couple, and it''s the same issue with Anne Hathaway." Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    Link held his forehead, feeling this old man was dodging his point.


    "Based on age, there''s not one person here suitable for me."


    "What about her?"


    Woody Allen pulled out a photo from the pile, pointing at it with his fingertip.


    "Jennifer Lawrence, from Kentucky, 19 years old this year. Her performance in ''Burning Plain'' is very good; I suggest you check it out."


    Link looked at the photo of Jennifer Lawrence, not very beautiful, with a bit of baby fat and distinctive freckles on her face, yet her acting was indeed exquisite, distinct among post-90s actors.


    "If you already have a suitable candidate, why do you need me to choose?"


    Link raised his eyebrows, speaking in annoyance.


    "Haha, we''re just discussing this, and nothing has been finalized. If you think it''s inappropriate, we can change it,"


    Woody Allen said with a laugh.


    Link nodded, took out his phone, opened his gallery, and handed Woody Allen a photo of Emma Stone.


    "I''ve seen Jennifer Lawrence''s films; her features and demeanor are quite assertive, she fits strong female roles. In our movie, that seems a bit inappropriate. This is Emma Stone, she has done a few school comedies, suitable for light-hearted comedy, and her acting is great; why don''t you give her a try?"


    Director Woody Allen took a look and nodded, indicating that he wanted to see her films first.


    "Link, we''re planning to start shooting in March or April, and I hope you can grow out your hair a bit. You have a great face, and with long hair, you''d be even more handsome. If you also wear a pair of glasses, I bet you''d look just like a writer or philosopher,"


    Woody Allen gestured with his hands around his hair.


    Link touched his short hair, not minding growing it out as it was easier than gaining a few pounds.


    But in addition to the tour starting in March or April, he also had to release a new album and might have a boxing match, so his schedule probably wouldn''t allow it.


    Link explained the situation to Director Allen. The tour was scheduled in advance and could not be rescheduled.


    "No worries, we can start shooting other scenes first, and save your scenes for last,"


    Director Woody Allen nodded in agreement.


    Link relaxed a bit, grateful for familiar relationships; with a new director, they might be considering a replacement by now.


    The two talked about the script in the caf¨¦ for a while until Director Allen had to leave early for another appointment.


    Link made a call to Catherine to talk about "Midnight in Paris," suggesting that Emma Stone should give it a try.


    He also mentioned Jennifer Lawrence, the lead actress from "Burning Plain," to Catherine.


    Check if she has signed with any agency.


    Jennifer Lawrence is a promising newcomer; signing her just as she was starting out could be a smart move.


    "Link, there''s one more thing. After ''Fighter,'' was released, the response has been great, and the reviews in the newspaper praised your performance. The company has received over thirty scripts hoping for your collaboration.


    Based on your requirements¡ªbig production, renowned director, high remuneration¡ªthere are currently two projects that meet your standards.


    One is a DreamWorks production called ''Real Steel,'' overseen by Spielberg; it''s about a Boxer and robots. The other is Stallone''s new movie project, an action film tentatively titled ''The Expendables,'' with the role yet unspecified; they want to talk to you first,"


    Catherine said over the phone.


    "Okay, send the scripts to my house, and I''ll take a look when I have time,"


    Link had seen ''Real Steel,'' featuring Wolverine Hugh Jackman as the lead, about a retired Boxer coaching robots in boxing matches. The plot was mediocre, the effects were decent, but the movie''s quality was average.


    The second film, ''The Expendables,'' was without a doubt a great movie. After the success of the first film, Stallone made three more, marking a second wind in his career, although apart from two or three main roles, the other supporting roles had little screen time.


    Link wanted to discuss with Stallone; if the role was good, working alongside several tough guys could be interesting.


    Ring, ring!


    Just as Link was about to get up and leave, his phone rang; it was Leonardo, who he hadn''t seen in a long time.


    "Hey, Link, when do you have time to chat? I''m also in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills; I''ll send you the address in a bit," Leonardo said.


    "Chat about what? I don''t have time for chasing girls¡ªif you''ve been following the news, you should know I''m preparing for a boxing match," Link leaned back in the wicker chair, stretching his legs and smiling.


    "Yes, I know, it''s about a movie. Last time we played basketball, you mentioned wanting to collaborate; now there''s a great opportunity, Christopher Nolan''s new film; it''s going to be fantastic, what do you think?" Leonardo exclaimed excitedly.


    Link moved his lips, having wanted to collaborate with Leo after ''Deep Sea Quest 2'' was released last year.


    But the guy kept making excuses, saying there wasn''t a suitable role, and now, seeing Link perform well in ''Fighter,'' he was keen to collaborate.


    However, Link''s schedule was tight the following year, with tours, albums, and boxing, leaving little time for movies.


    Plus, Nolan''s new film was likely the much-hyped ''Inception.''


    With Leo on board, he would at best get a supporting role.


    He could take it or leave it.


    Link thought for a moment and agreed to meet up and talk when he had the time.


    ''Inception'' was a fantastic film, grossing over a billion US dollars worldwide; such films could expand his fanbase.


    Nolan was also a director worth collaborating with; now a supporting role, but perhaps a leading role in the future.


    After finishing his coffee, Link left a tip on the table, drove to the neighboring club, and continued his boxing training.


    The WBA-WBC-WBO-IBF unified championship match was scheduled for the weekend, and apart from promoting the movie, he spent all his other time training for boxing.

 Chapter 241 Links Flaw

    Bang! Bang!


    "Morales, pick up the pace with your feet! Create distance¡ªremember, when fighting Link, you must create distance. He''s fast and agile. If you get too close, you''ll just be hit," a voice shouted.


    On the Muscle Beach Boxing training ground, Coach Brooks yelled toward the two who were sparring on the stage.


    He was mainly guiding Morales, the sparring partner, hoping he could last a few more rounds with Link and create some trouble during Link''s training.


    On Link''s side,


    After fourteen professional matches, his boxing skills had become more refined, complemented by his 1500-pound punch, excellent speed, lightning-fast reflexes, and superior tactical thinking in the ring.


    In the Super Middleweight division, Coach Brooks didn''t think anyone could match him.


    Now, when guiding Link''s training, his primary task was to pinpoint Link''s weaknesses, find where he might be lacking, and tailor the training to make Link flawless.


    Now Link was not only a beacon of hope for Dynasty Promotions but also one of the spokespersons for boxing.


    The higher his popularity and the stronger his skills, the more spectators he could attract to watch and get involved in the sport.


    When more people choose this path, the narrow road becomes a highway.


    As a member of the boxing community, no one did not want to see boxing increasingly thrive and become a mainstream sport.


    While Coach Brooks was overseeing the training on stage, De La Hoya walked in, dressed in a suit, pointed leather shoes, and his hair slicked back, looking every bit the business executive.


    Coach Brooks glanced at him and nodded as a form of greeting.


    The Muscle Beach Boxing Venue was one of Golden Boy Promotions'' training venues, and Hoyle was also a shareholder there.


    Last month, Golden Boy Promotions and Dynasty Promotions had preliminarily finalized the match between him and Link, and since then, De La Hoya often came to watch Link train, ostensibly to ''observe.''


    Coach Brooks was no longer surprised by this.


    Although there was competition between Golden Boy Promotions and Dynasty Promotions and the major event companies, and Hoyle was Link''s next opponent, making them appear as competitors and foes,


    In reality, in the boxing industry, except for the moments when the two boxers fought in the ring, there was little conflict.


    All other phases, including event negotiation, pre-match hype, and post-event promotion, were results of cooperation between boxers and between promotion companies.


    A promotion company without a spirit of cooperation could not survive in boxing. Connections were extremely important in the boxing world.


    De La Hoya was initially a top boxer for a leading promotion company and founded Golden Boy Promotions in ''05, which had developed well in recent years.


    Besides promoting his own matches, he had more than a dozen professional boxers under his wing and had collaborated with major events and top promotions several times, including his matches with Pacquiao and the WBA/WBC Middleweight title fight with Shane Mosley.


    Golden Boy Promotions also gradually became a more influential promotional company.


    "Shit!"


    De La Hoya, watching the training on stage, suddenly swore.


    Coach Brooks looked at him quizzically, and De La Hoya shrugged. "Last year, I should have personally gone to Miami to persuade Link, offered him a hundred million US dollars¡ªhe would have been happy to join Golden Boy Promotions. With him, I bet Golden Boy Promotions would be the only company making big money in boxing in the future."


    Coach Brooks shook his head, thinking it pointless; if time could be reversed, not only Hoyle would have been willing to spend a hundred million dollars to sign Link. Any powerful agency in boxing would have been eager to do so.


    "You''ve watched many times, have you found any weaknesses in Link?"


    Coach Brooks asked this with the intention of seeing any issues with Link''s boxing techniques from the point of view of his opponent.


    "Of course, there are many problems. Don''t ask what they are; you''ll know once I defeat him," De La Hoya replied, stroking his stubbled chin and sporting a confident expression.


    Coach Brooks frowned and looked at him, "Are you sure you''re not joking?"


    "Of course, when have you seen me joke about such matters?"


    Hoyle spread his hands and laughed.


    Coach Brooks thought about it and nodded; he had known Hoyle for more than a couple of years, having coached him from ''04 to ''05. Although a bit of a womanizer, Hoyle was quite serious about his approach to boxing.


    "So, tell me, what are his weaknesses? Name one for me to hear."


    "Well, for a boxer like Morales, Link is an unbeatable opponent. His technique, speed, and punching power are all top-notch. But for me, as well as for Mayweather, Pacquiao, or even Bernard Hopkins, he has many issues.


    Let me give you an example, lest you think I''m just bragging."


    It''s his combination punches. Individually, his combination punches have no issue, but the transitions and connections between them are not as flexible and smooth as mine or Pacquiao''s, often causing a half-second delay.


    In a professional match, one second can deliver five or six attacks. Being one second slower can make you miss your opportunity to strike, giving your opponent a chance to defend themselves.


    This is one of the reasons why Link often launches furious attacks in matches but can''t destroy his opponent.


    Another point is that Link relies on heavy punches in matches and likes to win by knockout. This style looks cool in Super Middleweight matches. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    However, upon moving to Light Heavyweight, this style will cause him trouble; just wait and see."


    Hoyle said with a faint smile, folding his arms.


    Coach Brooks nodded as he watched Link''s training.


    In terms of combination punches, Link has a slight issue, but it''s not entirely his fault. The lack of pressure from his opponents also causes him to overthink during matches, preventing him from fully engaging.


    If his opponent is too strong in a match, causing him not to overthink, his punches are mostly reflexive, and his combination punches would not have any delay.


    This is also why most top boxers like to compete against strong opponents. It helps them identify their own issues and improve their boxing skills.


    Coach Brooks thinks that this isn''t a big issue for Link.


    After winning the Super Middleweight Grand Slam, Link plans to move up to Light Heavyweight, where the competition is tougher and the pressure greater; all these issues can be gradually resolved.


    And there''s the issue of punching power.


    After moving up to Light Heavyweight, Link can add a few more pounds of muscle, which will also increase his punching power.


    Given his current punching power, even with an extra few dozen pounds in the Light Heavyweight division, he would still have a considerable advantage.


    Thinking of these, Coach Brooks glanced at Hoyle, annoyed. The guy talked at length but only mentioned two unsolvable issues, completely missing the point.


    Hoyle laughed out loud, spread his hands, and said, "Link is my opponent; I shouldn''t speak now, you should understand. After I beat Link, I''ll make a PowerPoint presentation explaining his weaknesses, how about that?"


    "No need. If you truly found Link''s weaknesses and are confident in beating him, you wouldn''t come to the training ground in a suit every day."


    Coach Brooks shook his head and walked away with his hands behind his back.


    "What do you mean? I''m wearing a suit because I just came from a meeting," Hoyle retorted.


    Bang bang!


    The training on the boxing ring paused for a moment. Link shook the sweat from his hair and gestured to Hoyle below the ring, "Oscar, how about coming up for a match? Let me see how fast your quick fist really is."


    Hoyle''s full name is Oscar De La Hoya, a Latino boxer.


    "No thanks, I''m not conveniently dressed in a suit," Hoyle said, waving his hand.


    "Can''t you take it off? It''s not like the suit is stuck to you," Morales teased, grinning.


    "Stop the nonsense, keep training with Link. When you can beat Link, I''ll reward you with one million US dollars. I mean what I say," Hoyle stated, waving a finger grandiosely.


    Morales rolled his eyes. If he could beat Link, a mere million dollars was nothing; he could make tens of millions or even a billion.


    Link smiled faintly, continuing to spar with Morales. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 242 Son of God

    After the afternoon training concluded, Link drove back to his villa, and through the car window, he saw a ripe lemon on the lemon tree in the botanical garden¡ªit was orange-yellow, resembling a tennis ball. He used a picking pole to pluck the lemon and smelled it, finding it very fresh.


    "Hey, Link, what are you doing over there?"


    Mr. Scott Stuber from the neighboring villa was passing by on the sidewalk with five pet dogs.


    The group of dogs varied in size, including Poodles, Teddys, Golden Retrievers, and more. These weren''t the only five dogs in Stuber''s household; the last time Link saw Mr. Stuber and his girlfriend Molly Sims, each was walking five dogs, creating quite a lively scene.


    Compared to these five neat and cute-looking pet dogs, Mr. Stuber, dressed in a T-shirt, beach shorts, and slippers, and with tousled hair, looked somewhat casual.


    "Good afternoon, Scott! The lemons are ripe. Would you like some? They''re great for cocktails."


    Link asked, holding up the orange-yellow lemon.


    "No need, I have two lemon trees at my place too; they also seem to be ripening."


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    Mr. Stuber pointed toward his distant villa as he spoke.


    As they talked, that fluffy Teddy lifted its back leg and urinated under the lemon tree by the roadside; it urinated halfway, then ran to another tree to continue. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stuber smiled awkwardly and apologized to Link.


    "Aren''t you working today?"


    Link eyed his attire and asked, as Mr. Stuber was a film section head at Netflix Technology Company and owned a portion of Netflix''s shares, with a net worth of tens to hundreds of millions of US Dollars.


    "Today''s Saturday, I didn''t have any plans, so I''m just resting at home."


    Stuber adjusted his glasses and replied.


    Link nodded, finding the conversation dull and getting ready to go home, when he heard Stuber say, "Link, Molly and I are getting married next week, and we''re hosting a party at the villa. Do you and Taylor have time?"


    "You''re getting married? Congratulations! What day?"


    "Wednesday!"


    "I happen to be free that day."


    "Oh, that''s great, it would be an honor for Molly and me if you could attend our wedding."


    Stuber smiled happily.


    Woof woof! The Teddy barked twice at Link.


    "It''s also my honor to receive your invitation."


    Link smiled.


    After chatting a bit more, Stuber continued walking the dogs, scolding the Teddy for its rudeness, noting it was not as well-behaved as the Golden Retrievers.


    As Link chuckled, he thought about Stuber, who at 38 years old, was a billionaire but dressed like a slob. He couldn''t understand what Stuber did with all that money.


    Under the tree, Link found two more ripe lemons, picked them while standing on the ladder, and drove back to the villa.


    As soon as he parked his car, he heard music and laughter coming from the pool area. Link took off his coat and walked toward the pool, spotting from a distance a group of people partying.


    Taylor was sitting cross-legged by the pool, playing a guitar.


    Beside her were Selena, Kesha, Miley Cyrus, model Jamie King, Blake Lively holding Jojo, Jessica Alba, and members of Taylor''s creative team, along with several others he didn''t recognize¡ªmore than ten people in total.


    Looking around, Link noted that Taylor''s circle of friends had changed significantly.


    Previously there were Katy Perry, Dove Cameron, Christine, and Emma Roberts, but rumors in the tabloids about them having unclear relationships with Link caused these people to gradually disappear from Taylor''s parties, leaving only the precarious Blake Lively and Jamie King as familiar faces.


    "Hi, Link!"


    Blake Lively greeted him with a wave.


    "Hey! It''s really lively here, why didn''t you invite me to the party?"


    Link, tossing a lemon, walked over and asked.


    "You''ve been too busy these days, no point in telling you."


    Selena, holding Olivia, said.


    "Well, that''s true."


    Link smiled lightly and greeted the other people at the party.


    Seeing the adorable ''Jiong Mei'' in Jessica Alba''s arms, he took out a small lemon and handed it to the little one to play with.


    Jiong Mei, not yet two years old, was born last May, a delicate little one resembling a doll, with eyebrows drooping downward, which earned her the nickname ''Jiong Mei.''


    Jiong Mei grabbed the lemon and was about to take a bite when Jessica quickly intervened, trying to take the lemon away, causing Jiong Mei to open her little mouth and nearly start crying.


    Left with no choice, Jessica had to give the lemon back, and as the little one rubbed her baby teeth against the peel and tasted the bitterness, she immediately scrunched up her face, making an adorable expression.


    Everyone burst into laughter, and Taylor teased Link for causing mischief.


    "Link, the competition is tomorrow, are you ready?"


    Kesha, holding a beer, asked as she sat on the couch.


    "Yes, I''ve been preparing all this while."


    "Link, I''ve bought tickets for the boxing match, I''ll be there tomorrow to cheer you on,"


    Miley Cyrus said with a smile.


    "That''s great, I''ll definitely win tomorrow."


    Link waved his fist.


    After chatting for a while, the girls continued discussing gossip, luxury goods, jewelry, and postnatal care.


    After listening for a while, Link excused himself and returned to the front hall of the villa, entering the home theater to watch the fight videos of his next opponent, Andre Ward.


    Andre Ward, his next opponent, is the current IBF-WBO-WBF-IBO Super Middleweight champion, 25 years old, from San Francisco, California.


    His amateur record is 114 wins and 5 losses.


    He has won the US Golden Gloves boxing championships in 1996, 1999, 2000 and the US national boxing championships in 2001, 2002, 2003, and also the US Olympic Boxing Trials in 2004.


    Gold medalist in Light Heavyweight boxing at the 2004 Athens Olympics.


    In his amateur days, he was a Light Heavyweight boxer, but he turned professional in 2005, dropped weight to fight in the Super Middleweight division, and signed with a top-tier promoter.


    His professional record so far is 25 fights, all wins, defeating Mikkel Kessler, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Lucian Bute, Edison Miranda, and other top Super Middleweight boxers¡ªeveryone but Link.


    Originally the WBO-WBF Super Middleweight champion, he defeated Lucian Bute in June to claim the smaller IBO title, and in September in Los Angeles, he defeated former IBF champion Arthur Abraham, becoming the champion of four organizations, two major and two minor.


    He is exceptionally strong in combat.


    He is known as the ''American Zou Shiming'' and ''Son of God.''


    Without Link, he would have been the first boxer in history to achieve a ''Golden Grand Slam'' with honors including ''Olympic champion + winning belts from all four major organizations + P4P king + multi-division champion + ''Ring Magazine'' Golden Belt + retiring undefeated + International Boxing Hall of Fame.''


    By titles alone, he is more formidable than Mayweather, who only won a bronze medal at the Olympics in his day.


    However, he has only fought in the Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight divisions and has not defeated any top-tier boxers, which has kept his fame in the international boxing scene significantly lower than that of Mayweather, Hoyle, and Pacquiao.


    Overall, Andre Ward is a boxer with more ability than fame.

 Chapter 243 The Competition Comes Suddenly

    ```


    If he wanted to climb further, defeating the renowned Link was undoubtedly the best choice.


    And for Link to dominate the Super Middleweight boxing world, Andre Ward would be the last and the most formidable opponent he would face in this rank.


    Both Link and Andre Ward wanted to step over each other to rise to the top, so during this time, after training, he would take the time to watch Andre Ward''s match videos.


    Today he watched the unification bout for the WBO-IBF boxing titles that took place on September 12th in Berlin''s Athletic Stadium, against the Armenian-German boxer known as ''King Arthur'', Arthur Abraham.


    "Alright, the match is about to start, let''s turn our cameras back to the boxing ring, where the current WBO-IBF-WBF-IBO champion, Andre Ward, is standing. He is 183 centimeters tall, with an arm reach of 185 centimeters.


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    He won the Light Heavyweight gold at the Athens Olympics in ''04, and since turning pro in ''04, he has successively defeated all former and reigning champions in the Super Middleweight division except for Link, with a current professional record of 25 wins, 18 of them by knockout."


    In the television screen, a strong black boxer lifted his arms high, wearing black boxing gloves, pounding his chest towards the camera full of fighting spirit¡ªthat was Andre Ward.


    "Today at the Staples Center, in front of 68,000 spectators, he will face the most popular and prestigious boxer on the scene, also the ''08 middleweight Olympic gold medalist, holder of five world swimming records, superstar singer, teenage idol¡ªLink Baker!!!"


    The HBO television cameras suddenly zoomed into Link''s face.


    "Huh?"


    Blinded momentarily by the camera light, Link blinked, and suddenly felt disoriented, with the scenery around him changing rapidly.


    Flat screens turned into a noisy boxing ring.


    The quiet mini movie theater transformed into a bustling boxing venue.


    He was surrounded by many people, Coach Brooks, Morales, Simon, Dino, Franco, and others.


    Beyond them were crowded stands, an old white man in a suit, a fiery Latin lady with a hot figure, Tyson with his gold teeth shining, a blond youngster waving boxing gloves, T-shirts printed with ''Box like Link''...


    Thousands of spectators were holding his boxing posters, shouting ''Go Link'' and ''Link for the win''.


    The noisy scene and deafening shouts made it hard for Link to cope.


    "Link, what''s going on, you look terrible, what did you do last night?"


    Coach Brooks waved his hand in front of him.


    Last night?


    Link tapped his forehead with his boxing gloves, recalling what happened.


    Yesterday, while watching the video, he had a glass of lemon water by his hand.


    Later, Mandy came by to bring him a fruit platter and some barbecue.


    He smelled alcohol on Mandy and criticized her for drinking.


    Mandy got angry, secretly added some cocktail to his drink, claiming it was cranberry juice. It tasted like juice at first, but the more he drank, the dizzier he became. Before he could react, he was out cold, and when he woke up, the feeling hadn''t subsided¡ªhe was totally disoriented.


    He didn''t even know how he had gotten to the Staples Center.


    "Wow, what happened? Why does Link look so out of sorts, as if sleepwalking? Today is the grand finale in the Super Middleweight division, the unification bout for the WBA-WBC-WBO-IBF Golden Belt, and Mr. Link Baker, who everyone believed had the chance to dominate the Super Middleweight rank, is out of form right before the match starts.


    Incredible!"


    ```


    I seemed to see the scales of victory slowly tipping towards Andre Ward''s side.


    Before the match, major betting companies had set odds for both men, with Link and Andre Ward having odds of 1 to 1.1 and 1 to 32, respectively. I thought everyone who had bet on Andre Ward stood to make a fortune, and the betting companies would lose a big chunk of money.


    The match was about to start, what would be the outcome?


    Would it be the out-of-sorts WBA/WBC champion Link continuing to overpower his opponents, or could Andre Ward rise against the tide, create a miracle, and successfully unify the Super Middleweight rank? Please let us all keep our eyes wide open and fixed on the ring; the next second might be the most exciting moment in the boxing world of 2009,"


    the commentator said loudly into the microphone with a very provocative tone.


    At the same time, HBO''s cameraman also focused his lens on Link''s handsome yet somewhat vacant face. Through the camera, both the live and television audiences could see that something was off with Link, as if he hadn''t sobered up from his hangover.


    "Selena! How old are you, acting so recklessly?" S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the living room of Villa 16 at the bay, Mrs. Mandy glared at Selena,


    "Do you know how important this match is? It''s the Super Middleweight final. If Link wins this match, he can unify the Super Middleweight rank and become a top world boxer. If he loses, we could lose tens of millions; even selling you wouldn''t cover that debt."


    "Wah wah wah!"


    Selena''s face was tear-streaked, her big eyes brimming with tears and she sniffled, "I didn''t know his alcohol tolerance was so poor. I only sneaked half a glass of Tequila Sunrise into his drink, who knew that he would get drunk, wah wah wah~ I was wrong to do that."


    "It''s okay, don''t cry,"


    Catherine said, embracing her shoulders and wiping her chubby cheeks with a tissue.


    "In boxing, there is winning and losing, and losing is okay. Sometimes a loss can be more beneficial for a boxer''s development. Just like Tyson and Holyfield, their second match had more topicality and a higher prize money. If Link loses to Andre Ward, the prize money for the next revenge match could potentially double."


    "Really?"


    Selena blinked her wet lashes, looking pitifully at Catherine, hoping what Catherine said was true. That way, she could go from being the culprit to someone who had contributed significantly.


    "What really, of course it''s not true. Link is an idolized boxer; maintaining an undefeated record makes him more revered by fans. They see him as a super-strong figure. Losing would be a stain, especially because he didn''t lose to strength but to you," Mrs. Mandy said with a stern face, poking Selena''s forehead.


    "Wah wah, I didn''t know his alcohol tolerance was so poor, that one drink could make him drunk for a day. I know it was wrong, if he loses, I don''t want to live either,"


    Selena sobbed into Catherine''s embrace, her shoulders trembling.


    "Okay, stop crying now,"


    Taylor said, patting her shoulder with a smile, "Link is very strong, he won''t lose."


    "Really?"


    "Yes, the match is starting, get up and cheer for him,"


    Taylor said with a smile.


    Selena wiped her eyes and watched on the TV as Link walked from the corner of the ring to the center, standing face to face with Andre Ward. The referee in the middle raised his hand and shouted "Boxing!"


    "Go Link, if you lose, I''ll be scolded to death, please, you must win."

 Chapter 244 Collecting Golden Belts from the Four Major Organizations

    "Go Link!"


    The audience both on-site and in front of their TVs were also loudly cheering.


    The match had begun.


    On the ring, Andre Ward launched an early attack, landing a punch on Link''s upper left, a probing offensive move.


    Link stepped to the side and swung a punch at Andre Ward''s jaw while Andre Ward quickly stepped back, avoiding his attack.


    Link pressed forward, throwing two more punches that Andre Ward blocked with his arms raised, while Andre simultaneously swung at Link''s left rib. Link got hit on the left rib and while retreating, he managed to land a punch on Andre''s shoulder.


    Both men landed a punch each and stepped back, creating some distance between them.


    "How could this be?"


    In the spectator stands, Lou Duvall looked incredulously toward Ms. Nora Duwa. Despite his frail health, he had flown in from New York especially to watch Link unify the Super Middleweight class, only to see Link performing poorly and entirely out of sorts from the start.


    Nora put away her phone and said, "Franco said it seems like Link hasn''t sobered up from a drunk state."


    "Drunk?"


    Lou Duvall was stunned for a moment, then became furious, "Nonsense! How can he be drunk in such an important match? If he was drunk, why didn''t they postpone the match to another day? How can he fight like this?"


    "Franco tried to persuade Link before the match, suggesting they fight another day, but Link said it didn''t matter, it wouldn''t affect the match," Nora said with a shrug.


    "Nonsense! Nonsense!"


    Old Duvall angrily tapped his cane, "I''ve always said that Link needs stricter supervision, we can''t let him mess around. Haven''t there been enough talented boxers in history whose careers were ruined by their vices? This will absolutely ruin Link."


    "My hot-tempered old father, why not watch the match before you get angry?"


    Dino turned his head back toward old Duvall, smiling wryly, "Last time Link fought Carl Froch, he wasn''t in form in the first round either, and you criticized him for not taking it seriously, only to find out later it was a tactic. Could his current form also be a tactic? Don''t forget Link is an actor."


    Old Duvall scowled and glared fiercely, "If you talk to me in that tone again, I''ll break your legs."


    "Dino, watch the match, stop talking nonsense," Nora gave him a look.


    "Alright, I just wanted to remind you, dad. The match has just started, the outcome is undefined, you don''t need to be so irascible," Dino said, shrugging and smiling.


    "Hmph!"


    Old Duvall glared at him and turned back to the boxing ring. Link and Andre Ward were still exchanging probing attacks without launching into full aggressive assaults. Link''s technique clearly wasn''t as sharp as before.


    He couldn''t help getting angry again but then remembered Dino''s words. Could this really be Link''s strategy?


    As far as he knew, Link wasn''t someone with a chaotic personal life, undisciplined, or with bad habits; he didn''t smoke, binge drink, do drugs, or mess around with women, and he rarely went to bars. He took boxing very seriously, almost devoutly.


    Knowing there was an important match today, how could he have drunk to excess the night before?


    This was clearly unreasonable.


    Eliminating these unreasonable possibilities, there was only one truth left¡ªcould this really be Link''s strategy?


    But what kind of strategy was it?


    Old Duvall furrowed his brow, watching the boxing ring intently, hoping to discern Link''s techniques amid the chaotic scene.


    Along with old Duvall, many boxing legends had come to the venue today.


    Bob Arum, De La Hoya, Tyson, James Toney, Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones, John Ruiz, Mayweather, George Foreman, among others.


    After the match started, everyone watched the boxing ring with furrowed brows and serious expressions. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey, why aren''t you talking?"


    Hoyle turned to his colleagues and asked.


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    Hopkins snapped out of his thoughts, wiped the sweat from his forehead¡ªhe had been intensely analyzing for a while, breaking a sweat without understanding Link''s strategy, and was feeling upset and disgruntled looking toward the lower-ranked Hoyle.


    "Link is not in form today; do you think he might lose?"


    Hoyle asked.


    Hiss!


    Hopkins shook his head, "Are you joking? Link, that freak of a guy, out of form in a match? Absolutely not, it''s just his strategy. If you don''t understand, don''t talk nonsense."


    "Bernard''s right!"


    Tyson, showing his gold-capped teeth, said, "Link is an extremely cunning guy. Last time he fought Carl Froch, his start was even worse than today. Everyone thought his attention was scattered due to other things, leading to a decline in performance, but what was the result? All damned tactics!


    I bet his current form is all an act, drawing Andre Ward to attack, then waiting for the chance to strike, a Rear Hook Punch KO on Andre Ward. That guy''s strength is so strong, yet he still likes to use tactics, he''s really a damn bastard!" Tyson cursed, lamenting that if he had even 50% of Link''s cunning back in the day, he wouldn''t have ended up boxing for rich women to pay off debts.


    "Tyson''s right!"


    James Toney nodded, patting his belly, "Link loves to play the counter-attack game, first letting the opponent attack recklessly, allowing them to get used to this approach, then suddenly launching a counter-attack to catch them off-guard. Miko, Froch, Tyson, they were all defeated this way.


    Look at Andre; he has also realized it''s Link''s trick, which is why he''s very cautious during the match, trying to stick to his original rhythm, avoiding falling into Link''s trap."

 Chapter 244 Collecting the Golden Belts of the Four Major Organizations_2

    "Not bad, Andrea played steadily!"


    John Ruiz nodded in agreement.


    Hoyle glanced at Link in the boxing ring.


    To the ordinary viewer, Link appeared very proactive at this moment, balancing offense and defense well, striking decisively when needed, moving smoothly when required, and his hand and foot movements never stopped.


    But to the insiders, both his offense and defense were not aggressive enough. Simply put, if he were to give it his all, achieving a ten out of ten, he was only exerting about three tenths at the moment, looking somewhat out of sorts.


    If it were anyone else, Hoyle could conclude they were off their game, but this was the cunning Link, which made things not so simple.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    On the boxing ring, both Link and Andrea were vigorously throwing punches at each other, while constantly dodging to avoid getting hit.


    In the first round, Link threw 112 punches, hitting Andre Ward 22 times; Andre Ward threw 98 punches, hitting Link 19 times.


    Neither side had the upper hand in the first round.


    The live audience watched as the two fiercely battled on the ring, feeling extremely thrilled by the punches landing solidly, with shouts rising wave after wave.


    However, this kind of match baffled the insiders at the venue.


    Since Link turned professional last September, he had been through fourteen professional matches, except for the one with Tyson, all others ended within the first round.


    Today''s match against Andre Ward, however, lasted a full round with his opponent.


    What was Link doing?


    Was this really his strategy?


    "Link, how are you feeling?"


    In the corner of the ring, Coach Brooks crouched down in front of Link and asked.


    Two assistants beside them were fanning Link, sprinkling water on him, and applying Vaseline to his forehead.


    Having worked in Link''s support team for nearly a year, this was the first time they performed these tasks during a match, finally feeling a sense of presence, they couldn''t help but feel a bit moved, doing their job with great effort.


    Link took a sip of water then spat it out, shaking the water droplets off his face and smiled: "I''m fine, I''m feeling better and better."


    "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    Coach Brooks asked, somewhat doubtful.


    "Yes, I''m really fine now."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Last time he drank alcohol, he engaged in vigorous activity with Amy Adams, which helped expel the alcohol with body fluids, minimally affecting his body.


    This time, after drinking, he went straight to sleep, residual alcohol still in his system, somewhat impacting his performance.


    During that first round, he fought very hard, moved a lot, sweated a lot, his mind gradually became clearer, and his condition got much better.


    "Alright, this is the first time you''ve completed a round, which is really a surprise. Finally, as your coach, I am useful. Let me tell you about the opponent. Andrea was very steady in the first round, didn''t lose his rhythm, and didn''t expend much physically. If you''re not sure you can KO him within 12 rounds, play more steadily than he does, take it slow, and win on points at the end."


    Coach Brooks said.


    Link nodded, raising his arms to flex his shoulders.


    "Go Link!"


    Many fans in the audience shouted loudly, holding up posters. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link got up and waved his fists at them.


    "Link, we''re here, go for it!"


    Miley Cyrus and Kesha, sitting close to the ring, yelled at him.


    "Boss, go for it!"


    Emma Stone also shouted from below the ring.


    Link smiled slightly and waved his fists at them.


    In the opposite corner of the ring, Andre Ward''s coach glanced at Link and said to Andre: "Link is a very tough guy. He knows you have good stamina and a steady style, so he''s not trying to beat you in the first round but to wear you down, compete on stamina. I''m not sure if he''ll explode this round, but you must be careful. When dealing with a tough guy like Link, being extra cautious can''t hurt."


    Andre Ward nodded silently. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire


    Link was the toughest opponent he had encountered in his career, but also a great opportunity.


    If he could defeat him, he could unify the Super Middleweight class and become the dominant force in this rank.


    At the same time, he could step on Link''s many laurels, become a top star in boxing, get more appearance fees and match bonuses, and become a billionaire.


    Thinking of this, Andre''s heartbeat quickened, and he felt his blood boil as he looked across at Link, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.


    This was a match he had to win!


    Go for it!


    Ding!


    The second round began, and Link and Andre came to the middle of the ring.


    Link nodded at Andre, acknowledging that the opponent was indeed strong.


    Stamina, strength, speed, combination punches, and tactical application were all top level; moreover, his brain was smarter than the average African-American boxer, not easily angered, nor could his rhythm be easily disrupted.


    When an African-American athlete had a smart brain, the strength they displayed doubled.


    The best way to tackle such a boxer was to be methodologically solid, find the opponent''s weaker strategy during the running fight, and then strike a decisive blow when the opportunity arose.


    Link had simulated the match beforehand.


    Since his opponent had been a Light Heavyweight boxer and had won an Olympic gold in this rank, his punch strength was no weaker than his, nor was his ability to withstand hits.


    In the amateur phase, he fought over a hundred matches, and his professional record was over twenty victorious bouts. In terms of technique and experience, he was richer than Link.


    Comparatively, Link''s advantages over his opponent were in speed, reaction capacity, and robust stamina.

 Chapter 244 Collecting the Golden Belts of the Four Major Organizations_3

    Understanding these tactics, Link planned to use high-frequency jabs to attack his opponent in the second round, break through their defense first, and then seize the opportunity to KO them and win the match.


    "Boxing!"


    The second round began.


    Andre Ward threw a punch, then stepped back, raising his fists high for a defensive stance, continuing his steady and solid style.


    Just like in the undercard match before last year''s fight between Holyfield and Valuev, he first drew attacks from his opponent, waited for them to exhaust a great deal of energy, and then launched a strong counterattack to eventually take the match.


    This was Andre Ward''s usual tactic, a strategy that had been proven effective through multiple validations, and relying on this set of tactics, he had won all the way to the present.


    Today, as he faced the formidable Link, he was set on sticking to it, regardless of whatever tricks Link had up his sleeve, maintaining his rhythm unchanged.


    Bang bang bang!


    Last year, Link watched Andre Ward''s fight against Esteban Camu at Madison Square Garden from Ivanka''s box and had studied his opponent''s match videos.


    Seeing the opponent continue with this robust tactic.


    Link no longer hesitated and took the initiative to attack, a left jab + right jab + left swing punch + right jab, his fists like javelins, continuously hitting the opponent''s arm guard.


    One punch followed by another, the offensive was relentless.


    Andre Ward defended staunchly, constantly changing his footing, trying to increase the distance to prevent his defense from being broken.


    However, Link''s speed was slightly faster. Seeing the opponent retreat, he moved his feet agilely, closing in quickly, not allowing the opponent to escape his striking range, nor giving an opportunity for a response.


    Bang bang bang!


    Link''s fists kept smashing into Andre, a right jab + left jab + right straight punch + left jab, boom!


    After an onslaught of over fifty punches, a right straight punch made Andre''s body tilt, followed by an unexpected left jab from Link, which struck heavily on Andre''s left ribs.


    Andre let out a muffled grunt, his body reflexively bending downward.


    Since Link was taller and had a seven-centimeter reach advantage, he immediately followed with a tricky right hook punch, from below upwards, piercing through the opponent''s guard at an incredible speed, hitting Andre''s forehead.


    Boom!


    Andre''s left eyebrow bone met the punch, his body jolting backward, his steps retreating a few paces.


    "Wow! That was a hit!"


    Upon seeing Link land a blow, a gasp rose from below, and Link''s fans immediately became restless, shouting loudly:


    "Go Link!"


    "Link for the win!"


    "Link, finish the match quickly, we want the draw."


    Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Link pressed on his advantage, closing in fast on his opponent, using two heavy punches to drive him against the ropes, deploying a ropes strategy, and bombarding the opponent with a flurry of seven or eight punches.


    "Link for the win!"


    "Link is amazing!"


    As Link''s fists hit the opponent repeatedly, leaving him unable to retaliate, the audience became even more thrilled, their cheers rising wave after wave.


    "See, I told you, that''s Link''s tactic, how about that?"


    Tyson, with his arms crossed, gave Hoyle a smug smile.


    "That guy Link is too cunning. With such strength, he still relies on tactics in matches. How can others fight against that?"


    Hopkins remarked.


    "Don''t worry, after moving up to light heavyweight, his advantage won''t be so evident."


    Roy Jones said calmly.


    James Toney nodded, "Link relies on the power and speed of his punches in fights. The higher the rank, the less advantage he has, as was evident from his fight with Tyson. He might be invincible at super middleweight, but not necessarily in other ranks. By the way, did Link say he wanted to move up to light heavyweight?"


    "Haven''t you heard? Link said his goal is to win the golden belts of four major organizations in five different ranks, not just light heavyweight. In the future, he plans to move up to heavyweight and have a go with you guys."


    Hopkins said with a chuckle.


    "What an ambitious guy."


    John Ruiz admired Link on the ring.


    Hoyle also frowned as he watched Link on the ring. Was the first round really Link''s tactic?


    It had to be said, the guy was a good actor, and even he, a veteran of the boxing world for many years, couldn''t discern any flaws.


    "Go Link!"


    On the ring, Link had driven his opponent against the ropes, continuing the onslaught with seven or eight punches.


    Unable to cope, Andre resorted to the clinch tactic, wrapping his arms around Link to prevent further attacks.


    In boxing matches, you can only strike the front, and hitting the back of the head or spine and other areas is prohibited.


    So once held in a clinch, other than using little moves to strike the opponent''s ribs, other forms of attack risk fouls.


    Because the clinch tactic is practical, it is commonly seen in professional matches.


    But the clinch tactic is also somewhat annoying, as it disrupts the rhythm of the match, leading to a decrease in the spectatorship of the match.


    It also becomes one of the most disliked tactics among audiences; anytime someone uses the clinch tactic in a match, they can''t help but boo. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Break!"


    The referee, seeing Andre resort to the clinch tactic, quickly intervened, separating the two. The clinch was also a foul, a technical infraction. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    According to the scoring rules, Link earned an extra point for that round.


    Link gave his opponent a look and waved his fist with a slight smile.


    Andre Ward glared back at him.


    "Boxing!"


    The match continued, with Link wiping sweat, raised his fists to strike at Andre Ward, who continued to keep his guard up.

 Chapter 244 Collecting the Golden Belts of the Four Major Organizations_4

    At 93 seconds into the second round, Link employed his old head-body, head-body strategy, landing a Jab in his opponent''s abdomen, causing Andre''s defense to distort, followed immediately by a Straight Punch to his opponent''s forehead.


    Andre staggered, his body retreating rapidly, smashing into the corner post to stabilize himself, nearly resulting in a knockdown.


    "Link''s using Heavy Punches!"


    "Link finish him!"


    The fans stood up and cheered loudly.


    Link advanced a few steps, continuing to strike his opponent''s body and head with a high frequency of Jabs, seeing that his opponent was ready to employ the clinch strategy again.


    Link quickly stepped back, and with a long-prepared Left Uppercut from below, thumped it solidly against his opponent''s jaw.


    Andre, hit by the sudden punch, jolted upwards, his mind went blank, stumbling a step, attempting to grab the ropes to steady himself.


    But the powerful punch still caused a whirl of dizziness in his head, and he stumbled and fell on the boxing ring.


    Boom!


    Seeing Andre knocked down, the spectators instantly became excited, shouting "Link must win," "Link''s won," "Link is Superman."


    The atmosphere inside the Staples Center instantly boiled over with more than sixty thousand people chanting in unison, like the noisy Sarajevo.


    "This guy''s fans are way too loud."


    Little Roy Jones turned to look at the stands.


    Many young fans were shaking Link''s posters in their seats, making noise non-stop, as if it were a Link concert.


    "It''s really loud, fighting against him, it''s hard to gain the home ground advantage."


    James Toney swept a glance around, from the top to the bottom of the stands ¨C Link''s fans were everywhere, at least ten thousand people shouting.


    In such a venue, it was hard for others to get the home ground advantage.


    "Tsk, that''s for sure, this guy isn''t just a Boxing Champion, he''s also a big rock star, with global album sales of over ten million copies. Tsk, so impressive. With just a few boxing matches and album revenues, Link''s worth is probably around two hundred million now, two hundred million a year, fuck, this bastard is the real Money Printing Machine."


    Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Tyson said enviously.


    The other people, upon hearing Link earns two hundred million a year, couldn''t help but show a mix of envy and jealousy. Coming into fame in just over a year to become a multimillionaire, this guy was truly enigmatic.


    "Haha, this is good, the more fans Link has, the higher the share of the ticket sales and PPV revenue. I bet that my next match with him will bring in no less than one hundred million US Dollars in PPV revenue shares, and earnings from other sources will also double. Haha, our prize money will definitely break records," Hoyle said, waving his fists excitedly.


    "Fuck! I should''ve fought him later," Tyson said angrily.


    But Little Roy Jones, Hopkins, and James Toney were quite happy.


    They hadn''t fought Link yet and had the chance to ride on Link''s popularity, to get more match bonuses and a share of the PPV revenue.


    If they performed just a bit better and defeated Link in the match, the earnings from that one match could match their total income from the past four or five years of fighting.


    Thinking about these things, everyone''s gaze towards Link instantly turned fervent.


    "Link! Keep it up!"


    On the ring, after Andre fell, the referee crouched and counted to four; Andre got up from the ground and gave Link a cold glance.


    The referee asked Andre if he could continue the fight, and Andre fiercely said "I can." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boxing!"


    At 105 seconds into the second round, the match continued.


    Link continued his attack, wanting to seize the victory and aim to defeat his opponent in this round.


    But at this moment, Andre suddenly changed tactics, no longer being defensive and swung both fists in a counterattack.


    Link didn''t back down either, starting to exchange punches with his opponent.


    Bang Bang Bang!


    Both fighters'' punches were heavy, their Speed extremely fast, and their Combination Punches very refined.


    After both abandoned defense and went all out on the offense, the match on the boxing ring suddenly became much more intense.


    The two traded blow for blow with each punch aimed at vital points without any compromise.


    The audience was shocked by this sudden exchange of punches and cheered loudly, not only for Link but also many black fans shouting for Andre Ward to knock Link down.


    Thump!


    At the 152nd second, Link''s chin caught a punch, but the next second, he unleashed a ferocious right swing punch, sweeping viciously from right to left, solidly hitting Andre Ward on the side of his face.


    Andre''s head shifted to the left, the muscles in his face distorting, as the sweat on his hair was flung away.


    Bang!


    Andre collapsed sideways onto the boxing ring, his face sliding across the floor for two centimeters before coming to a stop.


    "Hiss!"


    The camera clearly captured the image of Link''s fist deforming Andre''s face and the sweat being flung off, especially for audiences watching in high definition, who could see it very clearly, many involuntarily gasped in shock.


    Even though boxing gloves can reduce more than 60% of the weight, being hit in the head by a fist weighing three to four hundred pounds certainly feels very bittersweet.


    "10, 9, 8, 7...."


    The ring referee crouched beside, counting down, as Andre Ward slowly opened his eyes, propped himself up with his hands, and gradually stood up, with sweat dripping from his body.


    "Andre! Come on!"


    "Andre, hold on!"


    Many black boxing fans shouted from the stands.


    "Andre, get up! Knock that bastard Link down."


    In a New York music club, 50 Cent, Drake, and others watched the television anxiously.


    "5, 4, 3..."


    With the countdown at three seconds, Andre slowly got to his feet, leaning on the ropes.


    "Yeah!"


    Many in the audience shouted excitedly.


    The referee asked Andre Ward to let go of the ropes and take two steps forward. Andre had just taken one step when he collapsed back to the floor.


    Ugh!


    The audience sighed in disappointment.


    The referee extended two fingers in front of Andre''s eyes, asking how many fingers, and Andre answered ''three''.


    Convinced that Andre was not fit to continue, the referee, after consulting with Andre''s coach, declared Andre had conceded the match, and the judges unanimously ruled that Link had won the bout.


    "Yeah!"


    Upon hearing of Link''s victory, the audience immediately erupted in excitement, and while there were many fans of Andre in attendance, the majority were there for Link.


    Seeing him overpower his opponent with a forceful strategy and win the WBA-WBC-WBO-IBF-WBF-IBO Golden Belt, the fans jumped excitedly, turning the boxing match into a scene straight out of a festival, with some even starting to sing Link''s "unstoppable," transforming the boxing match into a concert vibe.


    "Yeah! Link won!"


    In the villa, the little girl who had just been crying jumped up excitedly, her little round face filled with jubilation.


    "Haha, Link won, that''s just great," Selina shouted, dancing with excitement.


    "Hmph, be more careful next time, don''t cause any more trouble," Mrs. Mandy said, barely containing her laughter.


    "I know!"


    Selina rolled her eyes, then suddenly, with a twinkle in her big eyes, she turned to everyone and said, "Do you think there''s a chance that Link couldn''t have beaten Andre Ward, but that it was all because I made him drink a glass of wine, causing a sudden outburst and defeating his opponent?"


    "What are you thinking? If it weren''t for you, Link could have finished the fight in the first round. Do you really want to take credit for Link''s victory?" Mrs. Mandy gave her a look.


    Catherine, Taylor, and Mrs. Andrea all started laughing.


    Selina sniffed and said with hands in her pockets, "You can''t completely rule out the possibility. We should wait for Link to come back and ask him, maybe it''s true."


    "What if it''s not true, aren''t you afraid of Link coming back to give you a beating?" Taylor said with a twinkle in his eye.


    At Taylor''s words, Selina''s face froze, and upon seeing Link encumbered with Golden Belts looking formidable on TV, she immediately ran upstairs.


    "What are you doing?"


    "I''m homesick, I want to go back home for a few days."

 Chapter 245 Improvisation without Tactics

    The evening of the 28th saw the successful conclusion of the Super Middleweight contest across the four major organizations. The wildly popular boxing king Link, after two intense rounds of fighting, landed a vicious Swing Punch on Andrea''s head, dealing a heavy blow to his opponent.


    Link smoothly won the match and became the Super Middleweight champion of the WBA-WBC-WBO-IBF-WBF-IBO, achieving the Grand Slam of the category. He is the first boxer in history to reach this milestone at the age of 20.


    Following Link''s victory, the skies above the Staples Center were showered with copious amounts of confetti, and bunches of fireworks burst into the sky from outside the venue.


    The audience cheered and applauded.


    The scene turned into a bustling and festive ocean.


    With six Golden Belts in hand, Link stepped down from the ring to be greeted by the long-awaited press, microphones raised, they all surged towards him.


    "Mr. Baker, congratulations on becoming the youngest ever Grand Slam boxer in history. What''s your next goal?"


    A reporter from HBO shouted into the microphone.


    "To keep fighting and to win more Golden Belts,"


    Link said, fists clenched.


    "Are you planning to fight in the Light Heavyweight category next? Have you determined an opponent?"


    "If nothing unexpected happens, it will be Roy Jones! I''m looking forward to the match with him."


    "Mr. Baker, we understand that you''re not only participating in boxing matches this year, but also recording music, filming movies, and performing at concerts¡ªkeeping a very busy schedule. For most people, handling so much work would be overwhelming, but you manage to maintain robust energy and strong combativeness in your work. Do you have any secrets regarding your work arrangement?"


    The USA Today reporter asked.


    Link responded with a slight smile, "The biggest secret is to maintain a love for work. I love boxing, singing, and movies. So when I work on these, I become extremely excited, like children visiting Disney World, and my work efficiency soars significantly."


    "Mr. Baker, as we all know, you''ve been actively promoting the sport of boxing since becoming a champion. In August, you launched a boxing segment on YouTube, calling on boxing enthusiasts to upload their videos, announcing a raffle on Christmas Eve, where the selected participant would have the chance to win an authentic Golden Belt. Now, your fans are very concerned¡ªwill there still be a raffle, and how many Golden Belts will be given away this time?"


    An American Express reporter asked.


    "Yes, it will go ahead as planned, and this time I will give away all the Golden Belts,"


    Link indicated the belts on him.


    For him, the belts did not hold much significance remaining with him. Giving them away in a raffle to boxing enthusiasts meant more and could also enhance his influence in the boxing world.


    After dealing with the media, Link went to the audience area to greet acquaintances, thank everyone for coming, and also take photos with fans in the front rows.


    The fans cheered excitedly when he approached them.


    After the match, Dynasty Promotion Company hosted a party at the Hilton Hotel, inviting peers from the boxing world, senior executives of media and publishing companies, and celebrities from the entertainment industry.


    "Hey, Link, today''s fight was incredible; I dare say even Tyson in his prime wouldn''t be stronger than you,"


    Governor Schwarzenegger, dressed in a sharp suit and sporting a slicked-back hairstyle, came over to greet him.


    Link smiled lightly and bumped fists with Schwarzenegger, who had been seated in the front row during the match and claimed to be a fan of Link in an interview.


    "Hey, I think I heard someone talking about me,"


    A bald strongman with a tiger tattoo on his face squeezed through the crowd and spoke.


    The man was none other than Tyson.


    "Yes, Mike, we''re all fans of you,"


    Link said with a smile.


    "Hey, gentlemen, could I get a photo with the three of you?" Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The deputy editor of the Los Angeles Times asked, pulling out a camera, "A picture of you three together would definitely be a collector''s item."


    Link glanced at Schwarzenegger and Tyson; both nodded, more than willing to take the photo.


    Schwarzenegger and Tyson both symbolize the toughness and strength of the eighties and nineties, while Link is the new generation''s emblem of fighting spirit.


    For the photo, Schwarzenegger stood sideways to the left, Tyson, with his fists clenched, stood to the right, positioning Link at the center, all dressed in suits.


    Click!


    A photo representing the pinnacle of human combativeness was captured.


    "Link, have you received ''The Expendables'' script?"


    After Kaz, the editor-in-chief, had left, Schwarzenegger inquired.


    "Yes, my agent mentioned it."


    "It''s like this¡ªrecently, Stallone mentioned he wanted to work with several top action stars on a movie, and I thought it was a great idea. I brought you up to him, and you have the look and presence for action¡ªif you''re interested, next time I meet with Stallone, let''s all talk,"


    Schwarzenegger suggested.


    "Sounds cool, I''d love to work with you guys,"


    Link nodded in response.


    "Great, it''s settled then,"


    Schwarzenegger said, clinking his champagne glass with Link''s. He mentioned he had other matters to attend to and had to leave early.


    After Schwarzenegger left, Link heard Tyson complaining beside him, "This guy is becoming more and more boring, it''s like everyone in politics is like that."


    "Arnold wants to be the next President Reagan."


    "He''s the Terminator, I don''t think that''s a good idea,"


    Tyson said, baring his teeth.


    Link chuckled softly, the idea of the Terminator as the President of America did indeed seem a bit sci-fi.


    "Hey, what are you guys talking about here?"


    Hoyle, Hopkins and James Toney came walking over.


    "We just took a picture with Mr. Schwarzenegger for a collaboration, and Kaz, the editor-in-chief, is planning to name it ''The Tough Alliance.'' What do you think?"


    Link joked. Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Really? You should have called us too, we''re all tough guys."


    Hoyle swung his fist while introducing James Toney.


    Link had met Hopkins twice before, but it was his first time meeting James Toney.


    The guy was black-skinned, belly-round like a black Maitreya Buddha, a bit overweight in stature, but he was very strong in boxing, having won titles across five weight divisions.


    Including the IBF Middleweight, IBF Super Middleweight, WBU Light Heavyweight, IBF-IBO Cruiserweight, and WBA Heavyweight championships.


    At the beginning of his professional career, he had maintained a 46-fight undefeated record.


    He was indeed a formidable figure.


    But he was also a trash-talker, and one of those who had called Link a ''loudmouth'' before.


    During his amateur days, Link had also called him out publicly. Upon meeting, they shook hands, laughter dispelling all past grievances.


    "Link, we''ve been debating what your strategy was in the first round, but we haven''t come to a consensus. Now that the match is over, can you explain your tactics?"


    Hoyle asked, swirling his drink.


    "Tactics?"


    This question wasn''t the first time Link had heard it after the match; he shrugged his shoulders, "Unfortunately, there wasn''t much of a strategy in this fight. Andrea is a very formidable boxer, his technique is comprehensive and on par with mine. So, in the first round, we were both actively attacking, trying to find each other''s weaknesses, but regrettably, we found none.


    By the second round, Andrea''s approach became more conservative, trying to draw me into an attrition war. I''m not good at that style and didn''t want to be thrown off rhythm, so I went all-out, launching a fierce offensive against him. In the end, with a slight advantage, I broke through his defense, causing him to fall the first time, and then the second time, and then won the match. That''s it, no real tactics."


    "Just like that?"


    "Don''t lie to us, there must have been a strategy."


    "In the first round, you purposely acted like you were out of sorts to lure Andrea into attacking, isn''t that a tactic?"


    Tyson and the others each expressed their own opinions.


    Link listened to their conversations and laughed, "I had a bit to drink yesterday, and when I woke up I felt somewhat dizzy. That''s why I was off my game in the first round. After the first round finished, I slowly came back to form. It wasn''t something I faked."


    "What??"


    As they heard his explanation, Tyson, Hoyle, and Hopkins widened their eyes in disbelief, looking at each other in confusion.


    Drunk?


    Not sober?


    So being out of sorts was real, not some clever tactic?


    Did everyone guess wrong?!


    "Excuse me for a moment!"


    Seeing Frank signaling to him, Link said a word to the others and walked away.


    "Is what this guy said true? Did we all get it wrong?"


    Hopkins asked, frowning.


    "Don''t jump to conclusions just yet, Link is a cunning guy. Aside from Tyson, we all might become his opponents in the future. He might not be telling the truth with what he said,"


    James Toney spoke.


    Hoyle nodded in agreement with James''s words.


    Morales had told them that Link was very disciplined, never going to nightclubs, and hardly ever drinking alcohol. How could someone like that drink the night before a match?


    Impossible!


    So there could only be one truth, he was lying.


    He was worried about everyone getting a read on his tactics and losing the advantage in a fight, so he chose to lie.


    Hoyle shook his head in resignation. Link wasn''t just strong and wily; he was also extremely careful. Such a person was too difficult to deal with. To defeat him, one could only focus on studying his vulnerabilities.

 Chapter 246 Post-Race Income Inventory

    At the party, Franco had some good news for Link.


    He just received data from Nielsen Data Consulting Company.


    This match''s PPV signal sold 1.32 million units in North America, with 860,000 high-definition signals at 79.9 US dollars each, and 460,000 standard signals at 69.9 US dollars each, totaling revenues of 99 million US dollars, just shy of breaking the 100 million mark.


    According to the pre-fight agreement with the organizer and the signal broadcaster, Link and Dynasty Promotions are entitled to 50% of the PPV revenue from North America, which is 49.5 million US dollars.


    There''s also the appearance fee for this match, bonus sharing, box office sharing, etc., amounting to about 25 million US dollars.


    Total revenue is 74.5 million US dollars.


    According to Link''s contract with Dynasty Promotions.


    After obtaining any one of the WBA-WBC-IBF-WBO belts, the income sharing from the fight is 6:4;


    If he gets more than three belts, the income sharing changes to 7:3;


    After obtaining two heavyweight Golden Belts, the income sharing will be 8:2.


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    According to a 7:3 split, Link will get 70% of the 74.5 million US dollars, which is 52.15 million US dollars.


    Earning over fifty million dollars from one match, that''s not less than last year''s De La Hoya vs. Pacquiao fight.


    "Link, do you remember what you told me last year on the Silver Star train? You told me that your potential was comparable to Apple Inc., Google, Microsoft, that missing out on you would be missing out on investing in Apple or Microsoft. You also said that your accomplishments in boxing would surpass Holyfield, Mayweather, and Tyson, becoming a boxing superstar.


    I was shocked by your words at the time. A newly debuted amateur boxer daring to say such things, I thought you were either a genius or a madman. But I still wanted to take a chance and continued to sign with you. Now, everything has proved that I made the right bet and that you indeed are a very incredible guy."


    Franco said excitedly, gesticulating with his hands.


    Link smiled lightly, also recalling the conversation on the train back then. He had no intention of signing; he just wanted an excuse to dismiss Franco, so he made some grandiose statements and even quoted an astonishing figure of one hundred million dollars.


    When he mentioned one hundred million dollars back then, Franco was shocked speechless, Mario''s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and Coach West was also startled awake.


    Everyone found it unbelievable.


    But looking at it now, the one hundred million dollar figure was not excessive.


    From last year to this year''s few professional fights, Dynasty Promotions has brought in tens of millions of dollars. Although some money has also been spent on promoting and hyping matches, it''s only a small part compared to what was earned.


    Given the current situation, it will be no problem for Dynasty Promotions to surpass a valuation of one billion dollars in another three to five years.


    "Franco, don''t get too excited, our career is just beginning."


    Link said, lifting his champagne glass.


    "Yes, you''re right. We''ve only conquered the Super Middleweight rank, and there''s still the Light Heavyweight, Cruiserweight, Heavyweight, Middleweight to go. The higher the rank, the more attention it gets. Now we''re making sixty to seventy million a match, what will it be in three to five years? It''s unimaginable," Franco exclaimed.


    Link nodded and discussed the Golden Belt raffle with Franco.


    After the match, he had to continue the tour, and the company needed to assist with the raffle.


    Because when presenting the Golden Belt, it was also necessary to use media channels to promote and hype it up, to secure more coverage and traffic for the sport of boxing and for Link personally, in the world''s mainstream media.


    These matters were complex and required teamwork.


    Franco assured there would be no problem.


    "Hey, boss, congratulations on becoming the King of Boxers; you were amazing in the ring just now," said Emma Stone, approaching with a glass in hand as Franco walked away.


    Link smiled gently at her, "Thanks. Is ''Scandal Plan'' almost done?"


    "Almost, only your part is left. Director Gould asked me when you would be available."


    Link thought for a moment; it had to be next week. He had intended to rest for a few days after the fight and then immerse himself in the tour, but it seemed there was no time to rest now.


    "Next week? Okay, I got it," Emma Stone said, her hazel eyes twinkling with a smile.


    "How did it go with the recommendation to meet Woody Allen last time?" Link asked as they walked.


    Emma Stone shrugged, "Allen said I wasn''t sexy enough. He needs a more sensual actress. Do you think I''m sexy?"


    Link glanced at her. She was wearing a purple off-shoulder long dress, slender but not very curvy; based on body shape, she was not considered sexy. However, young European and American actresses often follow the ''mature'' route, becoming sexier as they reach their thirties, and Emma was no exception.


    "You''re just starting your career, so start with a fresh image. In a couple of years, think about whether sexiness matters. Besides, Hollywood has many sexy actresses; you don''t need to compete with them in that aspect."


    "I get it; I''m not sexy enough," Emma said.


    Emma Stone tugged at the corners of her mouth, displaying a completely dejected expression.


    Link shook his head, "You call me boss, so I''ll speak from the perspective of a boss. This is something you brought upon yourself, so don''t play the pity card here."


    Emma''s eyes brightened, and she turned to face him, tugging at her dress to reveal a bit more of her cleavage.


    "Link, do you think I''m sexy?"


    "Hmm, not bad. There''s significant room for improvement. Keep it up!"


    Link said with a laugh after sizing her up. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, I''ll try harder."


    Declared Emma, puffing out her chest.


    "Hey, Link, boxing is so cool. What if we learned boxing from you?"


    Paul Walker called out, accompanied by Casey Affleck and James Franco.


    After the party had ended, Link drove home, but before he even entered his villa, he saw Selena dragging a suitcase out slowly, dressed in a blue nightgown, with slippers on, followed by two little kittens, Olivia and Meridian.


    Link asked her where she was going. Selena said she was going back home to live and her eyes slowly reddened as she spoke, her large eyes filling with tears, looking like a homeless little girl.


    "Enough already, stop crying. You''re acting like someone''s out to bully you."


    Link said, unable to hide his exasperation.


    "You''re going to bully me. I added alcohol to your cup, almost causing you to lose the match. Taylor said you would beat me up,"


    Sniffled Selena as she spoke.


    "She was just scaring you."


    "Really? You''re not mad at me?"


    Selena looked up and asked him.


    Link initially thought about giving her a bit of a scolding to teach her a lesson, but seeing her pitiful state, he couldn''t bear it and just flicked her lightly on the forehead.


    "That''s your lesson. If you dare to mess around again, I''ll make sure a horn grows out of here."


    "OK, I promise I won''t cause any trouble."


    Selena wiped the tears off her face, squinting as she smiled.


    Link shook his head as he picked up her empty suitcase to take it back, suddenly realizing how light it felt. Opening it, he found nothing inside.


    Selena''s face froze for a moment, then she scooped up the two kittens and ran towards the villa, shouting as she ran:


    "You just said you weren''t mad at me, you''re a big man, you should keep your word."


    "Hey, can''t you act more professional during a performance? At least put something in the suitcase?"


    "Sorry, I forgot. I''ll definitely remember next time,"


    Shouted Selena in a clear voice.


    "Miss Gomez, aren''t you polite."


    Taylor and Catherine laughed from within the living room, having heard their exchange.


    Link shook his head, regretting being too soft-hearted toward her.


    After the boxing match, the media heavily promoted him as the Super Middleweight Grand Slam champion, hailing him as the youngest boxer in history to achieve both ''Olympic Gold Medalist'' and ''Single Rank Grand Slam'' at the age of 20, as well as the fastest person to reach the Grand Slam, doing so in under 18 months.


    Both were new records.


    Magazines like "Fight Platform," "The Ring," and "Boxing" also positively reviewed his performances in the Super Middleweight matches, calling him ''King of Kings'', ''the next Golden Boy'', and ''a man who possesses both beauty, talent, and a hard fist''.


    "Fight Platform" magazine also updated his P4P ranking.


    P4P is a concept in boxing terminology representing "Pound for Pound," meaning a comparison of boxers at equal weight to see who has higher skill levels, sometimes also comparing boxers across different ranks.


    P4P is not merely about the weight of boxers but also encompasses their overall skills, commercial value, and overall strength.


    In the P4P ranking for the Super Middleweight, Link is undeniably the best in terms of technique, overall strength, and commercial value.


    In the overall standings, he is currently fourth, with Mayweather in first, Pacquiao second, the younger Klitschko third, De La Hoya fifth, Carlzah sixth, and Hopkins seventh.


    "Fight Platform" also explained why he hadn''t been ranked in the top three: his professional boxing career was too short, he had too few fights, and he didn''t have enough diehard fans, which meant his influence in the international boxing world couldn''t match the top three yet.


    Link recognized this, as Mayweather and others had been in boxing for over a decade, fought dozens of battles, and left a lasting impression on many fans, creating a deeper legacy.


    In this regard, he still had a lot of room for improvement.

 Chapter 247 The Future Richest Man

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    "Fighter" premiered in its first week in 1,209 theaters across North America and earned 15.37 million US dollars in box office revenue, ranking sixth in weekly box office performance.


    The box office champion was "Twilight 2," which premiered in the same period and earned 140 million US dollars in North America in its first three days, making it the third highest in history for opening week box office revenue, following "The Dark Knight" with 158 million and "Spider-Man 3" with 151 million.


    The second to fifth ranks were occupied by "Weakness," "Up," "2012," and Disney''s hand-drawn animation "The Princess and the Frog."


    Compared to the first five films that had investments exceeding 50 million, "Fighter," with a production cost of only 18 million US dollars, managed to earn over fifteen million in its first week, which fully demonstrates the quality of this film.


    Some media also believed that Link''s box office appeal was getting stronger, labeling him a very commercially valuable new actor.


    "Variety" described him as another top-line singer in Hollywood who had firmly established himself following Will Smith and Justin Timberlake.


    December arrived.


    Compared to the end of last year, when he was just a pure boxing star with not much work at year''s end,


    this year he had become a boxing megastar, released two bestselling albums, a popular singer, a film star, a swimming athlete, and an entrepreneur and billionaire who owned Dynasty Promotions, Link Records, Palm Beach Bay Agency, Palm Beach Films, and over one hundred million in Amazon stocks.


    With more titles to his name, he was extremely busy every day by the end of the year.


    First, he went to the set of "Scandal Plan" to film the soon-to-be-completed scenes, where he was "oppressed" in acting by his subordinate Emma Stone.


    He decided to find an opportunity to pay her back, letting her know how dark the heart of a capitalist can be.


    Before he had finished filming the movie, he took Taylor to the neighboring villa area to attend the wedding party of Scott Stuber and his supermodel girlfriend, Molly Sims.


    At the wedding party, he performed a duet with Taylor on "you belong with me," with Taylor singing and him playing the piano, offering the song as a gift.


    Stuber and Molly, the couple, were so excited that they wiped away tears, and the many billionaires present applauded and cheered for them.


    At the party, he also encountered Elon Musk, who had come to freeload a meal.


    Upon meeting this future richest man, he naturally did not miss the chance to get acquainted.


    Elon Musk was also one of the people he admired.


    This year, Elon, at 38, was an immigrant from South Africa and held a bachelor''s degree in economics and physics from the University of Pennsylvania, having attended a Ph.D. program in physics at Stanford University.


    He started a business at 24 and by 28 had become a millionaire through his self-developed online content publishing software, Zip2.


    In 2002, when e-commerce was just emerging, he co-founded the digital mobile payment platform, PayPal, similar to Alipay, becoming a billionaire.


    Since 2003, he had founded SpaceX, a space exploration company, studying how to reduce the cost of rocket launches and planning future human colonization of Mars to help build a spacefaring civilization.


    Unfortunately, the rocket research workload was enormous, and after three consecutive rocket launch failures, the company was in a financial crisis; he then shifted his focus to the electric vehicle industry, took over Tesla Motors in 2005, and became the chairman of the company.


    Tesla Motors'' research was not going smoothly, with their first electric car, the Roadster, only launching in October 2008 at a high price of 110,000 US dollars. Due to its high price and numerous issues, the Roadster had dismal sales in the car market.


    Also affected by the financial crisis, both SpaceX and Tesla Motors were in trouble, and the media frequently reported that Musk was about to go bankrupt and both companies were on the verge of bankruptcy.


    It was not until September when Musk sold 10% of Tesla''s shares to Daimler for 70 million US dollars and obtained a 460 million low-interest loan from the US Department of Energy that he successfully weathered the crisis.


    However, there were reports that Musk''s crisis was not over.


    Due to the high research costs of Tesla cars and another rocket launch failure by SpaceX, Tesla Motors was still short of money. For this reason, Musk was planning to take Tesla public on NASDAQ to overcome the current difficulties.


    When Link met him, he did not initiate any discussion about investing in Tesla.


    He was not knowledgeable about financial investments and car research, so discussing such matters with Musk would not lead anywhere. Thus, the two of them only talked about music, boxing, and movies.


    Musk had founded a movie company in 2003, produced three films, including this year''s "Iron Man 2," and had made cameo appearances in several movies. His current girlfriend, Talulah Riley, was also an actress.


    Musk was also a boxing enthusiast, claiming to be a fan who had watched all his matches and had even posted a boxing video on YouTube''s boxing channel.


    Link had not seen that video but expressed interest in training together sometime, and Musk even took the initiative to exchange contact information with him.


    "Dear, you seem to be very interested in Elon Musk."


    "Why do you say that?"


    After the party, Link and Taylor walked hand in hand along the small path outside the villa, flanked by a lush botanical garden. Even in the winter of the northern hemisphere, many trees remained densely foliated, especially the tall palm trees lining the path, which never changed color all year round.


    "You were talking with him for over an hour, and you were so engaged. I''ve never seen you so enthusiastic with anyone before,"


    Taylor said, swinging their linked hands.


    "It''s different; Elon is a great genius, like Edison and such people. Talking with him broadens my insights, so I chatted with him a bit longer."


    Link shrugged his shoulders; he remembered that Ivanka''s dad had used those words to describe Elon.


    "Is that so? Well, then I''m reassured,"


    Taylor patted her chest and exaggeratedly let out a sigh of relief.


    "Reassured? What do you mean?"


    Taylor smiled slightly, pointing to his eyes, "I saw your eyes light up when you looked at him, like you were looking at a beautiful woman. He also had a very passionate look when he looked at you. Talulah and I thought you two were going to come out."


    "What? What nonsense are you talking about?"


    Link looked at her frustratingly and said while holding her waist, "With a hot girlfriend like you, how could I possibly become that kind of man?"


    Taylor covered her mouth and laughed, "So you mean if it weren''t for me, you would come out?"


    "Of course not; I am a straight as an arrow, my orientation is perfectly normal. I am just interested in Elon''s space colonization plan. If he succeeds, in the future we will just need to buy a ship ticket to travel in outer space aboard a SpaceX spacecraft. Do you want to travel in space?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link said, looking up at the sky obscured by palm leaves.


    "It does sound very interesting. If I could travel in outer space, I''m sure I could find inspiration there and write a lot of great songs."


    Taylor looked up with him, seeing the blue blossoms of jacaranda trees drifting down.


    Link shook his head helplessly; Taylor always brought everything back to her songwriting, as if she were obsessed with it.


    "Seeing Scott and Molly get married, did you feel inspired in any way?"


    Link asked.


    Taylor twirled a petal in her fingers and shook her head, "No, I don''t know them well, what could I feel? If they were my sisters, friends, or ex-boyfriends, seeing them get married might inspire some lyrics."


    "I was asking about your feelings on marriage. Usually, single people or couples who attend someone else''s wedding party start to think about their own big life decisions¡ªdid you have similar thoughts or consider when you''d like to get married and have children?"


    "I have thought about it!"


    Taylor smiled slightly, facing him and walking backward, "Ideally in four or five years, once we are more settled in our jobs and not as busy as we are now. We could get married in a country villa in Nashville and have two kids. What do you think?"


    "Sounds great!"


    Link smiled and kissed her on the face.


    Taylor laughed, "I''ve heard giving birth is very painful. Do you think it could spark creative inspiration when having a baby?"


    "Definitely, many artists have written songs about childbirth and raising children during that period; Madonna and Whitney Houston have, and I think you could too. How about we have one now?"


    Link said with a laugh, holding her.


    "Now?"


    Taylor shook her head continually, saying it was too soon. She was only twenty years old, still a big girl, not ready to be a mother.


    "It won''t be too difficult, trust me. Let''s go home and make a baby."


    "No way!"


    Ignoring Taylor''s protest, Link wrapped his arm around her and they headed back to the villa, spending a nice Wednesday afternoon together in the bedroom bathed in the setting sun.

 Chapter 248 Spring Festival Gala Invitation

    By the end of the year, the American entertainment industry had started a massive brawl.


    In the film market, there was a series of blockbuster releases, including James Cameron''s "Avatar," Robert Downey Jr.''s "Sherlock Holmes," Fox''s famous animation "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," Matt Damon''s biographical movie "Invictus," Film Emperor George Clooney''s "Up in the Air," and Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore''s new movie "The Family Tour" and so forth.


    Counting the big movies released in November, the competition in the December box office market had become extremely intense.


    Also, because there were many blockbusters, the "Business Daily" reported that after the lows of ''07 and ''08, the total box office was expected to recover to over 10 billion US Dollars. This was also good news for everyone working in the film industry.


    Beyond the movie market, the record market competition was also very fierce.


    Britney released her second greatest hits album "The Singles Collection" in early December, and Lady Gaga released the reissue album "The Fame Monster" of "The Fame."


    Drake''s debut mini-album "So Far Gone," Rihanna''s fourth studio album "Rated R," and Link''s label artist Bruno Mars''s debut album "It''s Better If You Don''t Understand," among others.


    Including albums released in November, like Lana''s "Young and Beautiful," Carrie Underwood''s "Play On," and Justin Bieber''s debut "My World."


    According to "Rolling Stone," there were fifty-three albums released in the last two months of the year, with 15 albums currently having sales over 100,000 copies.


    Among them, Selena''s debut album "Come and Get It" was released for 7 weeks and sold 671,000 copies in the United States; Lana''s "Young and Beautiful" was released for six weeks with sales of 563,000 copies.


    Canadian kid Justin Bieber''s debut "My World" was released for eight weeks and sold 537,000 copies in the United States and 172,000 copies in Canada, with global sales exceeding one million copies.


    Justin also became one of the youngest artists in the world to achieve platinum, and was the second male artist in 2009 to have a debut album sell over one million copies, dubbed the ''miracle kid'' by the media.


    There were also fantastic events in boxing on Christmas Eve, with fighters like Doctor Iron Fist Klitschko, South African nightmare Samuel Peter, Cannon Shannon Briggs, and Eastern Giant Valuev.


    Of note, on December 10th in Nuremberg, Germany, in the WBA Heavyweight championship match, British boxer David Haye battled Valuev for 12 rounds and won on points, capturing the WBA Heavyweight Golden Belt.


    The WBA Heavyweight Golden Belt changed hands.


    Other ranks did not change much.


    Moments before Christmas, Link, along with his tour team, performed nine concerts in seven countries in South America.


    Due to the popularity of "Despacito," the single officially sold 600,000 copies, making it the best-selling single in South America in 08/09, and his two albums also reached a sales volume of 520,000 in South America.


    His reputation as a Boxer also resounded in Mexico, Haiti, Columbia, and Brazil.


    The nine concerts in South America were also quite sensational, averaging 47,000 people per show, with a total box office of about 18 million US Dollars.


    During the concert series, he also held two Golden Belt raffle ceremonies on site.


    According to the original plan, on Christmas Eve, the six Golden Belts were distributed in batches to boxing fans who shot videos. One belt was designated for the United States, one for friends in South America, one for friends in Asia, two for friends in Europe, and one for Oceania, just enough to go around.


    After a busy year, two days before Christmas, Link and his touring team returned to the United States to rest.


    Because the weather forecast predicted snow in New York over Christmas, all major shopping malls were organizing festive activities, and Broadway Theatre offered several special Christmas performances, Link and Taylor decided to spend Christmas at their apartment in New York.


    "It''s been almost half a year since we''ve stayed here, and New York feels a bit quieter than Los Angeles."


    Link lugged two suitcases, opened the door to the Yorkville apartment, and switched on the power.


    The entire apartment lit up instantly, and through the window, he could see the myriad lights across the street. He felt that living here had more of the taste of life than in his beach villa.


    "It''s not quieter! It''s desolate!"


    Taylor followed behind him with her hands in her pockets.


    Dressed in a burgundy varsity coat, a white dotted wool sweater, blue pencil pants, her golden hair flowing down, a knitted hat on her head, and his scarf around her neck, revealing only her delicate, fair oval face.


    Dressed warmly yet complaining about the cold.


    "I stayed here for half a month in September, with the doors and windows closed, there wasn''t a sound around, felt like living in a cave, that''s why I went to Nashville."


    Taylor said as she followed him.


    "Really? Those days I just happened to have time, I said I''d come and stay with you, but you didn''t want to. And now you''re saying it''s desolate, isn''t that self-inflicted misery?"


    Link teased.


    "That''s your fault. I used to live alone and never felt it desolate. After living with you, I gradually got used to having someone around. Of course, I''d feel lonely when you''re suddenly not there."


    Taylor bumped him playfully, speaking in a sullen tone.


    "Alright, it''s my fault!"


    Link chuckled lightly, turned on the heater, took off her hat and scarf and hung up her coat.


    As Ms. Mandy occasionally arranged for the cleaning service to come by, the apartment''s sanitary condition was quite good, sparing them the need to dust.


    After returning home, they simply needed to organize their daily necessities and buy some vegetables and fruits from the supermarket to settle in.


    "Dear, how shall we spend Christmas?"


    Taylor took off her shoes, lay on the sofa, and called out as she switched on the TV with the remote.


    "Cook a big Christmas meal, visit Catherine''s house, and Mandy''s, go to Radio City to watch the Christmas Spectacular Show, then to Times Square for the Christmas lights show. I hear the Winter Market in Central Park west is lively that day; if we have time, we can walk there. Do you have any other suggestions?"


    Link asked as he carried a basket of washed fruit from the dining room.


    "Do we need to go to so many places? I think just staying at home and spending time together is also great."


    Taylor took a bite of a strawberry and spoke.


    Link nodded, "That sounds good too; we could just keep loving each other nonstop from Christmas Eve through Christmas night. What do you think?"


    "Hey, you pervert, what are you thinking about? Why is your mind always filled with such naughty thoughts?"


    Taylor playfully kicked him with her foot.


    "Don''t you think this is romantic? Just like in the movies."


    "Not at all, I''m not as lustful as you are."


    Taylor said, scrunching her nose.


    Link smiled lightly, lay on the sofa, and watched an episode of "The Good Wife" with Taylor in his arms.


    Taylor loved watching dramas featuring strong female leads, hoping to draw inspiration from these characters.


    Link thought the lead character Alicia looked attractive in her lawyer suits and didn''t mind watching with her.


    While they were watching TV, Selena called, saying she was planning to go ice skating at the Rockefeller Center for Christmas and asked if he and Taylor would like to go. If so, she would buy tickets for them.


    Link said he couldn''t skate and didn''t want to go.


    Taylor immediately took the phone and said ''yes,'' and Selena responded, "Okay, done."


    "You really want to see me make a fool of myself?"


    "Yes!"


    Taylor said with a smirk, "You''re so good at sports, but you can''t ice skate. It''s quite funny, so how about Selena and I teach you on Christmas day?"


    "Thanks! You really are a good wife!"


    Link pinched her cheek.


    As soon as the phone was hung up, it rang again, and Miss Mandy on the phone brought him good news.


    "The US Spring Festival Gala" organizers invited him to perform during the halftime show.


    Link was surprised to hear this.


    "The US Spring Festival Gala," also known as the Super Bowl, is the NFL''s final and the most watched sporting event in the United States.


    It''s typically held on the last Sunday of January or the first Sunday of February and is one of the most important unofficial holidays in America, with food consumption second only to Thanksgiving.


    Another statistic clearly illustrates the magnitude of the Super Bowl''s allure.


    In 2006, about 17 million Americans watched the World Cup final; about 12 million watched the Olympics opening ceremony in 2008, and 120 million participated in the presidential election that same year.


    In 2009, 130 million Americans watched the Super Bowl. The event is also broadcast worldwide, attracting over 1.5 billion viewers annually, not less than those watching the Spring Festival Gala.


    The Super Bowl consists of two halves with a 15-minute intermission in the middle.


    Before 1990, the halftime shows mostly paid tribute to celebrities.


    Starting in 1991, pop music stars were introduced to perform, also known as the ''halftime show,'' averaging a viewership rate of 60%, three times the combined total of Major League Baseball and NBA Finals.


    Due to its immense influence, only top-tier musicians, such as MJ, Shania Twain, Justin Timberlake, Puff Daddy, U2, and the Rolling Stones, have the credentials to perform. Lesser-known artists simply don''t get a look in.


    Link had dreamed of getting on the Super Bowl stage but hadn''t expected it to come this soon; he figured it was due to the advantage of the venue''s location.


    This year, the NFL finals was between the Indianapolis Colts vs. the New Orleans Saints on February 7th at the Miami Dolphin Stadium.


    Currently, his influence in Miami was massive, locals dubbed him "The Prince of Miami," "Miami''s Pride."


    Before a concert in Miami in October, the City Hall awarded him the honorary title and presented him with a symbolic "Key to Miami."


    If not for this, he reckoned it would have taken him a few more years to get on the Spring Festival Gala.


    "Link, do you want to participate?"


    Miss Mandy asked.


    The reason she asked was that in November, Victoria''s Secret Fashion Show invited him to perform, but he turned it down because he was busy with his tour.


    Link thought about it, recognizing it as a great opportunity. The Super Bowl had a vast influence, and performing during the halftime could further extend his presence in the United States, also helping promote his third album.


    "Let''s do it. Contact the organizers about when the rehearsals are and how much time we have for the performance, so we can prepare in advance."


    "Okay, I''ll arrange that now." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mandy said.


    Mandy also asked if he and Taylor wanted to come over for Christmas. Link declined. Last year, there was nobody at home, which was why he went to join the fun, but celebrating Christmas at home was better.


    "I overheard that the Super Bowl invited you to perform?"


    Seeing him hang up the phone, Taylor looked at him excitedly.


    "Yes, that''s right."


    "You''re amazing! I''ve been in the business for three years and haven''t received an invite, and you get one after just one year, hmph! Tell me, why are you so amazing?"


    Taylor wrapped her long legs around his waist and her arms around his neck as she asked.


    "It''s certainly because I have a super gorgeous, super famous girlfriend."


    Link laughed, holding her perky buttocks.


    "Hmph! You smooth talker!"


    Taylor curled her lips into a smile and leaned in to kiss him.

 Chapter 249 Grammy Nomination

    From November 25, Thanksgiving Day, until Christmas, supermarkets across the United States hold sales events, with some goods discounted by fifty percent, and some supermarkets offering gift vouchers to the first three hundred customers.


    During this period, it''s also the Americans'' spree of chopping hands off, according to the New York Times, with shopping in the United States constituting a quarter of the annual total within this single month.


    It is the same in New York where, on the eve of Christmas, long queues form outside major supermarkets and department stores including Walmart, Best Buy, Macy''s Department Store, and Lord & Taylor, long before daybreak.


    There are even many people who put on black masks to ''shop for free'' in the supermarkets and stores.


    Link and Taylor decided to spend the holidays in New York, so naturally they needed to prepare some holiday items like food, drinks, household supplies, and the latest high-tech appliances.


    However, they arrived too late, and many stores closed early for the three-day Christmas holiday, making it not so easy to purchase everything they needed.


    When Selena knew they were planning to buy holiday supplies, she took the initiative to help and confidently claimed that since Mandy was too busy this year, she took care of all their family''s holiday supplies herself, and following her lead was definitely the right choice.


    Link wasn''t so sure and texted Mandy to check. Mandy replied that if they waited for Selena to shop, the whole family would starve to death. She told him to make his own decisions when buying and not to trust Selena''s recommendations too much.


    After learning the truth, Link didn''t expose her but simply drove around Midtown Manhattan with Taylor and Selena.


    Only after making a round did they realize Selena was directionally challenged, her round eyes darting everywhere in search of Best Buy, but even with the store''s ten-meter-tall signboard in her face, she didn''t see it, her round face getting redder and sweat forming on her forehead.


    Once inside the supermarket, the first thing to do, of course, was to buy a turkey. They went to the turkey shopping area only to find that all the turkeys were frozen.


    These turkeys were cheap at only 16 US dollars after discount, but they didn''t taste good when cooked. He needed one that was clean, fresh and had been marinated, with the minimum requirement being clean and fresh.


    They searched everywhere but found none.


    Selena said she had a good idea and dragged him and Taylor to the live animal section, pointing at a few lively turkeys in a cage, suggesting they buy one to take home and slaughter.


    Link hesitated, the size of the turkeys being too large for home processing and the risk of being filmed and going viral online, potentially drawing a warning from animal protection societies.


    Link asked her if she dared to kill a chicken?


    Selena lifted her chin and boasted that, of course, she dared, claiming descent from Mexicans, who are natural warriors, and in the past, everyone had a pet serpent over ten meters long, coiled around their necks as scarves daily.


    She even claimed she had raised a serpent herself as a child, cream-white and seven or eight meters long.


    Link casually picked up a rope, quietly placed it on her shoulder, and Selena screamed, hopping on the spot before throwing herself into Taylor''s arms, then they both complained about him together.


    "Link is so mean!"


    "Yes, downright awful."


    Christmas Day arrived and the weather prediction from the United States Meteorological Service was fairly accurate; by noon, snowflakes began to flutter down from New York''s skies, adding quite a bit to the festive atmosphere.


    That day, Link and Taylor also set up a Christmas tree in the living room of the apartment, decorated with many spherical lights, Swarovski crystals, little snowmen dolls, both adorable and festive.


    Link even put on an apron and tried his hand at preparing Christmas dinner for the first time; a huge roast turkey, waffles, macarons, Boston steamed shrimp, Mexican grilled meat, a large fruit platter, and also a Christmas cake made by Taylor.


    With flavor, aroma, and presentation all accounted for, it was a very lavish spread.


    Around six or seven in the evening, Link and Taylor drove to Midtown to meet up with Selena and little Anne.


    Little Anne is Link''s half-sister from another father, over three years old, with a bob cut, a pert nose, and adorably pink, even cuter than Selena.


    The group first went to Times Square to watch the light show, saw an acrobatic performance at Radio City Music Hall, and then went ice skating at the Rockefeller Center rink.


    While ice skating, Taylor and Selena wanted to see him combine forwards and backwards movements on the ice, so they jointly pushed him onto the rink.


    Unfortunately for them, they would be disappointed.


    Link, with good physical condition and balance, managed to skate on his own after holding onto the railings for a while, eventually gliding slowly across the ice without support.


    After practicing for more than ten minutes and getting used to the speed of the skates, he started to skate faster, occasionally backward skating, single-leg gliding, and even performing a few fancy moves, more stable than both Taylor and Selena.


    After Link got the hang of it, he also took Anne for a skate.


    Little Anne was very timid; although she wore a helmet and knee and elbow pads, she would squat on the ice like a carrot-head as soon as anyone let go of her hand.


    Link held her hand, skating around the rink more than ten times until she got used to the speed and dared to glide forward slowly on her own, calling out in a babyish voice, "Please move aside, Anne''s going to bump into you."


    "Anne is so adorable."


    Taylor skated up from behind, resting on his shoulder and said.


    "Of course, didn''t you see who''s sister she is?"


    "What does Anne being cute have to do with you? Thick-faced."


    Taylor gave him a sidelong glance, skated backward a few meters, her blades carving two clear lines on the ice, and said, "How about we race, see who''s faster?"


    "No thanks, I''ve just learned, I''m not your match for now."


    "Good you understand."


    Taylor picked up speed and skated over to Anne, taking her little hand and leading her forward.


    Taylor, in a white down jacket, blue jeans, and a ponytail, looked like a high school girl, while Anne, in a pink down jacket and pink safety gear, looked like a little biscuit.


    Hand in hand, the two looked like sisters or mother and daughter.


    "Link, watch out, I''m going to crash into you."


    Selena shouted from behind, rushing over.


    Before Link could move, she thudded into his back.


    It was past ten when they left the ice rink at Rockefeller Center. Selina and Taylor were having so much fun that they didn''t want to go back to sleep early, and Anne''s eyes were shining with excitement. Link then suggested going to the Metropolitan MAX Theater to watch a showing of "Avatar".


    Selina and Taylor were watching a 3D movie for the first time, and they couldn''t help but exclaim in amazement when they saw the male and female leads flying through the sky on the backs of the ikran.


    Anne didn''t quite understand the film and only persisted for more than ten minutes before she fell asleep in his arms.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After Christmas was over, Link and Taylor became busy again.


    Taylor continued recording songs in the studio, while Link had a lot to do at the beginning of the year, starting with the arrival of the awards season, which required him to attend many ceremonies. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For example, the nominations list for the 67th American Film and Television Golden Globe Awards had been announced on Christmas Eve.


    "The Fighter" scored seven nominations in this edition of the Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture ¨C Drama, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress twice, Best Screenplay, and Best Original Song.


    Link received a Best Original Song nomination for the movie''s theme song, "The Fighter".


    The 52nd Grammy Awards were also announced prior to the New Year.


    Thanks to two best-selling albums and several singles, Link secured eight nominations.


    These included Producer of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Pop Male Vocal Performance, Best Rock Song, Best Rap Song, and Best Rap/Song Collaboration.


    Taylor also received eight nominations at this year''s Grammy Awards, with the first three categories overlapping with Link''s.


    However, they weren''t the ones with the most nominations ¡ª that honor went to Beyonce, who scored ten nominations at this year''s Grammy Awards.


    Additionally, ''Ring Magazine,'' ''The Ring Magazine,'' and the four major Boxing organizations would also hold award ceremonies at the beginning of the year to select the Best Boxer, Best Boxing Promoter of 2009, and the North American Boxing Association was even planning to give him an award for Best Spokesperson.


    Besides these, he also needed to prepare for the Super Bowl halftime show performance.


    This year''s Super Bowl featured two performing guests, Link and the famous British rock band The Who.


    Link had seven minutes for his performance, which was roughly the time for two songs.


    The organizers hoped he would sing the championship song "Unstoppable" and the American national anthem.


    Upon hearing this, Link was a bit flustered. The American national anthem? How do you sing it? He didn''t know it at all, and even starting to learn now might not be in time.


    If he got the lyrics wrong, like Pop diva Christina Aguilera did in 2011, he could face widespread ridicule, with his career plummeting into a trough.


    Even if the lyrics were correct, singing a national anthem that everyone knows on a stage like the Super Bowl halftime show is exceptionally challenging.


    A poor performance could lead people to think his singing was subpar.


    After giving it some serious thought, Link proposed a compromise: he would write a song that embodied the spirit of football and paid homage to his predecessors.


    After all, singing the national anthem wasn''t a necessary part of a halftime show, and a song that captured the spirit of the football league could also benefit the promotion of the sport.


    The organizers, after discussion, agreed to the idea but needed to hear a sample of the song first. Link agreed.


    Because of this matter, Link had to dive back into the recording studio right after Christmas, to discuss the song''s arrangement with Graham, David Kahn, and others and to consult with director Kenny Ortega about the Super Bowl rehearsals.


    "Hey, Link, happy New Year!"


    In the morning, Graham Goodall walked into Link''s music recording studio, took off his hat, and greeted him.


    "Haha, happy New Year, Graham. I''m sorry to take up your holiday time," Link said, embracing him.


    "Haha, no problem. In a little over a decade, I''ll retire, and then I''ll be on holiday every day, which is a terrifying thought," Graham said with a wave of his hand, sitting down on the opposite sofa and speaking seriously, "You said over the phone that you''ve written a song for the football league; is that true? You know, football is a revered sporting event for all Americans, and writing a song for it is no less challenging than for the FIFA World Cup. Are you sure you can do it?"


    "This is the score sheet. What do you think?" Link took a stack of manuscript papers from his backpack and placed them on the desk.


    In fact, even as he was transcribing this song, he wasn''t sure if it would work.


    The song was uplifting and passionate, with a theme that spoke to the never-ending quest for perfection in craft and the idea that the names of the dedicated would be etched in history. It was also fitting for football, a contact-heavy sport.


    If this one didn''t work, he could think of something else. He certainly wasn''t going to sing the national anthem.


    Graham browsed the score sheet, his brows furrowing tighter and his expression growing more somber. If it weren''t for his reddening face, trembling fingers, and hurried breathing, others might have thought the song was a dud.


    After going through it once, Graham looked up at him, then looked down again for another read, his breathing growing more rushed.


    "Graham, how is it?"


    Link asked, blowing on the floating tea leaves in his cup.


    "Hard to say, let''s go to the recording studio. I want to hear how it sounds," Graham replied.


    "No problem!"


    Link put down his teacup and went to the recording studio, performing the new song once.


    Graham listened and said it wasn''t working yet ¡ª it needed an arrangement; without music, the song was only half as good.


    He then called David Kahn, Bruno Mars, and other producers from the music studio to join the recording studio and participate in the production of this song.

 Chapter 250 New Song Rehearsal

    "Link, project your voice more. Don''t suppress your emotions, and don''t be afraid of breaking. A broken voice has more appeal,"


    Outside the recording studio, Graham stood in front of the console with a microphone in his hand, shouting into the studio where Link was.


    Link nodded his head, and following Graham''s guidance, sang once more.


    The original singer of this song was female, different in both pitch and style.


    To perform this song well, he and Graham and the staff had been tirelessly working in the recording studio day and night, constantly tuning and rehearsing.


    Every day he would sing until his voice was hoarse, then, after recovering the next day, he would continue singing.


    After many days of hard work, this song became increasingly amazing, more imposing than the original singer''s. It was more rugged in style, and majestic, with a bloody scent of the battlefield, reminiscent of Linkin Park''s lead singer Chester Bennington''s hard rock, straining every vocal chord.


    He felt his version had more emotional impact than the original.


    They become a part of you


    Turn stories into songs


    Every time you bleed for reaching greatness


    You write greatness against adversity


    Relentless you survive


    "Yes! Keep singing like that! Link, you are a goddamn genius, this song is definitely going to be your signature piece,"


    Graham shouted while raising his fists in the air.


    David Kahn and several other producers also laughed heartily, fully agreeing with his statement.


    "Link is amazing. He''s good at pop, rock, and rap. He''s a musical genius,"


    Bruno Mars said, sporting an explosive hairstyle.


    "Haha, Bruno, you''re also impressive. And Lana, Wiz, with you four here, I bet our Link Music will definitely become the brightest record label in the music industry,"


    David Kahn said, laughing loudly.


    "Yes, definitely!"


    The others voiced their agreement.


    "What''s everyone talking about? The atmosphere seems really good."


    When Ivanka arrived at the recording studio, she saw everybody engaged in lively conversation, the atmosphere was very spirited.


    "Hi, Miss Ivanka, Happy New Year!"


    Everyone greeted Ivanka.


    "Happy New Year!"


    Ivanka smiled slightly, greeted everyone, and had two assistants distribute New Year gifts.


    In the United States, the day after Christmas is Boxing Day, not for boxing, but for exchanging gifts.


    It was originally a day when slave owners would give gifts to their slaves, but it has evolved into a day for everyone to exchange gifts with each other.


    Graham, Mars and a few others happily accepted the gifts, only to discover that Ivanka had prepared luxury items for everyone, including wine, cigars, gold pens, and platinum jewelry.


    Each person''s gift was unique, yet everyone clung to theirs lovingly upon receiving them.


    Graham held his gift and couldn''t help but admire it; compared to Link, the careless guy, Ivanka was clearly more suited to be a manager.


    "Graham, how''s Link''s new song?"


    Ivanka walked to the soundproof glass window, picked up a pair of headphones, and looked at the singing Link as she asked. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fantastic! Absolutely fantastic! If ''Give me reason'' and ''See you again'' are a nine, I give this song a solid ten,"


    Graham said excitedly.


    "Oh?"


    Ivanka was a bit surprised.


    ''See you again'' stayed at the top of Billboard''s single chart for 12 weeks, making it the 12th song in Billboard''s history to reign for more than 12 weeks. It is also Link''s most popular work to date.


    Now, Graham thought the quality of this song was even higher than ''See you again'', a rating far beyond her expectations.


    Ivanka, with curiosity and surprise, put on the headphones to listen for a while.


    When she heard that chorus, she couldn''t help but straighten up, chest out, as if lifted by something inside, suddenly filled with strength.


    Ivanka covered her headphones, looking through the soundproof glass at that roaring figure inside.


    She saw him clutching his fists, his arm muscles tight and bulging, raising his voice to an incredibly high pitch, his screams with intense emotional power traveling through the microphone, passing the sound control board to the headphones, and then into her ears.


    Ivanka blinked her eyelashes, her heart rate involuntarily accelerating.


    Recalling their first meeting, he was just an ordinary beach boy, barely more handsome and daring than the other passersby on the street, with not much to note at that time.


    But after the Olympics, his name shone like the sun almost every day. First, he used brute force to defeat one opponent after another in a hundred seconds, becoming the WBA boxing champion causing a sensation throughout the boxing world and the whole of the United States.


    Then he wrote the huge hit song ''Despacito'', released bestselling albums, becoming a superstar singer.


    Ivanka had known him for just over a year, and her understanding of him was greater than anyone else''s, even surpassing Taylor''s.


    Each time she witnessed his new achievements, she couldn''t help but marvel, this guy was just too incredible.


    I thought I had grown used to situations like this, but when I heard this song, I still felt amazed.


    According to Mandy''s news, from the organizers contacting him for a performance to him creating this song, it only took three days¡ªjust three days to come up with such a song.


    "This guy is just too incredible."


    Ivanka said softly with her lips pursed.


    "Hey, Eva, when did you get here?"


    Link emerged from the recording studio and saw the stunning beauty standing outside.


    She was dressed in a camel-colored lapel wool coat, a black high-necked sweater, and high-waisted straight-leg pants, which highlighted her slim waist, long legs, and voluptuous hips, yielding a very fruitful front.


    Her golden straight hair cascaded over her shoulders, lightly tied at the outer layer with a crystal hair clip.


    Simple, elegant, and dignified¡ªa billionaire''s aura hit him in waves.


    Link admitted that his net worth was not much less than hers, yet in terms of dressing and demeanor, he could never match Ivanka.


    "Just arrived! The new song is good!"


    Ivanka put down her headphones and said.


    "Thanks! With your good taste, if you say it''s good, then this song must be great."


    Link said with a smile.


    "Let''s go to the office and talk."


    "OK!"


    Link nodded and headed to the adjacent office.


    As soon as they sat down, Ivanka tossed a stack of papers over to him.


    The year 2010 was just around the corner, and Link Music had plenty of work to do in the next year.


    The first item was the release of his third album. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    This album had been recorded even earlier than his second and needed some fine-tuning before release to adjust the styles of two or three songs to better fit the current market.


    The plan was to release the first promotional single "All of me" the day before Valentine''s Day.


    And to have a global release at the end of March.


    The album had a pop-ballad style, different from the first two albums, so whether it could maintain the hot sales of the previous albums was still an unknown.


    The second item was his upcoming Super Bowl performance, and the related promotions needed to keep pace.


    If handled correctly, leveraging the Super Bowl''s popularity could help sell tens of thousands more copies of his album and singles.


    The third item was the tour arrangement for the next year, roles in two movies, two confirmed boxing matches, six commercials, and the music video for the new song also needed scheduling.


    "There''s just too much work. I should not have taken on ''The Expendables''."


    Link flipped through the schedule and said.


    In December, he had met with Stallone, who said he would design a role specifically for him as a master fighter who could knock someone out with a single punch. His role would be the third or fourth lead, with a minimum pay of three million.


    Seeing the money and the cool character, Link had gone for it.


    Now it seemed he was being too greedy and had gotten himself into trouble.


    "It''s fine, many things look overwhelming, but once you start doing them, you''ll realize there''s actually less."


    Ivanka said, pouring two cups of hot chocolate and placing one in front of him.


    "A lot of things look minimal, but when you start doing them, they turn out to be more."


    "That''s because you don''t know how to arrange them."


    Ivanka, with her long legs crossed, sat in the office chair and patted another even thicker folder, "These are my work arrangements. Do you want to take a look?"


    "No need to look!"


    Ivanka, the president of Link Music, was responsible not only for his record promotions and releases but also for managing artists like Lana, Mars, and Wiz Khalifa.


    Lana''s album had been out for eight weeks, and it was still in the top 50 of the Billboard album chart, which indicated that the album had great potential and needed increased promotion.


    Bruno Mars'' first album was in its third week of release, with first-week sales of 287,000 copies, reaching second place on Billboard, just slightly behind Lady Gaga''s "The Fame Monster."


    With a three-week cumulative sales of 573,000 copies, the figures were a bit better than Lana''s first, and with continued efforts, it had a great chance of breaking one million in North America.


    And the release of Wiz Khalifa''s debut album "Deal or No Deal" was also planned for the beginning of the year.


    One could tell without looking that her work would not be less than plentiful.


    Link spread his hands and said, "We are now billionaires, why do we still have to be so busy? Why not just take a vacation?"


    "A while ago, you told a reporter that it was your passion that kept you energetic and greatly increased your work efficiency, and now you''re thinking of vacationing?"


    Ivanka glanced at him playfully and said.


    "Even a camel in the desert can''t be expected to carry goods 365 days a year."


    Link said with a laugh.


    Ivanka''s lips curled slightly as she reached into her small crossbody bag and pulled out a box.

 Chapter 251 Evas Special Reward

    "Here''s your New Year''s gift, see if you like it." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link took it and saw that it was a sports watch.


    The stainless steel case combined with the black ceramic bezel was reminiscent of an airplane''s cockpit instruments. The brown-black strap bore the TAG Heuer Autavia custom edition mark, and the craftsmanship was exquisite¡ªprettier than any Link had bought.


    Link had once wanted to buy such a sports watch, unfortunately, with too little knowledge, clutching U.S. dollars, he didn''t know where to buy one.


    "Thank you, I really like it. By the way, I''ve also prepared a gift for you."


    Link went to the next office and brought back a delicate box for Ivanka.


    "What gift?"


    Ivanka curiously took the box.


    Upon opening it, inside was an outdated Tiffany platinum rose diamond necklace, with substantial gold and diamond content.


    This necklace had a price tag of over 120,000 USD, designed specifically to cater to the aesthetic tastes of nouveau riche housewives. Ivanka would not have given it a second glance had she seen it at the counter before.


    "How about it? Pretty, isn''t it?"


    Link said with a smile.


    Before Christmas, he had specifically bought over ten limited edition necklaces, bracelets, and watches from the Tiffany store to gift to people close to him, like Taylor, Katheryn, Mandy, Selena, Anne, Mrs. Andrea, Anna, and others.


    So far, everyone had said they were beautiful.


    Ivanka moved the corners of her lips, looked up at him, and smiled, "It''s beautiful; you really know how to buy gifts."


    "Thank you!"


    "Want to help me wear it?"


    Ivanka''s slender fingers picked up the platinum necklace and shook it.


    "OK!"


    Link shrugged his shoulders, moved behind her, and lifted her flowing golden hair.


    Her hair carried the fragrance of rose dew and the warmth of her body; it was soft and smooth to the touch, which made him brush it aside unconsciously before clasping the diamond necklace around her graceful swan neck.


    The necklace''s delicate design and the dazzling blue, teardrop-shaped diamond complemented her black high-neck knit sweater nicely.


    "How is it?"


    Link asked, pressing on her shoulders.


    "Great! So how about I give you a little reward?"


    "What?"


    Just as he was about to let go, Ivanka suddenly grabbed his hand and gently placed it over her ample front.


    Link''s heart skipped a beat, and his hand involuntarily tensed.


    His mind flashed to Francisco Goya''s famous painting, "The Milkmaid of Bordeaux," where the painter paid great attention to detail, used colors dynamically, and contrasted the rough, brownish-yellow fingers of the milkmaid with the pale skin of the cow, delivering a strong visual impact.


    He also thought of the cotton candy he used to eat on the streets as a kid, feeling like he had grasped the white clouds of heaven. His arm muscles also began to tremble slightly, and he couldn''t help but lay his other hand gently on her shoulder.


    Just as he was about to explore further, his phone on the table rang.


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    Ivanka glanced at it, answered the call, and her father''s loud and clear voice came through the speaker. He was asking where Ivanka was, saying the New Year''s party was about to start, and since she was half the host, she couldn''t be late.


    Ivanka shrugged her shoulders and said she would be right there.


    "Do you want to join? My father really wants to introduce you to Tiffany."


    Ivanka turned and asked him.


    "Tiffany? Your sister?"


    Link looked at his hand, somewhat puzzled by her suggestion.


    With a light huff, Ivanka straightened her hair, donned her coat, slipped into her high heels, and said, "Don''t get the wrong idea, this is just a little reward, it doesn''t mean I have feelings for you, I''m not trying to seduce you, and it won''t happen again."


    "Women are so fickle!"


    Link shook his head helplessly and as he saw her getting ready to leave, he called out, "So, that party invitation was just a casual remark?"


    Ivanka elegantly turned back, smiled at him, and said, "Would you dare to accept if I invited you?"


    "Joking? Do you know who''s standing in front of you?"


    Link said with a laugh as he put on his coat, "He''s an Olympic champion, world boxing champion, holder of four swimming world records, a top-tier singer in the music industry, a hot Hollywood star, and a newly minted billionaire. Do you think there''s anything in the world he wouldn''t dare to do?"


    "Wow, you''re so impressive. Then let''s go!"


    Ivanka said with a smile, coming over to take his arm.


    "How big is the party? Do I need to change clothes?"


    "You don''t need to! With those titles, you could go wearing a bikini and no one would dare say anything."


    Ivanka said with a slight smile.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and took a car to Ivanka''s mansion estate in the Upper West Side.


    The mansion, located on the west side of Central Park, covered over five thousand square meters, its market value exceeding 300 million U.S. dollars. And even with plenty of money, it was not something one could simply buy.


    Those living here were New York''s landowning tycoons¡ªmany were billionaires at least three generations back. Ivanka now represented the fourth generation of billionaires in her family.


    This was the depth of a noble family''s heritage.


    Living among billionaires, surrounded by neighbors and friends, and interacting with people who were all billionaires, it was probably very difficult for such people to go bankrupt.


    When Link and Ivanka walked into the mansion at the center of the estate, Ivanka''s New Year''s party had already started, with hundreds of guests in attendance.


    There were giants from the media industry of the Hearst Family, hotel tycoon Hilton Family, confectionery tycoon Mars family, fashion industry magnate CK family, New York real estate titan Crown Properties Keller Family, New York political powerhouse Bloomberg Family, real estate tycoon Durst Family, New Jersey real estate mogul Kunis family, Murdoch and his spouse, and so on.


    All were regulars on the Forbes list.


    If one were to kidnap these individuals, they could easily squeeze out hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars.


    Among these people, Link only recognized a few of the young heirs of the wealthy families such as the Hilton sisters, Amanda Hearst, Georgia Bloomberg, and young Kunis.


    As it was a high-class party, the male guests were all dressed in suits, with bow ties or dark colored neckties, while the women wore beautiful gowns and expensive jewelry, emitting an enchanting fragrance.


    Each one of them was remarkably proper, similar to an 18th-century British nobility gathering.


    So when Link entered the party wearing a sporty down jacket, he stood out like a monkey that had wandered into Times Square, instantly attracting the attention of all the guests.


    "Are you sure you don''t need to change?"


    "Positive!"


    Ivanka, holding onto his arm and with a slight curl to her lips, whispered as they walked, "These people are all very rich. Here, money is not a scarce resource. What they lack is honor, the feeling of being respected and adored. Honor is something you''re certainly not short of. The achievements you''ve made, any one of them, are things they could strive for all their lives without coming close. So, here, you damned fool, are the true billionaire. You have every right to walk past them with your head held high without a glance at any of them."


    "I''m not that arrogant."


    Link smiled lightly. Seeing these people, he didn''t feel inferior or frightened, only slightly uncomfortable being the center of attention in a crowd.


    "Wow, Eva, look who you''ve brought here."


    A girl exclaimed with a shriek.


    "Eva, you invited Link, and you didn''t say so earlier? How exciting!"


    "Link, it''s great to see you here."


    A group of extravagantly dressed wealthy girls approached, greeting him warmly.


    Ivanka pressed her lips together in a smile, responding softly with a chuckle to several of her friends, "Paris has mentioned more than once that she''d like to meet you, calling you the man of her dreams. If you want to get with her, just head to the restroom over there.


    The one in the red dress in the middle is Georgina Bloomberg; her father is the mayor of New York City with a net worth of over 120 billion. She likes horse riding, and if you just accompany her a few times, she''ll definitely fall for you, maybe even marry you with her tens of billions."


    The one on the left is Amanda Hearst, the newspaper tycoon''s direct granddaughter. She loves music, and all you need to do is write her a song, and she''ll throw herself into your arms and kiss you immediately."


    Link smiled lightly, "What about you?"


    Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "I''m not interested in you."


    Ivanka gave him a sideways glance, let go of his arm, and with a beaming smile, went forward to greet her few friends. Despite having disparaged them in conversation, she was still very affectionate when she spoke, acting like the perfect sisters and intimates.


    Women are born actresses.


    Link couldn''t help but admire inwardly.


    "Eva, why did you just arrive? Did you have a date?"


    Paris Hilton teased Ivanka, glancing at Link.


    "Eva, how was it like dating Link? I heard he''s really powerful. Is it true?"


    Georgina joked as well.


    "Haha, it must be true, look at Eva, she''s beaming. She must be very, very satisfied."


    Upon hearing Georgina''s words, several nearby wealthy girls couldn''t help but giggle, their gaze sliding from Link''s handsome face steadily downwards.


    Link offered a polite smile to the several affluent women.


    Ivanka grabbed two glasses of champagne, handed one to Link, and said to her friends, "Link has been invited by the FNL league and will be performing in the halftime show of this year''s Super Bowl. We''re on a tight schedule, and these past few days we''ve been rehearsing overtime in the studio."


    "Link is performing in the Super Bowl?"


    "Wow, Link, you are amazing."


    "Link, I''m a fan of yours. I love every song of yours; your music is just fantastic."


    Paris, Georgina, Amanda, and several other wealthy girls came over, each one with a fervent look in their eyes.


    Link held his champagne glass, courteously dealing with their flattery.


    Despite having some issues with their lifestyle and personalities, the environment these wealthy girls grew up in ensured they weren''t foolish, and their inheritance rights and connections meant they could not be underestimated.


    It was best to try not to offend them when dealing with them, as there might be many opportunities for collaboration in business in the future.


    Yet, as he was surrounded by all the young heiresses at the party, the affluent bachelors couldn''t help but feel neglected.


    At gatherings like the New Year''s party, aside from the heads of the major families coming together to boast and bond, it was also about creating opportunities for the younger generation of the families to mingle, akin to a matchmaking event.


    When all the girls at the gathering flocked around Link, the guys inevitably united in their resentment toward him.

 Chapter 252 Market Cap of Link Music

    "Hey, Eva, are you dating Link?"


    Bob Lauren from the Lauren family asked.


    "Why do you ask?"


    Cradling a wine glass, Eva looked at Link surrounded by women and smiled slightly.


    "I heard Link has a girlfriend, Taylor Swift, right? Are you guys in a love triangle?"


    Bob Lauren grinned like a toad and chuckled mischievously.


    Eva shrugged her fragrant shoulders, neither confirming nor denying.


    Seeing Eva''s demeanor, the surrounding heirs of wealth appeared displeased. Eva was the most beautiful girl in their circle and talented, too, not to mention efficient. She had always been a top choice for marriage alliances.


    Her family had faced a financial crisis and needed a large sum of money to bail out the TP Group''s industries, which seemed like a great opportunity for everyone to make their move.


    But then out of nowhere, some beach boy Link showed up by Eva''s side, and the two of them even started up Link Music together. To everyone''s astonishment, they made Link Music a resounding success.


    According to The Wall Street Journal''s year-end estimate, with three best-selling singers, Link Music was valued at over a hundred million US dollars, roughly 150 million.


    As the president of Link Music, Eva had become a star figure in New York high society. The heads of great families wanted their younger generations to learn from Eva, with many hoping their descendants could marry her.


    Having such a shrewd and capable woman, skilled in management, in the family was beneficial to the family''s development.


    Regrettably, ever since Eva collaborated with Link, she rarely attended their gatherings or mingled with other men. She was very circumspect when accepting invitations from other suitors, keen to avoid scandal.


    It was as though she had married Link, giving her body and soul to him.


    This transformation filled everyone with jealousy toward Link. Previously, they had the chance to pursue Eva but weren''t interested. Now that she was off-limits, they found her increasingly beautiful, haunting their dreams.


    An example of this was little Kunas.


    In the past, he never chased a girl for more than a month, but this time, he spent a year pursuing Eva, to no avail¡ªnot even holding her hand.


    The more it stayed out of reach, the more convinced he became about Eva.


    "Hey Eva, there''s an Andrea Bocelli concert at Carnegie Hall next week. Do you have time to join me?"


    Dressed in a suit, with his hair neatly parted, Kunas approached her politely.


    "Reed, with the New Year approaching, the company is swamped. I haven''t taken any leave for a month, and next week will be the same."


    Eva declined gently.


    "Alright then!"


    Kunas shrugged and with a squint, he glanced around her chest and said with a smirk, "Eva, I am planning to work at Atlantic Records as a vice president of the distribution company. Starting next year, we''ll be in the same industry. I hope we can have more opportunities to collaborate."


    "Oh?"


    Eva appeared surprised, having not heard about this before.


    "Haha, the music industry is very lucrative right now. My father holds a small part of Atlantic Records'' stocks and is a member of the board. I''ll be taking over this position."


    Kunas said, swirling his drink. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Congratulations! Welcome to the music industry."


    Eva replied with a light chuckle, holding her wine glass.


    "Haha, Eva, look at Reed. He gave up his position as president of Kunas Real Estate just for you, such a lovesick fool."


    "Yes, Eva, we always thought you and Reed were an item,"


    some of the young heirs chimed in.


    Eva smiled noncommittally and then saw Link approaching. She excused herself and, in high heels, sashayed towards Link with her curvaceous hips swaying.


    "With so many beauties around, why not chat for a bit longer?"


    Eva asked softly.


    Link wiped the sweat from his forehead, "It''s terrifying, these high society parties. Someone dared to secretly touch my butt, and not just one person."


    "Really?"


    Eva laughed behind her wine glass, nearly losing her composure. Composing herself, she teased, "With this kind of incident, why don''t you look for the reason within yourself? Is it because your butt is too perky, and they can''t help but reach out?"


    "You might be right; it could be my fault."


    Link glanced at her and, seeing her mocking expression, couldn''t help but place his hand on her slender waist, his palm slowly sliding down, as if descending a slope, sinking into a marsh.


    "What are you doing?"


    Eva''s face changed, and she asked coldly.


    "With this kind of incident, why don''t you look for the reason within yourself? Is it because your butt is too perky, and he just couldn''t resist reaching out?"


    "Tsk! You really are a despicable jerk!"


    Suppressing her laughter, Eva pinched him on the waist as well.


    Then, Link heard a sound of teeth grinding irritably from behind him.


    "Stop it, I need to tell you something."


    Ivanka walked through the party with his arm, greeting the guests while bringing up with him the matter of Kunas joining Atlantic Records.


    Ivanka said Kunas was narrow-minded, and after joining Atlantic Records, it might affect the cooperation between Link Music and Atlantic Records, such as the overseas distribution of Mars'' album, which was handled by Atlantic Records.


    Now that Kunas had taken the position of vice president of distribution at Atlantic Records, he would surely make a fuss in this area.


    "Is there any way to solve it?"


    "For now, there is not a big issue. Mars'' album is selling well; they won''t deliberately create trouble that would prevent both parties from making money. The problem is with the album production¡ªKunas might interfere."


    Ivanka said thoughtfully.


    Since Link Music was newly established, it had too few artists and even fewer of various music genres.


    For example, when producing rock, rap, rhythm and blues, and other types of songs, they often need to borrow artists from other record companies.


    Atlantic Records'' headquarters is in Manhattan, New York, and it has more artists. Since it is close to Link Music Company, it is one of the entities Link Music often needs to cooperate with.


    If Kunas were to interfere, it would affect the work at Link Music.


    "We''re not short on money right now, we can recruit some more talents," Link said thoughtfully.


    Ivanka nodded, greeted an approaching guest, and continued, "There''s something I forgot to tell you. Last week, Atlantic Records made us an acquisition offer. They offered 40 million US Dollars for a 30% stake in Link Music. Now that I think about it, this might have been Kunas'' idea."


    "40 million?"


    Link shook his head. In November, Universal Records had proposed buying 50% of Link Music for 50 million, which he and Ivanka had refused.


    He and Ivanka were not short of money; 50 million was only equivalent to the earnings from one of his boxing matches, a matter of minutes.


    If they accepted Universal''s investment, Universal would soon send someone to join Link Music''s management team, at least a high-ranking executive at the vice president level.


    Then Ivanka''s power would be significantly divided, and he would need to follow their arrangements, which would increase his workload.


    This was not what he wanted.


    He and Ivanka had offered to transfer a 30% stake in Universal Records for 40 million, to facilitate deep cooperation with Universal.


    Universal, considering the stake too small, had not agreed for the time being.


    Now that Atlantic Records had proposed to invest, and since Atlantic Records was a subsidiary of Warner''s WEA, letting Atlantic invest would be like being a little brother to a big brother''s little brother, which wouldn''t look good; it was better to cooperate with Universal.


    "Hey Miss Ivanka, Mr. Baker!"


    A middle-aged man in his forties or fifties came over to greet them, dressed in a suit, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a refined appearance.


    Link was a bit surprised; many people had greeted him just now, calling him ''Link,'' but this man greeted him as ''Mr. Baker'' right away.


    "Mr. Woolridge, didn''t Lana come?"


    Ivanka stepped forward to greet him.


    "Haha, she got quite tired from performing at concerts these past few days, she''s resting at home now." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The middle-aged man came over, shook hands with Ivanka, and then thanked Link while holding his hand, "Miss Ivanka, Mr. Baker, thank you for your help. Liz has been in great spirits recently, very cheerful, and no longer goes out to drink and fight. Her mother and I are very grateful to you both."


    Link was utterly confused, not understanding what the man was thanking him for. He looked at Ivanka questioningly.


    Ivanka winked at him and smiled, "Mr. Woolridge, we should be thanking you. Lana is even better and more potential than we had imagined. She''s now one of the main pillars of Link Music."


    "Haha, that''s all thanks to you. You''ve made Liz what she is today. Mr. Baker, I often hear Lana talking about you at home. She says you are amazing, and she admires you a lot. When you have time, please come visit our house," the middle-aged man said enthusiastically.


    "Sure, definitely!"


    Link heard that the man seemed to be someone related to Lana, so he nodded and smiled, and once the man left, Link pulled Ivanka aside, "Who is he? Lana''s husband?"


    "What nonsense, he''s Lana''s dad."


    Ivanka smiled faintly, pulling him aside as they walked and continued, "Mr. Woolridge is also a billionaire. He has over a dozen interior decoration and furniture companies and is one of TP Real Estate''s significant clients. At a gathering in April or May, when he heard I was the president of Link Music, he mentioned he had a daughter who was rebellious since childhood, wanting to be a singer but never succeeding. He recommended Lana to me. Then, I saw Lana''s performance videos on YouTube, felt her level was very good, and that''s why I invited you to listen. And it turned out to be an unexpected gain."


    Link recalled that day at the Rooftop Bar, Ivanka asked Lana if she had her family''s permission to drop out and sing. Lana said no, stating that singing was her dream and it had nothing to do with her family. Ivanka had a strange smile on her face.


    At that moment, Link thought Ivanka agreed with Lana, supporting her pursuit of her dream.


    Now that he thought about it, he understood why she asked that question.


    "So Lana is a second-generation rich kid?"


    "Yes. Do you want to pursue Lana? I can tell you how to win her over," Ivanka teased.


    "Link Music forbids office romance."


    "I am the president; what I say goes," Ivanka said, tilting her delicate jaw up slightly with a small smile.


    "Ivanka? Are you here?"


    As they were talking, they heard a shrill, distinctive voice behind them; it was Ivanka''s father. Link shrugged his shoulders, knowing that the party was effectively over for them.

 Chapter 253 The Invitation of the Snowflake Secret Fan

    At the party, Link also encountered the president of News Corporation, Murdoch, and his wife, Mrs. Wendi Deng.


    Murdoch wasn''t very interested in him, only asking a few questions about boxing training, wondering why he was so strong and if he had any strength techniques in his physical training.


    Link understood the old man''s thoughts, which were nothing more than fear of death, wanting to live a few more years.


    He talked about his training methods, including weight-bearing running, deep-sea diving, lifting barbells, jump rope, and others.


    These were obviously not suitable for someone in their seventies, like Murdoch.


    Wendi Deng was more enthusiastic, asking if he spoke Chinese. She was producing a Chinese-language movie and needed a Western face who could speak Mandarin, inquiring if he was interested.


    Link guessed it must be that romance film, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan".


    Besides the lead actresses Bingbing and Ji-hyun, he found everything else about the movie quite average; it wasn''t going to add much to his fame.


    Link mentioned he would be on a world tour within the year and had also taken on new films directed by Woody Allen and Stallone, so he probably wouldn''t have time, and he politely declined her proposal.


    However, Mrs. Deng became even more enthusiastic upon hearing this.


    She said the role was not a big one and could be filmed in just one or two weeks.


    The movie was produced under Fox Searchlight Pictures, part of the News Corporation, and was directed by the famous Chinese-American director Wang Ying. With international A-list stars as the lead and supporting actors, the quality was assured, and she hoped he would consider it seriously.


    Explore stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Seeing her sincerity, Link felt it impolite to refuse directly and mentioned he needed to check his schedule. If there was no conflict, he might consider it.


    Mrs. Deng was pleased and said they could adjust the schedule according to his availability.


    Link had no choice but to agree.


    After agreeing, he started to have second thoughts. His work schedule was incredibly packed this year, from January 1st to December 30th, without a single day off.


    Taking on another movie would likely keep him incredibly busy.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Ivanka came over after handling her annoying father.


    In just a short time, she had changed into a new outfit, a blue deep V-neck dress that showcased her voluptuous and spicy figure along with her long, smooth legs.


    Her golden hair was put up, and on her fair swan neck was the necklace he had given her, making her look both elegant and sexy.


    "Eva, you really are a beauty."


    Link unabashedly sized her up.


    "Thanks! You''re also quite an impertinent jerk."


    Ivanka huffed.


    "Well, I''ve just gone and made another trouble for myself."


    Link shrugged and spoke about Mrs. Deng''s new movie proposal.


    Ivanka smiled, brushing her hair beside her ear, "That''s also a very nice trouble. Huaxia has been developing better and better over the past few years, with a broad market outlook. Your two albums sold over 1.2 million copies there, showing you have a market. Taking on a Chinese-language movie can enhance your visibility in Huaxia, and the benefits will be considerable in the future."


    Link thought about it and indeed found that to be true. In recent years, Huaxia''s rapid development had led its GDP to reach 335353 billion yuan, surpassing Germany to become the world''s third-largest economy.


    This had led many people to rush to Huaxia to make money, and Hollywood began to value Huaxia''s market, often holding movie premieres there and taking Hollywood stars to tour around Huaxia''s major cities.


    Link also wanted to invest and donate in Huaxia, to build some boxing schools or clubs, but alas, he hadn''t found the right opportunity.


    Participating in a Chinese-language film might be a good chance.


    "What was your dad looking for you for? He didn''t look too well."


    Link looked at the jovial blond elder in the crowd and laughed.


    "Yes, ever since he failed to rent that White House in Washington last year, he''s been in a bad mood. He just told me that I''m 26 years old now and can''t continue messing around; he hopes I will take this seriously," Ivanka mimicked her father''s tone.


    Link chuckled softly, tempted to remind her that she would be turning 27 after the New Year, but he decided against suffering her glare.


    "Didn''t you say that as long as Link Music''s valuation exceeds 100 million US dollars, he won''t meddle in your personal affairs anymore?"


    "Yes, that''s why I ignored him," Ivanka said indifferently.


    "Cool!"


    Link gave her a thumbs-up.


    Ivanka gave him a look and, seeing two gentlemen and their wives approaching, she smiled slightly and pulled Link forward to greet them.


    At the party, Link followed Ivanka and got to know many New York celebrities, including the key person of the Hearst Family.


    The Hearst Corporation is one of the largest diversified media groups in the world, owning 15 daily newspapers, 34 weekly publications, and more than 300 magazine titles globally, as well as 29 local TV stations.


    Some of the more famous media brands include Harper''s Bazaar, Esquire, ELLE, ESPN, A+E Networks cable channels, as well as the renowned Bilibili and Legendary Pictures.


    It was very advantageous to know these people.


    There was also Little Frank Mars from the Mars Corporation, who served as the vice president there.


    And Link really liked the lollipops from their company.


    After the party ended, Link returned to Link Recording Studio to continue refining his new song "Legends Never Die," and spent New Year''s Day of 2010 there with colleagues such as Lana, Graham, Mars, and others.


    At the start of the new year, Link didn''t rest for a single day, as he and his touring team continued to perform 13 concerts in locations such as South America and Australia.


    On January 18th, he made a trip back to the United States to attend the Golden Globe Awards ceremony, but unfortunately, he did not win any awards this time.


    The biggest winner of this year''s Golden Globes was "Avatar," directed by James Cameron, which took the most prestigious prizes of Best Picture and Best Director.


    "The Fighter" had seven nominations but only won one award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama, which went to Melissa Leo for her role as the mother.


    Christian Bale lost in this category to Christoph Waltz for "Inglourious Basterds."


    He was also bested in the Best Screenplay nomination by "Up in the Air," starring George Clooney.


    Although "The Fighter" did not perform well at the Golden Globes, the media believed that the Golden Globes often are at odds with the Oscars, where films recognized by the Golden Globes are often overlooked by the Oscars, and those ignored by the Golden Globes are often held in high esteem by the Oscars.


    This was similar to "The Hurt Locker," which had a lot of buzz before the Golden Globes but went 0 for 4 at the awards.


    From this perspective, "The Fighter" did not need to be too dismayed about not winning more awards.


    Not long after the Golden Globes ended, the nominations for the 82nd Academy Awards were announced in the media.


    "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker" both received nine nominations, tying for the most.


    "The Fighter" was in second place with eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, two for Best Supporting Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Song.


    Link himself only received one nomination for Best Original Song and was also invited by the Oscars hosts to perform the nominated song at the ceremony.


    "Alright, I''ve got it, Mandy!"


    Link put away his phone, looked at the sunset over the Melbourne coast, and took a few photos to send to Taylor and Ivanka, Selena, to make them jealous.


    Taylor asked where this place was and heard that there were many beautiful women in Australia, like Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts, and Cate Blanchett, and asked if he had met a few.


    Link responded that it was more than a few, that all the women lying in his bed the previous night were Australian beauties, seventy or eighty of them. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor sent several fists, promising to settle things when he returned.


    Ivanka commented on his improved photography skills and asked him to post the pictures on Twitter later for some promotion.


    Link agreed.


    Selena sent a message saying ''ugly,'' and mentioned that there was a Penguin Island in Melbourne with a type of small penguin about twenty centimeters long, insisting that he catch a few and bring them back. She quickly added that it wasn''t for her but for Anne.


    Link shook his head, this girl seemed determined to land her brother in jail.


    But indeed, the little penguins on Penguin Island were very cute; he could buy a few penguin toys to give to Anne as gifts.


    "Link, there are some stars in Australia who want seats in the friends and family area, should we agree?"


    Anna shouted from the bow of the ship.


    "Do I know any of them?"


    "No, they are all local lesser-known stars."


    "Just give them PR tickets, the friends and family tickets can''t just be given away randomly."


    Link said helplessly.


    Ever since he became famous, various minor celebrities and internet celebrities used different tactics to leech off his fame.


    Some were polite and would at least give him a heads-up before leeching off of him.


    Others would just blatantly leech and criticize him at the same time.


    To prevent being exploited, he now, like Kanye, maintained a high level of vigilance against those attempting to leech off his fame.


    As the end of January approached, the 52nd Grammy Music Awards were set to take place on January 31st in Los Angeles.


    Link had to attend the award ceremony and perform, so he had to pause the tour temporarily and leave the group at the end of January to return to Los Angeles for a break.

 Chapter 254 Annual Rich List

    And I was like baby, baby, baby, oh~


    Like baby, baby, baby, no~


    Like baby, baby, baby, no~


    At noon, Los Angeles, a cafe on the pier, the brilliant sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the couch, warming me gently. Link was flipping through a magazine, gradually feeling sleepy.


    In recent times, he had been continuously holding concerts in South America, Australia, and other places, his schedule spinning nonstop with scarcely any time to rest.


    After returning to Los Angeles, his schedule wasn''t packed, and he didn''t need to catch a flight to the next concert venue right after finishing one.


    All of a sudden, having relaxed, both his body and mind relaxed as well, and in such a comfortable environment, he inevitably felt sleepy.


    Because of this, he had often dozed off while watching TV with Taylor these past few days, waking up to find his face and neck covered in musical notes and lyrics.


    Like baby, baby, baby, no~


    Like baby, baby, baby, no~


    "Hey! Bob, could we change the song, stop playing ''baby baby baby'' over and over, don''t you find it annoying?"


    Link put down the magazine in his hand and looked back at the owner behind the cafe counter.


    A bookish man in his thirties who, other than reading, didn''t know much about anything¡ªif it weren''t for his capable and wise wife, Lillian, this cafe would have closed down long ago.


    Bob lifted his head from behind the counter and pushed up his glasses, "This song is really popular lately, everyone is listening to it, don''t you like it?"


    "Change it, listening too much can get annoying."


    "Alright!" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bob scratched his messy hair and his fingers danced on the music player as he changed the song.


    It''s been a long day without you my friend, And I''ll tell you all about it when I see you again...


    "Don''t play my songs either, let''s have some light music instead,"


    Link sighed helplessly.


    During this time outside at concerts, every time he went on stage he had to sing "See You Again" and songs from his two albums, singing them too much could also grow tiresome.


    Bob fiddled around at the counter for a while, then switched to Richard Clayderman''s piano piece "La Plage de l''Adriana," and after changing it, he asked Link how this music was, and Link said it was fine.


    "How''s your novel going?"


    Link asked casually.


    "Not so great, don''t listen to Lillian''s nonsense, I''m not writing a novel, just writing... reading reflections."


    Bob said, his face reddening and sounding a bit flustered.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and did not ask further, simply switching to another magazine to continue browsing.


    After the New Year, various magazines began publishing their 2009 rankings, and Link was one of America''s celebrities of the year, appearing on more than a dozen lists.


    These included Business Magazine''s ''Most Influential People Under 30''


    Fortune Magazine''s ''Top 40 Under Forty U.S. Billionaires'';


    Sports Illustrated''s ''2009 World Sports Athlete Income Ranking'';


    Billboard''s ''2009 Euro-American Music Artists Income Ranking'';


    Ring Magazine''s ''2009 Boxers Income Ranking'';


    Forbes'' ''2009''s Top Philanthropic Celebrities''


    People Magazine''s ''World''s Most Beautiful Faces'' and ''World''s Sexiest Male Celebrities''.


    According to several magazines'' data, his income was divided into three parts.


    First, last year his total income from boxing and swimming was about 95 million US dollars, ranking second on the ''2009 Sports Income Ranking''.


    The champion was Tiger Woods, with a total annual income of 99.73 million US dollars, including a yearly salary of 7.73 million plus 92 million in commercial earnings.


    The third place was Mickelson, a golfer, with an annual income of 52.92 million US dollars.


    The fourth was British soccer player Beckham, with an annual income of 45.20 million US dollars.


    Second, last year in music, his total income was about 87 million US dollars, which included his advertising revenue of 110 million US dollars, placing him second on the "2009 European and American Singers Income Ranking.


    The champion was MJ, about 180 million US dollars.


    Taylor''s income was 36.5 million US dollars, ranking him 12th.


    Third, last year besides boxing, singing, and film remuneration, he also had shares in the Dynasty Promotion Company and Link Music, both of which saw their market values multiply several times last year and become star enterprises in the industry.


    Fortune Magazine estimated his net worth at 320 million US dollars, ranking him 32nd on the ''Under 40 Self-Made Billionaires Annual List.''


    Ranked ahead of him were major figures, including Google''s founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Facebook''s Zuckerberg, among others.


    This time, Link''s frequent listing also greatly increased his fame in America.


    He was no longer the poor beach boy of the past, but a bona fide billionaire.


    Time Magazine featured him as the cover person for the beginning of 2010 in early January.


    Time Magazine considered him a representative of the new American dream, a boxing superstar, a new king of the music world, and the most influential youth idol in the United States currently, with a significant impact on the younger generation. They believed he would continue to play a major role in American society over the next decade, thus making him very appropriate for the 2010 New Year cover.


    As for this fame, Link did not care much; he found that with more accolades, just like the numbers in an account, the more there are, the more they numbed and made people complacent.


    "Mr. Baker, here''s your coffee."


    The coffee shop owner Lillian personally brought over a cup of hand-brewed coffee and gently set it on the table.


    A rich aroma of coffee mixed with the mellow scent of chocolate and a light hint of fresh milk hit the nose, making it very appetizing just by the smell.


    This was also one of the reasons Link often came here to relax.


    "Lillian, your skills are amazing."


    Link complimented as he smelled the aroma of the coffee.


    The shop owner Lillian brushed her hair and gave a slight smile.


    She was a twenty-something Colombian immigrant, with dark skin, ordinary looks, and a sturdy build, yet she was skillful and meticulous in her service to customers.


    "Lillian, I have another guest arriving soon, please prepare another Mocha."


    "Of course, Mr. Baker!"


    Lillian left with the tray.


    Link noticed Bob behind the counter eavesdropping and advised him to temporarily give up the idea of writing a novel and try writing a screenplay instead; with good ideas, there''s no worry about a lack of appreciation.


    Bob, still blushing, said he hadn''t written the novel and was just scribbling for fun.


    Ding-dong! The sound of a bell came from the door, and a middle-aged woman in a blue lady''s suit walked in.


    She was in her thirties, with a round face, ear-length bob hair, round-frame metal glasses with thin lenses, and a pair of bright green pupils that were very distinctive.


    From her, one could see the seriousness and shrewdness of someone in finance, mixed with the elegance and charm of a young wife.


    A somewhat paradoxical woman.


    "Cathy, over here!"


    Link waved and called out.


    This was Ms. Cathy Wood, the manager from Wall Street''s Vanguard Asset Management Company.


    After participating in the Olympics last year, Link had some money and wanted to invest on Wall Street. He asked Catherine, Franco, and Mandy to recommend a company.


    Following their recommendations, he chose the Vanguard Asset Management Company, one of the top three in strength, and it was Cathy Wood who had initially received him.


    At that time, he saw her with a round face and thought she looked easy to bully and doubted her capabilities as a shrewd financial manager.


    However, after talking with her, he found that her professional level was quite good; he entrusted over ten million in signing money to her management on a trial basis.


    Latter on, Cathy Wood managed several successful operations that increased his wealth on paper, which continued their cooperation to the present.


    Today, he wanted to meet her for coffee to discuss the investment plans for the upcoming period.


    Such as the upcoming IPO of Tesla. Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Currently, Tesla''s market value was less than one billion US dollars, only reaching 1.7 billion after the IPO. Fifteen years after going public, Tesla''s stock price had risen by 4400%, and its market value had exceeded 500 billion US dollars, making it a more valuable investment than Amazon.


    Whether he could take an early opportunity to grab a large portion of the stocks and transform from a billionaire to a multi-billionaire or even richer needed the analysis of Cathy, the professional, and the exact handling was to be entrusted to her care.

 Chapter 255 Investing in Tesla

    ```


    "The view here is quite nice."


    Sitting opposite the sofa, Ms. Cathy looked out at the pier jutting into the ocean, and the vast expanse of azure sea, and commented.


    "Yes, I once had a dream of opening a coffee shop by the beach in Miami, facing the sea, the white sand, welcoming all sorts of guests every day, listening to their stories. What do you think?"


    "That would probably be quite boring. Knowing you, you don''t seem like the type who would settle for solitude," Ms. Cathy said straightforwardly.


    Link simply smiled, offering no rebuttal.


    Ms. Cathy Wood was a highly professional asset manager. Right after sitting down, she didn''t go into much small talk and instead handed over a stack of documents ¨C the asset investment report accumulated from the last quarter of last year, saying that he needed to take a look.


    Because he had been too busy at the end of last year, he hadn''t had the time, and only now did it reach his hands.


    Link saw the pile of documents in front of him, thicker than "The Complete Works of Shakespeare," and couldn''t help but feel a headache coming on. He was a boxer, liked money but hated dealing with numbers. That stuff would make his head spin if he looked at it too much, but he couldn''t just ignore it.


    As a self-made billionaire, every penny was hard-earned. He needed to know how he made his money and how it might disappear to avoid falling into the hands of those Wall Street number crunchers.


    "Cathy, I''ll look over these documents when I get back. First, tell me about last quarter''s investments," Link said, stirring his coffee with a silver spoon.


    "Alright!"


    Ms. Cathy Wood took out a tablet from her bag and explained the investment and income situation of the fourth quarter in a fluent and easy-to-understand language.


    Since September of ''08, Link had invested his initial capital in Amazon Company stock and thereafter made several additional investments. Up to now, Amazon stock remained his most valuable asset.


    Cathy began with the income and dividend situation of Amazon stock.


    In September ''08, Amazon Company was affected by the financial crisis, with a total market value dropping from 33.7 billion US dollars in June ''07 down to 23.8 billion, a decline of 37%.


    Amazon''s stock also dropped from 241 US dollars per share to 119 US dollars.


    That was the perfect opportunity to invest.


    Through Cathy, with more than 12 million US dollars, he acquired about 100,000 Amazon shares.


    After winning the WBA Golden Belt title and defeating Tyson, the income he gathered from boxing matches and advertisements was over 20 million, which he reinvested into Amazon stock. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He invested nearly 65 million US dollars into Amazon stock in total.


    In May ''09, as the influence of the financial crisis gradually diminished, the US stock market started to recover slowly from the slump.


    The S&P 500 index rose by 211%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased by 313.2% during the same period, and the tech-heavy NASDAQ Composite Index surged by 370%. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    As the US stock market soared, Amazon Company''s stock also rose from the lowest point of 108 US dollars to 332 US dollars, and at the end of ''09, it reached as high as 346 US dollars. It''s currently stable around 336 US dollars per share.


    Amazon Company''s market value also jumped from around 20 billion in ''08 to 66.2 billion US dollars, almost tripling, and it continues to grow.


    Link''s 420,000 shares of Amazon stock are currently worth around 141 million US dollars.


    The second major investment project was Twitter, a social networking service company.


    It was founded in July ''06, similar to a blog. It started to become a better-known microblogging platform from ''08 onwards.


    Since Twitter was not yet public, obtaining Twitter stock required going through financing rounds.


    In ''08, Facebook attempted to buy Twitter for 500 million US dollars. However, due to disagreements over whether Twitter would be integrated into Facebook, the management teams did not come to an agreement, and the acquisition failed. At the time, Twitter''s valuation was between 350 million to 400 million US dollars.


    By February ''09, Twitter underwent its first round of financing. Affected by the financial crisis, the market value fell to between 200 million to 250 million.


    At that time, Link did not pay attention to Twitter and missed the opportunity.


    In August last year, the number of registered users of Twitter surpassed 60 million, and its valuation was between 500 million to 600 million, initiating a second round of financing.


    Link, through Pioneer Asset Management, invested 65 million US dollars to acquire about 10.4% of Twitter''s stock, becoming the fifth-largest shareholder of Twitter.


    In November last year, the mutual fund company T. Rowe Price and the private equity firm Insight Venture Partners invested 100 million US dollars in Twitter, securing 10% of the company''s stock.


    Twitter''s valuation reached 1 billion US dollars.


    Link''s shares were diluted a bit, leaving him with 8.7%, but their market value rose to around 80 million.


    Besides that, he also held 22,000 Apple shares, 11,000 Google shares, as well as shares of Netflix, YouTube, and so on, worth about 48 million US dollars in total.


    The total market value of these stocks was around 270 million US dollars. Counting the savings in the bank, Dynasty promotional stocks, and Link Music Company, his net worth was around 360 million US dollars, which was 40 million higher than the figure compiled by "Business Week."


    Today he and Cathy needed to discuss this year''s investment plans.


    He was planning to sell his Apple, Google, and Netflix stocks, and with the money in his account, buy a portion of Tesla''s shares before it went public, aiming to become a major shareholder with enough stake to qualify for the board of directors.


    In the future, his stocks would mainly consist of Amazon, Twitter, and Tesla.


    As for Facebook, with a current market value of 18 billion, it was Wall Street''s darling, and he didn''t have the qualifications to get involved.


    "Tesla? Elon Musk''s electric vehicle project?"


    Mrs. Cathy Wood blinked her green eyes in surprise as he mentioned investing in Tesla.


    "Yes, Elon is my neighbor, his villa isn''t far from here. I talked to him once, and he told me that in the future, the automotive transport industry will be dominated by electric vehicles. Electric cars are more advanced, environmentally friendly, and smarter than gasoline cars. I agree with his assessment."


    ```

 Chapter 255 Investing in Tesla_2

    Link spread his hands and spoke about the advantages of electric cars.


    From a technological development perspective, the replacement of petrol cars with electric cars is an inevitable product of social advancement. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    According to the futurist Toffler in "The Third Wave," the third wave is the stage of the information technology revolution. In this phase, social development is primarily marked by the invention and application of electronic computers, which is to say, the age of the internet.


    The industries that are more closely integrated with network intelligence develop more rapidly, such as electric cars, artificial intelligence, GPT, OpenAI, etc., all of which are products of the third wave and unstoppable.


    "Link, what you''re saying is all speculation and doesn''t match the market development trends. Also, you probably don''t understand Elon Musk. He is an idealist who has repeatedly gone to Chinatown to pitch his Mars colonization plans, spaceship projects, and electric car plans. Everyone thought he was crazy, and not a single investment company was willing to invest in him."


    Furthermore, Elon Musk''s SpaceX company hasn''t been able to produce rockets up to this point, and Tesla''s production of electric cars is fraught with many problems. I don''t think this is a suitable investment project."


    Cathy Wood turned on her computer and pulled up Tesla''s revenue from last year. The fiscal deficit was a staggering 520 million US dollars, and its market capitalization was merely 800 million US dollars, almost on the brink of bankruptcy.


    Therefore, Tesla is not a good investment project.


    Link looked at the data and found that Tesla''s situation was even worse than reported by the media.


    "Cathy, I know Elon Musk''s ideals are a bit too advanced, and I''m aware of Tesla''s poor situation, but what I admire is Musk''s philosophy and direction.


    He is leading the times rather than simply copying others'' creativity. He''s a venturesome explorer, and even if he fails, it''s still a valuable attempt."


    "If I were poor, all I could do is applaud him. Now that I have a substantial amount of capital, I''m willing to put it out there and do something meaningful.


    But if he succeeds, Cathy, do you know what that means?"


    Link stared intently into Cathy''s beautiful eyes and smiled, "I will become richer, and you will become richer. So why not take a risk?"


    Cathy didn''t meet his gaze, looking down at her tablet screen, feeling somewhat helpless.


    She had known Link for over a year, and although they didn''t see each other often, about five or six times, they contacted each other weekly by phone or video.


    When she initially became the manager of Link''s assets, she was very excited. Being the housekeeper for a handsome man beat working for greasy men and seventy or eighty-year-old men and women by far. She could earn money and feast her eyes.


    Her female colleagues in the same field were very envious of her.


    Additionally, Link''s vision for investments was very similar to hers.


    During their first conversation in 2008, Link mentioned that he was optimistic about the development of Amazon and believed that Amazon''s stock would surge after the financial crisis, as would other tech stocks.


    This aligned perfectly with her views, as she was also very bullish on Amazon and other internet tech stocks.


    As a result, their first investment went very smoothly.


    The second time was in June, when Link called and said he was planning to acquire a portion of Twitter''s shares.


    At that time, Facebook was the leading social stock, while MySpace, YouTube, MSN, and other stocks also had significant potential.


    Compared to these, Twitter''s stock didn''t seem especially noteworthy, and if it mismanaged its competition against other social media platforms, the investment could be a total washout.


    Nonetheless, it was Link''s proposition.


    She didn''t immediately object. After a thorough investigation and analysis, she discovered that Twitter''s management was sound and its leadership capable.


    Under their direction, the number of Twitter users increased steadily, especially after celebrities like Link registered on Twitter, significantly accelerating user growth.


    Investing in Twitter had its risks but also potential rewards.


    She personally met with two of Twitter''s founders, Jack Dorsey and Evan Williams, talked with them, proposed a stake, and mentioned the benefits of having a celebrity shareholder like Link.


    After several negotiations, she acquired a 10.4% stake in Twitter for 65 million US dollars.


    This was the biggest deal she''d ever done since she entered the profession, at the time she was almost nervous to death.


    Afterwards, she frequently had nightmares, dreaming that Twitter went bankrupt and closed down, that Link''s investments were washed away, and even that Link pointed at her nose in the dream and scolded her for being useless, causing him to lose money.


    That period was lived in extreme anxiety.


    But just three months later, Twitter''s user numbers increased to 80 million, and Twitter began its second round of financing, pushing its market value up to 1 billion US dollars.


    Within just three months, the value of Link''s Twitter shares grew by more than 30%, earning him over 10 million in value.


    And she, because of this transaction, earned over a million in commissions, became a millionaire, and even received the company''s commendation, rising from a small-time manager to a senior asset manager, with her own office in the company.


    She felt incredibly lucky, feeling as if Link was her lucky star, with good things happening non-stop since meeting him.


    Thus she turned down the company''s suggestion to manage other clients, focusing solely on managing Link''s account.


    In the past two months, she used the company''s informational channels to increase Link''s account by over 10 million through multiple small investments, and her own account increased by nearly a million in commissions. Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    She felt that she was getting better and better, work was becoming more and more smooth, and perhaps it wouldn''t be long before she could become a multimillionaire.


    The future was bright.


    But then,


    Link said he wanted to invest in Tesla, a project with no potential and on the brink of bankruptcy.


    Cathy didn''t know how to persuade Link.


    Although Link wasn''t very familiar with the specifics of financial investment, his foresight was quite good, and he was also very stubborn; once he set his mind on a project, it was like a train with a failed brake system, charging ahead without looking back.


    What should she do?


    If she had known Elon Musk lived next door to Link, she would have advised Link to move away earlier to avoid being deceived by this big swindler, Elon Musk.


    But it was all too late now.


    Clang!


    Link tapped the edge of his cup with his coffee spoon, watching the manager named Cathy whose face kept changing colors.


    "Is it so difficult to sell a popular stock and switch to a portion of less popular stocks?"


    Cathy looked up at him, blinking her moss-green eyes.


    "Buying Tesla shares is easy, it can be done in two or three days, but Tesla''s operational state is very bad. The funds spent on their battery pack research project reach hundreds of millions of dollars per year. They haven''t succeeded for three or four years, leading to original shareholders backing out en masse. If we invest, there''s a very high chance of losing everything. Knowing this, would you still invest?"


    "Yes!"


    Link said with conviction.


    Cathy furrowed her brows, her lower lip curling up slightly in a helpless expression as she looked at him.


    Link chuckled lightly, "Cathy, there''s something you need to understand. I''m a boxer, making money is very easy for me. The 48 million I''m using to invest in Tesla can be earned back in just a few minutes, so you don''t have to worry about losing the investment. Go ahead with the investment boldly, leave everything to me."


    "Alright, but don''t blame me if we lose. I''m your asset manager, I can only make suggestions, not decisions for you."


    Cathy said with a serious expression.


    "Of course!"


    Link smiled softly, clinking his coffee cup with hers.

 Chapter 256 Chris Lius Phone Call

    In addition to convincing Cathy to sell the scattered shares, through the channels of Vanguard Asset Management Company, he acquired a portion of Tesla shares.


    Link was also preparing to acquire a share of the original stock from Musk, with the goal of owning no less than 15% of Tesla shares before next year.


    Based on Tesla''s market value more than a decade later, 15% is close to one hundred billion US Dollars.


    With this shareholding, plus Amazon, Twitter, it would not be a problem to be listed in the "Forbes" global billionaires list in the top ten in the future.


    If everything goes smoothly, there is a great chance that he would become a billionaire or even a hundred billionaire in ten years, and by then he would be just about thirty, in the prime of life, and could consider the issue of retirement.


    "Link, this is the tax documentation you need to pay this year, take a look."


    Just as he was imagining becoming a billionaire at thirty and how to indulge in pleasures, Cathy handed over a stack of tax documents.


    This pile of documents was like a bucket of cold water poured on hot stones, sizzling~ not only did it make him steam, but it also almost made him crack.


    According to the current federal tax regulations, in the United States, the portion of the highest annual income exceeding 518,840 US Dollars needs to pay 37% in taxes.


    For this portion, he would need to pay 37 million US Dollars.


    According to the tax regulations of states like New York and Los Angeles, for income exceeding 500,000 US Dollars within the state, an additional 7%-13% tax must be paid.


    This portion would amount to over 18 million.


    Adding both parts together, in the ''09 tax year, he would need to pay 55 million in taxes, almost equivalent to a third of his annual income.


    "Why do I have to pay so much?"


    Link scratched his forehead and asked.


    "Boss, you earn more so you pay more, this is after reasonable tax avoidance. If there were no policies for tax avoidance, you would have to pay over 67.5 million in taxes," Cathy said, blinking her pine-green eyes.


    "Alright!"


    Link spread his hands, resigning to his bad luck.


    Having to pay so much tax every year, he found that becoming a billionaire in America was not an easy feat.


    After discussing tax issues, he talked to Cathy about the current situation of tech stocks, such as Facebook financing, the emerging INS software, Internet products from Huaxia, and so on.


    He asked Cathy to keep an eye on this information, and if there were appropriate opportunities, to continue making investments; this year, he had more than three boxing matches, over a hundred concerts, three movies, and one to two albums, etc.


    The income from these would not be less than 200 million US Dollars. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    According to the current fluctuation rules of the US stock market, the next ten-plus years would be a bull market; investing funds in the stock market was also a secure method of appreciation.


    Cathy expressed understanding and mentioned that Amazon''s stock price was still rising, asking if they should continue buying.


    Link thought for a moment, ten years later Amazon''s stock would rise to over 2000 US Dollars per share, currently at 336 US Dollars was a low period.


    He drew a line for Cathy, saying that they could buy in as long as Amazon''s stock price was below 500 US Dollars, aiming to be an Amazon board member.


    After seeing Cathy off, Link was just about to leave when he received a call from Catherine discussing investing in a screenplay.


    Catherine had a client once, named Christine Wiig, who resembled Jennifer Aniston and entered the entertainment industry in ''03, becoming a comedy actress, and in ''06 became a regular cast member of "Saturday Night Live," starring in several comedy films, a third-tier actress in the circle.


    Last year, she wrote a screenplay and sent it to several film production companies, including Palm Beach Films. After Catherine read the screenplay, she thought it was very good, with a role suitable for Emma Stone, and called Link to ask if he had any plans to invest.


    After receiving the screenplay titled "Bridesmaids," a comedy movie about five bridesmaids of different shapes and looks, who encounter various embarrassing and awkward situations while preparing for a friend''s wedding, prompting them to reflect on friendship and life.


    A movie that was clearly chasing the trend set by "The Hangover."


    Last year''s crude adult comedy "The Hangover," with a budget of 35 million, grossed 460 million at the global box office and became a dark horse in the 2009 American film market, causing many film companies to follow this theme.


    "Bridesmaids" was one of them.


    After reading the script, Link realized he had seen the movie and remembered some of the scenes.


    For example, the female leads trying on wedding dresses at a bridal shop, suddenly getting diarrhea, fighting over the restroom, and the bride squatting on the street in her wedding dress becoming a spray warrior.


    It had a strong taste but was very funny.


    The movie was also one of the more successful follow-up films, which also sparked a trend of bridesmaid-themed comedy movies in Asia.


    Link couldn''t remember how much the movie made at the box office but thought it unlikely to lose money and told Catherine they could invest.


    Now Catherine called, saying she wanted to bring screenwriter Christine Wiig to visit him to discuss investment cooperation.


    Link said it was okay, gave Catherine the location of the coffee shop, and asked Lillian to prepare two cups of coffee.


    Ding-dong!


    While reviewing documents, the mobile phone received a message from across the ocean. The sender was Chris Liu, asking what he was doing.


    He calculated the time; it was still night on the other side of the ocean. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re not asleep at this time?"


    "Shooting night scenes today, got back to the hotel late," Chris Liu replied quickly.


    "What movie?"


    "A movie adapted from a Huaxia legendary story, about an ancient college student falling in love with a ghost, do you understand?"


    Chris Liu asked.


    Link smiled slightly, guessing it was "A Chinese Ghost Story."

 Chapter 256 Chris Lius Phone Call_2

    "There''s one in the United States too, called ''Ghost,'' starring Demi Moore."


    "It''s different; our story is more exciting."


    "Alright, is filming tough? Have you ever thought about retiring and starting your own film company, becoming the boss?"


    Link texted.


    "Of course it''s tough! Starting a film company? That takes a lot of money, hmph, you think everyone''s like you, a millionaire!" sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I read it in the newspaper, they said you earned over a hundred million US Dollars just from boxing competitions last year, and another hundred million from singing, with a net worth of three to four hundred million US Dollars, which is more than twenty billion in Huaxia currency, it''s unbelievable. I still remember the year before last when you came to Capital City for a competition, you were too stingy to spend money on food, eating bread every day, then in the blink of an eye, you became a billionaire; how did you do it?"


    Chris Liu sent two consecutive messages.


    Link couldn''t help but want to laugh upon reading them. During the 2008 Olympics, he competed in the middleweight division, and to control his weight, he was careful with his diet, eating bread without any meat or fish.


    Chris Liu thought he was poor, so she invited him to two meals.


    "That''s the American dream. When are you coming to the States? I said before that I would take you diving, but you never came."


    "You have a girlfriend; aren''t you worried about stirring up rumors by taking me diving?"


    "I''m not worried; I have so many rumors about me, one more won''t make a difference."


    "Yes, I''ve seen the news, apart from your official girlfriend Taylor, you''re rumored to have more than ten girlfriends; I didn''t expect you to be a playboy."


    "Hey, those are rumors, fake news, okay? Please don''t bring my character into this."


    Link retorted.


    "Fine, I''ll reserve judgment for now. When is your concert in Huaxia? I''ll come and support you."


    "Around May or June."


    Link replied with a light smile and continued writing, "I heard you''re also a singer and have released albums. How about coming to my concert as a guest artist?"


    "Ah? Me? No way, my singing is just average, I''ll ruin your concert."


    "Hey, Chris, have some confidence. You''re beautiful, and you have a sweet voice; I''m sure your singing isn''t bad. That settles it, come to my concert as a supporting guest artist. We''ll perform together, and it will be great. Later, I''ll have Universal Records send an invitation to your agency, so remember to sign the invitation letter."


    "Are you serious? This is so sudden, I''m not prepared at all."


    "I''ve had this idea for a while, but since the concert is still a while away, I hadn''t mentioned it to you. Saying it now is the same; you have four to five months, plenty of time to prepare. So girl, get ready to take the stage with me."


    Link chuckled.


    "Don''t I even have the right to refuse? You''re too domineering. Fine, I''ll tentatively agree to be a guest at your concert, but if the performance bombs, don''t blame me; you asked for it."


    Chris Liu said begrudgingly.


    Link smiled gently, thinking she must be quite adorable at this moment, and then he made a call to her.


    After two rings, Chris Liu''s somewhat nervous voice came through the line, first in Mandarin:


    "Why are you calling at this hour?"


    Then switching to English, "Oh no, my mom is going to hear."


    "You''re grown up and still sleep with your mom?"


    "Of course not. We are on an outdoor film shoot. My mother is my agent; it''s safer to sleep in the same suite."


    Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    While speaking, the voice of Ms. Liu could be heard through the phone, "Feifei, who are you talking to so late? Go to sleep, we have an early shoot tomorrow."


    "Link, I''m going to sleep! Talk to you tomorrow."


    Chris Liu whispered before hastily hanging up the phone.


    "Alright, good night!"


    Link sent a text.


    Chris Liu replied with a ''good night,'' but after five or six minutes, she sent another message.


    "I can''t sleep now, all your fault!"


    Link smiled lightly, took a selfie with his handsome face, and another photo of the sunny jetty and the blue Pacific Ocean outside the floor-to-ceiling window, and sent them both to Chris Liu.


    "Wow, so beautiful!"


    "Thank you for the compliment. I really do look quite good!"


    "I was talking about the jetty; okay, you''re also a handsome guy, too bad you''re a playboy. I''m not talking anymore, I really have to sleep now."


    "Are you asleep yet?"


    A few minutes later, Link asked.


    "No! I''m totally sleepless now, all your fault. Next time you come to Huaxia, I''ll definitely take you to eat the spiciest hotpot, I swear!"


    Chris Liu said irritably.


    Link''s lips curled up, seeing a guitar hanging behind the counter of the caf¨¦, he sent a message saying he could provide some lullaby music and asked if she wanted to hear it.


    Chris Liu texted asking what it was.


    Link made a call, and upon connecting, he held the guitar, sang softly into the phone:


    Soft kitty, warm kitty


    Little ball of fur


    Happy kitty, sleepy kitty


    Purr, purr, purr


    At first, Chris Liu was giggling under her blanket while listening to his singing, but after five or six minutes, the noise ceased.


    Link put away the guitar and saw Catherine walking into the caf¨¦ with a middle-aged woman.


    The woman was in her thirties, with long straight blonde hair and wearing a ladies'' suit, somewhat resembling Jennifer Aniston from the side. Her name was Christine Wiig, a comedic actress, as well as the screenwriter and star of ''Bridesmaids.''


    "Good afternoon, Ms. Wiig!"


    Link stood up to greet her.

 Chapter 256 Chris Lius Phone Call_3

    ```


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Baker!"


    Christine Wiig shook hands with him.


    Next, they mainly discussed the movie investment issue, according to the project budget, the film would need an investment of about 30 million US Dollars.


    After half a year of effort, Christine Wiig had secured 12 million from Apatow Productions, but there was still a gap of nearly 20 million, and she asked if Link was willing to invest?


    If he was willing to invest, he would receive a 30% share of the North American box office and a 15% share of the overseas box office after the film''s release.


    Based on this calculation, the film would need to gross over 60 million in order not to lose money.


    After considering, Link decided to invest; since the film was known as one of the most successful R-rated female-led comedies, its box office results would certainly not be less than 100 million US Dollars. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    "Link, this role is perfect for you, why don''t you try a cameo?"


    Catherine said while holding the script.


    "The groom''s role?"


    Link shook his head, "Comedy is too difficult, I''ll easily break character if I play this role."


    "No, it won''t be like that, Link. The groom''s role has very little screen time, he''s a handsome rich second-generation, which fits your appearance, and the bride is a black woman with average looks. If you were to play the groom, it would add to the comedic effect and also incite jealousy among the bridesmaids. I think it''s a good idea," Christine Wiig explained excitedly.


    Link hesitated for a moment but then agreed.


    The quality of the film was good, he had some box-office appeal himself, and being involved in a cameo could sell more tickets; it was a win-win situation.


    After seeing Ms. Wiig off, Link and Catherine chatted and asked about Emma Stone''s new movie.


    After finishing "Scandal Plan," Catherine had helped her land a role in another comedy movie "Crazy Stupid Love," plus "Bridesmaids," she had two films in hand at the moment.


    According to Link''s prediction, after the release of "Scandal Plan," Emma Stone''s fame in the film circle would grow, making her a near A-list comedy actress. At that time, it would be easier to accept movie roles, so there was no need to rush.


    Link also inquired about Jennifer Lawrence''s situation, and Catherine said that she had signed with IMG agency before her debut and was not a free agent.


    Link didn''t mind after hearing this; as a billionaire with stocks in several large companies, he wasn''t that concerned with the development of talent agencies and film companies. Earning money was all the same to him, however it happened.


    He planned to hand over the companies to Catherine and Mandy to manage completely once they were well-established, only offering occasional advice and not meddling otherwise.


    "Is Anne going to kindergarten yet?"


    Link asked, holding his guitar.


    "She just turned four, it''s still a bit early."


    Catherine smiled and said, "Ever since she played with you twice over last Christmas, she keeps asking where her brother is every time she calls, and when you''re coming to play with her, she''s fonder of you than me." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link smiled gently, recalling the adorable little one.


    "Real estate prices in Los Angeles aren''t high at the moment; you could consider buying a property here, bringing Anne over, and caring for her. She''s young and will grow up introverted without you around."


    "You''re right, Mandy and I have been looking at real estate recently, planning to buy an apartment in the city, and we''ll bring Anne over in a few months," Catherine said with a smile.


    "That''s good¡ª I could also come and see her when I have time."


    Link said softly, strumming the strings of his guitar.


    Happy kitty, sleepy kitty


    Pur pur pur


    ```

 Chapter 257 Hanging out in the Recording Studio

    It was getting close to the afternoon, the sun in Los Angeles had risen to mid-sky, with clear, sunny skies, and the sunlight was particularly intense.


    Link drove his Ferrari convertible along the West Coast Boulevard, racing along until he reached Big Machine Records'' Giant Guitar music studio.


    As he walked into the studio, Taylor was sitting at the mixing desk with her blonde hair tousled, wearing a headset.


    Her head was bobbing slightly to the beat. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was also a sheet of paper on the mixing desk.


    She was writing and drawing on it with a pen.


    The other staff in the recording studio were also bustling about, including songwriters, music arrangers, production assistants, and about fifteen or sixteen other people, making it look a bit busier than Link''s studio.


    Link didn''t disturb her, asking Emily to distribute drinks to the staff, while he placed a cup of coffee on the mixing desk.


    "Emily, I''ve told you not to put coffee here, and don''t bother me, I don''t need anything."


    Taylor said without raising her head.


    Link quickly picked up the coffee, wiping his forehead. When Taylor lost her temper, her voice became cold, and her expression serious, which was somewhat intimidating.


    He didn''t continue to approach, handing the coffee to Emily to keep warm, and then sat down on the sofa to read this week''s "Billboard" magazine.


    Just like the film industry, the end of the year and the beginning are the peak times for releasing new works.


    Just in January, there were 63 new albums launched.


    Albums released included Ke$ha''s debut studio album "Animal" on January 5th, the famous country music group Lady Antebellum''s second studio album "Need You Now", and the well-known R&B singer Monica Arnold''s sixth studio album "Still Standing", among others.


    Ke$ha''s "Animal" was knocked off the top of the album chart after two consecutive weeks by Lady Antebellum, but Monica''s new album saw significant sales growth, also aiming for the top spot.


    The sales data from January showed fierce competition in the music industry.


    Additionally, many artists released promotional singles for their new albums in January, with three of the hottest artists being:


    Justin Bieber, following his debut album in November of last year, planned to release his sophomore album "My World 2.0" in March, with the lead single being "Baby".


    Released on January 1st, the single broke into the top ten of the charts within three weeks, currently sitting in the fifth position.


    It is a popular song at the moment.


    The second artist is Link Music''s rapper Wiz Khalifa, who planned to release his new album "Deal Or No Deal" at the end of February, with the first promotional single being "Black and Yellow". Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    This single was originally Khalifa''s number-one single, but last year Link provided some creative ideas, and the rest was completed by Khalifa.


    During this process, Link also provided some of his own suggestions for revisions.


    The song was not much different from the original version.


    The single, released on January 5th, sold 35,000 copies in the first week, debuting at number 42 on the singles chart and fifth on the rap chart.


    It broke into the top ten this week, ranking sixth, and first on the rap chart.


    The third artist is Bieber''s mentor Usher, who planned to release his new album "Raymond v. Raymond" in March.


    This album''s production lineup is extremely powerful.


    Producers included Black Eyed Peas, Jay-Z, the famous Redone who crafted Lady Gaga''s breakout album "The Fame", and Mariah Carey''s frequent producer Jermaine Dupri, among a total of twelve platinum producers.


    He also released the first single this week, "Hey Daddy (Daddy''s Home)"


    It debuted at number 32 on the singles chart in its first week of release, making a good start.


    The albums of these three artists represent three different genres: pop music, rap, and R&B blues, and together with Lady Antebellum''s country music album, music artists from several mainstream genres released new songs at the beginning of the year.


    The competition got off to a fierce start, adding some pressure to Link as he was planning to release his album in March.


    Link looked further at the other rankings on the album chart.


    His debut album "the fighter", a year after its release, had fallen out of the top 200 on the album chart, but overseas sales were still considerable, with a cumulative global sale of 6.83 million copies.


    His sophomore album "Keep On Movin''" was still stubbornly in the top hundred of the album chart, selling 4,053 copies this week and ranking 73rd, with cumulative sales in the United States of 3.223 million copies, holding the potential to catch up to Taylor''s second album "Fearless" in U.S. sales.


    Furthermore, "Keep On Movin''" had already surpassed 10 million copies worldwide, reaching a total of 12.25 million, and with the continuation of his tour, album sales were slowly increasing.


    This album became Link''s first diamond record.


    Link Music had two other artists, with Lana''s debut album selling 8,229 copies this week and ranking 28th on the album chart, accumulating 682,000 copies in the United States.


    The album performed well in Britain, selling 150,000 copies in just over two months, with a total of 1.35 million copies sold overseas.


    Bruno Mars'' debut album, in its eighth week since release, sold 21,000 copies this week, with a cumulative total of 787,000 copies sold inside the United States, surpassing Lana and being on track to break one million copies.


    Overseas, the album sold a moderate 350,000 copies in just over a month.


    But it also crossed the one million milestone.


    Link Music, having released four records this year from three artists, boasted one diamond record, one six-times platinum record, and two platinum records.


    All were above platinum.


    This news created a stir in the music industry.


    Even though artists from the top five record companies had also sold platinum records last year, they needed to sell several dozen to a hundred albums to produce a single platinum record.


    But when Link Music made a move, it was platinum, and four consecutive releases at that.


    Such accomplishment was dazzling.


    It indicated that Link Music had discovered the magic formula for consistently producing platinum-selling albums.

 Chapter 257 Hanging out in the Recording Studio_2

    It has also led to a continuous increase in Link Music''s market value, from the end of last year''s 120-150 million to the current 160-180 million US dollars.


    All five major record companies have sent acquisition invitations, hoping to become the parent company of Link Music and to seize this golden goose for themselves.


    However, Link and Ivanka have no plans to sell any shares for the time being.


    He plans to sell some shares to the big five after releasing four albums, on one hand to strengthen cooperation, and on the other hand to cash out some funds.


    Selena''s debut album "Come And Get It" sold 1,027 copies in its 13th week of release, ranking 151st on the album chart, with a cumulative US sales of 887,000 copies.


    The reason why Selena''s album could sell nearly ninety thousand copies, apart from having several hit songs, was also because she was a popular actress with her own fan base and the strong promotional capabilities of the Disney company, which was willing to spend money on publicity.


    In this regard, several singers under Link Music couldn''t compare with her.


    That''s also why Link didn''t sign Selena to Link Music. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the last few pages of "Billboard" magazine was a survey report on the music industry for the year 2009.


    From January 5, 2009, to January 3, 2010, the total sales volume of the US record market reached 373.9 million copies, a 12.7% decrease from the 422.84 million copies in the same period in 2008.


    At the same time, digital download sales increased by 16.1% over the last year, reaching an all-time high of 76.4 million copies.


    This data also indicates that physical record sales will trend downwards for some time to come, and the digital sales channels on online platforms will become even more important.


    Link decided to strengthen promotions on online platforms in the future and to communicate more with fans online, striving to sell more albums.


    "When did you get here?"


    Suddenly someone asked from the front.


    Link raised his head and saw Taylor blinking her blue eyes in surprise at him.


    "Almost forty minutes now."


    Link looked at his watch and said.


    "Why didn''t you tell me? That makes me seem very silly."


    Taylor said, her lips curling in dissatisfaction.


    "You are already silly!"


    Link reached out and pinched her nose.


    Emily came in with a cup of coffee and laughed, "Just now Link came over to bring coffee, and he got scolded by you after putting the coffee on the table."


    "Really?"


    Taylor patted her forehead, her face embarrassed, as she wrapped her arm around his and said, "You''re not mad, are you? You know, I often forget everything when I''m busy."


    "Is there a need to apologize? It''s not the first time, I''m used to it."


    Link shrugged and smiled.


    "What do you mean you''re used to it? You''re making it sound like I have a terrible temper. I''m only like this at work, I''m gentle all other times, right?"


    Taylor looked up with her delicate pale face, asking seriously.


    "Of course! You''re always so gentle, that''s the truth."


    "That''s more like it!"


    Taylor crinkled her nose and smiled, releasing her fingers from his skin.


    Link smiled gently, wrapping his arm around her and asking about the preparation of her new album.


    Taylor''s third album was also a love album.


    She prepared over a hundred songs, planning to select more than ten high-quality ones for the new album.


    And she wrote all the songs, served as the executive music director and producer of the new album, meaning she was going to handle the major tasks on her own.


    Listening to this, Link felt nothing but admiration, comparing to Taylor''s multifaceted musical talents, he could only consider himself a pop star.


    "Both our third albums are love songs, how about a bet on whose album will sell better?"


    Taylor asked, leaning on his shoulder.


    "No bets! I''m a pop singer, boxing champion, movie star, I have more fans than you, comparing with you would be bullying you."


    "What do you mean? You''re saying you''re sure to win?"


    Taylor prodded his chin with her finger, making a gun shape with her hand.


    "Is there any doubt?"


    Link slipped his hand under her clothes, touching her smooth waist as he laughed.


    "Hmm! You''re being too presumptuous saying that, album sales depend on the quality of the songs, not on the hype. Every single song on my new album is handpicked, and I don''t think I''ll lose to you. How about a bet? If I lose, I''ll make you breakfast for ten days. If you lose¡ªwhoa, stop touching that."


    Taylor slapped his hand on her waist and glared at him.


    Link chuckled lightly, gave her a kiss, and said, "If you lose, I''ll make you ten meals, and you have to eat all of it, no matter what. And if I lose...how about we try a few new positions, what do you say?"


    "Hey! You rascal, I''m being serious here. Can''t you stop being so lecherous?"


    Taylor sat on his lap, pinched his face in annoyance, and bumped her nose against his.


    "Straightforward then, dare to bet or not?"


    Link cradled her perky buttocks and chuckled.


    Taylor furrowed her slender eyebrows, blinked her blue eyes thoughtfully, and gave him a kiss.


    "Deal! I definitely won''t lose."


    "That''s not for certain!"


    Link smiled softly, set Taylor on the couch, and bent down to kiss her red lips.


    ¡ª¡ª


    When Mrs. Andrea arrived at the big guitar recording studio, it was just past three in the afternoon, and the weather in Los Angeles was gradually heating up. She was wearing a knitted jacket and felt sweat forming on her forehead after walking a few dozen meters in the sun.


    Having traveled with Taylor these past few years without much exercise, maybe she should consider Link''s advice to work out regularly, like Taylor doing yoga every day.


    Upon entering the recording studio, she found Taylor''s recording room door shut, with only Emily sitting on a sofa outside the door, drinking coffee and reading a magazine.


    "Where''s Taylor? Did she leave early?"


    Mrs. Andrea asked as she removed her sunglasses.


    "No!"


    Emily held back a laugh and pointed towards the tightly closed door.


    "Link''s in there!"


    "Link? When did he get here? What are they doing inside?"


    Mrs. Andrea asked, puzzled.


    Before Emily could answer, Mrs. Andrea seemed to understand something from her odd expression, and a somewhat bemused look appeared on her plump face.


    Ideally, with Link and Taylor being in a relationship for over a year and still maintaining such a close and romantic connection, she felt quite relieved.


    Nobody understood Taylor''s character better than her¡ªwillful, dominant, stubborn, and a bit selfish.


    Mrs. Andrea had always been worried about Taylor''s love life, doubtful if any guy could tolerate her for too long.


    Yet, after more than a year of Link and Taylor being together, although they had their occasional small tiffs, there had never been any major fights.


    She was happy for both of them.


    But these two youngsters were being too mischievous, it was broad daylight and there were staff members outside, yet they were locked up in the recording studio flirting¡ªit was somewhat shameless if word got out.


    "How long have they been in there?"


    "Almost an hour now."


    Emily glanced at her watch and couldn''t help but laugh.


    Mrs. Andrea shook her head with resignation, and since the recording studio had strong soundproofing, one couldn''t hear anything from the outside, she checked the time on her phone.


    The time for the Grammy rehearsal was approaching.


    Both Link and Taylor needed to be there, so she couldn''t afford to play matchmaker and immediately called Link''s phone.


    Because Taylor often didn''t bring her mobile into the recording studio, calling her was pointless.


    Three or four minutes later, the door of the recording room slowly opened, and Link walked out, holding Taylor''s hand.


    "Hey, Anne!"


    Link greeted Mrs. Andrea with a smile.


    Taylor looked down and called out ''Mom,'' patting her on the back twice.


    Their clothes seemed neat and proper.


    Aside from a few faint red scratches on Link''s neck, Taylor''s cascading golden hair a bit disheveled, her oval face flushed and rosy, her blue eyes brimming with moisture, her blue jeans slightly wrinkled, and no bra under her T-shirt.


    Nothing else seemed amiss.


    "It''s rehearsal time, get ready, we''re heading to the Staples."


    Mrs. Andrea glanced at them, grabbed her bag, and left.


    "Okay, Anne, we''ll be right there,"


    Link responded.


    "It''s all your fault!"


    Taylor punched Link on the shoulder, complaining with blushing cheeks, "Every time you come to the studio, you disrupt me, preventing me from focusing on recording. Emily, from now on, put up a sign outside my recording room¡ª''Link and cats not allowed.''


    "Alright!"


    Emily smiled slightly and stepped away.


    Link ran his hands through Taylor''s hair, letting it fall naturally over her shoulders, and said with a smile, "Don''t be shy, Anne and Emily are adults, they won''t say anything."


    Enjoy new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "But you distracted me. I could have written a really great song, and it''s all your fault the inspiration suddenly vanished."


    "Okay, I admit it''s my fault, I''ll be careful next time,"


    Link said with a gentle laugh.


    The two of them redressed and left the recording studio together, drove home to change into their performance outfits, and then headed to the Staples Center to attend the 52nd Grammy Music Awards rehearsal.

 Chapter 258 Another Big Piece of News to Feast On

    On the evening of January 31, the 52nd Grammy Awards were held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.


    The Grammy Awards, established in 1958 by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States, are among the music world''s most prestigious honors.


    The value of each award can be represented by the sales of the musical works.


    Every artist who receives a nomination sees a sales increase of more than 5% over the previous week for their music, while the winners can expect increases of more than 20%.


    This represents a material benefit, making the Grammy Awards not just a recognition but also a top-tier marketing platform.


    This is why artists from around the world aspire to participate in the Grammys.


    The Grammy Awards encompass over 30 music genres, including pop, rock, R&B, rap, country, gospel, jazz, Latin, classical, reggae, children''s music, spoken word, and comedy, among others.


    There are a total of 84 awards.


    With each award featuring five nominees or bands, thousands of guests are invited to attend each Grammy ceremony.


    This year, over ten thousand musicians and attendees were present at the Grammys.


    When Link and Taylor walked onto the red carpet after seven in the evening, the entrance was packed with fans.


    Journalists and photographers from various media outlets also set up their long and short cameras outside the red carpet to continuously interview and shoot the guests, with flashlights blazing.


    "Link! I love you!"


    "Honey, look here, you look beautiful today!"


    As Link and Taylor arrived, fans outside started shouting loudly.


    Link waved to the crowd outside.


    This was his second time attending the Grammys; the last time he came as an audience member, he was besieged by Grammy winners Lil Wayne and Kanye and had to leave early, causing quite a stir.


    This time, he received eight nominations and was considered one of the strongest contenders for several major awards.


    The media described Link''s return to the Grammys as "the return of the king."


    "Your fans seem more numerous than mine," Taylor said softly as she looked at the bustling crowd.


    "Of course, after all I am the king of pop music, the sexiest man on the global list, my female fans could line up from here to France."


    "You''ve got some nerve! How can you accept those ridiculous titles the media throw at you?" Taylor said, curbing a smile.


    "They''re well deserved!"


    Link stopped in the photo area and pulled Taylor in for pictures.


    To make their appearance more striking, they wore matching outfits today, designed by the renowned LV designer Andrea Liberman and her team.


    Link wore a classic black suit with a white lining, enhancing his tall and upright figure, exuding a literary charm.


    Taylor donned a white chiffon off-shoulder pleated dress, revealing her delicate collarbone and tall, sexy figure.


    The duo walked the red carpet hand in hand, looking perfectly matched and forming the most visually appealing combination at this year''s Grammy Awards.


    "Mr. Baker, how many awards do you expect to win at this Grammy?"


    asked a reporter from USA Today.


    "I hope to get eight, but I don''t want Taylor to go home empty-handed, so any number will do,"


    Link waved to the fans.


    Taylor glanced at him and also moved forward to talk to the reporters.


    "Mr. Baker, after Wiz Khalifa''s new single topped the rap charts, the media predicted that his new album might also break platinum sales. If Wiz Khalifa''s album hits platinum again, all four artists under Link Music will have achieved platinum status. This achievement is incredible. How did you manage it? Do you have any secrets?"


    asked a reporter from the San Francisco Forum Report.


    "Secrets? None. My experience is to collaborate with talented musicians. Before I met Lana, Bruno, and Wiz, they had already spent many years in the music industry. Their ability to create and perform music is very strong, comparable to top-tier singers. They just needed a platform, and Link Music was the right fit for them. So, in my opinion, their albums achieving platinum sales is thoroughly deserved."


    Link took a marker and signed some autographs for the fans.


    "Mr. Baker!"


    A reporter with a sharp voice shouted, holding a recorder, "Last November, Justin Bieber released his debut album, and just three months later, he is preparing to release a second one. Many musicians in the industry consider his singing average and his songs of mediocre quality, relying only on promotional hype to achieve decent sales results, causing many professional singers'' albums to not sell at all. David Guetta, the lead singer of Lividity, believes this is a case of bad money driving out good money, where mediocre singers are killing the opportunities for outstanding musicians.


    At the same time, according to Billboard''s statistical data, album sales in the American music industry in the first half of last year were down 17.2% compared to the same period in 2008, and although the second half saw a sharp increase due to MJ''s influence, preventing a further gap from 2008, the overall annual decline demonstrates a declining trend in the music industry.


    Do you think the decline of the American music scene is related to the rise of Internet celebrity singers like Justin?"


    This reporter from Newsweek spoke rapidly, posing a very pointed question, so sharp that Link couldn''t answer.


    If he admitted that the decline of the American music scene was related to the popularity of Internet celebrity singers, he too would be implicated.


    Because he too had released two albums last year, also relying more on promotional hype than on quality.


    From the phenomenon of his and Justin''s popularity, it is undeniable that the development of the American music scene was also influenced by the internet, gradually entering an era of fast food.


    Artists who release new albums quickly and with high quality tend to have higher sales and more influence.


    While those musicians who spend ten years perfecting a single work might explode onto the scene if lucky, more often than not, they are at risk of being phased out for not keeping up with the times. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    This situation is not unique to the American music scene. It is also prevalent in Britain, Huaxia, South Korea, Japan, and other music scenes.


    In some places, it is so severe that there are no listenable songs in a whole year, leaving the music scene as barren as a desert.


    What could Link possibly do about this?


    He smiled lightly, "Mr. Reporter, the question you raised is very pertinent, but what I would say is that the singers who become popular in every era are the choice of that era, and not that singers have influenced the era. Singers do not have that much power. Especially when singers of the same type become hugely popular, one should focus on why they become popular and look deeper into the underlying reasons, rather than simply criticizing them, which is meaningless."


    "Mr. Baker, do you think Internet celebrity singers will replace traditional singers and become the mainstream of the world''s music scene in the future?"


    the reporter from Newsweek continued to ask.


    "This question is quite specialized, I can''t answer it for now."


    Link tactfully ended the topic and, seeing that Taylor was also being incessantly questioned by reporters, he went over to remind her and led her towards the awards ceremony venue.


    Before they could enter, they heard the shouts of fans from behind, ''Bieber Bieber~'', ''babybaby, oh~''.


    The shouting was no quieter than when Link and Taylor had appeared just moments ago.


    "Justin is really hot this year!"


    Taylor stopped and said.


    Link turned to look and saw the slightly taller Canadian kid, Justin Bieber, dressed in a splendid leather armor, walking on the red carpet with his mentor Usher, recently released from prison Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Drake, Chris Brown, and others.


    Justin, having the highest popularity, walked in the front, greeting the fans and occasionally striking a few dance poses from the "baby" music video, eliciting screams from the fans.


    "The music industry''s turnover is speeding up, compared to him, I feel like an old-timer,"


    Link said, pulling Taylor along.


    "Me too,"


    Taylor said with a blink and a smile.


    "Link Baker!"


    Just as Link and Taylor were about to enter the awards hall, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and others caught up, with Justin following behind.


    "What''s up?"


    Link didn''t stop and asked while walking with Taylor.


    "Do you still dare to compete with us on the charts?"


    50 Cent asked.


    "Last year at the MTV event, I told you guys, write a song that surpasses ''See you again'' in sales, and I''ll concede defeat. Have you written it?"


    Lil Wayne and the others turned dark-faced and glared at him, as Link''s song "See you again" had by then reached global sales of 52 million copies, ranking 15th on worldwide single sales chart.


    Ahead were Celine Dion''s "My Heart Will Go On," Whitney Houston''s "I Will Always Love You," and singles by legends like MJ, The Beatles, Queen, and Elvis Presley.


    To surpass that song in sales, they would have to manipulate data; otherwise, there was no chance for the next ten years.


    For them to seek revenge after ten years, these rappers didn''t have the patience for that.


    "Link, no more tricks. You pulled one over on us last year on the rap charts. This year, let''s compete on the pop music charts, what do you say, up for it?"


    50 Cent said with his arms crossed.


    Lil Wayne, Drake, and the others stared at him.


    Link laughed, "Are you guys planning to switch to pop music?"


    "Of course not! You''re competing against Justin; Justin is one of our guys too,"


    50 Cent pointed at Justin Bieber beside him.


    "Justin, that ''baby'' of yours is not bad, interested in coming to Link Music? I have some songs that would suit you."


    Link called out.


    Justin scratched his bangs and smiled at him, the picture of a naive, innocent little beast.


    "Hey, Link Baker, digging into our ranks right before us, that''s not cool, right?"


    50 Cent said with a grim face.


    "Alright, we''ll talk another time!"


    Link waved his hand and continued walking with Taylor.


    "Hey, Link, we''re going to beat you on the pop charts in April for sure,"


    50 Cent said, watching Link''s retreating figure in the crowd.


    Passing reporters who overheard 50 Cent''s shout were ecstatic. Last year, when Link contended with the East Coast rap circle on the rap charts, he dominated the chart for more than three months with a blockbuster hit, leaving the East Coast unable to regain their footing.


    Entertainment media also made a good amount of money from this news.


    But calm had settled over the music scene for more than four months after a resolution in September last year, meaning reporters were making less money.


    Now, as conflict resurfaced and the East Coast rap circle sounded the battle horn once again to support Justin Bieber on the pop chart against Link, the stage was set.


    Link and Justin Bieber, both immensely popular recently, if they were to compete on the singles chart, the intensity wouldn''t be less fierce than last year''s rap competition.


    Thinking of this, media personnel hurriedly pulled out their smartphones to send the news they had just heard back to their editors.


    By 8 p.m., before the 52nd Grammy Awards had even begun, a sensational news item exploded online.


    ''New Storm in Music, Link Baker vs Justin Bieber, Who Will Be the Ultimate Winner?''


    When Yahoo posted this news on the entertainment headline, it garnered over a hundred thousand clicks within minutes.


    Many people seeing the headline thought Link, after defeating the East Coast rap circle, was continuing his battle against Justin Bieber,


    feeling that Link, who debuted earlier and was older and more famous, had the suspicion of bullying. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Later, when they read in the article that it was the East Coast rappers including 50 Cent planning to support Justin Bieber in a showdown against Link on the pop charts for March and April,


    from forum posts, everyone also knew about Justin''s close ties with the East Coast rap circle, a cooperative relationship,


    now Justin was representing East Coast rap to compete with Link on the charts.


    The spectators were excited, and many pulled up their metaphorical stools to enjoy the show.

 Chapter 259 Best Production of the Year Award

    "Hey, Link Taylor, why are you guys just coming in? I''ve been waiting for you forever."


    In the front row area, Selena waved at them, wearing a red dress, her long brown curly hair cascading over her petite shoulders, dressed refreshingly cute with a hint of sexiness.


    By the end of last year, Selena, as a singer, released her first musical album which sold quite well, making a small impact in the music industry, and thus she also received an invitation to attend the Grammy ceremony live, just like Link last year.


    "I told you earlier that you should have entered with us, but you didn''t want to." Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Link, holding Taylor''s hand, walked to the front row and greeted Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Carrie Underwood, and Adele, who had flown in from Britain.


    This year Adele was nominated for Grammy''s Best Pop Female Artist with her single "Hometown Glory".


    Upon seeing him, Adele complained that she was an absolutely pure musician, and because she had met him a few times last year, a lot of rumors about the two appeared in the media afterward, calling him a major rumor carrier.


    Link apologized to her and jokingly said the next time he would meet her in Britain, it would be done quietly without the paparazzi knowing.


    Blinking her fan-like eyelashes, Adele gave him a glance and said that would only make the rumors seem more real.


    "Link, the internet says you''re preparing to challenge Justin Bieber for the pop charts in March and April, is that true?"


    Lady Gaga spoke, holding her phone.


    "Yes, 50 Cent and others want revenge on the pop charts, so they declared war on me unilaterally, and I had no choice but to accept," he said.


    "Go Link! I think you can win," shouted Kesha and Miley Cyrus, who were sitting next to Selena.


    "Thanks!"


    "Hey, stop cheering for Link. Last year, he and Jay-Z challenged each other, and every album released during the same period suffered. This year, with Link and Justin''s competition and their popularity, the impact would be even greater. We''re all going to suffer, so why cheer him on?"


    Katy Perry said, laughing. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The surrounding singers nodded profoundly in agreement.


    Top-level competition creates strong topics, and the media gives special attention to it during promotions, naturally increasing the exposure and sales of high-profile albums, impacting others released in the same period.


    Link shrugged, with nothing to say.


    Since becoming a billionaire, he had always preferred stability and was not fond of competing with others, especially in music.


    But if he didn''t compete, others would inevitably want to compete with him, and he could only respond accordingly.


    At eight o''clock sharp in the evening, the Grammy Awards ceremony began. Since MJ had died last year and a memorial service was also held here, the first program was the broadcast of the famous music video "Earth Song", made using 3D technology, as a tribute to MJ.


    The second program was Beyonce performing "Single Lady" live. She danced vigorously with over a dozen sexily dressed dancers, shaking their long legs on stage, instantly dispersing the sad atmosphere of the venue.


    The third program featured teen idol Justin Bieber with several dancers on stage performing the popular song "Baby," singing and dancing, making the show more jubilant.


    As JB performed, fans in the back rows shouted loudly, creating a very lively atmosphere.


    In stark contrast to the bustling back rows and stage, hundreds of nominated musicians and singing guests in the middle, mostly wore indifferent expressions as they watched the 16-year-old Justin sing and dance on stage.


    In terms of looks and performing skills, Justin was quite good, a fresh-faced young talent with bright teeth and a clear, sunny voice, quite talented in singing and a fine child star.


    However, his singing skills were average, the lyrics of his songs were somewhat trite, the rhythms were monotonous, and the style very juvenile.


    And the Grammy Awards ceremony is a grand party for top-tier musicians worldwide, where everyone participating has first-rate composing and music appreciation skills, some even considered masters.


    What would their mood be like having to watch a sixteen-year-old novice show off his skills?


    Especially when the young lad''s album sales were higher than theirs, his singles hotter, his popularity greater, and his fan base larger.


    How would they feel when they were displeased but had to accept the reality?


    Link looked around at his peers.


    Taylor, Selena, Adele, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Kesha, Carrie Underwood, p!nk, Lana, the Jonas Brothers, Kings of Leon, Green Day, Warlock Jason Mraz, Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyonce, and others.


    Among these people, the younger singers remained quite calm while the older generation chattered, trying to distract themselves from the program.


    Clap, clap, clap~


    The elder''s wish was soon fulfilled as Justin Bieber''s performance ended, and a burst of warm applause filled the venue.


    The applause mainly came from fans in the back row and celebrities like Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Usher, Kanye, and others, some of whom stood up to clap.


    Hearing such enthusiastic applause, many veteran singers in the front row turned to look back with incredulous expressions.


    Especially veteran rock musicians like Jeff Beck and Bruce Springsteen, who complained bitterly to those next to them as if to say, "How could someone like such a terrible song, are the fans'' standards now this low?


    "Finally, it''s over. I''ve been hearing this song so often these days, it''s been driving me mad."


    Selena patted her skirt as she spoke.


    Link smiled lightly, "It''s good, actually. The Grammys used to shun younger artists, but now they''ve invited Justin to perform, showing they''re more open and accepting of young artists. And as young artists, this change benefits us."


    "You mean, this time you and Taylor will get a lot of awards?"


    Selena blinked and asked.


    "Not necessarily. The nominees this year are quite young, like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Kings of Leon, all under thirty, which means the competition is fierce, making it tough to win awards."


    As Link and Selena were talking, the award ceremony on stage began.


    Last year''s Grammy for Producer of the Year was awarded by British rock legend Robert Plant and American country music queen Alison Krauss, who together took the stage to present the first award of this Grammy, for Producer of the Year.


    "The winner of the 52nd Annual Grammy Award for Producer of the Year is..."


    Robert Plant glanced at the audience below.


    This year''s nominees for the award were Beyonce''s "Halo", Taylor Swift''s "You Belong with Me", Kings of Leon''s "Use Somebody", Lady Gaga''s "Poker Face", and Link Baker''s "Unstoppable".


    These five nominees also represented five mainstream music genres: blues, country, rock, dance, and pop.


    The CBS network cameras swept over each of their faces.


    Link held Taylor''s hand, maintaining a composed smile on his face, though he always worried that his smile might look too stiff when the camera focused on him.


    "Link, your smile looks so fake."


    Selena joked, pointing at his face with wide eyes.


    "Stop it, or I''ll hit you."


    Link moved his lips as he spoke.


    "There''s a camera ahead, no messing around now,"


    Taylor said in a hushed voice.


    On stage, Robert Plant smiled and handed the card to Alison Krauss. After a glance at the card, Alison smiled and spoke into the microphone:


    "Unstoppable, by Link Baker!"

 Chapter 260 Boos from the Audience

    "YES! Link, you''ve won."


    The moment Selena heard his name, she broke into a grin and excitedly shook his arm.


    "Dear, you''re amazing."


    Taylor leaned over and excitedly planted a kiss on his face.


    Link was surprised he had won the award.


    ''Producer of the Year'' is one of the Grammy awards with the most prestige, given annually to a single record that is the most influential, creative, and transformative.


    Last year the award went to Robert and Alison, a rock superstar and a country music queen, respectively.


    Their collaborative single "Please Read The Letter" had a fresh and unique style, embodying a spirit of change, which was why they won.


    But Link''s winning single "unstoppable" was somewhat behind in sales compared to "see you again," "Single Ladies," "Poker Face," "you belong with me," "Use Somebody," "Believer," and such.


    Its only advantage was its positive theme, having been released just as the United States was hit by a financial crisis, and it had some positive impact on the societal level.


    Link rationalized it in his mind.


    "I''m pretty lucky!"


    He clenched his fist, hugged Taylor and Selena by his side, embraced Lady Gaga, Adele, and Katy Perry, high-fived with fellow music producers like Graham Goodall and David Kahn; this single record''s success in winning Best Production also owed to their efforts.


    After a delay of two or three minutes, he walked onto the stage to the sound of rapturous applause and the background music of "unstoppable," striding with large steps.


    "Link, you''re incredible!"


    Bruno Mars and Wiz Khalifa stood up clapping and cheering.


    Link walked onto the stage and waved to the audience, then approached the two presenters, shook hands with Robert, and hugged Alison, whom he knew quite well from last year''s Nashville country music festival.


    "Hey, Link, congratulations!"


    Alison handed him a delicately designed small gramophone with a glittering golden horn and a black base, heavy in his hand like a refined piece of art.


    "Thank you!"


    Link took the gramophone and stepped up to the microphone, but before he could speak, a piercing boo erupted from somewhere in the audience.


    "Boo boo boo!"


    Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Kanye, and others gave a thumbs down gesture, and some made provocative gestures, cupping their crotches.


    "Link, put that trophy down, it doesn''t belong to you."


    "Beyonce''s ''Halo'' is the best," shouted 50 Cent and his group.


    "Hey, guys, no need to be jealous, you''ll never get this award," said Link, holding the golden gramophone.


    "Fuck! What are you talking about?"


    Lil Wayne and Kanye angrily raised their fists.


    Link glanced at them, then turned to the microphone, facing the tens of thousands in the audience, the CBS camera, the entire United States viewership, and viewers from 153 countries around the world, and said with a smile, "Hi! Everybody, I''m Link Baker, just an ordinary musician."


    "Link! You''re the best!"


    Many in the audience shouted, while many others clapped and cheered, drowning out Lil Wayne''s boos.


    "Thank you! Thank you, everyone!"


    Link waved his hand, gripping the microphone pole, "Since the second half of 2008, I''ve garnered quite a few labels, one of which is a symbol of the American dream. A lot of fans from abroad ask me what the American dream is?


    I tell them about a young man who at 15 had nothing and was twice jailed. At 17, he still had nothing and started practicing boxing and music. By 19, he was an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, a famous singer.


    At 21, he stands on the world music stage, holding aloft a trophy.


    That is the American dream!


    It allows someone with nothing to become a billionaire, a singer barely 21 years old to win a Grammy for Record of the Year, and makes the unbelievable happen right before our eyes¡ªthat is the American dream!"


    Applause! Applause! Applause!


    "Link! Link! Link!"


    Many in the audience stood up clapping, shouting his name aloud.


    Even many veteran musicians in the industry clapped. Perhaps they didn''t appreciate Link''s music, but Link''s journey to fame and the genius he showed in boxing and music were undeniable, earning their respect.


    "Thank you! Thank you, Grammy! This is truly a beautiful night, thank you to all my friends who supported me, I love you!"


    Link raised the trophy high on the award stage.


    "Link, we love you!"


    Selena Lana and many female fans shouted from the audience.


    "Fuck! Letting that bastard gloat again," 50 Cent muttered, watching the ecstatic audience, feeling very annoyed.


    ```


    "Did you guys just hear that? That asshole Link said we''ll never be able to get the Record of the Year."


    Lil Wayne said angrily.


    Kanye looked gloomy as he watched Link on stage, filled with regret.


    At the beginning of last year, if he hadn''t publicly criticized Link''s new album, Link couldn''t have capitalized on his fame for publicity.


    Without that publicity, Link''s album definitely wouldn''t have sold as many copies, nor would his songs have had such a big impact.


    If his songs hadn''t made such an impact, the Grammy jury certainly wouldn''t have given the award to him.


    If he hadn''t received that award, he wouldn''t be showing off here.


    All of this was his own mistake.


    "Fuck! Fuck! I''m such an idiot!"


    Kanye scolded himself, tapping the chair armrests, his heart filled with regret and anger.


    "Hey, Kanye, Lil, Beyonce told me to tell you, don''t mess around using her name, she''s really not cool with what you just did," S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eminem shouted to them, pointing at Beyonce in the middle of the front row.


    Beyonce was wearing a golden dress, revealing sexy shoulders, voluptuous cleavage, and skin as smooth as dark satin, like a Dove chocolate unwrapped from its gold foil.


    But right now, her face didn''t look good. If under other circumstances these people had supported her, she would have been very happy.


    But this is a live broadcast of the Grammy Awards, and Kanye''s use of her name to attack the award winner on stage would put her in a very awkward position.


    "Jay, can''t you warn them not to stir up trouble in my name? I hate this,"


    Beyonce said, glancing at her silent husband Jay-Z.


    Jay-Z leaned back in his seat, stroking his chin and said slowly, "They mean well, you don''t have to be upset."


    "Is that well-meaning? In terms of sales and influence, Link''s songs are in the top three. He completely deserves this award. Kanye and the others causing a scene will make people think I have something against Link, which could affect my reputation,"


    Beyonce said, folding her arms.


    "Deserving, huh? It seems you really appreciate Link,"


    Jay-Z said with a dark face.


    "Of course. Link is handsome, has a sexy body, can write and sing songs, and in addition, he became a billionaire in one year. He''s practically perfect. I don''t think there are any girls who would dislike him,"


    Beyonce said, eyeing Link as he descended the stage, looking at his handsome face and the strong, sexy outline of his body, unable to help but swallow her saliva as she crossed her long, athletic legs tightly together.


    "Shut up!"


    Jay-Z gripped her fingers tightly, their hands intertwined in front of the camera, displaying a loving image yet he whispered harshly, "I don''t care what other women think, but you''re my wife; you have to dislike him."


    "Let go! You''re hurting me,"


    Beyonce said, frowning.


    Jay-Z snorted coldly, slowly releasing her hand but still managed to kiss it in front of the camera.


    Beyonce pulled back her hand and wiped it under her dress.


    Jay-Z noticed her subtle movement, and his face turned even darker than ink.


    After the Record of the Year was presented, the show continued with Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.


    The nominees for Album of the Year were Beyonce''s "I Am... Sasha Fierce", The Black Eyed Peas'' "The E.N.D.", Lady Gaga''s "The Fame", Taylor''s "Fearless", and Link''s "Keep On Movin''"


    The winner eventually was Taylor''s "Fearless".


    The same as during the actual 52nd Grammy Awards.


    When Taylor went up on stage, a warm buzz of conversation filled the venue.


    Link and Taylor were a couple, and they had respectively won the most valued awards for Record and Album of the Year, a first in Grammy history.


    In the past, couples had won an award together, but never had a couple won two major awards separately in the same year.


    Link and Taylor had indeed set a new record.


    Nominated for Song of the Year were Lady Gaga''s "Poker Face", Beyonce''s "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)", Kings of Leon''s "Use Somebody", Taylor''s "You Belong With Me", and Link and Wiz Khalifa''s "See You Again".


    The winner was Beyonce''s "Single Ladies".


    Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    The highly anticipated "Poker Face" didn''t win any of the first three major awards, suggesting the conservativeness of the Grammy jury, still not quite receptive to Lady Gaga''s exaggerated style.


    The fourth category was Best New Artist, the nominees being Link Baker, Zac Brown Band, African American singer Keri Hilson, MGMT, and The Ting Tings.


    Compared to the heavy hitters nominated last year, this year''s competition for the award wasn''t as stiff. Link won Best New Artist by a landslide.


    Link winning two awards in the first round also caused quite a stir on site.


    Those who supported him cheered and applauded, while those who resented him, like Lil Wayne, glared at him fiercely, as if they wanted to pull out a gun and shoot him right there.


    "Mr. Baker, it''s time for you to get ready for your backstage performance,"


    the live director reminded him softly as he left the stage.


    "I know."


    ```

 Chapter 261 The Clash Behind the Scenes

    I''m unstoppable


    I am unstoppable


    I''m a Porsche with no brakes


    I''m like a Porsche with no brakes


    I''m invincible


    I am invincible


    Yeah, I''ll win every single game


    Yeah, I win every single game


    I''m so powerful


    On TV, Link, wearing a shiny silver breastplate and with his hair dyed silver, was singing and dancing with more than a dozen backup dancers on a dazzlingly lit stage. Under him, fans erupted with shouts like a tsunami, many singing along with Link, the atmosphere extremely lively.


    Beep!


    A slender, fair hand reached over, picked up the remote control from the coffee table, and pressed mute.


    On the LCD screen, Link''s singing and the audience''s cheering instantly disappeared. Through the screen, one could only see Link continuously moving his mouth, performing as if in a mime, slightly comical.


    "Scooter, how''s the poaching plan going?"


    The owner of that fair hand set down the remote control and turned to look at the young man sitting across from him, Scooter Braun, also the president of SB Projects entertainment agency.


    This year, Scooter, a 29-year-old Hungarian-American, had made a documentary in college, which garnered the appreciation of great director Spielberg, earning him his first pot of gold.


    In ''02, relying on his family''s connections, he entered the world of sport and music.


    His first job was organizing star-studded wild parties, and many celebrities in the circle, including Eminem, Kanye, Will Smith, and others, were his clients.


    Because of his outstanding abilities, he was recognized by Def Jam Recordings'' vice president, also a famous black rapper and gold-record producer Jermaine Dupri, and joined Def Jam Recordings as the director of marketing.


    In ''07, he left So So Def Records and founded SB Projects entertainment company, signing artists such as Ludacris and Kanye West among others.


    Ludacris, a famous rapper and actor, later gained fame for his supporting roles in the "Fast & Furious" movie series.


    Scooter, through his powerful connections, helped Ludacris land an advertisement endorsement with Pontiac cars and also facilitated Kanye West''s collaboration with Adidas. With these two deals, he earned tens of millions of dollars.


    In ''08, through an introduction by Usher, he signed the Canadian youngster Justin Bieber.


    Beginning last year, he spent a fortune on marketing Justin Bieber, presenting him as an internet sensation at major events like MTV, the American Music Awards, and the Grammys, greatly increasing his exposure.


    He also used his connections in the circle to help Justin produce his new album "My World 1.0."


    His hard work paid off.


    Last November, "My World 1.0" was officially released.


    In just over three months, it sold more than a million copies worldwide.


    If not for Link Music''s Lana Del Rey, Bruno Mars, and Disney''s Selena Gomez,


    in the second half of last year, Justin Bieber would definitely have been the brightest star in the music world.


    Fortunately, Justin''s new song "Baby" sold well.


    Under his strong marketing promotion, the song also became the most popular at the moment.


    Justin Bieber became the highest-profile singer in the music industry, almost matching the popularity of pop icons Link Baker and Justin Timberlake. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With this ace up his sleeve, he and SB Projects also made a fortune.


    But Link Baker has been too hot these past two years; peers become natural enemies. For every extra album Link sells, similar artists sell one less.


    With him in the music world, Justin Bieber would have a hard time becoming the No. 1 in pop music.


    Link had also become a stumbling block on Justin Bieber''s road to success.


    So he approached Jay-Z, Kanye, Lil Wayne, and others, planning to join forces with them against Link.


    Jay-Z had served as the president of Def Jam Recordings from ''02 to ''07, discovering talents like Kanye West, Rihanna, and Ne-Yo. He left in ''07 to found his own label, Roc Nation.


    Scooter was an old acquaintance of his, and now they were united in their enmity. Just by mentioning "take down Link Baker," he gained the approval of Jay-Z, Kanye, and others.


    Not long after they came to an agreement, the vice president of Atlantic Records and member of the Atlantic Records board, Mr. Kunis, called to discuss how to take down Link Music together.


    On receiving this call, Scooter was extremely excited.


    Although his own family was also billionaires, the Kunis family at its peak had assets worth tens of billions, wielding great power in American politics, media, and real estate, and was considered a top-tier family in America. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Being from the same ethnic group as Mr. Kunis, who were known to be the most united people in the world, he had no doubts about Mr. Kunis'' intentions.


    With his help, Link was as good as gone.


    After talking with Mr. Kunis, their first action was¡ªundercutting the support from under Link Music.


    Link Music was founded in early December 2008, with only two major shareholders, Link and mis Ivanka.


    Link owned 55% of Link Music, while Ivanka owned 35%, the remaining 10% shared by several managers and producers.


    Before ''09, Link Music hadn''t attracted much attention, like thousands of similar record companies in the United States.


    But in early ''09, after Link released his debut album "The Fighter,"


    his single "Unstoppable" shot to number one on Billboard''s singles chart, and "Chasing the Sun," "Fire," "Never Say Never," and several other songs consecutively broke into the top 100 singles chart.


    It went platinum in the United States within a month.


    He emerged forcefully, astonishing everyone, making Link¡ªand the small record company Link Music¡ªknown to all.


    Last year, Link released two albums in succession, reaching a total global sales of nearly 20 million copies.

 Chapter 261 The Clash Behind the Scenes_2

    This achievement is too dazzling.


    It makes countless musicians envy and hate.


    But the shock that Link Music gave to the music industry was far from over.


    Starting in October of last year, they successively launched Lana Del Rey, Bruno Mars, and Wiz Khalifa, three different types of singers.


    Actually, when Link Music initially introduced these three, no one really cared about them.


    The reason was simple.


    Lana Del Rey was a musician with a failed debut.


    Her first album sold less than a thousand copies, she released many songs online, tried to become an internet celebrity without success, which showed her music had no market in the industry.


    The odds of such a singer succeeding with an album were not great.


    Bruno Mars was also a failure.


    First dropped by Motown Records, then traded by Atlantic Records, he lacked looks and physique, was neither black nor white, and aside from a distinctive voice and some creative ability, he lacked other qualities.


    There are many musicians like him under the big record companies; whether they can become popular or not is entirely a matter of luck.


    Then there was Wiz Khalifa, who was originally signed to Warner Records. The sales of his first album were mediocre, and Warner cut the second one, clearly not a capable singer.


    But


    In November last year, Lana Del Rey released her first album "Young and Beautiful," with hit singles "Young and Beautiful" and "Video Games" successively breaking into the top ten of the singles chart, selling over a million copies worldwide, achieving platinum sales.


    In December, Bruno Mars released his first album "It''s Better If You Don''t Understand," with hit singles "Nothin'' on You," "Lighters," and "I''m the one," successively breaking into the top ten. "Nothin'' on You" became number one on the singles chart by the end of December.


    The album sold 787,000 copies in the United States within eight weeks, achieving global platinum sales.


    Wiz Khalifa had not released his new album yet but had become a top rapper in the industry last year with "see you again" and "I''m the one."


    And his new single "Black and Yellow" also broke into the top ten of the singles chart this week.


    One can foresee that the sales of his new album will not be bad.


    Thus three failures, after signing with Link Music, each began to rise to fame.


    This situation also made countless musicians marvel.


    Even Rolling Stone magazine commented at the beginning of the year that Link Music had a knack for shaping artists, calling Link Music the Midas touch of the music industry, with the ability to turn the rotten into the miraculous and the most anticipated label in the music industry for the next decade.


    Link Music''s fame in the industry skyrocketed.


    As a result, many talented musicians who were waiting to be discovered were wanting to try their luck at Link Music.


    If this situation continues, Link Music will only grow stronger, become an unrivaled giant in the music industry, and Link will earn more and more U.S. dollars through this company.


    This is a result neither Scooter nor Jay-Z, nor Kunas wanted to see.


    After Kunas''s plan to invest in Link Music failed, he contacted Scooter to initiate a poaching scheme.


    The first step was to poach the three contracting artists from Link Music, Lana Del Rey, Bruno Mars, and Wiz Khalifa.


    Scooter arranged for his agents to have secret talks with the three artists, willing to sign them with big contracts and promising to arrange for multiple top producers to tailor new albums for them after they signed with the new record companies and even agreed to pay their breach of contract penalties.


    Their terms were sincere, and the three contracts were highly valued, but Lana Del Rey and the others showed no intention of negotiating, as if they didn''t care much about money.


    This left Scooter quite helpless; he then swung his hoe at producers like Graham and David Kahn.


    Over a month, he did manage to poach seven or eight songwriters, production assistants, sound engineers, etc., but none of the core members were poached.


    Because they had all come from big record companies, they knew what the production departments of big record companies were like, with an abundance of talent, serious office politics, and extremely fierce internal competition, fighting for resources even to the point of severe conflict, not to mention the huge work pressure.


    Now that Link Music was on the rise, staying here would not only earn them a lot of money but also fame. Only a fool would switch jobs at a time when they could double up on wealth and fame.


    "It''s far from ideal!"


    Scooter sighed softly, sharing the progress of the poaching work.


    Kunas took a drag on a slender cigarette, squinted his eyes at the TV as Link was leaving the stage, and asked in a low voice, Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How''s the battle for the charts going? Is there a chance of beating Link in the music market, dethroning his record sales?"


    "We have the confidence, but Link is no ordinary singer, he will be more difficult to deal with,"


    Scooter shrugged his shoulders, discussing the arrangement for the battle for the charts in March and April.


    Currently, they had prepared three plays.


    The first play was Justin Bieber. His second album would be released at the beginning of March.


    Justin''s first album sold over seven hundred thousand copies in North America.


    The main single from his second album, "baby," was a big hit in North America, with the second album projected to sell over a million copies and potentially reaching two or even three million.


    Justin and Link are both pop artists.


    If Justin''s album enters the pop music market first, draining the fans'' wallets, Link''s album sales will inevitably be impacted.


    Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    The second play was Usher''s sixth album "Raymond Vs. Raymond."


    Usher is a top artist in rap and R&B.


    In 2004, Usher released his fourth album "Confessions," which sold 1.1 million copies in its first week in the United States, breaking the record for R&B male artist album sales in a single week, holding the number one spot on the Billboard album chart for nine consecutive weeks, and his single "Yeah!" remained at the top of the Billboard singles chart for 12 weeks.

 Chapter 261 The Clash Behind the Scenes_3

    In the music industry, his status is no lower than Kanye''s.


    The new album contains 23 songs, crafted by 12 Gold record producers.


    This album is expected to sell 10 million copies and become a diamond record.


    Being released at the same time as Link''s third album, it''s bound to impact the sales of Link''s album.


    The third card is Drake''s new album "Thank Me Later," expected to be released in mid-April.


    Last December, Drake released his debut EP "So Far Gone," which shot up to number six on the Billboard album chart in its third week and won the Juno Award for New Artist of the Year and the Rap Recording of the Year.


    His new album''s production team is equally formidable, including Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Alicia Keys, Jay Jenkins, Nicki Minaj, and other top rap artists.


    During the album''s preview, thirty industry insiders gave it an 8.8 rating, predicting that its sales in the United States won''t be lower than 1.2 million copies.


    As for Link''s third album, due to confidentiality, they haven''t even found out the name of the album yet.


    Based on the song "all of me" that leaked last year, it''s possible that it''s a romance-themed album. These types of albums are too mainstream; everyone has one every year, and every famous singer has one. Although there''s a market for this kind of album, it''s hard for it to be a big seller.


    With three ace albums, they plan to encircle and suppress Link''s romantic album, and Scott is absolutely confident in defeating Link on the sales chart.


    What worries him is that Link is not an ordinary singer.


    This guy is a master of publicity.


    Just because Kanye said something bad about him in the media, he latched onto it, created a string of explosive news stories, and almost caused a major social incident.


    Such promotional tactics also earned the admiration of this marketing expert.


    Link is also a very capable guy, known as the ''musical genius.''


    First with pop music, then crossing over to rap, with just two hit songs, he pressed down on all the rappers in the industry.


    To say that you are 100% sure to win against someone like that is self-deception.


    So, when answering Mr. Kunas''s question, Scott didn''t speak definitively, saying he was confident in defeating Link, but that there could be surprises. Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire


    "You guys do your thing, leave the rest to me."


    Kunas leaned on the couch, a cigarette between his fingers, and said in a steady voice.


    "I understand, Mr. Kunas."


    Scott nodded seriously.


    "Call me Reed, we''re friends, Scott!"


    Kunas said, tilting his thin lips up at the corners.


    "Alright, Reed!"


    Scott responded with a nod and a smile.


    Kunas, with his legs crossed, looked at the ongoing awards ceremony on TV and said, "Guess how many Grammys Link will get this year?"


    Scott also turned toward the TV, where they were now presenting the Children''s Album award, and after thinking a moment,


    "For the four major categories, Link has two nominations out of four, and for Best Pop Male Vocalist, he''s very likely to win, ''Give me reason'' and ''See you again'' had a big impact, Link could also possibly take Best Rock Song, Best Rap Song, and the chance for Best Rap Collaboration is pretty good too, I guess 5 to 6 awards."


    "I guess two."


    Kunas lifted the corner of his mouth, a mysterious smile appearing on his face. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Two?!"


    Scott looked at him in surprise and then turned back to the TV.


    ¡ª¡ª


    At the Staples Center, after his performance ended, Link went back to the locker room to change clothes and took the chance to reply to a few messages on his phone.


    After taking the Grammy for Producer of the Year, his phone was flooded with dozens of congratulatory messages, from Emma Roberts, Christine Stewart, Paul Walker, Joaquin Phoenix, and so on.


    Elon Musk also sent a message, congratulating him on winning the Grammy for Best Record, saying it was incredible, and he expressed interest in having him as a spokesperson for Tesla cars.


    Link warmly responded to Elon Musk; he was looking to secure more Tesla shares, and even SpaceX shares, and starting with Musk seemed like the right move.


    Moreover, Musk was young and smart, the kind of person suitable for a long-term business partnership.


    Additionally, Musk had extensive business contacts, like Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who were also friends of his and angel investors in Tesla Inc.


    Through Musk, one could meet more business tycoons and secure more investment opportunities.


    The benefits were plenty.


    Knock! Knock!


    "Come in!"


    Link said, fastening his belt.


    Creak~


    The door opened, and a sweep of golden skirt flowed in, accompanied by high heels and stockings, revealing shapely, well-formed legs.


    Link looked up in surprise to see the voluptuous Beyonce walking in, closing and locking the door behind her.


    "Here to drink with me again? Aren''t you afraid of being seen?"


    Link said helplessly.


    Beyonce said nothing, pulled at her dress, and the golden skirt fell to the ground like a parachute, gently landing.


    "What''s this, a treat?"


    Link chuckled as he admired her figure.


    "What do you think?"


    Beyonce, with her long curly hair flowing, bit her red lip and moved close to him, pressing against him.

 Chapter 262 Grammy Controversies

    Oops!...I did it again


    Oh, I did it once more


    I played with your heart


    I toyed with your heart


    Got lost in the game


    Got lost in this game


    Oh baby, baby


    As it was 2010, the Grammy Awards were bigger, with more shows and a total of 84 awards. When Link changed his clothes and arrived at the venue, Britney, with more than ten fiery dancers, performed her hit song "Oops!...I did it again" on stage.


    Apart from Britney, top singers and bands like Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Backstreet Boys, and Westlife were also set to perform.


    This also served as a tribute to the musicians of the past decade.


    "Link, why are you only arriving now? The award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance is about to be presented,"


    Selena shouted.


    "It''s not been long, just twenty minutes."


    Link checked his watch and said.


    "Quick, sit down, the camera''s coming over."


    Taylor shouted.


    Since it was at the Lakers'' stadium which was huge, CBS had arranged eight camera positions around the venue, each capturing only a small area, giving performers more time to move around. Otherwise, during the three and a half hours of the evening, many could feel suffocated.


    After Link sat down, the award ceremony moved to a more captivating segment¡ªpop, rock, and rap categories.


    It seemed his luck, following his earlier efforts, had all transferred to Beyonce, who won five awards, leaving him with none.


    In the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, he lost to Warlock Jason Mraz''s "Make It Mine."


    In the Best Rock Song category, he lost to Kings of Leon''s "Use Somebody."


    For Best Rap/Sung Collaboration,


    he and Wiz Khalifa, Mars, and Little Bobby''s collaboration on the rap song "I''m the one" lost to Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye''s "Run This Town."


    What was more surprising, in the Best Rap Song category, he lost again to Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye''s "Run This Town."


    The nominated songs for this award were:


    "see you again," "Run This Town," Drake''s "Best I Ever Had," T.I. and Justin Timberlake''s "Dead And Gone," and Jay-Z''s "D.O.A. (Death Of Auto-Tune)."


    Last year, after MJ''s death, "see you again" exploded globally, selling over 55 million copies worldwide and ranking 15th in total single sales.


    No song in the past decade matched its popularity.


    Its influence, together with MJ''s, spread across the globe, and everyone could hum a few lines.


    It was a true hit.


    Yet such a song failed to win Link a single Grammy award.


    When Puff Daddy announced on stage that "Run This Town" won the Best Rap Song award, murmurs and discussions erupted from the audience.


    "Mr. Kunas, was it your doing?"


    In front of the TV, Scooter looked at Little Mr. Kunas in surprise.


    "A little gesture."


    Little Kunas swirled his drink, looking at the TV where the CBS camera focused on Link''s face. Link just shrugged, feigning indifference, and hummed lightly.


    "Mr. Kunas, your public relations skills are impressive,"


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    Scooter raised his glass in admiration.


    Little Kunas, with a slight smile and thin lips, let out a light chuckle of pride.


    "Call me Reed!"


    "Alright, Reed!" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scooter laughed heartily, relaxed a bit, and said warmly, "Reed, you are so capable, if you wanted, you could have stripped all awards from Link, making him go 0 for 8, which would have been too cool. Why didn''t you do that?"


    Little Kunas shook his head and spoke softly, "Link and Ivanka are not simple people. We mustn''t rush when dealing with them. Link was undoubtedly the breakout musician of last year, far surpassing other musicians of his time. Not giving him the award would bring the Grammy''s fairness into question, and the Grammy jury wouldn''t approve.


    Also, the Producer of the Year award was for the team behind ''unstoppable,'' not just for Link alone. Additionally, this album winning had the least impact on sales for Link''s other two albums and also shut the fans up.


    This is why I let Link win these two awards."


    "Reed, your considerations are so thorough; I should learn from you,"


    Scooter raised his glass with a smile.


    Little Kunas smiled faintly and clinked glasses with him,


    "We learn from each other!"


    On the TV, after Puff Daddy announced the winning song, Jay-Z, Kanye, and Rihanna walked up to the podium, each receiving a gramophone.


    "Hey, Link Baker, you celebrated too soon, this award is mine."


    Kanye held the trophy high and laughed.


    "Kanye! You''re the best!"


    "Jay-Z, the forever king of rap!"


    "Rihanna, I love you!"


    Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and others along with the fans began to make a loud noise.


    Last year, on the rap charts, they were disgraced by Link''s hit songs.


    But today, at the Grammy Awards, they reclaimed their lost face, a surprise that was well worth celebrating.


    "Haha, what a terrific night, thank you, Grammy Awards!"


    Kanye and Jay-Z raised their trophies and shouted.


    Clap Clap Clap!


    Applause and cheers erupted from the audience.


    "Link, don''t be sad, you''re still young, you''ll have many opportunities to win awards in the future."


    "Yes, I understand, I''m not sad."


    "Link, ''See You Again'' is the best, we support you!"


    "Thank you! Let''s keep pushing forward!"


    Link smiled lightly, actually not receiving the award didn''t really matter to him, winning 2 out of 8 Grammy nominations isn''t a low probability.


    What embarrassed him was that after he failed to win, the singers close to him all voiced their comfort and looked at him with regret, as if everyone thought he should be very disappointed, like a child who didn''t get a piece of cake at a birthday party.


    Another thing that embarrassed him was that a CBS camera was focused on his face for over a minute. Even as an actor, he didn''t know what expression to maintain during that minute to avoid misinterpretation.


    Expressionless?


    Smile?


    Blank out?


    Link decided to ignore it and started chatting with Taylor and Selena.


    "Link, are you very sad?"


    Selena blinked her big, round eyes, looking at him with full sympathy, as if that would empathize with him.


    "Not sad, truly not sad."


    "Stop pretending, you must be sad, see, you''re not even smiling?"


    "Shut up! I''m really not sad."


    "Look! You''re not just sad but also angry, furious, wanting to hit someone, how about you hit me? Maybe that will make you feel better."


    Selena tensed her round little face, biting her lower lip, a look of resignation on her foolish face.


    Link was rendered speechless by her, lightly flicked her forehead, and Selena yelped, pretending to be shot and slumped in her chair.


    Link smiled lightly, looking at the four trophies in Taylor''s arms, including Album of the Year, Best Country Female Artist, Best Country Album, and Best Country Song. This was Taylor''s first time winning a Grammy, and she cradled the four trophies like a child cherishing her toys.


    "Do you want me to hold one for you?"


    He remembered Taylor almost couldn''t hold them all while posing for a photo, and accidentally dropped and broke one.


    "No! They are all mine," Taylor said, hugging the four trophies, delighted.


    "Okay, don''t blame me if you lose one, my negligent boyfriend."


    After considering for a moment, Taylor placed one of the gramophones in his arms.


    "Here''s one to console you!"


    "Thank you! You''re really the best."


    Link smiled lightly, seeing Selena watching the fun, he piled all the trophies in her arms, making her hold them all.


    Selena shot him a big eye roll, muttering ''always picking on me,'' and then gleefully started checking what was different about the three trophies.


    After the rap category awards were presented, the Best Female Artist of the Year Award was handed out.


    The nominees for this award included Adele''s ''Hometown Glory,'' Beyonce''s ''Halo,'' Katy Perry''s ''Hot N Cold,'' P!nk''s ''Sober,'' and Taylor''s ''You Belong With Me.''


    The final award went to Beyonce, her sixth trophy at this Grammy''s, setting a new record with 6 wins out of 10 nominations.


    "Hey Link, I bet you''ll never win this one," Beyonce, wearing a seductively entwined red dress, joked on stage, waving the Best Female Artist trophy at Link with a charming smile after finishing her acceptance speech.


    Her comment caused a round of laughter in the venue; Link was a man, so of course, he couldn''t win this award.


    Everyone also remembered Link saying these words to Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and others earlier when he won the Producer of the Year award.


    Beyonce''s comment seemed like a joke but also a tease at Link, helping Kanye, Lil Wayne, and others save face.


    "Beyonce, that was awesome!"


    "Beyonce, you are my goddess!"


    "Long live Queen Beyonce!"


    Kanye, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, Drake, and others laughed heartily, and Kanye and some others even kneeled on the ground, bowing in Beyonce''s direction.


    "Bitchy!"


    Selena puffed her little face, angrily scolding.


    "Don''t swear!"


    "Aren''t you mad?"


    "Not mad!"


    "Hmph, Link, everything about you is great, except you''re too kind. People like you will suffer in the entertainment industry."


    Selena said earnestly.


    "Don''t worry, aren''t you here? You''ll definitely help me," Link chuckled.


    Selena blinked her big eyes, thought for a moment, and nodded seriously.


    When Beyonce returned to her seat, Jay-Z nodded at her, a faint smile appearing on his stoic face.


    "You did well just now!"


    "Thank you for the compliment!"


    Beyonce smiled faintly, listening to Kanye and others'' praise, gracefully sat down, fluffing her dress. But as she sat, a hint of ambiguous discomfort appeared on her face, a flush climbing her cheeks, and she couldn''t help but let out a soft moan. She gently crossed her long legs, biting her lip.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Rihanna beside her asked.


    "I twisted my ankle dancing."


    Beyonce lightly brushed her long hair near her ears, leaning softly against the chair, occasionally glancing towards the tall figure in a suit at the front left, feeling an involuntary thrill in her heart and body.

 Chapter 263 Is This My Song?

    "Link Baker!"


    It was past eleven at night, and the Grammy ceremony had just ended.


    In the parking lot of the Staples Center, as Link was opening his car door to get in, he heard someone shouting behind him.


    He stopped at the rear door of the van and looked back to see a dense crowd, including 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Kanye, Drake, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Eminem, Justin Bieber, Usher, and about twenty to thirty others.


    Link actually envied them for being able to make music together, drink together, and always have a group of people around no matter what.


    "Link, we''ll not just defeat you at the Grammys, we''ll also beat you in the album charts this March and April. Just you wait and see!"


    50 Cent shouted.


    "Nobody can defeat me, whether in boxing or music. If you dare challenge me, all you''ll face is yet another failure."


    Link said with a faint smile, waved at Eminem, and turned to get into his car.


    "Fuck! This kid''s too arrogant, makes me want to shoot him."


    50 Cent said angrily.


    "Are you sure?"


    Eminem took out his phone from his pocket, dialed 911 and said, "Hello, is this the Los Angeles city police station? I want to report that famous rapper 50 Cent is planning an assassination... "


    "Fuck you, Crabtree!"


    50 Cent thought he was just pretending, but when he saw the call went through, he quickly pounced over, snatched the phone away, hung up, and glared at Eminem, saying,


    "Damn it, I was joking¡ªdid you really call the cops?"


    Eminem shrugged, took his phone back, and said, "I''m a law-abiding citizen. I can''t just stand by when a crime is about to happen, or else I''d be your accomplice in crime."


    "Fuck! Em, you rat, you must be a spy Link planted in our camp."


    50 Cent cursed.


    Eminem shrugged nonchalantly. As a white rapper closely linked with East Coast rap groups, he wasn''t bothered by what 50 Cent said.


    "Shut up! Don''t talk about Em like that."


    Beyonce, adjusting her coffee-colored coat, gave 50 Cent a sidelong glance.


    "Em''s right. With Link, just killing him physically isn''t the right way. It''s better to defeat him where he prides himself most¡ªlike in boxing or music. Defeat him, see him lying on the ground crying, apologizing, begging for mercy. We won''t let him off, we will keep holding on to him, keep torturing him, punish him severely. Don''t you think that would feel much more satisfying?"


    Beyonce clenched her fists, bit her plump lower lip, her face cold, her eyes flashing with a touch of mad relish.


    "Beyonce is right!"


    Kanye, Lil Wayne, and Drake nodded in agreement.


    "My dear, I''m so glad you said that."


    Jay-Z wrapped his arms around Beyonce''s waist and praised her.


    "Hey, are you serious, Beyonce?"


    Eminem looked at her in surprise and said, "You want Link lying on the ground crying, begging for mercy? How could that happen? That''s Link Baker, the world boxing champion, the strongest man in the world."


    "It''s a metaphor."


    Beyonce glanced at him, resting her hand on Rihanna''s shoulder and said, "Em, I know you feel some fondness, even admiration for Link, but he''s now our rival, our enemy. I hope you can join us on the same front against him."


    "What if I don''t agree?"


    Eminem frowned and asked.


    "You''re still our friend."


    Beyonce said lightly.


    "Alright, I understand. Goodbye!"


    Eminem turned and walked away, cursing ''fuck'' a few times in the distance, then drove off with a roar.


    "Dear, you shouldn''t have said that, Em is our friend."


    Jay-Z said, frowning.


    Beyonce shook her head, "Regardless, Em is white. He is on good terms with Link. If we want to defeat Link, we need to be fully united. With Em in the middle, many things are difficult to discuss. Moreover, competing with Link puts Em in a difficult position. This is better now."


    "Beyonce, you are right."


    50 Cent said loudly, "I was just joking about taking out Link, and Em was about to call the cops. He''d definitely snitch if we talked about other stuff."


    The other Black members nodded, agreeing with 50 Cent''s statement.


    Jay-Z thought about it and felt it wasn''t too bad.


    "Don''t worry. After we defeat Link, I''ll personally apologize to Em. He''ll understand."


    Beyonce said softly.


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    Jay-Z looked at her blushing face, wrapping his arms around her and said, "My dear, I think you look even more beautiful."


    "Hey, Jess, we''re all here, can you not be like that?"


    "If you want to show affection, go home, we don''t want to eat dog food."


    Kanye, Lil, and others loudly joked around, filling the scene with a joyful atmosphere.


    Beyonce took the opportunity to laugh and push away Jay-Z''s arm, brushed away the curls by her ear, and looked up to see Link''s business van slowly disappearing into the charming night of Los Angeles.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "What did you say?!"


    In the moving business van, Link looked at Graham in surprise. Graham had caught up to him after the party had ended, saying there was an urgent matter to discuss.


    Graham told him that around January, eight production assistants and sound engineers had left Link Music one after another.


    Considering Link Music was established less than a year and a half ago and had only 28 musicians under its wing, the departure of eight was a severe blow and could even cripple the functioning of the recording studio.


    "Why are you only telling me now? Okay, I understand, I was on tour before, too busy, you didn''t want to distract me."


    "That''s not the reason."


    Graham adjusted his glasses and said, "Link, it''s mainly because this matter wasn''t that significant before. There was no need to tell you earlier. Now, I''m reporting it to you as part of my job."


    "Not significant? One-third of our studio staff was poached, isn''t that significant?"


    Link looked at him doubtfully and, seeing Graham''s forehead was greasy, took out a wet wipe and handed it to him to wipe it off. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Graham thanked him and continued while wiping his sweat, "At the end of 2008, our company was just starting and was quite short-staffed, the people we hired were very mediocre. They were barely adequate for producing your albums alone, but now with more people, jobs have increased, and the less efficient staff couldn''t keep up.


    Mandy and I had discussed hiring new people at the beginning of the year.


    Now that Link Music has become a first-class music label, many outstanding musicians are sending their resumes, hoping to join us. We are not short of people.


    After they left, we recruited more than ten more capable musicians, so there was almost no impact."


    Link moved his lips slightly, it seemed there really wasn''t a negative impact, on the contrary, there were benefits. Should he thank those who had poached his staff?


    "But we can''t be complacent. If someone is poaching our staff, it means they are out to get us. Have you found out who was behind it?"


    "Preliminary investigations link it to SB Projects, Justin''s management company, and Epic Records, which has collaborations with Jay-Z, Kanye, and others. We suspect they''re making these moves in advance, trying to ruin Link Music.


    However, Ivanka thinks this matter is also connected with Atlantic Records, and maybe even the major record companies. Link Music is now the hen that lays golden eggs, and many want to take us over," Graham said slowly.


    Link nodded, feeling somewhat helpless.


    After becoming a billionaire, he really didn''t want to get into conflicts, hoping more for peaceful profits. But as things got bigger, the stakes attached to him grew as well. Often, many things were beyond his control.


    Graham also told him that recently many people had been inquiring about his third album''s demos. Someone had spent a million US dollars in the black market trying to buy his third album''s tapes, hoping to ruin the album that way.


    Link frowned. Although 50 Cent had only today challenged him to top the charts, his competitors had already made early moves. The situation was more serious than he had anticipated, and the competition within the music industry was fiercer than imagined.


    "Link, there''s something else."


    Graham took his phone, opened the player, and Justin''s singing voice came from the speaker, that disgustingly repetitive song "Baby."


    "Graham, do you like this kind of music?"


    Link dug at his ear, looking at him strangely, hard to agree with his taste.


    Graham returned an even stranger look.


    "Link, doesn''t this song sound familiar to you?"


    "Familiar?"


    "Don''t you remember? At the end of 2008, you wrote more than a dozen songs and asked me to review them. One of them was highly similar to this one. I read it once, thought it was rubbish, not suitable for you, so I scrapped it."


    "What?!"


    "I suspect there is a mole who plagiarized this song and sold it to Justin''s management behind his back. I thought you had figured it out, pondering tactics against Justin, but you seem to have forgotten," Graham said, surprised.


    Link touched his forehead, somewhat recalling.


    At the end of 2008, when he and Mandy first went to the music studio to record, he indeed had brought several song demos and asked Graham to pick the suitable ones for his first album. Among them were two of Justin''s songs, "Never Say Never" and "Baby."


    Due to the first album being motivational, Graham felt "Never Say Never" was barely suitable, so he had scrapped "Baby."


    Although scrapped, the score for "Baby" was still in Link Music''s music library.


    Now Graham believed that one of Justin''s team of producers had plagiarized this song.


    Link asked him what to do about this situation.


    Graham said he had already reported it to Ivanka, and Ivanka decided to wait and see, to speak after Justin''s album was released.


    Graham had come to find Link because Link had never mentioned this issue, and he wanted to know if Link had any plans, to avoid any conflict, but it turned out Link had completely forgotten about it.


    Link nodded and did not say anything more.


    The van drove into the city, dropped Graham off, and then started slowly again, entering Santa Monica Boulevard, merging as a neon spot into the never-sleeping city.

 Chapter 264 Several Pieces of News

    The next day was another sunny day in Los Angeles. Because Link had returned late last night, he slept in and by the time he woke up, the sky outside was already bright.


    "Honey, time to get up."


    "No, I want to sleep a bit more, you go ahead and start cooking."


    "Alright!"


    Link stretched lazily, slipped on a T-shirt and large shorts, and pulled open the curtains. The morning light of Los Angeles streamed through the window, warm and inviting.


    Seeing that Taylor was still asleep, he drew the curtains again, did some chest-expanding exercises, and went down for a run on the bay road, covering over ten kilometers. He also stopped by the Carrefour supermarket at the bay to pick up some fresh vegetables and fruits.


    When he got back home, Taylor had just gotten up and was busy in the bathroom.


    Link made breakfast, placed it on the table, and began reading the newspaper while eating.


    The Grammys had ended, and the news about the awards was out.


    Beyonce had six wins out of ten nominations, becoming the artist with the most awards in a single Grammys in history.


    Taylor had four wins out of eight nominations, making her second in terms of the number of awards won.


    Jay-Z was third, with three wins out of five nominations.


    Lady Gaga, Kanye, Eminem, Maxwell, and King Leon all won two awards each.


    Link, however, won only two out of his eight nominations, making him the most controversial topic of this year''s Grammys.


    The Los Angeles Times commented that by nominating more young artists this year, the Grammys had made significant progress, showing that over the next decade, the event would adopt a more open attitude in embracing newcomers and the internet, unlike in the past few years when it treated the internet as an enemy of the music industry.


    That was a good thing, but during the award process, the judges still hesitated to step forward boldly and accept new things.


    For example, Link released thirty-two songs last year. Three topped the Billboard singles chart, and twenty-two made it into the top 100. Although he did not have the most number-one singles, nor was he the one with the most songs in the top 100,


    he was the one with the highest number of entries into the top 100 in the same year.


    This was a new record in Billboard history.


    Additionally, his singles "See You Again," "Unstoppable," "Give Me Reason," "Believer," and "Lighters" were ranked first, ninth, eighteenth, thirty-second, and forty-fifth, respectively, on Rolling Stone''s ''Top 50 of 09'' list.


    Link was the only artist to have five songs on that chart at the same time.


    For such a remarkably successful artist, the Grammys could have adopted a more open and accepting attitude, but they did not.


    Lady Gaga faced a similar treatment. Since last year, she became synonymous with fashion, avant-garde, and eccentricity. Her songs and her persona swept across the globe, making her a phenom. Yet, at this Grammys, she only received two awards, best dance recording and best dance/electronic album.


    The Los Angeles Times described this year''s Grammys as having cunningly retracted her steps to mark time.


    Other mainstream media also reviewed the Grammys, with mixed reactions, making this year''s event highly controversial.


    Beyond the Grammy news, the mainstream media also reported that 50 Cent, representing Justin Bieber, challenged Link at the event, proposing a showdown on the pop charts.


    The media covered and commented on this incident as well.


    The Hollywood Reporter even had a quirky piece of news; at 11:45 last night, the Los Angeles 911 center received a call claiming "50 Cent is about to shoot something." According to police investigations, the phone number belonged to the famous rapper Eminem.


    Netizens speculated that the intended target of 50 Cent might have been Link Baker.


    This news added a hint of bloodshed to their chart rivalry in March and April.


    Ding-a-ling!


    Link put down the newspaper, stood up, and picked up his charging phone.


    "Good morning, got any good news for me?"


    Link sat back down on the couch, legs propped up, letting the Los Angeles sun shine on him.


    "No! I''ve got a few pieces of bad news for you, are you ready for them?"


    The voice of Ivanka through the handset carried a hint of morning sluggishness, as if swept across by Olivia''s fluffy tail.


    "A few?"


    Link was somewhat surprised.


    "Yes! According to insider information from the Grammy jury, last night you were set to win five Grammys, second only to Beyonce, but due to external interference, three of your awards were negotiated away."


    "Really? Did you find out who the mastermind behind the scenes is?"


    Last night, Link had already guessed, and he wasn''t surprised by the news. He picked up the milk on the table and took a sip.


    "There''s one suspect, little Kunas."


    "Turning hate from love?"


    "Don''t joke!"


    Eva''s voice was calm as she said, "Another thing, starting last night, many singers publicly endorsed Justin''s ''Baby,'' causing the sales of this single to surge from 23,000 to 28,000. With this trend, this song is very likely to top the charts this week."


    "No worries! We have our own chart-topping singles too."


    Link said while eating bread. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t be careless. Even a trivial song can be hyped up to a chart-topping single by them. This shows that Justin''s backing company is very strong in hyping songs and promoting artists, more professional than our team. It''s a formidable opponent. We should be more vigilant."


    Link nodded, feeling that Eva was making sense.


    In the past, singers became famous through talent, some taking ten years to make a sudden splash.


    In the internet era, many things changed; singers often gain fame more through marketing hype, comprehensive exposure, and fanbase building. From Kanye and Justin''s explosive popularity, it was clear that SB Agency''s Scooter was undoubtedly a marketing wizard.


    "I understand. Is there any more bad news?"


    "Do you want to hear it, there''s a lot more."


    Eva told him a few more pieces of bad news.


    For instance, Wiz Khalifa smoked marijuana in the recording studio, though he promised not to do it again, his assurance felt uncertain.


    Also, Mars lost two hundred thousand dollars gambling in a casino in his hometown, Hawaii, during New Year, and was detained at the casino. It was only because his assistant paid the money that he was bailed out. Last week, a tabloid broke this news, and Link''s PR department spent a sum of money to suppress it.


    After hearing this, Link touched his forehead. His singers were talented, but none of them adhered to rules.


    Wiz Khalifa had the street name ''God of Weed'', and Mars was known as ''Gambling God''.


    Lana was slightly better, with no issues for now, but it was only temporary. Previously in news interviews, she often spoke about wanting to die; even her album titles were ''Kill Kill'' and ''Born to Dead''.


    Each one of them was a troubled youth.


    Given Link Music''s current situation, internal and external troubles, surviving the competition in the industry and striving for growth were not easy tasks.


    Link asked Eva for any strategies, and Eva told him to focus on preparing for the Super Bowl, not to worry about other things for now. She called to remind him to be more cautious and wary of being sabotaged by competitors.


    Link expressed his understanding.


    "Boss, it''s time to go to the arts theater for rehearsal."


    Anna came in with her handbag and reminded.


    "Got it!"


    Link drank the milk in his cup, shouted upstairs, ''Honey, I''m heading off to rehearsal,'' put on his coat, and left the house.


    The Grammy Awards ceremony was on January 31, followed by the Super Bowl on February 7, only seven days apart, so Link had been busy finishing up the Grammys and then immediately continued with rehearsals for the Super Bowl halftime show.


    In the few days he rehearsed, the competition in the music scene intensified. On the album charts, Kesha, Battlefront Goddess Band, Monica Arnold, and others fought each other fiercely for the top spot on the weekly charts.


    The competition on the singles chart was even fiercer, Wiz''s ''Black and Yellow,'' Battlefront Goddess''s ''Need You Now,'' Arthur''s ''Hey Daddy,'' Kesha''s and Justin''s ''Baby.''


    These five songs were also number one on the rap, country music, blues, and pop charts respectively.


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    Battlefront Goddess Band''s ''Need You Now'' had been topping the charts for two consecutive weeks in mid-January and had the potential to continue.


    However, after the Grammys, ''Baby'' received a lot of endorsements from famous singers, and its exposure greatly increased.


    There were many YouTube influencers making videos imitating Justin''s dance moves, which brought a lot of popularity to the song. There were also radio broadcasts, television commercials, bar and mall airplays, all featuring this song.


    After the Grammys, the digital sales of ''Baby'' on online platforms skyrocketed, selling 124,000 copies in one week, defeating ''Need You Now'' on the singles chart to become a number one single, making Justin the youngest artist in Billboard history to achieve a chart-topping single.


    Justin''s fame in the European and American music scene greatly increased overnight, almost making him the most popular male artist in pop music.


    Many media outlets predicted that, given Justin''s current popularity, even if Link could beat him on the singles chart, it wouldn''t be easy.


    New York Post also mentioned that Justin, Arthur, and Drake opted to release their new albums around the time of Link''s third album. Whether Link''s third album could break through and achieve good results was still unknown.


    Regarding these news, Link didn''t care, focusing only on rehearsing new songs in the theater.

 Chapter 265 A Single Track

    After several days of rehearsals, Link led his performance team to Miami to participate in the halftime show of the Super Bowl, the United States'' National Football League championship game.


    On the day of the event, the Dolphin Stadium welcomed over one hundred thousand spectators. The stands all around were packed, with tens of thousands of people squeezed onto the stands to watch the performance¡ªit was a sea of humanity everywhere.


    During the halftime interlude of the game between the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints, the British rock band The Who took the stage first with a song, stirring up the atmosphere of the venue.


    Then Link went on stage with his band, starting with "Unstoppable," and ending with the show-stopping performance of "Legends Never Die," which was also the theme song of the 2017 League of Legends World Championship, sung by the American pop rock band Against The Current.


    Legends never die,


    Legends never fade,


    When the world is calling you,


    Can you hear them screaming out your name?


    Legends never die,


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    When he grabbed the microphone and loudly roared "Legends Never Die," the atmosphere of the venue instantly erupted, and the audience screamed at the top of their lungs.


    "Wow, this song is awesome!"


    "This is the kind of song that belongs at the Super Bowl."


    The more than one hundred million American viewers watching the Super Bowl on TV, snacking away, couldn''t help but let out bursts of admiration.


    Many viewers who had not known Lincoln before came to know him through this performance as a singer with a blasting voice, powerful, pleasant to listen to, and also very handsome.


    "Cool! That''s so cool, I like Lincoln!"


    In front of the TV, Miley Cyrus stood up excitedly, spilling popcorn all around.


    "Lincoln''s singing skills have become so strong, how can he be so amazing!"


    Sally clasped her face and exclaimed in amazement.


    "Hehe, just so-so, you guys don''t have to praise him that much."


    Selena blinked her big eyes, staring at Lincoln on the TV, the cute corners of her mouth almost reaching her ears.


    "Selena, is Lincoln really your cousin?"


    "Of course!"


    Selena nodded her chin affirmatively.


    "Do you have other cousins? Can you introduce us?"


    Miley and Kesha asked, laughing and putting their arms around her shoulders.


    "Yes! They''re in Mexico."


    "Forget it! Forget what we just said."


    Miley and Kesha waved their hands dismissively and returned to the couch, continuing to watch the performance while munching on snacks.


    They become a part of you,


    Turn stories into a melody,


    Every time you bleed for reaching greatness,


    Struggling against adversity writes greatness, blood stains are red, no one mentions the scars,


    Legends never die,


    On TV, Link sang the song, accompanied by more than fifty backup dancers, all raising their fists to the sky in unison¡ª the scene was extremely impressive.


    It led to a thunderous cry like a tidal wave from the audience.


    "Amazing! This is what I call a god-level live performance."


    In the bar, Eminem, wearing a hoodie, raised his beer bottle and shouted at the TV.


    Kanye, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and others were sitting nearby, staring at another TV. They had come to the bar for entertainment but hadn''t expected to run into Eminem.


    "Hey, you sure you want to compete with Link on the singles chart? Can you come up with a song better than this?"


    Eminem leaned against the couch and chuckled.


    "Of course! No need for your concern,"


    50 Cent said.


    "I bet this song will take the crown on this week''s singles chart. What song are you planning to use to compete with it? That ''baby, baby, oh~''?"


    Eminem teased.


    Kanye scowled darkly and kept silent.


    50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and Chris Brown looked at each other with a helpless expression. They had thought Justin''s and Usher''s song was quite good, but after hearing "Legends Never Die,"


    Even though they disliked Link, they couldn''t deny that the song was damn cool. Even after listening to it twice, they wanted to find a place where no one was around to shout out loud¡ª


    Legends never die!!!


    They become a part of you,


    You too are part of the legend,


    Every time you bleed for reaching greatness,


    Bleeding on the battlefield for the glory of victory,


    Legends never die.


    During the second rendition, the audience''s cheers became even more intense and fierce. Numerous football players also waved their fists and shouted along, paying tribute to former football players in this manner.


    Many spectators also stood up to roar along, and some even tore their T-shirts, lit them on fire, and waved them vigorously. Thankfully they were discovered by staff members in time to prevent a fire.


    "Link, you are amazing! You are our pride!!!"


    In the stands, hefty James, Michael, Daniel, and hundreds of other beach neighbors waved their flags and roared loudly, their cheeks flushed with excitement, a hundred times more enthusiastic than the average spectator.


    Meanwhile, online discussions about the song soared. The topic reached an all-time high of 130 million mentions.


    "This song is so cool, I got goosebumps listening to it."


    "Legends Never Die! This is undoubtedly the best tribute to football players."


    "Link''s songs are always so spirited, tenacious, and powerful. When you listen to his songs, you can''t help but clench your fists subconsciously."


    "Link put so much effort into this, writing such a song especially for the Super Bowl¡ªany performer from previous years is outclassed."


    "It''s too hard on the vocal cords, I don''t like it!"


    On Super Bowl day, on social platforms like Twitter, MySpace, and Facebook, there were discussions everywhere about Link''s song, with an approval rate of over 92%, and almost no negative reviews.


    As Link''s performance ended, Link Music''s official account posted a tweet, and the studio version of "Legends Never Die" was officially released on digital platforms like Amazon, iTunes, and Apple Music.


    On the first day of release, it was downloaded 218,000 times in the United States, easily surpassing "baby"''s sales for the entire previous week.


    "Boss, the Super Bowl halftime show ratings are out, with a peak viewership of 158 million people, breaking the record from 2003, and "Baby" has been surpassed. We''ll have a hard time keeping the top spot on the singles chart this week."


    An assistant at the SB Project management agency approached President Scooter Braun''s desk to report.


    Scooter, dressed in a suit and with his long hair slicked back, held a cigar between his fingers. Although he was discrete and cautious in front of Kunas, in this company, he was the ruler.


    "Noted. Notify the heads of marketing, distribution, and public relations departments to meet in the conference room in five minutes."


    "Yes, boss!"


    The assistant hurried off.


    Scooter pressed his cigar into the ashtray with force, fuming inside. To promote "baby," the SB Project had invested over six million dollars in marketing and publicity, and he had also used many personal connections to help with the promotion.


    After doing so much, they still couldn''t compete with Link''s single song.


    Given the situation, he had no choice but to re-strategize and find a way to win this battle.


    If they won, Justin would top the charts; if they failed, they''d find someone else.


    Five minutes later, Scooter entered the conference room and started assigning tasks to the heads of various departments under him.


    The marketing department continued to promote Justin Bieber, giving him more screen time, increasing his exposure, and calling on Justin''s fans to support him by buying his single.


    The distribution department invested more funds and worked with data service companies to continue manipulating the numbers.


    Many professional singers cared about their integrity and refused to engage in such practices, but Scooter didn''t mind. He was a businessman, purely a businessman, concerned only with making money and indifferent to everything else.


    The public relations department contacted the media to question the authenticity of the sales of "Legends Never Die," taking the opportunity to stir up suspicions that Link Music manipulated the numbers, implying that not only this song but also Link''s two previous albums might have faked their sales figures.


    Even if there had been no manipulation, the waters still had to be muddied.


    With all departments of SB Project in action, sales of "baby" on various platforms also skyrocketed, selling over 82,000 copies the next day.


    At the same time, many media outlets voiced doubts about the sales figures for "Legends Never Die," claiming that its daily sales exceeded normal levels, even surpassing last year''s "see you again" and "poke face," which was clearly unreasonable.


    In response to the questioning voices, Link Music''s public relations department replied, affirming that there was absolutely no data manipulation.


    The high sales of "Legends Never Die" were due to the high quality of the song and the enthusiastic support of Link''s fans, and they invited media personnel and analysts from Wall Street''s McKinsey & Company to engage in the investigation and monitoring.


    For any media or individual daring to slander Link, Link Music''s legal department would not hesitate to send a stack of lawyer''s letters.


    The first week sales figures for "Legends Never Die" were 1.035 million copies, making it one of the highest first-week digital download singles of the decade and securing the top spot on the singles chart for the week.


    In second place was Justin''s "baby," with 424,000 copies sold.


    The media, in their coverage, described Link''s continued strong popularity in the music industry, with a single that had a weekly sale of over a million copies, making a powerful debut in 2010.


    The reviews for "baby" were honorable in defeat, claiming that without the Super Bowl''s boost, "Legends Never Die" might not have defeated "baby" for the number-one position.


    Justin''s fans also went under Link''s Twitter to spray claims that "Legends Never Die" had won dishonorably.


    Link and his fans, however, did not deign to engage in a war of words with them.


    "They''re pretty smart not to manipulate ''baby'' over a million sales," Link said with a laugh as he flipped through Billboard magazine at his villa by the bay.


    "Maybe the cost was too high. ''Legends Never Die'' sold over a million copies, and to achieve those numbers through manipulation would require tens of millions of dollars, which isn''t cost-effective," Mrs. Andrea said while cutting fruit.


    "It''s too obvious as well."


    Taylor, leaning on his lap and flipping through a magazine, said, "After the Super Bowl promotion, ''Legends Never Die'' sold over a million copies. ''Baby'' had no such promotion and suddenly sold a million copies. Even a fool could tell they were rigging the sales."


    Link played with her hair and said, "But in terms of addictiveness, ''Baby'' is much higher than ''Legends Never Die,'' and it spreads more easily. Darling, your songwriting is top-notch. Could you write a song even more addictive than ''Baby''?" Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I can''t. I write songs for my fans to listen to, not to force everyone to listen or just to make money. Doing that would make me lose my motivation to create."


    "Such a noble sentiment. I can''t compare to you."


    "Of course not!"


    Taylor looked at him smugly, then reaching for the apple Mrs. Andrea had just peeled, but Mrs. Andrea slapped her hand away and handed it to Link instead.


    Taylor was stunned for a moment, biting her lower lip, her blue eyes shooting cold glares at Link.


    "Why are you fighting with me for an apple when you don''t even like them?"


    "I might not like them, but that doesn''t mean I can do without them."


    Shrugging his shoulders, Link fed the apple to her mouth. Taylor bit off a large chunk with a crunch, eating it while gloatingly staring at Mrs. Andrea.


    "Link, I''ve finished running, did three laps."


    Austin, wearing a jersey and shorts, all sweaty, burst into the living room. He seemed to have run too fast and leaned against the wall, gasping for air.


    "Only took me twenty minutes, pretty awesome! Next up is strength training, do five sets of push-ups, twenty in each set, no more, no less," Link directed, pointing to the carpet in the middle of the living room.


    "Got it! I''m really good at push-ups, I can finish a hundred in no time."


    Austin took a few breaths and then started to do push-ups on the ground, huffing and puffing. The teenage boy, around fifteen or sixteen, was in good physical shape.


    Smack!


    Taylor slapped Link''s thigh and stared at him with twinkling blue eyes, "Are you sure you''re teaching him boxing?"


    "Of course! These are the basics; practicing the fundamentals of boxing is most important," Link said, grasping Taylor''s fair fingers with a smile.


    "Link is a professional in this area, so stop butting in," Mrs. Andrea remarked.


    Taylor rolled her eyes, "I''m just worried Link''s playing tricks on your son, and here you are speaking in his defense."


    "Link isn''t that kind of person."


    Mrs. Andrea shook her head.


    "See! Anne understands me," Link said with a light smile, propped up Taylor''s head with two pillows, then stood up and went over to Austin in the middle of the living room to show him how to do push-ups correctly.


    In fact, he didn''t plan to teach Austin too much, just a few wrestling and grappling techniques; enough for self-defense.


    As for boxing, Mrs. Andrea probably wouldn''t bear seeing Austin get hit in the boxing ring, so there wasn''t much point in teaching him that.

 Chapter 266 Chatting with Little Leo

    Beverly Hills is located in the northern part of Los Angeles city, at the foot of Beverly Hills, similar to a district. In the early twentieth century, because it was close to several major Hollywood studios, and convenient for commuting, many movie stars settled down here, such as Elizabeth Taylor, Catherine Hepburn, and others.


    As more celebrities made it their home, Beverly Hills became known globally as an affluent neighborhood and "the world''s most prestigious residential area". Here you can find the world''s most upscale shopping street, almost all luxury brand stores, and various styles of villas and mansions.


    Having a property here is considered a symbol of wealth and fame.


    "This place is indeed nice, with luxury houses, fancy cars, and hot girls everywhere, but comparatively speaking, I prefer Santa Monica. It has mountains, beaches, a pier, a long coastal highway, and even the largest ocean park. Living there is a bit more comfortable."


    Atop Mezzaluna Cafe''s rooftop, Link leaned against the fabric sofa and looked across the busy Wilshire Boulevard as he spoke.


    "NoNoNo!"


    Across on the sofa, Leonardo shook the cigar in his hand and said, "Beverly is better. Just imagine, when you go clubbing and you tell a girl you live in Santa Monica, she might hesitate, but if you tell a girl you live in Beverly, she''ll let out a ''wow'' and won''t hesitate to go home with you for the night, right?"


    Link and Tobey Maguire laughed heartily.


    "Leonardo, do you also need to use that trick to pick up girls?"


    "Of course not, but it''s the truth I''m speaking, isn''t it?"


    Leonardo lit his cigar, reclined on the sofa with his legs crossed, and laughed.


    "Indeed!"


    Link leaned against the sofa, looked up at the clear blue sky, and said, "For single men of age, living in Beverly Hills is indeed nice, but for those of us with partners like Tobey and me, that additional function is optional."


    "I agree with Link''s words. In recent years, some foreign tycoons have moved into Beverly Hills, and the environment has deteriorated compared to before. Living in Santa Monica is quieter."


    Tobey Maguire, who shot to fame with the "Spider-Man" series, said with a laugh while holding a cup of coffee.


    Leonardo glanced at him, "Hey, buddy, don''t forget you''re my man, you should be on my side."


    Tobey Maguire raised his coffee cup to signal Link with a smile, "Sorry Leonardo, I''m a fan of Link''s, no, actually a fan of his music. I love many of his songs, especially the recent one, ''Legends never die, when the world is calling you...''."


    "Stop! Don''t sing, I''ve heard it too many times lately, I''m starting to dislike that song."


    Leonardo gestured with his hand and said.


    Link smiled nonchalantly and glanced at his wristwatch before asking, "Leonardo, why are you so leisurely, is ''Inception'' finished?"


    "Not yet! Just returned from Morocco, will be going to Japan to shoot in a while."


    As he spoke, Leonardo took a puff from his cigar and looked at him, "This movie is incredibly cool, and Director Nolan is quite impressive. Link, you turning down my invitation originally is definitely a huge regret."


    "Maybe it is!"


    Link shrugged his shoulders; last year Leonardo invited him to play the fourth male character ''Eames,'' the imposter, a macho character with exceptional skills.


    Initially, he thought taking on the role would be nice, helping to boost his popularity with a movie. But when he learned that the role required over two months of shooting, following the crew to Morocco, Britain, France, Japan, Canada, and other places for on-location filming, without the possibility of taking leave, he discussed it with Mandy and Anna and realized that his schedule for the next 10 years was too packed to accommodate two months for a movie, so he politely refused the role.


    "Link, when will your new album be released? I''m really looking forward to it," Tobey Maguire said with a smile.


    "March 22, remember to buy a few extra tickets to support the show,"


    Link joked.


    "Don''t even think about it. I saw in the newspaper about you, Justin, and 50 Cent battling it out for the charts. It''s a competition to keep things fair, so at most we''ll only buy one ticket,"


    Leonardo said, holding up his index finger.


    "Even one is good,"


    As he was speaking, Link''s cell phone beeped twice. He took the call, bent down to look across the street, and saw Taylor waving goodbye to Blake Lively, Jamie King, and a few others. Link then also said his farewells to Leonardo and Tobey Maguire.


    On Wilshire Boulevard, Taylor stood on the corner waiting for him, carrying a paper bag with the ''Victoria''s Secret'' logo on it. She was wearing a loose-fitting tee, high-waisted jeans that accentuated her slender waist and long legs, golden hair tied back in a ponytail¡ªa simple, refreshing look not much different from the other young girls passing by on the street.


    Link walked over and wrapped his arm around her waist, looking at the paper bag, "You shopped for over two hours and only bought one piece of lingerie?"


    "Is there a problem with that? We came to shop, not necessarily to buy,"


    Taylor entwined her arm with his as they walked towards the parking area.


    "Got it. Shopping for you girls is like playing soccer for guys, it doesn''t really matter whether you score or not, it''s all about the game,"


    "What were you talking with Leonardo about just now?"


    "He suggested I buy a villa in Beverly Hills, but I turned it down."


    "Did he teach you how to pick up girls?"


    Taylor tilted her head and asked him.


    "Of course not. Why would you think that? And what makes you think Leonardo is good at picking up girls?"


    Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire


    "With all the girlfriends he''s had, doesn''t that make him good?"


    "That''s not it at all. A true master of picking up girls only goes after the coolest girl in the world. Those models that Leonardo got, anyone with money and fame could get them¡ªit doesn''t show any skill."


    "Really? And who is the coolest girl in the world?"


    Taylor blinked her blue eyes.


    "Of course, it''s you!"


    "So you''re a master at picking up girls?"


    "..... Dear, let''s change the subject."


    After shopping in Beverly Hills, Link and Taylor changed into more formal attire and drove to the Nokia Center cinema to attend the premiere of ''Valentine''s Day''.


    This movie was completed around October of last year and went through several months of post-production. It was scheduled to premiere four days before Valentine''s Day, on February 12, in North America.


    Because the cast of this film was quite strong, with actresses like Julia Roberts, Emma Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, and actors including Link, ''The Hangover'' lead Bradley Cooper, ''The Butterfly Effect'' lead Ashton Kutcher, and African-American star Jamie Foxx, almost all of them A-list actors.


    Therefore, the film''s distributors, New Line Cinema and Warner Brothers, organized a grand premiere event at the Nokia Center before the release of the movie. They not only invited all the actors involved in the film but also invited other movie stars to help boost the premiere.


    As lead actors, Link and Taylor could only squeeze a little time out of their busy schedules to attend the event. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 267 Valentines Day Premiere

    The premiere was pretty much like the previous ones, only on a larger scale with more reporters and fans present. When Link and Taylor walked the red carpet hand-in-hand, the crowd of singing fans also became raucous, with many shouting ''Link, Link''.


    Before the Super Bowl, Link was top-tier in the boxing and music industry but second-tier in the film industry. Despite being famous, there were still many in America who didn''t recognize him, such as older adults who weren''t good at embracing new things.


    After the Super Bowl, Link successfully broke out and reached a popularity rate of 91% within the United States, according to a survey conducted by the Hollywood Reporter.


    Out of 5,000 moviegoers from different backgrounds, 91.8% said they knew him as a singer, and 74.8% could instantly recognize his name and profession from his photo.


    This was only slightly lower than the percentages for Tom Hanks, Tom Cruise, Schwarzenegger, Tyson, Ali, and the President of the United States.


    Among the new generation of celebrities, Link was truly top of the line.


    Link and Taylor answered a few questions from reporters on the red carpet, signed a few posters for enthusiastic fans, and then walked into the Nokia Theatre hand-in-hand.


    "Hi, Link, Taylor! Long time no see."


    By the time they arrived, Emma Roberts, Jessica Alba, and Jennifer Garner, among others, were already there¡ªit felt like a huge party with hundreds of well-known actors and filmmakers.


    "Haha, long time no see!"


    Link and Taylor stepped forward to greet their acquaintances.


    "Link, your performance was terrific at the Super Bowl, that ''Legends never die'' was awesome,"


    laughed Jennifer Garner.


    Jennifer was a famous actress, known for her roles in "Juno", "Daredevil", and "13 Going on 30".


    She was also the wife of Ben Affleck and the sister-in-law of Casey Affleck; Link had crossed paths with her a couple of times while filming.


    Hearing the compliment, Link expressed his thanks and then chatted for a bit with Ben Affleck, who was standing next to her.


    Ben Affleck was not only a famous actor but had also started directing in the past few years, later winning the Best Director award at the Golden Globes for "Argo"¡ªa very talented guy indeed.


    There might be an opportunity to work together on a film in the future.


    "Link, have you still been practicing boxing at Muscle Beach?"


    Seeing Taylor chatting with Jessica Alba, Emma Roberts came up to ask.


    "Yes, just that I''ve been quite busy with work lately, only managing about two hours a day there."


    "Will you be there tomorrow? I''d like to train too."


    Emma Roberts said, waving her little fist.


    "Tomorrow, probably between 10 AM and 1 PM. Have you finished your movie?"


    "No, done with two, still have two more contracts to shoot after May, it''s quite exhausting,"


    said Emma Roberts, leaning on her slim waist.


    Link smiled lightly; this must be what they call a ''happy problem''.


    The other Emma hadn''t signed with the Palm Bay agency before and couldn''t land a single movie throughout the year, getting excited whenever she got a role with more lines.


    Emma Roberts, however, born into a show business family and leveraging her aunt''s and parents'' connections, had no shortage of opportunities in the industry, often feeling overwhelmed by too many acting offers.


    This is what they meant by same name, different fates.


    After chatting for a while, the premiere began, and everyone sat down to watch the movie "Valentine''s Day".


    The film started in a flower shop; on Valentine''s Day, played by Ashton Kutcher, the shop owner proposed to his girlfriend, played by Jessica Alba, who initially accepted but then reconsidered and broke up with him.


    Ashton shared his woes with his good friend Jennifer Garner, who then discovered her date was a married man and created a scene at the restaurant.


    In between, customers of the flower shop were shown, like a boy around seven or eight who ordered flowers to confess his love to his teacher Jennifer. His babysitter Emma Roberts and her boyfriend planned to sleep together on Valentine''s Day, and a story about the boy''s grandparents'' love.


    The boy''s mother, Julia Roberts, meets Bradley Cooper on a plane. Cooper and his boyfriend, a football star, and their love story, as well as the babysitter''s friend Taylor Swift and her boyfriend''s tale of Valentine''s Day.


    The whole movie unfolded in a network-like structure in front of the audience, with plots not very coherent but a constant stream of celebrities appearing like Christmas treats, helping the audience quickly overlook the flaws in the narrative and immerse themselves in the romantic stories woven by the director.


    "Why do I feel like my character is a bit annoying?"


    Taylor leaned in to say.


    Link, with his arm around her shoulder, smiled and said, "Didn''t you notice when you were reading the script? The character is supposed to be capricious, proud, and an exaggerated high school girl. If you feel a bit annoyed by your character, it means you''ve played it quite well."


    "Really? I thought it would be quite cute,"


    said Taylor, blinking her eyes.


    "Well, being a bit capricious as a young and beautiful girl can be somewhat charming, so you don''t have to worry about this character bringing any negative effects on you."


    "Your character seems a bit slow? Like a fool."


    Taylor teased while watching the movie.


    "Playing true to myself!"


    Link said with an indifferent smile.


    Today was a fairytale, you were the prince


    I used to be a damsel in distress


    You took me by the hand, and you picked me up at six


    At the end of the movie, the sound system played Taylor''s song created for this film, "Today was a fairytale."


    This movie also included Link''s song "Girls Like You," but it was just an insert song.


    Clap! Clap! Clap!


    The lights in the cinema came on, the audience stood up, and a round of enthusiastic applause filled the venue.


    ¡ª


    On the same day "Valentine''s Day" was released, the cover for Link''s third album was also revealed online. The album was named "The Woman I Love," set to release on March 22.


    In the photo, Link was shirtless, embracing a blonde woman with her back bare.


    His facial contour was ruggedly handsome, with clear-cut features, and his blue eyes were clearer and bluer than the sky. He displayed his arms with beautifully defined muscles.


    The woman in his arms also had a very sexy back, with beautiful contour curves that resembled a piece of art, leaving much to the imagination and speculation.


    Once the cover was released, it sparked heated discussions online. Many people were discussing whether they were wearing clothes during the photo shoot, and who the woman in Link''s arms could be. Some guessed it was Taylor, others believed it was not.


    Others also discussed the release dates. Link''s album was to be released on March 22, Justin''s second album on March 1, Usher''s new album on March 26, and Drake''s first studio album on April 20.


    From this situation, it seemed that East Coast rappers were not only using Justin''s album to compete with Link''s but were also adopting a numbers game to overwhelm Link''s album from multiple fronts.


    Breaking out of this encirclement would be incredibly challenging for Link.


    However, this accusation was countered by Usher and Redick.


    Usher stated that his album had been completed last April, and was originally planned for release in August. However, before the release, he was dissatisfied with several songs, leading to the delay.


    After half a year of meticulous refinement and improvement, the album''s tracklist increased from 18 to 23 songs, enhancing both the quantity and the quality of the album.


    Usher claimed it was a work of great sincerity, no less remarkable than his fourth album, which also reached first-week sales of 1.1 million.


    Redick also noted that his new album''s release timing had nothing to do with Link''s, as his was a rap album and Link''s was pop, so there was no competition between the two.


    Despite these explanations, the fans still believed in their own judgment¡ªthat all three albums were targeted at Link''s new album, or they wouldn''t have opted for releases around Link''s launch window.


    This speculation also made the competition between Link and Justin for the charts more intense.


    Alongside the reveal of Link''s third album cover, the first promotional single "All Of Me" was also released on online digital music platforms and in record stores, as well as on MTV music channels and YouTube''s paid subscription channels.


    Within three hours of release, "All Of Me" was downloaded 38,000 times on the Amazon Digital Music Store and the iTunes Music Store, topping Amazon''s Daily Song Download Chart and iTunes'' Daily Singles Chart.


    Overall, it was the sixth most downloaded song of the week. The top five were the still-hot "Legends never die," the strongly competitive "Baby," Usher''s "Hey Daddy," Wiz Khalifa''s "Black And Yellow," and Kesha''s "Your Love Is My Drug. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the first 24 hours, the download count for "All Of Me" reached 125,000, surpassing "Hey Daddy" and rising to third place on the weekly singles download chart.


    Across various online platforms and radio broadcasts, the song was played over 10 million times and was reviewed by the New York Times as the best love song of this year''s Valentine''s Day.


    On the day before Valentine''s Day, February 14, Link and Taylor went to Hawaii for a vacation and spent three days on Oahu Island.


    On Valentine''s Day itself, the daily sales of "All Of Me" surged past 150,000 copies, becoming one of the hottest songs of the year''s Valentine''s Day.


    In the first week of release, "All Of Me" achieved a combined online and offline sales of 457,000 copies, ranking third on Billboard''s singles chart.


    First place was "Legends never die," with second-week sales of 715,000 copies, maintaining its popularity.


    "Today was a fairytale," the theme song Taylor performed for "Valentine''s Day," debuted on the singles chart at second place with sales of 482,000 copies.


    Justin''s "Baby" with 312,000 sales was still highly popular online, positioned fourth. Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Kesha''s "Your Love Is My Drug" with 266,000 copies was fifth, "Hey Daddy" with 121,000 sales was sixth, and Wiz Khalifa''s "Black And Yellow" with 98,000 copies seventh.


    The Los Angeles Times reported that this year''s Valentine''s Day singles chart was dominated by love songs from Link and Taylor. Justin needed to bring more sincere work to compete with Link on the singles chart.

 Chapter 268 Links Dark Material

    "Boss, these two singles from Link are too strong¡ªthey''re all championship-level hits. Combined with his huge fan base, it''s going to be extremely difficult for us to beat him on the singles charts,"


    said Alex, the assistant at SB project talent agency, standing in front of the desk.


    Scooter, smoking a cigarette, squinted through the thin smoke as he browsed the data on his tablet, feeling somewhat helpless.


    Link was indeed strong, churning out hits one after another, more prolific than farts.


    If only I had known he was this powerful, I should have tried to sign him from the beginning.


    With such a talented and capable person, paired with SB''s powerful marketing tools, Link could definitely become a cash cow for the company.


    Unfortunately, Link was too ambitious; a newcomer without any connections dared to start a record company with another newcomer, Ivanka, and miraculously, they made it work.


    The rise of Link Music became the most incredible news in the music industry last year.


    Scooter shook his head and looked at his assistant Alex, saying,


    "For now, stick to the plan. Continue with the release of Justin''s second single next week and intensify the promotional efforts, especially online. Justin is an internet sensation, and his fans are mostly online. Boosting promotion on major web platforms will yield better results."


    "Yes!"


    Alex nodded.


    "One more thing, continue to gather dirt on Link, especially rumors about him and women, the more, the merrier, and regardless of their veracity."


    "Understood, boss!"


    Alex nodded, and seeing that Scooter had no further instructions, he offered his farewell.


    After the assistant left, Scooter stroked his chin stubble and pondered while staring at Link''s photo on the screen.


    Since the beginning of the year, he had allocated one million US dollars to gather negative news about Link, ready to strike him down when necessary.


    Unfortunately, Link did not behave like most in the entertainment industry; he didn''t smoke, drink excessively, do drugs, or engage with prostitutes, nor did he have any tattoos. He worked diligently, was involved in charity, and was as pure as a white lotus.


    The only dirt on him had already been exposed, and recycling it to attack him would be ineffective, so to defeat him, fresh scandals were urgently needed.


    Suddenly, Scooter noticed a piece of news on the internet. The Global Post reported that a politician named Michelle Gordon from Ottawa, spotted partying in a nightclub only three days after her husband''s death, dressed provocatively, then called the police.


    The police issued a statement claiming the photo had been digitally altered and was not of the politician herself.


    Despite the police''s clarification, many netizens remained skeptical, arguing that the politician had a history of such behavior and the photo might be real.


    Scooter tapped his chin thoughtfully as he read this news.


    Ding-ding-ding!


    Glancing at his phone, Scooter saw it was a call from Kunas. He sat up straight and smiled, "Good afternoon, Ryan, are you calling for a drink?"


    "Scooter, it''s not time for drinks yet. Have you thought of any way to deal with Link?"


    Kunas asked.


    Scooter immediately restrained his smile and said, "I''m working on it. His new songs are of high quality and he has a relatively large fan base. Defeating him in sales won''t be easy, so I plan to attack him by hyping up his scandals. I''m currently gathering information in that area, and I''ll report to you as soon as there is progress."


    "Great, our thoughts are perfectly aligned. I have some dirt on Link, which I''ve sent to your email. That dirt cost me one million pounds to obtain, and I hope you can make good use of it. Don''t disappoint me."


    "One million pounds? Dirt on Link?"


    Scooter perked up, straightened his back, and after saying okay three times, reassured Kunas and then hung up the call.


    He opened his email and saw a video taken in secret. His eyes immediately lit up, shining brightly.


    ¡ª¡ª


    In the third week of February, Justin released the second promotional track from his new album, "Somebody To Love." The song achieved an impressive first-day download count of 105,000, coming on strong.


    That same week, Lady Gaga released the second single "Telephone" from her album "The Fame Monster."


    The song, a duet with the queen Beyonce, amassed 75,000 downloads on its first day and topped Billboard''s dance music chart, becoming Lady Gaga''s sixth single to reach the top of Billboard''s dance chart.


    Following Lady Gaga''s single release, the competition for the February singles chart became even fiercer.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    At the Muscle Beach Boxing Gym, Link, dressed in a T-shirt, swung his fists vigorously. After more than two hours of training, he was dripping with sweat.


    While he was training, De La Hoya came to the boxing ring to ask when he was free to fight.


    Originally, he was supposed to fight in two matches during the first half of the year, the first in January against Roy Jones and the second against Hoyle in May.


    However, an accident occurred on Roy Jones'' end, claiming an injury during training, which postponed the match to April, consequently delaying his match with Hoyle as well.


    Besides his matches with Roy Jones and Hoyle, there were four more boxing championship challenges this year.


    The continental champions from WBA, WBC, WBO, and IBF organizations had challenged him, requiring his participation in title defenses.


    He had relinquished titles from the two smaller organizations, IBO and WBF, so there was no need for those challenges.


    "After fighting Roy Jones, there are four more challenges, and our match probably will have to wait until the end of the year," Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    said Link, wiping sweat with a towel.


    "Year end?"


    Hoyle was displeased, punching the heavy bag, "I''m 37 this year, 38 by the end of the year. Is this your tactic? You know you can''t beat me now, so you plan to wait till I get old to fight me, just like you did with Tyson?"


    "You''re really funny, there were issues on Roy Jones''s side, blame him if you must, it''s not related to me. If you''re up for it, we can have a match right now."


    "No fight, it''s inconvenient with a suit on."


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    De La Hoya waved his hand.


    "Hey, boss, want me to help you with your clothes?"


    Morales came over with his training bag and reached out to strip off Hoyle''s suit.


    "Fuck! Morales, stay away from me!"


    De La Hoya threw a punch just half a centimeter in front of Morales''s nose, startling him into stepping back quickly, raising his fists defensively.


    Hoyle snorted lightly, gave Link a smug look, and walked away whistling crudely.


    "This guy is 37 and still so fast."


    Morales touched his nose and said with lingering fear.


    Link smiled lightly, 37 or 38 was prime age for a man, the peak of physical strength, based on the speed of De La Hoya''s punch just now, he was certainly not to be underestimated.


    After Morales arrived, Link began sparring with him.


    Emma Roberts came by for more than half an hour then her agent called her away.


    After the training session ended in the afternoon, on his drive home, Lady Gaga called asking when he would be free to record a song together.


    Link remembered he had agreed last year to collaborate with Lady Gaga on a track, he had already received a pop song demo called "The Greatest Thing," which was quite good both lyrically and musically.


    He thought it over and scheduled it for the weekend.


    Lady Gaga also mentioned on the phone something about "Legends never die" being fantastic. She wanted to cover the song and asked if he had assigned the cover rights to any female singer.


    Link said no but was a bit nervous hearing that Lady Gaga wanted to do a cover.


    Lady Gaga wasn''t very tall, but her vocal range was high and her singing powerful. Her rendition would undoubtedly be stronger than Crissy Custance of the ''Against The Current'' band, who was just an amateur singer who had gained fame through YouTube.


    "Link, what''s up, you worried I''ll mess it up?"


    Lady Gaga asked on the phone.


    "Of course not, I''m just worried about being outperformed by you; you''re too strong."


    "Haha, are you joking with me? Even if I can hit the high notes of this song, I can''t bring out that fierce and grand flavor you have. I bet, no one can surpass your live version."


    Lady Gaga remarked admiringly.


    Link smiled as well, on February 7th, Link Music released the studio version of "Legends never die," and on February 9th, the live version was released.


    After comparison, 82% of fans believed the live version was of higher quality; this led to a surge in downloads for the live version.


    After listening, Link also felt the live version was better, often accompanied by the shouts of the audience and the chorus of players.


    Although the background noise was a bit loud, it seemed more authentic, more vibrant, and more powerful.


    Billboard commented that the live version was like a song recorded on the battlefield, majestic and grand, a song that could make its way into the history of the Football League.


    Since Lady Gaga was willing to cover it, Link wasn''t going to refuse. If she could perform the song even better, that would be beneficial for him too.


    Having set a time to record the song, Link hung up and drove to Universal Studios to participate in the shooting of The Expendables there.


    He played the role of Roy, assistant to Stallone, the fourth male lead, who had served in the US Special Forces, possessed a strong physique and excellent combat skills, and was also proficient with firearms.


    His flaw was being a playboy; while following Stallone into a South American country for operations, he almost betrayed their position due to falling for the enemy''s beauty trap.


    He didn''t have many scenes, mainly following Stallone around fighting. He totalled two weeks of filming, including a trip to the rainforests of Venezuela in between.


    "All of me" sold 187,000 copies in its second week of release and ranked fifth on the singles chart.


    The first was "Legends never die," with cumulative sales of 487,000 in its third week.


    The cumulative US sales reached 2.35 million, with global sales totaling 3.85 million, and it topped the singles chart in 16 countries including France, Belgium, Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Australia, and made the top ten in 47 countries.


    The second was Justin''s "Baby," with 425,000 copies, with a total global sales of 2.75 million.


    The third was Justin''s new single "Somebody to Love," with first-week downloads of 382,000.


    The fourth was the Lady Gaga and Beyonce collaborative single "Telephone," 224,000 copies.


    Taylor''s "Today was a fairytale" fell to sixth.


    Also this week, the war goddess''s second album "Need you now" had been out for seven weeks and officially topped 1.5 million US sales, becoming the first album in the US music scene of 2010 to do so, with expected sales exceeding three million.


    Kesha''s debut album "Animal" released six weeks ago, sold 800,000 copies in the US, with projected sales above a million, making Kesha undoubtedly the new star of the year in the music scene.


    In this context, albums by Link and others like Justin, Wiz Khalifa needed more promotional effort to achieve good sales results.

 Chapter 269 Behind the Scenes at the Oscars

    At the end of February, Wiz Khalifa''s second rap album "Deal Or No Deal" was released.


    The album contains five rap songs co-created by Link and Wiz Khalifa, including "Black and Yellow," "We Own It," "Hello Hello," as well as 11 songs from Wiz Khalifa''s past repertoire, including "Chewy," "Friendly," and others.


    In its debut week, it sold 213,000 copies and shot to second place on the album sales chart, just 12,000 copies short of the goddess of war''s album and a strong contender for the top spot the following week.


    The album''s song "Black and Yellow" surged to third on the singles chart, while "We Own It," "Hello Hello," and "Friendly" broke into the top one hundred.


    Wiz Khalifa became the fourth artist under Link''s music label to release an album, clinching the runner-up spot in the first week''s sales, once again making Link Music''s reputation as a ''Midas touch'' in the music industry shine.


    Unfortunately, in the second week of "Deal Or No Deal"''s release.


    Justin Bieber''s second studio album "My World 2.0" was released in the United States, with first-week sales of 283,000 copies, making it the Billboard album chart''s number one that week, and making Bieber the youngest male artist to achieve this feat in the United States.


    Wiz Khalifa''s "Deal Or No Deal" came in third with 168,000 copies.


    The goddess of war''s album "Need You Now" was in second place with 183,000 copies sold.


    Kesha''s "Animal" was fourth with 124,000 copies.


    That same week, Link managed to attend the 82nd Oscars held at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood.


    The film he starred in, "The Fighter," received eight nominations at the Oscars, just one less than "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker," making it a strong contender at the ceremony.


    Link also received a Best Original Song nomination for the film''s song "The Fighter."


    In addition, he would be presenting the ''Best Original Score Award'' alongside Jennifer Lopez.


    Coming from the red carpet to the backstage of the Kodak Theatre, Link encountered many big stars there.


    Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Cameron Diaz, Robert Downey Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Carey Mulligan, Jack Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Charlize Theron, Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Oprah Winfrey, and many more of the hottest movie stars.


    There were also a few acquaintances, Ryan Reynolds whom he had met once, Latin diva Jennifer Lopez, Bradley Cooper from "Valentine''s Day," and two people he was more familiar with, Miley Cyrus and Christine Stewart.


    "Wow, Mr. Link Baker, what are you doing here?"


    As soon as Link entered the hall, a tall middle-aged man suddenly cut across the aisle, reached out to shake his hand enthusiastically, and said, "I''m a huge fan of your boxing, it''s so cool, can we take a photo together?"


    Link looked at this unexpected fellow.


    In his forties, with a large chin and sinister looks, wearing loose-fitting suits, he stood out somewhat against the properly dressed stars around him.


    This man was the famous ''eccentric director'' of Hollywood, a master of film festival violence aesthetics, who had directed classic movies such as "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction," "Kill Bill," and "Sin City." This year he was nominated for Best Director for "Inglourious Basterds."


    Director Quentin Tarantino.


    "Hello Director Quentin, I''m a fan of your films as well," Link said as he shook the man''s hand.


    This wasn''t just a courtesy; he particularly liked Tarantino''s "Kill Bill" and "Pulp Fiction" and had even imitated the dance scenes from the films at dance halls.


    "Haha, that''s great, the admiration is mutual," Quentin Tarantino replied, waving his assistant over and taking a couple of photos with Link.


    "Link, how come you are here?" asked Director Quentin.


    Before Link could reply, Kate Winslet passed by, stopped when she saw them, and laughed, "Hi, Director Quentin, the film ''The Fighter'' that Link starred in got eight nominations, and he got one too. Didn''t you know?"


    "Really? Link, you''re an actor too? And you''ve been nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor? Wow, that''s incredible, but wait, I don''t remember seeing your name among the Best Actor nominees."


    Clearly, Director Quentin hadn''t seen "The Fighter."


    Link didn''t mind and told him that he was nominated for Best Original Song, not Best Actor.


    "Oh, I remember now; you''re also a singer. I''ve heard that song ''Legends Never Die,'' and ''See You Again'' was performed by you too, right? Wow, you, a world boxing champion, crossed over to singing and became so famous. How do you manage to be so amazing?" Quentin said with exaggerated gestures and tone.


    "Link''s acting isn''t bad either; you should check out his performance in ''The Fighter,'' it''s stronger than many new actors," Kate Winslet said with a smile.


    Link gave a gentle smile and thanked Ms. Winslet.


    She was 36 that year, looked a bit older than in "Titanic," but still looked good, with a full-bodied figure, wearing a platinum-colored strapless gown matching her hair color, and under the bright lights of the hall, she sparkled.


    She had won the Oscar for Best Actress last year for "The Reader" and was the presenter of the Best Actor award this year. Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Okay, I''ll definitely check out ''Fighter'' when I have time, Link, you''re my idol, I hope you keep fighting in the ring and win more Golden Belts in the future."


    Director Quentin still seemed more interested in boxing as, after saying a few words, he returned to the topic of boxing.


    "Sure thing!"


    Link bumped fists with him.


    Director Quentin then called his assistant over to take a photo of the three of them together.


    After Quentin left, Link had a chat with Ms. Winslet.


    The two had never met before, but last year he had mentioned her at London Airport, calling her his childhood crush.


    Ms. Winslet teased him a bit and left a contact method, suggesting they could work on a film together in the future.


    Link also shared his contact information and invited her to his concert in London.


    After Ms. Winslet left, Link looked around the hall full of movie stars. Before the awards ceremony started, everyone, dressed in formal attire, was drinking and chatting in the hall like at a celebrity party.


    Link adjusted his black bow tie and stepped into the party, greeting the actors he recognized, introducing himself enthusiastically.


    In the world of boxing and music, he was a top star, but in the film industry, he was considered second-tier at best, less recognized by the public than many actors present.


    Plus, he was planning to deepen his roots in the entertainment industry, so getting to know more people was certainly beneficial.


    Confronted with his initiative, the actors there all gave face and warmly responded to his greetings.


    The reason was simple: Link was famous and had strong earning power. A single boxing match could bring in forty to fifty million US dollars, more than the box office of many actors'' films. Some actors don''t earn in ten years what Link can in five minutes.


    In a capitalist society, money is king.


    Moreover, in the entertainment industry, singers generally have a slightly higher status than actors.


    In art history, music has an older history than drama, and musicians and composers are held in higher esteem and are more respected than playwrights, having a greater influence on society and culture.


    For instance, many actors present love rock, blues, and worship Bob Dylan, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, The Beatles, John Lennon, MJ, and are fans of their music.


    But it''s rare for a singer to be fanatical about an actor, even those as distinguished as Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Tom Hanks, generally earning at most affection. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And in terms of earning power, singers earn more, faster, and stronger.


    In Hollywood circles, those with a film salary over thirty million or who receive box office profit-sharing are considered top-tier, and they number fewer than fifty.


    Most actors see their popularity and pay decline as they age or if their new films perform poorly at the box office.


    In the music industry, however, many people earn hundreds of millions each year from record sales, concert tickets, song rights, and more.


    For example, in ''09, MJ earned over a hundred million from album royalties and song rights. Link, too, made over a hundred million from albums, commercials, and concerts.


    Also, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Taylor, Mariah Carey, Jay-Z, Eminem, Kanye, Britney Spears, Linkin Park, Green Day Band, Coldplay, P!nk, and others¡ªall made over twenty million dollars.


    Some singers can live off a hit song for a lifetime, like Mariah Carey with her Christmas song "All I Want for Christmas Is You", earning millions in royalties every year.


    Link''s inspirational songs like "unstoppable", "the fighter", "chase the sun", "America dream", "believer", etc., have been frequently played at sports events or other athletic competitions since their release last year, earning him millions in royalties annually.


    Actors need to keep taking roles each year to maintain their fame and lifestyle, and due to the overabundance of actors and rapid turnover, it''s easy to be replaced, making competition fiercer and money harder to come by.


    This is also why many actors, once famous, consider switching to become singers.


    Facing a billionaire like Link, anyone not too proud or lofty will respond to his greeting.


    But there were some at the event who didn''t pay much attention to Link, namely, the group of Black actors, such as Forest Whitaker, Jamie Foxx, and others.


    After last March''s Grammy incident, they had publicly criticized him and accused him of racial discrimination. Later, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and others publicly apologized, but these actors had made no such gesture.


    Even if Link was willing to reconcile, he couldn''t extend a hand first, as a rejection would be too embarrassing.


    "Hey, Link, over here!"


    Link said goodbye to Robert Downey Jr. and was about to chat with the dashing Keanu Reeves when he saw the ever-smiling Miley Cyrus, this year''s presenter for the Original Song Award, waving enthusiastically. She was surrounded by girls, including Amanda Seyfried, Penelope Cruz, and the expressionless Christine Stewart.


    Link waved back and walked over.

 Chapter 270 Would You Like a Lollipop?

    "Is that guy Link? Why is he here?"


    The Irish actor Colin Farrell asked, looking at Link walking away and addressing Ryan Reynolds beside him.


    "''Fighter'' is the movie he did with Mr. Christian Bale, haven''t you seen it?"


    "Isn''t he a singer? How come he''s acting in movies now? More and more singers are crossing over into films these days."


    "He''s not just a singer, he''s also the world boxing champion. Last year, he earned more than 60 million US dollars from a single match, and it only took him five minutes, incredible."


    The actor Zac Efron, who rose to fame with movies like ''High School Musical'' and ''17 Again'', exclaimed in admiration.


    "''Fortune Magazine'' said he made over a hundred million in boxing and another hundred million in the music industry last year, raking in two hundred million in a year. And he''s only 21 this year, fuck, if I were a billionaire at 21, I wouldn''t do anything, just party in nightclubs every day," Ryan Reynolds said enviously.


    "But Link doesn''t just release albums and box, he''s also landing movie roles like crazy. ''Hollywood Reporter'' calls him the hardest-working person in the entertainment industry. He''s putting in so much effort, compared to him, I feel a bit lazy," said Zac Efron with a shrug.


    Apart from those three, many other actors were discussing Link, the ''uninvited guest'' in the movie circle; some envied him, some were jealous, and others disliked him.


    Especially when they saw him standing among a group of female actors, eagerly surrounded by several of them, like a heartthrob, everyone found him quite annoying, almost wishing they could replace him.


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    "Link, you''re nominated for Best Original Song, right? I''m going to present that award with Amanda later. If it''s you, I''ll give you a hint, how about that?"


    Miley Cyrus winked, revealing a charming smile.


    "Impossible. The Oscars inviting me as an award presenter already indicates that it''s very unlikely for me to win, so don''t get your hopes up."


    "Is that so?"


    Miley looked towards her companion, Amanda Seyfried.


    Amanda, a movie actress who gained fame with ''Mean Girls'' and ''Mamma Mia!'', had a better understanding of these matters.


    Blinking her distinctive blue-grey eyes, she looked intently at Link with a warm smile and said, "Maybe, this is also my first time being an award presenter, and I haven''t received an Oscar nomination yet. Link getting an Oscar nomination at twenty-one is amazing."


    "Yes, Link, you''re amazing, and I''m a die-hard fan of yours now," Miley Cyrus said with a laugh.


    Link smiled faintly, reciprocating the fan sentiment, though in fact, his achievements in the entertainment industry weren''t yet comparable to Miley''s.


    This year, Miley, just eighteen, had released three albums that all bagged the number one spot in first-week sales, with total sales in the millions across America. The TV show she starred in, ''Hannah Montana'', won the championship for ratings, and the ''Hannah Montana: The Movie'' topped the box-office for the week. Her North American tours and ''Concert Documentary'' have made hundreds of millions in the box office.


    "Hey, Link, it''s great to see you here, I''m a fan of your songs."


    The Spanish actress Penelope Cruz came over to say hello, mentioning that she liked the Spanish song ''Despacito''. Last year, she participated in Woody Allen''s ''Midnight in Barcelona'' and won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. She was also the presenter for Best Supporting Actor at this year''s Oscars.


    Link chatted with her for a bit, discussing her new movie, and mentioned he would be doing a concert in Barcelona, Spain, in August or September. Penelope said she would definitely attend.


    After seeing off Penelope, Link talked with some other female actors like Cameron Diaz and Rachel McAdams, who came over to greet him. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By six o''clock in the afternoon, the Oscars ceremony began, and the presenters started to get ready, with the ones appearing earlier going to pick up the envelopes containing the winners'' names or practicing their lines in the resting room.


    Link glanced at Christine, still expressionless, sitting on the couch. She was dressed in a black gown, with her blonde hair flowing down and her pale skin set against her indifferent face, none of the men dared to approach her.


    "Hey, superstar, remember me?"


    Link said with a pocketed hand and a smile.


    Since ''Twilight 2'' premiered last year, her fame had been on the rise, along with increased work. Plus, with Link being busy with tours and promoting his album, they had only met twice.


    Christine flicked the hem of her skirt on her knees, swinging her legs and spoke with a blank expression, "Superstar, what''s it like to be surrounded by a bunch of women who want to sleep with you?"


    "It''s just making friends, not as exaggerated as you say."


    Link gave her a speechless glance and sat down next to her.


    "I saw you just now, very excited, constantly laughing, your face turning red, your voice loud. That''s the difference between boys and girls, I guess. If I were surrounded by a bunch of men who wanted to sleep with me, I''d be scared. Why do you think there''s such a difference between men and women?"


    Christine said with a serious expression.


    "We haven''t talked in a long time, are you sure you want to talk about something so boring?"


    Link said helplessly.


    "We''re discussing the differences in physical structure between men and women that lead to innate inequality. How can that be boring?"


    Christine said, puzzled.


    Link smiled slightly and lowered his voice, "The premise of your scenario is flawed. Who told you that a man would be excited to be surrounded by a bunch of women who want him, and a woman would be nervous to be surrounded by a bunch of men?"


    "Isn''t that the case?"


    "Of course not. If you were surrounded by a bunch of super handsome guys, would you be nervous or excited?"


    Link asked, staring at her face.


    "A bunch of men like you?"


    "That could work too!"


    Christine thought for a moment with her head tilted and said, "A little nervous, but also somewhat excited."


    Link didn''t know what kind of messy things she was thinking about and said, "Yes, if I were surrounded by a group of four to five hundred-pound, muscular middle-aged women, I''d be nervous too. So, whether you''re nervous or excited being surrounded by the opposite sex depends on looks, not gender."


    "Alright, you make some sense."


    Christine reached behind her and pulled out two lollipops, handing one to him.


    Link looked at her in surprise; she was wearing a black lace dress that revealed her delicate shoulders and collarbone. The lace clung tightly to her body from her chest to her knees, and one could see her waist and leg skin through the see-through parts; there was no sign of pockets anywhere.


    Link sniffed the lollipop and could still smell the scent of Dior perfume, fresh and pleasant, the same as Christine''s.


    "What are you smelling? I just put them in my underwear when I came in, not my butt."


    Christine said with a cool face, the lollipop in her mouth.


    "I know. I''m just wondering if I should eat the candy now, since I''m about to go on stage soon?"


    "Which number are you going on?"


    "Sixth!"


    "I''m third and not even worrying, so what''s your hurry?"


    Christine said nonchalantly.


    "Christine, it''s our turn to go on stage."


    Christine''s colleague, Taylor Lautner, who also played the werewolf in "Twilight," came over to call her.


    "Now?"


    "Yes, we''re going on in one minute."


    "Okay then!"


    Christine took the lollipop out of her mouth and handed it to Link to hold for her, planning to eat it after she got off stage, and warned him not to sneak a bite.


    Backstage at the Oscars ceremony, Link was sitting on a couch in the bustling hall, a lollipop in each hand, when director Quentin walked by, glanced at him, and asked what he was doing; it was a pretty unique look.

 Chapter 271 Charlize Theron

    The Oscars ceremony generally starts with the presentation of awards for supporting roles, followed by music editing, technical, makeup, screenwriting, etc. In the latter half, the more significant awards like Best Actor and Actress, Best Director, and Best Picture are presented.


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    Link sat backstage for a moment, waiting for Christine to return after presenting an award. He then joined Jennifer Lopez to collect the envelope containing the winner''s name from the organizers and queued up at the backstage exit.


    Jennifer Lopez is the Latin Queen, 41 this year, her parents both immigrants from Puerto Rico. Starting as an actress, she starred in well-known movies like "Anaconda," "Out of Sight," "Jersey Girl," and "Maid in Manhattan."


    In 1999, she released her debut single, which reached the top of the Billboard singles chart. The following year, she released her first album "on the 6," which sold over 500,000 copies in its first week and went on to sell over 3 million copies in the United States.


    Over the past decade, she has released six albums with a global sales volume of over 30 million, earning her the title of Latin Queen, with immense popularity in the United States and the Americas.


    She is also the future wife of Ben Affleck and the ex-girlfriend of Puff Daddy, a woman with complicated identities. Rumor has it that the East Coast-West Coast hip-hop rivalry in the 1990s had a bit to do with her.


    After her divorce from her ex-husband in ''98, she became Puff Daddy''s girlfriend. Her ex-husband, dissatisfied, sold their private tapes to the West Coast rap group''s backstage boss, Suge Knight, the founder of Death Row Records, who had launched Tupac, Snoopy Dogg, Nate Dogg, and Dr. Dre.


    Suge Knight used Jennifer''s tape to ridicule Puff Daddy, causing a serious loss of face and almost resulting in gunfire between the two parties.


    However, Jennifer''s current husband is the Latin singer Mark Antony, who has little to do with East Coast rappers.


    "Link, your new song ''all of me'' is fantastic and has a soulful style," Jennifer Lopez said.


    "Thank you. The new album mainly features pop music, but also mixes in other genres," Link replied, briefly explaining that aside from "all of me," his third album included classic love songs like "Closer," "girls like you," "The Woman I Love," and 21 others. The style of the songs was predominantly pop, with elements of rock, dance, electronic, soul, and country.


    The album''s romantic theme was somewhat clich¨¦, but stylistically innovative, which led Link to be uncertain whether fans and the market would accept this album or what its sales might be.


    Forced to compete for the charts, he had to play it by ear.


    "That''s very impressive! Hard to believe you''re only 21," Jennifer Lopez said with a smile.


    "One must make a name early. I''m merely following in the footsteps of predecessors like you," Link said, shrugging and smiling.


    While they were speaking, backstage, the award for Best Art Direction was being presented, and the winners were the art directors of the "Avatar" crew.


    The presenter of this award was the superstar Charlize Theron, dressed in a golden strapless gown. At the ripe age of 35 or 36, she still looked great, with tight skin, a tall figure, beautiful curves, and an aura of a strong, independent woman.


    Returning from the stage after presenting to the "Avatar" art directors and seeing Link and Lopez at the exit, she greeted Lopez first, then turned those charming blue-grey eyes towards Link.


    "Mr. Baker, it''s a pleasure to meet you; you''re looking quite good," Charlize Theron appraised him with a smile.


    "Thank you, I''m happy to meet you too, Ms. Theron. I''m a fan of your work," Link responded with a smile.


    Charlize Theron gave a slight smile, said she''d see him later, and waved as she walked away.


    Link and Lopez also offered their congratulations to the award-winning artists.


    Then, the Oscars host Alec Baldwin introduced the two presenters on stage, in a mixture of stately and teasing commentary, as was the style of the Oscars.


    When introducing Lopez, Baldwin was more serious, noting that she started as an actress before making successful inroads into the music industry and that her presence at the Oscars was a return with honors.


    Introducing Link, however, was less formal, mentioning his participation in boxing matches in ''08, securing an Olympic championship and world heavyweight title. In ''09, he switched to the music industry to become the best-selling artist of the year, receiving a Grammy for Producer of the Year.


    Now having moved into the film industry, Baldwin joked, "I bet he''ll get the Oscar for Best Actor next year."


    The comment elicited laughter from the audience.


    Link felt helpless.


    Before he could even take the stage, his peers in the film industry viewed him with wariness, regarding him as a formidable competitor. Securing an Oscar for Best Actor would probably be even more difficult for him than for Leonardo DiCaprio or Robert Downey Jr.


    As Baldwin made the introductions, the staff reminded Link and Lopez that it was time for them to present, and Lopez, linking her arm with his, walked onto the stage.


    The Oscars stage was much smaller than the Grammy''s but felt more artistic in design, with bright lights and a sense of technology. Receiving a trophy on such a stage must feel really cool.


    Clap, clap, clap!


    As the two made their way to the microphone, a round of applause erupted from the audience.


    "Link, just now Alec bet that you could win next year''s Oscar for Best Actor. Are you confident about that?"


    Lopez asked with a smile, holding onto the microphone stand.


    "Yes, confidence is something I never lack." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before he could finish, laughter rose from below the stage, and director Quentin Tarantino clapped and cheered exaggeratedly. Any of Link''s boxing fans would know that this line was his catchphrase, as he almost always responded with it whenever a reporter asked if he felt confident.


    Those unfamiliar with Link, however, were completely clueless as to where the humor was in his statement, looking bewilderingly at the few dozen people laughing.


    "I also trust Mr. Baldwin''s judgment; he''s a venerable figure in film, and if he says I can win, then there''s no problem. If I don''t win, I''ll consider putting on boxing gloves and paying a visit to his house."


    Link said expressionlessly, clenching his fist.


    Ha-ha-ha!


    Laughter and cheers followed throughout the venue.


    The director even switched the camera to backstage, showing host Alec Baldwin holding his forehead, with an expression of mock fear.


    After a smooth transition, Link and Lopez began introducing the five films nominated for Best Original Score at the Oscars: "Up," "Avatar," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "Sherlock Holmes," and "The Hurt Locker."


    While they introduced the nominees, 15-second clips of the score from each film played on the big screen behind them.


    Michael Giacchino, the eventual winner for the score of "Up," was also a well-known Hollywood film composer, known for his work on "The Incredibles," "The Stone Family," and "Mission: Impossible III."


    After the award presentation, Link and Lopez returned backstage where they found Christine still there, sucking on a lollipop, holding a film magazine, dressed in a gown with her legs casually propped up on the sofa, not very ladylike.


    "Where''s my lollipop?"


    Link walked over and asked, having opened and bitten the lollipop before going on stage just to tease Christine, causing her to hold onto it while waiting for him.


    "Here!"


    Christine pulled the lollipop from her mouth and handed it to him; it was now the size of a marble.


    Link raised his eyebrows, "You ate my candy?"


    "What else!"


    Christine glanced at him proudly. "Let me tell you something, never leave your candy with a girl who loves sweets."


    "Alright, I''ll remember that."


    "Here, take it!"


    Christine insisted on giving him the remaining bit of the lollipop.


    Link held it in his hand, unsure whether to throw it away.


    "You despise me? I didn''t despise you just now."


    Christine said coldly, frowning her beautiful brows, looking somewhat angry.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and had no choice but to finish off the remaining lollipop.


    Only then did Christine nod in satisfaction and continued flipping through the film magazine on her lap.


    "Aren''t you going to the front to watch the awards ceremony?"


    According to the organizer''s plan, presenters could use a separate passage to reach the seating area in the front hall after fulfilling their duties.


    "No, I don''t find it interesting."


    "Well, I''m going. They''re about to present the Best Original Song next."


    "It''s no use, they won''t give that award to you."


    Christine retorted, and seeing that he was about to leave, she also put down the magazine and stood up to follow him.

 Chapter 272 Oscar Night

    Link certainly knew he wouldn''t win the award, but the Oscars ceremony was among the top three viewership-rated award shows in the entertainment industry, with recent editions attracting over thirteen million viewers.


    After receiving the nomination, the singer himself and the song were broadcasted live through ABC Television, garnering a certain amount of media exposure, making his face familiar to the audience and exciting and idolizing his fans even more. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    This was a great platform for promotion, one that many would pay to access, and Link didn''t want to miss it.


    Upon arriving at the ceremony hall, Link parted ways with Christine and headed to the "Fighter" film crew''s seating area. Due to multiple nominations, the "Fighter" crew''s seats were placed quite near the front, just behind "Avatar" and "The Hurt Locker."


    After sitting down, Link greeted Director Russell, Christian Bale, Ms. Melissa Leo, and others, Amy Adams also received a nomination for Best Supporting Actress but couldn''t attend as she had just given birth.


    By halfway through the Oscars ceremony, "Fighter" had only won one award so far, the Best Supporting Actor award, which went to Christian Bale, and Link congratulated him.


    Soon after he sat down, the ever-smiling Miley Cyrus and the blond, fair-skinned Amanda Seyfried stepped onto the stage to present the Best Original Song Award.


    The films nominated for this award included the theme from "Crazy Heart," "the weary kind," two songs from "The Princess and the Frog," "Almost There" and "Down in the Orleans," the theme from "Fighter," and the theme from "Nine," "Take It All."


    When announcing the nominated songs, movie clips and the songs played on the big screen, each getting thirty seconds.


    The clip from "Fighter" showed Link, playing Mickey, competing in the boxing ring, getting knocked down repeatedly, fighting desperately, until, with guidance from his brother Dicky, he turned defeat into victory, ultimately lifting the WBF Golden Belt.


    The movie excerpt coupled with Link''s passionate and unyielding singing appeared very moving.


    As Amanda Seyfried was about to announce the winner, she suddenly glanced in Link''s direction, making his heart skip a beat, could it be "Fighter"?


    Indeed, it was not, the winner turned out to be "Crazy Heart."


    The film is about an aging, destitute country singer, who, when life spirals downward, is redeemed by love and returns to a normal life track.


    Starring Jeff Bridges, Colin Farrell, and others.


    Since its release in December the previous year, the film was of high quality, and the theme song was also excellent. Particularly moving was the scene where Jeff Bridges, lying in bed in agony, struggled to create "the weary kind."


    In terms of the storyline and emotional impact of the song, it genuinely was much better than "Fighter."


    "Link, don''t be discouraged, you''re still young," said Christian Bale.


    "Understood, what I want is the little golden man for acting," Link said, looking at the small golden statue in Bale''s hand.


    "Are you serious?" asked Bale, shaking the little golden man. "For this award, I''ve been honing my acting since fifteen years ago, losing over a hundred pounds, shedding several layers of skin, and so did other winners. You''re young and handsome, still a world boxing champion, have two Grammys, a billionaire, I don''t think the Academy Awards would give you the acting award unless maybe after you''re in your fifties or sixties."


    "That does sound very tough," Link said with a laugh.


    The Oscars for Best Actor and the Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance were both very difficult awards to secure.


    Compared to the Grammy, the Academy Award for Best Actor was even more challenging. To win this award, it required not only acting skill but also significant effort and personal sacrifice. Additionally, it was open to all male actors worldwide, with any film released in North America eligible for nomination, regardless of language and theme.


    This made the competition even more fierce.


    It also meant the award was very prestigious, gaining the award could double one''s fee per film and secure a place in film history, a true rise to fame.


    Given Link''s current status, securing the award was indeed challenging, but not impossible. With more great movies under his belt, a wider network within the film industry, and with the right public relations strategies, there might be a chance to get one ahead of time.


    At a little past eight in the evening, the 82nd Oscars ceremony concluded.


    "Fighter" ended with two wins from eight nominations, capturing the Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress awards, an average achievement.


    The biggest winner at this Oscars was "The Hurt Locker," with nine nominations and six wins, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing.


    Catherine Bigelow, the director of "The Hurt Locker," also became the first female director in Oscars history to win this award and she is also the ex-wife of director James Cameron.


    The favorite, "Avatar," only took home three awards: Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Visual Effects.


    However, this film has already grossed over two billion US Dollars worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing movie in history.


    James Cameron also made a fortune from this film.


    The Best Actor winner was Jeff Bridges from "Crazy Heart," who, at 61, made his debut in 1971. This was his fifth nomination and his first win.


    The Best Actress award went to Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side," who, compared to the other four nominees, did not have an advantage in terms of acting skill or experience.


    The theme of the movie, which involves a white middle-class family adopting a black young man and helping him succeed, was simply more appealing.


    It fit the taste of the Academy perfectly.


    "Link, you don''t need to feel down. In the future, you''ll get more Oscar nominations, and you''ll get snubbed again. After a dozen or so times, you''ll gradually get used to it,"


    At the Oscars night party, Christine, carrying a tray of "Avatar"-themed desserts, walked up to him and ''comforted'' him.


    She was dressed in a shoulderless black dress, slim and with a cool demeanor, also becoming a focal point of the party. As she approached Link, several male actors nearby gossiped as they watched.


    Link glanced at her plate, "Eating so much sweet at night, aren''t you worried about gaining weight?"


    "Not worried¡ªI have the kind of physique that doesn''t easily gain weight, no matter how much I eat."


    Christine raised her delicate, fair arm and waved it in front of him.


    "What a shame! You can''t be like Ms. Theron and gain weight to win the Academy Award-winning Actress,"


    Link said glancing at the blonde woman in the middle of the party.


    "I don''t mind. If I have to get fat and ugly to win an award, I''d rather not have it,"


    Christine picked up a ''little blue man'' fruit dessert and bit off its head, immediately squinting her eyes happily and making ''mmm'' sounds with her nose, looking quite content.


    Seeing her expression, Link couldn''t help but swing his fork, quickly stuffing the remaining three little blue men from her plate into his mouth.


    The taste was tart and refreshing, with a flavor of aloe vera, blueberries, and macadamia nuts. Truly a remarkable creation from a Michelin chef.


    Christine opened her eyes to find an empty plate and Link''s satisfied face. She pursed her thin, pink lips, her breath quickened, and her usually detached face grew even colder.


    "Link Baker, I need an explanation!" sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Remember! Never close your eyes around a guy who loves sweets. This time it was your dessert, next time it might be you,"


    Link said shrugging his shoulders.


    Christine pointed a fork at him and muttered ''detestable fellow,'' her delicate cheeks cold as she returned to the ''Avatar'' themed area to gather ''Pandora'' planet fruit.


    Link gave a slight smile and returned to the party center, congratulating several award-winning directors, actors, and screenwriters. He was not only an actor but also a company boss; knowing more people could mean more opportunities to make money.


    At one point, Ryan Reynolds found him and said some people wanted to meet him, asking if he was interested.


    Then he got acquainted with several actors born in the 70s and 80s, like Colin Farrell, Zac Efron, and Jake Gyllenhaal.


    They were curious about how fierce his fists were, asking if he could defeat the Klitschko brothers, Giant Valuev, or who would be tougher in a head-to-head matchup ¡ª a professional Boxer, a WWE wrestler, or a Marine.


    Amanda Seyfried also came over for a chat, mentioning how she almost announced the wrong winner''s name during the awards, almost calling his name, and later she even exchanged contact details with him voluntarily.


    Around 8:30 p.m., at break time, Link excused himself early and left the Oscars party.

 Chapter 273 Release of the New Album

    ```


    In the evening, returning to the bay villa before nine o''clock, Taylor hadn''t gone to bed yet. The TV in the small upstairs living room was on, broadcasting the post-Oscars interview segment on ABC.


    Link had also been stopped to answer a few questions. When the host asked who his favorite male and female actors were, he named Charlie Chaplin and Marilyn Monroe.


    The host further inquired if it was true that his goal as an actor was to win the Oscar for Best Actor, to which Link confirmed it was indeed true.


    When the host brought up the gossip about the album chart battle, Link dismissed it perfunctorily.


    "Honey, I''m home."


    Link called out, but received no response.


    The TV screen was still flickering with Taylor lying sideways on the couch asleep, holding a pen with many drafts scattered on the floor.


    Link approached the couch, stared at her face for a moment, and ran his hand through her long hair, fully revealing her delicate oval face.


    Suddenly, Taylor opened her blue eyes and swung her fist at his face.


    Link raised his hand to block and, grasping her fist, laughed, "I taught you boxing for self-defense, not to hit me."


    "Hmph! Why did you only come back now?"


    Taylor sniffed at his collar with a look of disgust on her face, "You smell foul, go take a shower."


    "How about together? I can give you a SPA," Link said, stripping off his suit jacket with a smile.


    "No! Every time I let you massage me, you take liberties, and you''re the one who ends up enjoying it," Taylor said, catching his jacket.


    "This time I promise I won''t do anything inappropriate."


    "I don''t believe you. You always make promises and then break them; I won''t be deceived again."


    Shaking his head, Link undressed right in front of her, revealing a strong and fit figure, and walked into the bathroom wearing only his shorts.


    But Taylor soon barged in, holding his white shirt and pointing to a lipstick mark on the collar, asked him furiously where it came from.


    Link, lying in the bathtub, removed the towel from his face to look and, after thinking hard with a frown, couldn''t remember kissing or hugging anyone.


    He suddenly noticed Taylor''s lips; they had been their natural color just a moment ago but now they were a shade redder.


    Shaking his head helplessly, he asked her to come closer for a look, and when she approached, he pulled her into the bathtub for a mandarin duck bath together.


    After the Oscars, Link continued filming for "The Expendables".


    Originally, he had only about 40 scenes in the movie, which could be completed in ten days, but after filming commenced, Stallone and the producers decided to add more depth to his character, increasing his screen presence and his pay by two million US dollars on top of his original fee.


    Having seen the new script, Link felt it was great and agreed to it.


    This change added a lot to his work and caused him to be incredibly busy in the near future.


    Boom!


    The car window glass exploded.


    "Cut!"


    "Link, how are you? Any problems?"


    At Universal Studios, on the set of "The Expendables", Stallone, taking off his headset, stood up and called out to Link.


    "No problem! Just a slight knock."


    Link stood up and said.


    They were currently shooting a scene where his character was fighting Gunnar Jensen, played by the Swedish action actor Dolph Lundgren.


    Dolph was also a martial artist, starting martial arts at the age of 14, holding a second-degree black belt in karate, and had served as the captain of the Swedish national karate team, winning the European Championship in the heavyweight division in 1980 and 1981, so his strength was formidable too.


    As it was Link''s first time filming an action movie, he was unfamiliar with the routines and constrained in the fight scenes. For example, while sparring, he had to make his movements look good, fierce, and powerful but couldn''t exert too much force, as that might seriously injure or even kill his opponent.


    So he had to hold back and not let loose during filming.


    Additionally, representatives from the Federal Insurance Company were also on set monitoring, not allowing him to engage in any dangerous activities.


    "Boss, do you need a doctor?" Anna asked.


    "It''s nothing, just a minor injury."


    Link had used too much force and kicked the car door with his shin, causing a bruise. He sprayed some ointment on it and went back to the set to continue filming.


    "OK! Scene 17, shot 3, take 2, action!"


    The clapperboard clapped, and the shooting resumed.


    Link swung his fists fiercely at Gunnar, who shielded his head with his arms and was forced to retreat repeatedly, his back colliding with the car door which he was about to open for cover. Link, hanging from a chain, reverse kicked the car door.


    The sequence of movements was clean and aggressive.


    "That move is cool. Link''s a professional boxer; how come he can also fight like that?" Jason Statham said as he sat in the director''s area, watching the monitor.


    "Indeed, it''s quite surprising," Jet Li, playing ''Yin Yang,'' said while leaning back on the couch with his legs crossed, commenting on Link''s fighting moves as combining boxing, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, and Taekwondo.


    What surprised him was that Link also knew Huaxia martial arts, including Through-the-Arms Boxing and Long Fist.


    "Ha ha, truly a guy full of surprises," Stallone said, witnessing the fight scene, his rigid left face squeezing out a smile.


    The character Link played, originally named ''Toll Road,'' was a muscular figure proficient in close combat and firearms, intelligent, similar to ''the brains'' of The Expendables team.


    ```


    ```


    Initially, when Stallone was looking for actors, he planned to cast the famous wrestler and UFC Heavyweight Champion, Randy Couture.


    However, Randy Couture had a muscular build, covered in muscles, and looked not very smart.


    Later, he saw news about Link in the newspaper.


    Link was a world boxing champion, with a strong physique and formidable strength.


    More importantly, Link was also considered a master of boxing tactics on the ring, which made him very smart and a perfect fit for the character ''Toll Road''.


    Also, Link was young, handsome, and popular.


    All of the lead actors in the film were over forty years old; even the youngest, Jason Statham, was 43 that year¡ªall seasoned hunks. Adding a young hunk like Link would attract a younger demographic, bringing many benefits.


    For this reason, Stallone did not hesitate to change the script, changing Link''s character from ''Toll Road'' to ''Heartthrob Jack'', the son of Barney''s old war buddy who died in action. Before passing away, his friend entrusted ''Jack'' to his care. Barney and Jack had a mentor-mentee relationship.


    In the entire Expendables team, Heartthrob Jack was also the one everyone took care of, somewhat like a team mascot.


    ''Heartthrob Jack''s'' role was upgraded from the sixth male lead to the fourth, gaining him more than twenty extra scenes.


    "Cut!"


    "Well done! This take is good, Jet, it''s your turn now."


    Stallone shouted.


    Jet Li got up, loosened up his fists and feet, and walked onto the set to join the fight, teaming up with ''Heartthrob Jack'' to knock Gunnar unconscious.


    Bam!


    Link and Jet Li bumped fists and shared a smile.


    "Cut!"


    "Very good! Let''s shoot one more take!"


    Link continued filming with the crew.


    Wiz Khalifa''s album "Deal Or No Deal" reached sales of 125,000 in its third week, totaling 527,000 copies in the United States.


    Justin Bieber''s second album "My World 2.0", following endorsements from many music stars like Jay-Z, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, Usher, Justin Timberlake, in its second week did not see sales drop but rather climb, selling 296,000 copies¡ªan increase of 13,000 from the previous week¡ªfor a total of 579,000 copies in the United States, higher than the sales of Wiz Khalifa''s new album over three weeks.


    Justin''s new album remained at the top of the Billboard album chart.


    A 16-year-old topping the Billboard album chart consecutively generated a lot of discussions in the music industry.


    Rolling Stone magazine gave the album a lukewarm review, only 55 out of a possible 100 points for "My World 2.0", a barely passing score.


    Music critics had mixed reviews about the album.


    The positive reviews said that the album catered to teenage tastes, leading the new wave of pop music, more mature than "My World 1.0", showing Justin''s improvement, and calling him a musical prodigy.


    The negative reviews argued that the album was mediocre in quality with clich¨¦ songs, basic melodies, and Justin''s vocal skills were average, relying heavily on autotune. Moreover, out of its 12 tracks, only four made the Billboard Hot 100¡ªfewer than other number-one albums.


    Its popularity was puzzling.


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    Despite the lukewarm reviews, the album''s sales remained high, continuing to sell 287,000 copies in the third week, reaching a total of 866,000 in the United States and set to confidently surpass one million the following week.


    Media predicted Justin''s second album could exceed sales of two million, even three million, copies in the United States.


    During a media interview, 50 Cent told reporters that he didn''t think Link''s third album could outsell Justin''s second album, stating that he would run naked in Times Square if Link won.


    50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Kanye West, and others also posted photos on Twitter, celebrating with Justin, with ten bottles of Ace of Spades champagne at the party, seemingly securing the victory in advance.


    Mainstream media began to take sides as well.


    After it was confirmed that Link''s new album was a love theme, many media outlets and musicians were skeptical about the album.


    They believed Link''s voice and style were more suited to rock and not ideal for singing sweet, spicy love songs.


    Furthermore, love was a clich¨¦d and overdone theme.


    It would be difficult for a young singer like Link to bring something new to the table.


    Amidst doubt, Link''s third album "The Woman I Love" began its online pre-sale campaign.


    The event targeted Link''s fans, offering a limited release of 10,000 deluxe editions, 10,000 vinyl records, and 18,000 autographed copies by Link himself. The stock was snapped up by fans in just 13 minutes, setting a new online pre-sale record.


    Billboard estimated sales of the album to exceed two million in the United States.


    Mainstream media believed the fast pre-sale of Link''s album was due to his large fanbase blindly supporting him, independent of the album''s quality.


    They still considered the album sales to hover around one million.


    Seeing these numbers, Link also worried that album sales might fall short of expectations and phoned Ivanka to ask her to be careful with the promotion and not exaggerate, to avoid embarrassment.


    Ivanka ignored him, telling him that as a singer, his job was to focus on singing and not to meddle in distribution if he didn''t understand it. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Heartened by Ivanka''s confidence, he decided not to interfere further, continuing with filming, boxing practice, and preparing for his boxing match.


    On March 22, Link''s third album "The Woman I Love" was officially released in the United States, containing 18 tracks, including the already popular song "All of Me".


    It also included works like "Everything You Need", "Someone You Loved", "Girls Like You", "Promises", "Stay With Me", among others¡ªtwelve songs by Link.


    He co-wrote six songs, including "The Woman I Love", "Here With You", "The Rose", "Closer", and others.


    The standard edition of the album was priced at 29.5 US dollars, with an average of 1.6 US dollars per song, priced 15 US dollars higher than Justin''s album, and more expensive than his previous albums.


    The price was determined by the distribution company and local distributors.


    In the listening session, representatives from Link Music and Universal Records¡ª23 music producers and 54 record distributors¡ªgave the album an average score of 92.7, qualifying it as a high-quality work.


    Generally, if an album is of high quality, and the singer is famous, it will not struggle to sell, allowing a higher price point.


    The distribution company and distributors also got a share of the money.


    Compared to others, they also preferred to represent and distribute such albums.


    ```

 Chapter 274 All Fine Products

    "Damn! Thirty US Dollars for an album, are they robbing us?"


    In the office of the president of SB Entertainment in New York, Scott took the newly purchased album "The Woman I Love" from his assistant. Although it was cheaper to buy a digital album online, as a semi-musician, he was more accustomed to listening to physical records when enjoying music.


    "Alex, how are the sales of the record stores on Fifth Avenue?"


    Scott asked, holding the album.


    "Extremely popular!"


    Assistant Alex said.


    When he had come over earlier, there were many people lining up outside several physical record stores near Fifth Avenue and Broadway. Some of the record stores had just opened and soon hung signs announcing they had sold out.


    He himself had queued for more than forty minutes to get this album.


    Scott listened with a frown. For a singer, having an album sell out as soon as it hits the shelves was exhilarating, more praiseworthy than winning a Grammy. But for his rival, this was no good news.


    "Boss, Link is on fire this year. First, he made a big impression at the Grammy Awards, then he launched the hit song ''Legends Never Die'' during the Super Bowl halftime show, which skyrocketed his fame. Then he did a stint at the Oscars. In the first three months of the year, his news never stopped.


    Moreover, I just listened once, and the quality of the songs on this album is very high, hardly a mediocre piece. Considering Justin''s current situation, stepping over Link to the top will be quite difficult," Alex said, clutching the folder.


    Scott, feeling even more annoyed, waved his hand to send Alex out. He opened the album case, placed the record in the music player, and clicked play.


    You''re sitting in the bedroom playing the guitar


    Writing in a notebook your wish upon a star


    You are like a snowflake melting in my hand


    Along with the pleasant prelude, sounds came from the speaker¡ªLink''s clear voice with a slight magnetic quality, gentle and meticulous, full of sincere emotion and a hint of a warm man''s temperament.


    Scott frowned as he listened.


    Previously, he had heard Link perform "give me reason" and "Legends Never Die," feeling that his voice was high-pitched and hoarse, better suited for rock.


    Hearing that Link''s third album was a romance album, Scott had secretly rejoiced, thinking he had chosen the wrong theme and might suffer a big loss with this album.


    But listening to Link''s singing, he realized he might have been wrong.


    This guy''s voice was gentle, magnetic, also very engaging, seeming to also suit this kind of love song pretty well.


    "Damn, isn''t this guy supposed to be a boxer?"


    Scott listened to "Everything You Need," then continued with "The Woman I Love," followed by "Girls Like You," "Here With You"....


    After each song, he scored and gave reviews on a piece of paper.


    After eighteen songs, he lay exhausted on the couch, his brown curly hair damp, and his expression very unpleasant.


    On the paper were eighteen grades: eight A+''s, six A''s, four A-''s, all the grades were above A-.


    These were the results using a rather strict standard.


    If he were to be a bit more lenient, the quality of many songs would be above A+.


    Even he couldn''t find any issues after listening once; how excited would Link''s fans be after hearing the songs on this album?


    How high would the sales of this album be?


    With Link setting such a formidable benchmark, when could Justin Bieber become the No. 1 in the pop music industry?


    In the music industry, the top earners are the No. 1s of each genre, the second, third, and fourth combined often don''t make as much as the first.


    This is the principle of winner-takes-all, applicable both in business and the music industry.


    Scott squeezed the bridge of his nose, his mood very low.


    In recent years, to develop Justin, SB Company had invested tens of millions of US Dollars and many connections in promoting Justin''s two albums.


    But despite all the effort, it seemed they still couldn''t surpass Link.


    Scott cursed, "f*ck," opened his computer, and rewatched that secretly filmed video, his emotions gradually calming down.


    He touched his chin and coldly chuckled a few times.


    Then he picked up the phone to call the head of the marketing department.


    He asked them to vigorously promote the love story between Link and Taylor soon, saying all the songs on this album were written for Taylor, portraying Link as a lovestruck hero, the most passionately devoted good guy in the world, claiming they were the most loving and well-matched pair in the music industry.


    The head of the marketing department didn''t understand the purpose, but didn''t ask further and firmly executed the order.


    Scott chuckled coldly, hung up the phone, and turned on the music player; Link''s singing filled the room again.


    To all my friends


    The night is young


    The music''s loud


    They playing our song


    Nowhere else that I belong


    "F*ck! Just country pop, and now an electronic pop song, does this bastard think he''s versatile?"


    In the Gold Metal Bar in Brooklyn, New York, 50 Cent cursorily clicked the mouse, switching to another song.


    "Wait a minute! The rhythm of this song is great, let''s hear it again," Rihanna called out from the couch.


    "Rihanna, it''s Link''s song, there''s no need to listen so many times," Lil Wayne said.


    "This song is great, I guess this style could catch on, don''t you guys want to get a feel for it?" Rihanna said, chewing gum.


    Kanye West, Lil Wayne, Drake, Usher and others kept a stern face and didn''t object.


    Though they were annoyed with that bastard Link, they had to admit that every song on this album was damn good.


    Each song had a higher artistic level than Justin''s "Baby," more pleasing to the ears, not as noisy, allowing one to calm down and listen.


    If an album featured one or two songs of this kind, it was considered quite a solid album, like the pre-war goddess band''s "Need You Now," which sold nearly two million copies thanks to a hit single.


    Yet this bastard Link had put together eighteen songs of the same caliber in this album.


    Eighteen A-grade tracks!


    One album might be worth ten of others.


    This album was too competitive; Justin''s "My World 2.0," relying only on hype and data manipulation, would find it hard to beat this album.


    If Justin had lost, they would have been embarrassed again, and Link would have been smug.


    "Fuck! Motherfucker!"


    Kanye West, with a scowl on his face, kicked the coffee table in the middle.


    He deeply regretted it, knowing what would happen, he should have never criticized Link at the beginning of last year. Without criticizing Link, that bastard''s debut wouldn''t have blown up and sold over two million copies.


    If his debut hadn''t been a hit, that bastard wouldn''t have become so famous in the music industry, and his second and third albums wouldn''t have continued to be hits, and he and his partners wouldn''t have had to face such a humiliation. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was all because he was too impulsive.


    Kanye gritted his teeth and cursed angrily.


    "Kanye, don''t get angry just yet. This album was only released today, and the data hasn''t come out yet. There''s no need to be too nervous. Maybe the price is too high and the fans won''t buy it," one of them said.


    Lil Wayne, putting away the fruit knife on the table, tried to reason.


    "Lil makes sense."


    Arthur, holding Kanye back, advised, "Don''t forget that Scooter promised us he has a secret weapon against Link. We should trust him."


    Hearing Arthur''s words, Kanye gradually calmed down.


    A few days ago, Scooter had approached them in secrecy, claiming he had a secret weapon that would definitely disgrace Link. Although Scooter didn''t reveal what the secret weapon was, Kanye believed he wouldn''t talk nonsense.


    "A secret weapon? What is it? How come I don''t know about it?"


    Rihanna asked curiously.


    Drake and 50 Cent also looked curiously at Arthur and Kanye, clearly unaware of this matter.


    "It''s a secret for now, you''ll know in a few days."


    Arthur shushed them, speaking mysteriously.


    "A secret? What secret?"


    Just then, Eminem walked in from outside. He had had a falling out with this circle before, reducing the number of times he joined them for drinks, but today Link released a new album, and he wanted to come and see what Kanye and the others were feeling.


    Seeing Eminem come in, a few of them closed their mouths and quietly listened to the music.


    Girls like you,


    Love fun,


    And yeah me too.


    What I want,


    When I come through,


    I need a girl like you.


    This song perfectly blended pop, rock, and rap, offering a unique and fresh style with a relaxed tune.


    It sounded even better than the first two songs, but Kanye and his group looked even worse.


    Eminem arrived at the seating area, looking at them oddly.


    "All of you are here listening to a digital album together? You guys are millionaires, can you stop being so stingy?"


    "I was ready to go buy it, but they stopped me,"


    Rihanna said, swaying her legs.


    "Humph! This is Link''s new album. If each of us bought one, the sales of this album would increase by more than a dozen copies. We''re not that stupid,"


    50 Cent said.


    Eminem shook his head, lifting his hoodie to reveal that his belt was lined with Link''s albums, looking like a bootlegger.


    50 Cent and the others watched, gobsmacked.


    "Fuck, why did you buy so many of Link''s albums?"


    "Haha, I knew you guys wouldn''t want to spend the money, so I bought a few extra copies to give you all as gifts, how about that?"


    Eminem pulled out all the albums, handing them out like playing cards to everyone present.


    While handing them out, he said, "Do you know how in demand Link''s albums are? Today in New York, every record store limited purchases to two per person. My assistant and I ran through three streets and five record stores just to get these ten albums. Link''s album is just freaking hot-selling."


    Kanye and his group looked even worse after hearing that.


    Every artist dreams about their album selling out as soon as it hits the shelves but buying digital albums online has become more convenient and cheaper after the rise of internet music stores.


    Things like limiting album purchases hadn''t happened in many years, not even when MJ died last year, but today it happened to Link, a singer who had only debuted two years ago.


    This guy was too detestable.


    "Kanye, don''t you want one?"


    Eminem offered an album to Kanye.


    Kanye rolled his eyes. Since Eminem, that bastard, had bought it and Link''s sales had already increased, why not take it for free?


    "Em, has Link''s music team announced who the woman on this album cover is?"


    Rihanna pointed to the album cover and asked.


    The album cover was too sexy. Link''s good looks and physique were top-notch, and the woman in his arms was also very sexy, with milk-white skin, somewhat resembling Nicole Kidman. But Nicole was already in her forties this year and couldn''t possibly maintain such a good condition. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Turn it over and see if you can recognize her,"


    Eminem said.


    Rihanna flipped to the other side of the album case, which also had a photo.


    It was a woman in a gold mask, tightly embracing Link. The beautifully crafted mask covered half of her face, revealing only violet eyes, a cute delicate nose, and rose-colored lips.


    The woman''s skin was very white, forming a stark contrast with Link''s bronze skin. Her delicate and fragile face and beautifully delicate fingers also contrasted with Link''s strong, muscular back.


    Very beautiful and very artistic.


    Rihanna looked for a while but still couldn''t recognize who the woman was.


    "Online, they said that the deluxe edition album cover is in 3D. You can feel the contours of Link''s muscles and even the woman''s skin and hair. The special album package includes a gold mask, sold for only $39.99. It''s a great deal, but unfortunately, I couldn''t grab it the other day. There''s someone on Amazon willing to resell it, and the price has already skyrocketed to $299 each, nearly ten times more. It''s intense,"


    Eminem marveled.


    "Hmm! High or low album sales, the key is in the songs. Playing these little tricks is useless,"


    Lil Wayne said disdainfully.


    "Are the songs in this album not good to listen to?"


    Eminem pointed to the speaker.


    Lil Wayne opened his mouth to criticize, but couldn''t find a target, so he just snorted lightly and continued listening to the music.


    I''m holdin'' steady,


    I always stay put,


    My heart''s at home,


    My heart always stays home,


    With my hand behind you.

 Chapter 275 Selling Out After Listing

    ```


    I will catch you if you fall


    I''m just gonna love you like the woman I love


    At Link Music''s CEO''s office, Ivanka stood with arms folded in front of the panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, quietly listening to Link''s new song.


    She hummed softly through her aristocratic nose and tapped the remote control with her slender finger.


    The speaker started playing the next song, "Girls Like You."


    The cheerful rhythm relaxed Ivanka''s fragrant shoulders as she snapped her fingers and swayed her slender waist to the music. Her full hips also quivered beneath her fitted sheath dress.


    Thump thump thump!


    There was a knock on the office door, and Ivanka stopped swaying, turned off the player with the remote, and sat back down in her office chair before saying, "Come in."


    Link Music''s Executive Director, George Capal, and the Distribution Department Head, Bob Harrison, walked in from the outside and stood in front of the desk to greet her. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    "What''s the matter?"


    Ivanka looked at her two capable assistants and asked.


    These two were among the earliest members of Link Music''s management team, both over forty years old with more than ten years of experience, which was why Ivanka regarded them as elites and scooped them up to join her team.


    They had indeed proven themselves to be elite in the past two years.


    When the company was first established, they had nothing but a few million US dollars¡ªno recording studios, no distribution channels, no record manufacturing plants, no stable promotion channels.


    After the management team was in place, Link Music''s distribution channels were quickly set up. Now, the distribution department could independently handle distribution in the United States and Canada without relying on the big five record labels.


    In terms of promotion, the reason why Link and its artists could maintain their popularity and exposure was due to Link''s continuous marketing efforts.


    Because George Capal, the head of the promotion department, did well, Ivanka promoted him to the position of executive director at the end of last year to help manage Link''s operations. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These two were doers; upon meeting, they wasted no time in telling Ivanka that just half a day after "The Woman I Love" went on sale, twenty-eight states'' distributors had called asking to restock early.


    Some states wanted 10,000 copies, others 50,000, totaling more than 600,000 copies.


    "Asking for restocking today?"


    Ivanka was somewhat surprised. "The Woman I Love''s" first batch produced 1 million physical albums, which had been wiped clean by state distributors after last week''s listening session, with an average of 20,000 copies per state.


    They would restock based on sales in different areas after the first batch sold out.


    The second batch was also 1 million copies; the next production quantity would be determined based on the sales speed of the second batch.


    But only half a day after "The Woman I Love" went on sale, 28 states'' distributors had already called to request more stock.


    This pace far exceeded the company''s and distributors'' expectations.


    At this rate, this album''s sales could exceed the expected 3 million copies.


    "How many copies are left in the warehouse?"


    Ivanka asked, suppressing her excitement.


    "Only 200,000 backup copies remain," said Director George Capal.


    "Distribute those to places that urgently need to restock, contact the manufacturing plant, and print an additional 500,000 for the second batch, no, 1 million copies. Urge them to speed up the printing and packaging process," Ivanka said calmly.


    "Got it, President!" Bob Harrison, the distribution head, nodded.


    George Capal then discussed promotional strategies with Ivanka.


    Initially, they planned to promote the third album using the second album''s promotional tactics.


    But after the campaign started, they realized the effect was mediocre at best.


    The reason was that during the second album''s release, Link had feuds with East Coast rap groups. They traded accusations, involving the rap legend Jay-Z in a battle for the album charts, which created plenty of buzz and prompted a lot of media to cover Link''s news spontaneously.


    Add to that, following the release of the second album, Link released the hit song "See You Again," organized two Gold and Golden Belt campaigns, the MTV Awards incident, the reconciliation with Kanye, the London paparazzi incident, and a boxing match.


    In those months, Link''s name was constantly on the front page headlines of major media, greatly increasing the exposure of his second album.


    It also saved Link Music tens of millions in promotional costs.


    However, during the release of the third album, despite news boosts from the Grammys, the Super Bowl, and the Oscars, the promotional effect was still weaker than that of the second album, so the promotional department needed to invest more funds and strengthen the promotional efforts to close the gap.


    "Promotion?"


    Ivanka pondered for a moment, requesting the promotion department to draft a new and innovative marketing strategy. She would approve it if appropriate.


    George Capal and Bob Harrison nodded, then said goodbye and left the office.


    Ivanka crossed her slender fingers and sat quietly for a while before picking up her phone to call Link. The phone rang several times before being answered by Anna.


    Anna told her that Link was practicing boxing and would be done around 3 p.m., asking if she had an urgent matter.


    Ivanka said it wasn''t urgent, hung up the phone, and then turned the music player back on, Link''s voice once again reaching her ears.


    I need a girl like you


    Yay yay


    I need a girl like you


    Yay yay


    ¡ª¡ª


    In Los Angeles, Link left the Muscle Beach Boxing Gym at four in the afternoon. He could have finished earlier, but De La Hoya dropped by in between, saying he wanted to discuss something with him.


    Link asked what was the matter.


    Hoyle said he had heard his new songs from the third album and suddenly had an idea. Their match was scheduled for late November, and Hoyle suggested they hold a concert at the venue before the boxing match, and he was willing to be a guest vocalist.


    ```

 Chapter 275 Sold Out After Launch_2

    Link thought the suggestion was great and asked him to sing a song to hear it.


    Hoyle hesitated for a moment and said he wasn''t ready yet, but if he agreed, he would go back and practice singing.


    Link didn''t object. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boss!"


    Anna got out of the car and handed him back his phone.


    "While you were training, President Ivanka, Mandy, Selena, Mr. Paul Walker, Miss Emma Stone, and sixteen others called. Your phone also received over fifty congratulatory messages."


    As Anna was speaking, Link''s phone vibrated again. It was from Emma Watson, whom he hadn''t seen in a long time. She was messaging from London asking if he was done being busy and telling him that his album, released in Britain today, was being pursued by many.


    "Someone You Loved" topped the British singles chart hot40 first, "Everything You Need," "The Woman I Love," and "Here With You" all made the top ten, with 12 songs making it into the hot40.


    She also said that the entire British internet was discussing the songs from the album, saying his music had gone crazy and was sweeping the British music scene.


    Link listened, hardly able to believe it.


    Although these songs had also been in the top ten in various countries'' charts, after his singing and some changes to many lyrics and even the music, they were quite different from the originals. Could they still be this popular after being altered?


    He had just sent a ''really?'' when Emma Watson immediately called and excitedly told him that it was certainly true, and yesterday many people on the streets were playing songs by Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Justin''s "baby."


    Today, as she was shopping in the mall, his songs were playing everywhere; if not "Everything You Need," then "Someone You Loved" or "Girls Like You." His songs seemed to have become hits overnight in the bars and dance halls.


    Link felt her statement was still a bit exaggerated.


    She probably heard these songs from his album, and after going out, hearing a few stores playing them, she felt like everyone was listening to them.


    But this situation was still very good.


    Regardless of how it was on the American side, at least the PR work for his third album in Britain had been done very well, showing Universal Records'' strong international distribution capabilities.


    Link chatted with Emma for a while. Emma asked him when he was planning to tour Britain. After calculating the time, Link figured if all went well, it would be around July or August.


    After hanging up with Emma''s call, Link received another message, this time from Adele.


    Adele also said his album songs were hot in London and confessed that, like mainstream media before his album''s release, she hadn''t had high hopes for this album, feeling his voice was better suited for inspirational and rock music.


    But after listening to this album, she changed her mind, saying Link''s voice was surprisingly soft and delicate, rich in emotion, and very powerful.


    She even teased him by saying if he used this voice to sing love songs to girls, not many could resist.


    Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    Link let out a big sigh of relief when he heard Adele also praising the album.


    Before the album''s release, he worried about not performing well enough, that his voice wouldn''t be captivating enough, and had to re-record it right before and after New Year''s with Graham and others, including four additional songs.


    Even so, he worried the third album might flop.


    Later, being pressured by people like 50 Cent to compete on the charts and not being seen favorably by mainstream media, he experienced even greater pressure.


    Now, hearing a legendary singer like Adele give such high praise for the album lightened his pressure by 50%.


    Link asked Adele which song from the album she liked most.


    Adele said she liked "Girls Like You," which has a very fresh style that makes her feel good and is great for dancing.


    Link smiled, guessing that Adele''s mood might not have been too good recently, and said that next time he was in London, he''d invite her to dance.


    Adele agreed but immediately followed up with a message saying she didn''t want to dance with him; else, they''d start rumors again.


    After chatting with Adele, he browsed through his inbox and email; there were over sixty unread messages and 99+ unread emails.


    Unread messages included ones from Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Kesha, Carrie Underwood, Miley Cyrus, Eminem, and Snoopy Dogg, all congratulating him.


    They mentioned how great the album was and that the songs were very appealing.


    Even people with different tastes could find a song they liked in this album, which was quite rare.


    Katy Perry even teased him for being unconventional, saying normally an album has only two or three main hits, but his had eighteen, leaving no room for others.


    Seeing such high praise from these top-tier singers, Link felt 49% of the pressure lifted off him.


    Link thanked a few of them and asked which songs from the album they liked best. The most mentioned were "Everything You Need," "Someone You Loved," "Girls Like You," "The Woman I Love," "Here With You," and "Stay With Me."


    Link also had a good feeling that these songs might break into the top 100 singles chart.


    He continued scrolling through his messages, seeing names like Paul Walker, Leonardo, James Franco, Joaquin Phoenix, Tobey Maguire, as well as Christine, Emma Roberts, Blake Lively, Jessica Alba, Michelle Rodriguez, Amanda Seyfried, Dustin Colquitt, and more.


    Even directors Quentin, Stallone, and Jet Li sent messages congratulating him on his great album and its successful sales.


    Link counted and figured that if each of these celebrities bought just one copy, it would already amount to a couple of hundred sales, not to mention acquaintances who bought the album but didn''t send congratulations.


    He sat in his car, replying one by one, chatting more with those who were online and keeping it brief with those who weren''t.


    By the time he finished responding, his phone was almost out of battery.


    He opened his laptop, replied to some congratulatory emails, and checked Twitter.


    His Twitter followers had exploded by over six million after the Super Bowl, currently standing at 21.25 million, making him the most followed star on the platform.


    Under his last tweet, there were over 50,000 new comments, nearly all of them positive.


    Comments like "amazingly good," "one album beats ten, full of sincerity," "every song is worth listening to ten times, no, over a hundred times," "definitely the best album of the year," and "with this album, there''s no need to buy any other love albums for the next decade."


    The reviews were so plentiful and exaggerated they seemed as if he had paid an army to post positive comments.


    Not only did he suspect this, but some skeptics, seeing the comments, asked where they could sign up for such a gig, wondering how much each positive comment paid as they also wanted to earn some cents to buy fries.


    The most liked comment questioned why Link hadn''t updated his status on Twitter on the global release day of his third album. Was something wrong?


    This tweet had 120,000 likes.


    Link smiled lightly. Since launching on Link Music, Link Studio, and Link Fan Club on Twitter, he left work-related posts to these accounts while his own account was mostly for sharing personal statuses.


    Seeing the concerns, he immediately tweeted that he was at the boxing gym training for an upcoming match and didn''t get the chance to tweet.


    He then retweeted a post from Link Studio that the third album "The Woman I Love" had begun distribution and asked for everyone''s support.


    The draw continued, offering two prizes, including the 2009 MTV Best Male Artist trophy and the Grammy Award for Best New Artist.


    He explained further: The two AMA trophies had already been given away and wouldn''t be in the draw, and the Grammy for Best Producer belonged to all the producers of "unstoppable" and was also not part of the draw.


    The draw was set around May, with the same rules as the first time, and he urged interested fans to look out for updates from the studio account.


    Fans, excited about another draw, although only two significant trophies were available, MTV''s Best Male Artist and a Grammy, felt lucky just to think about possibly winning one.


    Less than ten minutes after updating his tweet, the likes surpassed 30,000, and the post was retweeted by thousands, including some celebrity acquaintances.


    Many fans commented that his albums were selling out too quickly in physical stores and asked him to contact the distributor to stock more physical copies.


    These comments received hundreds and thousands of likes as well.


    Link was surprised; a million copies stocked for the first day, and there were already shortages?


    He wondered, how many would the album sell in its first week?

 Chapter 276 First Day Sales Released

    "Hey, Eva, Anna said you were looking for me?"


    The streets outside the car window kept changing, Link lay on the recliner in the nanny van, with his legs crossed, making another call to the company''s major domo.


    "Yes, Mr. Casanova, I''ve got some good news for you. So far, distributors from 38 states have phoned saying they expect all their records to sell out in three days and are requesting an early resupply. The distributor from New York State just announced three minutes ago that the first batch of 35,000 records went out of stock. Additionally, online album sales have reached 52,000 units, topping various digital platforms. The specifics have been posted on Link''s Twitter music account; you can check it out when you''ve got a moment," Eva said in a cheerful tone.


    Hearing her voice, it was evident she was in a good mood.


    Link responded with a light smile, asking her why she called him Mr. Casanova, acknowledging that ''Casanova'' existed in English to describe romantically devoted people, but the addition of ''Mr.'' made it sound sarcastic.


    Eva didn''t tell him the reason and switched the topic instead.


    Link Music Company encountered some difficulties in promoting this album; the marketing department''s plans lack novelty and failed to sway mainstream opinion, much to her dissatisfaction.


    Eva asked him if he had any hype plans in mind since he was adept at creating media buzz.


    Reluctantly, Link said that since his debut, he had only been involved in a few media stunts, many of which were forced battles that unexpectedly blew up; he did not enjoy creating hype by nature.


    But now even Eva thought he was good at it, leaving him without a good defense.


    "Don''t you have any ideas? The third album''s sales are looking pretty good, anticipating first-week sales of about 800,000 copies. With some better promotional efforts, there''s a good chance to break one million. Think about it, Mr. Baker, a first-week sales of one million copies, what a remarkable figure that would be and what a great honor for your career. Wouldn''t you want to achieve it?" Eva spoke in a seductive, persuasive manner.


    If this had been earlier, Link might have become stiff in the lower limbs hearing her speak in that tone, but he was nearly immune by now.


    "You''re a business elite, ranked 28th among the top female CEOs under forty. Don''t you have any good methods?" Link joked.


    In the March issue of ''Business Week,'' the ''Top Female CEOs Under 40 of 2009'' included Eva, praising her as a woman with both beauty and talent.


    "No, I''m a CEO; my job is to select talents to work for me, not to create work for myself. If I have to handle such matters personally, what do I need the company staff for?" Eva replied lightly with the tone of a domineering CEO.


    "Alright, I have an idea, though it''s not fully developed."


    Link laid out his concept.


    After listening for a while, Eva asked in surprise, "What is your brain made of, coming up with such bizarre tactics?"


    "Last time I was strolling down Rodeo Drive, I saw a beautiful woman fall, spilling designer cosmetics from her bag worth over a hundred thousand US Dollars. I thought we might adopt that approach for our record promotion, what do you think?"


    "That sounds fun, let''s give it a try. Wait for my good news."


    Eva didn''t say goodbye; she just hung up.


    Link shook his head, picked up another cell phone and saw no calls or messages from Taylor. After thinking it over, since Taylor should have left the recording studio by now, he made the call.


    Taylor answered quickly, asking when he was coming home and why he was calling at this time.


    Link asked if she had listened to the songs on the album and what she thought of them.


    "They''re very good. How did you come up with these songs?" Taylor asked.


    "It''s because of you, you''re my muse. I''m inspired whenever I see you."


    "Really? Why can''t I write a single song when I''m with you, but you can write so many great songs when you''re with me? Tell me quickly, is it just to write songs?"


    "How could you think that? Don''t forget, you taught me how to write songs."


    "Hmph! I could never teach a disciple like you, who writes songs that sound so nice. How can I record my new album?" Taylor said in a sour tone.


    "Haha, you''re so talented; you started writing songs at ten and have written over a thousand. You can definitely write better songs than the ones in my album, right?"


    "Of course, I will never lose to you. Come home quickly, I want to hear you sing live for me," she demanded.


    "OK! I''ll be waiting in the bedroom."


    "Pervert!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and ended the call.


    "The Woman I Love" was released and on its first day, the online music platforms sold 82,000 digital albums, while the physical record sales, according to data collected from distributors in 42 states, were 186,000.


    Combining these two figures results in 268,000, and with eight states yet to report, it indicates that first-day sales were above 260,000.


    That is to say, sales of "The Woman I Love" across the United States on its debut exceeded 260,000, which is over 10,000 more than last week''s top-selling "my world 2.0".


    When the first-day figures were tweeted by Link Music, it caused a huge buzz in the music scene, with major online media outlets also reporting and sharing the news extensively.


    At first glance at these numbers, many were skeptical. According to this data, Link''s third album had a great chance to break one million in sales in its first week, a milestone typically achieved only by kings and queens of the music industry.


    How could Link, a newcomer with just over a year in his career, also achieve this?


    Not to mention the album was priced extremely high, costing twice as much as others. Multiplying 260,000 by 2 suggests that the album''s first-day sales were over 500,000. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    That''s just exaggerated.


    Even top artists like MJ, Backstreet Boys, Britney, and Beyonce haven''t managed those numbers.


    Yet Link did.


    Many suspected that Link Music was inflating the data.


    Since the rise of the internet, online sales have been included in total album sales, providing an easy platform for manipulation, leading to many albums and singles having distorted data.


    For example, with Justin''s two albums, from last year onward, many news outlets questioned the authenticity of his record company''s data. However, Justin''s camp was unconcerned by these claims. Inflating data was seen as a promotional and marketing strategy, aligning with business operations, so there was no reason to feel shame.


    Therefore, the authenticity of Link''s data was also questionable.


    However, this doubt lasted less than two hours, as Link Music updated "The Woman I Love"''s first-day sales, maintaining the online sales at 82,000 but changing the total from all 50 states to 224,000.


    The total changed to 306,000.


    Link Music also published a sales performance leaderboard for the distributors in various states below.


    New York sold 54,000 on the first day, deservedly ranked first. California sold 42,000, placing second, and Florida made an unprecedented surge to third place with first-day sales of 31,000. Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Washington DC ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth respectively.


    After this data was released, many doubters fell silent. Though online sales figures could be falsified, distributor data is not easily manipulated.


    Distributors, impartial to record companies and artists, are neither affiliated with any particular record company nor will they help sell unsaleable stock without reason.


    The amount of records a distributor sells determines their cut, and consequently, how much tax they pay.


    To falsify such data would be inviting trouble.


    Could Link Music''s sales data for various regions be fabricated on the spot?


    Impossible!


    Distributors would not agree to such a scheme.


    Therefore, Link''s third album having offline sales of 224,000, based on a 3:1 or 4:1 offline to online sales ratio, makes the online sales of 82,000 plausible.


    As the voices of doubt died down, the discussion on why the album sold so well grew louder.


    Some believed it was due to Link''s fame and large fanbase. As a world boxing champion, movie star, top-tier singer, and having over 20 million Twitter followers, if a hundred people bought one, it would sell over 200,000.


    Others thought it was because the first and second albums were of high quality, the first single "all of me" being iconic, along with his other releases like "legends never die" and "see you again," all being high-quality songs.


    Link''s offerings were always meticulous.


    His fans believed in his music, and thus were eager to support his third release.


    However, many felt that the album sold well purely because of its quality. With 18 tracks, none were filler material; each one had the potential to reach the top of the singles chart.


    Some fans even argued about which track from the album was the best, dividing into over ten groups, each supporting a different song.


    The songs were all too strong to not sell well.


    Not to mention endorsements by top stars like Lady Gaga for Link''s music.


    Judging by these circumstances, selling 300,000 on the first day didn''t seem like much.


    Following the release of the first day figures, Link''s third album became a hot topic in the music world, with many media outlets broadcasting this news.


    Previously, the mainstream media predicted that this album would sell around one million copies nationwide. Now, it seemed like a joke.


    Previously, many thought that Link''s third album wouldn''t surpass Justin''s "my world 2.0" in sales this week. Now, that too seemed like a joke.


    "The Woman I Love" on its second day saw online sales drop to 75,000, but sales of physical albums increased to 248,000, bringing the second day''s total sales to 323,000.


    The two-day total reached 629,000!!

 Chapter 277 The Plan to Overpraise and Ruin Link

    "620,000 copies in two days?!"


    Inside the entertainment agency SB Projects, Scooter''s muscle twitched at the corner of his eye as he looked at the sales data published on Link''s music Twitter account, and his face became extremely ugly.


    He had assumed that given Justin''s current popularity, his album sales¡ªeven if not as good as Link''s¡ªwouldn''t fall too far behind.


    But reality had slapped him hard in the face.


    Link''s new album sales over two days had exceeded Justin''s two-week total by a hundred thousand copies.


    The numbers were too exaggerated, and he found them hard to accept.


    Scooter squinted his eyes and looked at Alex, his assistant sitting in front of the desk, "How''s the investigation going, any evidence of Link''s music faking data?"


    Alex shook his head.


    "Boss, I just contacted a couple of insiders, and they said there''s no evidence of Link''s music faking statistics. They also said that the company has been particularly busy these past two days, especially the people in the distribution department, everyone is shouting loudly about distributors online calling for urgent supplies, some asking for 50,000 copies, some directly demanding a resupply of 100,000 copies.


    Initially, Link''s music predicted 3 million in sales for this album; now it seems like 3 million won''t be enough. The marketing department people are also continuously calling the pressing factories, telling them to print another 2 million copies, and they''re urging the packaging and transport companies to expedite shipments.


    When I was on the phone, I could also hear from the receiver how busy things were over at Link''s music, and both insiders said that starting from yesterday, they began working overtime, only resting for five or six hours a day, not even having time to make calls.


    Given the current situation, Link''s music probably doesn''t need to fake it; the album is inherently a best seller. Faking data would just be overwhelming."


    Scooter looked even more upset upon hearing this.


    From Alex''s description, he could picture how busy Link''s music must be: phones ringing off the hook in the office area, operators shouting loudly, yelling for an additional 100,000 copies for New York, 100,000 for Los Angeles, 50,000 for Las Vegas, their voices hoarse from shouting.


    Such a bustling scene.


    It was what Scooter and all record company bosses dreamed of.


    Unfortunately, such a scene did not occur at SB Projects.


    Justin''s second album had just crossed the threshold of 900,000 copies sold, and there were still over a million unsold in storage at the packaging company, far from being sold out.


    Additionally, with the release of Link''s new album, Justin''s second album took a big hit, dropping 12% compared to the day before yesterday, and nearly 30% from yesterday.


    The significant drop wasn''t just due to market saturation but also because Link had released an album. Many people who had planned to buy Justin''s record took their money and bought the higher-quality "The Woman I Love."


    This is the competition between peers. The size of the pop music pie is fixed; the more Link''s music eats, the less SB Projects and other record labels get. Those who can''t get a bite could go bankrupt.


    Scooter did not want to go bankrupt, which meant he had to compete with Link''s music.


    He had originally planned to deploy two insiders within Link''s music company to dig up dirt, and release it all at once in a couple of weeks.


    But those two useless people were now busy working overtime at Link''s music.


    Scooter snorted coldly and loosened his tie, asking, "Any new progress in investigating Link''s dark material?"


    "None! Link has very regular habits, running and working out in the morning, work at noon, boxing training in the afternoon. He doesn''t go to clubs, nightclubs, nor has he been to casinos and strip clubs. The people investigating him have no chance to capture any scandalous material."


    Alex said helplessly.


    Scooter didn''t believe it. If he hadn''t seen that video, he would have thought Link was a fine and upstanding man too. After watching it, he felt certain that Link had issues in his private life, but was just too cautious for the paparazzi to find anything.


    Scooter pondered secretly, "Go tell the paparazzi that there''s no need for an in-depth investigation, just take more pictures of Link with different women, the more the better. I have a big use for them later."


    "Okay!"


    Alex nodded, and seeing no further instructions, left with a folder in his arms.


    Scooter continued to glare at the numbers on the screen with a dark face, 629,000 copies accumulated in two days. What would the first week sales be? Would it break the first-week sales records of stars like the super boy bands, Backstreet Boys, Eminem?


    If it broke the record, Link''s influence in the music circle would climb another level, and then in the pop music world, he would be the one to dominate, while everyone else would only be able to follow behind, picking up the leftovers.


    This was the last thing Scooter wanted to see. He thought it over seriously and decided he should get in touch with more colleagues to step on Link when necessary.


    Ding-ling-ling!


    His phone on the desk rang twice. Seeing it was a call from Little Kunas, Scooter''s spirits suddenly lifted as he answered. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Little Kunas was asking when he planned to release that video?


    Scooter told him that now was not the time, the best strategy would be to first create public opinion, to lift Link high in everyone''s eyes, to let everyone think he was a great guy. Then release the video, and crash him down hard.


    The strong contrast would lead to disappointment in fans and the public, which would turn into anger and scolding.


    Only by doing so could they fully leverage the value of that video and deal a greater blow to Link.


    Little Kunas agreed with his suggestion and also told him that due to Link and Link Music''s great success, Atlantic Records was ready to strengthen their collaboration with Link Music, preferably with a joint promotion of works by several artists under Link.


    If Atlantic Records fully cooperated with Link Music, Link''s market value would be higher, making it harder to acquire them later on.


    Scott understood and said he would make arrangements promptly.


    After hanging up the phone, he called the publicity department, instructing them to rush the establishment of Link''s "best boyfriend" public image, praising him as high as possible, so that the fall would make a louder noise when it came.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Mr. Singh, where''s Link''s new album? I can''t seem to find it."


    At the record store on 47th Street Broadway in New York, a girl with a long ponytail searched the best-selling area for Link''s new album but couldn''t find it, so she approached the counter to ask the store owner.


    "Ellie, you''re too late; Link''s album sold out a while ago."


    Mr. Singh, the owner, said as he lowered his glasses to look at her.


    "Sold out? It''s only the second day since its release, how can it be sold out?"


    The girl said with a pout.


    "I got 300 copies from the distributor on Friday, thinking they would last a week, but Link''s album was so popular that we sold 215 copies yesterday, and the rest were gone by this morning. The next batch won''t arrive until tomorrow afternoon," explained Mr. Singh with a smile.


    "Alright then, I''ll come back tomorrow. Mr. Singh, please remember to save one for me," said Ellie sweetly.


    "Sure. Why don''t you listen to my copy for now? The songs on Link''s new album are indeed very good." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mr. Singh took a CD out of the player, slipped it into a case, and handed it to Ellie.


    "Mr. Singh, I''ll definitely return it to you tomorrow."


    Ellie took the CD, hugging it to her chest with joy.


    On the third day of "The Woman I Love" release, it sold 275,000 copies both online and offline, accumulating sales of 904,000 copies.


    Link Music''s account, while posting the data, not only thanked fans for their support but also apologized to them.


    The reason was that the popularity of the album had far exceeded the publisher''s expectations, resulting in insufficient preparation on their part, causing many locations to announce sold-out within three days and leaving many fans unable to purchase Link''s new album on time, for which Link Music expressed deep regret.


    The company was actively arranging the second batch of albums, assuring that record stores everywhere would be restocked by tomorrow at the latest, and asked everyone to continue supporting Link.


    After the tweet was sent, some marveled at how incredible Link was, selling over 900,000 copies in three days, becoming a true pop monarch.


    Peers in the record industry felt that Link Music was showing off.


    While others worried about not selling their records, Link Music was apologizing to fans for selling out.


    It was damn enviable.


    By the fourth day of "The Woman I Love" release, it sold 247,000 copies in the United States, reaching a total of 1.15 million copies.


    Link''s album also became one of the fastest in the US album charts to break a million copies.


    Ranked first was the super boy band''s third album "No Strings Attached" released in 2000, which took two days to break a million copies.


    The second was also an album by the super boy band, their fourth release "Celebrity," which took three days.


    Ranked third was Eminem''s third album "The Marshall Mathers LP," also taking four days, released in 2000.


    With 1.15 million copies sold in four days, the album left mainstream media speechless; they had initially predicted that Link''s album sales in the United States would be around a million copies, but Link had exceeded that target in less than four days.


    Mainstream media didn''t know what was embarrassing anymore and instead started to praise the album''s artistic quality, calling it "the highest quality love album of the past decade" and "one of the ten must-listen selected albums of 2010."


    At the same time, numerous media also began to praise Link, saying he was a good man, not into drugs or alcohol, had no bad habits, could compose and box and sing, was the music industry''s most perfect man, the dream lover of countless women, a perfect dating and marriage prospect.


    They also commended Link and Taylor''s stable relationship, noting that after dating for more than a year, everything had remained steady with no sign of conflict, branding them the music industry''s ''Golden Boy and Golden Girl,'' setting a good example for fans and restoring faith in love, and so on.


    Link felt these articles were exaggerative, considering himself not as good as depicted in the newspapers.


    But considering it might be the publicity department''s planning, he did not intervene.

 Chapter 278 Beyonces Warning

    "Link, where are you? Are you okay?"


    In the morning, while Link was having breakfast and reading the newspaper on the balcony, Selena called with a very urgent tone as if she had been frightened.


    "I''m at home having breakfast. Where are you, what happened?"


    Link asked hurriedly.


    "I''m at home too."


    Selena let out a sigh on the phone and continued, "Link, listen to me, you absolutely must not go to the beach these days. I just had a dream where you fell into the sea and kept gulping down water. I tried to pull you up, but I couldn''t. The dream was so real that it scared me to tears."


    Link was rather speechless. He glanced at his phone, "It''s almost nine o''clock, and you''re still in bed dreaming? What time did you go to sleep last night?"


    "Ah? That''s not important. Don''t interrupt me. Did you remember what I just said? Do not go to the beach. My dreams are very prescient."


    Selena said with a serious tone.


    If she had been beside him, Link would have felt like tapping her on the head, "Are you still groggy from sleep? Who do you think I am? The holder of four swimming records, an Elite Level diver, often free diving in the sea. Do you think I would drown?"


    "Eh, that seems right. I''ll go back to sleep then, dream that you can float up on your own, no need for me to rescue you, okay, bye."


    Without waiting for him to ask more, Selena hung up.


    Link sent a message to Catherine asking what Selena was doing last night that she was still sleeping.


    Catherine replied that Selena had bought a small sports car and was racing with a few girlfriends in the streets, only returning home after eleven o''clock.


    Link shook his head, Selena was of age now and had become playful. Probably Catherine and Mandy couldn''t restrain her either.


    Catherine told him that the "Bridesmaids" crew had been formed, directed by Paul Feig, who had directed "The White Haired Detective 3," and was skilled in filming comedies.


    They were moving on to casting, and she asked if he had anyone to recommend.


    Link said no, he didn''t remember what the main characters were called and didn''t plan to interfere. He just wanted her and Ms. Weg to choose actors according to the needs of the script, not to be influenced by others, and to try to find the most suitable actors.


    Catherine said she understood and then asked about the album release situation.


    After chatting with Catherine, Link put away his phone and continued with breakfast. Ding-dong~ his phone received a new message from Beyonce.


    Beyonce asked, "Is the whiskey I gave you last time still there?"


    Link shook his head, "I don''t drink, gave it to the backstage crew."


    Beyonce said, "Okay, confirmed it''s you. The album sold over a million copies in four days, how does that feel?"


    Link replied with a laugh, "Feeling good so far!"


    Beyonce said, "Don''t be too proud. You''ve surpassed Lil Wayne and Usher on the first week sales record chart, and they are furious, saying they want to shoot you."


    Link laughed, "Thanks for letting me know. I''ll go out and buy a bulletproof vest to wear tomorrow."


    Beyonce said, "Bulletproof vests are useless. I have to tell you another insider tip, get ready mentally. Usher said that Scooter has some dirt on you that might ruin your reputation. I don''t know what it is, but it''s definitely not good for you, so don''t get too happy too soon."


    "My dirt?"


    Link was stunned for a moment, thinking carefully, he didn''t know what he could have done to give the other side leverage.


    "Could it have been backstage that time? Were we photographed secretly?"


    "Impossible. If it were our photos, Scooter would have told Jay-Z in advance, and Jay-Z wouldn''t have been that calm if he knew."


    "Then what could it be?"


    "Don''t ask me. You bastard have the guts to torment me like that, you''ve surely done the same to other women. You should think carefully if you were caught cheating by accident."


    "No way, I''m not as promiscuous as you think."


    "You better not be, otherwise when the dirt comes out, your image as the perfect man will crash down. Also, you owe me one for this, remember to repay me." Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire


    Beyonce went offline.


    Link deleted the message, considering Beyonce''s warning, he felt somewhat anxious.


    If it wasn''t backstage those times, what kind of dirt could it be?


    Could it be the time with Amy Adams?


    If it was, why wait so long to release it? And if not, what could it be?


    Apart from these two women, he hadn''t engaged in any other scandalous behavior.


    After giving it some thought, he sent a message to Ms. Mandy, asking her to relay to the Link Music Marketing Department to temporarily stop hyping up his good man persona and to cease marketing his relationship with Taylor. Using such things to promote an album seemed inappropriate.


    Ms. Mandy said okay, and after a while, she called back to tell him that the marketing department had no such plans and had not instructed the media to promote him as a good man.


    These news stories were proactively reported by the media; both he and Taylor were chart-topping singers, as well as a couple.


    Hyping up such news would attract the attention of fans of both Link and Taylor, leading to more sales of news products.


    It was just like the hype created in the past with sweethearts like Britney and Justin Timberlake, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, Bruce Willis and Demi Moore.


    The PR department saw these tactics as normal and beneficial for promoting his records, so they hadn''t intervened.


    Link became even more puzzled after hearing this.


    Previously, Beyonce had told him that Scott had some dirt on him and was out to set him up, but he hadn''t fully believed it, now he was starting to believe it a bit.


    The media wouldn''t hype up his and Taylor''s relationship or mold him into a good man for no reason; there definitely were some people shaping public opinion. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    First, they built up his good man image, and then they would use "black material" to bring him down, which would be more damaging to him.


    However, considering that the black material was in Kunas''s hands, getting hold of it wouldn''t be easy.


    "What are you thinking about? You look utterly lost."


    As he was pondering on how to break this situation, Taylor suddenly walked by, her blue eyes intently staring at him.


    Link''s heart skipped a beat when he saw that his phone had already gone dark. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "These past few days, the media has been hyping me up as the most perfect man in the world. It feels a bit cheesy. I called the company''s PR department and asked them to stop publishing those articles, but they told me it wasn''t the company''s doing. The media are the ones hyping it, and I feel like there''s a problem here."


    "What problem?"


    Taylor put her breakfast plate down across from him and tore into the soft bread, saying, "If you''re a good man, what does it matter if people say you''re a good man? Unless you think you''re a bad guy."


    "Yes, being called a good man doesn''t matter, but being called a perfect man is just too much. Darling, look at the newspapers; whenever it comes to perfection, there must be some issue, like it''s a pit waiting for me to fall into."


    Link poured her a glass of milk.


    "Aren''t you overthinking it?"


    Taylor also picked up the newspaper and after reading just a few articles, she couldn''t help laughing, "It is a bit exaggerated, calling you the best boyfriend, the ideal date, that''s obviously not true. You''re lecherous, a scoundrel, vain, wake up too early every day, disturbing my rest. You have so many issues, how could you ever be considered perfect."


    Link gave a light smile, staring at Taylor across the table for a moment, "Darling, we''ve known each other for almost two years now, and we''ve been together for over a year. You should understand me by now; while I might have some issues, I''m not beyond redemption, right?"


    Putting down her silver spoon, Taylor glanced at him and asked, "Why are we suddenly talking about this?"


    Link said, "I''ve been too popular lately, and when a person becomes too popular, it invites jealousy. I feel like there are people out to get me, and I am not without flaws, so I hope that in the coming period, if you see any negative news about me, you won''t believe it readily. Will you give me a chance to explain?"


    Taylor pursed her lips and stared at him intently, "I''m not a fool. If it''s fabricated news, I can certainly see through it and won''t take it seriously. But from your expression, it''s clear this situation isn''t so simple. Have you done something bad behind my back?"


    "Don''t jump to conclusions. I am just trying to be cautious. You know how business can be like a battlefield. Sometimes, even if I haven''t done anything bad, the competition can fabricate false news to attack me, just like what happened to MJ.


    Now both I and Link Music are very hot, and the interests tied to me are growing more and more, there are many people who want to target me. I don''t know how they will come at me, but I need your support before anything happens."


    Link reached across the small round table and took Taylor''s hand.


    After staring at him quietly for two or three seconds, her face cold, Taylor asked, "Is it about you and Ivanka?"


    "No, there really isn''t anything special going on between me and Ivanka."


    Link shook his head.


    Frowning, Taylor said, "So that means, apart from me and Ivanka, you''ve been fooling around with other women?"


    "No, I''ve been at home the whole time except for my boxing practice. Where would I have time to fool around?"


    Link shook his head.


    With a snort, Taylor said, "That''s not necessarily true. Last year, I only went out for two hours, and you managed to write a hit single and shoot a music video in the meantime. Now you go out to practice boxing three to four hours every day; I wouldn''t be surprised if you had a bunch of kids with other women."


    "Darling, you''ve been talking about this for a year."


    Link said helplessly.


    "Alright, I promise you, as long as you haven''t done anything to betray me, I won''t care about those news reports."


    Taylor withdrew her hand and spoke.

 Chapter 279 Beyonce Panics

    After receiving Beyonce''s message, Link''s daily routine was thrown into disarray. Normally, after breakfast, he would play with his cat and read professional books for an hour, but with his mind preoccupied, he couldn''t settle down.


    He called Ivanka and told her everything, asking if she had any countermeasures.


    "Scott has blackmail on you? How do you know?"


    Ivanka asked, puzzled.


    "Someone tipped me off, and it seems pretty credible."


    "What kind of blackmail is it?"


    "I don''t know."


    "Think about the bad things you''ve done, do you have any guesses?"


    Ivanka asked.


    After thinking it over, what Link was most worried about now was that the blackmail material was related to him and Amy Adams. Amy Adams had just given birth not long ago, and if this kind of news broke, the impact would be very bad. However, since it involved Amy Adams'' privacy, he couldn''t tell Ivanka about it.


    "You thought for so long? Just how many bad things have you done?"


    Ivanka asked.


    "Don''t talk nonsense, I can''t remember anything bad that I''ve done."


    "Really? Link, this is a critical moment. We are partners, comrades in arms. I need you to be honest with me so I can find a solution to get us through this. If we only react after it''s leaked, it will be too late."


    Ivanka said sternly.


    "...Alright, last year on a film set, I got drunk and had a relationship with a woman. Out of consideration for her privacy, I can''t tell you her name."


    "Was it rape?"


    Ivanka asked curiously.


    "Of course not, how could I possibly do such a thing?"


    "Is that so? If it''s just drunken promiscuity, you don''t need to be too nervous. Such things are common in the entertainment industry, and it doesn''t matter if they are exposed."


    "It''s not that simple. They are hyping me up as a good guy. If news of my infidelity scandal suddenly breaks, it will definitely affect my image and album sales. We must take it seriously."


    "Alright, I''ll arrange for someone to negotiate with Scott, try to get that thing over, assuming it exists."


    Ivanka said.


    "How do you plan to get it? To screw me over, they''ve used a lot of media resources. From this point of view, the blackmail material should be significant and won''t be handed over to us easily."


    "Do you have any ideas?"


    Link thought for a while and suggested using the rights to "Baby" in exchange.


    After the last Grammy Awards, Graham came to him, saying that "Baby" was 50% similar to a song he had written in 2008, along with "Never Say Never." The only reason it wasn''t used was that it didn''t fit the style of the first album.


    Lately, Link Music faced poaching from a competitor, and a production assistant defected to Island Records, which happened to be the producer of Justin''s two albums.


    Graham suspected it was that production assistant who had brought "Baby" to Island Records.


    The song''s copyright had been registered with the American Society of Composers, and Ivanka planned to use this song as leverage against SB Company, potentially screwing them over if necessary.


    Link planned to use the rights to "Baby" for the trade.


    In America, copyright infringement is a serious issue, and the courts and copyright associations impose severe penalties.


    If Scott had the blackmail material, considering Justin''s future, he likely wouldn''t refuse the trade.


    "Trading with copyright? I don''t think that''s a good idea. If we sue SB Entertainment and Island Records for infringement, we will win 100%, and the compensation won''t be less than 30 million US dollars. It would also severely hit SB Company. Do you think spending 30 million US dollars for evidence that isn''t even confirmed is worth it?"


    Ivanka said.


    "30 million is just earnings from one game, and I don''t care about it. Besides, as an idol, maintaining a good public image is more valuable than 30 million US dollars."


    "Okay, you focus on promoting the album and preparing for the competition. Leave this matter to me."


    Finally, Ivanka mentioned the promotional strategy he had proposed a couple of days ago.


    After consultation with the think tank, they agreed that the promotional strategy was highly operational and would work well for advertising the album.


    However, currently, the sales of the third album are stable, and its popularity is high, with a strong chance of topping the charts. There''s no need for too much hype yet. They could wait two or three weeks, after the heat dies down and album sales begin to slip, then implement the strategy for better results.


    Link didn''t object, leaving it all to her.


    On the fifth day after the release of "The Woman I Love," Link began to hold autograph sessions in various cities inside the United States. Previously, he would sign more than ten thousand copies a day, but now he limited it to three thousand, which significantly reduced his workload.


    In the media, however, more and more news was being hyped about him being a good man and boyfriend, describing him as a man who was well-rounded in morality, intelligence, physique, aesthetics, and labor, with good looks and talent, and particularly impressive in certain aspects, the dream lover of nine hundred million young women around the globe.


    This also led to an increasing number of female fans.


    All who lined up for autographs were female music fans, ranging from just a few years old to several decades.


    As soon as he appeared, the female fans would begin screaming loudly.


    "Ah~ Link! Love hot dance oil!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link, I want to have your baby."


    "Link, look here, I''m here!"


    On TV, when Link appeared at the Seattle signing event, thousands of fans screamed, both men and women, with women making up seventy percent, mostly women in their twenties and thirties. Some women saw Link glancing over and immediately lifted their shirts, revealing their sexy figures.


    "Fuck! This asshole is too popular now."


    50 Cent saw on television that many black hot chicks were also wildly supporting Link, saying they wanted to have Link''s children, he cursed furiously.


    Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and a few others also looked displeased.


    Last March, they were the music scene''s top stars and rap kings.


    And Link was just a rookie they could trample on, a nobody who, after being criticized by them at the Grammy Awards, didn''t dare retort and could only leave the scene dejectedly.


    Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    But in just one year''s time, that asshole Link had become a music scene top star, his new album sold over 1.3 million copies in five days, his fan base was growing, and wherever he went, he was fervently pursued by fans, even more popular than them.


    It was infuriating.


    Especially knowing that this asshole had climbed to the top of the music scene by stepping on their faces, it made Kanye and the others'' expressions even uglier.


    "There''s no need to be angry, everyone. This is Scooter''s strategy. In two days, when he exposes Link''s dirt, Link will fall from his pedestal. As cocky as he is now, he will be that embarrassed in a couple of days," Usher said, swirling his drink with a laugh.


    "What dirt? Why not expose it sooner? That asshole Link is already smug enough."


    Lil Wayne asked.


    Usher shrugged his shoulders, "I haven''t seen it myself, but Scooter assured us that it''s heavy stuff that will seriously damage Link''s image."


    "Really? Why not expose it now? Link''s popularity is already high; if it comes out now, he''ll definitely take a big fall. Just thinking about it is so cool."


    Beyonce hooked her red lips, leaning back on the sofa, wearing a white tank dress with slender straps resting on her smooth shoulders, revealing a curvaceous figure. Beneath the hem of the dress were a pair of coffee-colored, satin-smooth long legs lightly crossed.


    Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and Drake occasionally pretended to glance casually, then quickly looked away. With Jay-Z present, they dared not stare too blatantly.


    "Honey, Scooter has his plans; we just need to enjoy the show," Jay-Z said, holding a cigar.


    "Jess, have you seen the dirt? If you haven''t and don''t know what it contains, how can you be sure it will hit Link hard? I know Scooter too, a pure businessman, strong in marketing hype, but other areas..."


    Beyonce shook her head slightly, showing a dismissive expression.


    "Boss Jess, I think Beyonce makes sense. If it''s really important dirt, Scooter would just release it and cause Link''s reputation to plummet. There''s no need for all this foreplay. This way, it kind of feels like he''s bluffing," Drake said after looking at Beyonce.


    Jay-Z frowned, picked up the phone and called Scooter, asking when he planned to release Link''s dirt.


    Scooter said the plan was for tonight.


    Jay-Z asked what the dirt was and whether he could reveal a bit of it beforehand.


    Scooter hesitated on the other end, then revealed it was a video recording of Link messing around with other women in the dressing room while he was dating Taylor.


    When Beyonce heard it was a recording of Link messing around with other women in the dressing room, her heartbeat immediately went out of rhythm, her chest quivered slightly, and her breathing became quick.


    She bit her lower lip, unable to stop thinking about that day in the Lakers locker room when Link pinned her against the locker and became as wild as a beast. If that scene had been recorded and shown to the whole world online...


    With these thoughts, Beyonce''s heartbeat quickened, her face grew hot, and her lips slightly moist. She held her knees together, picked up her drink for a sip, covering her reddened cheeks.


    "It''s a recording of Link messing around with other women in the dressing room."


    Jay-Z hung up the phone and told everyone with a smile, "Scooter''s plan is good. First, build up the image of Link as a good boyfriend, then release his cheating video. With such a severe contrast in his public persona, it will surely ruin his reputation."


    "Sounds great!"


    "Haha, I knew it all along, Link that asshole isn''t a good guy."


    "Haha, I wonder what Link''s face would look like if he knew there''s footage of his locker room antics and it was secretly filmed."


    "No matter what, Link is screwed for sure."


    Even the gloomy Kanye laughed excitedly, lifting his glass for a toast.


    After drinking, Beyonce excused herself for work in the recording studio and left the party early.


    Once in the car, she hurriedly took out her phone, planning to call Link, but thinking he might be busy, she decided to text him instead.


    Sitting in the car, she looked back at the bar one last time, then started the car, deciding to leave town to avoid the fallout.

 Chapter 280 Ivanka Makes a Move

    "Haha, Jess, don''t worry, just wait and enjoy the show tonight, at exactly eight o''clock, YouTube."


    In the president''s office of SB Projects Entertainment Company, Scooter hung up the phone with a chuckle.


    If it were someone else asking, he might not have disclosed the information, but considering it was Jay-Z, a former boss, a rap industry mogul, and a current business partner, Scooter felt obliged to comply.


    After a moment of thought, Scooter called the head of the public relations department, instructing them to contact the media in advance, to get in touch with several outlets, ensuring that they capitalized on the hype before the video got taken down.


    After finalizing the media contacts, Scooter leaned back in the couch, poured himself a glass of red wine, and reassessed his strategy to see if there were any flaws.


    In the end, he found the plan to be comprehensive, with everything in place, just waiting for eight o''clock to upload the video online and stir up a massive public uproar in America.


    "Link, prepare to step down."


    Scooter looked at the newspaper image of Link and sneered.


    "Boss, the president of Link Music, Ivanka, is here; she says she has something to discuss with you," his assistant Alex reported over the phone.


    "Oh? Why is she here?"


    Scooter frowned, feeling uneasy. Had word gotten out at Link Music? Was Ivanka trying to persuade him not to release the video and to spare Link this time?


    With a mocking laugh, Scooter thought it impossible to let Link off. Business was like a battlefield; once you spot an enemy''s weakness, you must strike fiercely.


    Show mercy to an enemy, and you''re merely inviting trouble for yourself.


    Not to mention, the video had been sent by Kunas; he had no right to decide.


    "Boss, do you want to see her?" Alex asked.


    "Let Miss Ivanka in."


    Scooter straightened his tie, stood up, having once seen Ivanka at a business party where she was the center of attention, radiating elegance and allure. Even people like Kunas received nothing but her indifference, and Scooter hadn''t even had the chance to approach her.


    But now, Ivanka was making a personal visit to SB Company to see him.


    Scooter felt thrilled. He checked his appearance in the mirror, tightened his tie, brushed back his hair, and after hearing footsteps outside, he put down the comb and returned to his chair with poise.


    "Come in!"


    The door was pushed open and assistant Alex held it.


    Ivanka stood outside, dressed in a moon-white lady''s suit with a platinum-colored lining, her golden hair pinned up, and her lips red like rose petals, adding a vibrant pop of color to her classy attire, making her look regal and stunning, yet her voluptuous figure added a sense of allure.


    "Haha, Miss Ivanka, welcome to SB Company, please take a seat!"


    Scooter stood up from behind his desk, extending his hand with a warm smile.


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Braun!"


    Ivanka nodded slightly, with two assistants walked into the office and sat down on the central sofa.


    "Haha, Miss Ivanka, I''ve long heard of your reputation. I didn''t expect you to visit SB Company. What a rare guest you are! Miss Ivanka, may I ask what brings you here?"


    Scooter sat down on the sofa opposite her, smiling warmly.


    Ivanka said, "Mr. Braun, I have learned from Wall Street that SB Entertainment Company is performing well and holds significant investment value. Representing Link Music, I propose to acquire SB Entertainment for 10 million dollars. I hope you will consider it."


    "Acquire my company?"


    Scooter was stunned for a moment, his mind struggling to grasp the situation.


    Today, he had been in his office arranging media contacts, planning to release Link''s private video in the evening and settle a score with Link once and for all.


    At that moment, Alex told him that Link Music''s president, Miss Ivanka, had arrived to talk.


    He instinctively thought Ivanka was here because of the video, asking him not to release it.


    But it appeared not to be the case.


    Ivanka started by proposing to acquire SB Entertainment, and her offer was merely 10 million dollars.


    Considering SB Agency had over ten signed artists, including pop singer Justin Bieber, famed singer and actor Ludacris, rap legend Kanye West, and parts of Usher''s management contracts, etc.


    The market value was no less than 60 million dollars, and with Justin''s album sales booming, the company''s value was set to rise even higher.


    Yet, Ivanka wanted to purchase SB Agency for just 10 million dollars.


    With a tone that brooked no argument. Read the latest on My Virtual Library Empire S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "10 million dollars? Miss Ivanka, are you sure you''re not joking?"


    Scooter slowly cooled his expression, staring at the opposite, beautiful, voluptuous, and dignified woman, beginning to doubt if she was indeed the legendary Ivanka, known for her beauty and wisdom.


    Ivanka crossed her legs casually, placed her hands lightly on her thighs, and said to Scooter across from her, "Mr. Braun, I am quite serious, and I hope you will consider it seriously."


    Scott''s eye twitched muscle spasmed, and he asked again, enduring his temper, "Miss Ivanka, are you sure it''s $10 million for the acquisition of SB Company, and not just a 10% stake in SB Company?"


    "Mr. Braun, you heard me correctly. Link Music plans to acquire 100% of SB Projects Entertainment Company for $10 million in US dollars, making SB Company a subsidiary. Here is our acquisition proposal, please take a look," Ivanka said.


    Ivanka waved a finger, and the secretary behind her stepped forward, took out a folder, and placed it in front of Scott.


    Scott saw that Ivanka had even prepared the acquisition contract and was infuriated by the sight of it. This woman was too domineering; without any negotiations, she threw an extremely unequal contract at him. Did she think he would sign it?


    Did this woman take him for a fool?


    "Miss Ivanka, I currently have no intention of selling SB Company. There''s no need to discuss this further," Scott said, standing up.


    Ivanka cocked her sexy lip corner and waved her hand again, while the secretary took out another folder and placed it on the desk.


    "Miss Ivanka, there''s no need to waste time, no matter what conditions you offer, I will never agree to sell the company to you," Scott said with a cold smile.


    "Mr. Braun, don''t rush, just look at the documents first, maybe you will change your mind," Ivanka said, pointing at the folder, a calm smile gracing her beautiful cheeks.


    Scott shook his head, feeling somewhat disappointed.


    Rumors claimed that Link Music''s President Ivanka was a beautiful, smart and sexy woman with great business acumen. But having met her in person, aside from being beautiful and sexy, she lacked everything else.


    That such a person had managed to grow Link Music from scratch to its current size was really a miracle.


    He casually picked up the document and glanced over it; it was a copy of a song copyright registration information provided by the American Composers Association.


    Initially, he didn''t care much, but the more he read, the paler his face became, and sweat began to form on his forehead; his brown curly hair also became damp.


    The document contained the registration information for a song titled "Baby." According to the registration, seven to eight segments of lyrics and music scores were identical to Justin''s "Baby," with the chorus being almost exactly the same.


    He looked at the registered date, which was December 18, 2008; the copyright was registered under Link Music, with the songwriter listed as Link Baker and Graham Goodall.


    "Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Scott roared in disbelief.


    Ivanka, arms crossed, smiled faintly and said, "The Composers Association keeps records. You can check whether it''s true or not. I''m very busy and have no interest in fooling you with fake documents."


    Scott''s hands trembled as he looked over the information again; from each aspect, it appeared genuine. Someone of Ivanka''s stature wouldn''t resort to a fake document for deception.


    Could it actually be that his composers had plagiarized Link''s song?


    Suddenly, he remembered that last year, his company had poached a production assistant from under Link Music''s nose. Could it have been his doing?


    "Miss Ivanka, this must be a coincidence, our musicians would never plagiarize Link''s songs, I swear to God," Scott hastily explained.


    Ivanka shook her head slightly, her tone cool as she replied, "Swearing to God won''t help, this matter is for the courts to decide. I have witnesses and physical evidence proving that since last year, you''ve engaged in a series of unfair competition practices. You''ve poached eight musicians from Link Music, and what''s more despicable, you had someone steal Link''s songs to boldly produce and release albums. Mr. Braun, do you not hold any regard for the law in your eyes?"


    "I didn''t do it! I absolutely did not order anyone to steal from Link''s music library, I swear!"


    Scott rushed to defend himself.


    Ivanka quietly watched him, moving her plump, brightly colored lips to coldly say, "I have evidence of what you did, what evidence do you have that you didn''t? Perhaps you can explain to the judge and see if they believe you."


    Scott''s mouth hung open as his mind buzzed noisily.


    Poaching from Link Music was true, many people knew about it, it was completely impossible to hide. As for the plagiarism of Link''s songs, even though he wanted to deny it, the damning evidence left no room for denial.


    "Miss Ivanka, there must be some misunderstanding here, please give me three days to investigate, I need to find out where the mistake occurred," Scott said.


    "Tomorrow at this time, Link Music''s legal department will officially file a lawsuit with the Manhattan District Court, accusing SB Company and its musicians including Justin Bieber, Ludacris, among others of infringement," Ivanka said emphatically. She stood up and left with her two assistants.


    Scott stared dumbfounded as Ivanka''s enticing figure disappeared through the door, then collapsed weakly onto the sofa.


    How could this happen?


    He had previously wanted to use the video to severely trap Link, tarnishing Link''s reputation and causing Link''s albums to undersell. In the meantime, he planned to heavily promote Justin''s new album to seize the market share Link dropped.


    By riding on the success of the album, he aimed to elevate Justin as a stepping stone over Link.


    But


    How could "Baby" be a copy?


    Scott cursed, picked up his phone, and called his assistant Alex to check the copyright of "Baby." He also called several people in production to demand an explanation.

 Chapter 281 All Are Conspiracies

    SB Entertainment Company is located in the West Village of Manhattan, an area with a strong artistic atmosphere, also considered a cultural sanctuary by New Yorkers.


    The neighborhood brings together various artists, including painters, musicians, actors, and writers.


    Singers are the most numerous here, and since the 1950s, it has become one of the birthplaces of modern folk music. By 1965, when Bob Dylan performed rock at the ''Newport Folk Festival,'' it became a sacred place in the hearts of rock musicians.


    Many musicians, before they became famous, had residency gigs in the bars and nightclubs of the West Village. Some were even discovered by talent scouts and went from nobodies to Emperor Superstars, including jazz singer Ray Charles, Norah Jones, Lady Gaga, and others.


    SB Entertainment Company chose to set up its headquarters here, partly to take advantage of the local talent pool.


    Previously, Scott''s favorite thing to do in his spare time was to stand in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows and enjoy the performances of street musicians below.


    But today, he only found their music somewhat noisy, wishing he could lean out of the window and scream "Shut up!"


    "Boss, I''m back."


    Assistant Alex returned to the office, out of breath.


    "How did it go?"


    Scott quickly asked.


    Alex took out a document and placed it on the desk, telling him with a voice full of helplessness that the copyright registration information was real and that the similarities between the two versions of "Baby" were nearly 50%.


    "How could this happen? Ludacris told me before that it was their original work, why would it be suspected of plagiarism? Why?!"


    Scott angrily asked.


    Alex didn''t know how to explain the situation. The song "Baby" was performed by Justin and Ludacris.


    The songwriters included five people: Justin Bieber, Ludacris, Tricky Stewart, The Dream, Christina Milian.


    The main creators were the latter four, with Ludacris being a signed artist of SB Entertainment Company, and the other three musicians also had working relationships with the company.


    Now that an issue had arisen, not only the creators were to be held accountable, but the responsibility of SB Entertainment Company was even greater.


    Based on current court precedents for copyright infringement, the punishment ratio is between five to ten times, depending on the severity of the infringement and the profits made.


    "Baby" was not just Justin''s hit song, but also the lead single from the album "My World 2.0."


    It had a powerful influence worldwide, and through this song, SB Company had successfully launched Justin Bieber, making tens of millions, and stood to make more in the future.


    Because of the song''s impact and high revenue,


    The court would also likely impose a high penalty in its ruling.


    What''s worse, Justin had just debuted, and his lead single was suspected of plagiarism.


    What would the fans think?


    A hit song that reached the top three on the charts, but was stolen.


    How would the media criticize Justin and SB Company?


    If this matter was not handled well, not only could Justin''s future be completely ruined, but SB Company might also go bankrupt and close down.


    "Fuck! Fuck!"


    Scott suddenly raged, swinging a golf club around the office, smashing trophies and picture frames, fish tanks sending shards flying everywhere.


    "Boss, stop it, the deed is done. Getting angry is useless. You''d better calm down and think of a strategy,"


    Alex consoled him.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Scott swung his golf club furiously, smashing it onto the leather sofa that Ivanka had just sat on.


    After a while, Ludacris and the other four producers walked into the office and saw the chaos, looking as if it had been ransacked by a brotherhood, their faces registering shock.


    "What happened?"


    Ludacris, wearing a white tee and a gold chain, dressed almost like in "Fast & Furious," questioned Scott with his thick lips, but Scott, with a dark face, remained silent.


    "Take a look at this."


    Alex handed the "Baby" copyright registration documents to Ludacris and the others.


    After looking through it, their expressions changed drastically.


    "Impossible! We co-wrote this song together, how could it be plagiarized? This document must be fake,"


    Ludacris exclaimed.


    Scott leaned back in his chair with a cold expression on his thin face, saying nothing.


    "Sadly, it''s real!"


    Alex pulled out his phone, opened the photos, showing the archive he had photographed at the copyright office, identical to the copy before them.


    "There''s also a recording of a demo in the archive there. I''ve listened to it. The chorus is almost exactly the same as our ''Baby''."


    Alex said.


    "How is that possible? I absolutely didn''t plagiarize. Did you guys reference this work during creation?"


    Ludacris looked toward his three companions.


    All three shook their heads in unison, indicating a definite no.


    Skutt looked up at the four men and after seeing that no one was admitting responsibility, he pondered for a moment, "Besides the four of you, is there anyone else involved or who has influenced your creation?"


    "No one!"


    The three denied it with a shake of their heads.


    Only the musician named Thales Nash spoke up, "When we were producing this song, that production assistant who had jumped ship from Link Music said that the chorus sounded a bit familiar, as if he''d heard it somewhere before."


    "What?!"


    Skutt sat upright, bracing himself against the desk as he exclaimed, "Did he take part in the production?"


    Thales thought for a moment. "He adjusted the accompaniment for the chorus, originally the tone was a bit lower."


    "Fuck, fuck! Why didn''t you say so earlier?"


    Skutt roared loudly, veins popping on his forehead and neck.


    "He only changed a little. His contribution to the entire song is less than 1%. We never thought it would collide with a song written by Link. It must be a coincidence," Nash defended.


    "Idiot! This is Ivanka''s trickery. She knew we were poaching people from Link Music, and to counter us, she deliberately set a tempting bait, luring us into her trap, and then freely gave us a song. Her goal is to take over my company, it must be so, it just has to be¡ª Ivanka is so vicious."


    Skutt said angrily.


    "Skutt, except for the chorus accompaniment, everything else is our original creation. We absolutely did not plagiarize," Ludacris said.


    "What''s the use of saying all this? The two songs have as much as 50% similarity. They registered their copyright in ''08, we did at the end of ''09. That production assistant from Link Music is also at our company and participated in creating this song. After the judges learn about all this, who do you think they will believe?"


    Skutt''s face turned red as he slapped the table while shouting.


    Ludacris and the others felt helpless. There were too many coincidences to explain clearly.


    Skutt glared at the four men and seeing they had nothing more to say, he leaned back in his chair powerlessly, looking at the crystal chandelier while murmuring to himself.


    "This has to be Ivanka''s conspiracy, it must be. Last year, when she learned we were dealing with Link Music, she quickly initiated countermeasures, releasing a poison pill into our SB Entertainment Company. After ''Baby'' was released, she deliberately remained silent. When the album became a hit, knowing the time was right, she used the copyright for ''Baby'' to threaten us, seeking to forcibly take over SB. She''s so merciless. We just poached a few of her people, and she aims to swallow us whole."


    Skutt clenched his fists tightly, grinding his teeth in anger.


    "Boss, should we agree to her takeover offer?" Alex asked.


    "No, of course not. SB is my life''s work. I''d rather give up Justin Bieber than sell the company to her," Skutt said coldly.


    "Then our only option is to fight Link Music in court, but they registered their copyright before us, and it''s going to be tough to win," Alex said with a shrug.


    Skutt was aware of this fact as well.


    Ivanka was born into a wealthy family and also had connections within the judicial system.


    Fighting in court, the odds of winning were slim.


    Not only would they have to pay Link Music a significant amount of money if they lost, but Justin''s reputation would also suffer greatly, possibly ruining his future. SB Company''s past investments in him would also be lost, accruing heavy losses.


    But to not fight and instead resolve things privately would mean selling the company to Link Music at a low price, becoming a subsidiary to Link Music.


    This was not the outcome he wanted to see.


    "You all go down first. I need to think this through," Skutt said.


    After the group left, Skutt sat in his office pinching the bridge of his nose, deep in thought, hoping to find a way out.


    Ding ding ding!


    After an unknown span of time, his phone on the desk suddenly rang. Skutt picked it up to see it was a call from Jay-Z.


    "Jess, what''s up?"


    Your journey continues with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Skutt, you told me the video of Link causing trouble would be posted online at eight tonight. It''s already half past eight. Where did you upload the video?"


    "The video? Is it already eight o''clock?"


    Skutt looked at the floor-to-ceiling window, and at some uncertain time, the sky outside had darkened early. The flashy neon lights were reflected on the window glass, surprisingly good-looking. He slapped his forehead,


    "Sorry, Jess. I''ve been too busy today and forgot about the video. Just give me a moment, I''ll upload it right now." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 282 Delete the Video

    Brooklyn, at a black metal music bar, Jay-Z put down the phone and looked towards Kanye, Lil Wayne, and 50 Cent, saying,


    "Everybody chill, Scott said it''s coming right away."


    "Alright! We''re not in a rush."


    Kanye and the others shrugged their shoulders and sat back down on the couch, patiently staring at the huge 5x7 meter projection screen on the stage in the middle of the bar.


    Next to the screen sat Drake, their computer expert. The moment the video was released, Drake would project Link''s private video onto the big screen for everyone to watch.


    This was a moment that could change the course of battle, a thrilling moment indeed. They would witness the downfall of their enemy, Link, right here.


    "Where''s Beyonce? It''s such an important occasion, how come she''s not here?"


    Kanye looked at Rihanna and asked.


    Rihanna was playing with her phone, texting Katy Perry to invite her to watch Link''s explosive video. Hearing Kanye''s question, she answered without lifting her head, "She''s not feeling well, resting at home."


    "What''s wrong with her, where does she feel unwell?"


    Kanye and the others asked with concern.


    Ding-dong!


    Jay-Z was smoking a cigar when his phone suddenly rang. It was Scott calling.


    "Scott, is the video out? What?.....Not releasing it? Why?! I need an explanation,"


    Jay-Z, annoyed, pressed for an answer with a sour tone.


    On the phone, Scott told him there had been an unforeseen event. He still needed the video, and it couldn''t be released just yet. He would explain in more detail in a couple of days, and he kept apologizing.


    Listening, Jay-Z felt his blood boiling. He wanted the video, not apologies, yet after Scott said a few more words, he hung up, leaving Jay-Z no chance to press further.


    "Jess, what happened?"


    50 Cent quickly asked.


    Jay-Z, with a dark face, replied, "Scott said he''s not releasing the video tonight."


    "Not releasing it? Why?"


    "Didn''t we have an agreement? Why change his mind suddenly?"


    "We had everything ready, and now he says he won''t release it. How am I supposed to explain this to the guys?"


    Kanye, Usher, and others started asking all at once.


    "Shut up! It was Scott who suddenly changed his mind. If you want to know why, go ask him."


    Jay-Z threw down his cigar with force, obviously displeased, and walked away.


    "That''s it?"


    50 Cent looked around the bar. To watch Link''s private video, they hadn''t only prepared a giant projection screen but also ten bottles of Ace of Spades champagne, beer, drinks, sunflower seeds, and more.


    Moreover, there were over a hundred black brothers in the bar, all staring at the giant projection, ready for the big show.


    Now, with the sudden cancelation, how was he supposed to explain it to everyone?


    "50 Cent, why isn''t the video playing yet?"


    "Come on, play it already. We''ve been waiting an hour."


    Dozens of black men outside clamored.


    50 Cent, feeling helpless, had Drake play a pornographic film to satiate the crowd''s appetite.


    Rihanna, seeing a crowd gathered to watch that kind of film, glared at Drake, got up to leave, and texted Katy Perry and Beyonce on the way out, informing them that due to an accident, they wouldn''t be able to watch Link''s private video today.


    Beyonce, in a private apartment in Manhattan, received the message and lay back on the couch, feeling an inexplicable sense of disappointment.


    She picked up her phone and texted Link, asking how he managed it.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Thinking of a solution, the next morning Scott called Ivanka, offering to transfer 15% of SB Entertainment''s shares to Link Music for 10 million US Dollars.


    Ivanka told him coldly that it wasn''t possible and to think it over before calling back, then she hung up.


    Furious, Scott cursed out loud. Did this woman think she could easily win against him?


    He took a few deep breaths, and after over ten minutes, he offered 10 million US Dollars to buy the rights to "Baby."


    Ivanka told him it was impossible. Her bottom line was acquiring 50% of SB Entertainment''s shares and 60% of Justin Bieber''s management contract for 1 US Dollar, or else they''d see each other in court.


    "Wait!"


    Seeing Ivanka ready to hang up, he quickly shouted, "Miss Ivanka, please wait, there''s something I forgot to tell you. I have a video in my possession of Link messing around with another woman. If I leak this video, Link''s reputation will be ruined. I heard you and Link are on good terms, and you wouldn''t want to see his reputation damaged, right? How about we make a deal¡ªI trade you the rights to ''Baby'' for this video?"


    Ivanka snorted coldly, "Scott, I''ve heard you''re a smart businessman. So why would you have such a naive idea? Link became a boxing champion by virtue of his fists, and he climbed to the top of the music charts based on his inexhaustible talent; a star built on real ability, a billionaire. Even if you leak his scandal, what will it really do? As long as he can still fight and write catchy songs, his fans will still pay.


    "As for Justin Bieber, the prot¨¦g¨¦ of SB, it''s different for him. This song could ruin his prospects, and SB will have to compensate us for all the losses. How could you compare the two situations?"


    "But if Link''s reputation is tarnished, won''t his album sales be affected too? Isn''t that a direct financial loss? You don''t care about that?" S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scott quickly tried to persuade her.


    "It doesn''t matter. If you expose Link''s private video, his reputation might suffer temporarily, resulting in a loss of tens of millions at most. It''s not a huge deal for Link Music. But if Justin Bieber''s lead song from his new album is alleged to be plagiarized, and SB engages in unfair competition practices, well, that would be fatal for you. Besides, are you sure the video shows Link fooling around with another woman? If that''s true, please release it soon. I''d like to see it too,"


    Ivanka spoke in an indifferent tone.


    Scott''s eye muscles twitched, "Miss Ivanka, do you think I don''t dare?"


    "You must have heard that I''m quite close to Link, but there''s a Taylor between us, and Taylor is a very petty woman. If she sees that Link is messing around behind her back, she''ll definitely break up with him, hence removing the obstacle between me and Link. So, if you have that kind of video, please release it as soon as possible. When the time comes to discuss SB''s compensation to our company in court, I might consider reducing your liability by 5 million US Dollars. How does that sound?"


    "....."


    Upon hearing her words, Scott was stunned for a while. At first, he thought she was bluffing, but then her points seemed very reasonable.


    He had also heard about the rumors between Link and Ivanka; if true, the release of such a video was actually to Ivanka''s benefit¡ªas it seemed she genuinely didn''t need to worry about it.


    Scott held his forehead, feeling that this woman was too difficult to handle. Continuing the conversation might not make her back down at all.


    "Miss Ivanka, I can only offer you an additional 20% stake in SB Company."


    Scott said helplessly.


    "Yesterday, I gave you a contract. Flip to page 14, clause 22,"


    Ivanka said in an indifferent tone.


    Scott didn''t understand what she meant and searched through his messy office until he found the folder that had been left forgotten on the coffee table.


    According to Ivanka, on page 14, clause 22, he suddenly froze. It stated that upon completion of the transaction, SB Projects Company must hand over all material unfavorable to Link and must not continue to target Link.


    "Did you already know that I have private videos of Link?"


    Scott felt a chill down his spine.


    "I gave you one day yesterday. There are three hours left until the deadline. If I don''t get the response I want in three hours, Link Music''s legal department will officially sue SB Company, Justin, Ludacris, and others for infringement. It''s up to you to choose war or cooperation,"


    After saying that, Ivanka hung up the phone.


    Scott, hearing the busy tone on the phone, leaned back powerlessly in his chair.


    He had only told a few partners about Link''s video; however, Ivanka seemed to know about the video''s existence all along. This meant he had a mole by his side, or someone among his partners was leaking information to Ivanka.


    This woman was too frightening, not only had she laid out a poison pill plan in advance, but she had also planted spies around him, grasping his every move.


    It really wasn''t good to be up against such a woman.


    Scott pinched the bridge of his nose, wracking his brain but couldn''t think of a way out. What to do?


    Should he offer more shares to Link Music and cooperate, or should he go all out against Link Music?


    No matter the choice, SB Company was going to suffer greatly. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Ding-a-ling!


    The phone rang, displaying the caller ID ''Little Kunas.''


    After answering the call, Little Kunas said Link had been hyped up as the world''s most perfect man and asked why he hadn''t released the video yet?


    Scott sighed softly. To build up Link''s good man image, he had invested millions of US Dollars and used both his and Little Kunas''s connections in preparation to sabotage Link.


    But now he was under Ivanka''s control and couldn''t provoke her by releasing the video. All the promotions done in this period had indeed helped craft Link''s image.


    It was infuriating.


    He suppressed his anger and explained Ivanka''s ''poison pill plan,'' asking Little Kunas if there was a way to convince her to drop the lawsuit against SB Company and Justin?


    "''Baby'' is plagiarizing Link''s song? Is that what Ivanka is using to trap you guys?"


    Little Kunas asked, shocked.


    "It seems so,"


    Scott said helplessly, "Ryan, I''ve heard you have good relations with the TP family. Can you persuade her to stop pursuing SB Company''s responsibility?"


    "No! Since Link Music''s success, Ivanka has become more independent. She doesn''t even listen to her father''s words these days, so I can''t convince her either,"


    Little Kunas said.


    "So what should we do? If she doesn''t agree, we''ll definitely lose the lawsuit. We won''t only have to pay tens of millions in damages, but Justin''s reputation will also be destroyed during the lawsuit. I''ve invested tens of millions in cultivating him, and it''s a pity to destroy it now, just as it was starting to profit,"


    "Do you mean to stop targeting Link and choose to work with him?"


    Little Kunas''s voice turned cold.


    Scott replied, "Ryan, I''ve thought about it. Link is a creative genius. Any song he writes could make Justin a big hit. If we let Link Music become a stakeholder in SB Company, cooperating to cultivate Justin is beneficial for SB Company''s development."


    "But that would also increase Link Music''s market value,"


    Little Kunas said through clenched teeth.


    "Ryan, I don''t want this either, but I''m in Ivanka''s hands. Right now, she just wants to swallow up SB Company and doesn''t care about the video I have. She said..."


    Scott repeated what Ivanka had said about releasing the video meaning she and Link would actually benefit.


    On the phone, Little Kunas was silent for a long time, "Forget it, don''t release the video."


    "Don''t release it? You paid one million pounds for that video. If it''s not exposed, it''ll be a waste. My idea is to reconcile with Link Music on the surface and quietly send the video to Jay-Z and Kanye for them to release."


    "Delete the video. We''ll find another way to take over Link Music,"


    Little Kunas hung up.


    In the bright office, Scott tugged at the corner of his mouth and breathed a sigh of relief.


    In this matter, the hardest to deal with was Little Kunas. Working with Link Music would offend him, but not cooperating wasn''t an option either.


    Ivanka''s words provided him with a good solution.


    Little Kunas liked Ivanka and had designs on her and Link Music; naturally, he wouldn''t want to see Link and Ivanka together.


    The best way to prevent the two from coming together was to ensure that Link and Taylor stayed together for a long time, not giving Link and Ivanka a chance.


    Little Kunas must have realized this too, which is why he told him to delete the video.


    Love indeed can make one blind.


    Scott shook his head, and suddenly he remembered that stunningly beautiful and voluptuous woman. Ivanka had just suddenly mentioned her relationship with Link. Had she guessed his and Little Kunas''s collusion early on and deliberately said those words, using him to convey the message to Little Kunas and make him back off?


    If that was the case, Ivanka was truly terrifying.


    In the future, when working with her, he must be more cautious, or she might trap him at any moment.


    After pondering for a moment, he called Ivanka again, indicating his willingness to cooperate.

 Chapter 283 Deciphering the Video Content

    On March 29, Link Music announced on its Twitter account the first-week US sales of Link''s third album "The Woman I Love".


    1.747 million copies!


    Becoming the 15th album in Western music history to surpass one million copies in first-week sales, Link became the twelfth singer in music history to achieve first-week platinum sales.


    Billboard also updated its record for the highest first-week sales in history this week.


    The first place is held by the super boy band, with their third album "No Strings Attached" released in 2000, boasting first-week sales of 2.41 million copies.


    The second place goes to the super boy band with their fourth album "Celebrity", released in 2001, which sold 1.88 million copies in its first week.


    Third place is Eminem with his third album "The Marshall Mathers LP" released in 2000, selling 1.76 million copies in the first week.


    In fourth place is Link''s third album "The Woman I Love" released in March 2010, with first-week sales of 1.74 million copies. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    Fifth place belongs to the Backstreet Boys with their fourth album "Black & Blue" released in 2000, achieving first-week sales of 1.591 million copies.


    Sixth is Eminem''s fourth studio album "The Eminem Show" released in 2002, with first-week sales of 1.322 million copies.


    The seventh spot is claimed by Britney Spears with her second album "Oops!... I Did It Again" released in 2000, selling 1.32 million copies in the first week.


    The rest includes Whitney Houston, the first singer in music history to sell over one million copies of an album in its first week.


    There''s also The Beatles with their album "1" released in 2000, country music king Garth Brooks with "Double Live", and Limp Bizkit''s "Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water".


    Jazz singer Norah Jones with "Feels Like Home", Usher with "Confessions", 50 Cent with "The Massacre" and Lil Wayne with "Tha Carter III".


    "This is an excellent album, and Link is one of the most formidable music stars of the new generation."


    In the feature article on the front page of the latest Billboard issue, editor-in-chief Steven Konop praised Link''s album.


    He called this album the best love album in Western music in the past decade, and the eighteen high-quality songs make this album extremely valuable. He also praised Link''s significant improvement in singing skills, the rich emotion in his performances, and the more mature style compared to his second album, believing that he has taken a big step forward on the path of music.


    Link was somewhat pleased to see these professional evaluations.


    On one hand, the recognition of his singing skills by professionals and the great breakthroughs achieved in his song interpretation abilities were worth celebrating. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other hand, his semi-original work "the rose" was also considered a good song, which was the most gratifying aspect as it meant his music creation was no longer without a source.


    "The Woman I Love" sold 1.74 million copies in its first week, undoubtedly ranking first on the Billboard 200 album chart.


    Second place went to Justin Bieber''s "my world 2.0", which sold 153,000 copies in its fourth week in the US, with a cumulative sales of 1.02 million copies; he also became the first singer in music history to sell one million records in the first month at only sixteen years of age.


    Third place was the pre-war goddess with "Need You Now", which sold 97,000 copies in its 14th week, with cumulative sales of 2.02 million copies, also making it the first record to break two million in sales this year.


    Fourth is Wiz Khalifa''s "Deal Or No Deal", which sold 89,000 copies in its fifth week, with a total US sales of 718,000 copies, making it very likely to exceed one million in sales within the year.


    On the singles chart, "Here With You" currently holds the number one spot on the singles chart.


    "Girls Like You", "Everything You Need", "Someone You Loved", "Stay With Me", "The Woman I Love", ranked second, fourth, sixth, ninth, and tenth, respectively.


    "Legends Never Die", after maintaining six consecutive weeks at number one, was toppled by "Here With You" and ranked third on the singles chart this week.


    Link also became the first singer in music history to have seven songs in the singles chart top 10 at the same time, narrowly missing out on The Beatles'' record of dominating the top five in 1964.


    In this album, 16 songs entered the top 100 singles chart, surpassing The Beatles'' record of having 14 songs in the top 100 in the same period in 1964.


    Including "Legends Never Die", having 17 songs enter the top 100 in the same period also incited a wave of admiration.


    Previously, music fans and the media said that all eighteen songs on the album were premium quality, one album worth ten; many thought this was excessive praise of Link.


    After the singles chart was released, with sixteen songs entering the top 100, it proved that the previous flurry of praise was not exaggerated.


    In addition, the songs on the album also set multiple new records on charts such as streaming media, radio requests, and digital music downloads.


    As for these records, Link did not care too much; records are meant to be broken. As more and more people buy digital albums and record companies focus more on marketing when selling records, it will be easier to break records in the future.


    For instance, the first-week sales record, with Adele''s album "25" selling 3.37 million copies in the first week in the future, and on the singles chart top 100, Taylor''s songs will dominate the top ten in the future.


    However, breaking his record of having 17 songs enter the top 100 at the same time will be more difficult, as no one will include 18 songs on one album, and all of them good songs.


    Additionally, this album was priced at 29.5 US dollars each, almost double that of other artists.


    With such a high price yet achieving first-week sales of 1.74 million copies, it sparked a hot debate, with all manner of high praise heaped upon him, such as pop king, male god, superman, golden boy, dominator of the music world, and so on.


    Until a minute ago, looking at these exaggerated accolades, he would have felt pressured, worried about being sensationalized to death.


    And just moments ago, his worries had been alleviated.


    Ivanka called him with good news, she had obtained the video.


    SB projects, managed by Scooter, was also planning to work with Link''s music, currently under negotiation.


    According to Ivanka, based on the rights to "Baby," Link Music could get 25% of SB Projects company shares and 45% of Justin Bieber''s management contract, but she wanted more.


    "Ivanka, you''re amazing, I only asked you to trade the rights for the video, but not only did you secure the video, you also got shares worth tens of millions of US dollars from Scooter, incredible, you''re too incredible."


    Link praised without reservation.


    "Don''t flatter me, I''ve always said that I am the manager of the company. It''s my job to grow the company. Your job is to focus on writing and singing songs, without worrying about other matters. So in the future, if you encounter something like this, just tell me, and I''ll handle everything."


    Ivanka spoke with a nonchalant voice, seemingly indifferent, but Link could still detect a hint of pride in her tone.


    "Yes, you are indeed a great partner, not only beautiful but also with a smart brain. Do you remember what I told you when we first met? I said you were a thoughtful and intelligent woman, my judgment of people is too accurate."


    Link said with admiration.


    From the other end of the phone, Ivanka hummed lightly, "Stop buttering me up. Guess what I am doing now?"


    "What? Working?"


    "Humph, I am watching your sex tape."


    Ivanka said with a mocking laugh.


    Link felt a bit embarrassed, "What''s the content, who''s the female lead?"


    "Don''t you know who the female lead is? Are you saying you''ve fooled around with so many women in changing rooms that you can''t even be sure who it is?"


    Ivanka questioned.


    "No! Is it... Beyonce?"


    "Beyonce?!!"


    A clattering noise came through the phone as if Ivanka had knocked something over. After a moment, she spoke with suppressed astonishment, "Beyonce? When did you get together with Beyonce? She''s a married woman, you dare to mess around with her?"


    Link tugged at the corner of his mouth, mentally kicking himself. The woman in the video wasn''t Beyonce; he shouldn''t have confessed so early.


    He said helplessly, "It was after the Grammy Awards last time. I was changing clothes after my performance, and she came into the changing room. When I rejected her, she accused me of being racist."


    "You really are a jerk. No wonder you were so nervous before. It turns out you were worried about being accused of having an affair with a married woman, especially Jay-Z''s wife. You truly are an incredible jerk."


    Ivanka lashed out at him.


    Link resigned himself to accept it, "Ivanka, it was my fault, but don''t beat around the bush. Besides Beyonce, I don''t remember fooling around in the changing room."


    "Emma Watson, London, last September, have you forgotten?"


    Ivanka returned with a light snort.


    "Emma Watson? Impossible, that time after my match, she came in to congratulate me, we just kissed and hugged for a while. There were people like Harry Potter, Blond Ron, and Coach Brooks in the changing room as well, how could I possibly mess around with Emma in front of them."


    "Are you sure? This video is over thirty minutes long. It seems to be secretly filmed by someone hiding in the wardrobe; it''s not very clear. The beginning resembles your description, Emma Watson jumps into your arms and kisses you passionately. Tsk, Emma Watson looks quite innocent, turns out she''s so lascivious. You''re kissing and talking, then you both go into the changing room and mess around behind a curtain. Although it''s not clear, the shadows show what''s happening."


    "It''s fake, I left to do an interview after getting dressed, I wasn''t in the changing room for more than ten minutes. Take a closer look, see if there are signs of editing."


    After a while, Ivanka told him that after the third minute, there indeed were signs of editing, it looks like someone re-enacted the latter part in that changing room based on the initial part of the content, putting together a complete video, probably with the intent to extort money.


    "All that worry over several days about a fake video, little Kunas really is a fool, spending a million pounds on a fake video and getting scammed without knowing it."


    Ivanka laughed.


    "I think it''s pretty good, a close call without any trouble."


    "Hmph! This time it was a close call without trouble, but next time might not be the same. Next time you fool around outside, could you perhaps get a hotel room? Is it that thrilling in the changing room?"


    "I''ve got it, there won''t be a next time."


    "You don''t have to promise me anything; I''m not your girlfriend."


    With a huff, Ivanka hung up the phone.


    Link touched his forehead and breathed a sigh of relief. He had spent days fretting over a non-issue, but British paparazzi are indeed crazy enough to infiltrate like rats.

 Chapter 284 Temporary Crisis Averted

    After resolving the video issue, the Sword of Damocles was lifted from above Link''s head. He no longer had to worry about a collapsing house, and he relaxed completely, even running an extra five kilometers during his morning jog.


    "What happened, you seem really happy."


    During breakfast, Taylor spread jam on her bread while glancing at him, her eyes blinking as if trying to read his mind.


    "First week sales of 1.74 million, the fourth highest in history, isn''t it great to be happy about that?"


    Link said with a soft laugh.


    "It should be."


    Taylor nodded slightly, licking the blueberry jam off her delicate fingers. "A few days ago, you said someone was going to frame you and told me to be mentally prepared. Why haven''t I seen any news about it?"


    "It''s resolved," Link said. "At the beginning of the year, East Coast Rap and SB Entertainment wanted to challenge me to a competition to see whose album would sell more. I was worried they would resort to other methods if they couldn''t win, so I had to be cautious. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Now that SB Entertainment realizes they can''t compete, they are ready to join forces with Link Music, one handling music and the other marketing, a strong alliance. Once SB Entertainment becomes a partner, I won''t need to worry as much."


    Link cut the roast into small pieces and sprinkled some lemon juice on it for Taylor, who took only one piece, holding it with her fork while watching him.


    "Are you saying Link Music and SB Entertainment are joining forces? Link Music is one of the most successful independent labels in the music industry right now, and SB Entertainment is one of the best marketing agencies. With your powers combined, will other singers even stand a chance?"


    "It''s not that exaggerated. Compared to the big five, both companies are just small grasshoppers. Even together, we can hardly compete with the big five or even their sub-labels. Our alliance is just a league of the weak to increase our competitiveness in the entertainment industry," Link explained, shrugging his shoulders.


    Taylor propped her chin and looked at him. "You''ve been busy promoting your album and preparing for the boxing match, so you haven''t had time to deal with the company. So the trouble that got resolved and the partnership with SB Entertainment, were they all handled by Ivanka?"


    "Yes, not just her. Several other executives in the company have been involved as well."


    "She is quite capable."


    Taylor said, her thin lips curling meaningfully.


    "You''re capable too. Ivanka has some natural business talent, and you''re a musical genius. You''ll become even more impressive in the future," Link praised.


    "Hmm, I''m genuinely praising her, not out of jealousy. You don''t need to console me in this manner, I''m not that petty," Taylor said, giving him a look.


    Link smiled softly, wiping away the jam at the corner of her lips with a napkin, her cheeks full of collagen, smooth and bouncy.


    After breakfast, he went on with his usual routine, taking a walk, playing with the cat, reading books. At noon, he went to Muscle Beach Boxing Gym for training, and in the afternoon, he returned home for a party. He and Taylor invited all their relatives, friends, and colleagues in Los Angeles. Hundreds of people gathered on the villa''s lawn drinking, chatting, listening to music, celebrating the massive success of his new album together.


    By the time April arrived, on April 2, Link took his boxing team to Miami, participating in a boxing match at the Hard Rock Gym against Roy Jones Junior.


    Roy Jones Junior was once a giant star in the boxing world, having reached the peak across four ranks: middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, and heavyweight, earning the world champion title in all these classes.


    Because of his formidable strength, he was called the "King of Boxing," the Miami King.


    Unfortunately, he had aged. At 41, he was past the peak of an athlete''s career. Although his technique was still exquisite, his strength and speed had declined significantly.


    In the match against him, Link took three rounds to knock him down four times. The final hit was a heavy punch to his forehead, causing him to fall and be unable to get up for ten seconds, securing the match smoothly.


    Since both he and Roy Jones were popular boxing stars and Miami locals, the match attracted 87,000 spectators in Miami, nearly equal to the audience at the Super Bowl in early February.


    The live broadcast of the match sold 1.32 million units, generating $99 million in total PPV revenue.


    Additional income from merchandise and advertising also amounted to over thirty million.


    After dividing the earnings, he received more than $48 million in match bonuses, and Roy Jones earned over $32 million.


    His professional record reached 16 fights, 16 wins, and 16 KOs, all within three rounds.


    The match brought him fame and fortune, but some media claimed he won against Roy Jones because of the latter''s age. They accused him of habitually bullying older boxers, mentioning everyone from Tyson to Roy Jones. Some also jokingly dubbed him the ''Old Boxer Terminator''.


    Link didn''t care about these taunts; his purpose in practicing boxing was simple.


    On one hand, through boxing training, he became stronger, healthier, and hoped to live longer.


    On the other hand, he aimed to earn money, become wealthy, and simultaneously promote the sport of boxing, expanding its market. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In this match, he fought Roy Jones with pure technique. After fully dominating the boxing technique and completely figuring out Roy Jones''s tactics, he delivered the heavy punch that ended the match.


    He regarded this as a spectacular match, so he wasn''t worried about being criticized.


    "Link, we''ve seen from the news that you''ve been very busy these past few months, with a packed schedule not only training for boxing and filming movies but also attending autograph sessions everywhere, like a role model. What makes people curious is how you can still maintain such strong fighting capability and nearly perfect match condition amidst such a busy schedule?"


    After the match, Simmons, a reporter from the Miami Herald and an old acquaintance, asked during an interview.


    Link, sitting in a wicker chair, took a sip of water and said, "I believe a boxer''s combat strength and match condition are related to daily training. Practicing boxing daily improves all aspects of one''s abilities; neglecting it leads to regression. Although I''ve had a lot of work recently, I have never missed one hour of fitness and two hours of boxing training each day."


    "Do you still find time to train for boxing when you are out promoting albums? Can you really handle it all every day?"


    Simmons asked with a hint of skepticism.


    "Yes, this is thanks to my regular schedule. I sleep before nine and get up before five, wash up, eat breakfast, read the newspaper, run ten kilometers, work out for half an hour, and train in boxing for two to three hours. These tasks are daily must-dos, no matter how busy I am. So whether it''s filming movies or promoting albums, it doesn''t affect my training,"


    Link explained.


    Simmons nodded, scribbling a few notes in his notebook, then said with a smile, "Link, the last time I interviewed you was on Miami Beach. Back then, you were an Olympic Gold champion and a WBA world champion. Now, you''ve become a super world champion, movie star, and super-popular singer. You''re a cross-industry superstar. What does it feel like to be such a superstar?"


    Link chuckled lightly, "It''s cool! Being a champion is cool, being an actor is cool, and being a singer is just as cool. Triple the cool is supercool!"


    Simmons laughed heartily, "I''ve heard that being a star can bring many troubles, such as paparazzi and fervent fans. How does this affect your life?"


    "Yes, it greatly affects me. Before, I was a nobody, unrecognizable on the streets. Now, I can''t step outside without being recognized. Entertainment reporters also keep a relentless watch over me. It feels like becoming a magnet, constantly affecting those around me, which makes me be more cautious about my actions and words, striving not to disappoint my fans,"


    Link gestured as he spoke.


    While he was being interviewed by Simmons, Anna suddenly hurried over, her expression serious, seemingly indicating that something bad had happened.

 Chapter 285 Private Video Leaked

    In the morning, the weather in New York was nice.


    It was early spring, with warm sunshine and fresh air. The mulberry and plane trees on the streets had sprouted tender green leaves, and next door in Greenwich Park, the flowers and willows were vibrant in color, more pleasing to the eye than the neon lights at night.


    Scott was carrying his workbag and stood on the sidewalk, listening to a street singer perform "Girls Like You".


    In terms of singing technique and performance skills, the singer was not much inferior to Link, but what did that matter? After all, that was Link, a billionaire, world boxing champion, one of the fastest money-makers on the planet, and also one of the most handsome men in the world.


    The song was his, and once he sang it, it would be graced with his aura, much like the underwear once worn by Marilyn Monroe. The same material and design could fetch wildly different prices and popularity. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was why, Scott thought regretfully, promotion and marketing would become increasingly important in the entertainment industry. For those underground singers who only knew how to hone their skills without knowing how to market themselves, their success depended entirely on luck.


    When Scott arrived at SB Entertainment, he found the staff sipping coffee and chatting, looking as if they had nothing to do.


    He was displeased; SB Entertainment and Link Music had already reached a partnership intent. Link Music was going to become a major shareholder of SB Company and would even send people to work there.


    If Ivanka, that woman, saw the company like this, she might take the opportunity to slash at him again.


    "Boss!"


    Before he could speak, his assistant Alex came over and told him that the company''s network system had been attacked by hackers, causing the work system to crash, and it was currently being repaired.


    "Hackers? What do they want with our company''s system?"


    Scott frowned and asked.


    "The reason is still unknown."


    "Check the music library. Maybe someone is trying to steal our songs using this method,"


    Scott said urgently.


    "Boss, the music library is on a local network with a firewall. There''s no need to worry,"


    Alex replied.


    Scott felt somewhat relieved after hearing this. The internet, while making work more convenient, also brought a lot of trouble.


    He reminded Alex to make sure that all works created by their musicians were properly recorded in advance, and that all completed works had to be registered. They must neither plagiarize others'' works nor allow theirs to be plagiarized.


    While they were talking, the network engineer hired by the company told them that the system was repaired, the virus was cleaned up, and he also suggested that they refrain from watching porn videos on company computers as those carry more viruses than a dead rat.


    Scott wanted to say that no one in the company watched those videos, but the network engineer left with his tools right after speaking.


    Back in his office, Scott turned on his computer and suddenly remembered there was a porn video on it. He watched it again and then clicked delete.


    On April 2, "The Woman I Love" hit its tenth day since release, breaking the 2 million sales mark nationwide, totaling 2.008 million copies, and becoming the second album of 2010 to achieve Double Platinum status in the United States.


    It was also the album that had reached Double Platinum status in the shortest time in the past eight years.


    On the same day, Link defeated boxing legend Roy Jones Jr. at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, adding another victory to his professional career.


    Link Studio and Link Music, Dynasty Promotions all tweeted their congratulations to Link for his double joy.


    His boxing and music fans were super excited, converging on Link''s fan club website to celebrate wildly, posting many beautiful photos of Link and videos of the match, as well as many photos taken with Link.


    According to the site''s administrators, more than 800,000 users logged in within one day, making Link''s fan site the most visited at the moment.


    That same afternoon at five o''clock, a video titled "Real: Link and Emma Watson''s Sex Tape" was uploaded to YouTube.


    As Link was one of the most popular celebrities in the United States at the moment and Emma Watson had gained worldwide fame for the "Harry Potter" movies, both had extremely high popularity in Europe, America, and around the world.


    The video exploded like an atomic bomb upon release, causing a significant shock across the web.


    In just three hours, it was viewed over 120 million times, downloaded 3.5 million times, and caused YouTube''s system to collapse three times, preventing users from successfully logging in.


    Subsequent investigations by YouTube''s data department revealed that before the video was taken down for copyright infringement, it had reached a global viewership of 552 million in just 13 hours and 25 minutes, becoming the fastest video in YouTube''s history to surpass half a billion plays. It reached 13.34 million paid downloads, also becoming the first video to exceed ten million downloads.


    Even though the original video on YouTube was deleted, many major news and social networking sites including Yahoo, Pornhub, MySpace, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, the official website of the "New York Post," the official website of the "Los Angeles Times," the official website of the "Hollywood Reporter," Link fan club, Harry Potter fan club, and so on,


    all posted related videos and links, and countless smaller websites did the same. Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Many website workers said: It''s impossible to remove them all completely.


    The video was 32 minutes and 46 seconds long, shot from the angle of inside a changing room''s wardrobe. The footage was shaky at first, until Link entered from outside and then the camera became steady. The first two minutes were of Link talking with his coach Brooks and assistant Simon.


    Link asked Simon how his opponent, Carl Froch, was doing.

 Chapter 285 Private Video Leaked_2

    Simon said he''s already awake and there''s nothing serious.


    Coach Brooks asked him if his sluggish start was a deliberate ploy to lure Carl Franke into attacking.


    Link said that Carl Froch fought fiercely and the audience loved it, so he couldn''t bear to finish the match early.


    Franco asked with a laugh if he could have ended the match within 10 seconds if he went all out.


    Before Link could answer, Emma Watson rushed in from the outside, ignoring the people beside her, threw herself into his arms, hung on his neck, and kissed him passionately.


    "Wow!"


    Viewers couldn''t help but exclaim when they saw this. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    Each one widened their eyes, watching intently the fascinating performance of the two super-popular stars.


    In the video, Link didn''t push Emma Watson away, holding her perky bottom, kissing for dozens of seconds, and even slid his hand under her t-shirt to caress her, getting handsy.


    "Wow, that''s exciting, Link must be a great kisser,"


    Katy Perry said, covering her red lips in admiration.


    Rihanna, looking at Emma Watson''s flushed face, nodded in agreement.


    "Is this the private video of Link you mentioned last time, why didn''t you release it a few days ago and instead released it now?"


    Katy Perry asked.


    "I don''t know. I heard from Usher and Kanye that Scott had a private video of Link, which he said he would release a few days ago, but didn''t. I don''t know why it was released today; I''m seeing it for the first time too,"


    Rihanna said, shrugging her shoulders.


    "Probably out of jealousy for Link''s album sales doing so well, they wanted to hit him this way, Link''s probably going to be very troubled these next few days."


    Katy Perry blinked her eyes, took out her phone, and sent a message to Link, telling him not to mind the online comments and that no matter what, she would support him.


    "What''s this, blind admiration?"


    Rihanna looked at her disdainfully.


    "That''s none of your business!"


    Katy Perry gave her a look and continued to watch the video.


    The foreplay ended.


    Link put down Emma, whispered something to her, then walked into the dressing room.


    Just then, the camera jolted, the person holding it lifted it a bit higher, moved toward the direction of the dressing room, and stopped at the corner.


    The camera focused on the dressing room curtain, and through the light, two intertwined silhouettes could be seen.


    This plot continued for over twenty minutes.


    When there was no more sound behind the curtain, the person filming immediately left the dressing room and hid back in the closet.


    The video ended.


    "That''s intense, I thought Amber was just bluffing, but it seems all true now,"


    Katy Perry said, batting her long eyelashes, staring at the blank screen, her knees tightly closed together, wiggling her ample hips.


    "Want to watch it again?"


    Rihanna asked, biting her finger.


    "Yes!"


    Katy Perry clicked play again.


    By then, it wasn''t just the two of them; many many others were also watching this video.


    "So it''s Emma Watson."


    Beyonce saw that the person in the video was Emma Watson and completely relaxed, draping her arm over her ample hips, watching the video of the two sideways.


    That bastard!


    Beyonce complained, biting her plump lower lip.


    "Tsk tsk, messing around in the dressing room, Link has definitely fallen,"


    In the boxing gym, Mario chuckled with a gaping smile.


    "Link is going to make headlines again; he''s already popular, and now he''s even more so,"


    Dino said, stroking his chin.


    "Should I make a video in the dressing room too, might get popular as well,"


    Mario said, squinting his eyes.


    Dino thought for a moment, after this video exploded, ''dressing room'' and ''messing around'' had become hot keywords. If another video were to come out now about the fellow boxer Mario also messing around in the dressing room, it might indeed get popular.


    But Coach West would probably be furious if he saw it. Moreover, Mario was not Link, with less fame and average looks; even if he released such a video, it wouldn''t get much attention, and it would ruin his already poor public image completely, which was not worth it.


    "Chris, last time you said Link likes it from the front, but this time they used a standing position,"


    Emma Roberts said, propped up on the bed with her notebook in front of her, swinging her pale legs back and forth.


    "Standing is also from the front,"


    Christine Stewart replied, wearing headphones.


    "Link''s so strong, do you think he could lift me up?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emma Roberts asked, propping up her face.


    "I can lift you up too, want to try?"


    Christine said, wrapping her arms around Emma''s slender waist.


    "Stop it!"


    Emma pushed Christine away, but Christine insisted on lifting her, and the two started playfully wrestling on the bed.


    "What are you guys watching?"


    As they were wrestling, Julia Roberts came in and asked.


    "Nothing!"


    The two quickly covered the computer, but accidentally pulled out the headphone jack, and immediately a high-pitched scream came from the laptop''s speakers.


    "...."


    The three looked at each other.


    "Scott! Dammit, I told you to delete that video, why did you post it online again?"


    At SB Entertainment''s CEO office, Scott received a call from Kunas, rubbing his forehead and said helplessly, "Ryan, it wasn''t me, I was planning to collaborate with Link Music, and I''ll be responsible for Link''s album marketing in the future. He''s my cash cow, why would I release his black material?"


    "If not you, then who could it be? I only sent the video to you, who have you shown your copy of the video to?"


    "Ivanka!"


    Scott pinched the bridge of his nose and said, "Shouldn''t be her, if she wanted to do this, she wouldn''t pick this timing. Oh, our company''s network system was attacked by hackers, it only got back to normal this morning, I''m thinking maybe a hacker stole that video from me."

 Chapter 285 Private Video Leaked_3

    "What? You kept such an important video directly on your computer?"


    "I didn''t expect that hackers would attack our company''s network. It was really an oversight."


    Scooter said self-reproachfully, then suddenly remembered something and hurriedly said, "Ryan, don''t worry, I forgot to tell you something. The video is fake. Only the first 3 minutes and 35 seconds are real. The rest, the 29-minute segment, is fabricated, a spliced video."


    "What?!!"


    Kunas exclaimed in shock.


    "It''s true. The day before yesterday, I sent the video to Ivanka. After watching it, she said it was fake. I looked it over carefully, there really are editing traces. The lighting and environment have some discrepancies; it''s obviously a spliced video."


    "Damn it, I was fooled. That bastard scammed me out of a million pounds."


    Kunas cursed angrily.


    Scooter was also helpless because the video was fake. During the negotiations, Ivanka decried it as business fraud, calling the behavior despicable, and forcefully demanded an additional 3% of his shares. His loss was even greater than that of Kunas.


    Kunas continued to curse over the phone.


    This fake video release will inevitably affect Link and Taylor''s relationship. It might even lead to Link and Ivanka becoming an item. Since the video involves a suspected forgery, it won''t bring too many negative implications for Link.


    From this perspective, he''s the real victim of this ''pornographic video incident.''


    Love is blind.


    Scooter shook his head and hurriedly consoled Kunas, telling him to track down the transfer based on the account and contact information. Maybe he could recover the million pounds. Otherwise, a failure to do so would mean an even greater loss of both money and pride.


    After dealing with Kunas, Scooter hadn''t even had the chance to catch his breath when the phone rang again. The caller ID displayed ''Ivanka***''.


    He was the president of SB Entertainment and occasionally moonlighted as a talent scout.


    After encountering someone with potential, he would mark the contact''s information with a ''*'' to indicate that the contact needed close attention. Three ''*''s meant the person should be handled with extreme caution, a risky individual.


    Ivanka was the only contact with three stars.


    The video had just been leaked when Ivanka called. She must have thought he was the one who released it.


    Scooter sighed resignedly and said as the call connected, "Miss Ivanka, I swear to God, I wasn''t the one who released that video."


    "Who else have you given this video to?"


    "No one. After Ryan sent the video to me, I only showed it to you, but..."


    Scooter then explained about the hacker attack on the company''s network, which crippled the system. He suspected that the hacker had stolen and released the video to the web.


    "Who knew you had that video and that you stored it on your office computer?"


    Ivanka spoke in a calm voice.


    "Jay-Z, Usher, Kanye, a few of them knew. A few days ago, I was planning to release the video and had notified them. There should be many people who knew I had the video, but they probably didn''t know where I stored it."


    Scooter thought seriously before responding.


    "What''s done is done. Let''s not rush to assign blame. The urgent matter is how to handle this situation. I''ve heard you''re a golden promoter, adept at marketing and publicity. I''m planning to entrust you with managing this crisis. What do you say?"


    "You want me to handle it?" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Scooter said in surprise.


    "Yes, Link Music has certain advantages in music production, but there are some shortcomings in promotion and marketing, which is exactly what you''re good at. If you can manage this crisis well, both Link and I will consider giving you part of his management contract."


    "Okay, I''m willing to accept this assignment."


    Scott was momentarily taken aback but quickly said without hesitation.


    "I''ll wait for your good news."


    Ivanka said a brief goodbye and hung up the phone.


    Scott held the phone, silent for a few seconds before he suddenly clenched his fist and swung it forcefully.


    Before answering the call, he had assumed Ivanka was going to give him trouble, but it turned out to be a fantastic opportunity instead.


    Yes!


    What Ivanka had said was, if he could handle this situation well, she would let him take charge of part of Link''s agent contract, which meant inviting him to join Link''s management team as an agent responsible for certain aspects of Link''s career.


    Despite being a multimillionaire and president of SB Entertainment, in reality, the work he did was all within the scope of an agent''s responsibilities, responsible for marketing and promoting several signed artists under his wing, Kanye West, Ludacris, Usher, and newcomer Justin Bieber.


    Helping them sell albums, securing them advertisements, and other activities.


    Through this, he would draw agent commissions from the artists'' earnings.


    For established artists like Kanye and Usher, the commission he could take wasn''t much, under 10%.


    For Justin Bieber, whom he had helped rise to fame, the commission was higher, a split of seventy-thirty, with the company taking seventy percent and the artist thirty.


    Even though he could make a lot of money from Justin, compared to Link, Justin was just a minor beast.


    Since knowing of Link, Scott always thought of him as the most unique existence in the entertainment circle: Olympic champion, super world boxing king, swimming star, popular movie star, creative genius, pop music icon, billionaire, world''s most handsome man.


    Any of these accolades alone would be a lifelong unreachable goal for many.


    With such credentials, as long as he didn''t commit murder or arson, there was a great chance he could become a figure like the King of Music, MJ, or even more influential than MJ.


    Working with such a person, becoming one of his agents, he could definitely make more money in the future than he ever could through SB Entertainment, like MJ''s agents Frank Dileo and Raymond Bain, who became billionaires through their work.


    This was also the reason why he couldn''t help but laugh out loud after receiving Ivanka''s commission.


    Moreover, the scandalous tape incident Link was embroiled in was not hard to resolve.


    Since it was a fake video, the negative impact would gradually fade after a public clarification, and using this scandalous tape to get more people aware of Link could also boost his popularity and renown.


    As for the fact that he was flirting with other women despite having a girlfriend, it wasn''t a big deal.


    Such matters were too common in the entertainment industry; he simply made a mistake any man could make, just like President Clinton.


    Men would understand him, be envious of him, thinking that stars are just like ordinary people unable to control their lower half.


    Women might verbally criticize him, but deep down they''d wish to be Emma Watson, held in his arms.


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    Overall, the impact wouldn''t be too significant.


    Which also meant his job wouldn''t be too difficult.


    However, to do well in this job and to satisfy Link and Ivanka, Scott decided to work overtime today, planning to rush out a "Link Scandalous Tape Incident Crisis PR Response Plan" overnight.


    It was just past five in the afternoon, and the assistant Alex was about to leave when he noticed the lights in Scott''s office were still on. He was about to knock on the door to remind him to leave when he heard a series of ''hehehe'' laughter coming from the room.


    Alex felt a chill down his spine.


    In the past few days, Scott had been yelling in the office like a madman, and now he was hiding in the office, laughing continuously, resembling a mouse that had stolen butter, which seemed very abnormal.


    As he was about to turn and leave, he heard Scott call out, "Alex, is that you? Come in, I have a very important task for you."


    Alex could only muster his courage and tighten his buttocks as he walked into the office.

 Chapter 286 Saint Selina Competition

    In April, the sun on Miami Beach was a bit more intense than it was in New York and Los Angeles. Link had only sat in the wicker chair for a moment, answered a few questions, and he was already sweating profusely.


    Seeing Anna approach with a solemn expression, he greeted Simmons and stood up to ask Anna what was the matter.


    Ms. Anna told him there was trouble. Just an hour ago, someone posted a video of him and Emma Watson getting intimate in the changing room on YouTube. In just a short while, the view count had surpassed twenty million and was spreading like a virus.


    Link frowned upon hearing this news.


    After SB Entertainment had agreed to collaborate with Link Music, he thought the video issue had passed safely and there was no need to worry about it anymore. But just as he let his guard down, the situation unexpectedly blew up again.


    According to Ivanka, aside from the person who filmed it, only three people had seen the video: little Kunas, Scott, and her.


    Ivanka was his partner, as well as a smart woman. She wouldn''t do something to destroy their unity at this time.


    As for Scott, after the collaboration between Link Music and SB, he was going to own 5% of Link Music''s shares. Exposing his scandal wouldn''t benefit him either.


    So, the person who released the video must be little Kunas.


    He originally wanted to use Scott to trap Link, but the unexpected ''Baby'' copyright infringement incident occurred. Scott had no choice but to accept Ivanka''s terms and collaborate with Link Music.


    Frustrated and infuriated that his plan had failed, little Kunas probably released the video in a moment of rage.


    Link figured out the cause of the incident in an instant. He didn''t blame Ivanka but reproached himself for being too careless. He had forgotten that while the ''Baby'' copyright was a useful weapon against Scott, it was ineffective against little Kunas.


    Now that the situation had arisen, he had no intention of running away. Just as he was about to call Ivanka to discuss countermeasures, she called him, saying he should focus on his own matters, and leave the video incident for the company to handle.


    Link agreed. Ivanka was the president of Link Music, with good management skills and a knack for utilizing people. He could rest easy leaving this matter in her hands.


    What remained was Taylor.


    Thinking of Taylor gave Link a bit of a headache.


    Taylor was great, beautiful and smart with long legs, a musical genius, but she also had some of the issues of a typical girl: she was domineering, willful, and possessed a strong sense of ownership over her partner. If she saw this video, even though it was half true and half false, she would probably be very angry.


    With the speed of the internet nowadays, she might have already seen the video and be angry at this moment.


    Link let out a sigh and took out his phone to call Taylor.


    The phone rang a few times before it was answered, and Taylor''s sweet and cheerful voice came through.


    "Has the wedding started yet? When are you coming back?"


    By the tone of her voice, she probably hadn''t seen the video yet.


    Link felt a bit distressed. Should he be upfront or change the subject, waiting for her to watch it before explaining?


    "Dear, there''s something I need to explain to you."


    "What is it? Hang on, let me take another call. We''ll talk in a bit."


    Taylor hung up after saying this.


    When Link tried calling again, he couldn''t get through. After three minutes, still nothing. Ten minutes later, the call went straight to voicemail.


    Link knew he was in trouble.


    Someone must have called her about the video just now.


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    Damn it!


    "I should have been straightforward earlier and explained everything to Taylor, maybe that would have salvaged something for me."


    "Now Taylor is not answering her phone, which means she''s really angry."


    Link hurriedly called Mrs. Andrea and brought up the video voluntarily, explaining that it was fake, there was only kissing and nothing beyond that. He also mentioned that Taylor''s phone was off and asked her to check on Taylor and help clarify things.


    Mrs. Andrea sighed softly and agreed to help.


    Link then made another call to Taylor, but still couldn''t get through, so he opened his email and explained the whole situation in a message, hoping Taylor could forgive him.


    The email was sent successfully.


    But Link knew that such an explanation probably wouldn''t do much good.


    He then called Mandy in Los Angeles, as well as Catherine and Selena, telling them the video was fake, not to believe it, and there was no need to panic.


    "If Selena has time, please go to the villa and explain things to Taylor."


    "I know, I was just watching that video with Miley. It''s going viral, with over a hundred million views in two hours and several hundreds of thousands of comments. Twitter has lots of people sharing the video too, and the internet is full of news about you cheating on Emma Watson, it''s so thrilling. A lot of people are saying you should go into adult films," Selena said in an exaggerated tone.


    Link, with a face full of dismay, replied, "How can you, a girl, watch that kind of video?"


    "I''m of age!" Selena retorted with righteous indignation.


    "The video is fake, only the first three minutes are real, the rest has been spliced on."


    "Fake? I didn''t notice, wait a second, let me watch it again."


    "....Don''t watch it again yet, I need your help with something."


    "What is it? Tell me quick!"


    While Selena was talking, high-pitched female moans and the sound of Miley and several other girls laughing could be heard over the phone.


    Link held his forehead and said with embarrassed endurance, "Here''s the thing, I can''t get through to Taylor, and she probably has seen the video and is now mad at me. If you''re not too busy, could you go over to the villa and see if she''s there?"


    "No problem! I''ll go after I finish watching."


    Over the phone, Selena yelled at Miley to keep it down and then said to Link, "Hehe, Link, remember, a few days ago I dreamed you fell into the sea and I even called to warn you not to go to the beach. Now that I think about it, that dream must have been about this, predicting trouble for you, big trouble, giggles. I always said my dreams are prophetic, do you believe me now?"


    "I believe! You''re a witch from Mexico!" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh, stop it! I''m the Saint Priestess from the Mayan Temple in Mexico, that''s more like it."


    "Yes, Saint! Remember to go to the villa and help me explain things."


    "Sure, but according to the prophecy in my dreams, I probably won''t be of much help. If you want to shake this trouble off, you''ll have to make an effort yourself. Oh, and after that phone call the other day, I continued the dream and saw you floating up by yourself, which means this whole ordeal might end without danger."


    "Alright, thank you for giving me a good ending."


    "No thanks needed, just don''t nag me about staying up late anymore. Actually, I wasn''t staying up late, I was... communicating with spirits, yes, that''s the work of a Saint."


    Selena came up with an excuse on the spot.


    Link was truly defeated by her innocence but needed her help now, so he couldn''t scold her and could only flatter her a bit about how amazing she was, long live the Saint, making her happy until the situation blew over. Then he''d give her a lesson.

 Chapter 287 The Entire Network Criticizing

    As he put away his phone, Anna came over and told him that Link Music''s public relations department had just communicated with YouTube, requesting them to take down the video.


    However, the YouTube representatives said the video didn''t expose any nudity, contained no prohibited content, and since he and Emma were public figures, their intimate video also fell into the category of news topics and didn''t infringe on their rights.


    Link Music also had no authority to interfere with the content published on their platform.


    "Tell them the video is fake, and they need to be responsible for reporting fake news,"


    Link said frustratedly.


    In fact, he had the contact information for the current CEO of YouTube and could call him directly to request a discussion with the subordinate department, but doing so was against the business etiquette in Europe and America, and being rejected would be very embarrassing.


    After Anna made the call, she told him with a tone of regret that YouTube had already communicated with the video review department head, but unfortunately, they were too late, and the staff had already left for the day. To block the video, they would have to wait until tomorrow morning.


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    Link felt helpless. It was only five in the afternoon, and those capitalists weren''t afraid of starving to death.


    Moreover, with the current spread rate of the video, he feared the whole internet would have it in twelve hours, and taking it down then would be pointless.


    Link could only log onto Twitter and post a tweet.


    "The short film is exciting, but from 3:12 onwards, the plot is not performed by me. Please keep your eyes peeled!"


    Immediately after the tweet was posted, it exploded with hundreds of comments.


    Someone asked, What short film?


    Someone claimed, It''s definitely real; I''ve watched it ten times. The people behind the curtain are definitely Link and Emma Watson. It''s too sensational. If you haven''t seen it, I suggest you do.


    Someone argued, It''s clearly fake. At 3 minutes and 10 seconds there''s a poster of Link on the wardrobe. At 3 minutes and 14 seconds, at the same spot, the poster vanishes. Additionally, in September, the trees outside the window in London are still green, but at 3 minutes and 16 seconds, the leaves are yellow. Plus, the floor and background sounds are clearly edited into the video.


    Another commented, Even if the latter part is fake, the initial part where he is kissing Emma is real. Cheating when he has a girlfriend, what a scumbag!


    Yet another remarked, The media had recently hailed you as the best man in the world, and now you cheat. How could you do this to Taylor? Scumbag, just die!


    Within five minutes after the tweet was posted, the number of people calling him a scumbag increased, flooding the screen at a rate of more than ten comments per second.


    They were all ''Link is a scumbag, the worst man in the world,'' ''Taylor, don''t cry, scumbag, just die,'' almost drowning out those rational analyses of the video''s authenticity.


    Ten minutes after posting, the tweet had over 67,000 likes, 22,000 retweets, and the comments had surged to 200,000, 99% of which were abusive.


    Link could only set the comment section to a restricted mode.


    After Link Studio and Link Music both posted tweets clarifying the situation, their comment sections were also overwhelmed with abusive comments.


    "Boss, these comments are just spam from internet trolls, don''t worry too much,"


    Anna advised him.


    Link nodded. He wasn''t worried about the comments online; no matter how much those people cursed, it wouldn''t affect his boxing, releasing albums, making money. What he really cared about was Taylor, and he didn''t know if she would forgive him this time.


    Ding-dong!


    His phone received a message from Lady Gaga, saying the video was good but a pity it was fake, and asked him to release a real one sometime for her to see.


    She was teasing him.


    Link shook his head, asking her how the preparation for her new album was going.


    Lady Gaga said there was no rush, his album sales were too strong, and releasing an album now would mean nobody would buy it.


    Link just wanted to tell her she was being too humble. Even if he was hotter at the moment, he still was a notch below the phenomenon-level superstar Lady Gaga, and his album sales would likely drop a lot this week due to the private video.


    Besides Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Emma Roberts, Emma Stone, Paul Walker, and others sent messages, some teasing, some comforting, some telling him not to worry, that this would soon pass, and Christine straight-up called him a scumbag.


    Ding dong!


    His phone received another message, from Emma Watson.


    Link secretly blamed himself, too preoccupied with worrying about Taylor, he had forgotten to contact this involved party.


    Emma Watson said the video was fake, the voyeur was despicable, and asked if it would affect his new album.


    Link said it wouldn''t affect much, and advised her not to go out these days, to wait until the situation cleared up before making a public response.


    After chatting with Emma for a few moments, he called Taylor again, still getting no response.


    Link felt helpless. Originally, he had planned to return to Los Angeles right after the game, but Daniel from the neighboring hotdog shop was getting married tomorrow, so he had to stay another day here.


    Going back a day later, he didn''t know what his house would turn into.


    "Link, it''s a disaster, someone posted your and Emma Watson''s sex tape online, you better come and see,"


    Inside Baker''s small shop, chubby James stood at the door, holding a laptop, and shouted loudly at him.


    "Really? Where? Let me critique it."


    Michael from the neighboring shop dropped the surfboard he was repairing, rushed to the door, and took the laptop to watch the video.


    "Link, I''m not lying, come and see."


    James''s cheeks turned red as he called out anxiously.


    "I''ve seen it, it''s a fake video, the end part is fake."


    Link shrugged his shoulders and settled back into the wicker chair.


    "Link, there are a lot of people online calling you a scumbag, saying they will never support you again. Can you still be a singer like this?"


    James asked, blinking his small eyes.


    "Of course! I''m a big star, this kind of scandal doesn''t affect me much."


    Link leaned back in his chair, swinging his leg.


    Meanwhile, Simmons from the Miami Herald, sitting in the seat across, watched the video on his computer, wiped his sweaty wig, and asked Link, "This video was taken last September, why didn''t the photographer release it at that time?"


    Link thought for a moment, last September, the British paparazzi scandal was a fuss, and even entering the airport with Taylor didn''t quell the speculations; later, the paparazzo died in jail, which unfairly caused him a lot of controversy.


    At that time, releasing a video of him and Emma Watson passionately kissing would indeed attract some attention, but he heard that Kunas had spent a million pounds to buy this video, probably the photographer wanted to swindle some money with it. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t know, it''s still unclear who released the video."


    "Link, facing this kind of situation, what do you plan to do next?"


    Simmons asked, holding a notebook.


    "First, make a clarification, then pursue the responsibilities of the photographer and the publisher, try to recover the damage to the reputation, that''s all I can do for now."


    Link spread his hands and said.


    Simmons pondered for a moment, mentioned that he and Emma Watson were rumored in 2008, and wanted to inquire about the process of their relationship.


    Link didn''t answer, now was a sensitive time, and if Taylor saw this news, it would be even harder to clear things up.

 Chapter 288 Kanye is very frustrated

    "Cheers!!"


    When Link was down on his luck, his enemies and rivals were rejoicing.


    In the black metal bar in Brooklyn, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, Drake, and the newly released T.I. were holding champagne glasses, excitedly roaring aloud.


    Since early last year, they began their battle against Link, and aside from some initial advantages in public opinion, from March onwards, they were forced to publicly apologize, and then on the rap charts, in album releases, and at the MTV Video Music Awards, they were utterly humiliated by Link.


    Earlier this year, they intended to join forces with SB Entertainment and Justin to take down Link''s new album, hoping it wouldn''t sell a single copy.


    But facing their siege, Link''s new album sold 1.74 million copies in the first week and went Double Platinum in ten days in the US.


    Too fucked up!


    Facing such formidable sales figures, they thought it over and knew there wasn''t a glimmer of hope for victory.


    Just when they were about to be smacked in the face again and Kanye had booked tickets to go into hiding in Hawaii, a gift from heaven arrived: someone released a video of Link and Emma Watson fooling around onto the internet.


    Upon seeing this news, they went crazy with joy, quickly contacting internet service companies. They dropped a million US dollars to hire cyber armies to spread the video, cursing Link as scum on all social media platforms, and contacted many media outlets to spread the news.


    Their purpose was very simple.


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    They wanted the whole world to know that Link was scum, cheating on his girlfriend, an utter disgrace.


    They wanted to drag Link''s name through the mud, to completely tarnish him, as recompense for the humiliations and insults they suffered at the hands of Link over the past two years.


    "Haha, I''m so happy. Today is the happiest day of my life,"


    Kanye screamed with a beer in his hand.


    "Haha, I''m also delighted. That asshole Link always likes to pretend to be a good guy, deceiving those naive girls. Seeing that video today, I bet his face is darker than ours,"


    50 Cent laughed heartily.


    "Guys, this incident is bound to ruin Link''s reputation and his album sales. For this great victory, let''s toast!"


    Usher shouted out.


    "Cheers!"


    Dozens of singers and producers raised their glasses together.


    The place was filled with peals of joyous laughter, all the black artists showing their bright white smiles, even happier than on Christmas.


    "So you guys released the video?"


    Beyonce, holding a glass of champagne, looked across at Lil Wayne and others to ask.


    "No! I heard that it was a computer repair guy who released the video. He was called into SB Company to fix a computer, found pornographic material on one of the office computers, copied it to watch later at night, and after seeing that it was a private video of Link and Emma Watson, he shared it with a friend, who then uploaded it onto YouTube, and that''s how it went viral,"


    Lil Wayne, shaking his dreadlocks, laughed.


    "After we saw the video, we quickly contacted the cyber army to spread it and boast about it everywhere. We contributed to how fast the video spread,"


    Drake shrugged his shoulders and chuckled.


    Beyonce, fluttering her dark brown eyes, gave both men a sweep and, lifting the corner of her lips, smiled and said, "Well played! If that bastard Link dares to go against us, he has to know the consequences."


    "Haha, Beyonce is right!"


    "A toast to Beyonce''s words!"


    Everyone raised their glasses, cheering for Beyonce''s remarks.


    "Hey, Em, you''ve arrived. Come over here, I''ve got some good news."


    50 Cent saw Eminem coming in and excitedly yelled.


    Eminem had been busy for days recording his new album "Recovery" and had just come out of the studio. He was planning to come over for a drink to relax, but was surprised to find the place full of revelry, almost like a black national holiday.


    He hesitated about leaving when he was grabbed by 50 Cent and T.I. and dragged inside.


    "What are you guys celebrating? Did Arthur''s new album blow up the charts?"


    Eminem looked at Usher, who was also grinning, and asked with confusion.


    "No, his new album has just hit the shelves, and the weekly sales aren''t out yet. We''re celebrating something else. Have a drink first, and we''ll tell you all about it,"


    Kanye, showing his big white teeth, handed Eminem a glass of champagne.


    Then several top rap artists began to talk all at once about the private video incident involving Link and Emma, telling they had finally gotten Link dirty-faced and brought him down in disgrace, really letting off steam, which is why they were gathered there to celebrate.


    Eminem, now understanding, sympathized with their feelings, as a group of music industry heavyweights had been pummeled by newcomer Link since last year. They''d refused to concede, fought back, but were repeatedly defeated.


    They couldn''t beat Link, and even the previous week had been smacked down by Link''s new album.


    One could imagine the frustration and humiliation they felt.


    Now, finally finding an opportunity to strike back and disgust Link, their excitement and joy were understandable.


    "Em, I know you appreciate Link, but this guy isn''t a good person, philandering and lecherous; he''s not worth your admiration,"


    50 Cent giggled.


    Eminem took a sip of champagne and glanced at the others, "Do you really think this will damage Link''s reputation? Don''t forget, at the beginning of the year, People Magazine named Link the sexiest man in the world. With that sexy god aura already in place, this kind of private video probably won''t affect him much. It might even be beneficial."


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 Chapter 288 Kanye is Falling Apart_2

    "Em, what are you talking about, Link has a girlfriend and he''s getting cozy with Emma Watson? This guy is disloyal to love, he''s a jerk. Surely many fans will be disappointed in him. You think that''s a good thing?"


    Kanye said, annoyed.


    Eminem shrugged, smiling, "Link is a champion boxer, a creative singer, with strong singing abilities. How could people who truly like him give up on him because of this? Just like when President Clinton''s scandal broke out, his approval rating didn''t fall but rose. By the end of his term, 65% of the public still supported him, which was one of the highest for an outgoing president."


    "Link, like him, just made some mistakes that men make, nothing major. Maybe his fans will support him even more because he''s a bit bad, not so perfect."


    "Moreover, Link only has a girlfriend, he''s not married; it''s even less of an issue than President Clinton''s, so I don''t think this will affect him much; you guys might have popped the champagne too early."


    Eminem, holding a champagne glass, laughed as he looked at the golden liquid inside.


    Kanye and the others were in a good mood, excited, but after hearing what Eminem said, their spirits deflated like a snowman doused with boiling water, their expressions and shoulders drooping simultaneously.


    Seeing their despondent faces, Eminem suddenly felt a bit of schadenfreude. Recently, there had been renewed strife between the East Coast rap groups and Link. Because of distrust, he had been left out by the small circle, which really pissed him off.


    Now, seeing Kanye and the others with glum faces, he felt vindicated and continued, "Don''t forget Link is only 21, young, rich, talented, and famous. Isn''t it normal for such a man to stray? And we''re all men here, who among you dares swear that after having a girlfriend, you haven''t fooled around on the side?"


    Eminem''s gaze moved from Kanye to 50 Cent, to Lil Wayne, T.I., Usher, and the others¡ªall wearing dark expressions, turned their heads away, obviously having been unfaithful, too.


    But when Eminem''s eyes met Beyonce''s, she was squinting at him, looking coldly; Eminem quickly moved his gaze to Jay-Z.


    Jay-Z glanced at Beyonce beside him and quickly shook his head.


    "Look! Apart from Jess, all the men here have made the same mistake, so everyone will understand Link. And don''t forget, Link is also the American Dream, while Emma Watson is Britain''s hottest and most beautiful actress right now. Wouldn''t you guys want to sleep with her, wouldn''t Link''s male fans want to? They definitely would,"


    "But you and they can''t, only Link did it. His fans will think he''s very cool and support him even more, maybe even idolize him. So I think this won''t have much impact on Link, you guys opened your champagne way too early."


    Eminem spoke at a speed of 12 words per second, saying all of the above in one breath. As he spoke, he watched everyone''s faces darken, his pent-up frustration completely dissipated, and he relaxed into the sofa, swinging his legs and looking at them.


    Eminem was pleased, but Kanye and the others were not. They had kindly invited him over for drinks, and here he was, advocating for Link. That was so fake.


    The group exchanged glances, Kanye stepped forward to take the champagne glass from his hand, and 50 Cent with T.I. escorted Eminem out, urging him to go back to recording songs instead of wasting time here.


    Eminem left, cursing and swearing.


    "I think that bastard Em has a point; this might not affect Link as much as we thought," Lil Wayne said, spreading his hands in frustration.


    "So we just let it go? We spent a million US dollars on this and it did nothing?" Kanye exclaimed angrily.


    50 Cent, Drake, and the others had no better ideas. The music at the venue stopped, and the atmosphere turned chilly.


    Beyonce swirled her drink, glanced at the men, and smiled slightly, "Don''t be so disheartened; I have a good strategy to deal with Link."


    "What?"


    Everyone looked at Beyonce with expectation.


    Not only could they look at her face, but at this moment they could also openly admire her smooth and curvy long legs, her full chest contour, skin smoother than coffee-colored satin, and that unique mixed-race beauty on her cheeks.


    Also, because everyone admired Beyonce so much that when looking for girlfriends, they tended to choose women similar to Beyonce: mixed-race, tall, full-figured, and sexy.


    Beyonce, with a teasing smile, said, "You guys forgot about a group, Taylor Swift''s fans. In this affair, Taylor is the most hurt; her fans must be very dissatisfied with Link. You could totally steer Swift''s fans to attack Link; that would certainly annoy him."


    "YES! That''s an awesome idea!"


    "Beyonce, you''re truly amazing."


    "Haha, using Taylor''s fans to attack Link will definitely leave him in disarray; Beyonce, you''re awesome, you''re my eternal goddess," the people began to shout excitedly.


    The music in the bar came alive again, everyone raised their champagne glasses anew, discussing how to lead Swift''s fans to attack Link.


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    Just then, someone came in to find Kanye and Usher, saying that Scott from SB Entertainment wanted to see them.


    Kanye and Usher, hearing that Scott had arrived, went out for a bit. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lil Wayne and the others continued drinking, discussing how to deal with Link. Before they could come up with a plan, a roar suddenly came from outside.

 Chapter 288 Kanye is Falling Apart_3

    "No! I won''t agree, I absolutely won''t agree! There''s no discussing this! Scott, you bastard!"


    The voice was full of grief and depression, as if subjected to a severe insult.


    It was Kanye''s voice, everyone recognized it. Just as 50 Cent was about to go out and check, he saw a very dark-faced Usher walk in, followed by an even darker-faced and extremely gloomy Kanye West.


    "What happened?"


    The crowd looked curiously at the two men, not understanding how a simple trip outside to meet with the agent Scott could result in such a transformation.


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    Usher downed the drink in his glass in one gulp, sighed, and said, "Scott just told us that he made a deal with Link Music yesterday, exchanging 38% of SB Entertainment''s shares for 5% of Link Music''s shares. Now Link Music has become the major shareholder of SB Entertainment. One family."


    "What?!"


    Everyone exclaimed in shock.


    Lil Wayne said incredulously, "Link Music has become the major shareholder of SB Entertainment, and you guys are SB Entertainment''s signed artists, which means Link has become your boss?"


    "Ahhh!!"


    Kanye suddenly roared, grabbed the table in the middle with both hands, clenched his teeth, and with a forceful lift, flipped the table over. There was a clattering noise all around the booth, and the champagne on the table spilled everywhere.


    "Kanye, calm down, don''t get angry, let''s think of a strategy together."


    50 Cent, Drake, T.I., and others rushed over, pinning Kanye down on the sofa.


    "How is this possible? I remember Scott really disliked Link and was even planning to blacken him with a video, stepping on Link''s shoulders to push Justin to the top. How could he suddenly agree to work with Link Music and transfer so many shares to them?"


    Jay-Z asked in surprise.


    Usher shrugged his shoulders, "Scott didn''t tell us the reason, only said he has his difficulties, and he can''t tell us for now. He also said that Link has strong creative abilities, and working with him would be very beneficial for SB Entertainment and for Justin''s development."


    "That does sound reasonable."


    Beyonce gently shook her glass and softly spoke. Seeing everyone looking over, she pressed her lips and said, "You only signed brand marketing promotion contracts with Scott, not record contracts. You can completely propose to terminate the contract with SB company."


    "Yes, terminate it, quickly terminate your contract with SB Entertainment. You absolutely can''t work for Link."


    50 Cent and several others chimed in immediately.


    Usher sighed softly and shook his head, "Can''t terminate it. After signing the marketing agent contract with Scott, he helped us get several big brand endorsements, especially for Kanye.


    Last year Scott facilitated Kanye''s collaboration with Adidas to launch the sub-brand Air Yeezy, and also prompted a partnership between Kanye and Louis Vuitton to release Sneakers sports shoes.


    These two deals helped Kanye earn hundreds of millions of US Dollars. If we want to end the agency contract with Scott prematurely, not only will we lose the business for these two sub-brands, but we''d also have to pay a $20 million penalty for breach of contract. To terminate my contract with SB Entertainment, I''d also have to pay tens of millions in penalties. If we pay money to SB Entertainment, it''s like handing money over to Link."


    Usher said helplessly.


    "Crap, so you two have to work for Link? Help him make money?"


    Lil Wayne said in dissatisfaction.


    "Ah! Damn you, Link, I''m going to kill you!"


    Kanye gritted his teeth and shouted angrily.


    "Kanye, don''t be impulsive!"


    50 Cent and a few others threw themselves over and once again pinned Kanye down on the sofa.


    Kanye yelled loudly, struggling hard, but he couldn''t break free from the others holding him down. He could only repeatedly curse Link and call Scott a great big pig, a shameful traitor.


    Beyonce looked at the chaotic scene with disappointment and shook her head.


    A group of top singers, millionaires, and billionaires were all united against Link, a newcomer on the scene. Despite having a clear advantage, they were repeatedly beaten into a sorry state by the other side, defenseless.


    Link was just too powerful.


    Beyonce bit her lower lip, thinking of that rough and wild guy in the dressing room, and suddenly felt a current rushing from her body straight to her mind. Her mind was filled with images from the dressing room, his strong figure.


    Beyonce told Jay-Z that she had something and needed to leave first, then took her purse and left the bar. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once in the car, she immediately took out her phone and messaged Link, telling him the video was released online by the computer repair person, not Kanye''s group. She also informed him that Lil Wayne and others were planning to use Taylor''s fans to attack him and to be careful. She asked when he would return to New York.

 Chapter 289 Miami Wedding

    I''m not attached to any way you''re showing up


    I won''t be fascinated by any way you show.


    I''m just gonna love you like the woman I love


    I''ll just love you because you are the woman I love.


    Yeah, I''m gonna love you


    At West Palm Beach Park, Link, dressed in a blue suit, was sitting at the piano with his hands on the black and white keys, playing and singing "The Woman I Love" surrounded by lush green grass, a dolphin-shaped fountain, and a flower-adorned canopy.


    When he finished, the area erupted with enthusiastic applause and cheers, everyone praising Link''s performance.


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    Link smiled gently, stood up, and bowed to everyone.


    Today was the wedding day of Daniel, the partner from the hotdog shop next door, and his bride was Miss Lina from the ice cream shop.


    It was said that Daniel pursued Lina by buying an ice cream from her shop every day, becoming the best sampler at Lina''s ice cream shop, and even suffered a few stomachaches from it.


    After persisting for over three years, he finally moved Lina, and she accepted his proposal on New Year''s, proving that true lovers will eventually unite.


    "Daniel, Lina, congratulations!"


    Link looked at the groom, Daniel, dressed in a black suit, who, despite sweating at the neck, still wore a happy smile, and beside him stood Lina in a pristine white wedding dress, a beautiful girl indeed.


    The two of them matched each other very well.


    Link hugged them both and offered his congratulations.


    "Link, thank you for playing at our wedding, making you, a big star, our accompaniment. Lina and I must be the happiest newlyweds in the world," Daniel said, holding onto Lina with a laugh.


    "Haha, yes, so you must keep being happy," Link replied, patting his shoulder and hugging him again.


    The wedding continued, with Daniel and his bride Lina sharing their love story over a microphone on the green lawn lined with a red carpet, from meeting to knowing, loving, and finally coming together. Though they didn''t have mansions, sports cars, or jewels, the happiness they possessed was surely more than those living in mansions.


    "I''m so jealous of Daniel, I should have gone to Lina''s ice cream shop too."


    At the front row of the audience, Link sat in the middle, with chubby James on his left and Michael on his right, both dressed in suits, serving as groomsmen at the wedding.


    Hearing about Daniel''s pursuit of Lina, an envious expression surfaced on James''s round face.


    "You have a girlfriend too, right? Named..."


    Link remembered James had mentioned he also had a girlfriend, met in the Pink Lover''s Bar after the 2008 Americas Zone qualification.


    "Brenda!"


    James shrugged his round shoulders, rubbing his palms, "We broke up after just over four months. She didn''t like it here, especially the beach. She said it was too quiet and not enough people. She preferred busier places, later I heard she went to New York."


    Link patted his chubby back, "With so many girls at the beach, you can definitely find another one."


    James, managing Baker''s diving shop and riding on Link''s fame, was also earning over a hundred thousand a year. He was now worth several hundred thousand dollars, quite a wealthy man.


    "Can''t find one. Now whenever girls see me, they ask about you. I''m worried about saying the wrong things in interviews like last time; I dare not say anything, how can I find a girlfriend?" James said with a resentful glance.


    "Is it my fault? I''ve told you, just say whatever, don''t worry about leaking any secrets, even if you do, it doesn''t matter. It''s your lack of courage, how can you blame me?" Link said discontentedly.


    "Really, I can say anything? Like that time you dated Emma and Gadot in the train compartment, can I talk about that too?"


    James squinted his small eyes, grinning mischievously.


    Link thought for a moment; his intimate video with Emma had been exposed, and the media had dredged up their 2008 scandal. Revealing that he and Emma dated in the shop wouldn''t make much difference, just another rumor. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As for Gal Gadot, she was already married, and Taylor knew about his past relationship with Gadot, so there was no issue in speaking out as their rumor had already circulated in the media.


    He told James it was okay to talk, no need to keep any secrets.


    "How about you and Taylor? Did she forgive you?"


    James scratched his reddening cheek, asking.


    Link shook his head.


    Taylor''s phone was still unreachable, and she hadn''t responded to his emails.


    Mrs. Andrea told him that she had explained to Taylor on his behalf, but Taylor didn''t say anything.


    Selena excitedly told him that when she went to the villa yesterday, Taylor had already secluded herself, staying alone in the music room with the door locked, seeing no one, and not responding when she spoke to her.


    Selena said she took a small ladder and climbed up to peek through the window, and saw Taylor writing songs in the music room, with sheets of musical scores scattered everywhere, perhaps hundreds of them.


    Hearing that Taylor was writing songs, Link knew he was in trouble, as he would surely be severely criticized in her songs, but he also breathed a sigh of relief.


    Having lived with Taylor for over a year, he had come to know her somewhat: optimistic, innocent, proactive, quite concerned about outsiders'' opinions, and striving for perfection in both music and other aspects. Whenever she saw professional negative reviews in the media, she would be very stressed, unable to eat or sleep, constantly reflecting until no one criticized her.


    Whether something joyful or upsetting happened, she would write it into her songs, and after writing, she would gradually calm down.


    Since she had written hundreds of pages this time, he hoped she wouldn''t be as angry after she finished writing.


    "Now please, the groom, place the ring on the bride''s finger!"


    On the red carpet, the priest officiating the wedding said.


    Daniel glanced down from the stage, Link nudged the chubby James, who looked at him puzzled.


    "The ring! The ring!"


    "Oh! It''s here with me, nearly forgot it."


    James fumbled around on his body, sweating profusely, and eventually found a small red box in the inner pocket of his suit. He waddled up to the stage, his rotund figure bouncing, and handed the wedding ring to Daniel.


    Having delivered the ring, James returned to his seat and heaved a great sigh of relief.


    "After getting married, Daniel plans to close the hot dog stand here and move downtown with Lina to open a fast food restaurant. James, are you going to stay here?"


    Michael beside him patted his hands and said.


    James'' chubby face froze for a moment, "Daniel and Linda are leaving?"


    "Yes, I am also planning to leave here, to go out and see the world, although I''ll be back within the year," Michael said.


    "Why? Why do you all want to leave? Isn''t it nice staying here on the beach?" James asked, his face full of confusion.


    "The beach is nice, but no one stays here forever, so it''s better to go out and see the world while we''re young. Don''t you want to see the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge, Universal Studios in Hollywood, the Walk of Fame, or the city that never sleeps, Las Vegas, the sunrise in Yellowstone Park, the snow in Rocky Mountains? Don''t you want to see all these?" Michael asked.


    James shook his head while his meaty face wobbled, "No, it''s too far; it would require a lot of walking. Link have you seen these places? Are they as beautiful as Miami Beach?"


    Link thought for a moment; he had driven past the Empire State Building, crossed the Brooklyn Bridge, filmed in Universal Studios, seen the celebrity tiles on the Walk of Fame, and stayed for a few nights at Caesars Palace, the fanciest hotel in Vegas, but he was too busy with work to really notice whether they were beautiful.


    "They''re all not bad, each with its own charm!" Link said earnestly.


    "I want to go see them," Michael said, his eyes full of longing.


    "Alright, you all can go, I''ll stay here alone," James said, his face showing disappointment as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "Why not come with me to Los Angeles? Los Angeles also has sunny beaches and palm trees, and the scenery is quite nice. You could continue running a scuba gear shop on Santa Monica Beach; the business might even do better than it did on Miami Beach," Link said, putting his arm around his shoulder.


    "Los Angeles? I heard it''s even messier there, with Black people frequently robbing on the streets, and the ''92 riots left over a hundred people dead," James said, scratching his heated face.


    "The earthquake in January at Prince''s Port killed three or four hundred thousand people, last year in America, 32,000 people died from gun violence and over a hundred thousand from various sudden illnesses. Do you want to live in space instead?" Link said helplessly.


    "Alright, I was just saying. I''ll have to think about going to Los Angeles, maybe I''ll go, but not now," James said, furrowing his brows.


    Link didn''t try to persuade him further; it was the chubby man''s own decision to make. As a friend, all he could offer was encouragement and help when needed.


    Daniel''s wedding ended, Link went back to the beach, helped sort a batch of scuba gear, and arranged for the shipping company to send the yacht to Los Angeles. He also bought a villa in Miami Gardens to facilitate future vacations.

 Chapter 290 Return to Los Angeles

    "After the intimate dressing room video of Link and Emma was exposed, it was the most explosive news in America''s entertainment industry for two consecutive days and also a hot topic internationally."


    Including The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, The Times, Yomiuri Shimbun, Bild, and almost all world-class media outlets reported on the incident.


    Even the most conservative North Korea Daily criticized this disgraceful phenomenon in the Western entertainment industry.


    Online, netizens'' discussions about the incident also reached an extreme height, and it was later named by Time Magazine as "one of the top ten internet sensations of 2010."


    According to Twitter''s data department, within 48 hours of the video being exposed, ''Link'' was mentioned 580 million times in user tweets, Emma Watson was mentioned 190 million times, Taylor was mentioned 87 million times, ''scumbag'' was mentioned 63 million times, and ''private video'' was mentioned 58 million times.


    There were also YouTube, Google, Yahoo, MySpace, Facebook, and other mainstream news and social networking sites.


    Within 48 hours, the total play count for the video reached 450 million times.


    If it was the three albums and several hit songs that made Link''s name known to many, it was this video that made his face and shirtless body familiar to many more.


    This is the power of scandalous news¡ªit is more attractive than boxing matches, movies, songs, and even knowledge itself.


    It stirs up curiosity and desire to the maximum; driven by desire, everyone who heard about the incident, regardless of gender, couldn''t resist clicking on the video to find out for themselves.


    If, before the video was exposed, everyone''s impression of Link was that of a handsome, sunny, strong young man, after the video, their impression gradually changed to that of a mature, sexy male.


    Whether this transformation is good or bad cannot yet be assessed.


    "Link is out!"


    At noon, as soon as he walked out of the Los Angeles International Airport terminal, hundreds of reporters wielding microphones and cameras shouted loudly, surrounding him from all sides and throwing one tricky question after another.


    "Link, as a public idol, while having a girlfriend, you still had relations with another woman in the dressing room. This has disappointed many fans, will you step forward and apologize to your fans?" Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire


    "Mr. Baker, it''s rumored that Miss Swift is preparing to break up with you, is this news true?"


    "Mr. Baker, British media reported that you and Miss Emma Watson have been dating since 2008 and it hasn''t stopped to this day. They believe that you are accused of deceiving the feelings of both Miss Emma Watson and Miss Taylor Swift, do you accept this accusation?"


    "Mr. Baker, Kanye West has called you a hypocrite, a guy who pretends to be the perfect man on the outside, not smoking, drinking, or doing drugs, but does all the bad things in private, do you agree with Kanye''s assessment?"


    Reporters stretched out their microphones from a distance, as if on the battlefield, pointing spears and swords at an enemy.


    Link, wearing a baseball cap and dark glasses, said nothing while being escorted by bodyguards like Bob and Wallace. He just waved to fans who came to pick him up, then he got into the nanny car.


    His and Emma''s scandalous video was, no matter how you looked at it, a scandal, and in the face of many questions, explanations were useless and wouldn''t change the facts.


    But maintaining silence and not providing fresh material for the media would reduce the heat instead.


    "Everyone, please be quiet!"


    After Link got into the car, Mandy, who came to take over, stood in front of the van and shouted, "Regarding the video of Link and Miss Emma Watson that is circulating on the internet, aside from the first three minutes, the rest of the content is all edited and spliced together. We have already explained this on Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms. Please be cautious in your reporting. For the media and individuals who infringe on Link''s right to reputation, Link Music will pursue related legal responsibilities.


    "Furthermore, regarding the issue with the video, our company will hold a press conference next Wednesday. I''ll post the specific time and place on Link''s Twitter account, so please keep an eye out."


    "Link, I love you!"


    "Link, we support you!" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the airport exit square, many fans were holding his posters and shouting loudly. At a glance, there were over a thousand people, with more than seventy percent being young women.


    Link waved from the car, responding to the fans, and their shouting grew even louder.


    "Have these fans gone mad? They know Link''s a scumbag, yet they still come to the airport to support him."


    Mike, a reporter from the San Francisco Forum Report, looked at the crowd of fans who kept shouting Link''s name, many of whom were very pretty girls, and felt it was somewhat unbelievable.


    Tim, a reporter from the Los Angeles Times, holding his camera, took a couple of pictures of the fans and said, "Do you know when the best time to test a fan''s loyalty is?"


    "Fan loyalty?"


    Mike thought for a moment, "When releasing an album, are the ones who are willing to spend money on the album considered true fans?"


    "No, it''s when the idol encounters a low point, just like everyone experiences lows in life, idols do too. Fans who choose to stay by their idol''s side and support them when their career is at its lowest, those fans will feel a greater sense of satisfaction and may even move themselves when their idol rises again, as if they''ve accompanied the idol through trials by fire and sword.


    My daughter, who just started middle school, told me many of her classmates are Link''s fans. Right now, they''re using all kinds of ways to support Link, preparing to help him through this tough time, so coming to the airport isn''t really a big deal," said Tim, shrugging his shoulders.


    Reporter Mike frowned, "What''s with young people these days? Even if the latter part of the video was edited, the fact that Link and Emma Watson kissed in the dressing room remains true. Link''s a womanizer, so why does he still have so many fans supporting him?"


    Reporter Tim laughed and said, "If you are deeply in love with a woman, someone like Marilyn Monroe, and you hear she has cheated, would you stop loving her? If you give up, and you can''t tolerate any flaws or mistakes, it just means your love wasn''t deep enough, you''re a fake fan."


    Mike opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words. He realized he indeed wasn''t a good fan.


    By the time Link drove back to his Santa Monica Bay villa, it was noon.


    Although the latitude of Los Angeles is higher than Miami and it also has a Mediterranean climate, the midday sun was still quite intense. The pine trees, oak trees, and metasequoias in front of the villa seemed even more lush than they were a few days ago.


    Standing in front of the main villa, except for the sound of the wind and the occasional birds flying by, everything seemed very quiet.


    He looked up at the second-floor piano room. Mandy had told him Taylor was still holed up in the house, eating and sleeping and using the restroom regularly, but not speaking to anyone¡ªit was a situation that Link was very worried about.


    "Don''t worry, which couple doesn''t have conflicts? Once you see Taylor, just explain things to her, she will forgive you," Ms. Mandy said, smiling reassuringly.


    Link looked at her, then at Anna, as well as Wallace and Bob. Finally, with everyone''s encouragement, he stepped into the villa.

 Chapter 291 Is There Still a Chance?

    When he entered, he happened to meet Mrs. Andrea coming out of the house with two cats, Meridian and Olivia, by her side. Upon seeing him, the cats meowed at him.


    "Hi, Anne!"


    Facing Mrs. Andrea, Link felt a little embarrassed and didn''t know how to explain to her.


    "You''re back, Taylor''s upstairs. If you have something to say, go talk to her."


    Mrs. Andrea picked up the two small cats and left the villa expressionlessly.


    Link took off his hat, changed into a set of casual clothes, and then headed to the piano room on the second floor. He stood at the door of the piano room and listened for a moment; there was no sound coming from inside.


    "My dear, are you there? I''m back."


    Link knocked on the door and said.


    There was no response from inside.


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    "My dear, I apologize, I should have pushed Emma away..."


    Link tried to explain for a bit at the door, talking about what had happened that day.


    After the competition, his adrenaline had surged and he wanted to do something crazy. Just then, Emma had run into the changing room, and he hadn''t controlled himself, leading to that incident. Fortunately, at the critical moment, he remembered his status and immediately pushed Emma away, not going any further.


    But regardless of the reasons, it all started because his willpower was too weak to resist the temptation of the opposite sex, making the mistake that a normal man would make.


    Having talked for a while, Taylor still didn''t respond to him.


    He was about to continue apologizing when suddenly, a melodious piano sound came from the room, ding-ding-dang-dang, a tune he had never heard before, including in the albums Taylor had released in both her lives.


    Link was surprised; could this incident have stimulated Taylor, inspiring her to write a new song?


    But this tune, starting off like a gentle drizzle, warm and tranquil, took a sudden upbeat shift, with the rhythm becoming frenetic and violent, like the sudden onset of a thunderstorm, with flashes of lightning and the ferocity of something that could destroy everything, similar to the song Taylor had written for scumbags, "Blank Space."


    Link felt a tingle in his scalp.


    The piano sound from inside lasted for over four minutes.


    Then it stopped abruptly at the end.


    Link asked if it was Taylor''s new song, whether she had written lyrics for it, and he also praised it as a good song with a great chance of topping the singles charts.


    Taylor still gave no response.


    Link sighed helplessly, hearing footsteps behind him and turning to see Mrs. Andrea, Mrs. Mandy, Catherine, and round-faced Selena holding Olivia.


    All of them looked at him like they were watching a good show.


    "Ha, Link, I''ve always told you, don''t be fickle as a man. So, how is it now? Fallen into the water, haven''t you?"


    Selena walked over with the cat, her round eyes blinking maliciously as she looked at him.


    Link tapped her forehead, and Selena covered her forehead, glowering at him, "You dare to hit me? Link, have you forgotten who I am? I am the Saint Priestess who can communicate with the deities; you attack me and will be punished by the gods, punished harshly."


    Link saw that she was getting addicted to playing the Saint and raised his hand to scare her back a step, laughing, "Do you know who I am? I am the deity!"


    "Hmph!"


    Selena gave him a disdainful look, her chubby round face puffed up as she trotted to the door and shouted, "Taylor, don''t forgive Link, this stinky guy; he''s too bad. You must give him the cold shoulder for three, two days, not talking to him for a day. This bad guy doesn''t deserve our attention."


    "Don''t talk nonsense!"


    Mrs. Mandy walked over laughing, "It''s normal for couples to have conflicts. Arguing and even fighting is normal; there''s no couple in the world that never quarrels or has conflicts."


    "Mom, do you mean, no matter who I end up dating in the future, I will argue and fight with him? Is having a boyfriend that scary?"


    Selena blinked her bright eyes curiously towards Mandy, Catherine, and Mrs. Andrea.


    Mrs. Mandy tapped her forehead, pointed inside, and whispered, "I''m trying to persuade Taylor. Don''t interrupt."


    Selena hummed through her pert nose, her eyes rolling as she said, "It''s Link who caused the trouble. I think we should leave it to him to handle this. If he can coax Taylor, then he''s lucky. If not, it''s his fault. We''re of no use here."


    Link glanced at her. Although Selena''s words sounded harsh, they were true. The bell''s ringer must untie the bell. To persuade Taylor, he would have to make the effort himself.


    He expressed his gratitude to Mrs. Andrea, Mrs. Mandy, and Catherine, apologizing for not being able to rush back these past few days, and leaving the house matters for them to handle.


    Now that he had returned, he would take responsibility for the rest.


    Mrs. Mandy and Mrs. Andrea had matters to deal with and left in their cars one after the other.


    Catherine reminded him not to be too hasty.


    Dealing with smart and proud girls like Taylor, who were reluctant to accept betrayal, required patience. He needed to sweet-talk them, go along with their wishes at first, and the issue would not be too serious.


    Link nodded in agreement.


    "Selena, are you coming or not?"


    Catherine asked Selena, who was still petting the cats.


    "No! I want to stay here to watch the excitement, no, I mean to help Link persuade Taylor, to prevent them from fighting without anyone to stop them."


    Selena sniffed her delicate nose and said.


    Catherine saw her small stature and knew it would be difficult for her to stop two grown adults from fighting, although the likelihood of Link and Taylor fighting was slim, eliminating the need for Selena to step in.


    "Okay, you can stay for now, but remember there''s an internal meeting of the drama group at four in the afternoon."


    "I know, I remember."


    Selena nodded repeatedly.


    After Catherine left, Selena stuck out her tongue and slumped onto the carpet, hugging the two cats, "Olly, Merry, what if the dumb-dumb can''t get in? There''s a ladder in the tool shed, should we remind the dumb-dumb to get the ladder and go in through the window?"


    Meow!


    Meridian called out to Link.


    Link glanced at her round face and walked to the door of the piano room, knocking, "Dear, could you please open the door? I suddenly got inspiration, it''s a really amazing song, and I need to borrow the piano. Is that okay?"


    "Link, stop right there! If we can''t get in, we can wait patiently. Using deception is not good, the consequences could be very serious,"


    Selena came running over in a hurry and said, holding his arm.


    "I really did get inspiration,"


    Link insisted, placing his hand on her shoulder.


    Click!


    The door opened, and Taylor appeared at the doorway, her golden hair draped loosely over her shoulders, wearing a T-shirt and jeans, her face bare without makeup, expressionless, except for her right hand tightly clutching a pointed pencil, blue veins popping out on her pale hand.


    "Hi, Taylor!"


    Selena blinked her big eyes and smiled at Taylor.


    Taylor nodded reluctantly, and just as Link was about to greet her, Taylor narrowed her blue eyes and said coldly, "I will never let a man deceive me twice. You''d better actually need the piano."


    "Really, I didn''t lie to you. Are you okay?"


    Link, looking at Taylor''s face, asked with a hint of self-reproach.


    Without answering, Taylor walked over to the piano, holding the pencil, and looked at him indifferently.


    "Link, you''re dead meat this time."


    Selena muttered under her breath and pushed him from behind, then trotted over to stand beside Taylor, looked around, grabbed a crystal trophy, and glowered at Link with an expression even fiercer than Taylor''s.


    "What are you looking at? Start writing the song, no matter what, you have to write something, otherwise you''re not getting out of here today."


    Selena waved the trophy and winked at Link.


    Link shook his head and sat down at the piano, his slender fingers resting on the black and white keys.


    What kind of song should he write?


    An apology?


    An explanation?


    He looked at Taylor''s face, no longer as affectionate as before, but with a touch of coldness and distance.


    He shrugged helplessly. It was all self-inflicted; what was there to explain?


    "Ahem!"


    Seeing him sitting without moving, Selena shook Taylor''s arm lightly and said, "Link just got off the plane, and he''s still dizzy. How about giving him one more day to seriously think it over?"


    Taylor scoffed and turned to walk outside.


    At that moment, piano music slowly filled the air, tinkling and clinking! The introduction was a bit stumbling but sounded pretty good, like a new song.


    Taylor stopped in her tracks, and Selena, who was about to follow her out, also stopped and turned around, looking at him in surprise.


    You know I try but I don''t do too well with apologies


    "You know I try to win you back, but I''m not good at apologizing,


    I hope I don''t run out of time


    I hope it''s not too late,"


    Could someone call a referee?


    "Could someone mediate for us?"


    Cause I just need one more shot have forgiveness


    "Because I just want one more chance to ask for your forgiveness,"


    I know you know that I made those mistakes maybe once or twice


    "Wow!"


    Selena became Silly Faced Na, her large eyes round with astonishment, her mouth forming an ''O'' as she looked at Link, then at Taylor in surprise.


    "I don''t think I''ve heard this song before, Taylor, have you?"


    Taylor shook her head slightly, her slender eyebrows furrowed, listening quietly to the song.


    Is it too late now to say sorry?


    "Is it too late to say I''m sorry now?"


    Yeah I know that I let you down


    "Yes, I''m well aware I''ve disappointed you,"


    Is it too late to say I''m sorry now?


    "Is it too late to say I''m sorry now?"


    I''m sorry, yeah


    "I''m sorry,"


    Sorry sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing these lines, Selena covered her mouth in surprise. For an apology, this guy had specially written a song, and it was a really catchy one at that. How impressive.


    Curious, she looked at Taylor. Would Link''s way of apologizing earn her forgiveness?

 Chapter 292 Apologies are Useless

    The hot summer was about to arrive, and the cicadas in Los Angeles began to raise their buzzing cries.


    Catherine drove down Hollywood Boulevard, the sound of cicadas from the greenery on both sides coming in waves. Perhaps it was due to the exacerbation of global warming, causing cicada nymphs to emerge early, making this year''s chorus more boisterous than the last.


    When she reached the crossroads and waited for a while, she saw Selena holding two cups of pomegranate juice, coming out of the nearby beverage shop. Wearing a white baseball cap and Prada heart-shaped sunglasses, she hid her round face under the brim, with a straw between her lips, humming as she walked over.


    "Catherine, for you!"


    Selena got into the car and handed Catherine the other cup of juice.


    "How did it go between Link and Taylor?"


    Catherine took it and placed it in the cup holder, then restarted the car.


    After getting in, Selena kicked off her sandals and sat cross-legged in the passenger seat, blowing her hot cheeks against the air conditioning.


    "Catherine, I bet you''ll never guess how Link managed to open the door."


    "How did he do it?"


    "Link was so cunning. He told Taylor that he was struck by inspiration and needed to write a song, so he needed to use the piano, and Taylor opened the door after hearing that."


    "So he tricked her into it? Wouldn''t Taylor be angrier?"


    Catherine asked curiously.


    Selena shook her head, took a sip of the cold juice through her straw, and said, "That''s what I thought too. I even advised him not to do it, but he insisted. I couldn''t hold him back, hehe, Catherine, guess what happened in the end?"


    "Come on, spill it. Don''t keep me hanging."


    Catherine urged her.


    "Link is amazing. At first, I thought he just said he was writing a song as a trick to get Taylor to open the door, but when he sat at the piano, he really did write a song. An amazing song. A song specifically for a cheater to apologize."


    Can we both say the words and forget this?


    Can we speak amicably and forget the pain of the past?


    Yeah, is it too late now to say sorry?


    Is it too late to apologize now?


    Cause I''m missing more than just your body


    Selena hummed a few lines in the style of Link''s singing. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is what Link just wrote?"


    Catherine asked in surprise after listening to it.


    "Yeah, the full version is even better, isn''t it impressive?"


    "It does sound good. So Link wrote a song to apologize, did Taylor forgive him?"


    Catherine asked.


    Selena shrugged her petite shoulders and sighed, "Not really, Taylor said she wouldn''t accept the apology. Once a cheater, always a cheater. That''s something that has happened, and apologies are meaningless, there''s no need for forgiveness. Taylor also said she has ''mental cleanliness,'' if she hadn''t known about Link''s philandering, she might not have said anything, but now that she does, she can''t treat him the same as before." Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    "Did they break up?"


    Catherine asked in surprise.


    "No, Taylor said she needs time to adjust. If she can get her emotions in order and not mind the affair, perhaps she would reconsider accepting Link. If she can''t adjust well..."


    Selena shrugged. "Taylor didn''t finish speaking before she dragged her packed suitcase and left. Link and I couldn''t stop her."


    "Don''t worry, they''ll sort it out."


    "Do you think they''ll make up?"


    Selena turned around and asked, "I think Taylor is quite nice, beautiful and very talented. She and Link are a perfect match, and no other women are good enough for Link. Now that things have become like this, it''s all Link''s fault. He''s too fickle, doesn''t know how to cherish, serves him right!"


    Selena spoke softly as she cursed.


    "This is normal! Link became a billionaire and a world-famous celebrity in his twenties. It''s normal that he''s not very focused on relationships, fickle, and greedy. Many men who are not as successful as he is behave even worse.


    Speaking of the video incident, Link didn''t do anything wrong either. He just didn''t push Emma Watson away in time. It''s not a big deal. If Taylor had been a bit calmer, and acted like nothing happened, tolerating Link''s mistake, Link would eventually settle down and focus on staying home as a good man."


    Catherine spoke slowly.


    Selena gaped at her in surprise. "How can you say that? It''s clearly Link''s fault. How can you blame Taylor for it?"


    Catherine smiled slightly, "If you really love a man, you should learn to accept all of him, including his flaws because everyone is human, and nobody is perfect. All perfect partners are an illusion.


    "For a man like Link, who is among the very best of men and a rarity in the world, if you throw away the whole cake because of one bad cherry, who would do such a thing? A picky woman, one who believes she can find a better, more delicious cake."


    Selena held her small round face in her hands and thought for a while before she understood Catherine''s words; Catherine was still defending her scumbag son, trying to shift the blame onto the innocent Taylor.


    "Hehe, Catherine, you''re so magnanimous. If you found out George was cheating, would you forgive him?"


    Selena squinted her eyes, her crescent moon-shaped smile playful as she asked.


    "Of course not. How could George compare to Link? He''s already one-sixth of a spoiled cake, and if he dares to cheat again, it''ll be like one-third is spoiled, akin to toxic junk food. Of course, I wouldn''t accept it."


    "Double standards!"


    Selena rolled her eyes.


    Catherine poked her forehead, "I tell you these things, not because I want you to learn to accept a scumbag, but I hope you can mature emotionally. If you''re independent and strong enough, you can choose better partners and have higher standards for a partner, like Taylor, seeking perfection.


    "If you''re not strong enough, you need to learn to accept your partner''s flaws. If you''re not strong and yet very picky, you''ll end up with nothing in the end."


    Selena rested her chin in her hands and thought for a moment, nodding her head, her big eyes shifting as she seemed to understand Catherine''s point, then she remembered something else.


    "Catherine, the books say that in Italy, first cousins can get married, is that true?"


    Squeak!


    Suddenly, Catherine slammed on the brakes.


    Caught off guard, Selena let out a cry as her forehead smacked into the dashboard.


    "What did you say?"


    Catherine looked at her, puzzled.


    Clutching her forehead, Selena''s round face flushed as she said, "It''s what Miley and the others said, they were joking. I would never like a scumbag like Link."


    Catherine gave a small smile and looked at her forehead, "If it were ordinary people, it wouldn''t be a big deal, but you''re both celebrities, definitely not okay."


    "I know, I know, I was just asking. Don''t mention it anymore."


    Selena, covering her hot cheeks, felt so embarrassed she wanted to crawl under the seat and hide.


    "If you dare to ask such a question, don''t be shy, get out of the car!"


    Arriving at the 21st Century Fox Film Production Center, Catherine took a red-faced Selena upstairs to participate in the script discussion for the new movie "Ramona and Her Sister."

 Chapter 293 This Woman is Too Ruthless

    After Taylor and Selena had consecutively left the villa, in the nearly three thousand square foot space, only Link, a lone human, remained. He suddenly felt a certain emptiness, loneliness, and chill.


    Meow meow~


    Meridian walked over on the soft lawn, meowing at him twice.


    Link crouched down to pet the soft and adorable cat head, feeling relieved that Taylor had left in such a hurry, not taking the two kittens with her; otherwise, he would have been the only living thing left in the house.


    He picked up Meridian and returned to the villa, poured cat food and goat milk into the cat bowl, and then found a lazy Olivia on the balcony sofa, watching the two kittens huddle together and slowly finish their food.


    While the kittens were eating, he took out his phone and sent a photo to Taylor, urging her to come back soon; Olly and Meridian couldn''t be without her.


    Taylor did not respond.


    More than an hour later, as he was dealing with company documents in the study, the sound of a car horn came from outside. Taylor''s assistant, Emily, stepped out of the car, followed by a moving van and four workers.


    Emily informed him that she was there to take away the two kittens and Taylor''s other belongings.


    "Emily, Taylor said she needed time to adjust and that she would come back once she had. Why take everything away?"


    Link asked, approaching the front door.


    "Link, this was Taylor''s order; there''s no use talking to me about it,"


    Emily said helplessly.


    Link called Taylor, but the call didn''t go through; he suspected that his number had been blocked by Taylor, and he felt a chill. Taylor was too ruthless; once she made up her mind, she would wield the blade and sever ties with the past without leaving any opportunity for reconciliation.


    "Emily, can you use your phone to call Taylor for me?"


    Link asked. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "I need to ask Taylor about it."


    Emily made a call to Taylor, and after a while, she told Link that Taylor did not wish to speak with him for the time being.


    Link, feeling helpless, could only watch as Emily moved away Taylor''s belongings; her wardrobe, shoe cabinet, bag cabinet, cosmetics cabinet, trophy cabinet, oven, and so much more, including the two kittens. Everything filled up an entire van.


    In the end, Link realized that apart from the gym equipment, there wasn''t much in the villa that belonged to him. Once Taylor had moved her things out, the entire villa suddenly became empty and hollow. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Emily, please call Anne and tell her I''d like to visit Taylor at her house and ask if it''s convenient for her?"


    Link stood on the lawn and said.


    "Taylor isn''t living in the downtown apartment right now; she recently bought a villa in the Beverly Hills mid-mountain area. She had originally planned to give it to Anne and Tom to live in, but now she''s the one living there."


    Emily explained.


    Link, feeling agitated, said, "Tell her that I want to visit her at home for a serious talk and ask if she agrees."


    "...Okay,"


    Emily hesitated before making the call to Mrs. Andrea. After consulting with Taylor, Mrs. Andrea said that tomorrow noon would be possible.


    After sending Emily and her team away, Link thought a lot. He remembered the girl bandaging her calf on the island, the details of their time together¡ªthe joyful and happy moments¡ªand he felt a mix of emotions, unable to focus on the documents in hand.


    He changed into workout clothes and headed to the gym to lift weights. He powered through lifting a 300-pound barbell over a hundred times until his arm muscles were strained. He performed an hour of jump rope with sixty pounds of resistance, nearly bursting his calf muscles, and finally attacked the punching bag with fierce punches until he broke it.


    When he emerged from the gym drenched in sweat, the sky had long since turned dark, casting a bright, pristine moon over the vast ocean. The shadows of trees in the botanical garden ahead flickered intermittently, interrupted by the occasional flapping noises of frolicking birds and sparrows.


    But his villa was eerily quiet, not even a cat''s meow to be heard.


    While taking a bath, he noticed more than ten missed calls and over thirty messages on his phone. The callers included Mrs. Mandy, Ivanka, Catherine, Selena, Paul Walker, and others, while the messengers were largely the same group of people.


    Mrs. Mandy asked what was going on with him and Taylor, as the internet was abuzz with news of their breakup. If they hadn''t split, it''d be best to clarify; if not, the media would assume they had broken up.


    The others were also inquiring about the same news, asking if he wanted to go out for a drink.


    Link selectively replied to a few messages, tossed aside his phone, and picked up his tablet to start scrolling while lying in the bathtub.


    Since his return to Los Angeles, he had become the most sought-after figure in the entire entertainment industry, with many reporters and paparazzi staking out around his villa, observing his and Taylor''s every move.


    Even the fact that Mrs. Mandy, Lady Andrea, and Catherine left the villa one after the other after 1 a.m. was promptly reported online by the media.


    When Taylor left the villa after 3 a.m., it triggered a frenzy among entertainment journalists, who captured everything including the luggage she took with her.


    From that moment on, the media began to speculate that the couple was on the rocks, facing a breakup.


    By the time the moving company''s vehicles left the Bay Villa area after 6 a.m., the breakup stories on the internet had reached a climax, with terms like "confirmed," "one hundred percent certain," and "witnessed with one''s own eyes" being used to sensationalize the matter.


    A Google search for "Link Taylor breakup" yielded 137,000 related links, including articles, videos, and images, dominating the top three spots on all news websites'' trending lists.


    The night was like a gluttonous feast for all the onlookers.


    Link opened Twitter and, influenced by a scandalous video, saw his follower count skyrocket from over 21 million to 35.47 million in just ten days, making him the first Twitter user to break thirty million followers. His tweets often garnered more attention than many major newspapers'' headlines.


    "We didn''t break up. Stop spreading rumors," he tweeted.


    After the tweet went out, the numbers of likes, comments, and retweets grew at an exponential rate every minute. Within just five minutes, over three thousand comments exploded onto the scene.


    "Stop being stubborn, Link. The movers came, it''s clear Taylor dumped you. You need to accept reality," one comment said.


    "To the jerk Link, happy breakup!"


    "Taylor is way too cool. That''s how you deal with a jerk: strike hard and give him no chances," another added.


    "Mr. Baker, I still think tweeting at night isn''t a good habit."


    "Link, this is all your own doing. You had such a great girlfriend like Taylor, and yet you messed around. Men are all the same," someone else criticized.


    "Don''t be sad, Link. We will always support you," a supportive fan wrote.


    Link scrolled through the comments and found that most were ridiculing him, mocking him, or blaming him.


    A few were expressing regret for the couple, believing they were well-matched and that ending the relationship was a shame. They urged Link to take action and win Taylor back.


    Link replied to one seemingly experienced netizen''s comment, asking what he could do to earn his girlfriend''s forgiveness?


    As soon as his fans saw him appear in the comment section, they went wild, flooding the comments with suggestions.


    They suggested everything from sending a truck full of roses and tulips, a huge diamond, taking Taylor to the sea, to more forceful ideas like pinning her to the wall. Some even more extreme advice included cutting off a "third limb" to beg for forgiveness.


    There was no shortage of ludicrous ideas.


    Fed up with the wild speculations, Link got out of the tub, put on his pajamas, and decided to sleep embraced by the moonlight tonight.

 Chapter 294 Understanding Leonardo

    Beep! Beep!


    At noon, as he drove away from the bay villa community, the paparazzi waiting along the street recognized his car and surged forward with a bang, a dense masses of hundreds of people, it felt like all of Hollywood''s paparazzi were concentrated here at this moment.


    "Link, the internet says Taylor kicked you out, is that true?"


    "Link, last night you asked netizens how to apologize, are you going to see Taylor today to beg for forgiveness?"


    The paparazzi surrounded his car, throwing out questions one after another about him and Taylor, some even banged on the car windows, ready to break the glass and pull him out for an interview.


    In this situation, it was impossible for him to give an interview.


    The driver, Bob, honked the horn for over ten seconds straight, the piercing sound made the surrounding paparazzi cover their ears and step back, allowing the car to break through and accelerate onto the main road.


    In the rearview mirror, a group of paparazzi, frustrated at not getting their news, were cursing and swearing.


    The car traveled more than twenty kilometers north from Santa Monica Boulevard to the Beverly Hills villa community.


    Compared to the crowded apartment residential area at the foot of the hill, this place backed onto the scenic Beverly Hills, overlooking the bustling streets of Los Angeles and the magnificent seascape of the Pacific Ocean, which looked very nice.


    Taylor''s villa was on the north side of Coldwater Canyon Street, not very large, a standalone white villa with white stone steps, a few artistic stone sculptures, and a beautiful small garden, a very cozy and comfortable residence.


    Considering those paparazzi down the hill, Link suddenly felt that living in Beverly Hills might be nice, a sort of hidden peace within the chaos.


    When Link walked into the villa courtyard with a pot of camellias, Emily was there too, she made him a cup of coffee and then left the semi-open living room, leaving just him and Taylor alone.


    In the past, when facing Taylor, he could hug, lean on, pull, and even press down on her without any reservations, but today, facing Taylor''s icy demeanor, he even had to think carefully before speaking. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This place is great, what if I move in too?"


    Link, holding his coffee cup, said shamelessly.


    Taylor glanced at him, closed the magazine in her hands, "Is that the reason for your visit?"


    "No, I originally planned to continue apologizing to you, but I think you''re right, apologizing is meaningless, I will prove through my actions that I won''t make the same mistakes again."


    "The same mistakes, what do you mean?"


    Taylor asked coldly.


    "The Emma Watson incident, the next time girls approach me, I will push them off without hesitation, nor will I continue contact with such girls."


    "Ha, do you think I should believe you?"


    "I will do as I say."


    Link said firmly.


    After sleeping alone last night, he woke up to find that he seemed to have gotten used to having Taylor by his side, without her, something always seemed missing, and nothing felt interesting.


    After a lot of thought, he decided to cut off the indecisive thoughts in his heart, win Taylor back, and honestly stay by her side for the rest of life, which might not be a bad way to live.


    After all, even the wealthiest people need to learn to be content at some point; greed only makes one emptier.


    "Alright, I''ll give you a chance, let''s play a truth game."


    Taylor leaned slightly forward, her blue eyes staring at him, "Tell me the truth, since we officially started dating last February, how many other women have you slept with behind my back?"


    "No..none!"


    "Link Baker, it''s not that I''m not giving you a chance, it''s that you don''t appreciate it, you can go now."


    Taylor picked up the magazine, saying coldly.


    "...Alright, I''ll admit it, just once, it was on the set, but that really doesn''t count, I was drunk that time, and when I woke up, I didn''t remember anything, you know I''m a lightweight."


    Link said helplessly.


    Taylor tilted her head up and laughed coldly, "So you have been messing around with someone in the crew? While I was alone at home letting you go out for shooting, you were messing around with other women in the crew?"


    "Darling, I swear, I really was drunk that time."


    Link said, raising his fingers.


    "Link, you''re a man, stop making excuses, okay? You know you can''t handle your drink but still drank with other women, so is being drunk an excuse?!"


    "...Darling, I realize my mistake, I''ll quit drinking from now on."


    Link said helplessly.


    "Don''t call me darling, it makes me sick."


    "Alright, other than that time, there really is no one else."


    "Link, you''ve wasted another chance, the Grammy Awards in January, you think I couldn''t smell that disgusting perfume on you?"


    Taylor picked up the magazine and threw it at him.


    Link was stunned, he remembered changing clothes after that incident, how could Taylor possibly smell it?


    "It''s the makeup artist''s perfume. The makeup artist is a woman."


    "You''re still lying, Link. You''re such a disappointment."


    Taylor shook her head, scoffing, "Last night, I saw several disgusting fingernail scratches on the back of your thigh. Don''t tell me it was you blowing yourself."


    Link broke out in a sweat on his forehead; Taylor was too attentive.


    He suddenly understood why many men liked simple-minded sweet girls¡ªthey were foolish, very easy to deceive, unlike Taylor, who was too smart, even smarter than himself.


    Cheating under her watch was nearly the same as playing extreme survival in the wild; moreover, he was very careless.


    Seeing Taylor''s increasingly cold expression, Link knew he probably didn''t stand a chance and simply laid it all out:


    "Alright, I cheated. You know the reason¡ªI am lecherous, and I lack sufficient resistance to temptation from the opposite sex. These are all inherent issues in me, but I have not ignored them. I''ve always been trying to correct them, to confront this issue. Why do I do so?


    Of course, it''s because I love you. If I didn''t love you, didn''t care about your feelings, I could have cheated countless times over the past year or more, but I didn''t do that. The mere two times it happened were under very complicated circumstances. Taylor, I''m trying to change, to make myself better. Can you give me another chance?"


    "Hmph! If our roles were reversed, if I cheated once, would you give me a chance?" Taylor asked.


    Link looked at his fist; he certainly could not.


    No matter the era or culture, for a normal man, being cheated on is an absolute disgrace.


    This has nothing to do with love.


    It''s about a man''s dignity.


    This is the kind of dignity that even if humans devolved back into quadrupeds, it would still be instinctively defended.


    "So because you''re a man, I''m supposed to forgive your cheating, but since I''m a woman, just talking over drinks about work with the opposite sex at a bar and you''d mind terribly. Are all men as strict with their partners as you are, yet tolerant with themselves?"


    Taylor scoffed.


    Link had nothing to say.


    This is the drawback of having a smart girlfriend; sometimes you can''t even win an argument.


    He suddenly felt a bit of understanding for Leonardo, whom he had previously looked down upon. He used to think that after Leonardo played around for over twenty years, always picking up rookies, his seduction skills must be terrible.


    Having gone through this incident, he realized Leonardo was a smart man.


    "Hmph! To spend more time with you, I ended my world tour early, even when I went out to gather material, I often came home to see you. And you? You got intimate with other women backstage at boxing matches, messed around with other actresses on set, and at award ceremonies we attended together, it only took twenty minutes of not seeing you for you to mess around with another woman. Have you ever respected me? Have you ever considered my feelings?" Taylor asked, her eyes reddening.


    "I''m sorry, it''s my fault, I will definitely change,"


    Link reached for her hand, trying to embrace her.


    "Don''t touch me!"


    Taylor coldly pushed him away, pointing at the door, "You can leave now. You''re not welcome here anymore."


    Link, seeing no sign of softening in her expression, sighed quietly, said, ''I''m sorry,'' and got up to leave the villa.


    Taylor collapsed on the couch and began to cry. Mrs. Andrea walked down the stairs and gently patted her back, comforting her not to be sad.


    "Mom, I really liked him, and I thought about starting a family with him, but what he did was so disappointing. I can''t be like other women who know all too well yet pretend not to mind and keep living with him. I''d feel very awkward, even despise myself,"


    Taylor cried into Mrs. Andrea''s arms.


    "I understand!"


    Mrs. Andrea sighed softly, fearing that what she worried about most had still happened.


    Taylor was too strong-willed, seeking perfection in music, life, and her partner, not tolerating any flaws in her sight. Once she noticed a problem, she would decisively cut ties.


    But perfect partners do not exist in this world, and the closer the relationship, the more flaws are revealed.


    Given Taylor''s critical nature, could she ever find a suitable partner?


    Mrs. Andrea worried secretly, holding Taylor''s shoulder, said, "I''ve told you, all men are children. There''s no child born knowing not to cause trouble, just as there are very few men who become well-behaved after adolescence. Women are like mothers, we need to gradually teach them, change them, shape them to get the partner we desire.


    Link isn''t a perfect boyfriend, but he is much more exceptional and mature than other men his age, and inherently has fewer problems. If you miss out on him..."


    Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Mom, I disagree with you. Men can be children, but must women be mothers? Can''t women be children as well? And can men really be molded into good children?


    Just like Dad, you''ve lived with him for over twenty years, constantly trying to change and influence him, and what was the result? Hmph, does he think people don''t know what he''s been up to?


    Mom, I''m not you. I can''t generously tolerate Dad the way you do, nor do I want to be the type of woman you are. I want to live as my own person, and I will never change for anyone."


    Taylor wiped away her tears and spoke.


    Mrs. Andrea said nothing more. Taylor, being a smart, strong, and powerful girl, might just have a different way of living, and there was no need for her to live like an ordinary girl.

 Chapter 295 Eva Takes Action (1/10)

    Link''s car emerged from Beverly Hills, and the paparazzi swarmed it like hyenas scenting blood, a larger crowd than before.


    The paparazzi, reckless of their own safety, stood in front of the car to block it, some surrounded the vehicle, and their palms beating against the window glass was deafening.


    Fortunately, the windows were bulletproof, otherwise they would have been shattered by now.


    Wallace glanced at Link via the rearview mirror; Link was sitting in the back with his eyes closed, not uttering a word.


    Bob kept honking the horn, and the shrill sound made many of the paparazzi back off, but a stubborn few remained in front of the car, clearly not willing to let them go without a story.


    The standoff lasted three or four minutes, until the local patrol officers arrived, drew their handguns, and ordered the paparazzi to retreat, allowing the car to return to the main roads of the city.


    Although they didn''t get any information from Link, as Mandy had said, silence itself was an answer.


    When Link left Beverly Hills, news that he had gone to Taylor''s in search of reconciliation and failed, announcing their breakup, surged back to the top of major news websites and social platforms, extensively covered by all major media.


    Even many news website''s top-ten trending lists were dominated by their story.


    Some blamed Link, calling him a fool for losing the best girlfriend in the world.


    Others sympathized with Taylor, calling her a victim of misplaced trust.


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    Some lamented over another celebrity couple''s sad breakup, declaring true love hard to find in the entertainment industry.


    Others dissected their love story in detail, from dating to breakup, pondering who bore greater blame.


    While many people might curse upon seeing the trending lists and complain about the neglect of important national issues, alleging a waste of public resources on trivial entertainment news,


    they would still continue to read and enjoy the gossip.


    Through consuming such news, they found a bit of joy for their otherwise mundane lives.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    The calm in the office of the President of New York Link Music was shattered by a series of urgent knocks.


    "Come in!"


    Upon hearing the voice inside, Lana Del Rey entered Ivanka''s office buoyantly, carrying a tablet. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although she was dressed in a fashionable, tight Prada dress, with golden brown curls draped over her fair shoulders, long lashes, and her makeup delicately done, exuding the charm of a classic English beauty,


    privately, she was still the girl who dreamt of becoming a rock singer.


    "What is it?"


    Behind the large desk, Ivanka put down her pen and looked up at Lana.


    "Eva, did you see the news? Link and Taylor broke up."


    Lana, holding the tablet, excitedly scrolled through it, her face filled with the thrill of juicy gossip.


    "Did they announce it?"


    "No! But several media reporters confirmed that they personally saw Link enter Beverly Hills at 12:20 pm and exit at 12:55 pm, and they met for less than forty minutes, indicating they had an unpleasant conversation. Moreover, when Link left Beverly Hills, several hundred entertainment reporters blocked his car, hoping he''d say a couple of words. The standoff lasted four or five minutes, but Link never appeared nor said a word.


    The media believe this is out of character for Link as he usually chats with reporters; his silence now suggests he is in a very bad mood, and it indirectly suggests that he didn''t receive Taylor''s forgiveness.


    Basing on this, the media have concluded that they''ve broken up!"


    Lana, true to her singer identity, rattled off a long speech without taking a breath, her pretty face flushed with excitement.


    Ivanka glanced at her, leaned back in her chair, "Lana, what are you happy about? Don''t forget Link is your boss, and he''s your mentor. To hear he''s been dumped and see you this excited, is that appropriate?"


    Lana shrugged, smiling, "Eva, I''m not happy, wrong, I''m happy for you. You also like Link, a lot, right? I used to ask you why you didn''t pursue Link and you didn''t answer me. Now I understand, you were waiting for Link and Taylor to break up, weren''t you? You''re amazing, how did you predict they would break up?"


    "I didn''t predict they would break up."


    Ivanka said with a laugh, crossing her slender fingers.


    "Don''t lie to me, you saw there were problems between them early on, which is why you were in no rush to make a move, right? Come on, share your thoughts with me, let me learn something."


    Lana pulled up a stool next to Ivanka and spoke.


    Ivanka smiled slightly, stood up from her seat, walked over to the small bar, and picked up a bottle of Lafite, pouring two glasses of red wine.


    She was dressed in form-fitting straight-leg pants and a light blue square-neck silk shirt, her tall and voluptuous figure more sensual than the hottest woman in the entertainment industry could hope to be, yet her dignified and aloof expression, along with her shrewd and competent aura, made her seem not so easy to approach.


    Lana followed her to the bar, took the red wine, and sat on the round sofa by the floor-to-ceiling window.


    "I didn''t guess that they would break up. I''ve just seen a lot and understand some human nature. Link and Taylor are both very young and also very outstanding. People like them, once they enter Hollywood, are bound to encounter many temptations.


    If they were more mature, knew what lies behind temptation, and knew what is more precious, maybe they could resist it.


    But they are too young and encountered it too early. It''s not easy to keep going for a long time."


    Ivanka, leaning against the sofa, spoke in an unhurried tone.


    Lana nodded slightly, batting her long eyelashes and smiling, "Eva, Link is single now, when do you plan to make your move?"


    "Make a move?"


    Ivanka sipped her red wine, her lush lips turning a vivid red.


    "Stop pretending. You love Link, you love him so much; that''s why you haven''t been looking for a partner for so long. Now that he''s finally single, shouldn''t you take the opportunity to make your move?"


    Lana leaned back on the sofa and smiled.


    Ivanka furrowed her brows in thought and said, "I am five or six years older than he is. Would he accept me?"


    "Of course, Eva. You are Miss Ivanka after all. You''re so smart, so beautiful, so capable, so noble. Men in the upper echelons of New York treat you like the woman of their dreams. Just speaking to them can drive them wild. How could anyone not like a woman like you?


    How could Link possibly reject? Moreover, now is a time when Link is emotionally unoccupied. I dare say that if you speak up, he would definitely not hesitate to say to you, ''I do!''"


    Lana said enthusiastically.


    Ivanka thought again for a while, then slightly shook her head, "It still feels a bit too early. One, they haven''t officially broken up; getting involved prematurely isn''t quite right. Two, knowing him, he probably won''t be looking for a stable relationship for now."


    Lana rolled her eyes helplessly.


    Ivanka was very smart and beautiful, rational in her actions, but sometimes too clever and rational, which made her overly cautious when it came to personal matters, lacking the impulsiveness and spontaneity a young person should have.


    "Eva, do you know who in Hollywood is the most interested in Link right now, besides the paparazzi?"


    Lana asked earnestly.


    "Which group?"


    "Of course, the group of unmarried actresses, female singers, and models."


    Lana waved her hand and said, "Eva, you know how outstanding Link is. He is the sexiest, strongest, youngest, richest, most talented man in the world, the dream of countless girls worldwide; this is no exaggeration.


    Even before Link and Taylor had broken up, that group of women in the entertainment circle, despite gossip, kept tempting Link, making him err, and damaging their relationship. Now that they have succeeded and Link is single, would they miss this good opportunity?


    Of course not; they would pounce on Link like venomous snakes, biting him with their venomous teeth and tightly coiling their bodies around him.


    Just to be Link''s woman, they could have the most perfect boyfriend in the world, experience the best sex in the world, and share Link''s wealth and glory. Who would miss out on that?


    Absolutely no one."


    Ivanka looked at the swirling liquid in her glass, silent and not speaking.


    Seeing her like this almost drove Lana crazy; she grabbed Ivanka''s arm and said, "Eva, what are you still hesitating for? Your advantage is the greatest now, and you have the best chance to grab Link, to fend off those crazy women. If you hesitate any further, other women will climb into his bed and become Link''s next girlfriend. So make your move!"


    Ivanka smiled faintly, returned to her desk, and opened a folder.


    "Let them compete. I think it''s more appropriate to continue regarding Link as a business partner."


    "...."


    Lana, seeing her unhurried demeanor, lay down helplessly on the sofa.

 Chapter 296 Second Week Album Sales (Average Order Plus Update 2/10)

    ```


    "The Undefeated Boxing Champion Link ''Defeated''"


    The day after Link left Beverly Hills, the headline of the Los Angeles Times sparked a frenzy of public opinion with a stunning title, and the article became the most-read news in the United States that day.


    When readers saw the news, they subconsciously thought Link had been defeated in a boxing match, beaten by his opponent.


    Everyone knew Link was strong; no one had ever lasted more than three rounds against him, and now he had supposedly been defeated.


    How was he defeated?


    Who had beaten him?


    Upon seeing the title, everyone thought of many possibilities and couldn''t help but flip open the newspaper or click their mouse.


    The article was written by Mr. Mike Hillzick, the entertainment editor of the Los Angeles Times. He claimed that since his debut, Link had been undefeated in both the boxing and music arenas, but this time he had tasted defeat in matters of the heart.


    And the person who defeated him was Taylor.


    Mr. Hillzick praised both Link and Taylor as great young individuals but criticized them as being too immature in handling their romantic affairs, advising them to have a proper talk. He also encouraged Link not to give up too early and to apologize to Taylor more, which might allow him to recover from the ''defeat''.


    After reading the article, everyone would inevitably curse, ''Damn clickbait.''


    Aside from the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, American Express, USA Today, CBA television, NBC television, and other major media outlets covered the story in great detail, treating the couple''s love story as if it were a criminal case, with diverse opinions.


    Online, the news about Link and Taylor was even hotter and more chaotic.


    On many social platforms, Taylor''s fans openly accused Link of cheating¡ªlabeling him a playboy responsible for the breakup¡ªand cursed Emma Watson using many ''F'' and ''B'' words.


    Many fans of Link came to his defense, claiming the videos were fake and that Link was only kissing Emma, which hardly counted as cheating, and that Taylor was making a big deal out of nothing.


    Emma''s fans claimed Link and Emma dated back in June ''08, half a year before Taylor, arguing that their kiss was the rekindling of an old flame, not interference by a third party. They posted many previously unpublished photos of Link and Emma enjoying themselves in Miami and Orlando, claiming the pair were more suited for each other.


    Since Link, Taylor, and Emma were all popular stars with numerous fans, the three groups engaged in fierce online arguments, creating a significant commotion and providing gossip aficionados with plenty of juicy updates.


    "Link, stop reading the newspapers and come eat."


    Catherine put down a plate of vegetable salad, took off her apron, and sat down in the opposite armchair.


    Link put away the newspaper and began to taste the Italian breakfast prepared by Catherine.


    The breakfast was simple: two croissants, a serving of seafood pasta, Italian thick soup, Italian-style steak, and a vegetable salad.


    Though not abundant, the dishes were delicately made, appealing to both the eye and palate, leaving no room for criticism even from someone who cooked regularly like him.


    "Catherine, your Italian dishes are more delicious than those made by Michelin-starred chefs. Teach me when you have some free time," Link said as he ate an oyster from the pasta.


    "You''re a big star; how come you like cooking?" Catherine asked with a smile.


    "Being able to cook is great; it''s not only satisfying for oneself but also makes others happy. I think it''s a very useful life skill," Link replied.


    "Yes, I agree with that," Catherine affirmed, taking a pause with her fork in hand. "Link, I know a girl who''s great at cooking and caring. She''s also very beautiful. Do you want to meet her?"


    Link shook his head. "I just want to learn to cook, not looking for a chef girlfriend. If I talk about cooking all day, it might become boring after a while."


    "Okay then!"


    Catherine smiled faintly and then began discussing Palm Beach Films with him.


    The post-production of "Scandal Plan" was complete, and they were discussing distribution with Warner, aiming for a release in July or August.


    The pre-production of "Bridesmaids" was finished, and the cast was fully selected, with plans to start shooting in June.


    The main filming locations would be Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Boston, with about two months of shooting planned. Link had about five days of scenes, and the shooting schedule was entirely up to him.


    Besides, the company had received many scripts, and Catherine and the production department had chosen two low-budget female-centric films, planning to produce them in the second half of the year or the next.


    Whether or not they would move forward with these projects depended on the box office returns from "Scandal Plan."


    Catherine asked him if he wanted to see the scripts.


    Link declined, reasoning that even if a low-budget film failed, it wouldn''t be a huge financial loss but could provide valuable experience. He didn''t want to interfere unless there was a good script he could recommend.


    "Link, do you remember the film ''Buried'' you acquired the year before last? When do you plan to shoot it?" Catherine asked as she served him a bowl of thick soup.


    Link thought it over. After the release of his third album and the continuation of his tour, as well as filming "Midnight in Paris" and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," he didn''t have much time for the next few months.


    "Maybe the end of this year or the beginning of next year," Link answered after taking a sip of the seafood soup and smacking his lips. The flavor was so rich that even with the croissant dipped in, it was still delicious.


    "How''s the new apartment coming along?"


    "It will be finished by the end of the month. I plan to bring Anne over next month," Catherine informed.


    ```


    "Not bad at all! Anne is too young, having her by your side and taking care of her will also let you work with more peace of mind,"


    Link said.


    Catherine glanced at him, and hesitantly asked, "I left you very early on, and now for work, I''m leaving Anne at home again. Do you think I''m not a good mother?"


    Link was taken aback for a moment, then smiled and said, "I did have that thought, but this is the 21st century. Your identity is not just as a mother, but also an agent, colleague, producer, and CEO¡ªand nobody requires you to be a good mother."


    Catherine smiled faintly, "Link, thank you for understanding me. Sometimes I wonder, if I hadn''t left you, would you have turned out to be as outstanding as you are now? I don''t think it would''ve been possible. I couldn''t have raised a son as excellent as you, so I''m considering, maybe I should treat Anne the same way I treated you, perhaps she could also become someone very formidable in the future."


    "...You''re joking, right?"


    Link asked in disbelief.


    Catherine laughed a few times and said ''of course''.


    During breakfast, Assistant Anna also came to the villa to bring him the latest issue of Billboard magazine, the schedule for next week''s work, and a piece of news.


    In its second week of release, "The Woman I Love" had overall sales in the United States of 813,000 copies, a significant drop, but it also became the second album in music history to break a million in the first week and still exceed 800,000 in the second week.


    The first one was the superstar boy band''s third album "No Strings Attached" released in 2000, with first-week sales of 2.41 million and second-week sales of 867,000.


    "The Woman I Love" had daily sales of 139,000, 122,000, 87,000, 65,000, 117,000, 132,000, and 151,000.


    On Wednesday, his private video with Emma got leaked online, and there were many news reports condemning him, calling him a scumbag and a cheater in relationships.


    The album''s sales were affected, dropping below a hundred thousand.


    On that Wednesday, he and Link Music made clarifications, with mediocre results, leading to a further decline in sales on Thursday.


    However, due to the leaked private video, the exposure of the new album in media enormously increased, coupled with the strong support of his fans, by Friday, the album''s sales defied the trend and increased, exceeding 100,000 copies for three consecutive days.


    Because the album''s sales curve from Monday to Sunday was like a smile with the corner of the mouth turned up, and because the right corner of the smile was higher, resembling a smirk, Billboard dubbed it ''Link''s Smirk''.


    With two-week cumulative sales of 2.55 million, "The Woman I Love" also became the highest-selling album of the year in the United States.


    This week''s album sales runner-up was Usher''s "Raymond v. Raymond," with first-week sales of 424,000.


    This achievement could also have been impressive if released at another time and had a great chance to take the weekly championship.


    However, compared to Link''s second-week sales of 813,000, it was still a good way off.


    Ranked third was Justin Bieber''s "My World 2.0," with its fifth-week sales at 156,000 copies, and cumulative sales in the United States of 1.18 million.


    Fourth place was the pre-war goddess group''s "Need You Now," selling 66,000 in the 15th week, totaling 2.1 million in sales.


    The album had good reviews and sales remained firm.


    Fifth place went to Wiz Khalifa''s "Deal Or No Deal," with sixth-week sales of 38,000 and a total US sales of 756,000.


    In sixth place was Kesha''s debut "Animal," selling 24,000 copies in its fourteenth week, totaling sales of 814,000, with the potential of breaking a million by the end of the year.


    There were a total of eight albums on this week''s Billboard 200 chart with weekly sales exceeding ten thousand, a 22% decrease from last week.


    In the singles chart, this week''s number-one song was "Girls Like You."


    This also made it Link''s first album to feature two number-one singles, and the third chart-topping single for him this year.


    The remaining "Everything You Need," "Here With You," "Someone You Loved," "Stay With Me" were still ranked in the top ten,


    while "Legends Never Die," "The Woman I Love," "All Of Me," and other ten songs were still on the top hundred of the singles chart. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Anna also brought another piece of news.


    SB Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against the computer repair technician and his friend, accusing them of theft of private property, illegal dissemination of others'' recordings for profit, and violation of personal privacy rights, among others.


    They are demanding compensation of 30 million US dollars and a public apology to SB Company, Link, Emma, and others.


    The Manhattan District Court has accepted the case.


    At the same time, Link Music''s legal department has also initiated litigation against platforms and media such as YouTube, MySpace, and Yahoo.


    They are suing these parties for publishing unsubstantiated fake news and unauthorized video recordings, violating Link''s privacy rights, and profiting illegally.


    They are demanding that the parties compensate Link with 100 million US dollars for emotional damages.


    Dynasty Promotion Company has also filed a lawsuit against the O2 Arena management company for security lapses that led to Link''s privacy being leaked, demanding a compensation of 10 million British pounds for emotional and reputational damages.


    Moreover, Link''s studio has reported the incident to the British police, insisting that they arrest the person who secretly filmed the video.


    Beyond the suspicion of illegal filming, they are also accused of forgery and framing, severely violating the privacy and reputation of Link and Emma Watson, which falls within the scope of civil litigation.


    The London police have taken up the case after receiving the report. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Link''s side is taking intense and large-scale action and is demanding a huge sum in compensation not for the sake of the money itself but for publicity.


    On one hand, they aim to attract the attention of the media and the public, proving the video is fake and that Link is an innocent victim, to salvage his reputation.


    On the other hand, during the trial, they also aim to increase Link''s exposure and boost album sales.

 Chapter 297 Became The Hot Commodity

    "With so many lawsuits, do I need to appear in court?"


    Link asked as he flipped through the documents at the dining table.


    "You don''t need to. The attorney can represent you in court,"


    Anna said.


    Link nodded, feeling somewhat relieved.


    In the United States and Britain, litigation is a long and complicated process. If he had to personally attend every court session, it would be a lot of trouble for him.


    After reviewing several documents, he looked at his work schedule for the week, which was yet another jam-packed week.


    It included promoting records, boxing training, shooting a new album''s music video, attending press conferences, an exclusive interview on the Jimmy Fallon Show, the IBF World Boxing Championship defense match, and the upcoming shooting of "Midnight in Paris." He needed to get into character and memorize the lines.


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    "Squeeze out some more time for me to deal with my relationship issues with Taylor,"


    Link put down the schedule and said.


    Anna nodded and took out a notebook, asking, "Boss, how do you plan to handle this? Are you breaking up with Taylor, or are you looking for a way to win her back? Different decisions require different amounts of time."


    "Link, what are you planning to do about you and Taylor?" Catherine asked as she cleared the table.


    Link shrugged and said, "This is my fault, I hurt Taylor. I can''t just walk away. I plan to find time to talk to her again. Even if we break up, I want to leave us both with a good ending."


    "Link, it''s good that you can think this way, and it shows that you''re a responsible man. Do as you said, deal with things between you and Taylor first, and we can postpone the other matters,"


    Catherine patted his shoulder.


    Link showed a wry smile; some things are easy to say but hard to do.


    Others might think Taylor wanted to break up because of the video, but in fact, over the course of the year they were together, they had accumulated plenty of problems and underlying issues that never surfaced.


    The video was just the last straw.


    When the last straw ignited, bang! All the issues exploded, making them difficult to resolve.


    After giving it some thought, Link said, "Anna, contact Emily. Help me arrange a time with Taylor, I want to talk to her again."


    "Alright, I will contact her right away!"


    Anna nodded and left.


    Ding-dong!


    The mobile phone on the table rang, and Link picked it up to see a message from Katy Perry.


    She was asking if he was free today as she was hosting a party at her house in the afternoon.


    She also invited Blake Lively, Rihanna, Emma Roberts, and a few others for a chat.


    Link replied that he had accepted a script and was going to meet with the director in the afternoon, so he politely declined her invitation.


    He was currently having a conflict with Taylor, and going to Katy Perry''s party at such a time would not only seem disrespectful to Taylor but would also show that he did not take their relationship seriously, definitely an act of a jerk.


    Ding-dong!


    Another message arrived.


    Emma Roberts asked if he would go to the boxing gym for training at noon. She had some free time and wanted to get in a workout.


    Link was somewhat puzzled; Katy Perry had just mentioned hosting a party at home and invited Emma Roberts too, so why was Emma saying she wanted to do boxing training?


    After thinking for a bit, he replied that he would be training at the gym from ten to two.


    Ding-dong!


    Another message came in. Lady Gaga sent a message saying the recording of "Legends Never Die" was finished, asking when he could come over to listen and give his feedback.


    Link asked her when she planned to release it, and Lady Gaga said she was planning for next week.


    Link looked at his schedule and replied that he would be free on the weekend.


    Ding dong! Ding dong!


    He received two messages in succession.


    Michelle Rodriguez asked if he had time to go racing and suggested inviting Paul Walker too.


    Link said he''d have to contact Paul first¡ªthat guy was always busy.


    The other message was from the supermodel Du Chen¡¤Kolos with whom he''d worked before, asking when he''d shoot the MV for his new album and reminding him not to forget his old friend.


    Link said sure, he was working on the MV script and would invite her if there was a suitable role.


    Ding dong! Ding dong!


    Aside from a reply from Du Chen¡¤Kolos, he received messages from Amanda Seyfried, Lindsay Lohan, and others¡ªeven Amber Heard, whom he''d broken up with over a year ago, sent a message saying she was ready to return the one million deposit to Taylor and asked if she could continue to be his girlfriend.


    When Link saw the word ''deposit,'' he felt a bit disordered. Was he being treated like a tool?


    According to Amber, last year Taylor gave a one million deposit, borrowing him from her, and now that a year had elapsed, she wanted to return the money and take back the person.


    Link shook his head and told her to contact Taylor''s assistant.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Catherine came out from the kitchen and set down a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice.


    "I''m getting a lot of messages from girls today, it feels a bit strange," Link said as he replied to the messages.


    "Isn''t that quite normal? You are the greatest boy in the world, and there are so, so many girls who like you. They used to be restrained because of Taylor''s presence, but today the media is all reporting your breakup with Taylor, and you''ve become a most eligible bachelor. They all see an opportunity and of course will message you, checking if there''s a chance to become your next girlfriend," Catherine said with a faint smile.


    "Really?"


    Link was a bit surprised. If what Catherine said was true, did that mean even Lady Gaga and the tomboy Michelle Rodriguez were interested in him?


    That was a bit exaggerated.


    Ding-a-ling!


    This time it wasn''t a message but a call, and it was Selena calling.


    "What''s up? It''s almost nine o''clock, don''t tell me you''re still in bed dreaming."


    "Not at all, I got up early. I was up at eight, didn''t oversleep. I''m calling to ask if you''re free at noon. Miley and the others are planning to drive to Huntington Beach in South California for some fun, do you want to join?" Selena asked cheerfully.


    Link chuckled lightly, "Are you really just going for fun? I''ve received a lot of messages from girls inviting me to their parties, and Catherine said it''s because the media reported that I''m single. Those girls who are interested in me are all trying to set up dates. And now you''re asking me out too¡ªdon''t tell me you''re interested as well? That wouldn''t be right, we''re like siblings."


    "Aaah! You jerk Link, what is this nonsense you''re spouting? It''s Miley Kesha and the others who asked me to call you, not me, not me. I would never be interested in you. I like puppies, I like crabs, but I would never like a shameless guy like you, ptui ptui ptui!"


    Selena was like an ignited ammunition dump, barraging him through the phone before hanging up huffily, not even saying goodbye.


    "What''s got into Selena, was she provoked?" Link asked, puzzled.


    Catherine said nothing, just turned and walked into the living room, laughing loudly.


    Link shook his head and messaged Selena saying he was busy today and couldn''t go out to play. They could plan a family trip next month when Anne arrived.


    He also reminded her to be careful on the road, avoid remote places, and it was best to bring an assistant.


    He sent three messages before Selena replied with one.


    "Got it, you''re so long-winded. I don''t want to talk to you."


    Link chuckled softly and put away his phone.


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 Chapter 298 Go Pick Up Girls

    After nine o''clock, Link drove to Muscle Beach Gym for training.


    Past ten, Emma Roberts also came over with her training bag, saying she wanted to train with him.


    Compared to before, he felt that Emma had become more proactive, often deliberately making physical contact with him.


    Emma was petite, soft, and light, smelling delightfully pleasant, making her an excellent dating partner. Yet, with his situation with Taylor still unresolved, he had no interest in flirting.


    "Link, you really are a man who doesn''t understand romance."


    At the edge of the boxing training area, De La Hoya, watching Emma Roberts practice on the punching bag and then looking at Link filling his water bottle said, "It''s clear Emma wants to ask you out to have fun, but you are here teaching her how to box, making a Barbie doll-like girl box. Don''t you think that''s too much?"


    "I don''t think so, this is a boxing gym, not a place for entertainment."


    Link wiped the sweat off his body with a towel and put his boxing gloves back on.


    "Link, although we are boxers, we are also people, and a normal person''s life shouldn''t consist only of boxing. If I were you, I would seize the moment, take advantage of youth, and date several women while I can. Today''s times are great, morals are lax, and materialism rampant. As long as you have cash, you can date many women.


    Unlike in our past, dating too many women, could lead to public criticism, and large age differences would make people gossip. The times now are so much better, it''s just a pity I am not young anymore.


    Link, I truly envy you. You are young, strong, and wealthy, all the makings of a playboy, so don''t waste your time, just go ahead and enjoy dating."


    De La Hoya patted his shoulder encouragingly.


    Link smiled lightly, "I heard that before you were twenty-seven, you had a steady girlfriend and led a rather healthy private life. After breaking up with your girlfriend, you began messing around, hanging out at bars, nightclubs, and with models, becoming the most famous playboy in the boxing world.


    It was in your second year of decline that you were unexpectedly defeated by Welterweight champion Felix Trinidad, yet you didn''t learn your lesson, continued messing around, and kept losing to Shane Mosley, Hopkins, Mayweather, and Pacquiao.


    So are you trying to teach me how to fail?"


    "Hehehe!"


    Morales, standing nearby and hearing his words, grinned broadly with his big white teeth.


    Turning dark, De La Hoya glared at Morales, motioning for him to shut up, then said to Link, "Decline? I am the highest-paid boxer in the world. You call that a decline? And my losses to Trinidad and others were because of my age and declining physical capabilities, unrelated to my personal life."


    "I recall Trinidad is the same age as you, Hopkins was eight years older, and Roy Jones, Holyfield over forty, still fighting on the boxing ring and continuously winning, so is age really the key factor?"


    Link shook his head and gazed at the boxing ring in the middle, saying, "Ring Magazine once listed the top ten most regrettable boxers in history, and I believe you definitely should be in the top three. If you had been more disciplined in your personal life when you were younger, you could have had a great chance to become a legendary boxer like Rocky Marciano, but unfortunately, you didn''t achieve that."


    Having said that, Link called Morales up to the boxing ring to start their sparring session.


    "Damn it!"


    De La Hoya looked at Link''s retreating figure, clenching his fists tightly, grinding his teeth in anger.


    This bastard is really too spiteful.


    Listening to him talk could anger someone to death.


    "Link is absolutely right."


    Coach Brooks, sitting on a bench, glanced at Hoyle in his suit even in the hot weather and said, "Before Link appeared, you were the most talented light-skinned boxer I had seen, but it''s a pity you spent too much time on women, pleasure, and business, which led to your rapid decline in strength.


    Besides, don''t try to corrupt Link with that method. Considering the current gap between you and Link, even if Link dated ten girlfriends, you wouldn''t be able to defeat him in the end-of-year match."


    "Link isn''t as strong as you think. I can defeat him. I mean what I say."


    Hoyle waved his fist as he spoke.


    Coach Brooks saw him and was reminded of a psychological term, "mental victory law."


    "Mr. Hoyle, isn''t it hot wearing a suit in this weather?"


    Emma Roberts came over and asked.


    She had been training for a while and was quite sweaty, several strands of blonde hair sticking to her sweaty cheeks, her fair skin also had a rosy glow.


    "Not hot, quite cool."


    Hoyle said indifferently.


    "But, you''re sweating a lot on your forehead."


    Emma pointed at his temples, where a few sweat drops hung.


    "No, it''s water, I accidentally splashed on my hair while drinking water, it''s very cool."


    Hoyle wiped his wet hair.


    Emma shrugged her delicate shoulders, took a sip from her icy sparkling water, and stared at Link on the ring, not blinking at all.


    "Emma, do you like Link? Want to date him? Want me to teach you how to do it?" Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Hoyle said, arms crossed.


    "How to do it?"


    Emma asked without turning her head.


    "Ha-ha, it''s simple. Link is a boxer, and boxers have very strong desires. Plus, Link just broke up recently and doesn''t have a woman by his side. At this time, you just need to stick on him, and in no more than seven days, he''ll definitely agree to date you."


    Hoyle said enthusiastically.


    "Mr. Hoyle, that was your method of pursuing women back in the ''80s and ''90s, it''s outdated now. Nowadays, interactions between boys and girls need more space and freedom, but thanks for the suggestion,"


    Emma politely declined his suggestion, picking up her cup and going down to watch Link train. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ha-ha! Young people today are indeed smarter than we used to be,"


    Coach Brooks laughed.


    Hoyle''s mouth twitched slightly, he had just unsuccessfully tried to teach Link how to pick up girls, had kind-heartedly offered to teach Emma how to flirt too, but was also rejected; these young people were indeed hard to handle.


    Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!


    In the ring, Link and Morales continued to spar. There was a defense battle for the IBF Super Middleweight championship title later this week, and the competitor was the former IBF Super Middleweight champion, Lucian Bute, also a very capable opponent.


    Although Link was confident about defeating his opponent, his principle for the fight was to prepare thoroughly and take every opponent seriously, never underestimating anyone.


    Countless cases proved that negligence often was the start of failure.


    Additionally, he also liked training in the ring, where his spirit would be highly focused while throwing punches, not having to think about anything else, no hassles, feeling like there was nothing else between heaven and earth but boxing and the opponent.


    That feeling was incredibly relaxing.


    After training for over four hours, he took the thoroughly exhausted Emma Roberts home and went to a bar on Hollywood Boulevard as he''d planned to chat with director Woody Allen about movies.


    Director Allen mentioned that the lead actress Jennifer Lawrence would also come, and he would introduce her to him then.

 Chapter 299 Jennifer Lawrence

    "Heard you got dumped by Taylor, haha, you must be feeling terrible, right?"


    On Hollywood Boulevard, inside an Italian-owned white wine tasting bar, there weren''t many customers during the day, except for Link and the elderly director Woody Allen seated in the corner booth. There were only a handful of other patrons scattered around the other booths.


    Because the place wasn''t cheap, those who came here for leisure were all wealthy. The patrons were dressed fashionably, spoke elegantly, and kept their voices low not to disturb others around them.


    Link put down the drink menu and glanced at the man across from him¡ªthin-cheeked, wearing thick-framed glasses, with a scholarly look about him.


    Normally, someone like that would speak elegantly, but as he mentioned the news of his being dumped, a happy smile appeared on his face, and his wrinkled lips curled up as if he were talking about something joyful.


    "Director Allen, the French say you''re the last intellectual in the American film industry. An individual like you also checks out those superficial entertainment news online?"


    "Of course. Even though I''m a bit older than you, I keep up with the trends. I even signed up for Twitter. Come on, let''s follow each other."


    Director Woody Allen said as he took out an iPhone.


    Link smiled faintly, pulled out his phone, and reciprocated the follow. Director Woody Allen was a new user on the platform with only 340,000 followers, which wasn''t bad at all.


    "Link, seriously, you''ve been in a bad mood recently, haven''t you?"


    Woody Allen asked seriously.


    "A little, but not as much as you might think."


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    "A little is good. The pre-production work for the crew is complete, and we plan to start filming at the end of the month. Your current situation mirrors that of the male lead¡ªfalling out with the girlfriend, being dumped. It''s something you can portray without even acting. How about joining the crew early and shooting the breakup scene with the girlfriend first?"


    Woody Allen suggested.


    Link raised his eyebrows, sensing the old man was quite mean, enjoying adding salt to one''s wounds.


    "How long will the shooting take?"


    "That depends on your and Jennifer''s performance. If both of you do well, it won''t take a month to finish. If not, it could take two months or even longer because I have very high demands for actors. If the performance is too lousy, I won''t call it a wrap."


    Woody Allen said.


    Link thought for a moment. According to the original plan, after the album release, he would continue with the tour to promote the new album while singing. However, due to the leaked private video, his reputation suffered some damage, especially in some more conservative countries or regions, where the negative impact was even greater.


    The plan from the company was to delay it for a month, first use legal means to clarify the issues with the video, recover the loss of reputation, and then resume the world tour.


    Moreover, Taylor had recently been causing a stir with the breakup, and before the issue was settled, he was not in the mood to travel around.


    "Alright, I''ll go back and adjust my schedule."


    Link said.


    "Jennifer, over here!"


    Director Allen suddenly waved in the direction of the door, where a round-faced girl with obvious baby fat walked over.


    Golden-brown hair, tall stature, wearing a grass-green waist dress, black wedge heels, walking with her back straight and hands poised in front of her, she appeared somewhat reserved.


    Jennifer Lawrence, nicknamed ''Big Sis Jen'', had acted in "The Burning Plain" and "Winter''s Bone," and later became globally famous for the "Hunger Games" series, excelling at playing strong-willed female lead roles.


    Her acting skills were great; she was the first post-90s Academy Award-winning actress.


    This was the first time Link saw her in person; she seemed taller than in the movies, her height well over 175 centimeters with a slender waist, long legs, and arms with a bit of baby fat, giving her a somewhat youthful appearance.


    "Hi, Director Allen, Mr. Baker, I''m pleased to meet you," said Jennifer Lawrence, greeting them politely as she stood by the table.


    "Nice to meet you, Ms. Lawrence. Just call me Link¡ªwe''re going to be colleagues, so it''s more convenient to call each other by first names."


    Link stood up and shook hands with the other party.


    "Okay!"


    Jennifer brushed the hair by her ear and sat down in the empty seat next to Link.


    The three of them chatted together for a while about the script and the shooting schedule.


    The film tells the story of an American couple vacationing in Paris, France. Due to differing ideals, in the woman''s eyes, Paris is the capital of fashion, and her main purpose in coming to Paris is to shop, buy luxury goods, and dine on French cuisine.


    Meanwhile, the male lead, played by Link, is a writer who prefers the cultural atmosphere of Paris, the Renaissance movement, Impressionist painters, the treasures of the Louvre, Picasso, and so on.


    The couple encounters disagreements during their trip. On a nighttime stroll through Paris, the male lead takes an antique car and travels back to Paris in the last century, meeting a French woman who was the lover of painter Amedeo, sculptor Georges Braque, painter Picasso, among others.


    Following her, the male lead attends high society parties in Paris and meets historical figures like Picasso, Hemingway, Bu?uel, Stein, and others.


    After several trips back in time, the male lead develops a secret affection for the French woman, Adriana, and grows distant from his fianc¨¦e, eventually breaking up.


    "Director Allen, who''s going to play Adriana?"


    Link asked, as he had a kissing scene with the second female lead, and he was quite concerned about this.


    "Marion Cotillard, I''ve talked to her about the script, and she''s very interested in the role,"


    said Woody Allen, pushing his glasses up his nose.


    Marion Cotillard is a renowned French actress who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2008 for "La Vie en Rose" and played the bothersome ghost wife of the male lead in "Inception." She''s very beautiful and has been called the ''French Rose'' after Sophie Marceau, with equally impressive acting skills.


    However, having another Academy Award-winning actress increased the pressure on Link.


    "Link, there are two weeks left before shooting starts. I hope you spend more time studying the script, read the books on the reading list, and at least know what Hemingway, Picasso, Bu?uel, and Dali did, their life experiences, and their representative works,"


    Link nodded.


    As they were talking, Woody Allen''s phone rang. After listening for a moment, he said he had to leave due to other matters and suggested that the two should talk more to get to know each other, since they would be playing a couple in the film and wouldn''t have chemistry if they were too unfamiliar with each other.


    After sending Director Allen off, Link took a seat facing Jennifer to make conversation easier.


    "Jennifer, I heard your family is from Louisville, Kentucky? I visited there last year. Louisville is a very beautiful city,"


    Link said as he picked up the bottle of wine to pour her a glass. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you!"


    Jennifer Lawrence glanced at him and smiled slightly, "Last April, at the National Golden Gloves Boxing Championships, you were there as a guest presenter. I saw this news."


    "Quite a coincidence."


    Link gave a light smile and continued to chat with her about acting. He mentioned he had seen her performance in "The Burning Plain" and praised her for her great skills.


    Jennifer Lawrence also said she had seen his performance in "The Fighter" and complimented him for doing well too.


    The two of them got to know each other better amid mutual flattery.


    Jennifer was a year younger than him, with a cheerful personality, smart and precocious, and good at reading people, making her an easy person to get along with.


    While they were talking, he felt as if someone was taking pictures of them surreptitiously. He glanced around but couldn''t identify the photographer and didn''t pursue it further.


    However, when he left the bar, a large group of paparazzi blocked him in the street.


    They asked if he was on a date with a new girlfriend, if he had broken up with Taylor, and if he often cheated during his relationship with Taylor.


    Link casually brushed the questions off and returned to his car under the escort of Wallace and his team.

 Chapter 300 Taylor, Do You Have a Heart?

    When Link left the bar, a slew of news reports about him dating a new girlfriend surfaced online.


    The news first appeared on Twitter.


    A fan tweeted that they were drinking at a bar on Hollywood Boulevard when they suddenly realized that the superstar Link was sitting nearby. They felt extremely excited and thought that Link looked even more handsome up close than in his music videos. They wanted to go up and say hello but were worried about offending him.


    The fan sneakily took several side photos of Link and, whether intentionally or unintentionally, captured him laughing and talking with Jennifer.


    These photos were soon circulated by multiple media outlets.


    The headline was "Link chatting warmly with a young and beautiful woman at the bar, looking very intimate, suspected to be his new girlfriend."


    A picture is worth a thousand words.


    Following media investigations, it turned out that his new girlfriend was none other than Jennifer Lawrence, the leading actress from "The Burning Plain" and "Winter''s Bone."


    Then, many people in the comments criticized him.


    They said he hadn''t officially broken up with Taylor yet and had already picked out his next target, labeling him a true playboy.


    Others commented that his ''new girlfriend'' was far inferior to Taylor and ridiculed his lack of taste.


    Link had seen a lot of such remarks recently and didn''t really care much anymore, too lazy even to send a clarifying tweet.


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    All he did was send a message to Taylor, letting her know the woman was the lead actress from "Midnight in Paris" and that director Woody Allen had arranged for them to discuss a script, assuring her it was not a personal date.


    After waiting a few minutes with no response, he forwarded the message to Emily.


    Ding-dong!


    Not long after he sent it, he was surprised to receive a reply from Taylor.


    Taylor said, "There''s no need to explain. Who you date is none of my business."


    Link said, "We haven''t broken up. You are still my girlfriend. I think it''s necessary to clarify this for you."


    Taylor said, "Don''t you find it laughable? Every time you mess around outside, you never thought to tell me proactively. Now, with a scandal that could easily be clarified, you hurriedly message me. Are you trying to prove you''re a good boyfriend, or are you moved by your own sense of duty?"


    Link held his forehead. Sweet nothings during a relationship could sicken someone, and after a meltdown, Taylor''s words became sharper, sometimes leaving him feeling choked.


    "I didn''t mean that. I just didn''t want you to misunderstand."


    "Whatever, I don''t care,"


    said Taylor.


    Link sighed, "My dear, can we set aside the dispute for now and not talk about these unpleasant things? We''ve lived together for over a year and have shared many happy moments, right?


    We wrote songs in the apartment, played the piano, watched the heavy rain in New York, we fooled around in the bathroom, cooked and baked in the kitchen, played tennis and practiced yoga together, made love on the balcony, on the floor, in the recording studio, in the bathroom, on the lawn, in every place...


    We went to an Andrea Bocelli concert together, remember that time you drank too much and I had to walk in a straight line for the police... We have experienced so many wonderful things, do you still remember them?


    I miss every day I spent with you, everything we did together, those were the best times of my life, and I believe for you as well, so can you forgive me just this once? We still can have more beautiful stories."


    Taylor: "I remember, of course, I remember, but you ruined it all, Link Baker, you ruined everything. We could have had a very beautiful love, even marriage, but you ruined it. Now it''s shattered, beyond repair. Don''t you think it''s too late to cherish it now?"


    Link: "Does making one mistake warrant a death sentence? I''ve heard that true love can withstand storms, but like us, not even a small twist can stand, what kind of love is that?


    I''ve also heard that real lovers, no matter how far apart, will subconsciously gravitate towards each other.


    The feeling you give me, though, is that you''re running away from me, and you''ve never cherished or tried to save our relationship. So, is it really because you found out I cheated that you decided to leave me, or is it that you never really loved me and didn''t cherish this relationship?"


    It took three or four minutes for Taylor to reply with a message.


    Taylor: "The days I lived with you in that villa were the best times of my life, and I miss them, but living there also often made me feel suffocated, like I couldn''t breathe. Do you know why?"


    Link: "Because the villa is mine? It''s not even that luxurious, with your worth, ten of them wouldn''t be a problem. I don''t understand why you would feel suffocated."


    Taylor: "Because of you."


    Link: "Me?"


    Link was surprised. Although a bit dogmatic and conservative, he was also playful and not serious, so how could he make Taylor feel suffocated?


    Taylor: "Link, you are too excellent. Your musical talent is too great; every album is so good, every song is such a classic. I often have to think for days and nights to write a decent song, but you just need to think a little while to produce a song I couldn''t write in a year. Compared to you, I am so ordinary.


    In the past, when we attended award ceremonies, some fans would shout my name, others yours. But this year, when we walked the red carpet, fans were all shouting for you.


    Even when people introduce us, they say I''m your girlfriend instead of calling me by my name. Somehow, I gradually became your accessory, reduced to your appendage. I started to become lost: Is this the life I wanted? Is being a celebrity''s girlfriend my pursuit?"

 Chapter 300 Taylor, Do You Have a Heart?_2

    No!


    I have a music dream; I want to stand on the biggest stages in the world and sing to everyone.


    But when I was by your side, you protected me like a big tree, but you also blocked me.


    I gradually felt the depletion of inspiration, became lazy, complacent, and you were like a quagmire, slowly swallowing me up. I hated that state, so I wanted to leave that place, leave you.


    I mustered up the courage several times but couldn''t bring myself to tell you, until that video came out, which gave me an opportunity. I could leave you openly and honorably.


    When leaving the villa, my heart was very reluctant, but I also knew that if I continued to stay there, I would be further and further away from my dream.


    So, I''m sorry, let''s break up!"


    Link looked at Taylor''s reply and was stunned for more than ten seconds before he could come back to his senses.


    Taylor decided to break up because he was too outstanding?


    So that day, in an attempt to win her back, he plagiarized a song on the spot, only to backfire and push her away even faster?


    Link: "Taylor, are you serious? Do you know why I try so hard? It''s because you are so outstanding, and I was afraid of not being good enough for you, of being dumped by you, that''s why I keep practicing boxing, to become the champion, kept practicing guitar and piano, to become a singer, crazily invested to make money, all of this I did to be worthy of you.


    And now you''re telling me I''m too outstanding and that puts pressure on you?! You''re negating all my efforts with a single sentence."


    Taylor: "You did all this for me?! Nonsense, I don''t believe it. You did it for yourself, you want to become a big star, you want to become a billionaire, this is what you have said."


    Link: "If I were just an ordinary boxer, would you have agreed to be my girlfriend?"


    Taylor: "When we first started dating, you weren''t an Olympic champion yet."


    Link: "Yes, but even before then, you never paid much attention to me, didn''t even kiss or hug me. We occasionally spoke on the phone, and you excitedly told me where you were performing today, where tomorrow, who you met, the name of your favorite male singer, you never told me when you''re coming back.


    I''ve heard the entertainment industry is messy, and during the days I was your boyfriend, my biggest worry was that one day I would see in the newspapers a scandal about you and some male singer. I detest such things happening to me.


    Out of self-protection, shortly after the American qualifiers, I took the initiative to propose we break up.


    You didn''t agree at the time, but you didn''t try to hang on either.


    Back then, you were hot and cold, near and far with me.


    It wasn''t until I went to New York, and we met again, that our relationship progressed further, we became official.


    But I know people in the entertainment circle don''t take relationships seriously, regardless of gender.


    To keep you, to not let others take you away, I also joined the music scene. We practiced piano and wrote songs together, had more in common, and then with the release of my first album, I became one of the new faces of the music industry, and only then could we be openly together.


    Do you think I like singing? I don''t, I''m a boxer, I only love boxing. If I could, I''d rather spend twenty-four hours a day at the boxing gym, not care about anything else, but I know I can''t do that.


    If I remained just a boxer, didn''t understand music, also didn''t know how to talk to you, our differences would grow and common topics would lessen. Then, without hesitation, you''d kick me aside and choose a man who shares common topics with you to be with.


    To hold on to you, I continued to make music and release albums, to be the brightest man in the music industry, so other men wouldn''t dare to hit on you, we thought this would keep you. But now you''re telling me, because I''m too good, I''m pressuring you, so you want to leave me?


    Taylor Swift, do you have a heart?"


    After sending the message, there was silence on Taylor''s end for four or five minutes with no reply.


    Link: "Sorry, my words might have been a bit harsh; it''s just that I love you too much and didn''t want you to leave."


    There''s another thing I forgot to tell you: singing while training in boxing is too exhausting. After more than a year of living like this, I often felt mentally drained, and my original plan was to discuss retiring from the music industry with you after releasing four albums.


    But I didn''t expect you to feel pressured because of my explosive popularity in the music scene. Sorry, I should have retired earlier."


    Taylor: "You want to retire from the music industry?"


    Link: "Do you think I''m someone who loves music?"


    Taylor: "I don''t know, but you have a lot of talent, your singing is getting stronger, and you''re top-tier at writing songs. How can you just quit the music scene?!"


    Link: "I don''t love music; I love you, who loves music."


    It took Taylor three minutes to respond. Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Link: "Can you come back? If you feel pressured, I''ll announce my retirement from the music industry immediately and focus on being a boxer."


    Taylor: "Link, don''t do this. You sing so well, your songs are so good, and so many fans love you, how can you just casually quit the music industry? That''s too irresponsible."


    Link: "If you leave me, staying in the music scene will be meaningless."


    Taylor: "You can''t quit the music industry; I won''t allow it."


    Link: "Can you come back? I can come to the recording studio to pick you up. If you don''t like staying at the bay villa, we can live at your place; I really like your mountainside cabin."


    It took Taylor three minutes to respond.


    Taylor: "But you''ve cheated, more than once. If you loved me that much, you wouldn''t touch another woman."


    Link: "Those two women threw themselves at me, like reproductive health technicians. What I did with them had nothing to do with love, and I''ve never loved them one bit, I swear."


    Taylor: "I need time to think, give me some time."


    Link: "Is ten minutes enough? We''ve been apart for six days now, and I''m really missing you, wanting to go crazy ML with you in bed."


    Taylor: "Can''t you stop being so lewd?"


    Link: "I miss you."


    Taylor: "Give me one day, please, just one day. I need to think seriously, I''m very confused right now."


    "Okay, take your time, no need to rush."


    Link put away his phone, thought for a while, and asked Bob to drive to the Link Music recording studio in Los Angeles.


    He and several producers in the studio worked busily until after nine o''clock at night, and finally completed recording "Sorry".


    The original "Sorry" was a song released by Justin Bieber in 2015, which won the Billboard singles chart. Justin''s version, though not bad, had too much electronic reverb, causing the voice to distort, and it felt cloying after two listens.


    The new version used only a simple set of instruments for accompaniment, plus Link''s emotional performance, making the song more enduring to listen to and very impactful.


    Even though it wouldn''t make people cry, the emotions contained in the lyrics and music were very sincere, and very touching. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next morning, the studio uploaded the song to iTunes, and Link also tweeted ''sorry'' with a link to the song.

 Chapter 301 A Good Person Card

    Ding-a-ling!


    "What''s up?"


    Under the sunshade by the pool, Link put down his collection of Hemingway works and answered the phone on the table.


    The call was from Ivanka, who told him that the release of "Sorry" had a good response. She asked if for his next album he wanted to create a "breakup album" themed around ''cheating,'' ''apologies,'' ''heartbreak,'' and ''single men''?


    Link knew she was teasing him and told her that breaking up just once wasn''t enough to fill an album with songs. He''d consider it after a few more breakups.


    "OK, let''s not talk about the album for now. How are things with you and Taylor?"


    "You care about this?"


    "Of course, I''m the President of Link Music. I need to know your current emotional state, so I can devise the next promotional strategy accordingly. If I''m not clear on the situation, I''ll make the wrong decisions and waste the company''s money."


    "Well, I don''t know how to answer that question. Yesterday I apologized to Taylor, and she forgave me. I asked her to come back, and she said she needed a day to think about it. So, my relationship with Taylor is like Schr?dinger''s cat¡ªalive or dead, I''m still waiting for Taylor to tell me."


    "So you stayed up all night working on ''Sorry'' to move Taylor and give her a reason to come back? I didn''t realize you were such a deeply affectionate scumbag."


    "Thanks for the compliment."


    Link smiled helplessly.


    Ivanka continued and said that if Taylor agreed to get back together, he should remember to tell her. If not, she should be informed as well, as it was part of her job.


    Link said he understood.


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    After hanging up, he looked at his phone.


    There was still no response from Taylor, but the new song "Sorry" released that morning had over 1.04 million listens on iTunes, and the paid downloads had reached 47,000, easily topping the iTunes daily download chart.


    In the comments section, fans'' reviews of the song were generally positive.


    Some said although he was a bit of a jerk, his songwriting abilities were top-notch in the music industry. They advised him to cheat more and write more good songs.


    Others thanked him, saying they''d just been caught cheating by their girlfriend and didn''t know how to apologize, and having his song made it much easier.


    Some even said the song could rival Republican Band''s famous apology song "Apologize."


    His Twitter account was also buzzing.


    Fans commented on how great the new song was, praising him as the best singer in the pop music scene.


    Moreover, tens of thousands of fans went to Taylor''s Twitter to apologize on his behalf, saying he made a mistake that any normal man could make, hoping Taylor wouldn''t take it too hard.


    The incident was also picked up and reported by online media, claiming that when an idol gets dumped for cheating, having tens of thousands of fans apologize for him is a unique situation in show business.


    Dong-ding!


    His phone received a message¡ªit was from Taylor.


    "I''m sorry, but after thinking it over for a night, I still can''t accept your infidelity."


    Seeing this message, Link almost crushed his phone. After saying and doing so much yesterday, all he got in return was an "I''m sorry"? sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link: "I promise I won''t ever cheat again."


    Taylor: "The book says that men only cheat once or countless times. At the Grammy Awards, it was just over twenty minutes we didn''t see each other, and you were already messing around with another woman backstage. In the future, when you go on tour and we are apart for a week, a month, or even longer, it''s hard to imagine how many times you''ll cheat."


    Link: "The first two times were accidents."


    Taylor: "Link, stop making excuses. Even if you don''t cheat, every time you leave, I can''t help but have wild thoughts, thinking of you fooling around out there. It will cause me a lot of pain. Can you understand that feeling?"


    Link felt helpless; Taylor was too opinionated. Once someone like her made up her mind, nothing could bring her back.


    Then Taylor sent another message: "Link, I''m sorry. You are a good man, strong and brave, humble and kind, and the best guy in the world. I know I''ll regret leaving you, but for the sake of my dream, I can''t stay with you. You are too good, which makes it easy for me to indulge in you. Your protection and care will also make me lose my desire for freedom. I love you, but I love music more."


    Link: "Alright, let''s break up then!"


    Link felt a bit disappointed. He had thought that his words from yesterday could move Taylor and turn the situation around, but she was stronger than he had imagined and even more decisive in her actions.


    Taylor: "Link, you''re very talented in music, and I hope you will continue singing and songwriting, creating more great music. Don''t give up on music easily because of me; that would be too much of a pity."


    "We''ll see," he replied.


    Link threw his phone aside, put on his goggles, and dove into the blue pool water, swimming back and forth for over a dozen laps, cooling himself off considerably.


    When he got out, he saw Ms. Anna standing at the poolside, holding her work bag.


    "Anna, is something the matter?" Link asked, drying his hair with a towel.


    Ms. Anna nodded her head. "It''s about Usher''s new album. They said during the promotion that this album was meticulously crafted, taking over two years to produce, and they even hired fifteen gold medal producers to collaborate on it.


    They had originally estimated that the album would sell over one million copies in the first week, but it sold only 410,000, far below expectations."


    "Rolling Stone and other professional media outlets have said that the album is subpar, with a loose structure and no connection between the songs. It''s like a bunch of tracks hastily patched together, significantly inferior to your love album in overall quality.


    But on yesterday''s CBS late-night interview show, Usher, Kanye West, and producers like Jermaine Dupri and The Runners targeted you."


    They said that every time you release a new album, you create news and overhype it, which disrupts the release market. Bad money drives out good, preventing many excellent albums from achieving success and many talented musicians from surviving in the music industry.


    Kanye West even called you a huge weed in the music world and hoped that fans would stop supporting you.


    Coincidentally, you posted "Sorry" on Twitter this morning, and Kanye, Usher, and others retweeted your post, claiming you recognized your mistakes and were apologizing to them. Even as many fans pointed out that you were apologizing to Taylor, they stuck to their original statement."


    Link listened with irritation; these guys were clearly riding on his popularity, discarding their dignity just to sell albums.


    "Are Usher and Kanye both signed with SB Entertainment? What''s Braun''s take on this?"


    "Usher and Kanye have personal brand marketing contracts with SB Entertainment, which are a type of commercial agency contract. Their record contracts are with Jay-Z''s Roc Nation. In this regard, SB Entertainment can''t interfere.


    However, I''ve spoken with Mr. Braun, and he thinks that this kind of negative promotion can benefit us too, just like last year''s chart battle with Jay-Z, which attracted a lot of media coverage and ultimately led to both your albums selling greatly," said Ms. Anna.


    "Alright then, let them hype it up," Link said, nodding.


    He laid back down on the chaise lounge and continued reading his book.

 Chapter 302 Another New Song

    After April, the weather in Los Angeles was getting hotter. Sitting under a sunshade and reading a few dozen pages of a book made one feel waves of heat attacking the skin. The noise of cicadas in the surrounding woods also buzzed and chirped, relentlessly assaulting the ears, making a moment of peace hard to come by.


    "Hey, Link!"


    Link put away his book, planning to go back to the villa for a nap, when he heard someone greeting him from ahead.


    He turned around and saw Elon Musk riding a bicycle, coming down the driveway in front of the villa, wearing a sun hat, a blue and white beach shirt, shorts, and big flip-flops. His arms and neck were sunburned red, making him look no different from the young people on the beach.


    "Hi! Elon!"


    Link responded and invited Elon Musk to sit in the gazebo.


    Elon Musk brought him an invitation, as Tesla was currently preparing for its IPO. Over the weekend, Musk was planning to host a party, inviting business partners to prepare for the first round of public fundraising.


    Elon Musk asked if he had the time, mentioning that once Tesla went public, they wanted to hire him as the global brand ambassador.


    Link was not interested in being a spokesperson. He inquired about the timeline for Tesla''s IPO.


    Elon told him it was probably in June but also said that the company wasn''t short of money at the moment. If they didn''t get a high assessment on Wall Street, the listing could be delayed by two or three months.


    Link nodded.


    In January, he and Ms. Cathy Wood had discussed and Cathy approached Elon Musk through Vanguard Asset Management Company with an investment proposal in Tesla.


    Tesla was in need of cash for R&D, and hearing someone wanted to invest, Musk personally went to Wall Street to talk to Cathy.


    After several discussions, Cathy got a 5% stake in Tesla from Musk for 52 million US dollars, promising not to sell it for three years and to continue supporting Tesla''s technology R&D.


    This investment brought Tesla''s company valuation back to one billion. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It also gave Musk more confidence in preparing for Tesla''s IPO.


    Link told Musk that he also had some funds available, about 50 million US dollars, from boxing prize money and record company dividends. He was looking to subscribe to more Tesla shares and asked how much he could buy.


    Musk thought for a while and said that if he was willing to hold long-term and serve as the global brand ambassador for Tesla, he could sell him a 5.2% stake in Tesla at 10 US dollars per share.


    Link considered it and agreed.


    He remembered that at the time of its IPO, Tesla was valued at just 1.7 billion US dollars, with an IPO share price of 17 US dollars each.


    By 2013, Tesla''s valuation had surpassed 10 billion, and in 2021, it exceeded 1 trillion US dollars.


    Investing in Tesla this year was more sensible than investing in Facebook or Amazon.


    "Link, are you living alone?"


    After discussing business, Musk turned his head to glance at the villa and asked.


    "Yes! I''m a single man now,"


    Link shrugged and laughed.


    "You and Taylor haven''t made up?"


    "You''ve seen those reports too?"


    Link said helplessly.


    "Haha, of course, you guys are celebrities; your news is always on the headlines every day. It''s hard not to notice," Musk laughed.


    Link shook his head, "Do you have a girlfriend now?"


    "No steady girlfriend."


    Musk smiled and said he was dating a model and asked if he wanted to introduce him to a few.


    Link said there was no need, he knew models who were prettier than those Musk knew.


    They chatted a bit more, and Musk said he had work to do and took his leave.


    Link also put away his book and returned to the villa.


    Looking at the empty room, even his footsteps echoed clearly.


    He suddenly felt he should have accepted Musk''s suggestion to invite a few models to stay at the house temporarily. Whether they got in bed or not was another matter, having more people in the villa would make things more lively anyway.


    As he passed the piano room, he thought he heard a burst of piano music. He pushed the door open to look inside, but there was no one playing. The room, full of musical instruments, was emptier than it had ever been.


    Unlike before, when passing by the piano room, sometimes, through the crack of the door, he''d see Taylor sprawled on the carpet, either sitting at the piano or on the windowsill, playing music, ruffling her golden hair as she worked on a new song.


    Now, there was nothing left.


    Link began to reflect on his past behavior. If he had turned down Amy Adams, turned down Beyonce, turned down Emma Watson, and hadn''t flirted around, would things be different?


    After much thought, he still wasn''t sure.


    Compared to Taylor, a singer and artistic soul who took love more lightly than ordinary people, at least more lightly than himself, he really wasn''t much of a playboy.


    Sitting at the piano, he pressed his fingers on the black and white keys, playing for a while, when suddenly a song came to mind, "Love is Gone" by Dylan Matthew, a pop ballad about heartache released in 2019.


    Don''t go tonight


    Stay here one more time


    Remind me what it''s like


    Always reminding me of the good times we had


    And let''s fall in love one more time


    After several renditions, Link stopped, took out a camera and a tripod, set them up beside the piano, and began filming.


    "Link has released a new song again."


    It was past 2 p.m. in Los Angeles when a singing video went viral on the internet. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire


    The video was posted on Link''s personal YouTube channel.


    In less than two hours, the view count broke 1 million and continued to go viral at a rapid pace.


    At the beginning of the video, Link was wearing a loose shirt and casual pants, sitting before the piano as sunlight streamed through the arched windows into the room. On the windowsill, there were two vases with tulips drooping almost to the point of wilting.


    The sunlight also bathed Link, whose hair was longer than last year, and it wasn''t clear if he had forgotten to comb it or it was a new hairstyle. His hair was messy, but paired with his chiseled side profile, he looked even more handsome, like an artwork in a museum.


    "So handsome. With a face like Link''s, he could be a big star, yet he''s also the world boxing champion and sings so well. It''s incredible."


    "With Link being so outstanding, how could Taylor bear to break up with him?"


    "Link cheated, and cheating men are toxic. It''s better to split up early; Taylor did the right thing."


    "So what if he cheated? Which man doesn''t cheat? If Link were my boyfriend, I wouldn''t mind even if he cheated every day."


    Netizens were expressing various opinions in the comments section as they watched the video.


    Thump, thump, thump! Thump, thump, thump!


    In the video, after playing the intro to "Love is Gone," Link began to sing into the microphone placed on the piano lid.


    Don''t go tonight


    Please don''t go tonight


    Stay here one more time


    Stay with me just once more


    I need you now by my side


    I need you by my side right now


    It tears me up when you turn me down


    Your refusal shatters my heart into pieces


    I''m begging please, just stick around


    I''m begging you, please don''t go


    "Link''s song is amazing, Catherine. Have you heard it?"


    On the film set, Emma Stone approached Catherine with a tablet in hand, showing her the video.


    Catherine listened for a while, "No, I haven''t heard it. It''s probably another new song."


    Emma Stone blinked, focusing on Link in the video playing the piano, "Catherine, Link wrote a breakup song. Did he and Taylor really break up?"


    "I don''t know either."


    Catherine thought for a moment and then took out her phone to call Link to ask about his situation.


    I''m sorry, don''t leave me, I want you here with me


    I''m sorry, please don''t leave me; I just want you to stay with me


    I know that your love is gone


    Even though I understand that your love has completely vanished


    I can''t breathe, I''m so weak, I know this isn''t easy


    I can''t breathe, I''m utterly weak; I know it''s not easy to accept


    Don''t tell me that your love is gone


    "This song isn''t bad, but it''s so sad."


    In the recording studio, Katy Perry wiped her tears with a tissue as she spoke.


    In the video, Link looked solitary and forlorn, his voice deep and mournful as he sang I''m sorry, don''t leave me over and over; it felt very sentimental.


    "Why sad? Link and Taylor breaking up should be a good opportunity for you. Shouldn''t you be happy?"


    Rihanna said, chewing gum.


    "Eh, it seems so."


    Katy Perry''s mood instantly shifted from sorrow to joy, and she took out her phone to message Link. She said she had written a new song for her album''s lead single but wasn''t very confident and wanted him to listen to give some feedback.


    Aside from Katy Perry, Emma Roberts, Lana Del Rey, Duran Cohen, and other acquaintances congratulated him on another good song and indirectly inquired about his relationship status after seeing the video.


    As Link replied to the messages, an uninvited guest, Taylor Swift, appeared at his villa.


    If it had been just a few hours earlier, seeing Taylor returning to the villa would have made him happy. But after receiving those messages, he understood Taylor better and knew that even if she came back, they couldn''t possibly reconcile.

 Chapter 303 Drinking and Chatting

    Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Why are you here?"


    In front of the villa, Link asked Taylor as she walked over from the outside.


    She tied her blonde hair into a ponytail and wore a blue patchwork maxi dress, her oval face fair and plump, with two long and straight legs.


    She didn''t look too bad, not at all like a woman who had just broken up. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I saw the song you just wrote, I think we should talk face to face."


    Taylor stood in front of him and said.


    "You think stabbing me through a screen isn''t satisfying enough, you have to do it again in person?"


    "Hmph! Don''t make yourself sound so innocent, if not forgiving you is stabbing you once, then what about you messing around with other women behind my back, how many times did you stab me?"


    Taylor said coldly.


    "Alright, maybe this is our last conversation, let''s not fight, how about we talk calmly and peacefully?"


    Link pointed to the sofa on the balcony.


    Taylor glared at him, sat down on the sofa with her arms folded, and stared at him without blinking.


    "Want some beer?"


    Link put two cans of chilled Budweiser light beer on the little round table.


    "Did you ever think we would end up like this?"


    Taylor asked indifferently.


    "I thought about it, many times."


    Link said.


    Taylor slightly furrowed her brows, "Why? Do you have so little confidence in our relationship?"


    Link took a sip of the light beer and said, "Actually, I never thought about dating you, and I never thought we would become lovers."


    "What do you mean? You regret being with me?"


    Taylor''s face was cold, her snow-white fists clenched together again.


    Link smiled faintly, "Don''t be angry, it was you who dumped me, if anyone should be angry it''s me, not you. Now let me answer your question as to why I thought that way, because you are a singer, an entertainment star.


    Statistically speaking, more than 90% of those in the entertainment industry are not very faithful when it comes to relationships. Breakups, cheating, and affairs are all too common, so when I started dating you, I had considered breaking up."


    "That''s prejudice, don''t forget that you are a singer too, right, a cheating singer, it''s people like you who corrupt the morals of the entertainment industry."


    Taylor snorted coldly.


    Link didn''t argue, but took another sip of beer.


    "Aside from profession, there''s also you as a person. You are talented, have dreams, are very free, independent, and smart. People like you, generally, don''t invest much time and energy into a relationship, and facts have proven I''m right."


    "What facts? I believe I have done well in the past year, better than you have, and the mistake that led to our breakup was your fault, not mine. Don''t even think of shifting the blame onto me."


    Taylor said dissatisfied.


    "Think about it, if you weren''t so excellent, so independent, and you heard that I cheated, would you have chosen to tolerate it or break up?"


    "That hypothesis doesn''t hold up, if I weren''t that excellent, you wouldn''t like me either."


    Taylor huffed.


    Link thought for a moment and felt that she made sense.


    "Yes, you''re too excellent, so you''ve become independent, you don''t know how to be forgiving, and I''m too excellent, also putting pressure on you, which is why we were never suitable for each other."


    "You''re wrong, if you hadn''t cheated, without that video of you and Emma Watson, I would never have had the courage to break up with you. You are the one who caused all this."


    Taylor said coldly.


    Link shook his head, "Both times I cheated were accidents, they seduced me, and as for Emma, my relationship with her started before you. If it weren''t for her... never mind, it''s like this now, discussing these things is pointless."


    Link gestured with the beer in his hand.


    Taylor snorted, took the beer, and gulped down a big mouthful,


    "Let''s talk about Ivanka now."


    "What about Ivanka? I haven''t slept with her, don''t you believe me?"


    Link also took a drink of the cold beer.


    "I believe! But I don''t believe you have no feelings for her or that she''s not interested in you. Since the beginning of our relationship, she''s been like a ghost, constantly hovering around us, interfering in our lives in every way, I asked you to leave Link Music but you couldn''t bear it.


    Hmph, now that I''ve left, I''ve made way for the both of you, you should be very happy. So why pretend and write a song like ''Love Is Gone''? Don''t you think it''s too hypocritical?"


    Taylor sneered coldly.


    Link shook his head, "You''re wrong, while Ivanka is not bad, our backgrounds and living environments, tastes and interests are different. If I dated her, it might be great at the start, but due to differences in our understanding, conflicts would only increase, and in the end, it''s unlikely there would be a good outcome.


    Compared that with your world of music which is simpler, and we have more common language. That''s why I chose to start a company with her, yet still live with you."


    "Hmph, you''ve thought everything through, then why did you cheat?"


    Taylor cursed with red eyes.


    Link sighed softly, "I''m just a beach boy who hasn''t seen much of the world, entering the entertainment industry was like a thief entering a treasure trove, temptation was everywhere.


    Can you imagine the thrill of having a beautiful superstar take the initiative to sit in my lap? Can you imagine the temptation of a popular female singer voluntarily stripping naked in front of me?


    Sometimes, even though I know I shouldn''t touch, I took my chances and touched anyway.


    Afterwards, I knew it would come out, I just didn''t expect it to be that quick. I also knew you would be very angry, but I didn''t expect you to break up with me without mercy.


    I overestimated our relationship and underestimated your decisiveness. That was my biggest mistake."


    Link shook his head and took a sip of his beer.


    While the two of them were chatting and drinking in the villa, most of the media in the United States were stirred up.


    Since the release of Link''s third album on March 22, his popularity in the media remained high.


    Then came the ''Link and Emma Watson intimate video exposed,'' his popularity soared even higher.


    Following that, Taylor left the bay villa with her luggage, and the ''golden boy and girl'' of the music scene were suspected of breaking up. News about Link and Taylor almost daily occupied the front pages of the entertainment sections of major media.


    Even many foreign media reprinted and reported on the speculation, joining in the spectating.


    Today, news about Link and Taylor peaked, with their stories dominating both the internet and television entertainment programs.


    The initial news came out in the morning when Link released a new song "sorry", apologizing to Taylor. The song was of high quality, and its lyrics and melody were very sincere.


    Link''s fans mobilized, taking to the internet to apologize on his behalf, asking Taylor for forgiveness.


    There were rumors of signs of reconciliation between the two.


    At noon, Link released another video recording, another new song "Love Is Gone". This song was even better than "sorry", emotionally genuine, and the melody was melancholic.


    Especially when Link, a real handsome guy, sat in front of the piano playing and singing, his influence was tenfold. Reportedly, many female fans cried their eyes out after watching it.


    This caused many fans to change their opinion of Link, believing that his infidelity was not really a mistake.


    If his cheating could lead to songs like "sorry" and "Love Is Gone", then he should cheat a few more times.


    Cheating every day, a new song every day, that would be great.


    After the release of "Love Is Gone", tens of thousands of fans flooded into Taylor''s fan club to apologize on behalf of Link, and the media also shifted their attention to Taylor to see how she would respond and whether she would forgive Link.


    At that moment, Taylor''s car was spotted in the bay villa area.


    Taylor''s appearance directly ignited the American media. Reporters from major newspapers like the Los Angeles Times, New York Post, USA Today, and American Express, all rushed to send entertainment journalists to the Santa Monica bay villa area.


    Television media such as ABC, CBS, CNN, Turner Network, and Fox sent reporters to secure firsthand news.


    As for the tabloid journalists and paparazzi, they numbered in the hundreds, crowding around.


    Everyone was eager to see whether Link and Taylor would break up or make up.


    The journalists waited from 3 o''clock in the afternoon until 5, without seeing Taylor come out of the villa; they only encountered Taylor''s assistant, Emily, and Link''s assistant, Anna.


    When the journalists asked them about the situation, both said they didn''t know.


    It wasn''t until after 6 in the evening, around quitting time, that there was still no sign of Taylor.


    The media speculated that Taylor had probably forgiven Link and that the two of them had reconciled.


    The headline of Yahoo News suddenly read ''Taylor stays overnight at Link''s villa, relations between the pop golden boy and girl thaw''.


    In the fan clubs of Link and Taylor, fans were also updating their status every ten minutes, and until 8 o''clock at night, it remained ''Taylor hasn''t come out, likely staying overnight''.


    Seeing these updates, fans who supported a reconciliation between Link and Taylor posted various memes online to celebrate their getting back together.


    "Good riddance! Now the internet is flooded with news about Link, I really don''t see what''s so interesting about all this crap news."


    In the bar, 50 Cent was browsing his phone, cursing.


    "This is all hype. Link, that bastard, is too good at stirring the pot," said Lil Wayne, as he watched the news about Link on the bar''s TV, suddenly feeling a bit of admiration for Link. This guy always manages to make big news with every album release, making the media help promote his work without lifting a finger - something most can''t pull off.


    Usher, sitting opposite with a beer in hand, was drinking sullenly.


    Last week when he released his new album, the intimate video of Link and Emma Watson went viral. He initially thought he could take the opportunity to tarnish Link''s reputation, causing Link''s album sales to plummet while his soared.


    Initially, it seemed to work, and Link''s new album sales noticeably declined.


    But that album''s quality was too high, too impactful. Link''s fans were also very supportive, and in just two days the album''s sales surged against the trend.


    Leaving his album far behind.


    Now in its second week, he had hoped that after these two weeks, the heat surrounding Link''s album would die down, giving his own a chance to overtake.


    But the buzz over Link and Taylor''s troubles was too much, resulting in no one paying attention to his promotional news.


    It was like yesterday when he performed at the Miami Heat''s home ground, there was hardly any media covering his performance. They were all about Link and Taylor''s old news.


    Netizens were also fixated on the pair, wanting to see whether they would split or stay together.


    "Don''t worry, the news says that Link and Taylor made up, so the heat of this news should drop by tomorrow," Drake reassured him.


    Arthur nodded.


    As Link''s rival, he should have rejoiced and celebrated when he heard Link got dumped. However, after Link got dumped, the media was flooded with news about him, overshadowing Arthur''s album completely.


    So now, Arthur wanted nothing more than for Link and Taylor to mend things, to stop causing turmoil. Their antics were hurting others.

 Chapter 304 The Decision to Break Up

    In the morning at the Santa Monica bay villa, the sun shone brightly. At the dining table, Link and Taylor sat facing each other, chatting while eating as they used to do. But, they both knew they could never go back to the past.


    "Is it true that you''re going to leave the music industry after releasing four albums?"


    Taylor asked, tearing at a piece of bread.


    "Yes, four or maybe five. I don''t really like being a singer. The purpose of releasing albums is to make money. After releasing four or five albums, I''ll earn a few hundred million US Dollars, then I''ll use that money to invest and become a billionaire. That''s my preliminary plan,"


    Link shrugged his shoulders; after copying four albums, there wouldn''t be many good songs left to copy. He worried that writing songs or singing others'' songs would flop.


    "So you learned music just for the money? But before, you told me you learned music to have something in common with me. You really are a liar."


    Taylor suddenly stopped and said angrily.


    Link reflected on his words and replied helplessly, "Can you be less sensitive? Initially, I learned music so we could have something in common, but of course, after entering the music industry, it''s about making money. If I couldn''t make money, I wouldn''t spend so much time on music."


    "Regardless of the reason, I hope you''ll keep doing it. You have an exceptional talent in music. It would be such a waste not to be a singer. Also, you are a formidable opponent. My next goal is to beat your album sales."


    Taylor said, waving her fork.


    "Don''t be my opponent, or you''ll end up like Kanye and the others, defeated over and over."


    "Don''t be so confident. This time, inspired by you, I''ve written more than a dozen great songs, truly amazing ones. I bet this album''s performance will be no worse than yours,"


    Taylor said confidently.


    "Is that so? Since my infidelity can inspire your creativity, why not stay? I''ll take care of cheating, you take care of songwriting¡ªwe can collaborate. Isn''t that a good arrangement?"


    Link joked.


    "Hmph! Find someone else for that. I''m not as perverted as you are."


    Taylor gave him a disdainful look.


    Link smiled lightly and poured her a glass of milk.


    Taylor stayed in the bay villa for three days; during which, they cleared their schedules and stayed in the villa, chatting, drinking, making love, and teasing each other.


    It was the most relaxed and comfortable three days of their relationship, no lies, no deception, no need for any hesitation.


    On the third day, after exercising vigorously, Taylor asked him a question: if she achieved success in music and he was still unmarried, was there a chance they could get back together, even possibly getting married.


    Link told her it was impossible. He could shelter a weary soul but would never accept a body that had been touched by another man.


    Taylor was very angry when she heard this, punched him several times, and said she left because of his machismo, perverse possessiveness, and control, which almost suffocated her. She might have died if she hadn''t left.


    Link did not argue with her.


    Because it was all true. Even though he changed his identity, deep down, he was still a traditionalistic Huaxia man, with his machismo, conservative thinking, and strong desire to control a partner.


    Link was aware of it but couldn''t change what was ingrained in his bones.


    He also asked Taylor a question: if they had a child, would she consider leaving him.


    Taylor said she would decisively break up with him if he cheated because she had zero tolerance for infidelity.


    Link acknowledged the lesson.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After Taylor left the villa, Link''s life proceeded as usual: rising early for a morning run, reading, training, shooting music videos.


    On Wednesday, he flew to Las Vegas for the IBF Super Middleweight Golden Belt title defense, facing the former IBF world champion Lucian Bute, knocking out his opponent in 27 seconds.


    He maintained a professional record of 17 fights, 17 wins, and 17 KOs.


    The fight also brought him over 28 million US Dollars in prize money.


    Just two days later, he flew to Berlin, Germany, for the WBO Super Middleweight Golden Belt title defense against German boxer ''King Arthur'' Arthur Abraham.


    The challenger had won the IBF Middleweight title in 2005 and had ten successful title defenses between 2005 and 2009, considered one of the dominants of the Middleweight class. A very formidable boxer.


    Last year, in the WBO Super Middleweight Intercontinental title fight, Abraham defeated Jermain Taylor, causing Jermain a concussion and earning the right to challenge Link.


    On the boxing ring at Berlin''s Olympic Stadium, Link once again defeated his opponent in 32 seconds, imparting the bitter taste of defeat.


    The fight also earned Link 25 million US Dollars in prize money.


    The two fights netted him 53 million US Dollars.


    And at Musk''s public stock offering party on the weekend, he converted that money into Tesla Inc. stock. Including the shares held by Vanguard Asset Management Company on his behalf, he now owned 13.2% of Tesla''s stock, becoming the fourth-largest shareholder of Tesla Automotive Energy Company.


    "Link, did you buy fifty million dollars'' worth of Tesla stock?"


    At Musk''s wine party, supermodel Du Chen Coloss hung on his arm, blinking her beautiful eyes in surprise as she overheard his recent conversation with Musk.


    Du Chen Coloss, of Dutch descent, is an international supermodel who has graced fashion shows and luxury brands such as Gucci, Versace, Tommy Hilfiger, Escada, Valentino, and Neiman Marcus. She has appeared on the covers of magazines like Time Magazine, VOGUE, Harper''s Bazaar, and Numero, and has walked the Victoria''s Secret Fashion Show for four consecutive years.


    She is also one of the highest-paid models in the fashion industry, ranking fifth on the model annual income list last year with earnings of eight million US dollars.


    This year, at 25 years of age, standing 179cm tall, she has golden hair, blue eyes, long legs, full and rosy lips, and a curvaceous figure that sets her apart from many waif-like models. She''s been called the Audrey Hepburn of the modeling world.


    Link needed a female companion to attend the party and called to ask if she was available. Du Chen Coloss readily agreed.


    "Yes, Tesla is the leader in the electric car industry, and the market prospects look good."


    Link said, holding his champagne glass. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "I''ve heard the stock market is very risky, aren''t you worried about losing your investment?"


    Du Chen Coloss asked. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If I lose, it''s just tens of millions; if I win, it''s a few hundred million US dollars. Taking a bit of risk is worth it."


    "You''re amazing. So young, so good at making money, and such a risk-taker. You''re bound to be even more impressive in the future."


    Du Chen Coloss said with an admiring face.


    Link smiled gently, wrapping his arm around her waist, and walked over to Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Although it was now too late to invest in Google, getting to know a few more billionaires could lead to more investment opportunities in the future.


    Being a big star and a billionaire himself, Link had many halos, and plenty of other billionaires were eager to strike up conversations with him, take photos together, and exchange contact information.


    At just this small investment party, he met three billionaires and twelve millionaires.


    He also encountered executives from Fortune 500 companies like Michael Moritz, a senior partner at Sequoia Capital; Gurdeep Parhar, the Executive Vice President of Microsoft Corporation; Chad Hurley, the CEO of YouTube; and Daniel Akerson, a member of the board of General Motors.


    While chatting with them, he heard someone mention "Bitcoin."


    On January 3 of this year, the price of Bitcoin was announced on the Bitcoin forum for the first time, with a value of 0.008 US dollars per Bitcoin. A programmer had managed to buy two pizzas with 10,000 Bitcoins, marking the first real-world transaction using Bitcoin.


    In the discussion, some believed that virtual currency was too risky with mediocre prospects. However, Sequoia Capital senior partner Michael Moritz thought that, given we were in the age of the internet, the value of Bitcoin would increase with the internet''s growth and was worth investing in.


    Link agreed with him but didn''t voice his opinion, instead quietly noting Bitcoin and planning to inform Ms. Cathy Wood to purchase a batch of Bitcoins after the party was over.


    He remembered that by 2015, Bitcoin''s trading price had exceeded 10,000 US dollars, and it reached a peak of 50,000 US dollars in 2020.


    Spending 10,000 US dollars now to buy 200,000 Bitcoins could value over a billion US dollars in ten years.


    This was an excellent opportunity to invest.


    After the party ended, Link invited Du Chen Coloss to stay over at his villa.


    Du Chen did not refuse and even put on sexy lingerie to perform water yoga at the poolside for him.


    The news of supermodel Du Chen Coloss staying over at Link''s villa was also exposed by the media the next day.


    This news caused another stir in the entertainment industry. A few days ago, when Taylor returned to the Bay Villa and stayed for three days, everyone thought the two had reconciled. But just a few days later, news of Link''s scandal with a supermodel broke.


    Many people started criticizing Link. Just a few days ago, he was dumped by Taylor for cheating, and everyone was pleading on his behalf, finally getting Taylor to forgive him.


    But in the blink of an eye, he was involved in another scandal, seemingly beyond redemption.


    A day later, Link Studio posted a tweet on Twitter stating that Link and Taylor had peacefully broken up due to work reasons, they remained friends after parting ways, and they thanked everyone for their concern.


    Shortly after, Taylor''s studio''s account confirmed the news.


    When these two tweets were posted, the internet exploded.


    The breakup of the ''Pop King'' and ''Country Music Queen'' was too significant a piece of news.


    All media rushed to report on it.


    Some media commented it was a pity the power couple had split, a dream pairing that unfortunately didn''t last very long.


    Other media blamed Link for being a womanizer, saying that if it weren''t for his infidelity, the couple wouldn''t have broken up, implying everything was his fault.


    Some media even revisited the couple''s relationship history for sensationalism, with varied responses of nostalgia, criticism, and chaos.


    The uproar was loud and widespread.


    Amidst the media''s incessant noise, Link, trying to avoid the pursuit of reporters, flew to Paris ahead of schedule to join the cast of "Midnight in Paris."

 Chapter 305 Playboy Link

    Early June, the Gold Coast of Palm Bay in Miami.


    James, the chubby one, often said that the beaches of Miami are the most beautiful in June.


    Above, an endless blue sky, a dazzling sun.


    In front, the blue sea, white sandy beaches.


    A warm sea breeze blew, fluttering the lush palm groves along the shore, the rustling leaves mixing with the sound of the waves lapping against the sandbanks, both beautiful and enchanting.


    And even more enchanting were the occasional bikini-clad girls appearing on the beach.


    Because this is Miami, where there''s the highest concentration of Latin beauties, known for their curvaceous figures; thus, the bikini-clad girls on the beaches here were mostly buxom and curvy, fiery and charming.


    In the past, James liked to place a long chair, grab a bottle of ice-cold Coke, sit under the awning in front of Baker''s store, squint his eyes, and watch each bikini girl passing by the front of the store, as if watching a Victoria''s Secret lingerie show.


    But ever since Daniel got married in April and Michael went off to wander, he no longer had the leisure to sit in front of the store to admire beauties; every time he sat alone in the store, he would become inexplicably irritable, unable to calm his mind.


    It wasn''t until the day before yesterday that Link returned from Paris and said he would be staying in the store for a while; his heart suddenly calmed down again, inexplicably so.


    "Link, how many days are you planning to stay at home?"


    James stood at the entrance of the store, looking at Link under the awning who was reading a magazine, and asked.


    The guy was bare-backed and strong, wearing sweatpants and big slippers.


    Maybe it was because he''d lived in Paris, but James always felt that he had become a lot trendier, sporting black long hair, messy yet stylish, and wearing a platinum shield-shaped pendant around his neck, shining brightly in the sunlight.


    His face seemed even more handsome than before, fair-skinned, with well-defined features, appearing even more attractive than Keanu Reeves, Tom Cruise, or Orlando Bloom.


    This made James suspect that the guy might have had plastic surgery.


    "Not sure, could be four or five days, or maybe seven or eight days," Link replied while lying on the lounge chair, flipping through the latest issue of Billboard magazine.


    "Only staying for eight days?"


    James felt a bit disappointed; when Link left, there would only be him left here again.


    "Can''t you stay a few more days? You''re a billionaire now; you don''t need to be so busy," he said.


    Link glanced at him, clearly exasperated. He had hoped that after Daniel and Michael left, James would also leave to join him in the city center or in Los Angeles.


    But he hadn''t. He was still there at Baker''s little store, clocking in and clocking out for work as if he were Robinson Crusoe trapped on a deserted island.


    Link had invited him to be his assistant.


    James, afraid he wouldn''t do well, didn''t accept the offer.


    Link planned to buy a coffee shop in Miami and have him run it, but James refused as well, saying he wouldn''t manage it properly.


    Seeing the guy was like trying to prop up a mud fence, Link simply let him be.


    "I heard your mom is trying to find you a girlfriend. Why don''t you follow in Daniel''s footsteps, get married and have kids early? It''s better than staying here alone," Link said.


    "No!"


    Hearing him bring it up, James immediately scrunched up his chubby face, gesticulating and saying, "Do you know what those girls my mom sets me up with are like? They all weigh over 160 pounds¡ªbig girls. God, I may be fat, but I don''t have bad taste. I like those long-legged girls with curves in all the right places¡ªnot the fat girls, never the fat ones."


    Link gave a light laugh, "Liking someone is one thing, marrying is another. With your personality, if you marry a hot girl, you''ll probably be miserable after the wedding. So, I think your mom is right."


    Upon hearing this, James''s expression became crumpled.


    "Hey, Link!"


    "Danny, what brings you here?"


    Link called out to Danny, who was walking over from the opposite side.


    Soon after getting married, Danny had sold the beach store to someone else and opened a deli with Lina in West Palm County. Business was said to be pretty good.


    "James told me you were back, so I came to see you," Danny laughed.


    Link invited Danny to sit down and pulled out an ice-cold beer from the cooler for him.


    "How does being married feel?"


    "Haha, it''s great! You should try it," Danny winked and laughed.


    "I''ll give it a try in a few years," Link responded with a light smile, then asked about Michael''s whereabouts.


    Danny mentioned that Michael had called him last week, saying he was working as a bartender in a Queens bar in New York and sometimes moonlighting as a guitar player; he also told him New York was too cool, with so many fun places, and regretted not coming to New York sooner.


    Daniel also said that Lina was pregnant, and by this time next year, he would be a father.


    Link and James quickly congratulated him.


    Among the beach quartet, Daniel was the oldest at twenty-six this year, Michael was twenty-four, James was twenty-three, and Link was the youngest. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now Daniel was the first to get married and the first to become a father.


    While they were chatting, Blonde Reggie drove over in a pickup truck, followed by six teenage boxing apprentices, saying he brought them over to see what a superboxing champion looked like.


    After winning the cruiserweight championship in the national amateur boxing championships, Blonde Reggie turned professional.


    His current record stood at 8 fights, 5 wins, 2 losses, and 1 draw, a satisfactory performance, but still a long way from a continental champion.


    Now, besides preparing for matches, Reggie spent the rest of his time as an assistant coach at West Boxing Gym. He was a practical boxing talent, much better than Mario, that whimsical guy.


    Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    After Reggie arrived, the surrounding neighbors saw the crowd and also gathered around to join the fun.


    Seeing the crowd growing, James suggested throwing a beach party to celebrate his return.


    Link didn''t refuse either, and had someone pull a truck of beer, drinks, and fruit from the Mexican restaurant next door, brought out speakers from the store, and they had a party on the beach.


    It started with only thirty or forty people, but as word spread that this big star was here, neighbors and tourists on the beach started coming over, and the number of people gradually approached a thousand.


    That also included many journalists and paparazzi who had hurried over after catching wind of the event.


    Link felt a headache coming on at the sight of the paparazzi.


    After the outbreak of his breakup with Taylor, he left Los Angeles early to avoid media harassment and went to Paris to film.


    While filming in Paris, he got along well with Marion Cotillard, the female co-star, and was quite close to her. Consequently, the French media speculated that they had developed feelings while filming and were in an illicit relationship.


    And Marion Cotillard previously had a boyfriend she had been dating for two years, the famous French actor Guillaume Canet.


    The unscrupulous media then sensationalized his role as a homewrecker, causing an uproar in the French entertainment industry.


    Every time they shot a scene, there were hundreds of paparazzi using various methods to snoop around, and some even infiltrated the crew to be extras.


    The paparazzi were too crazy, often directly affecting the crew''s filming.


    Director Woody Allen was often so frustrated that he resorted to swearing. He couldn''t stop the crazy paparazzi, so he vented his anger on Link, blaming him for causing the disruption in the crew; therefore, he was extremely demanding of him during filming.


    Scenes that others could complete in one or two takes, Woody Allen made him do twenty or so, very nitpicky, sometimes emotionally abusing him on set, criticizing his acting as terrible, significantly delaying the crew''s progress.


    He would also mock his goal of winning the Oscar for Best Actor, saying that with his kind of acting, he could spend a lifetime making films and still not get nominated for the Oscars.


    All sorts of sarcasm and emotional abuse, with no consideration for his feelings.


    Even though Link had a good temper, there were several times when he couldn''t help clenching his fists, wanting to KO Woody Allen, the annoying old man.


    Thankfully, Marion Cotillard and Jennifer Lawrence were there to comfort him, which helped him suppress the urge to hit someone, and he finished shooting the film.


    But shooting every day like this for over a month, even with his abundant energy and strong recovery, he felt mentally exhausted in the end.


    Let alone having to deal with the paparazzi''s harassment every day, which doubled the exhaustion.


    This was also the reason he chose to return to Miami for a rest after finishing "Midnight in Paris."


    But just as he was starting to relax for a day, the media surged up again.


    "Mr. Baker, ''Le Figaro'' in France reported that while filming ''Midnight in Paris,'' you and Marion Cotillard sparked a romance out of the play, and there were photos taken of you staying overnight at Ms. Cotillard''s home. Are you involved with Miss Marion Cotillard?"


    "Mr. Baker, ''The Times'' revealed that during your filming in Paris, Emma Watson visited the set and stayed in Paris for a few days. What is your relationship with her, and are you still dating?"


    "Mr. Baker, the media captured photos of you and ''Midnight in Paris'' lead actress Jennifer Lawrence shopping in Paris. Is Jennifer Lawrence also your girlfriend?"


    "Mr. Baker, the latest issue of ''Vanity Fair'' magazine features your photo on the cover and brands you as a playboy. What is your opinion on this?"


    A group of entertainment reporters shouted outside the front door of Baker''s small shop.


    Link extricated himself from the crowd, stepped up onto the stairs, looked down at the dozens of voracious journalists and paparazzi below, and said, "Marion is a very talented actress and one of my favorite actresses. During the filming in Paris, she was of great help to me, we are good friends, nothing more, please do not speculate wildly."


    "Mr. Baker, ''Vanity Fair'' called you a playboy; do you accept this title?" asked a reporter from ''American Express.''


    "That''s slander! ''Vanity Fair'' is slandering me; I am certainly not a playboy."


    "Mr. Baker, celebrities like Tiffany Thomp, Paris Hilton, Amanda Hearst, and Georgia Bloomberg have taken the initiative to promote your new album, and the ''New York Post'' calls you the new darling of New York socialites. What do you think of this title?" a reporter from ''USA Today'' shouted.


    "Welcome everyone to Palm Bay Beach as guests; there are beers and drinks for you to enjoy. I have other matters today, so I can only answer a few questions. If you have more questions, please schedule an appointment. I look forward to your interviews. Goodbye!"


    Link walked into Baker''s small shop and casually closed the door behind him.


    "Mr. Baker..."

 Chapter 306 The Show-Off Wealth Fall Incident

    The noise was shut out, and the whole room quieted down.


    Link took off his hat, pulled a chilled bottle of orange soda from the fridge, drank about half of it, and the heat on his body was mostly dissipated.


    He stood at the window, drinking his soda and taking a brief look outside. The sunshine was still brilliant, and from the Mexican restaurant on the east side to the hot dog shop next door, the over five hundred meters of public beach was crowded with people who came for the party.


    Everyone was listening to music, drinking beer and soda, some were singing, others dancing, surfing, and playing beach volleyball¡ªan incredibly lively scene.


    Ding Dong!


    He received a message on his phone, from Selena.


    "You just got back from Paris, how come you are in Miami now? Always running around, it''s hard to track you down."


    "Came here to rest for a couple of days, what''s up?"


    Link flopped down on the sofa, texting with his phone.


    "I have some updates about Taylor, wanna know?"


    "We broke up, didn''t you know?"


    "I know, but I think it was too hasty, very regrettable. I think you should make an effort to win Taylor back."


    Selena said.


    "That chapter is closed, if you''re worried about me being single, introduce me to some of your pretty friends."


    "No way, you''re a playboy; introducing them to you would be ruining them."


    "So you hold a grudge against Taylor?"


    "Of course not, Taylor and I are good friends. However, I think Taylor is awesome, she can keep you in check, so I hope you two keep dating."


    "Don''t you see a problem with your words? Taylor can keep me in check, so I should pursue her to find a warden for myself?"


    "Oh, I''m not going to talk nonsense with you anymore. Taylor went back to Nashville after she finished recording her third album to take a vacation. If you want to win her back, now''s a good time. Go for it."


    Selena eagerly urged.


    Link shook his head; at first, to win Taylor back and earn her forgiveness, he had released two songs and spoken many soft words, only to be mocked by fans as a ''simp'', yet he still couldn''t win Taylor back.


    Taylor''s behavior had severely affected his confidence and self-esteem.


    He would no longer harbor any hopes for this heartless woman.


    Link didn''t want to talk any more about Taylor and changed the subject to ask her how the production of her second album was going.


    Selena said it was still in progress and asked him if he had any good songs since the songs from the record company didn''t sound as good as the ones he wrote.


    Selena was an artist signed under Disney Entertainment Group, her acting agency contract being with Disney Studios, and her record contract under Hollywood Records, a powerful record company that was also home to Miley Cyrus.


    Disney was very capable of making stars and had strong abilities in training singers. The songs they picked were all suited to Selena''s voice and style.


    Link didn''t plan to meddle in Selena''s new album''s songs but told her he had a duet, and the female part would suit her; he would send her the score later.


    Selena quickly agreed and asked when he would be returning and if he planned to stop by Nashville to see Taylor.


    Link asked her how her SAT preparations were going and if she was confident about scoring higher than him.


    Selena said Catherine was calling her, they would chat next time, and sent three pink pig emojis before she went.


    Link smiled slightly; he still had plenty of tactics to deal with this girl, Selena.


    The party outside was still ongoing, and since reporters were present, he couldn''t join the fun, so he lay on the sofa and continued to read "Billboard" magazine. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    The third special "The Woman I Love" was released on March 22, and this week marked its 10th week.


    The first week, the album sold 1.74 million copies in the US, topping the album charts.


    The second week, it sold 810,000 copies, range as the top album.


    The third week.


    The news of his breakup with Taylor was buzzing, attracting attention from media worldwide.


    The album was highly exposed in the media, and the topic was very hot.


    It sold 429,000 copies.


    He topped the charts for three consecutive weeks.


    The fourth week.


    Link joined a film crew, and the heat from the breakup news slowly dissipated, reducing the album''s sales.


    It sold 147,000 copies, ranking second. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The top album was Drake''s debut studio album "Thank Me Later", with first-week sales of 387,000 copies.


    The fifth week.


    75,000 copies, fourth place.


    The top album was Lady Gaga''s new hairstyle remix collection "The Remix", with first-week sales of 324,000 copies.


    Drake''s "Thank Me Later" in its second week sold 213,000 copies.


    Usher''s "Clash at the Top" ranked third with 79,000 copies.


    The sixth week.


    127,000 copies, second place on the album charts.


    The sales spike this week was due to Ivanka and the promotional department initiating the hype plan he had proposed in March.


    This hype plan was simple.


    In early May, Ivanka''s sister Tiffany burst onto Twitter with a photo.


    In the photo, she was sprawled on the ground, positioned as if she had fallen, wearing a custom-made designer dress, one foot on the door of a McLaren car, with contents from her designer purse strewn all over the ground.


    Limited edition LV high heels, commemorative Chanel perfume, Dior''s latest lipstick, Hermes limited edition handbag, Gucci custom-made sunglasses, Patek Philippe limited edition watch, keys to a McLaren 720S sports car, latest model iPhone, and more.


    There were twenty-eight luxury items, each priced over 500 US dollars, with the McLaren 720S sports car valued at over 5 million US dollars.


    After the photo emerged, some netizens had computed the total value, which was approximately 6.8 million US dollars.

 Chapter 306 The Show-Off Wealth Fall Incident_2

    "So extravagant."


    Among these luxury items was mixed a Link album titled "The Woman I Love," priced at 29.5 US dollars, making it the cheapest of the lot.


    This album also caught a lot of people''s attention.


    But considering Tiffany''s sister was the president of Link Music, it wasn''t surprising that her bag contained Link''s new album.


    So everyone''s focus remained on the luxurious items strewn around.


    Many netizens commented that she was showing off her wealth in this way¡ªsome criticized, some mocked, and some were envious and jealous.


    Tiffany''s side did not respond to this.


    Just a day later, socialite Paris Hilton also followed Tiffany''s lead and posted a wealth-flaunting photo of herself having fallen on Twitter.


    The photo was taken on the roof of the Hilton Hotel in New York.


    One of her feet was on a private helicopter, and a pile of luxury goods worth millions of dollars lay scattered around her, including another Link album "The Woman I Love."


    Netizens then ridiculed Paris Hilton for imitating Tiffany''s way of showing off wealth, with comments that were critical, mocking, and envious.


    Media outlets such as the New York Post, USA Today, and Vanity Fair began covering the flaunting news of Tiffany and Paris Hilton, discussing whether such blatant displays of wealth were appropriate.


    Some media thought it inappropriate.


    Showing off wealth can easily incite class antagonism and trigger anxiety in the low-income community.


    The New York Post strongly criticized their actions, believing they could cause significant harm.


    First, it could lead to many social issues, exacerbating the divide between the wealthy and the poor, setting a bad example for the youth, inducing irrational consumer behavior, causing a waste of resources, and plunging many low-income families into economic crisis.


    Secondly, it could lead to a series of psychological issues, with blind competition increasing anxiety and inducing crime, among other things.


    The New York Post also specifically called on Tiffany''s father to control his daughter.


    However, Tiffany''s father, Mr. TP, was dismissive, claiming it was a form of performance art that demonstrated the unique character of the youth, and saw no issues with it.


    Some media supported Mr. TP''s viewpoint, seeing it as a form of performance art that did not need to be escalated to the level of class conflicts.


    As the controversy grew online, so did the news''s popularity.


    Soon, Amanda Hearst, Georgia Bloomberg, the Kardashian sisters, actress Lindsay Lohan, and supermodel Candice Swanepoel also imitated them, each with their own fall and display of gear.


    This started a ''wealth-flaunting fall'' trend online. Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    Many people began imitating their falls.


    Soon, insightful individuals noticed that, no matter how or where these people fell, 80% of the displayed items included a new Link album "The Woman I Love."


    This led many to speculate and suspect that the so-called ''wealth-flaunting fall'' trend was a promotional stunt for Link''s album.


    In an interview, the host asked Paris Hilton,


    why she included a Link album among the luxury items, and whether it was to promote Link''s new album.


    Paris Hilton denied this, saying that the reason Link''s new album was featured was because it was expensive, high-quality, and of high artistic standard.


    For them, Link''s album was also a collectible luxury item.


    Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, and others also acknowledged this in interviews, claiming they might not afford a limited edition Dior lipstick, a Herm¨¨s bag, or a Ferrari sports car, but they had to afford a Link album.


    With their endorsement, Link''s new album became an item as luxurious as Dior lipstick, Chanel perfume, or a Herm¨¨s bag.


    Buying "The Woman I Love" was not just buying an album; it was also acquiring a luxury item, a lifestyle, a fashion culture.


    Influenced by these celebrities, the ''wealth-flaunting fall'' trend spread from the United States across the globe, from celebrities to internet influencers, and then to ordinary people, with tens of thousands sharing such photos on various social platforms.


    60% of the displayed items included a Link album, as if by tacit agreement.


    Influenced by the ''wealth flaunting fall'' event, "The Woman I Love" saw a significant increase in exposure and sales worldwide.


    In the seventh week, the album sales miraculously surged to over 200,000 copies, reaching 219,000 copies, reclaiming the top spot on the album charts, and surpassing various newly released albums.


    In the eighth week, the ''Flashy Fall'' trend was still influential, with this week''s sales reaching 154,000 copies, maintaining the championship in sales.


    In the ninth week, 122,000 copies, maintaining the championship on the sales chart.


    In the tenth week, 108,000 copies, runner-up.


    "The Woman I Love" in its tenth week of release, had a total US sales of 3.93 million copies. It was anticipated that next week it would break through four million copies, also becoming the fastest album to surpass four million sales in the US in nearly eight years.


    Rolling Stone commented that "The Woman I Love" achieved an ''incredible'' success in the United States.


    Link, a newcomer who debuted just two years ago, sold over 3.9 million copies of his third album within ten weeks across the US, outperforming several current music giants in terms of persuasive power.


    Steven Konop, the editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone, analyzed in the article the reasons behind the album''s huge sales, which besides the album''s quality and Link''s popularity, included a very successful marketing and promotional strategy.


    Just before the album was launched, East Coast rapper 50 Cent, Justin Bieber, and others challenged Link, wanting to compete with him on the album charts.


    Link publicly accepted the challenge, attracting a lot of attention and garnering substantial support from fans.


    At this stage, the main direction of Link''s music promotion was the East Coast rap gang + pop prince Justin Bieber + R&B king Arthur + Drake, planning to join forces against Link, putting him in a vulnerable position, evoking empathy and outrage from the fans.


    Link''s new album, in its first week due to its high quality, was supported extensively by fans and sold an astonishing 1.74 million copies.


    In the second week, the privacy video scandal emerged.


    In the third week, the news of Link and Taylor breaking up was still highly discussed.


    In the fifth week, the ''Flashy Fall'' incident began trending online, increasing the exposure of Link''s new album.


    In the sixth week, the ''Flashy Fall'' event continued to ferment, sparking heated media discussion, with Link''s new album becoming one of the focal points of the event.


    Over the following weeks, the flashy event continued to impact the sales of this album.


    All these hot news events, whether intentional or not, significantly boosted the sales of this album. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Steven Konop, editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone, also expressed admiration for Link''s music marketing tactics at the end of the article.


    He also expressed concern, worrying that other record companies might imitate this marketing strategy, leading to even fiercer competition in the record market, a winner-takes-all situation making it harder for mid to low-tier singers to establish themselves in the music scene.


    By the tenth week of release, the overseas sales situation of this album was also gradually summarized.


    In nearly ten weeks, "The Woman I Love" sold 9.69 million copies overseas.


    In the US and Europe, 4.03 million copies.


    In Canada, 1.12 million copies, remaining the album chart''s sales champion for three non-consecutive weeks.


    In Britain, 1.07 million copies, maintaining the album chart''s sales championship for two consecutive weeks.


    In France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, and other locations, about 1.53 million copies were sold, achieving at least one week of sales championship in Belgium, Netherlands, and Switzerland.


    In Latin America, about 300,000 copies, achieving at least one sales championship in Brazil, Argentina, and other places.


    Furthermore, "Girls Like You," "Everything You Need," "Someone You Loved," "Stay With Me," "All Of Me," "Here With You," "The Woman I Love," these seven songs successively topped the single charts in Britain, Canada, Belgium, and other countries, becoming hit songs.


    In Asia, Oceania, and Africa, 5.66 million copies were sold.


    In Australia, 1.32 million copies, in Japan, 1.07 million copies, in South Korea, 940,000 copies, in Huaxia (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), 860,000 copies, and in New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, India, and other locations, about 1.47 million copies.


    "Girls Like You," "Stay With Me," "All Of Me," "Here With You," and other twelve songs successively entered the top ten of single charts in various countries.


    Ten weeks after the release of Link''s album, the global sales total reached 13.62 million copies.


    This figure, although not ranking in the top 50 of the ''All-Time Best-Selling Albums'',


    was still the first English-language album of the 2010s to break through ten million sales worldwide.


    It also became Link''s second global diamond-certified record.


    As a newcomer, Link released three albums in two years, achieving two consecutive diamond-certified records, becoming one of the best-selling solo male artists in the music industry after Elvis Presley, Garth Brooks, MJ, and Justin Timberlake.


    Publications like Rolling Stone, Newsweek, and others began referring to Link as the ''King of Pop Music''. Media in Asia went even further, likening him to music royalty with terms like ''Music Emperor'', and paralleling him with Lady Gaga as the king and queen of Western music.

 Chapter 307 Ariana

    Link checked the album sales of other singers from the same period.


    The pre-war goddess''s new album "Need You Now" sold 2.43 million copies in the United States, ranking second among albums released in 2010.


    Justin Bieber''s "My World 2.0" sold 1.86 million copies, ranking third.


    Kesha''s new album "Animal" sold 920,000 copies, ranking fourth.


    Usher''s "Raymond vs. Raymond" sold 900,000 copies in the United States, ranking fifth.


    Wiz Khalifa''s "Deal Or No Deal" sold 880,000 copies, ranking sixth.


    Lady Gaga and Drake''s new albums also quickly approached Wiz Khalifa''s sales, expected to surpass him next week.


    There was also good news this week.


    Eight months after its release in the United States, Lana Del Rey''s debut album "Young and Beautiful" sold over one million copies, becoming a true platinum record, with a global total of 3.26 million copies.


    The debut album performed very well.


    Bruno Mars''s debut album "It''s Better If You Don''t Understand" reached 920,000 copies in the United States and was expected to break the platinum barrier in October.


    Selena''s debut album "Come and Get It" had a cumulative sales of 940,000 copies in the United States and was also expected to reach platinum by the end of the year.


    But besides the good news, Link also saw some bad news from newspapers and magazines.


    Firstly, his reputation was spoiled.


    Before the private video was exposed, he was considered the most perfect man in the Euro-American music scene, a white lotus who had emerged unscathed from mud, "the cleanest and healthiest male star in show business," "the highest quality teen idol."


    After the exposure of the private video, his breakup with Taylor, staying overnight with supermodel Du Chen Klos, and dating Marion Cotillard, Emma Watson, Jennifer Lawrence, and other incidents, the media gradually tarnished his reputation.


    Western media called him a playboy, ''depraved Link,'' a big player in the entertainment industry.


    Now, if he spoke a word to a female star, the media assumed he had an ambiguous relationship with her.


    Link argued that wasn''t true, that he was innocent.


    The media simply didn''t believe him.


    After being branded a ''scumbag,'' decent girls in the entertainment industry began to guard against him.


    For example, Christine, once when Link jokingly asked her over the phone if she wanted to be his girlfriend, Christine outright refused, saying she didn''t want to date a scumbag.


    Then there was Emma Roberts, who said she had been warned by her parents and aunt to stay away from him.


    Meanwhile, the less decent girls in the entertainment circle were actively drawing closer to him.


    Amanda Seyfried, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, and others often called to bother him, sending strange photos, asking him to comment on which set of lingerie was sexier.


    This situation left Link somewhat helpless; as a decent person, he preferred making friends with good girls, but now that his reputation was ruined by the media, it wasn''t easy to find a good girl for a girlfriend.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    "Link, everyone wants to hear you sing, why don''t you come out and sing a song?"


    James pushed open the door and came in to ask.


    "There are too many reporters, it''s not very convenient."


    "Don''t worry, we''ll block those reporters."


    Daniel and Reggie also squeezed in and said. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link thought for a moment, going out to sing a song seemed like a good idea.


    Outside, there were thousands of people, all his fans or potential fans singing here was a way to pamper them, and if reported by the media, it would also be a positive news story.


    Since being plagued by scandals, he also needed some positive press to reshape his public image.


    Link agreed, stood up, took down the guitar from the wall, but suddenly remembered it was a guitar given by Taylor and felt uncomfortable again¡ª if only he hadn''t broken up with Taylor...


    "Link! Link! Link!"


    As he slung the guitar and stood at the doorway, over a thousand beachgoers shouted loudly, with dozens of paparazzi outside the crowd taking photos.


    Link waved his hand, slung his guitar, plugged into the sound system, and walked into the crowd, surrounded by Wallace, James, Reggie, and others on the beach pier, where he sang three songs.


    The first song, "Despacito," a must-play song on Miami Beach since Link performed it in 2008, quickly became the best-selling, hottest dance song in Miami, heard throughout the streets and alleys of the city.


    The second song was "Girls Like You," originally released by American pop band Maroon 5 in 2018. After its release in March, it remained at the top of the Billboard singles chart for three consecutive weeks and reached number one in twelve countries including Britain, Belgium, and Australia.


    The third song, "Here With You," was another upbeat track considered the joyful version of "Young And Beautiful" and topped the Billboard singles chart in its first week of May.


    It was also the third number one single from the album "The Woman I Love."


    Some fans wanted him to sing "Legends Never Die" and "Give Me Reason."


    Link naturally refused, as singing such songs was too straining on his voice, and he only performed them at concerts with more than fifty thousand attendees.


    To all my friends


    "The night is young,"


    "The music''s loud,"


    "They play our song,"


    As Link danced through the crowd while singing with his guitar, a large group of fans drove over from afar. Within half an hour, the beachside road was filled with cars.


    The Palm Beach County Police had to send officers to direct traffic and maintain order at the scene.


    "Frankie, hurry up!"


    On the beachside road, a petite girl with a long ponytail jumped out of the car, looking excitedly at the bustling crowd and Link singing in the middle of it, exclaimed, "It''s true, Link is really here!"


    "Ellie, slow down, don''t run so fast, and you forgot your album."


    Frankie Grande stopped the car, seeing his sister hurriedly run down, he had no choice but to pick up the album and catch up from behind.


    The Grande siblings, also from Miami, had heard online that Link was throwing a beach party and immediately drove over, although they arrived a bit late. There were too many people on the beach, ten layers deep, and they could only stand on the outskirts, watching Link sing from a distance.


    Though Ariana was petite, even standing on her tiptoes at the edge of the crowd, she could only see a little bit. She glanced around, took the album from her brother''s hand, and squeezed through the crowd, calling out, "Excuse me, could you please move a bit?"


    She sweated profusely and after much effort, she finally made it to the front row, but the concert was over.


    Everyone was applauding and cheering.


    Link Baker waved his hand in thanks to everyone and prepared to leave.


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    "Link, could I get an autograph?"


    Ariana rushed forward with the album, but before she reached Link, she was accidentally knocked down by a spectator. She fell face first, her hands and face covered in sand, and her album case was stepped on.


    "Hey! Clear out, someone has fallen here, don''t step on her."


    Before Ariana could get up, she was gently lifted by a pair of strong, capable hands; she even caught a whiff of a pleasant scent.


    "Are you alright?"


    Hearing the man in front of her, Ariana blinked in surprise and saw a handsome face before her, deep and bright eyes, a high and straight nose, and beautifully curved lips that hooked into a humble, gentle smile.


    It was Link.


    Seeing Link Baker so close, Ariana couldn''t help but feel her heart pound uncontrollably. She had a lot she wanted to say to him, but she couldn''t find the words at that moment.


    "Can you move your legs and feet, see if you''re hurt?"


    Hearing Link''s words, Ariana moved her legs and feet in a daze, and everything seemed fine.


    "You''re a fan of mine?"


    Link asked as he picked up the album from the ground.


    "Yes, Mr. Baker, my name is Ariana Grande, I really love your songs,"


    Ariana said excitedly.


    She too was from Miami, Florida. At the age of 17, being from a well-off family and personally loving music, she began performing onstage around the age of seven or eight. When she was around fourteen or fifteen, she moved to New York to pursue a career on Broadway and even played a significant role in the musical "13."


    When Link released his album in March, she attended a performance in New York. Due to her busy schedule, she was a day late to buy Link''s album and found it sold out. The store owner lent her the album to listen to, and she didn''t manage to buy it until three days later.


    She loved the songs on the album and admired Link greatly.


    Today, when she saw the news about Link in Miami online, she immediately ran to Palm Beach to meet him.


    "Ariana Grande... Miss?"


    As Link was about to sign the autograph, he was surprised to hear the name. The moment he saw her, he thought she resembled Ariana Grande. Hearing her name confirmed his thought. It was indeed the up-and-coming pop princess, Ariana Grande, although she appeared younger and more sweet-faced, with some baby fat still visible.


    "Yes, Ariana Grande!"


    Ariana spelled out her name again.


    Link smiled gently and signed the album cover with, ''To Miss Grande, who fell on the sand ¨C Link Baker.''


    Ariana couldn''t help but smile as well.


    "Mr. Baker, I also love to sing, and my dream is to become a singer."


    "Really? How about singing a song right here?"


    Link handed her the album and suggested.


    "Right here?"


    Ariana exclaimed in surprise.


    "Yes! Let me hear how you sing."


    Encouraged by Link, Ariana took the guitar, went onto the pier, and sang Link''s "Unstoppable."


    The song was in a high key, challenging for any singer, but Ariana sang beautifully, employing traditional vocal techniques and a Broadway style that ranged from sweet to powerful, giving the song a unique flair.


    After she finished, Link clapped his hands; indeed, she had the potential of a future pop diva, her skills were truly strong.


    The surrounding audience also applauded and cheered, with many shouting for one more song.


    Ariana then performed "Everything You Need," which elicited the same enthusiastic response from the crowd.


    After the performance, Link told Ariana that she had great vocal skills and an impressive ability to perform. If she was serious about a singing career, she could try out for Link Music, and he handed her a business card.


    Ariana excitedly agreed.


    Link was considered a golden touch in the music industry; any singer he spotted was guaranteed platinum potential.


    Having his recognition meant the world to someone dreaming of becoming a singer¡ªit was the highest praise and the greatest encouragement.


    Ariana looked at Link almost adoringly.


    "Hey, Ari, how did Link end up having you sing?"


    Ariana''s brother Frankie came over from the crowd, looking at Link''s figure in surprise.


    "Obviously because I sing amazingly well."


    Ariana kissed Link''s business card and carefully tucked it into her wallet.


    "Ari, I think you should be careful, Link is a playboy."


    Frankie cautioned.


    Ariana gave him a look, "Link is my idol, just like you guys admire Nicole Kidman and Anne Hathaway. If they praised your acting and gave you a business card, asking you to join their company, would you be cautious around them?"


    "I would!"


    Frankie said without hesitation.


    Ariana rolled her eyes, then remembered her brother wasn''t interested in girls.


    ''Cause girls like you


    Run around with guys like me


    Til sundown when I come through


    I need a girl like you

 Chapter 308 Consensual Couple Relationship

    Evening.


    The sunset dyed the sea red.


    The beach party had ended.


    After everyone left, the sand in front of the shop became a mess.


    James, Daniel, and the surrounding neighbors started cleaning up, and Link was also picking up fruit peels and scraps of paper with pliers and a basket.


    As everyone picked up trash, they talked about how lively the party had been and hoped for a next time.


    While chatting, the people in front suddenly fell silent, stopped their work, and looked up towards the beach ahead.


    At the edge of the palm grove, a tall and voluptuous woman was walking on the pristine sand, wearing a white Chanel business suit, silver high heels, standing over 180cm tall.


    The suit and straight skirt clung tightly to her body curves, revealing her full moon-like bust, abundant hips, and a pair of long, sexy legs.


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    Apart from a platinum necklace and a diamond-studded watch, she had no other accessories.


    Yet she appeared noble, elegant, efficient, and fashionable.


    Compared to the casually dressed beach residents around her, she was like a tulip blooming among wildflowers.


    She had her golden hair styled up, her eyebrows lifted at the ends, her expression indifferent, only her blue-gray eyes looking straight at Link, as if there were only the two of them on the beach. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link, Link, Miss Ivanka has come."


    James whispered in a low voice next to him.


    Link glanced at him helplessly; he wasn''t one of her lackeys, was there any need to speak so cautiously?


    At this time, not just James, but the others also unconsciously stopped their work and looked at Ivanka with the gaze one might give to a landowner.


    "Hey, Eva, what brings you to Miami too?"


    Link put down his basket, clapped his hands, and walked over to ask.


    Ivanka approached him, looked him up and down, "You seem to have adjusted well."


    "What, you''re here to arrange work for me?"


    "Arranging work for you is Mandy''s job, not mine."


    Ivanka brushed away a strand of golden hair tousled by the sea breeze, looking at his handsome face and said, "There''s sand in my shoes; can we go in and talk?"


    "OK!"


    Link led her into Baker''s shop.


    As the two of them walked away, the rest of the people unconsciously relaxed, continued cleaning up, and softly speculated about the relationship between the two.


    Inside Baker''s shop, Ivanka looked around and sat down on the couch in the middle, smoothing her skirt.


    Link took out a bottle of soda from the fridge and handed it to her.


    "Can I take off my shoes?"


    Ivanka shifted her delicate, fair legs as she asked.


    "Do they stink?"


    Ivanka looked at him coldly, her aura becoming sharp.


    "Okay, just a joke."


    Link smiled lightly, put a pair of slippers at her feet, and then sat down on the sofa opposite her.


    Watching her take off her high heels, revealing bare feet that were still fair and delicate, with pink toes and a beautiful foot shape.


    Even though Link was not a foot fetishist, he couldn''t help but take a few extra glances.


    Link also silently admired that this woman lived so exquisitely, even taking such good care of her feet.


    "Let''s talk about work."


    Ivanka sat cross-legged, elegantly stepping into his slippers, and said, "How was your time playing in Paris recently?"


    "Playing?"


    Link raised his eyebrows, rested his arm on the couch, and crossed his legs, "During my time in Paris, I trained every day, read books, spent a great amount of time studying the character, and had to endure Woody Allen''s attacks and persecution while filming, busy from morning to evening, often exhausted. How could you think I was playing in Paris?"


    "I''m talking about women. Don''t tell me you didn''t sleep with Marion Cotillard or Jennifer Lawrence."


    Ivanka said while swinging her fair leg.


    Link felt slightly embarrassed.


    "Anna told you?"


    "I don''t need anyone to tell me; I know you and also know how attractive you are to women. When I saw your scandals in the newspapers, I knew they were true."


    Ivanka said indifferently.


    "All right, your guess isn''t wrong; I''ve slept with them, but it wasn''t just for fun," Link explained.


    In "Midnight in Paris," he and Jennifer, who played a couple about to get married, had an intimate relationship in the first half of the film.


    After sleeping together, their relationship became more intimate and they had better chemistry during performances. Once, during a scene, they couldn''t help but hug each other and ended up having sex.


    Then there was Marion Cotillard, an Academy Award-winning actress with exceptional acting skills. Link loved her movies, and Marion Cotillard liked his songs.


    After chatting a few times on set, they became good friends.


    Later, the sleeping together happened naturally as their relationship evolved.


    It wasn''t just playing around.


    Listening to his defense, Ivanka lifted the corner of her lips indifferently,


    "Do you plan to keep playing around, or to continue this indiscriminate behavior?"


    "What does it matter to you? You just said we were going to talk about work. Is this work?"


    "Yes, it is!"


    Ivanka blinked her curled eyelashes, looking into his deep blue eyes and said, "You are the pillar of Link Music, the development of which is greatly related to you, and your development is closely linked to your reputation."


    Originally, you were a top singer, a choice idol for quality youth, the embodiment of the American dream, the ideal date in the hearts of girls worldwide."


    However, since you became a playboy, your reputation has been greatly damaged. Media perception of you has plummeted, and Universal''s music marketing department, after conducting research, found that your negative news has also severely affected album sales."

 Chapter 308 The Agreement of a Couple Relationship_2

    I discussed with my colleagues in the PR department, and we think that finding a steady girlfriend, shedding the playboy label, and reshaping your public image would be more beneficial for you and the development of Link Music,"


    "Find a girlfriend?"


    Link touched his chin, seriously considering her suggestion.


    Being a playboy has its pros and cons.


    The upside is, you can disregard public opinion, mess around with the opposite sex at will, and also increase some exposure through scandals.


    The downside is, you are a symbol of the American dream, a teen idol, with a lot of underage fans.


    Too shoddy a public image would cause many parents'' discontent, worrying their children might pick up bad habits, thus refusing to buy his albums.


    Many female fans are also disappointed in his womanizer behavior, thinking that he is playing with women.


    Another drawback is that good girls nearby would be wary of him because he''s a playboy, preventing themselves from being played.


    So, it seems quite necessary to rehabilitate your public image.


    Furthermore, having a steady girlfriend means not being too lonely at home by yourself.


    "Alright, I''ll consider your advice and find a steady girlfriend,"


    "Do you have any candidates in mind?"


    Ivanka asked.


    Link thought seriously, sifting through the girls around him, but found no suitable candidates.


    Firstly, the actresses, the profession of acting inevitably involves kissing scenes and intimate scenes, he can''t quite accept his official girlfriend doing such scenes.


    Moreover, actresses are often busy, spending months or half a year in a film crew, while he would prefer a companion-type girlfriend.


    Then there are the singers, such as Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Adele, and others. Being friends with them is okay, but being lovers would be troublesome, besides, there''s no spark between him and them.


    And then the models, who mostly have sexy bodies, plenty of free time, and not very shrewd minds, share little common language.


    They make more suitable mistresses, a steady girlfriend would become rather tedious over time.


    "Would you like me to recommend someone?"


    Ivanka suddenly said.


    "Oh, who?"


    Link asked curiously.


    "Lana. First, her family background is good, a famous singer with a decent image and personality. Second, she admires you a lot and wouldn''t reject dating you. Third, she is a singer under Link Music, dating her could also enhance some popularity,"


    Ivanka said leisurely.


    Link was a bit disappointed, having thought she would recommend herself.


    "Lana is not suitable, she''s a singer under Link Music, dating her would seem like I''m engaging in unspoken rules with her. Plus, I''m not a faithful boyfriend, if we have conflicts in life, it would also affect our collaboration,"


    Link thought for a while and shook his head.


    Ivanka frowned her pretty brows, "How about Amanda Hearst or Georgia Bloomberg? They are both from wealthy families with good image, cultivation, and education, with few scandals, and in the future, they might inherit family businesses. Moreover, they have a good impression of you; if you''re willing, I can help you make connections."


    "Even less suitable, they come from wealthy families, spoiled and pampered, with many differences in personality and lifestyle habits from me. Dating them would likely end up unpleasantly."


    "You seem to have a prejudice against girls from wealthy families?"


    Ivanka pursed her rose-colored lips, looking slightly displeased.


    "It''s not prejudice, it''s a generation gap. I come from Miami Beach, while they''re from New York''s Upper East Side. Different living environments, different educational levels, we are bound to have a generation gap, it''s an undeniable fact,"


    Link shrugged and laughed.


    "How about Kim Kardashian? She has a voluptuous body and is doing well in hosting and fashion."


    "Kardashian?"


    Link thought of that bombshell and shook his head. Kim Kardashian did not fit his aesthetic.


    Her sister, Kendall Kardashian, would be close enough, but Kendall isn''t of age yet, obviously not suitable.


    "Forget it, you don''t need to recommend anyone, I can handle this kind of thing myself."


    "You''re too picky, what kind of girlfriend are you exactly looking for?"


    Ivanka TP stared into his eyes and asked discontentedly.


    Link gave a helpless smile, "I don''t know, I dated Taylor for over a year, and aside from cheating, I think I did alright in other areas, but in the end, we split on bad terms. I''m a bit weary of the heart, and I haven''t thought about getting a girlfriend yet, nor do I know what kind of woman would be more suitable for me."


    "But continuing to maintain the playboy stigma isn''t good for you or Link Music... What do you think about me?"


    Ivanka TP suddenly asked.


    "What?"


    "I''ll be your official girlfriend."


    "Are you joking?"


    Link sat up, his gaze falling on her cold, stunning face.


    "I''m serious!"


    Ivanka TP lifted her fair wrist, glancing at her diamond-studded watch, "Out of admiration for you, I''m taking the initiative to suggest this, but my self-respect won''t allow me to wait too long. You have ten seconds to consider; if you don''t agree, I''ll help you find someone else, 10, 9..."


    "Wait a minute!"


    Link stared at her for a few seconds and laughed, "Don''t you think this is too abrupt? Although we''ve known each other for a long time, in reality, I don''t understand you well. Suddenly shifting from business partners to a couple, I don''t know how to handle our relationship."


    "We can get to understand each other slowly. After we start dating, we''ll announce to the public we''re boyfriend and girlfriend, but in fact, we''ll still be business partners. As for whether we can become a real couple, that''ll depend on if we click."


    "You mean a relationship of convenience?"


    "Yes, once we''re a couple, I won''t interfere with your private life, I won''t care about your affairs, but you must also be careful not to be caught by the paparazzi, affecting my reputation, and not harming your own image, as well as Link Music''s stock price," Ivanka TP said seriously.


    "Sounds intriguing."


    Link looked at her and smiled, "I have one condition if you can accept it, then I agree to be in a relationship of convenience with you."


    "Speak."


    "While we''re nominally a couple, you can''t have an ambiguous relationship with other men, can''t date other men, nor can you have an emotional affair, because I am a man with strong possessive desires. Can you do that?"


    "No problem," Ivanka TP replied without hesitation, "I''m more focused on my career now and not interested in men. After becoming your girlfriend, I will not have one-on-one interactions with men other than you, ensuring your face is saved completely. If you have any more conditions, just say them." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link thought for a moment. After becoming a relationship of convenience, Ivanka TP wouldn''t meddle in his private life, yet she herself wouldn''t be able to date others ¨C this arrangement seemed to have no downside for him.


    "If you have no objections, from now on, we''re in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship," said Ivanka TP.


    Link looked at her, surprised and uncertain. Just from chatting for a while, how did he become her boyfriend? Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    Ivanka TP''s boyfriend?


    It sounded even more unreliable than being Taylor Swift''s boyfriend.


    "Then it''s settled, I have other things to do. I''m leaving now," Ivanka TP said, getting up.


    "Wait a minute! We''ve just become boyfriend and girlfriend, and you''re leaving now?"


    "Of course, we''re just a relationship of convenience. I''m not obligated to sleep with you. Goodbye!"


    Ivanka TP put on her high heels and left the little shop without looking back, leaving behind a waft of pleasing fragrance.


    Link watched her inviting back disappear and suddenly felt like he''d fallen into a trap.

 Chapter 309 Red Rose White Rose

    "Lana, Link is now my boyfriend."


    Stepping out of the Baker''s shop, Ivanka took out her phone to call her best friend, Lana Del Rey, a seductive smile playing on her lips.


    "Really? Did you confess to him?"


    Lana asked over the phone.


    "No!"


    Ivanka glanced at the people on the beach, nodded at James, and in her high heels, swayed her charming figure as she walked towards the sports car while on the phone.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Miss Ivanka has left."


    Everyone on the beach watched her retreating figure and resumed their discussions about her relationship with Link. Some said Link was her lover, some said they were boyfriend and girlfriend, and others argued they were just colleagues. The debate was endless.


    They asked James if he knew anything.


    James shook his chubby face, and after seeing Ivanka get into the car, he put down the trash bag he was holding and jogged back into the store,


    "Link, Link, I saw Miss Ivanka leave."


    "I know."


    "Aren''t you going to see her off?"


    "She drove here, she doesn''t need me to."


    Link sat on the sofa, arms crossed, still thinking about becoming Ivanka''s boyfriend. Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire


    After breaking up with Taylor, he had sworn never to date a girl with an IQ over 100 ever again.


    Yet not long after, he had found himself a girlfriend who had appeared on the "Business Week" list of ''Top 30 Under 30 Female CEOs'' and the "Forbes Magazine" list of ''Outstanding Post-80s Business Leaders of the Year.''


    It was like he had forgotten the pain once the wound had healed, digging his own grave.


    James grabbed a can of coke, gulped down a few sips, burped, and said, "Everyone is guessing what your relationship with Miss Ivanka is. A couple of guys said you''re her lover. I told them that''s not true, you''re just colleagues, right?"


    "Why are you guys discussing this?"


    Link shook his head, "She''s my girlfriend."


    Burp~


    "How is that possible? She is Miss Ivanka. How could she be your girlfriend? Are you joking?"


    James said, shocked.


    Link raised his eyebrows, somewhat offended by his shock.


    "Is it so unbelievable that she is my girlfriend? Don''t forget, I''m also a billionaire."


    "It''s not the same, not the same at all. Miss Ivanka comes from a rich family. I heard her family owns tens of billions, maybe even hundreds of billions. The tallest building in Palm Beach, the Thompson International Hotel, is owned by her family, and so is the fourth tallest building in New York. Her family are the real wealthy ones.


    Though you''re rich too, you are only a billionaire, and can''t compare to those New York aristocrats. But now she has become your girlfriend; it''s incredible, like something out of a movie where a commoner marries a princess."


    James gestured excitedly as he spoke.


    "I am an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, a top singer, and the most handsome man in the world. Isn''t that more than enough for her?"


    "It does sound like it, but she is the eldest daughter of the Thompson Family with inheritance rights. You once said, when you have saved enough money, you were going to stay a night in their hotel, but now she has become your girlfriend."


    James pinched his arm, wincing at the pain to make sure this was real.


    Link shook his head, finding himself at a loss for words with this guy, and continued to think about becoming a contractual couple with Ivanka.


    The more he thought about it, the more something seemed off.


    According to what Ivanka had said, after they became a couple, he could mess around freely without restrictions, but she couldn''t.


    What was her purpose in doing this?


    Simply to help him create a good public image?


    To help Link Music grow and expand?


    If that was the case, it seemed unnecessary for her, as CEO, to get personally involved.


    Could there be some conspiracy?


    He thought for a moment and then texted Ivanka.


    "Do you like me?"


    This question was first raised by Taylor, who said that Ivanka was also interested in him, a claim he doubted.


    He had wanted to ask her in person just now but didn''t know how to start, and now he felt less awkward asking over the phone.


    "I don''t dislike you. Also, my father is pushing for a marriage, and I need a boyfriend, so you are suitable."


    "Okay, got it."


    Hearing Ivanka say this, Link breathed a sigh of relief. Finding a steady girlfriend for himself was to salvage his public image; Ivanka getting a boyfriend was to appease Mr. TP.


    The mutual assistance was symbiotic, so there was no problem.


    "Do you like me?"


    Two minutes later, Ivanka sent a message.


    Link was somewhat surprised she would ask this while also pondering the question himself. Did he like Ivanka?


    Ivanka was smart, attractive, sexy, knowledgeable, and well-connected. She was set to be extremely wealthy and could be described as a real-life princess.


    Having known Ivanka for nearly two years, he found her character and personality to be good, with no scandals and no bad habits¡ªan exceptionally fine woman.


    Link admired her, respected her abilities, and certainly lusted after her body.


    As for liking her.


    Since they hadn''t spent much time together, he didn''t feel as close to her as he had felt with Taylor.


    "Of course."


    "Understood, there''s something I forgot to tell you. The verdict of the private video leak case will be announced this Wednesday. As the involved party, you need to attend and accept a media interview. If you have no other business in Miami, we can go back to New York together tomorrow."


    "Okay, it turns out you''re here to arrange work for me." sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link replied and put away his phone, while James continued to ramble by his side.


    "Link, I have read some articles in magazines that say that daughters of wealthy families often have bad tempers. I think you should be careful when interacting with Miss Ivanka, treat her even better, and don''t make her angry. If you can marry her in the future, the entire TP estate, including that big hotel, will be yours¡ªwow, just thinking about it is incredible."

 Chapter 309 Red Rose White Rose_2

    Link patted his sturdy shoulder and walked to the entrance of the small shop, nearly all the trash left on the beach had been cleaned up.


    The messy beach only needed to wait for the evening tide, and the sand would be smooth again.


    Link, with hands in his pockets, walked by the seaside, letting the sea wash over his feet, while the sunset on the sea surface suddenly brought back the memory of him training Taylor in guitar playing on the beach years ago.


    Almost as if possessed, he took out his phone and snapped a photo of the beach, sending it to Taylor.


    After two minutes, having received no reply from Taylor, he took off his clothes, left them on the pier, and dove into the deep blue sea for a swim.


    After coming ashore, he received a message from Taylor sent eighteen minutes earlier.


    Taylor, "Are you in Miami?"


    Link, "Yes, just swam in the sea, felt great. Where are you?"


    Taylor, "Nashville"


    Link, "Are you in that villa in the suburbs? Have the irises in the garden withered? Could you send me a picture to see?"


    Taylor, "No, I bought another apartment in the city."


    Link remembered that Taylor was also a well-known real estate mogul in the entertainment industry, owning over a dozen luxury properties, most valued over ten million each.


    Link, "Have you finished recording your third album?"


    Taylor, "Yes."


    Link, "When will it be released?"


    Taylor, "The date is undecided."


    Link, "Last time you said this album would sell more than my ''The Woman I Love''. Do you still think so?"


    Taylor, "Of course, my album can outsell yours without any hype."


    Link, "You really are an arrogant woman."


    Taylor, "That''s confidence."


    Link smiled lightly and typed a message, "Today, Ivanka proposed that we be boyfriend and girlfriend to help me shed the playboy stigma, and I agreed."


    After more than ten seconds, Taylor, "What does that have to do with me? Why are you telling me this?"


    Link, "I thought you should know. She said she wouldn''t interfere with my private life, would tolerate me to the maximum, and would love me wholeheartedly, never breaking up over minor conflicts."


    Taylor, "Haha, congratulations on finding a woman who allows you to mess around outside. Then keep messing around forever. I''m going to practice my guitar, goodbye!"


    Link, "Are you mad?"


    Link sent the message, but the MSN chat interface showed ''not a friend.''


    He was so angry he nearly crushed his phone.


    This woman was infuriating.


    During their breakup, he had specifically written a song to apologize, repeatedly admitted his faults and asked for reconciliation, and even promised to retire early from the music scene for her, playing the emotional card very loudly.


    Taylor was indifferent.


    Before the breakup, they spent three days alone in the villa, making love daily, from morning until night, from night until morning.


    With his strong physical stamina and endurance, he conquered Taylor time and again, feeling numerous times that he had conquered her physically, making her unable to leave him.


    But in the end, she still left.


    Link had been on the boxing ring, on top of the Billboard album charts, defeating many strong rivals time and again, called the strongest man in the world.


    Yet, he couldn''t conquer a woman.


    This sense of defeat was hard for him to let go of.


    Link sighed deeply and dived back into the sea for a swim, until he was utterly exhausted.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Having spent the night in the small shop, the next day he told James that he had received a work assignment and needed to leave Miami early.


    Upon hearing this, James''s spirits visibly fell.


    Link didn''t comfort him, saying that in a lifetime, no one can stay together forever, and parting is the norm.


    As he was about to depart, Eva called, asking him to ride his motorcycle to the street in front of the main entrance of the Thomp International Hotel building to meet her there.


    Link asked why.


    Eva didn''t explain, only saying she hoped he could do it.


    Link had no choice but to comply with her wish, riding James''s small pedal motorcycle through the streets, rumbling up to the towering Thomp International Hotel.


    Just as he was about to call Eva, he saw her descending the stairs, wearing stylish sunglasses, dressed in a sky-blue cinched silk shirt and a black knee-length pencil skirt, which accentuated her curvaceous figure, both the bosom and hips heavily stimulating.


    "Miss Eva, here are your car keys."


    A waiter wearing a red shirt brushed past his shoulder, carrying a set of car keys, and approached Eva.


    Link was momentarily stunned, suddenly feeling that this scene was familiar¡ªit seemed that when they had first met in 2008, Eva was dressed just like this, and even the scene played out the same way.


    "Hey, Miss Eva, I''m your fan, could you sign an autograph for me?" Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link said with a smile.


    Eva took off her sunglasses, revealing curled lashes and blue-gray eyes, and looked at him with a smile.


    "You''re my fan? What do you like about me?"


    "A lot, you''re smart and beautiful, refined and dignified, and you''re also a visionary business executive, a great partner."


    Link assessed her as he spoke.


    "Then would you like to be her boyfriend?"


    Eva slowly walked up to him and extended her fair hand.


    "It would be an honor!"


    Link took her hand and kissed the back of it.


    That day, they both took TP Group''s private plane back to New York and attended the final court hearing and sentencing of several lawsuits on Wednesday.


    Since the computer engineer hadn''t uploaded the video online and didn''t intentionally invade Link''s privacy, he was merely sentenced by the Manhattan District Court to 14 months'' probation for stealing important information.


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    The computer engineer''s friend was sentenced to two years in jail, ordered to return all illegal earnings, and to publicly apologize to Link and Emma Watson.


    The platforms like YouTube, Yahoo, MySpace, and Entertainment Online spread the unauthorized video recordings, infringing on the privacy and reputation of Link and Emma Watson.


    Since the companies'' legal teams were also strong, continuing the fight would incur greater costs.


    After several negotiations, both parties reached a settlement; the companies compensated Link and Emma Watson with 13.5 million US dollars, including fees for the subscription service of the private videos on these platforms.


    The British police also caught the paparazzi who filmed the video.


    During a competition, the paparazzi had hidden in the dressing room, wanting to see if Link was meeting other women backstage, and he indeed caught the moment, filming a video of Link and Emma Watson kissing.


    He initially planned to expose the video, but the spread of the sneak footage would lead to a series of legal problems, and the money earned wouldn''t cover the compensation.


    Led by his colleagues'' advice, he turned it into a scandalous video and sold it to Kent, an entertainment journalist at The Sun, for 100,000 British pounds; he was unclear how the video spread to the United States afterward.


    After over a month of investigation and trials, the British court sentenced the paparazzi to 60 days in jail and a 100,000 British pounds fine for invading the privacy and defamation of celebrities. Kent, the journalist from The Sun, was sentenced to 14 months in jail for business fraud, and ordered to pay a fine of 1.2 million British pounds.


    After the ''private videos'' cases concluded, Link and Emma Watson received total compensation of 18.6 million US dollars. In a public interview outside the court, Link announced that all the compensation would be donated to the newly established Link Global Charitable Foundation.


    The foundation aims to support all professional athletes who are impoverished due to injuries or retirement, regardless of nationality, gender, or sport. All eligible retired athletes would receive funding from the Link Global Charitable Foundation upon approval.


    The funding includes treating injuries, life subsidies, and helping find employment.


    Emma Watson also announced during the interview that she would donate all her compensation to the Link Global Charitable Foundation.


    Link and Emma''s generous donations drew widespread media coverage globally, restoring some of their reputations that were damaged by the private video.

 Chapter 310 Im Really a Warm Man

    "I''m really fed up with you."


    It was early in the morning, and dawn was just breaking along Fifth Avenue outside New York''s Central Park. Dressed in a yellow mosaic tracksuit, Link hurried into a bus stop shelter, looking up at the sky¡ªit was raining again in New York.


    The heavy rain pounded on the raincoat, creating a misty haze over the street, completely enveloping the building of the New York City Museum across the street in the misty rain.


    Although June was the rainy season in New York, and it often rained.


    But last night''s weather forecast by the beautiful host named Evelyn, who swayed her sexy hips, said that there would only be light rain in the Manhattan District today.


    However, the rainfall happening right now was at least 10 millimeters per hour¡ªa heavy rain, not light at all.


    Link shook the rainwater off his hair, sat on the bench at the bus stop, took a lollipop out, popped it into his mouth, and looked around, spotting no homeless people.


    It was still early morning, so there weren''t many pedestrians, just cars moving from north to south, speeding through the fine rain curtain towards Central Manhattan or north towards the Bronx.


    Link leaned on the bench, quietly listening to the sounds of the rain, car horns, and the tearing noise of tires sticking to the wet road¡ªit was noisy everywhere, yet he was able to find a rare moment of peace.


    Over the past few days, he had been busy attending court hearings, holding press conferences, establishing the Link Charity Foundation, organizing fundraising ceremonies, and celebrating victory parties.


    He was constantly shuttling between various parties, accompanying Ivanka to deal with all kinds of people.


    Every day was incredibly busy.


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    It was rare for him to wake up so early today, planning to take a run around Central Park, but alas, the rain had other plans.


    His morning run plans were now completely derailed.


    As he was mocking the heavy rain, a tall, agile figure, stepping on the wet streets and shielding her forehead with her palm, hurried into the shelter of the bus stop.


    Link saw that the newcomer was a girl with a good figure¡ªhe looked twice. She wore Nike running shoes, was over 170 cm tall, with a slim waist and long legs. Although her figure wasn''t as voluptuous as Ivanka''s, it was well-proportioned, like someone who regularly worked out.


    Her skin was fair, and her brown chestnut hair was tied back in a neat ponytail. She was in her early twenties with distinct Italian mixed-race features. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl also noticed him and dropped her hand, looking at him with a pair of large blue eyes, blinked, and her face showed a look of surprise.


    Link was also surprised by those big eyes, recognizable features he had only seen in movies before. He then glanced down at her chest, which was quite developed.


    He could pretty much confirm she was Alexandra Daddario, the lead actress in "Texas Chainsaw 3D" and "Baywatch," known for her nude performance in the popular series "True Detective Season One."


    She was also one of the famed beauties of Hollywood and had been voted by netizens as having the "Best Breasts in Hollywood."


    However, she had not been in the industry long, and her representative works had not yet appeared.


    At this stage, she was just an emerging third-tier actress, far from global icons like Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, and Megan Fox.


    "Are you, are you Mr. Link Baker?"


    The girl asked, blinking her distinctive big eyes.


    "Hello, Miss Daddario, I''ve also seen your movies."


    Link took the lollipop out of his mouth and shook hands with her.


    "Mr. Baker," you know me? That''s so surprising,"


    Daddario said, covering her lips in astonishment.


    "Your eyes are incredibly beautiful, impossible to forget once seen."


    Link complimented.


    "Thank you!"


    Daddario gave a slight smile, brushed her wet hair behind her ear, looked out at the rain and said, "Mr. Baker, what brings you here?" I mean, why are you on Fifth Avenue so early?"


    Link shrugged, telling her he lived in the Yorkville Apartments on East 80th Street and had come here for a morning run, and happened to be caught by the heavy rain, confined under the bus stop shelter.


    Daddario smiled slightly, noting the coincidence that she lived in the Brisbane Apartment Center on East 103rd Street. She too had come for a run and had been driven here by the rain.


    Both the Brisbane Apartment Center and Yorkville Apartments were in the Upper East Side, separated by three blocks. That neighborhood was wealthier than Yorkville, indicating she came from a well-off family.


    Link invited her to sit down and asked about her recent movie projects.


    Daddario mentioned she starred in a low-budget horror movie named "Shadow of Death."


    Link gazed into her large eyes, imagining that in a horror movie, just a slight widening of those eyes would create a terrified expression, perfectly suited for a thriller.


    Daddario mentioned that she had seen the news on TV about the ''private video leak case'' being closed, and congratulated him on his lawsuit victory.


    Link thanked her, mentioning that although he won the case and received a substantial compensation, his reputation had suffered a lot, and he also lost a Taylor, a loss far outweighing the gains.


    "Alex, do you like the rain?"


    Link suddenly asked as he looked at the curtain of rain.


    Daddario turned her head to look outside the rain awning, blinked her big eyes, then turned back to him with a smile, "It depends on my mood. Today''s rain seems quite nice."


    Link smiled lightly, "I don''t like the rain in Miami. When it rains in Miami, it''s often a storm, and sometimes it can rain for days on end. The air becomes muggy and humid; staying at home can be very uncomfortable. The rain in Los Angeles isn''t great either. The amount is too small; it''s almost as if it doesn''t rain at all.


    The rainy days in New York are quite nice though; the streets wet, skyscrapers looming in and out of sight through the rain, like Gotham City in the movies. If you stay at home at such times, or stand by the street with someone to watch the rain and chat, it feels even better."


    "That does sound wonderful."


    Daddario looked at him unexpectedly, noting his handsome, fair side profile with a hint of melancholy between his brows, like the leading man in an art house film, compelling her to keep glancing back at him.


    "Want some candy?"


    Link asked as he took out a lollipop.


    Daddario found it quite amusing that a big star like him would pull out a lollipop from his pocket. She didn''t refuse; she took it and held it in her hand, continuing to gaze out from under the awning.


    Link mentioned that he liked to write songs on rainy days, sitting in front of a floor-to-ceiling window, watching the heavy rain outside, which inspired him more.


    Listening to his description, Daddario imagined him sitting at the piano, looking out the window at the heavy rain, playing "Everything You Need," "Someone You Loved," a scene that must be very beautiful.


    Ah-choo!


    Daddario covered her nose. Having come out for a run early in the morning, she was wearing only a sports tank top, which, after getting wet in the rain, caused her body temperature to drop. Sitting under the awning for a while made her feel chilly.


    "Sorry, I''m only wearing one layer of clothing, so I can''t offer much help."


    "That''s okay, it''s just a bit chilly,"


    Daddario said as she rubbed her fair arms.


    She was wearing only a white sports bra which had gotten partially wet in the rain, revealing the heavy contours of her chest. Her slender arms and delicate collarbones were also exposed to the air.


    Probably because it was so cold, her fair skin turned cold white, as smooth as marble; one could feel the chill on her skin without even touching it.


    Click!


    The foggy sky thundered dully, and after just more than ten seconds, the rain outside intensified. A gust of wind blew from the south, carrying some cold rain into the awning, sprinkling it on Link and Daddario.


    Daddario shivered, clutching her arms and rubbing her shoulders.


    "Would you find it offensive if I put my arm around your shoulders?"


    Link spread his hands and asked.


    Daddario paused, then instinctively said, "No!"


    "Then I can lend you some warmth."


    Link gave a slight smile and placed his arm around her shoulders.


    Her skin was icy, with a smooth, delicate touch, and her scent was quite pleasant.


    However, Link just placed his palm on her shoulder and did not wander indiscriminately.


    As Daddario leaned into his embrace, she felt slightly dizzy. His palm was very hot, and his embrace was warm. Her shoulder pressed against his chest could also feel his sturdy muscles, which was very reassuring.


    His scent was also very alluring.


    Daddario did not resist this embrace.


    However, considering they had only met less than ten minutes ago, exchanged just a few words, and were now sharing shoulders, it felt odd.


    Luckily, Link was merely holding her shoulder, allowing her to lean against him without any inappropriate actions, and Daddario breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that Link was very gentlemanly.


    Link, looking at the heavy rain, asked her what sports she liked.


    Daddario said yoga, occasionally playing tennis.


    Link said he also liked tennis and invited her to play at the Central Park''s outdoor tennis court sometime soon.


    Daddario agreed.


    Beep beep!


    After waiting for over ten minutes, the M86 bus finally arrived.


    Link grabbed Daddario''s hand, and they both rushed onto the bus.

 Chapter 311 I Kiss A Girl

    The M86 bus didn''t have air conditioning, but the temperature inside was still more than ten degrees warmer than outside. As soon as you entered the bus, you could feel a wave of warm air envelop you.


    Since it was an early morning service, there weren''t many people. Link, wearing a baseball cap, sat in a front seat on the upper deck of the bus where he had the best view. He could see the heavy rain and the buildings lost in it through the window.


    Dadalio sat down next to him, shoulder to shoulder. Link''s shoulders seemed to be forever warm, while hers were as cold as stone.


    Dadalio had heard that people with strong bodies have faster blood circulation and higher body temperatures than normal. Someone like Link must be very strong.


    "Thank you! I''ll buy you a coffee next time."


    Dadalio said, as she had only brought her music player with her when she left home. She didn''t bring anything else, and Link had helped her buy the bus ticket.


    "Don''t you check the weather forecast before going out for a run?"


    Link asked the girl beside him.


    Dadalio, smoothing her damp fringe, laughed and said, "I don''t usually go out for a run. I woke up early today and saw it looked foggy outside, like it was going to rain. I thought running in a light rain would be fun, so I just took my music player. I didn''t expect it to rain this heavily halfway through."


    "I watched the weather forecast, and it mentioned light to moderate rain today, but it turned out to be so inaccurate."


    Link leaned lazily back in his seat, looking at the rain-soaked city, which felt cooler and somewhat cleaner.


    "It would have been better if this heavy rain had fallen in Paris. Last month I was in Paris filming Woody Allen''s new movie. He said Paris is most beautiful after the rain and planned to film several scenes on rainy days. Unfortunately, it didn''t rain for over a month of shooting. Woody Allen was very disappointed and, in the end, had to change the script."


    "Was it ''Midnight in Paris''? I read about that film project in the news, a sister piece to ''Midnight in Barcelona''. It must also be a great movie."


    Dadalio said.


    "Yes, it''s a very artsy film. I practiced for a long time to get the lead male role right, and I almost got lost in the character."


    "You''re amazing. You''re a world boxing champion, sing so beautifully, and your acting is fantastic. Yet I can''t even do well in the one line of acting. Sometimes I feel so stupid."


    Dadalio pouted slightly and said in annoyance.


    Link smiled slightly and found that when she puffed up her cheeks, she somewhat resembled Selena, just with a more mature face shape, not Selena''s eternal baby face, which was adorably cute.


    "Are you satisfied with your life now?"


    "...It''s not bad."


    Dadalio thought for a moment before saying, "My family supports my acting career. Every time they see me on screen in a small role, they cheer and celebrate as if I had won an Olympic gold medal. They love me, and I love them too. Yes, I''m very satisfied."


    Link said, "That does sound pretty good, luckier than me. Even though I have many crowns and honors and am pursued by media and fans wherever I go, like the center of attention of the world, when I return home, there''s no one else in the room but me. Happy and joyful moments have no one to share with, and it feels like I''ve been abandoned by the entire world. So, the life you have now is really enviable."


    Dadalio turned to look at him and saw that the melancholy emotion between his brows had deepened. Her heart couldn''t help but flutter, and she wanted to reach out and give him a hug to remove the cold from his heart.


    But she didn''t have the courage. She brushed her hair from her ear and shrugged, saying, "I''m not that enviable. I really want to act in arthouse films. I''ve tried many auditions, but those casting directors say my eyes are too big, which makes it easy to break character in arthouse films, and that my acting skills are average.


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    Okay, I haven''t performed in plays and haven''t received professional acting training, so my skills certainly aren''t on par with Broadway actors.


    But I''m working hard. Whenever I get a role, I study the script seriously. In my free time, I even go to performing arts schools nearby to improve myself. Still, at the auditions, they''re reluctant to give me the parts. It infuriates me."


    Link smiled gently as he listened to the girl continue, "And then there are my parents, who, although supportive of my acting, often urge me to start a relationship and get married soon. They say getting married doesn''t conflict with acting, but I know it''s not that simple. Once a woman gets married and has children, her time is no longer her own. Continuing to act becomes nearly impossible, so my life is also a mess."


    "That does sound a bit annoying. So, are we having a misery competition here?"


    "Uh, it seems like it."


    Dadalio covered her mouth and chuckled, finding it strange that she would share her innermost thoughts with a guy she had met less than half an hour ago. But speaking out felt good. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bus''s sound system began to play Link''s song "Someone You Loved".


    I''m going under and this time


    I fear there''s no one to save me


    This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy


    I need somebody to heal


    Somebody to know


    Somebody to have


    Somebody to hold


    "You sing really well. I also have this song in my music player; it''s great to listen to on a rainy day."


    Dadalio said, admiring the music.


    Link, too, listened to the song playing over the speakers. He used to listen to his own songs as if watching his own movies in a cinema, involuntarily comparing with the original, and feeling a sense of detachment from the world.

 Chapter 311 I Kiss A Girl_2

    Gradually, I got used to listening to my own songs from a professional perspective and realized that I actually sang quite well. Whether it was breath control, vocal line, or emotional expression, I was on par with the original singers.


    This "Someone You Loved" is a song released by British singer Lewis Capaldi in ''18 and was nominated for a Grammy Award for ''Song of the Year''.


    It was also the only melancholic love song in Link''s third album. Upon release, it skyrocketed to the top of Britain''s singles chart in its first week and reached second and third positions on the Billboard Hot 100, right behind "Everything You Need" and "Girls Like You".


    After he and Taylor broke up, and with the media''s hype, this song remained in the top three of the charts for five consecutive weeks and is still within the top ten, its popularity undiminished.


    Some media joked that he released the song too early; if he had saved it for his next album, it surely would have been a number-one hit.


    "Link, I also like your ''Love Is Gone''. I''ve watched that video over ten times," Dadalio said, gesturing with her slender fingers.


    "Are you my fan?"


    "Initially, I was a boxing fan. My dad and brother are both huge fans of your boxing; they said you were incredibly good, have watched all your boxing matches live, and even saw you fight at Madison Square Garden. I''ve watched it twice, too. Later on, when I heard you sing, I found your songs amazing as well and became a fan of your music, so... Idol, could I have your autograph?"


    Dadalio stretched out her delicate palm towards him.


    Link smiled faintly, scribbled his name with his index finger on her palm, and added "For the beautiful Alexandra".


    Dadalio pulled back her hand, clenched it into a fist, and thanked him.


    After his song finished playing on the bus''s speakers, to my surprise, Taylor''s "Love Story" came on.


    Both songs were about love, but one was sad and somber while the other upbeat and positive, as if a clash of fire and ice.


    "Taylor''s songs are also fantastic. I think both of you are immensely talented and were such a good match. It''s a pity you broke up," Dadalio remarked.


    "I thought so, too, but she didn''t," Link said, spreading his hands.


    "I heard it''s because you were too flirtatious. Is that true?" Dadalio asked, batting her big blue eyes, her small round face reminiscent of Selena''s and brimming with curiosity.


    Link smiled helplessly, "It''s true. Would you think of me as a bad guy?"


    Dadalio pondered briefly, "I like your boxing, your songs, and I really admire you. Although your flirtatious nature is a bit disappointing, I feel it makes you more real. If you were so impressive and yet so faithful, without any flaws, it would seem fake."


    "You fans are tough to please. If I''m not flirtatious, you think I''m pretending, and when I am, you call me a scumbag. So, what am I supposed to do?"


    Link groaned, rubbing his temple with a headache.


    Haha!


    Dadalio covered her mouth with a giggle, turned to look at his face, and said, "Link, I still can''t quite believe it. I just went out for a run this morning, and I never imagined running into you on the street and sitting here chatting. It''s incredible."


    Link smiled faintly as the girl became livelier with familiarity.


    "I find it incredible, too. Last time I was there to avoid the rain, I met a homeless man, and today I meet a beautiful girl like you. It feels quite marvelous¡ªthis must be... fate."


    Link explained the meaning of fate as he looked at Dadalio.


    Their gazes met, and as she looked into his deep, clear blue eyes, his handsome, pale face, and the pleasant scent emanating from him, her heart involuntarily skipped a few beats.


    She blinked her long lashes, hugged her arms, and turned back to look out at the heavy rain through the window.


    The bus picked up speed as it entered the express lane, and the rain outside seemed to intensify.


    "Still cold? Would you like me to warm you up a bit more?" Link asked.


    "Then I''ll buy you coffee twice," said Dadalio, leaning her shoulder toward him.


    "Deal!"


    Link wrapped his arm around her fragrant shoulder, his palms gently caressing the smooth, chilly skin on the outside of her shoulder, feeling the tenderness and elasticity of her skin.


    Dadalio felt a jolt of electricity course through her body from her shoulder, drawing her involuntarily closer into his embrace.


    Link held the girl''s shoulder, stared out at the thick rain, the cars racing in the rain, the blurred neon lights, and the damp city, and suddenly thought of a song.


    "Alexandra, I''ve written a new song recently. Would you like to hear it?"


    "I''d love to."


    Dadalio nodded her head. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link recalled the lyrics and softly hummed the rather famous melancholic love song "Let her go."


    Well you only need the light when it''s burning low


    You only think of the light when it dims and fades


    Only miss the sun when it starts to snow


    You only long for the warmth of the sun amidst ice and snow


    Only know you love her when you let her go


    Only after letting go do you understand true love


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    Only know you''ve been high when you''re feeling low


    Dadalio listened quietly to his singing, his gentle and magnetic voice, touching lyrics, like a brush tickling her ears, so comforting it became addictive.


    She looked up at him, also saw the sadness and melancholy on his face, and couldn''t help but hug his arm, trying to comfort him in this way.


    Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast


    Love comes gently and leaves so cruelly


    Well you see her when you fall asleep


    Now you can only see her in your dreams


    But never to touch and never to keep


    Link sang once through, then lowered his head to look at the girl beside him, "Does it sound good?"


    "It sounds very good, just too melancholic."


    Dadalio was affected, a hint of sorrow in her blue eyes, making them even more enchanting.


    "Probably because of my mood, recently I can only write songs like these."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    "Are they all written for Taylor?"


    Dadalio gently asked.


    "Now several are."


    "Then you must love her very much."


    "Yes, it''s my fault for being fickle and carelessly losing her."


    "Don''t be sad, a great guy like you will definitely find a better girl more suited for you in the future."


    Dadalio said, looking at him earnestly.


    Link also looked into her mesmerizing blue eyes.


    Dadalio just stared back at him, unblinking, her pink lips pursed together.


    Link leaned down close to her, looking at the face within arm''s reach, and softly asked, "Alex, you''re so beautiful, may I kiss you?"


    Dadalio''s eyelashes trembled, she closed her big eyes, lifted her lovely face, and leaned into his embrace.


    Link held the girl, deeply kissing her soft lips.


    Outside the window, it continued to rain, the fine threads of rain blurring the glass.


    The few passengers sitting in the back of the second level, seeing the young couple kiss passionately at the front, each showed an envious gaze.


    The men envied the kissing boy even more, though they couldn''t see the girl''s face clearly, they could see her slender and rounded thighs from the side, her delicate and fair waist, her rapidly expanding breasts, and her chestnut-brown long hair. Even her demure profile under the light looked fair and delicate.


    From any angle, she was a wonderful girl.


    It was just a pity that the person kissing her wasn''t oneself.


    The men glared at Link with the hat, some even took out their phones to sneak a photo.


    Ding ding ding!


    "103rd Street station is coming up, passengers wishing to disembark please prepare to do so in advance."

 Chapter 312 The Girl in the Bedroom

    Thud!


    The bus slowly came to a halt at the stop on 80th Street.


    Link got off the bus; the sky was still drizzling, but the rain had lessened significantly.


    He purchased a bouquet of multi-petaled tulips, a freshly baked cheese pizza, and some fresh vegetables and fruits at the Costco on the street corner, and returned to the Yorkville apartment with his purchases.


    After Link had confirmed their relationship with Ivanka, they had discussed living arrangements several times.


    The first matter was whether to live together.


    Both agreed that they should live together.


    Link enjoyed the lively atmosphere of having more people around, making it less lonely, and living with Ivanka meant enjoying the pleasant sight of her presence daily even if they couldn''t share a bed.


    Ivanka felt that living together was convenient for discussing work and getting to know each other better.


    The second issue was where to live?


    Both Link and Ivanka owned properties in New York.


    Her apartment was in the Woolworth Building, also known as the Billionaire''s Building, facing Manhattan''s busiest business district. From the floor-to-ceiling windows of the apartment, one could look down on Wall Street and the Hudson River, with New York''s most bustling district as their backyard, boasting top-tier location and views.


    This apartment was sold for 22 million US dollars in 2003, and was now unbuyable even with money.


    Link had visited the apartment, which was decorated lavishly and filled with numerous artworks, resembling an art palace.


    There were services like a butler, cleaning staff, a chef, security, and a florist available.


    The conditions were superb, as though living inside a noble''s castle.


    However, for Link, living in such a place felt restrictive, a sensation that had nothing to do with his financial status but was more about an ingrained lifestyle he couldn''t presently change.


    He also wanted Ivanka to move to his Yorkville apartment, but the apartments there were too small to accommodate all her clothes, shoes, bags, and accessories.


    After discussion, Link suggested buying a villa in Central Park''s wealthy district as their cohabitation spot, naturally funded by him as he wasn''t short of money for real estate.


    Ivanka agreed and wanted to assist him personally in finding a house, picking out a top-class mansion for him.


    They were still searching for the right property.


    Before acquiring the villa, he would stay here, or he could stay at Ivanka''s place, wherever he wished.


    As he opened the apartment door, the crystal chandelier in the living room lit up, brightening up the entire apartment which was opulently decorated as well.


    Luxurious Italian furniture, hardwood floors, Swarovski crystal lamps, walls adorned with 500 US dollars per square meter high-end customized wallpaper, Turkish handmade wool carpets, and many paintings and sculptures in the study and living room which, although not antiques, were all genuine pieces priced at thousands of US dollars or more.


    When he got the apartment, he had spent over 800,000 US dollars on its decorations intending to make it a love nest with Taylor, even specially preserving a baby room which ended up unused.


    Just thinking about it irritated him.


    Link, holding a brown paper bag, moved to the kitchen to sort the groceries into the fridge, filled the empty fruit bowl, and distributed the tulips into several vases on the counter.


    Ding-dong~ Ding-dong~


    The phone on the counter started ringing; Ivanka was calling.


    "Ivanka, what''s up?"


    Link held the phone with one hand while wiping the counter with a cloth.


    "Has Emma Watson not left yet?"


    Ivanka asked, her tone subdued.


    "No, she''ll return to the set in the afternoon to film, and will likely leave before noon."


    "Come to the Woolworth apartment this afternoon. I''ve bought some seafood and plan to cook at the apartment. How does that sound?"


    "Are you going to cook personally?"


    "Yes, I''ve learned cooking too, though I don''t do it often. I want to give it a try."


    "Sounds great."


    Link smiled lightly, telling Ivanka he would also head to the office in the afternoon, and they could meet there.


    Ivanka agreed and asked him to be cautious when sending Emma off, to avoid being caught by the paparazzi.


    Link smirked, acknowledging that he understood.


    Emma Watson had recently been in the United States filming "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ¨C Part 1."


    The movie had started shooting in February, with filming locations in Britain and the United States; they filmed in Britain during March and April, and in May, Emma moved with the crew to America, sneaking off to spend a couple of days in Paris with him in between.


    In the past few days, as the ''Private Video Copyright Infringement Case'' was adjudicated, Emma had taken leave to attend a press conference and celebration in New York, sneaking into his apartment afterward with him.


    Ivanka knew about this but had never bothered about it.


    Now that she brought it up, he felt a peculiar unease.


    After putting down the phone, Link went to the bedroom and turned on the corner lamp by the bed. Under the big bed''s blanket was a curled-up petite figure.


    "Emma, do you want to get up? If you wake up later, I can cook later."


    Link shouted.


    Emma Watson blinked her curved eyelashes, stared at him for two seconds, and suddenly pulled up the blanket to cover half of her face.


    "Don''t look, I''m not wearing makeup."


    "It doesn''t matter, I''ve seen your bare face, and it''s beautiful."


    Link pinched her cheek.


    Emma Watson was only twenty years old, with fair and tender skin, and delicate features, except for a few brown freckles beside her nose that made her look less than perfect, but the rest of her was quite nice.


    She had a petite figure and soft skin, matched with her British lady-like demeanor, projecting a different kind of beauty from American actresses like Anne Hathaway and Megan Fox, which was also her distinctive trait.


    "Then you should go out first, I need to get dressed."


    Emma said from behind the blanket.


    "Alright!"


    After preparing breakfast, Emma had also finished her ablutions and walked into the dining room from outside.


    She wore a blue dress that revealed her delicate collarbones and fair arms, her golden brown hair freshly washed, adding a slight puffiness that made her cheeks appear smaller, only the size of a palm.


    "It smells good, did you make all this?"


    Emma surveyed the breakfast on the table and asked.


    There was cheese ham pizza, fruit salad, two servings of seafood chowder, along with bread and fried eggs, all giving off a delicious aroma.


    "Except for the pizza, I made everything, try it!"


    Link put down the plate and said.


    Emma tasted a spoonful of seafood soup, nodded her head, and said it was very delicious.


    Link handed her a piece of bread and fruit syrup.


    The two chatted while they ate.


    Emma asked him if he really broke up with Taylor.


    Link said it was true.


    Emma asked if he blamed her for initiating the kiss in the changing room, leading to their breakup.


    Link said no, the fault of breaking up with Taylor lay in his own inability to control his urges, and it had little to do with Emma; the video was merely the catalyst.


    Emma then asked what his relationship with Ivanka was.


    Link told her directly, they were a couple.


    These days during the court hearings, he and Ivanka often entered and exited together, and although it wasn''t officially announced, the media were already speculating that they were a couple.


    Emma seemed a bit disheartened upon hearing this.


    Link didn''t comfort her, instead asking about her recent work schedule.


    Emma said that after finishing Harry Potter, she planned to break into Hollywood and develop her career in the United States.


    She had also recently taken on a script for an art film called The Perks of Being a Wallflower, directed by Stephen Chbosky from Rent.


    There was a role very suitable for him, she asked if he''d like to try it and collaborate together.


    Link thought about it, not having much impression of the script, but didn''t decline either, saying he''d decide after reading the script.


    While they were eating breakfast, Emma''s assistant called. The assistant would come to pick her up in an hour, so she needed to be ready in advance.


    Hearing that she had to leave soon, Emma was very reluctant to go, saying she wanted to come again.


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    Link didn''t disappoint her.


    He carried her and they did an aerobic exercise in the dining room.


    Releasing all the pent-up energy he had accumulated on the bus ride.


    Completely let it out.


    During the exercise, he told Emma that he was not a good man, continually cheating even when having a girlfriend, being a true playboy. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She was a good girl, deserved a life of her own, and continuing to tangle with him would do her no good.


    Emma, leaning in his arms, said she didn''t mind.


    She had tried dating other men last year.


    But when with those men, she couldn''t help but compare them to him.


    She realized that the gap between them was even greater than that between humans and monkeys, boring and dull.


    She wanted to continue dating him, even if just as lovers.


    Link was somewhat pleased to hear her words.


    But recalling another woman, that bit of pride vanished instantly, and a surge of anger welled up in him.

 Chapter 313 Light Heavyweight Competition

    "Who are you thinking about?"


    "I''m not thinking about anyone!"


    "Don''t lie to me, I can tell. You hit harder when you''re lost in thought."


    "...It''s Taylor, sorry!"


    "It doesn''t matter, I don''t mind. Hmm, you''re thinking about her again, aren''t you? I can feel it."


    "You''re really a pesky little imp. Your assistant is here; you should go shower and change."


    "I don''t want to, I want to stay connected with you."


    ¡ª¡ª


    After discreetly seeing Emma off, Link drove to the main event boxing training facility to practice boxing.


    While training, Franco dropped by to discuss moving up to the light heavyweight division, according to the plan he would climb to light heavyweight early next year.


    The current masters in this division mainly include four people: WBA light heavyweight champion Belrut Shumenov, WBC champion Bernard Hopkins, IBF champion Chad Dawson, and WBO champion Nathan Cleverly.


    Among the four champions was an acquaintance, ''The Executioner'' Hopkins.


    Hopkins is 45 this year but still in prime condition. He started his career in ''88, initially as a middleweight boxer, and in ''95 became the IBF middleweight world champion, successfully defending this title for nine consecutive years.


    In ''05 he became the WBA-WBC-WBO-IBF undisputed middleweight champion.


    In ''06 he moved up to super middleweight, light heavyweight, and last year, after defeating title challenger Enrique Onerlas, captured the vacant WBC light heavyweight championship, possessing considerable strength.


    As Link was a renowned boxer, after moving up to light heavyweight, he wouldn''t need to fight qualifiers to contend for a championship challenge; he could declare war on the champions directly through his agency''s arrangements.


    Franco told him that he had already issued challenge invitations to the agencies and boxing organizations of the four champions, with only WBA champion Belrut Shumenov accepting the challenge so far. The agencies of the other three champions had yet to respond.


    The agency would continue the negotiations to ensure everything went smoothly for his fights in the light heavyweight division next year.


    Link had some expectations for the light heavyweight competitions.


    First, the opponents in the light heavyweight division were stronger, and the matches were more challenging. Defeating powerful opponents could bring about greater improvement for himself.


    Second, after moving into light heavyweight, his weight could increase to 80 kilograms.


    With his current height and weight, 76 kilograms was considered sturdy. Adding seven or eight more kilos of muscle, muscles in various parts of his body would become bulkier and more robust, making him look even more valiant.


    Furthermore, regarding his diet, there was no need to be as strict. He could relax a bit and eat more meat.


    Third, the light heavyweight matches attracted more attention.


    In the world of boxing, the heavyweight fights had the highest popularity and the broadest market, with light heavyweight following.


    Compared to these, the super middleweight was just a niche rank.


    Before Link, the super middleweight matches didn''t draw as much attention as middleweight, lightweight, or super welterweight, which also meant not many boxing stars in this field and lower PPV earnings.


    This was one reason why the purses for Link''s recent two fights were always just over twenty million, and he couldn''t reach thirty or forty million.


    Simply put, the super middleweight had a relatively low ceiling.


    If he wanted to become a globally renowned super boxer, on par with Tyson or Ali, he had to step out of his comfort zone, face stronger opponents in higher divisions, and capture more people''s attention. If successful, his earnings for each fight would also significantly increase.


    Those were the benefits.


    However, there were also drawbacks. There were more skilled boxers in light heavyweight. If he was defeated in a match, the losses would be substantial.


    After discussing the light heavyweight matches, Franco brought up another matter.


    Since Dynasty Promotion Company had been developing swiftly over the past two years, with higher net earnings in the first half of the year than top-tier, main event, and competitive gym promotions, it had attracted the attention of investors.


    Now, several financial institutions that invested in sports projects wanted to invest in Dynasty Promotion, valuing it between 250 and 300 million US dollars.


    Franco asked him whether he wanted to accept the financing.


    The advantage of accepting was that the company would have more funds for publicity, brand marketing, and channel expansion, which would enhance Link''s fame worldwide, along with higher box office and PPV revenue.


    The reason Tyson became globally famous back in the day was, one, he was formidable, and two, the promotion by Don King and the American media was very successful.


    With extra funds, Dynasty Promotion could also sign and train more professional boxers.


    Eventually, the company wouldn''t have to rely solely on him to stay afloat, and the development would be more stable.


    The downside was that Link''s shares in Dynasty Promotion would be diluted, and conflicts might arise within the company''s management in the future.


    This wasn''t much of a problem for Link.


    He owned 30% of Dynasty''s shares, worth about thirty or forty million dollars. After financing, the value of his shares would rise as well.


    Moreover, the main source of income for Dynasty Promotion came from his share of boxing match earnings. No matter who managed the company, they couldn''t shake his core position in the team.


    If the management''s decisions harmed his interests, he had every right to demand corrections.


    If the cooperation was unsatisfactory, he could terminate the contract ahead of time.


    When he had signed the contract initially, the penalty for breaching the agreement with Dynasty Promotion was three times the signing bonus, about 24 million US dollars, which wasn''t much for him.


    Link told Franco to make all the decisions, and that he would support whatever decision he made.


    Franco expressed his gratitude.


    Link also discussed with Franco that in the future, in addition to signing boxers, Dynasty Promotion could also sign football, basketball, and American football players to diversify and allow Dynasty Promotion to go further.


    In this area, their competitor, Athletic Room Sports, was doing well. Aside from boxing, they also signed athletes in niche sports such as tennis, badminton, and ice hockey.


    Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Link had the idea that when he had time in the future, he might buy an NBA team or an American football team just for fun.


    Upon hearing this, Franco indicated it was worth considering.


    After sending Franco off, Link continued his boxing practice.


    In the meantime, Mario came over to bother him, saying he wanted to spar with him to see how long he could last against him and whether he had improved.


    Link did not agree. Since Mario turned professional last year, he had initially enjoyed several consecutive victories, but later when competing for the WBC Cruiserweight US championship, he was eliminated in the second round of the preliminaries.


    He currently had a professional record of 9 fights, 6 wins, and 3 losses, which was a mediocre performance, slightly worse than Reggie''s.


    "Link, are you refusing to fight me because you think I''m not worthy of being your opponent?" asked Mario with his belly sticking out and a dark expression on his face.


    "Yes, you''re not worthy!"


    "....."


    Mario''s facial muscles twitched as he wanted to get angry, but then he remembered that this guy was no longer the little boxer of the past but a billionaire, a big star, a super boxing champion.


    He rubbed his big nose and grumpily asked, "Why not?"


    Link glanced at him, took a water bottle, and poured it over his hot muscles, then wiped his chest with a towel, "If you want to know if you''ve improved, go punch the heavy bag. If your punch strength has increased, it means you''ve improved; otherwise, you haven''t. Why spar with me?"


    "But my technique..."


    "Don''t talk to me about technique, this is professional boxing. Technique without the support of punch power is just a paper tiger. If you want to keep fighting in the ring, just train properly, and don''t always think about becoming an overnight sensation. If you don''t want to fight anymore, then go back to Miami early to take over the family business; after all, your family isn''t short on money,"


    said Link.


    Mario''s family owned a cattle farm and a meat processing plant, one of the largest beef suppliers in Palm Beach County with a market value of seven or eight million dollars. He was indeed a second-generation rich kid.


    "No, I want to box. My goal is to become a Cruiserweight world champion, and at the very least, the world champion of a smaller organization,"


    said Mario, clenching his fists resolutely. But then, with a slump of his shoulders, he added, "But professional boxing is too difficult. It''s very hard to win a match. Sometimes, even when I give it my all and my face is swollen from being punched, I still can''t win. What can I do? I''m not like you, practicing for a year and gaining more than fifty pounds of punch weight. That''s just too exaggerated; nobody can compare with you."


    Mario''s face, creased with folds of flesh, looked pitiful.


    Link shook his head, "A person who has given their all and lost a match would never complain like this. They would be burying themselves in training, striving to improve their strength and aiming to turn defeat into victory in the next match. Go and train. Persist in your training, and your fists and body won''t betray your efforts. If you don''t believe me, go into retreat and train for half a year, then compete again. If you lose, come find me."


    "Fine, you said it. If I lose, you have to lead the training. Don''t forget, I''m your first sparring partner, not Morales,"


    said Mario, pounding his chest with his fists before running off to the weight training area to lift weights.


    Link put on his gloves and continued to spar against his training partner, Curry.


    After training, he went to test his current punching power at the punch force machine.


    Last June, he had tested it and recorded ten consecutive punches with a maximum of 1610 pounds for his right fist and 1440 pounds for his left fist.


    A year later, he tested again to find the maximum at 1640 pounds for his right fist and 1480 pounds for his left fist.


    Although both had increased, compared to the rapid progress during the latter half of 2008, his improvement over the past year was not significant. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With the current punching power, there wasn''t much of an advantage in the Light Heavyweight domain.


    To win the division''s Golden Belt, he would need to improve his technique further to compensate for the lack of punching power.

 Chapter 314 Three Script Invitations

    "Will you go jogging in the morning again tomorrow?"


    While changing his clothes in the locker room, he turned on his phone and saw a message from Alexandra Daddario.


    "Yes, if there''s no hail tomorrow." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link replied to the message.


    As he put on his pants, the girl quickly sent back a message.


    "I''d like to run too, how about we meet at the bus stop outside the museum at seven tomorrow morning?"


    "Okay, it''s a date."


    The girl also replied, "It''s a date."


    When he left the boxing gym after three in the afternoon, the New York sky had cleared up, the sunlight shining on the streets of Brooklyn. The high-rises looked rejuvenated, and the leaves of the cedar and plane trees alongside the road were lushly green.


    Link drove towards Central Manhattan, planning to check out Link Music.


    Shortly after he hit the road, he received a phone call from Paris, France. It was Frank Arela, the assistant to director Woody Allen, on the line.


    Frank asked if he was available on Wednesday and Thursday, mentioning the weather forecast predicted rain in Paris on those days. Allen had planned to revert some altered scenes back to their original settings and shoot them, striving to make the film perfect without any regrets.


    Link felt resigned, reverting to the original meant another trip to Paris to endure Woody Allen''s torment.


    He had just gone through a breakup recently and was already in a bad mood. On set, he was nearly driven to depression by Allen''s daily manipulation.


    He really did not want to go back there.


    He checked his schedule.


    His main tasks in the coming days included boxing training, tour rehersals, shooting commercials, and a boxing match on Sunday. Going to Paris on Wednesday and Thursday was feasible.


    He asked Frank if they could finish shooting by Friday, and suggested that if they couldn''t, the crew should pick another time because the boxing match date was already fixed and could not be changed.


    Frank said he needed to ask director Allen.


    Link could hear Frank talking with Allen over the phone.


    Allen agreed, stating that if Link''s performance wasn''t too bad, they could finish in one day.


    Link felt quite displeased.


    Though his acting might not compare to veteran actors, it was still considered good among his peers.


    Both Marion Cotillard and Jennifer Lawrence, two highly skilled actresses, had praised his acting as excellent, noting his mastery over micro-expressions and emotional control and recognizing his natural talent in acting.


    But every time he joined the set, Woody Allen seemed to find some fault in his performance to exaggerate and undermine his confidence.


    Link felt numb and eventually didn''t even bother to argue.


    "Link, director Allen said okay."


    "Alright, I''ll be there on time."


    Link hung up the phone and drove to the Link Music office in Manhattan. He told Anna about the need to return to Paris for shooting on Wednesday and Thursday, asking her to arrange his schedule in advance.


    Anna told him Catherine had sent over three scripts and an audition invitation. The three scripts were for ''The Green Hornet,'' ''Warrior,'' and ''In Time.''


    ''The Green Hornet'' is a remake of a 1960''s Bruce Lee film about a wealthy white man and a Japanese martial arts expert named Kato, who fight for justice together.


    The second male lead appears to be Jay Chou.


    A terrible film, not worth considering.


    ''Warrior'' is about two brothers who enter a free fight competition, meeting in the ring to fight for their respective goals.


    Although the movie is about free fighting, with two brothers fighting each other on the stage, at its core, the narrative is similar to "The Fighter". It speaks of family, faith, friendship, honor, and so on.


    He had watched this movie, one of the lead actors was Tom Hardy, a famous British actor, and the movie was of good quality.


    But Link didn''t plan to act in it, firstly because he didn''t want to repeat himself, and secondly, this movie didn''t offer a chance to compete for the Oscars.


    "In Time" is a science fiction action film set in a fictional world where every person is born with a ''timer'' on their arm that displays the duration of their life. Time is also currency and can be used to trade and buy anything you want.


    However, due to genetic defects, everyone can only live up to the age of 25 at the most. To continue living, one must obtain more time through various means, including working, borrowing, trading, selling, and even robbing.


    The male protagonist is a poor man who works in a factory to survive. By chance, he receives a hundred years of time from a wealthy man, and his life changes dramatically.


    Link had seen this movie, which starred Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried. It was generally well-received critically, but it was quite famous and seemed to do well at the box office.


    After reviewing these three script invitations, Link felt a bit helpless.


    Last year, after "The Fighter" was released, it brought him some positive reviews. He had thought he would be flooded with script offers.


    However, from the current situation, the mainstream film circle still did not fully appreciate his acting, especially the top artistic directors, except for director Allen, no one else seemed willing to give him good roles.


    Producers from movies like "The Expendables" and "The Green Hornet" invited him to collaborate not because of his acting skills but because of his fame, which drew substantial box office pull.


    If he wanted to make a name for himself in the film industry, he still needed good works to prove himself. Starting with commercial films was also an option.


    "Anna, how much is the fee for this movie?"


    Link asked while holding the script for "In Time".


    "The initial offer is eight million US dollars, but if you agree to take the role, we can continue negotiating the fee,"


    Miss Anna said, holding the documents.


    "The script is good, keep talking with them. What''s the other audition invitation for?"


    "It''s Marvel Studios'' new project ''Captain America'', the preparatory work has been completed, and casting is currently ongoing. The production team has also sent you an audition invitation for next Monday to Wednesday."


    Miss Anna said.


    Captain America?


    Hearing this role, Link became thoughtful.


    Firstly, the role was excellent. From the "Captain America" movies to "The Avengers" series and "Thor" series, Cap had been an essential character. If he could secure this role, he wouldn''t have to worry about movies or money for the next decade.


    But according to film industry sayings, after acting in a Marvel movie, the difficulty of obtaining an Oscar increases significantly. Actors like Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans, who have talent and have acted in many artistic films, still aren''t favored by the Oscars.


    Link was already a cross-industry actor, not favored by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. If he took this role, winning an award would be even more challenging.


    So to act or not to act, that was the question.


    Link thought it over and decided first to attend the audition.


    "Captain America" was a significant movie project, attracting a lot of attention, and many famous actors were competing for this role. It wasn''t easy for him to pass the audition, so there was no need to ponder whether to act at this stage. Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Anna, arrange it, I''m prepared to attend the audition for Cap."


    "Okay, boss!"


    Anna nodded and asked if he had any other instructions.


    Link said there were none and asked Anna to go ahead and make arrangements. He flipped through the script and thought for a moment, then picked up the phone to call Catherine to inquire about the situation at Palm Beach Films, as he planned to start "Buried" by the end of the year.


    Catherine said there was no problem at all. "Scandal Plan" was already scheduled for release in early July. According to internal previews from the Warner distribution company, the film received good internal reviews and would be promoted and released as a B-level production.


    After this movie was released, Palm Beach Films could also recover some funds to shoot new movie projects.

 Chapter 315 Willing to Take the Bait

    Knock, knock, knock!


    As he was processing documents, a knocking sound came from outside his office.


    Thinking it was Ivanka, he called out for the visitor to come in.


    But when the door opened, the person who entered was a man with light brown curly hair, wearing a gray suit, tall and skinny.


    Scooter Braun, President of SB projects entertainment company.


    In April, after the private video incident, Link Music struck a deal with SB projects, wherein Link Music exchanged 5% of its shares for a 38% stake in SB Entertainment and a 50% management contract for Justin Bieber.


    At the time of the transaction, Link Music''s market value was between $200 million to $240 million, so 5% of its shares were worth about $12 million US Dollars. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After successfully launching Justin Bieber, SB Entertainment was valued at around $60 million to $80 million, making the 38% stake worth about $25 million US Dollars, plus the contract for Justin Bieber, valued at over $45 million US Dollars.


    To outsiders, this was far from a fair deal; even with Link Music''s strong growth momentum, it did not justify SB Entertainment trading at a price four to five times higher.


    Yet, this deal was successfully completed in mid-April, to the surprise of many.


    Throughout March and April, personalities like Kanye West, Justin Bieber, and Usher were boasting about challenging Link, intending to beat him on the album sales chart and make him lose face in revenge for the previous year''s events.


    But in the blink of an eye, Link became Justin Bieber''s boss and, indirectly, the boss of Kanye West and Usher as well.


    This shift left countless peers in the industry dumbfounded.


    Some media even speculated that the East Coast rap scene''s challenge to Link in March was a marketing ploy, intended to promote the new albums of Justin Bieber and Link.


    The campaign was successful¡ªLink and Justin''s new albums both sold exceptionally well, one nearing four million and the other nearly two million copies, respectively ranking first and third on the U.S. album sales chart for the first half of 2010.


    Seeing their achievements, other musicians in the industry lamented, "It''s not that our albums aren''t good enough, it''s that our marketing plans are too low-end."


    "Billboard" also described the deal as a ''big show performed by Link Music and SB Entertainment on the music scene.''


    This was also why "Billboard" magazine''s Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Steven Konop, frequently praised Link Music for their excellent marketing strategies.


    No matter how the outside world viewed the transaction, Link Music had become a major shareholder of SB Entertainment, and Scooter had become a minor shareholder and part of the management at Link Music.


    After the successful share swap between the two companies, Scooter continued as President of SB Entertainment, while also serving as a supervisor at Link Music, responsible for marketing and promoting the singers under his charge.


    He and Link were now colleagues.


    Link had been busy outside recently and hadn''t had the time to meet and talk with Scooter; today was their first meeting.


    "Ha ha, Mr. Baker, after being in the company for over a month, I''ve finally met you," Scooter warmly greeted upon meeting.


    "Welcome, Mr. Braun!" Link replied with a light smile, inviting Scooter to sit in the reception room and asking his secretary to bring in coffee, preparing to chat with Scooter.


    There was no doubt that Scooter was talented.


    At thirty years old, he had nearly ten years of experience in music brand marketing, and had served four years as the marketing director of the number one rap record company, Def Jam Records.


    In 2007 he started SB projects from scratch, personally discovering and nurturing stars like Justin Bieber, as well as Ariana Grande and Carly Rae Jepsen, driving SB''s company value to nearly one billion US Dollars.


    In 2021, he partnered with the famous South Korean talent agency HYBE in a merger, becoming HYBE''s second-largest individual shareholder.


    Together they launched the hugely successful group BTS, earning a fortune.


    His acquisition of Taylor''s six-album rights from Big Machine Records for $300 million US Dollars after she left the label also created hundreds of millions in revenue for SB, a very profitable deal from a business standpoint.


    Now that he was a partner at Link Music, it was also a good thing for Link. Discover exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    After the secretary brought the coffee, Scooter reported on the recent promotional efforts of the company, primarily focusing on the image promotion and album marketing of several singers.


    Currently, Link Music has five signed artists: Link himself, Lana Del Rey, Bruno Mars, Wiz Khalifa, and the newly added Justin Bieber.


    Among these artists, Link is ranked as a diamond-level singer, and the other four are all above platinum, making it a star-studded lineup that could be considered top three among independent music labels.


    Having these best-selling artists ensures that Link Music has the consistent ability to release hit albums and maintain a steady and reliable star-making and money-earning operation, which bodes well for the future.


    However, Scooter believed that while Link Music was professional in album production, they weren''t doing enough in celebrity building.


    Using Hollywood''s fame as a benchmark,


    diamond-level singers are equivalent to top actors in the film industry, superstars.


    Platinum singers correspond to A-list or popular actors.


    Lana Del Rey, Mars, and Wiz Khalifa are platinum artists, but their celebrity status in the entertainment world doesn''t even match that of second-tier celebrities; their low profile limits their audience and, consequently, lowers the commercial value of the artists.


    Scooter thought they should strengthen the promotion of a few artists.


    By making more people aware of them, their commercial value could be increased. The bigger their fame, the higher their album sales, and the more money Link Music would make, which makes this kind of investment worthwhile.

 Chapter 315 Willing to Take the Bait - Part 2

    Link agreed with this point.


    Since Universal Music was a new company, it couldn''t compare with the top five record labels and the many established recording companies in terms of media resources and publicity channels.


    There was a weakness in star-making capabilities, which was why Ivanka had invited Scott to work at Universal Music.


    Link told Scott that he could proceed according to his plan.


    He also suggested that Scott should talk to a few singers before drafting the publicity plan.


    Singers are artists; some are reclusive, only interested in making music, unconcerned whether they become famous or make money.


    Lana, for instance, was such a person, rejecting interviews, not taking up endorsements, smoking and drinking at concerts, swearing at the paparazzi, accustomed to her carefree and unchained lifestyle, unconcerned with media critique.


    For such singers, there was no need to press too hard.


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    Scott expressed his agreement, stating that all promotional activities would primarily consider the singer''s wishes.


    "Scott, after my private video was leaked, my public image was somewhat damaged. I plan to restore my public image through media publicity. Do you have any advice on this matter?"


    Link leaned on the couch and asked.


    Scott thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Baker, this is easy to handle. Before April, your public image was quite positive, with not much to criticize.


    After your breakup with Miss Taylor Swift, you weren''t very careful about keeping your private life private, attracting a lot of media attention. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If you want to recover your public image, you just need to find a steady girlfriend and show off your love in public.


    And in the publicity, claim that during that time, you were influenced by the relationship, emotionally unstable, which led you to indulgence. Now, with a new love, you have been saved by love and have become a good man again."


    This type of publicity over some time would also gradually diminish the negative news."


    Link listened and felt that this promotion might work, but there were also some problems.


    Before breaking up with Taylor, he already had a history of cheating, it just hadn''t been exposed by the media.


    Moreover, he wasn''t exactly ''a good man,'' indifferent to the ''good man'' label; what he needed were high-quality labels like ''teen idol,'' ''American dream,'' ''dream lover of nine hundred million girls worldwide.''"


    "Mr. Baker, in my view, you really don''t need to worry too much about the media''s views of you, given your current influence and reputation. These scandals hardly have any negative impact on you," Scott added.


    "Not at all? Won''t the scandals affect my album sales?"


    "No, during your relationship with Miss Swift, because your relationship was stable, the media didn''t have fresh material, and there were very few reports about your personal life.


    After your breakup, media coverage of your personal life dramatically increased.


    The PR department conducted a survey ¨C media reports related to your personal life were just over 1200 in March, surged to 53,000 in April, 31,000 in May, and this month the reporting has also maintained at over 5000 incidents per week.


    As the scandals increased, your media exposure also increased, directly boosting your new album sales; according to the marketing department, during April, these scandals brought about a 12%-15% increase in your album sales," Scott said.


    On hearing what Scott said, Link felt a bit puzzled, "The increase in scandals, won''t it affect the foreign markets? Has Universal Records looked into that?"


    "It has an impact, but a positive one. In May, because of your scandals with Ms. Marion Cotillard, Ms. Emma Watson, and others, ''The Woman I Love'' saw a 32% increase in sales in France, about 17% in Britain, and slight increases in other regions that reported the news," Scott explained.


    "Are you sure?"


    Link asked in surprise.


    Scott, not understanding his sudden seriousness, quickly assured that it was true, opened his briefcase, and handed him a document.


    Based on the fluctuations in album sales, generally, albums have the highest sales in the first week of release, with a drop of about 50% in the second week, and another 50% in the third week. The higher the first-week sales, the greater the drop, and the longer the release, the greater the drop.


    Albums with smaller declines are usually of high quality or receive more promotional efforts.


    According to this decline rate, it''s easy to spot any anomalies in weekly sales.


    Link browsed the document and couldn''t help frowning.


    Last week, Ivanka told him in Baker''s small shop that due to his becoming a playboy, his reputation was greatly damaged, affecting his album sales. She said that this was the result of an investigation by Universal Record''s marketing department.


    For this reason, Ivanka proposed that he find a steady girlfriend to shed the playboy label and rebuild his public image.


    Link agreed.


    Then, Ivanka enthusiastically helped him recommend girlfriends.


    Eventually, Ivanka volunteered herself, and they became a couple by agreement.


    But the premise of this was that his bad reputation would affect his album sales; if there were no impact, was there still a need for a steady girlfriend?


    Thinking of all this, Link finally understood why he felt trapped that day. The trap was here¡ªa disparity in information.


    At the time, he was unguarded, falling straight into the pit Ivanka had dug, ending up with a nominal girlfriend.


    Realizing this, Link was somewhat annoyed.


    This woman was too trivial. If she wanted to be his girlfriend, she should have just confessed openly, why play such games? To appear clever?


    But what was done was done; he had nothing else to say.


    After all, that was Ivanka, whose bait was too sweet and too irresistible. Even knowing there was a hook inside, he couldn''t bear to let go.

 Chapter 315 Willing to Take the Bait - Part 3

    Link put down the document and said, "Scott, no matter if the scandal is good or bad, you should always be careful not to let the media hype it up too much. When encountering reports that have a negative impact, suppress them if necessary. Don''t let it affect my life."


    "Understood! Mr. Baker, rest assured, you can totally trust our PR department in this regard,"


    Scott said confidently.


    Link gave a slight smile and extended his hand, "Scott, you''re a marketing expert; the marketing work for Link music will rely on you in the future."


    "Haha, I don''t dare to claim being an expert, it''s my job, and I will definitely do my utmost to do it best."


    Scott shook his hand, smiling modestly.


    His modesty was genuine.


    Although he considered himself a marketing expert, he didn''t dare to think so in front of Link.


    After studying Link''s rise to fame, he admired Link even more and thought that Link''s current fame was due to 30% talent and 70% hype.


    His talent was strong, but without the hype, reaching his current level of fame would have taken at least ten years. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    Yet his skills in generating hype were even greater.


    Starting from the boxing ring and hyping all the way to the music industry, each campaign he conceived was astounding.


    Take, for instance, the recent "flaunt wealth by falling over" event.


    When he first saw the plan, he couldn''t help but secretly exclaim that it was a stroke of genius.


    "Flaunt wealth by falling over" started by using celebrities'' displays of wealth to create a social topic, sparking public discussion and triggering controversy which prompted mainstream media to participate¡ªwhether criticism or praise, it was all good exposure, cost-effective and impactful.


    After mainstream media got involved, other outlets would follow suit, making it a hot topic in society.


    Once more people paid attention, they would then focus their attention on the album, creating new topics and stirring up new controversies, thus further increasing the album''s exposure.


    Furthermore, in promotion, they used the celebrity effect to associate Link''s album with luxury goods and fashion, positioning buying the album as equivalent to purchasing high-end luxury products.


    This move was very clever.


    In the advertising world, everyone knows that selling a product is not as good as marketing a concept. Once you plant that concept in the public''s mind, they will buy spontaneously¡ªfor example, the belief that drinking pure water is harmful to your health, diamonds symbolize love, and luxury goods represent status.


    In the "flaunt wealth by falling over" event, Tiffany, Paris Hilton, Amanda Hearst, Georgia Bloomberg, Kim Kardashian, Lindsay Lohan, and others were celebrities and elites renowned across various sectors in America, with high profiles and fan followings.


    Their styles of dress, hairstyles, body shapes, etc., often become imitated by young women.


    By categorizing Link''s album among luxury items, owning his album meant not only enjoying great music but also possessing a certain status and taste.


    This was the essence of concept marketing.


    From early May till now, there are still many people around the world imitating it; even imitating "flaunt wealth by falling over" has become a fashion statement.


    According to estimates by Universal Records, the benefits of this marketing campaign are very obvious. In the United States, Link''s new album sold over 500,000 more copies, and over 3 million more worldwide, and it''s expected to boost sales of Link''s next album as well.


    It''s incredible.


    When Scott first heard that the marketing plan was proposed by Link himself, he was greatly impressed and became even more convinced that Link''s fame was no fluke.


    Initially, in the boxing world, he became a loudmouth at 19, challenging more than a dozen world boxing champions from afar, becoming a boxing star.


    Later, when he entered the music scene, he staged battles with East Coast rap groups and climbed to the top by stepping over them, and this wasn''t a forced response but a marketing plan designed and executed by Link himself.


    This plan turned Link from a music newcomer into a top music industry influencer in just one year.


    In the marketing world, this success was considered an epic victory.


    Now, hearing Link praise him as a marketing expert, Scott felt bashful. In front of a marketing deity like Link, he was just a primary school student and didn''t dare to claim himself as an expert.

 Chapter 316 Beautys Scheme

    After Scott left, Link stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window with his arms folded, watching the hustle and bustle on William Street below.


    Occasionally, he could still spot a few tourists pointing at the Link Music logo, as if to say that this was the famous Link Music where Link, Lana Del Rey, Mars, and Wiz Khalifa were.


    While viewing the scenery, Link also pondered the suggestions Scott had made just before leaving.


    Scott told him that his popularity in the entertainment industry was high at the moment, but as album promotions and scandals decreased, so would his popularity.


    To maintain a high popularity in the music scene, promotional hype was essential. Initially choosing to bind promotional efforts with East Coast rap was a clever move, and it could continue to be implemented to keep both parties in a state of discord, which would heighten the topic''s interest and be mutually beneficial.


    Link didn''t object, nor did he care much.


    Once fame reached a certain stage, breaking through the bottleneck to achieve a higher realm required more than just hype; it required years of accumulation, with quantity leading to a qualitative change, just like his punches.


    Pulling down East Coast rappers in promotion had very limited effects for him at this stage.


    Scott also mentioned the issue of developing a personal brand.


    Link, a famous athlete and singer, was highly recognized globally and had many fans. He could definitely follow in the footsteps of Jordan, Kobe, and Kanye to collaborate with brands like Adidas and Nike to create his own sports or casual clothing brand, which was another good way to make money.


    Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    Link thought about it and found it to be a sound suggestion.


    Kanye initially had a net worth of hundreds of millions of US dollars, but by collaborating with Adidas and Nike, he created Air Yeezy, and eventually his net worth reached over ten billion US dollars; it was the same for people like Jordan.


    If he wanted to become a billionaire or even a trillionaire, relying solely on stock investments wasn''t enough; he also needed to think of ways to make some tangible investments.


    Knock knock knock!


    "Link, are you busy?"


    Graham, the head of Link Music''s production department, walked in, wearing a baseball shirt and looked a bit rounder than in ''08. He still didn''t care much about his personal appearance, with messy hair and a wrinkled shirt.


    "Not busy, what''s up?"


    Link sat back in his office chair and invited Graham to sit opposite him, asking his secretary to bring over a cup of coffee.


    "No thanks, I''ve already had five cups of coffee today, I reek of coffee. I''ve heard the tea here is quite good, please get me a cup of that."


    Graham waved his hand and said.


    Link gave a slight smile and asked his secretary to make a cup of tea.


    "Have you been very busy these days?"


    "The busiest times have passed. The end of last year and the beginning of this one were the peak, with Link Music releasing three albums. That was when we were busiest. Now it''s not so busy, but I can''t seem to relax."


    Graham shrugged his shoulders and started discussing the production of the fourth album with him.


    "Isn''t that a bit too hurried?"


    Link asked, stroking his chin.


    "Not really, you''re very popular now, and the albums are well received. The more so, the more effort we need to put into the new album. If the quality of the new album is poor, it could damage your reputation. The company plans to release your fourth album early next year, so we should start preparing now. We need to decide on the theme, write songs, collect songs¡ªthe more, the better, striving for excellence to ensure the quality of the album isn''t compromised."


    Graham explained.


    Link nodded his head in agreement with his opinion.


    Before he became famous, he had done many flamboyant stunts to gain popularity, such as publicly challenging heavyweight champions, claiming to knock out all challengers within 100 seconds, and even criticizing Washington from the sidelines at the Grammy Awards, which almost got him labeled as a racist.


    Back then, he was not very famous and acted without restraint.


    After becoming famous, his influence grew, and he became more cautious in his actions and words, often walking on thin ice.


    Releasing albums was the same; in the beginning, there was no pressure, and the first album took just over two months from production to release.


    The second and third albums gradually became more serious. As album sales increased and his fan base grew, in order not to disappoint his fans'' trust and expectations, he dared not mess around and became more careful in producing albums.


    If he planned to release the fourth album early next year, preparation indeed should start in advance. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link and Graham began discussing the theme for the fourth album. Since the songs "Sorry" and "Love Is Gone" had received positive feedback, they decided to set the theme as ''breakup'' with the album''s songs focusing on sentimental love songs.


    "Graham, for this type of song, I have temporarily written six. Start collecting related songs on your side as well¡ªthe more, the better."


    Link said.


    When releasing the first and second albums, the quality of collected songs was mediocre, with none making it onto the charts, leading him to disregard the company''s collected works.


    By the third album, the company spent a lot of money inviting famous singers to write songs for him, and this time, the quality of collected songs was good, all making it onto the charts.


    This made him look forward to the company''s collected songs, perhaps in the future, luck would have it that a few chart-topping hits from the past would be collected.


    Meanwhile, Link also planned to invite songs from Lady Gaga, Adele, and Kesha.


    All were talented singer-songwriters, and the songs they wrote would likely be excellent.


    After seeing Graham off, Link glanced at his watch, which showed it was already 5:10 PM, but Ivanka had not yet come to call him home for dinner.


    Thinking of how this woman was a workaholic, he shut down his computer, instructed his secretary, and headed to the president''s office on the east side, where Ivanka''s assistant and secretaries were still present, indicating she was also there.


    Link knocked on the door, and a "Come in" came from inside, the voice cold and indifferent, carrying an unapproachable air.


    Upon opening the door, Ivanka sat behind a large desk, clad in a Prada white OL outfit, her golden hair tied up, holding a signing pen, with a pile of documents on the desk that she was focused on sorting.


    Seeing her like this, Link initially wanted to ask her about setting him up, but swallowed his words as he too hadn''t lost out, and being temporary agreement lovers wasn''t too bad.


    "Link, is there something you need?"


    When she saw him enter, Ivanka stopped her work and looked up at him with a very serious expression.


    "Nothing, just came to check on you."


    Link shrugged his shoulders, sat down in the chair opposite, and picked up a file to look at; it contained financial documents, legal issues, and materials submitted by dealers, a myriad of work-related matters.


    "Are you here to help me share the workload? These documents could be passed to you for approval."


    "No, I''m a technical guy, I don''t know about company management, the only thing I can do is clap for you."


    Link clapped his hands and laughed.


    Ivanka gave him a flirtatious glance, scribbled on a document, then suddenly, furrowing her brows, she gazed at him, "Didn''t I say I''d treat you to seafood¡­ oh no, I forgot."


    Ivanka glanced at her watch, saw it was past five, and hurriedly put down her pen and papers, calling her assistant to prepare the car.


    "Don''t rush, it''s already late, another day is just as good."


    "No, I promised to cook for you, what I say, I must do."


    Ivanka shut down her computer, slipped on her high heels, grabbed her handbag, and urged him to also get up quickly, or it would be time for supper.


    Link shook his head, seeing her like this, he didn''t harbor much expectation for the seafood.


    "What seafood feast have you prepared?"


    "I heard you liked seafood, I don''t know which kind you prefer, so I ordered all the top-grade seafood online ¨C king crab, blue lobster, Belon oysters, Australian prawns, all guaranteed to satisfy your taste."


    Ivanka said while walking.


    "Sounds wonderful."


    Link looked at the woman beside him and lightly chuckled, "Ivanka, we''re just agreement lovers, you being so nice to me, could it be¡­ you''ve fallen for me?"


    Ivanka stopped, gave him a look, and smiled, "Don''t flatter yourself too much, this is just a business meal, I just want to discuss work at the table, nothing else. If I truly fell for you, I wouldn''t just treat you to seafood, I''d give you the best of everything in the world."


    "Really? So, if I could make you fall in love with me, I could get the best things in the world?"


    "Exactly, but I absolutely will not fall for you."


    "Why?"


    "Are you completely lacking self-awareness, jerk?"


    Ivanka gave him a sidelong glance, leaving behind an indifferent silhouette.


    Seeing her expression, Link began to doubt his earlier judgment, did this woman really like him?


    In Baker''s store, she proposed he find a steady girlfriend, and ultimately they became agreement lovers, was it really to salvage his reputation and nothing more?


    Had he misunderstood?


    Link didn''t quite understand; he had always been somewhat obtuse about matters of the heart, and after his experience with Taylor, he was now even more unsure of a woman''s feelings toward him, how deep they might be.


    "What are you standing there for?"


    Soon reaching the work area, Ivanka stopped, turned back to him and said, "According to agreement clause six, in public, we need to act like a couple to let everyone know we are together, to avoid my father''s suspicion, at times like this, we should walk together."


    Link shook his head, walked over, and encircled her waist, pinching the fuller part of her figure; this woman was too vexing, being with her, even three brains wouldn''t suffice to guess her thoughts, one can''t be too gentle with such a woman.


    Ivanka pinched him back, took his arm, and they walked shoulder to shoulder out of the Link Music Office.


    The company employees, seeing the two bosses hand in hand, all cast curious glances, noting one in a leisure suit, handsome and robust, and the other in a business pencil dress, sexy and graceful, they looked quite the perfect match.


    "Link and Ivanka make such a good pair."


    "So envious, they not only possess the world''s top appearance and wealth but also the most perfect partnership, this world is too unfair."


    "Previously I thought Link and Taylor were a good match, and I was disappointed to see them part, but now I think Link and President Ivanka are even more suitable; I''ve decided to root for them, hoping they make it."


    The employees buzzed with comments, and one of them took out their cellphone, informing their employer about today''s scene where President Ivanka and Mr. Baker left work hand in hand, looking very intimate.

 Chapter 317 The Beautiful Cook

    The Woolworth Building on 47th Street in Midtown Manhattan is a classic Gothic structure.


    Originally the headquarters of the Woolworth trading company, it was converted into a five-star hotel in the 1990s, the Park Hyatt International Hotel, operating hotel services below the 45th floor while the 46th to 70th floors were transformed into high-rise apartments, totaling 23 suites.


    In the early ''90s, each suite sold for 8 million US dollars; now, each is priced at over 15 million.


    Ivanka''s apartment is located 212 meters above New York City, occupying the 64th to 66th floors of the building, with a total area of 860 square meters, spanning two floors, with ceilings over 4 meters high, and comprising 8 bedrooms, a fitness center, library, large and small dining kitchens, a collection room, a small home theater, walk-in closets, and so on.


    It also includes four open-air viewing decks, each over twenty square meters, 46 windows facing the surrounding streets, 32 doors, and more. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Paintings and sculptures can be seen everywhere in the home.


    Every time Link came to Ivanka''s apartment, he would be struck and baptized by the life of the wealthy, feeling that despite being worth hundreds of millions of US dollars, he was still a poor man in lifestyle, taste, and ways of living, with significant room for improvement.


    "Take a seat anywhere, I''m going to change into something else," Ivanka greeted him before clicking away in her high heels into the walk-in closet.


    Link wandered into the small living room, noticed a vinyl record player on the bookshelf, piled with many vinyl records, and picked out Led Zeppelin''s 1971 song "Stairway to Heaven."


    There''s a lady who''s sure all that glitters is gold,


    And she''s buying a stairway to heaven.


    When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed,


    "Do you like Led Zeppelin?" Ivanka asked after a moment, emerging in a cotton dress, her golden hair tied up, revealing her fair swan neck, and wearing a custom apron. Even with an apron on, it couldn''t hide her ample bosom or her heavy hips.


    When she was in professional attire, she was noble and coldly glamorous; but when she wore the apron, she had a bit of the charm and warmth of a homemaker.


    "I learned that song when I was practicing guitar."


    "Then continue enjoying the music here, I''ll go make some seafood."


    "Need any help?"


    "Oh, no need. I''ve hired some help."


    Just as she said this, the helpers Ivanka hired arrived, including a seafood chef, a pastry chef, a cold dish chef, three assistants, and four waiters¡ªa grand procession of ten walked into the apartment.


    They were all chefs from the star-rated hotel in the building, bringing various culinary tools with them.


    The ingredients were also prepared in advance, including ten Alaskan king crabs, ten Canadian geoducks, ten Australian blue lobsters, twenty French Belon oysters, twenty red abalones from Southern California, all lively and fresh when unpackaged.


    While cooking, Ivanka held a recipe book, stood in the center of the kitchen, and issued orders to the chefs, instructing them on what dishes to cook first and the flavors to prepare, just as if she was issuing commands to her subordinates at the company.


    Link didn''t know what to say as he watched her direct. He had thought she''d be chopping and cooking herself when she said she''d cook, but in reality, she had summoned a team of professional chefs to assist, while she coordinated and directed the show.


    Strictly speaking, she did cook and did what she was good at; for a daughter of wealth, doing even this much was not too shabby, you couldn''t ask for too much.


    The building''s chefs were very skilled, and they were also fast, completing eight seafood dishes, four pastries, and four cold dishes in less than two hours, filling the table.


    One of the lobster sashimi dishes was personally prepared by Ivanka, well, she merely sliced a lemon.


    "Try this, I made it myself," Ivanka said excitedly, pointing at the plate of lobster sashimi at the dining table.


    Link smiled, took a crystal-clear piece of blue lobster meat, dipped it into the lemon-based sauce, and tasted it.


    The lobster was very fresh, and the chefs had cleaned the meat well, making it slick, tender, and bouncy on the tongue, almost live, paired with the seasoning it tasted refreshing and sweet.


    "How is it?" Ivanka asked, her fingers crossed, full of anticipation.


    "It''s fantastic!"


    "It''s my first time making seafood. If you like it, how about I make it more often for you?" Ivanka smiled lightly.


    Link nodded repeatedly, not caring whether she was doing it for the sake of work or affection; as long as it didn''t harm him, he accepted it all.


    During the meal, they talked about company matters.


    Ivanka told him, after the success of his new album and those of the three artists under their label, five major record companies and several Wall Street financial institutions once again proposed financing plans to Link Music. Wall Street also valued Link Music between 400 and 420 million US dollars, nearly double the value at the end of last year.


    As she spoke these numbers, Ivanka lifted her glass, her cheeks flushed with elegance and her voice trembling slightly with excitement.


    Link was excited too; he and Ivanka owned 85% of Link Music''s shares and 95% of the controlling interest. With Link Music valued at 400 million US dollars, their shareholdings alone made them billionaires.


    In ''08, they had invested only ten million dollars in Link Music, a fortyfold increase in two years, with the potential for even higher returns in the future.


    This was indeed an exhilarating achievement.


    Link asked if she planned to accept the financing.


    Ivanka thought they didn''t need it for now; first, Link Music was not short of funds as album sales from him and Lana had brought in ample operating capital, so there was no need for outside investment.


    Second, the company was not lacking in talent; at the start of the year, they had recruited more than ten managers and top musicians through competitive selection, and after embarking on a deep partnership with SB Entertainment, the company had plenty of talent and its development was going smoothly.


    ```


    Accepting outside investment could actually hinder the company''s development.


    Link nodded, also recalling the Dynasty promotion financing plan Franco had mentioned.


    Unlike Link Music, Dynasty Promotion only had one money-making boxer, was very short on funds in all respects, not as good as Ivanka in management skills, had fewer talented people, and was less stable in its development.


    This was one of the reasons why Dynasty Promotion needed financing, while Link Music did not.


    Ivanka also told him something else: yesterday "The Woman I Love" officially broke through 4 million in total US sales, reaching 4 million in just eleven weeks of release. It was the fastest record to break 4 million sales in the United States in the past eight years.


    It was an extraordinary achievement.


    The company was preparing to hold a celebratory cocktail party.


    They planned to invite the company''s partners, distributors from various places, and celebrities like Paris Hilton, Amanda Hearst, Georgia Bloomberg, and Kim Kardashian, who had participated in the ''falling-to-show-wealth'' stunt, and had contributed to the album sales.


    Ivanka asked him whom he wanted to invite, to draft a list that the company would then send out invitations for.


    Link mentioned he was going to Paris for filming and wouldn''t have time for the cocktail party this week.


    Ivanka suggested they could hold it next week.


    Link agreed and then discussed the ''falling-to-show-wealth'' event with her.


    Originally, he had planned on having a few models pose to create controversy more cheaply.


    But Ivanka convinced her sister Tiffany, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, and other socialite celebrities to join, amplifying the visibility of the wealth-flaunting event a hundredfold. And getting those top socialites to actively participate in the publicity was no easy feat.


    Link expressed his admiration for Ivanka''s organizational and coordination skills. Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    Ivanka told him that initially, she only intended to ask Paris Hilton and the Kardashian sisters for help.


    Her sister Tiffany found it amusing and was the first to post a picture, followed by Paris, the Kardashian sisters, Amanda Hearst, and Georgia Bloomberg.


    Those who posted pictures later were imitating them on their own, not people she had recruited.


    "In fact, Paris, Amanda, and others agreed to help partly because of you," Ivanka said as she took a sip from her glass.


    "Me?"


    "Yes, they were quite interested in you. When they heard they were helping promote your album, they didn''t need much persuading to join in."


    "So I should thank them too?"


    Link enjoyed the Belon oysters, savoring them one after another, their fresh aroma filling his mouth.


    These oysters, living in the deep waters off France, were plump and crisp in texture, with a unique metallic taste upon first bite followed by a tingling sensation, then after the metallic flavor, a rich hazelnut taste emerged ¨C very complex in flavor.


    "There''s no need. The ''falling-to-show-wealth'' event not only helped us sell more records but also got them plenty of public attention in the news recently, making them trendsetters. This way of gaining fame is much classier than relying on leaked nudes or private tapes. It''s a win-win," Ivanka replied with a light smile.


    "That''s not bad. Debts of gratitude are the hardest to repay."


    He kept eating as he spoke, alternating between oysters and sea cucumbers, relishing the feeling immensely.


    In the past, to save money, he would cook delicious food himself, but no matter how well he cooked, it couldn''t compare to the skills of chefs in star-rated hotels, and the ingredients he bought couldn''t compare to the high-quality ones Ivanka purchased.


    Suddenly, he thought living here might not be so bad.


    Having a chef to prepare meals, maids to do the laundry, shop, clean, walk dogs, entertain cats, etc., would also free up more of his time for training.


    Plus, living every day in a high-rise hundreds of meters tall, overlooking the masses below scurrying about like ants.


    Over time, it might even cultivate an air of grandeur.


    "Are there any vacant apartments for sale in the building? I''m thinking of buying one," Link said as he ate a crab leg.


    "Isn''t it nice living here with me?" Ivanka asked as she set down her fork and gracefully dabbed her lips with a napkin.


    Link smiled gently, tossed the crab shell on his plate, and took a sip of water before saying, "We''re a contract couple. If others find out I live here, they''ll think I''m being kept by you."


    "Male pride? I see, if living here for free wounds your pride, then you could pay rent. How about 100,000 US dollars a month?" Ivanka said with a twinkle in her eye.


    "100,000 US dollars? Are you trying to rob me? Five thousand!"


    "No way. With five thousand US dollars, you can only stay three days in the Park Hyatt Hotel downstairs. The least I can go is 80,000 US dollars, and you can use everything in the apartment."


    "Ten thousand US dollars. That''s my bottom line," Link said seriously.


    "Fifty thousand US dollars; that''s my bottom line," Ivanka said with a laugh, swirling her glass.


    After several rounds of bargaining, they reached an agreement at 25,000 US dollars. Link would pay 25,000 US dollars in rent per month for the right to live there.


    That''s equivalent to eight hundred US dollars a day, truly steep.


    ```

 Chapter 318 Unexpected Visitor

    Ding dong!


    While they were chatting idly, a ring from the doorbell sounded from outside. Ivanka picked up the remote on the table, and the LCD screen in the dining room lit up, displaying the view outside the apartment.


    A person wearing a blue dress stood in the hallway, her golden long hair cascading down, slightly plump in figure, with a white "Scream" movie ghost face mask on, waving towards the camera.


    "Take off the mask!"


    Ivanka, holding the remote, said.


    "It''s me, Tiffany, can''t you recognize me?"


    The person in the monitor shouted, her voice crisp and clearly that of a young girl.


    "Remove the mask, or I won''t open the door."


    Ivanka said indifferently.


    "Hmph!"


    The person in the monitor stomped her foot in anger, turned, and walked away. After a few seconds, she reappeared at the door without the ghost face mask, revealing a slightly plump round face, pouting at the monitor. She wasn''t as cute as Selena but still a pretty girl.


    It was indeed Ivanka''s sister, Tiffany, sixteen years old, the first one to post a "wealth-flaunting fall" photo online. As the flaunting wealth incident grew more intense, she also rose to internet fame.


    The elevator door in the apartment opened slowly, and Tiffany disappeared from the monitor.


    After more than ten seconds, a patter of footsteps came from outside, and Tiffany dashed into the dining room wearing the white ghost face mask, flailing her arms and letting out a "gaga" odd laugh.


    But just as she started to mime, she suddenly stopped, removed the mask in surprise, and asked:


    "Link? What are you doing here?"


    "Hey, Tiffany, I came here for dinner,"


    Link greeted, holding a wine glass.


    "Just the two of you?"


    Tiffany looked left and right, saw no one else, and exclaimed, "Wow, I get it, you guys are on a date, aren''t you?"


    "Yes, could you excuse us for a moment?"


    Ivanka asked, fluttering her long eyelashes.


    "No way, I''m actually hungry. You guys keep talking, I''ll just eat something here; I promise not to disturb you." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tiffany dragged a chair over, sat between the two, picked up a fork, and started eating fruit, glancing at Link and then at the expressionless Ivanka, ears perked up.


    Ivanka gave her a glance and continued discussing business matters.


    The company now had money, which meant they could acquire another recording studio and sign a few new singers to develop. Now with a professional production team at Link Music, it was easier to nurture new talent. She also said that Link had a keen eye for talent and asked him for his recommendations.


    Link thought for a moment and mentioned two names.


    The first was Ariana Grande, whom he met in Miami, seventeen years old, an actress who had started her career. She had called him, saying she would return to New York after her exams in August.


    The second was "Split Eyebrow Brother" Charlie Puth, nineteen years old, a student at Berklee College of Music. He had started his own YouTube channel last year, became known for covering songs of celebrities like Justin Bieber, and even covered "See You Again," gaining some online fame.


    Link had seen his cover videos online. His singing skills were somewhat immature and hadn''t yet shown his songwriting talents, hence he hadn''t attracted the attention of record labels.


    If Charlie was willing to sign with Link Music, Link could offer him a hefty contract as compensation for covering his songs.


    Another was "Boss Gold" Ed Sheeran who had started his career and released two singles, currently mixing in the Los Angeles music scene. Link didn''t know if he had signed with a record label, so he didn''t mention him.


    Ivanka nodded, acknowledging his points, and said she would send someone to contact Charlie Puth.


    "Cough cough!"


    Tiffany coughed twice, looking dissatisfied at the two of them. She had been sitting quietly here, hoping to hear a lovey-dovey conversation, but after a while, she found out they were only talking about work, almost dying of boredom.


    "Do you have a question?"


    Ivanka glanced at her and asked blandly.


    "Stop pretending; you two were definitely not talking about work just now. You started talking about work on purpose when you saw me coming, didn''t you? Don''t do that, continue with your romantic talk; don''t mind me."


    Tiffany said.


    "If you want to eat seafood, quietly eat it here; if not, go out and have fun."


    Ivanka said.


    Seeing her cold cheeks, Tiffany dared not provoke her. She only moved her chair a bit closer to Link, took a napkin to cover her face, and whispered, "Link, are you trying to hit on Eva? If you want to make a move, be proactive. She''s a workaholic; she can talk about work all day long."


    "How do I be proactive?"


    Link glanced at Eva and smiled.


    "You don''t know?"


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    Tiffany blinked in surprise and said, "Being proactive in flirting means being a bit more forward, starting conversations about life experiences, boasting about how amazing you are, and so on. You''re the famous Playboy, how can you possibly not know how to flirt?"


    "It''s true. The girls I''ve been with have always been the ones pursuing me, not the other way around, so I really don''t know how to flirt."


    "That does sound reasonable."


    Tiffany nodded, propping her face as she thought for a while, "I suggest you ask Eva out for shopping, watch a movie... No, no, that trick works on ordinary girls, not on Eva. She''s a workaholic and also asexual; the usual tactics won''t work on her. I suggest you just be forceful with her, you''re strong... ow!"


    While she was talking, Tiffany cried out in pain as she found her ear being twisted by Ivanka.


    "Don''t be like that. I''m joking. You''re my sister; how could I let him be forceful with you? That''s absolutely impossible."


    Tiffany pleaded while covering her ear.


    Ivanka snorted lightly, "You have two choices, shut up or get out, which will it be?"


    "I¡­ I''ll shut up!"


    Tiffany huffed quietly and unwillingly closed her mouth, listening to the two continue talking about work. So boring. She kept making eyes at Link, signaling him to take the initiative to change the subject, but Link completely missed the cues, still going on about work.


    Tiffany shook her head, convinced that Link had no chance. Ivanka would never like someone as dull as him.


    However, just after dinner, she was surprised to hear Ivanka inviting Link to stay over, even saying that she had prepared ten sets of clothes for him.


    Hearing this, Tiffany couldn''t believe her ears. Ever since Ivanka moved into this apartment, she had never brought a man home, and now she was inviting Link to stay?


    This was definitely big news.


    As her father''s darling daughter, Tiffany immediately passed the news on to Mr. Thomp, telling him that Ivanka and Link were dating, no, they were already living together.


    Furthermore, Ivanka was very attentive to Link, who had never set foot in the kitchen before, but today she had gone out of her way to prepare a seafood feast for Link.


    This was too abnormal.


    Mr. Thomp was very upset when he heard the news.


    He had raised his daughter all these years, never once tasting her cooking, nor had he heard of her ability to cook. Yet now, she was personally cooking for Link.


    This was outrageous.


    Mr. Thomp immediately called Ivanka to inquire about her relationship with Link.


    Ivanka claimed they were boyfriend and girlfriend and that they would get married and have many children in the future.


    Mr. Thomp loudly objected, with the reason being that Link was younger than her and also a Playboy. Dating such a person would surely not end well.


    Ivanka argued that even if Link were a Playboy, she would still date him, marry him, and have children with him.


    When Mr. Thomp heard her words, he almost had a heart attack from anger.


    "Eva, be sensible. Link may be excellent, but he doesn''t take relationships seriously. Being with him will only harm you," Mr. Thomp tried to persuade her.


    "Dad, you were also a Playboy in your youth and even had multiple affairs while married. You and Link are cut from the same cloth; how could you dislike him?"


    "I... Eva, I only want what''s best for you."


    Mr. Thomp was almost choked by her words.


    "Dad! I''m fine, and I know what I''m doing; you don''t need to worry."


    Ivanka hung up the phone, looked down at Manhattan as night was about to fall, her plump lips curving into a faint, confident, and composed smile.

 Chapter 319 A Night Out with a Beauty

    Eva had finished a call and returned to the small living room, where Tiffany was whispering something to Link. Upon seeing her, Tiffany quickly sat back in her seat and picked up a "Vogue" magazine to shield her face, only revealing a pair of bright, sparkling eyes as she keenly observed their surroundings.


    Eva wasn''t interested in asking what they were talking about. She checked her wristwatch and asked Link if he wanted to go out for a walk. Woolworth''s wasn''t far from Broadway, and there were many fun places to visit at night.


    Link, who was reading a film magazine, wasn''t much interested in shopping, but Tiffany, upon hearing the mention of going out, immediately jumped up shouting "gogogo," came closer to him, and whispered in a low voice that if he wanted to win Eva over, now was the perfect opportunity and he definitely shouldn''t miss it.


    Link shook his head. Eva was a great woman but also a troublesome one; he didn''t plan to invest too much emotion in her until he had figured out her thoughts.


    But going for a stroll around the neighborhood after dinner was not a bad idea either.


    Woolworth''s located on 47th Street at 8th Avenue in Midtown, less than a kilometer straight distance from the World Trade Center and only a station away from Wall Street, was surrounded by areas like the Broadway district, New York City Hall Park, Hudson River Park, and the city police department.


    At night, the neon lights on the surrounding streets were all lit up, the music was loud and boisterous, and the sidewalks were bustling with people coming to experience the charm of the city that never sleeps.


    Previously, Link had admired the Manhattan night view from the 200-meter-high terrace of his apartment, from the crowded downtown to the bustling center of Manhattan, from the lively Broadway area to the desolate banks of the Hudson River, a constellation of lights forming patches of varying depth, resembling a satellite cloud map.


    Walking on the streets now felt like entering the map and seeing those clusters of differently colored lights with his own eyes.


    Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    Which perspective made Manhattan look more beautiful was debatable, but only those who lived high in the skyscrapers could enjoy both magnificent views and experience double the pleasure.


    "What are you thinking?"


    On 52nd Street, Broadway, Eva walked alongside him, noticing him gazing silently at the lights with a profound and mysterious look, his handsome face uncertain under the neon lights, prompting her to ask curiously.


    Link came back to his senses and looked at her. Eva had changed into a red knee-length dress that evening, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders, blue sapphire earrings dangling, which contrasted strikingly with her fair skin, her body also emitting a different scent from the daytime.


    This woman seemed even more beautiful at night.


    "May I hold your hand?"


    Link extended his palm and said, "According to the agreement, in public, we should appear closer to let others know we are a couple, you were the one who said this."


    Eva glanced over his face, giving a slight snort with her cute nose, and placed her fair hand in his.


    Link held her fingers and gently pinched them, not too fat, not too thin, fragrantly soft and smooth. Even though it wasn''t the first time holding her hand, the feeling was still incredibly wonderful.


    "You''re hurting me!"


    Eva gave him a look.


    Link apologized and stopped pinching her hand, chuckling, "Do you know what the American dream is?"


    Eva blinked her gray-blue eyes and didn''t respond, only to hear him continue, "To others, the American dream is about a poor person becoming rich, a slum orphan getting into Harvard, an immigrant''s descendent becoming a political celebrity, an average-looking girl becoming a Hollywood star.


    But for me, my American dream is walking beside you on the streets of Broadway, looking at the enchanting Manhattan night views, with even more enchanting you by my side ¡ª it feels like a dream. That''s why I need to hold your hand to make sure this isn''t just a dream."


    "And now you''re sure?"


    "Yes, the woman in a dream wouldn''t say it hurts nor would she have your lovely scent," Link said, touching his nose with a smile.


    Eva responded, "Many people who suddenly become rich or successful feel a surreal emptiness afterwards, leading to a loss of drive and spirit, but you''re different. Everything you have now you truly deserve, so you don''t need to be confused."


    "Does that include holding your hand?"


    "Of course not, holding your hand is the reward I deserve after my recent hard work, not your reward," Eva cheekily pulled his hand as she spoke.


    Link laughed softly. This woman was quite interesting, always managing to flirt with him when he least expected it, much more so than Du Chen who could only sway her ample hips in front of him.


    "Yes, you''ve been working very hard lately, and your achievements are quite notable. How about I reward you with something more, like a passionate kiss?"


    Link laughed as he held her slender waist.


    Ivanka looked up at him, her eyes bright and sparkling, and spoke softly, "I brought a new type of anti-wolf spray with me when I came out, I don''t know how effective it is, do you want to help me test it?"


    Link helplessly smiled and loosened his grip on her soft waist.


    "Sometimes I really don''t understand you. You say you don''t like me, yet you treat me as if you were my lover, with thoughtfulness and tolerance. But when you say you like me, you often push me thousands of miles away, being hot and cold, distant and close. Do all you women like to use this tactic to deal with guys?"


    Ivanka said in a light voice, "When you are blaming others, why don''t you try looking for problems within yourself? When a woman is dealing with a man, what she needs most is a sense of security. They use various methods to ensure that after falling in love, they won''t be hurt, abandoned, and their invested love and time won''t be wasted.


    When they meet a good man and confirm that he is the person they want, they will stop testing and love him wholeheartedly.


    When they meet a scumbag, even though they love him very much, to protect themselves from being hurt and abandoned, they become extremely cautious, testing little by little, like touching a flame with their hands, distant and close. Could it be that this isn''t a trick, but a means for girls to protect themselves?"


    Listening, Link was stunned for a moment, wanting to object, but then he suddenly remembered that not only Ivanka treated him this way, Taylor did the same. Could it be that Taylor broke up with him because he was too flirtatious, and she decisively broke it off to protect herself, leaving no room for reconciliation?


    However, when he was with Taylor, he had never thought about giving her up because of other women. He was fully devoted to Taylor, except for the occasional physical infidelity.


    In his breakup with Taylor, he didn''t think it was all his fault but that Taylor herself was flawed. She was a scumbag woman.


    Link became angry thinking about Taylor, and looked into Ivanka''s eyes, "If I promise you that I will not cheat again from now on, focusing only on my career and family, would you treat me wholeheartedly?"


    Ivanka''s beautiful eyes stared unblinkingly at him, her palm resting on his chest, "I have seen many scumbags, including my father, so I''m not unfamiliar with this kind of animal. When a scumbag is really willing to mend his ways, it''s because he is tired of everything outside and is willing to return to his family and take on his family responsibilities. It''s when a man truly matures, not just making casual promises.


    Just like right now, if Jessica Alba stripped naked in front of you, wanting to sleep with you, and Anne Hathaway stripped naked showing her white body, crawling into your bed, or Megan Fox kneeling on the ground to perform oral sex for you, would you refuse them?"


    "...."


    "No need to say anymore, your heart rate has increased," Ivanka said. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ivanka shook her head and continued walking forward.


    Link touched his chest, revealing a helpless smile. Based on the three possibilities she just mentioned, any normal man would have his heart rate speed up, not to mention that those words came from Miss Ivanka, the human peach, doubling the effect.


    "You dare let me test it?"


    Link caught up to her, grabbing her hand, but seeing her exaggerated pectorals, he felt that even placing his hand on them might not let him feel her heartbeat. He simply said, "What can a messy heartbeat prove? If Tom Cruise, Pilard Pitt, and Sean Penn, stripped naked and seduced you, would you refuse them?"


    Ivanka gave him a coquettish white eye, "The youngest, most handsome, and strongest man just tried to kiss me, and I decisively refused him. Do you think there''s any man who could tempt me?"


    Uh!


    Link was somewhat dazed, she was too right, compared to himself, Tom Cruise and those three old leeks really didn''t have much appeal.


    He wished he had also said earlier that standing before him was the world''s most beautiful, sexiest, and smartest woman, what other woman could tempt him?


    Time to flirt with Ivanka.


    Too bad he hadn''t thought of it earlier.


    "Also, the sexiest moment for a man isn''t when he takes off his clothes; that''s when a man is at his ugliest, resembling an animal. A man is truly sexy when he is dressed appropriately, standing at the top of his profession worldwide, possessing wealth, power, intelligence, and talent.


    Like when you stand on the highest podium at the Olympics, hold up the Golden Belt in the boxing ring, are crowned ''Music King'' by Rolling Stone, or ranked as the youngest self-made billionaire by Forbes Magazine. That''s when you''re the sexiest man in the world. So, darling, don''t try to test me with any naked men; that trick won''t work on me," Ivanka said.


    Ivanka looked at his handsome cheek and kissed it lightly, then stepped past him with a sexy stride.


    Link touched the cheek she had kissed, and looked at her peach-like buttocks, but his mind was devoid of any romantic thoughts. For now, he only wanted to stay as far away from this woman as possible¡ªthe farther the better. This woman''s league was too high; he couldn''t possibly match her, even if he lived two more lifetimes.


    "Hey, hurry up, the show is about to start,"


    Tiffany waved three tickets, calling out crisply in front of the Broadway Theatre.

 Chapter 320 Writing a Song in a Dream

    Link was not interested in musicals.


    But it was evening now, and he couldn''t just leave Ivanka and Tiffany, the two beauties, unattended on the street.


    After entering the theater, the stage was taken by the classic musical "The Phantom of the Opera."


    It told the story of the early twentieth century in a Parisian opera house, where a ''Phantom'' living in the labyrinth beneath the theater fell in love with an actress named Christine. He secretly taught her to sing in her dreams and helped her secure the lead role in hopes of winning her affection.


    However, Christine was in love with Raoul, the theater''s patron, which enraged the ''Phantom'' and led to a series of murders, chases, and jealous rages.


    Zhang Guorong''s "Midnight Song" was based on this musical.


    Having been exhausted from training during the day, and with the theater chairs being quite comfortable, Link had managed to watch the opening auction scene before he leaned against his chair and elegantly fell asleep, unaware of how long he had been out until he awoke to hear Ivanka talking to someone.


    "Enough! Stop talking!" Ivanka said.


    "Eva, we aren''t just making things up. Look at this guy, falling asleep during such an exciting musical and even snoring. People like him simply don''t understand art and are not on our level. Even if he became a billionaire, he wouldn''t be, right, Ryan?" said a certain person A.


    "I won''t comment, but snoring here is indeed quite... out of the ordinary, ha!" said a certain person B, the voice sounding like Ryan Kunnas.


    "Link''s snoring is quite soft; it won''t disturb anyone else," Tiffany said.


    "Haha, Tiffany, regardless of how loud it is, don''t you find it odd to sleep and snore at an event like this?" said a certain person C.


    "What''s so odd about it? I heard that when you were in school, you used to fall asleep in class all the time and were called the sleepyhead..."


    "Cough, cough, cough, beautiful Tiffany, let''s not talk about the past; let''s continue watching the show," said the person C, interrupting Tiffany.


    Tiffany smiled smugly.


    "Eva, can you imagine bringing him to other sophisticated events in the future and him sleeping like he is now? Aren''t you worried about becoming the laughingstock of the circle? I heard this guy is also quite a playboy, hee hee. Whether it''s education, conversation, or experience, this guy is far behind Ryan. I really don''t understand what you see in him. Do you like his fishy smell?" said a certain person A.


    Hahaha~


    A few mocking laughs spread around them.


    "Peter, don''t talk like that. Link is actually quite a good singer," said Little Kunnas.


    "Ryan, haven''t you read the news in the newspapers? He only became famous by hyping himself up; without that, he would at best be just a third-rate singer, far from a genuinely talented artist," said a certain person D.


    "Indeed! They say that celebrities in the entertainment industry who rise fast also fall fast. Link only took two years to become a popular singer, and I don''t think he can keep it up."


    "Today''s singers aren''t really musicians; they are just big internet stars. They are far behind legends like John Lennon, MJ, and Bob Dylan," said another.


    "You''re right," agreed the people around them.


    "Enough already!"


    Ivanka finally said, "Do you know what you are doing? You''re making fun of a world champion, a musician who has created dozens of hit songs, a twenty-one-year-old billionaire, an outstanding entrepreneur, a philanthropist who has donated more than ten million for two consecutive years... Is it really pleasurable to mock such a peer?"


    "Ha¡ªEh!"


    Tiffany laughed twice, hastily covered her mouth, and whispered, "Eva, isn''t that a bit too harsh? Look at their faces¡ªthey''ve turned dark. Regardless, we''re all friends here."


    "Yes, Eva, Peter David and the others are just voicing their concerns for you, they have your best interests at heart," Ryan Kunnas said.


    "Peter David Luther, I know you''re not bad people, and I understand why you''re hostile to Link. But as a friend, let me give you a piece of advice. You''re in your twenties and still living off dividends from your family trusts. Haven''t you ever thought about doing something? Look at Ryan¡ªhe has a PhD, controls a newspaper, and is the vice president of Atlantic Records as well as the vice president of Kunnas Real Estate. You''re no less capable than he is, so why not follow his example and go get a PhD yourself?"


    Eva spoke in a gentle, measured tone.


    "Ahem, beautiful Eva, please, let''s not talk about this anymore; let''s just watch the play," a certain Bing said.


    "Eva, by defending Link like this, do you think you could end up marrying him? Don''t forget this guy is a playboy. As friends, we really don''t want to see you mix with such a man. You''re too good for him," a certain Jia stated.


    "Peter, thanks for the reminder. But even if he is a playboy, I still like him. To me, there''s no better man in the world than him," Eva replied calmly and firmly.


    Hiss!


    Sounds of gasping, grinding teeth, and kicking chairs filled the air around them.


    After the commotion subsided, the area fell into silence, leaving only the Phantom on stage, singing "Learn To Be Lonely" in a soulful, desolate voice¡ªgentle yet mysterious.


    ''Learn to be lonely, Learn to find your way in darkness, Who will be there for you, Comfort and care for you...''


    Link opened his eyes and looked around; Eva, still adorned in her red dress with blonde hair, was elegantly watching the musical on stage, showcasing her long legs. To his left, Tiffany was playing with her phone.


    Their seats were in a VIP box on the second floor of the Broadway Theatre''s auditorium. The space wasn''t crowded, featuring just over twenty sofas, tables, and even fruit, beverages, and restrooms.


    When they had arrived, the VIP box had been occupied by only seven or eight people, but now the number had increased to more than ten.


    Sitting beside Eva was a young man with a pale complexion and a slender figure, around thirty years old with a long, thin face, dressed in a suit, with neatly combed hair¡ªRyan Kunnas. Several other young men and women of similar age sat nearby and in the seats behind.


    Without hearing voices, it was impossible for him to tell who was A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.


    "Link, you''re awake. Do you know you''ve been asleep for almost an hour?"


    Tiffany, noticing his awakening, grabbed his arm and shook it.


    "That long?"


    Link checked his watch; it was nearly nine o''clock, close to his normal bedtime.


    "Yes, I shook you, slapped you, punched you, and you wouldn''t wake up. You slept more deeply than someone in a coma," Tiffany said, swinging her fist dramatically.


    Link gave her a sidelong glance¡ªyou do have a way with comparisons.


    "Link, still feeling sleepy? If you want to sleep, we can go back now," Eva suggested. Continue your journey on My Virtual Library Empire


    Link shook his head. A quick nap had dispelled most of the drowsiness. He noticed Ryan Kunnas and a few young gentlemen looking over with evident hostility and jealousy in their eyes, reminiscent of the layered faces in a Picasso painting.


    Remembering their earlier taunts, he smirked and leaned closer to Eva, "I just experienced something strange. I seemed to have a dream about a woman singing with intermittent, exquisitely beautiful voice."


    Pfft!


    "Haha, is this guy groggy from sleep? He can even make up such lies."


    "Hey, Mr. Link Baker, was the woman in your dream pretty? Was she wearing clothes?"


    "Hahaha!"


    Some people, A, B, C, D, and E, burst into laughter.


    "Quiet down!"


    Ivanka gave the people a glance of impatience and turned to Link, "Are you serious?"


    "I don''t believe it either. There are no ghosts in the Broadway Theatre."


    Tiffany said.


    "Really, I remember some of the lyrics and the tune of that song. I just tried to recall it, and I have never heard it before,"


    "Impossible, don''t talk nonsense, this is New York, there definitely are no ghosts here."


    Tiffany, arms crossed, leaned in towards Link.


    "Ridiculous!"


    The voice of someone A came from behind, "Falling asleep during the musical is okay, but to make up such an absurd excuse to hide your embarrassment is just laughable."


    "Yes, I don''t believe it either," said someone C.


    "Do you still remember that song?"


    Ivanka asked.


    Link nodded, thought back a little, and softly began to sing the chorus of the song.


    I stay up all night


    I can''t sleep through the night


    Tell myself I''m alright


    Lie to myself that everything''s okay


    Baby, you''re just harder to see than most


    You''re too elusive


    I put the record on


    I play the record


    Wait ''til I hear our song


    Waiting to hear our song


    Every night I''m dancing with your ghost


    Every night, I dance with your ghost


    Every night I''m dancing with your ghost


    Every night, I dance with your ghost


    "Sss~~"


    When Link sang the line ''Every night, I dance with your ghost,'' everyone around him shivered in unison, and Tiffany, startled, let out a small cry and grabbed Link''s arm to drape over her shoulder, nervously looking around. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Phantom of the Opera" is about a phantom hiding in the basement of a theater who falls in love with the female lead, Christine, and often teaches her to sing in her dreams.


    Just now, Link was sitting here watching "The Phantom of the Opera," and suddenly fell asleep during it, and no amount of calling could wake him. When he woke up, he mentioned a woman singing in his ear, a song that was very beautiful and very sorrowful. Could it be a female ghost has fallen for Link, teaching him to sing in this way?


    Thinking all this, Tiffany grew even more nervous.


    "Could there really be a female ghost in the theater? Did she fall in love with Link because she saw how handsome he is?"


    "Stop joking."


    Although the Ryan Kunnas group were believers and believed in God, they didn''t believe there were ghosts here. But hearing Link''s song, with lyrics and melody that sounded like they were sung by a woman, which were also enchanting, it seemed impossible for Link to have made up such a good song on the spot. Could there really be a ''female ghost'' who took a fancy to Link, and taught him the song in his dream?


    "I get it now, this is the new song your company has prepared for Lana, right?"


    Someone A said.


    Ivanka looked at Link and, taking his hand, said, "Don''t mind them. This song is great; let''s go back and record it."


    "Alright then!"


    Link shrugged his shoulders; he had wanted to continue proving his point, but Ivanka didn''t seem interested in that.


    "Wait for me, Eva, you''re worried about Link being snatched away by that female ghost, aren''t you? You''re right, I feel a bit cold here."


    Tiffany sprang up, grabbed her purse, and chased after the two.


    Ryan Kunnas and the others looked at each other.


    At that moment, the stage was performing a scene where the male lead, Raoul, was leading a pursuit of the phantom, trying to get Christine back, and the theater, from stage to audience, from all directions, resounded with the ethereal and sinister voice of the ghost.


    As the ghostly voice said, ''Hehe, I''m here!'' ''Hehe, I''m here!''


    Boom! The large chandelier above the stage suddenly fell, plunging the theater into darkness.


    This was a scene intended to scare the audience.


    But the prop master had engineered it too cleverly; the descent of the chandelier was too swift, and the lights went out too quickly.


    The audience, completely engrossed, was unprepared and many screamed in fright.


    Ryan Kunnas and his friends also shuddered, thinking of Link''s tale of hearing a ghost sing in his dream, of ''dancing with a ghost each night'', and felt the temperature in the box seemed even chillier.

 Chapter 321 Causing a Heated Discussion (3/10)

    Having left the theater, Link, Ivanka, and Tiffany got into the car.


    Tiffany was still excitedly talking about the ghost, asking him if the ghost was beautiful.


    Link said she was beautiful with blonde hair, big eyes, pale skin, and two long fangs, just like her.


    Tiffany accused him of talking nonsense, saying that creatures with fangs are vampires, not ghosts, and that ghosts are supposed to float around.


    Link asked Ivanka if she believed it.


    Ivanka said it didn''t matter whether it was true or false; the song he had just sung was a good one, and the story he told was also a good one.


    After returning to the apartment, Link wanted to sleep, but Ivanka insisted that he write down the song first so that he wouldn''t forget it by tomorrow.


    Link had to muster his energy, wrote down the lyrics and melody, and upon the internet sensation Tiffany''s request, sat in front of the piano and played the song "Dancing with Your Ghost." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This song had been released in 2019 by the American singer Sasha Alex Sloan, and the line "Every night I''m dancing with your ghost" was highly popular, also ranking as one of the Western classic songs.


    After singing, he went to sleep; his bedroom was on the third floor, less than fifty meters away from Ivanka''s bedroom.


    Although it was close, he didn''t dare sneak up there in the dark as that woman had pepper spray and several exquisitely designed rifles and pistols in her collection room, God knows why she kept so many guns at home.


    After he had gone to sleep, the night owl Tiffany didn''t sleep, and with Ivanka''s permission, she edited the video they had just filmed and uploaded it to her personal YouTube account, directly titling it "Link''s New Song Footage, Absolutely First-Hand Material."


    At the start of the video, she even copied Link''s story and tagged it as "Absolutely True."


    She recounted how they had accompanied Link to the Broadway Theatre to watch "The Phantom of the Opera." After about ten minutes, Link suddenly fainted in his seat and couldn''t be awakened no matter how much they called him. An hour later, Link woke up on his own, saying he had just dreamt of encountering a female ghost who sang a very beautiful song to him in his dream.


    Upon her request, Link recreated the song sung in his dream, "Dancing with Your Ghost."


    Ding ding ding ding!


    At the start of the video, the camera faced a panoramic floor-to-ceiling window, showing the brilliant night view of Manhattan with brightly lit buildings across. A pleasant piano sound could be heard from the side.


    As the music began, the video showed a Steinway grand piano, and a handsome man in casual suit sitting in front of it, his fingers rapidly moving over the keys, delivering a series of pleasant sounds, then he started singing into the microphone.


    Yelling at the sky


    Screaming at the world


    Baby, why''d you go away?


    For confidentiality reasons, Tiffany deleted several segments, only retaining the climax.


    Despite being incomplete, netizens could tell the song was good.


    Tiffany was a rising internet star, with over 1.5 million followers on YouTube and 2.2 million on Twitter, but because she had labeled it as "Link''s New Song" when she released the video.


    Link was very popular online, any news related to him caused a huge sensation after being reported, let alone his new song.


    Within two hours after the video was released, it had garnered over a million views, and Tiffany gained 400,000 followers on YouTube and 250,000 on Twitter.


    After watching the video, netizens expressed their opinions.


    Some said the song was good, but the story was too fake; if Link had suddenly become unconscious, people around should have called for an ambulance immediately, instead of trying to wake him.


    Others noted that the ghost in "The Phantom of the Opera" is male, not female, and the ghost in Link''s dream couldn''t possibly be the one from the show, but the song was good and they looked forward to Link''s new song.


    Some complained that Link had changed, really changed.


    Previously, his songs were "Unstoppable," "The Fighter," "Never Say Never," "All of Me," and the fiery anthem "Legends Never Die."


    All were tunes that were spirited, uplifting, or romantically moving and warm, cheerful songs.


    Since breaking up with Taylor, his music style had drastically changed, from "Sorry" to "Love is Gone," and now to this "Dancing with Your Ghost," his songs had become increasingly morose, negative, and bleak, and now his new song even carried a creepy ghostly aura.


    Based on these changes, it was clear that Link had been deeply hurt in his last relationship.


    Some netizens said maybe everyone was missing the point; as qualified spectators, shouldn''t they be asking why Tiffany was at the opera with Link?


    Many people echoed this, suspecting the two were dating, and even mentioned that Tiffany was underage.


    Tiffany, snuggled in her bed, upon seeing this comment, immediately replied that Link was her sister''s boyfriend, her brother-in-law, and they had gone to see the opera together.


    This stirred up even more buzz online.


    Recently, Link and Ivanka had often appeared together in public, causing many media to speculate that they might be dating, but since neither had made it official and both were business partners, it was unclear whether they were a couple.


    Now, seeing Tiffany''s response,


    Netizens commented, "Playboy Link is online again."


    Last month, he was spotted getting cozy with Marion Cotillard, the French Rose, in Paris, and a few days ago, he was seen entering an apartment first with Emma Watson, and now it had been confirmed he was dating Ivanka Thomp, the billionaire heiress of the Thompson Family.


    This means Link changed three girlfriends in two months and four in three months, a true "Playboy" and "jerk", "way too enviable," "the envy of a billion handsome men."


    When Tiffany saw these comments, she couldn''t help but scratch her nose, feeling as if she might have caused a mess and decided that she''d better get up early tomorrow and sneak away before they wake up.


    Shortly after Tiffany released her video, netizens revealed a video of them encountering the superstar Link at the Broadway Theatre that evening. In the video, Link was indeed sleeping, with a cool and delicately made-up blonde beauty sitting next to him, along with the round-faced girl Tiffany.


    The internet was again abuzz, and people began to believe what Tiffany had said might be true, that Link really had fallen asleep during the opera. As for whether the song was one Link heard in his dreams sung by a phantom, they would have to hear the complete song to be sure.


    Fans rushed to Link''s Twitter and Link Music''s official account, urging him to release new songs quickly since it had been two months since his last album release, and he couldn''t rest any longer.


    "Taylor, Link has released a new song."


    In Nashville, assistant Emily called out to Taylor upstairs.


    "I''m not interested!"


    Taylor put down the music magazine in her hands and yawned as she spoke.


    "It''s quite nice, do you want to listen to it?"


    Emily called out.


    Taylor did not answer.


    Then a familiar song floated up from downstairs.


    Head up in the clouds


    Looking up at the clouds


    Heaven only knows where you are now


    Perhaps only heaven knows where you are now


    How do I love, how do I love again?


    How should I, how should I fall for someone again?


    How do I trust, how do I trust again?


    How can I, how can I open my heart again?


    I stay up all night


    I''m up all night


    Tell myself I''m alright


    Lying to myself that everything''s alright


    I put the record on


    I put on the record


    Wait''til I hear our song


    Waiting to hear our song


    Every night I`m dancing with your ghost


    Every night I dance with your ghost


    "This jerk!"


    At first, she felt a bit moved when she heard Link sing "Darling, why did you leave, I still love you," but then she heard Link sing "Listening to our song, dancing with your ghost every night."


    She couldn''t help but clench her white fists; this jerk was actually cursing her, treating her like a spirit. No, she had to write a song to curse back.


    "Taylor, dinner is served, do you want to eat something?" Read exclusive adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Emily came over pushing a few dishes and asked.


    Taylor looked up and saw it was just ordinary fast food, much worse than what Link made.


    "I don''t feel like eating, I have no appetite."


    "Then what would you like to eat, I can have the restaurant make something else."


    "I don''t want to eat anything."


    "Your complexion looks a bit off, want to go to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow?"


    Emily said, observing her pale and delicate cheeks.


    "No need, I''m fine, probably just a little cold, I''ll be better after resting for a couple of days."


    Taylor picked up the music magazine and continued flipping through it.


    Emily looked at her, sighed lightly, and decided to make a call to Mrs. Andrea later to have her come over and check on her.

 Chapter 322 Beautiful Girl

    Waking up in a room more than two hundred meters high, the sky outside was already bright. The golden sun''s rays, piercing through the white clouds and the ethereal mist, cast a shine on the floor-to-ceiling windows, lighting up the entire room, which was clear and bright.


    Yet the clock showed it wasn''t even six o''clock.


    When he donned athleisure and ran down to the building''s lobby, the sky over the Manhattan streets was still shrouded in night. The light was dim, and there were hardly any pedestrians on the streets, nor were the stores open. The dawn here was quiet.


    Looking up at the tops of several skyscrapers, all their lights were on, the bright light refracted by the glass walls was beautiful and magnificent, like castles in the sky.


    Link took the subway to Central Park, getting off at 59th street, and ran along the sidewalk around the park.


    Central Park is three kilometers long and 0.8 kilometers wide. A quick lap takes less than forty minutes. Last year, during the New York marathon, all runners circled Central Park 4.5 times. The fastest record was 2 hours 23 minutes. Link thought he might have a chance to challenge it.


    After running a lap, he arrived at the New York City Museum bus stop. From a distance, he saw a tall girl under the sign, wearing fruit green leggings and an orange sports shirt, revealing her full curves at the front, slender and smooth legs, and a slim, fair waist.


    Like Link, she wore a baseball cap over her chestnut-brown ponytail, which, paired with her rosy and delicate oval face, made her appear refreshing, beautiful, and full of energy.


    "Link!"


    The girl waved her hands joyfully upon spotting him.


    Her deep blue eyes under the brim of her cap brightened.


    From a physiognomic perspective, those with large and bright eyes are simple-minded and kind-hearted, unable to hide their thoughts, while those with small and murky eyes are generally more inscrutable and unpredictable.


    Alexandra Daddario''s eyes were very large, looking into them you could tell if she was happy or not; she was a relatively straightforward girl.


    Having spent time with Taylor and Ivanka, he now quite enjoyed chatting with a girl like Daddario, feeling no pressure.


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    "Good morning, Yanni!"


    Link called out her nickname and ran up to the platform with large strides.


    "You''re all sweaty, how far did you run?"


    Daddario noticed the heavy perspiration on his body, the collar and chest of his shirt were clearly damp, and his strong muscular lines became more distinct and clear. Blinking her large eyes, she asked.


    "Just ran a lap around Central Park,"


    Link pointed across and said.


    "That fast? What time did you get up?"


    As Daddario spoke, she pulled out a wet wipe to dab the sweat off his face. As she lifted her fair and long arms, she also tip-toed slightly, propelling her pleasant scent into his nostrils.


    Link, looking at the face close to his, her clear eyes, perky nose, jelly-like red lips, and peach blossom-like rosy cheeks, couldn''t help but extend his hand to wrap around her waist.


    Daddario stepped forward, her chest bumping against his firm pectorals, her soft waist bending into a ''C'' shape, her hands climbing up to his neck.


    The two kissed for a long time on the platform until they heard a few people say.


    ''Look, they''re kissing!''


    ''Hey, isn''t that the couple from the M86 bus yesterday? Why are they kissing again?''


    ''Oh God, why do I have to see them kissing again here, don''t I deserve to live?''


    Hearing the comments, Link and Daddario, while kissing, couldn''t help to laugh and, without waiting for the people in the platform to see their faces clearly, they ran off hand in hand along the sidewalk.


    Watching their retreating figures, the singles quietly envied them. That guy was tall and handsome, lived near Central Park, and had a hot beautiful girlfriend. His life was too good.


    ''That guy looked like Link!''


    ''I thought so too!''


    ''The girl looks like an actress with big breasts.''


    Hearing the conversation nearby, single-dog Bob was stunned for a moment. Recalling the profile of that guy, sharp and well-defined, it did seem like Link. His eyes shifted as he pulled out his phone to call his paparazzi friend.


    He just saw in the news that Link was confirmed to be dating Miss Ivanka, a top-level beauty with top-level excellence and a top-tier family background. Yet, this guy was out early in the morning causing trouble for other girls, another one with a figure that''s explosively good-looking.


    That was too greedy.


    Such people must be exposed to allow all singles to condemn them together.


    Having run two laps around the lakes in Central Park, near eight o''clock, he kissed Daddario goodbye near her place, then took a ride back to his Yorkville apartment to grab a few things and drove to the Woolworth Building.


    Back in the apartment, the interior was bright. The decor was clearer than in the evening, some grand and luxurious, others refined and elegant, full of design. It was like an art palace.


    "Where have you been?"


    Ivanka came down from the second-floor staircase. She had finished her yoga practice, wearing white yoga pants with a chest wrap and a thermal blanket over her shoulders, with fine sweat on her forehead. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Running in Central Park, and stopped by the Yorkville apartment on the way back."


    "Why run there?"


    "The air is good!"


    Link shrugged and said.


    Ivanka gave him a deep look and said, "Let''s eat," then turned and walked into the breakfast room.


    Link, caught by her gaze, felt a pang of guilt, as if he couldn''t hide anything from her eyes.


    Living with a woman like that under the same roof was too stressful. Link began to wonder if moving in together was a good idea.


    At the breakfast table, they discussed today''s schedule. Link would read at home in the morning, train at the boxing gym at noon, and in the afternoon visit the company to talk to Lana about the new song "Dancing with Your Ghost."


    This song is suitable for girls to sing, and if she can bring out that feeling, give her the song.


    Ivanka said she was also exercising at home in the morning, taking care of her skin, going to the company to deal with work at noon, and needed to head back to the Thompson Family villa in the afternoon ¡ª her stepmother, Mrs. Mina, just called to say Mr. Thompson was ill, feeling unwell in his heart, and hoped she could go back to see him.


    "Is it serious?"


    "No worries, it''s just his old condition."


    Ivanka moved the corner of her lips indifferently and said.


    Beep beep beep!


    While they were talking, an alarm went off in the living room. Ivanka picked up the remote control and turned on the LCD screen in the dining room, only to see Tiffany holding her bag and shoes, standing at the door, annoyed, and asking through the monitor, "Why won''t the door open?"


    "You haven''t had breakfast yet, where are you going?"


    Ivanka asked blandly.


    "I''m not eating here, I''ll eat when I go back!"


    Tiffany shouted.


    "Stop it! Come and eat."


    Ivanka turned off the monitor.


    A while later, Tiffany walked into the dining room with a pout and an unhappy face. She had originally planned to get up early in the morning, sneak out before Link and Ivanka were up, and reappear after things had settled down.


    But she woke up at past nine, tried to slip away quietly while they were eating, yet the door wouldn''t open, and she had to bite the bullet and face her fearsome older sister.


    To avoid being caught by the ears by Ivanka, she wisely sat next to Link to find herself a protective umbrella.


    "Out with it! What did you do wrong?"


    Ivanka asked as she spread caviar on her bread and looked at her.


    "Nothing, how could I possibly do anything bad when I''m this well-behaved."


    Tiffany shook her head repeatedly and took the milk that Link handed over, gulping it down.


    "Did you wet the bed?"


    Pfft!


    "What nonsense are you talking about? I''m sixteen, practically an adult, how could I possibly still wet the bed? Don''t talk nonsense; there are boys here."


    Tiffany retorted with her face flushed.


    "You''re getting this agitated, so does that mean I guessed right? It''s okay to wet the bed, just have a maid come over and clean it up later, no need to be embarrassed."


    "It''s absolutely not like that, okay! I didn''t wet the bed, I didn''t!"


    Tiffany, leaning on the table, shouted vexedly.


    Ivanka shrugged her fragrant shoulders and elegantly continued with her breakfast.


    "Don''t rush, sit down and talk slowly."


    Link urged her as he held her arm.


    With a huff, Tiffany looked at the two and resignedly said, "Fine, I confess, last night I accidentally exposed your relationship."


    Tiffany told them that after she posted the video last night, someone asked about her relationship with Link, how come she was with him at the musical at night, suspecting they were dating, and under pressure, she had to tell the netizens that the two of them were in a relationship.


    After she finished speaking, Tiffany lowered her head, waiting to be scolded by Eva, but after a while, when she looked up, she saw Ivanka still eating as if she hadn''t heard, and Link had a clear and bright smile.


    "You''re not mad at me?"


    "We weren''t planning to hide it anyway, so it''s all right for it to be out."


    Link said, eating his sweet blueberries with a fork.


    "So that''s it, I worried for nothing."


    Tiffany let out a huge sigh of relief, her shoulders slumping as she began to eat heartily, enthusiastically telling them while she ate.


    The video she posted last night went viral, hitting over 5 million views overnight, her YouTube followers increased by 1.02 million, and Twitter by 850,000, still growing rapidly ¡ª it felt amazing.


    Link smiled gently. Last year when he first joined Twitter and saw his followers soaring ¨C from a few hundred thousand past a million, then to ten million ¨C it felt amazing as well, but later on, the increases were too common, and surpassing forty million didn''t even make a ripple.


    Furthermore, Tiffany chirped on about how today there were four pieces of news related to him trending on both Yahoo and MySpace.


    One was about the melancholic new song he released; netizens were saying he was still not over a breakup.


    Two was about him falling asleep during ''The Phantom of the Opera,'' which a netizen captured.


    Three was about him hearing ''the phantom lady'' singing in his dreams, making a fantasy cross-over with ''The Phantom of the Opera,'' sparking debates among netizens about whether it was true or not.


    The fourth was about him changing girlfriends again.


    All four news stories were highly trending, covered on various news websites, and sparking a lot of discussions among netizens.


    Link listened but remained unfazed. Since April, his news frequently hit the trending lists; the day he broke up with Taylor, he and Taylor nabbed nine trending spots ¨C so having four today wasn''t much.


    Breakfast finished and a new day of life began, with the three of them going about their separate ways.

 Chapter 323 Paris Lover

    I had to go to Paris for a movie shoot, so Link needed to delegate some of his affairs, such as film, music, boxing, concerts, investments, and more.


    However, with Ivanka, Mrs. Mandy, Catherine, Franco, and Kathy Wood around, he actually didn''t have much to deal with now besides practicing boxing, writing songs, and reading books.


    The only one who posed a problem for him was Alexandra Daddario.


    After a few runs together and a few kisses, she seemed to fall in love with him.


    Whenever they met, she would affectionately move closer to him, not rejecting his passionate kisses or him placing his dirty hands on her shapely buttocks or slender waist.


    In the morning or at night, she would send him "Good morning" and "Good night" messages.


    During the day, she would sometimes message to ask if he was busy, and if he said he wasn''t, she would immediately call him to ask if he was tired from training, urging him to rest well and showing concern for his diet. She''d talk to him about moods, movies, happy things, and the not so happy, like a girl deeply in love.


    She''d also try to sound as sweet and gentle as possible when speaking, as if she wanted to show him all the wonderful things about her, pure and beautiful.


    Link thought that if he didn''t have a girlfriend and wasn''t entangled in so many complicated relationships, he might accept her and her affections. But he was a playboy and couldn''t give her what she wanted; carrying on would only lead to disappointment and hurt.


    Though Link never intended to be a good man, he still had a baseline for being human: he didn''t want to hurt an innocent girl. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Additionally, in idle chat with Daddario he accidentally found out that her family background was not so simple.


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    The Daddario family was among the earliest Italian immigrants to New York, her grandfather was a senior congressman, her father a head of the counter-terrorism division at the New York City Police Department, her mother an elite lawyer at a leading law firm in New York. More worryingly, her great uncle seemed to have some connections to the Italian mafia.


    Getting involved with such a girl meant trouble unless he could truly be good to her; even a slight misstep could bring big trouble.


    So, during a call, he told Daddario that he couldn''t accompany her on morning runs anymore.


    Daddario quickly asked why, asking if he would be too busy next?


    Link told her that he was a fickle man, a bad person, whereas she was a beautiful, kind, excellent girl. Good girls should date good boys, not bad men like him.


    Daddario said he wasn''t a bad person, claiming he was gentle, considerate, a gentleman, the best man she had ever met.


    Link helplessly told her that everything reported in the news was true: he was a playboy, who had been with many women, still often couldn''t control his desires and strayed, certainly not a good man.


    Daddario fell silent for a while, then asked if he loved her.


    Link said he did.


    Any man would like a beautiful and innocent girl like her; however, her family was a powerhouse in both legitimate and illegitimate circles.


    Daddario also said she loved him, liked kissing him, the smell of him, running behind him, listening to his singing in the rain, and his fiery touch.


    Link said he liked her too, but he was a scumbag who couldn''t make promises to her, and continuing like this was not good for her, it would only hurt her.


    Daddario said she didn''t mind, nor did she want his promises; she just wanted to be with him.


    Moved, Link told her he was going to Paris to shoot a film and that he would bring her a gift when he returned.


    Daddario asked when he would be back.


    Link informed her of the time.


    After hanging up the phone, Link looked at himself in the mirror.


    Different from his previous life and even from Link Baker, his face had become more and more handsome, with fair and delicate skin, sharply defined bones, deep eyes, and a trace of unresolved melancholy between his brows, handsome and elegant.


    But he seemed to be becoming worse.


    He used to hate jerks the most, but now he had become the person he despised.


    Could this be the fate of everyone?


    Ding-a-ling!


    The phone rang, and he answered the call. A husky, sexy voice came through, the person on the other end calling him darling and asking in French when he would arrive in Paris.


    Listening to the sexy and provocative French accent, Link couldn''t help but recall his time filming in Paris.


    They lay in bed together, naked except for a towel covering them, she speaking a phrase in French and him repeating it. Hearing him speak French made her throw her head back and burst into laughter, her chest trembling with the laughter.


    That was the routine, she taught a phrase, they made love. During the rest, she continued to teach and he continued to learn.


    In just over a month, he could understand French and even speak some simple sentences.


    "Marion, I''m taking a flight at nine tomorrow morning. I should arrive around four or five in the afternoon," Link said in French.


    "The word is avion, not a¨¦roplane, and I like it when you call me darling," the woman laughed on the phone.


    "Darling, I will arrive in Paris tomorrow afternoon."


    "Got it, I''ll pick you up from the airport."


    "Hold on, coming to Paris, there''s definitely a lot of paparazzi watching us, aren''t you worried about getting caught in a scandal?"


    "Hmm, are you worried?"


    "Of course not, I am a playboy."


    "Parisian women never fret over scandals either."


    The woman said indifferently.


    "The news said you quarreled with Guillaume because of me?"


    "Yes, there was a time when I was making love to him and accidentally called out your name. He got very angry, thinking I loved you more. He''s such a fool; of course, I love him more, except when you are in Paris."


    The woman spoke frankly.


    "If I stayed in Paris, would you love me forever?"


    "Haha, maybe, you are my lover, and when you''re in Paris, I don''t think about other men. But you can''t stay in Paris forever."


    "I love Paris as much as I love you. If this were two hundred years ago, I''d bring my army to snatch you and Paris from France, so I could have both Paris and you at the same time."


    "Haha, my dear, you would definitely have been a tyrant in the past."


    "Yes, I would be a tyrant, and tomorrow I will cross half the world to conquer you."


    After exchanging a few sweet nothings with Marion, Link hung up the phone and thought of another woman, Jennifer Lawrence.


    They had lived together for a while during the filming in Paris.


    He was a big star, and she was a newcomer actress. During their cohabitation, everything revolved around him. She didn''t talk much, didn''t ask much, and didn''t bother with his affairs with Marion. She just quietly went about filming. Even after returning from Paris, she did not disturb him, acting very sober and calm.


    This time, the reshoot didn''t involve her, so she didn''t need to make another trip.


    Link sent a message asking where she was.


    Jennifer replied she was in Los Angeles, currently auditioning for a new role, and asked if there was something he needed.


    Link asked if it was going well.


    Jennifer said not too well, she had auditioned for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" last week, did well in the initial audition, but at 5''9" (175cm) tall, she was too tall next to Daniel Craig, who is 5''10" (178cm), and didn''t get through.


    This week she was auditioning for "X-Men: First Class." Over thirty actresses were in contention, so there was stiff competition, and her chances weren''t high.


    Hearing about "X-Men," Link thought she must be auditioning for Mystique and ended up getting it, but that role was quite ordinary¡ªcovered in blue paint and makeup¡ªit wouldn''t help her much.


    Link texted asking if she wanted to switch talent agencies. He owned a talent agency as well as a production company which produced the upcoming "Scandal Plan" and "Bridesmaids" currently being filmed, with two more movie projects coming up this year.


    If she joined, he could help her with the breach of contract fee, and the signing bonus would be no less than one million US dollars. The contract would be similar to other agencies.


    At the moment, her salary per film was less than one hundred thousand US dollars.


    Jennifer said she needed to think about it.


    After hanging up, Link called Wendi Deng to inquire if she knew anything about the casting for "X-Men: First Class."


    "X-Men: First Class" was produced by 20th Century Fox, a subsidiary of the Murdoch''s News Corporation, where Wendi Deng also worked. She had recently aimed to enter the film industry, which led her to be a producer of "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."


    Wendi Deng was a well-connected woman. Although she didn''t work for Fox Studios, her network was powerful, spanning politics, business, and entertainment across Europe, America, and Asia.


    Because of Ivanka, Link had become friends with her, and calling her about this matter wasn''t presumptuous. On the contrary, with his current fame and market value, Wendi would not refuse to maintain a good relationship with him.


    Wendi said she had heard about it but didn''t know the details. She said she had just spoken with Paul Haneman, the CEO of Fox Studios, the day before and could inquire for him.


    Link told her that his friend Jennifer Lawrence was auditioning for the role of Mystique and asked if she had a chance to land it.


    Wendi told him to wait a moment.


    Five minutes later, Wendi informed him that Jennifer was very talented, her performances in "Burning Plain" and "Winter''s Bone" had gathered quite a bit of popularity, and she did well in the audition. Fox was indeed considering giving her the role.


    Link thanked her.


    Wendi mentioned that "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" was starting shooting next month and asked when he would be available to come to Huaxia.


    Link said he would be doing a tour in Asia in July and August and could make time to join the set.


    Wendi welcomed him, promising to act as a gracious host when the time came.


    After chatting with Wendi, he sent a message to Jennifer, telling her that he had just been in touch with Fox Studios, and they would give her the role of Mystique.


    After sending the message, he didn''t wait for Jennifer''s response and put down his phone to go to the boxing gym for training.


    After training in the afternoon, he received a reply from Jennifer wanting to talk about the contract offer.


    Link said he didn''t have time recently and sent her Catherine''s phone number.

 Chapter 324 Jennifers Choice

    Los Angeles, Metropolitan Area, the sun is shining bright.


    In a common apartment on Seventh Street, Jennifer Lawrence was sitting barefoot in a hammock, wearing a tank top and shorts, looking at a phone number on her cell phone, hesitating for a moment.


    She had planned to find Link and talk about the contract face to face.


    During her film shoot in Paris, she had lived with Link for over twenty days and had gotten to know him fairly well; despite his being somewhat of a flirt, his character was quite good.


    Discussing this matter face to face with Link and obtaining his commitment would make her feel more at ease.


    But Link was too busy, directing her to contact a lady, Ms. Catherine, from Palm Beach agency.


    This made her hesitate, pondering whether to wait for his return or to contact this Ms. Catherine first.


    "Jennifer!"


    Her cousin and agent Clausen strode in, holding a document with an excited smile on her sun-reddened face, "The contract is signed; the role is yours, with a base salary of 200,000 US Dollars."


    "That quick?"


    Jennifer took the acting contract and looked at it.


    Accompanying it was the thick script of "X-Men: First Class," which included the responsibilities and obligations of the production side and the actors, as well as clauses about the salary and other terms.


    With this contract, as long as she did not break any rules specified within it during the filming period, the role would be hers, and no one could take it away.


    "Yes, when I went to sign the contract, the people from Fox Films said that you, Michael Fassbender, and James McAvoy were among the first batch to get the roles, and they were also surprised that the production team made the decision so quickly to assign you the role," Clausen excitedly said.


    Jennifer flipped through the contract.


    Previously, Link had messaged her saying that Fox Films had decided to give her the role, but she hadn''t paid much attention at that time. Merely over two hours later, a call had come from the "X-Men" audition team congratulating her on passing the audition and getting the role of Mystique. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At that time, she speculated Link might be involved, but wasn''t sure, feeling that her audition performance was also quite good. Now, hearing Clausen''s words, she was certain that her success in securing the role must have been helped by Link.


    Thinking of Link, Jennifer felt somewhat powerless.


    Link, at twenty-one, just a year older than her, had already amassed a fortune of several hundred million dollars, owned companies like Link Music, and had numerous connections in the entertainment industry.


    It was also because she understood this that she had seriously considered signing with Palm Beach agency after receiving Link''s invitation.


    But as it was a decision that could affect her future, possibly for a lifetime, she could not take it lightly.


    "Jennifer, what''s wrong, is there something wrong with the contract?" Clausen asked.


    Jennifer shook her head.


    She mentioned the invitation from Link to join the Palm Beach agency.


    Clausen was her elder cousin by ten years and had come to Hollywood to be a model assistant and agent after graduating from college. She was quite familiar with the entertainment industry and had been Jennifer''s guide in the circle.


    "Palm Beach agency? Link agreed to pay your penalty fee? And a signing bonus of 1 million? Really?" Clausen asked in surprise.


    Jennifer nodded and confirmed it was true.


    "That sounds very good, what are you hesitating about?" Clausen said.


    "Do you really think it''s good? I''ve never heard of Palm Beach agency; it must be a new agency. Would going to a new agency be better than staying with the current one?"


    Jennifer got down from the hammock, poured two glasses of iced soda, and handed one to Clausen.


    "It''s normal for an actor not to have heard of Palm Beach agency, but I know about the company."


    Clausen pulled up a rattan chair and sat down, then introduced the situation at Palm Beach Talent Agency.


    Established in 2008, the agency primarily handled actor management. Currently, it had only two artists under its label, Link and Emma Stone.


    "Emma Stone?"


    Jennifer knew Emma Stone, who was a year older than her and also a non-academic grassroots actress. In the 2007 comedy ''Too Bad'', both competed for a role named ''Jules'', and she lost to Emma Stone.


    Until last year, Emma Stone had only played supporting female roles in several low-budget campus comedies, similar to her, not very famous.


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    But since the second half of last year, Emma Stone had first starred in the campus comedy ''Scandal Plan'', produced by Warner''s subsidiary Screen Gems.


    Then, she co-starred with A-list actors Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling in the movie ''Crazy Stupid Love'' as the female lead, and was also one of the leading actresses in the ongoing women-themed movie ''Bridesmaids''. It was said that she had several scripts in hand and was not short of roles to play.


    Currently, ''Scandal Plan'' was undergoing pre-release promotional activities, and Emma Stone''s appearances in the media had increased, earning her a spot as ''one of the most noteworthy actresses of the year'' by ''Vanity Fair''.


    In this regard, Link''s Palm Beach Talent Agency was indeed impressive.


    "Emma Stone is a heavily promoted actress by Palm Beach Talent, with a clear upward trajectory, and there''s something else you might not have noticed," Clausen continued.


    Emma Stone managed to become the leading actress in ''Scandal Plan'' because the film was invested by Palm Beach Films, which was reportedly also founded by Link.


    "Link is a billionaire, made a fortune from a record deal, made tens of millions in minutes on the boxing ring, and certainly doesn''t lack money. This also means Palm Beach Films is well-funded. Because of this, many actors, especially actresses, want to join Palm Beach Talent through this connection, but Palm Beach doesn''t accept submitted resumes. They primarily invite talent, so no one has succeeded yet," Clausen explained.


    Clausen looked at her, "Jennifer, Link personally inviting you to join Palm Beach shows he values you, and I think it''s a good opportunity."


    Jennifer thought about it and felt that joining Palm Beach wouldn''t be bad, considering her relationship with Link was likely better than at IMG Models.


    IMG Talent was her current agency, founded when she and her mother visited New York when she was 14. Discovered by an IMG scout then, she was over 5''7", attractive, and suited to modeling.


    After convincing her parents and finishing all her high school courses within two years, she joined IMG Talent, modeled for a few months, but was more interested in acting. Through the company''s channels, she gradually took on roles, and this year gained recognition from her roles in the low-budget artistic films ''Burning Plain'' and ''Winter''s Bone''.


    However, IMG Talent''s main business was model management, with limited resources in the entertainment industry, which also limited the support they provided. This led to her loss to Christine Stewart, who was less skilled in acting, in the third round auditions for the lead in ''Twilight'' in 2008.


    Last year, Christine skyrocketed to fame with ''Twilight'', becoming a teenage idol and an A-list actress.


    To say she wasn''t envious would be impossible.


    She had considered switching to another agency, like CAA, William Morris Endeavor WME, or United Talent Agency UTA, all top-tier agencies, but it was difficult for someone of her level of fame. Besides, smaller agencies couldn''t compete with IMG.


    Palm Beach Talent seemed to have better influence in the film circle than IMG.


    Realizing this, Jennifer told Clausen that Link had messaged her and asked her to contact a woman named Catherine. She was now hesitating whether to wait a few days to talk to Link or to meet Catherine now.


    "Catherine? Is it Catherine Baker?" Clausen asked.


    "Link didn''t say, just mentioned that she was the head of Palm Beach Talent."


    Jennifer checked the message on her phone and said.


    "Then it must be, Catherine is Link''s mother. Talking to her is the same as talking to Link."


    "Catherine is Link''s mother?" Jennifer asked in surprise.


    She looked at the phone number, momentarily unsure of what to decide.


    If Catherine was merely the general manager of Palm Beach, it would be fine to call her directly, but the situation was different since she was Link''s mother.


    Because she and Link had been rumored to have a close relationship,


    facing Catherine might feel like meeting a boyfriend''s parents, although she and Link were not in a romantic relationship, it still psychologically burdened her.

 Chapter 325 Emmas Sense of Crisis

    It was still Los Angeles, and the sun still shone brightly on the city.


    Catherine was negotiating her company''s next film project, "The Help," at an Italian cafe on Sunset Boulevard when she received a call from Jennifer Lawrence.


    "The Help" is set in Mississippi in 1962, at the height of the African American civil rights movement across the United States. Despite this, society was still deeply influenced by the legacy of slavery, and in the homes of white families, many black maids still faced unequal treatment.


    The story''s main character is a white girl raised by a black nanny. After learning about the injustices faced by black maids, she decides to interview those working in white households and write a book about their hardships, using this as a way to help them fight for equality.


    The script was adapted from the novel of the same name published last year, "The Help."


    Catherine, who has an interest in films about women, saw the script earlier in the year and called Link to ask what he thought; Link said it was up to her to decide.


    After contemplating, she decided to take it on and make it into a movie.


    Today, she invited the original author of the novel, Catherine Stockett, and the director/screenwriter Tate Taylor to discuss the film.


    She plans to start this film project after the release of "Scandal Plan" and the completion of filming "Bridesmaids." With Palm Beach Films'' production capacity, it is impossible to initiate two projects at the same time.


    Tate Taylor, as a newcomer director, naturally had no objections.


    While chatting, Catherine received a call from Jennifer. Jennifer first politely greeted her, then introduced herself and asked if she had time to talk.


    Catherine said that she did, and she provided the location and meeting time for Palm Bay Company.


    Previously, she had received a call from Link, who said that Jennifer Lawrence had agreed to join Palm Bay and asked her to discuss the contract issues with Jennifer.


    Catherine agreed to handle it.


    At the end of last year, Woody Allen decided to cast her as the female lead. Afterward, Catherine had arranged for someone to approach Jennifer, but she had no intention of switching companies.


    Now that Jennifer had agreed to switch, it was an unexpected joy for Palm Bay Films.


    Another pleasing aspect was that Link was serious about signing talent.


    Initially, when Link proposed founding a talent agency to sign Gal Gadot, she and Mandy thought Link wanted to pick up girls this way, bringing a bunch of pretty vases into the company.


    Later, they realized that wasn''t the case. Link took the work of the talent agency very seriously, and the actors he recommended, such as Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence, were outstanding and truly capable of helping the company make money.


    Understanding Link''s intentions, Catherine felt relieved. Though Link was a bit flirtatious, he never messed around with serious matters; he knew to keep his personal and professional lives separate, a trait that was far superior to that of many second- and third-generation wealthy heirs.


    ----


    In the afternoon, just past three o''clock on Hollywood Boulevard, at the Blue Mountain Cafe opposite Palm Bay Talent Agency, Catherine met the already arrived Jennifer Lawrence and her agent, Ms. Clausen.


    After they met, she got straight to the point, telling them that the terms promised by Link could be honored, and she asked if Jennifer had any other demands.


    After thinking it over, Jennifer proposed two requests.


    The first was to bring her agent, Ms. Clausen, on board with the Palm Bay Company.


    Catherine agreed, assuring that after Jennifer joined Palm Bay, Ms. Clausen would continue to be her agent.


    The second request was for Catherine to become her head agent.


    Catherine smiled warmly and agreed to her proposal.


    She could also tell that the person opposite her was as smart as Emma Stone¡ªa clever girl.


    Emma Stone was very respectful toward her at work, considerate, and behaved very well, like she was her half-daughter.


    Now there was another Jennifer, who also seemed like a clever girl.


    Catherine liked working with smart people; it saved a lot of time at work.


    After the negotiations were settled, Catherine invited Jennifer and Clausen to take a look at Palm Bay Company.


    Jennifer gladly accepted and followed Catherine into the company.


    Palm Bay Company was situated in an office building on the west side of Hollywood Boulevard, occupying the 8th to 10th floors, with a total area of nearly a thousand square meters. Although the staff was not numerous¡ªactors, agents, assistants, administrative personnel, all under sixty people¡ªthe decoration was done very well.


    In the company''s office area corridor, Jennifer ran into Emma Stone and took the initiative to greet her.


    When Emma Stone saw her, those pine-green eyes immediately lit up with a gossipy expression.


    "Lucy, how come Jennifer Lawrence is here? Go find out what she''s doing at our company," Emma Stone said to her assistant, looking at Jennifer''s retreating figure.


    Not long after the assistant departed, she brought back a piece of news: Jennifer Lawrence was going to join Palm Bay, and they were now discussing the contract.


    Hearing this news, Emma Stone suddenly felt uneasy.


    Previously, she was the only actress in the company, and when Link and Catherine invested in a new movie, she would be the first to be considered.


    Now with Jennifer Lawrence, also an actress with good acting skills, the company would have another candidate to choose from for roles, and Emma was no longer the sole option.


    Moreover, there had been rumors between Jennifer and Link; they had an improper relationship. If the company had new projects in the future, Jennifer would just need to sleep with Link once to get the role.


    Thinking about these things made Emma Stone feel a sudden sense of crisis.


    Last year, she had also wanted to form a good relationship with Link, to hold onto his coattails.


    But at that time Link had Taylor, and outsiders had no opportunity to intervene.


    After the two broke up, Link was often away filming, and she had no chance to get close to him. Jennifer Lawrence, through the opportunity of filming, climbed into Link''s bed and was now signed into the company by Link, obviously with the intention of promoting her.


    "What should I do now?"


    Emma Stone sat in her office chair, supporting her chin with her fingers, pondering her strategy, her eyes fixed on Catherine''s office across the way.


    Having joined Palm Bay Company for nearly a year, she had a very good time here, with movies to film and money to earn. From last year to this year, she had landed several good roles, and even before the new movie was released, she had already become a Hollywood rising star, feeling very good.


    Also, in terms of personal relationships, she got along well with Catherine. She respected Catherine, and Catherine took care of her, almost as if she was nurturing her like her own daughter.


    But Catherine was a manager of the company; for the company''s development, it wasn''t possible to sign only her, contracting other actors was inevitable.


    Emma Stone understood this and also understood Catherine.


    She blamed Link, blaming this guy for being too flirtatious. Playing around outside was fine, but did he have to sign actresses he''d had flings with to the company? Did she really want to turn Palm Beach into her own harem?


    "Okay, goodbye!"


    The office door opposite opened, and Jennifer Lawrence walked out.


    Emma Stone blinked her pine-green eyes, smoothed out her skirt and golden hair, arranged her expression, and walked out. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Hi, Jennifer!"


    "Hi, Emma!"


    In the hallway, the two greeted each other face to face.


    One with golden hair and green eyes, the other with brown hair and hazel eyes, one petite and slim, the other slightly taller, one in a dress, the other in a T-shirt and jeans.


    Though neither was considered a top-notch beauty, they were both quite easy on the eyes and very young. They were also powerful actresses with good looks in the current entertainment industry.


    The two of them sized each other up.


    Emma Stone wondered how close Jennifer''s relationship with Link was, whether they were lovers or not?


    Jennifer Lawrence also pondered whether Link had slept with Emma Stone. She hadn''t heard any gossip about that.


    "Jennifer, I saw you in ''Winter''s Bone.'' You''re a terrific actress,"


    Emma Stone said, smiling.


    "Thank you, your acting is great too. The comedic effect is very good," S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jennifer Lawrence replied.


    "My office is right here. Want to come in for a cold drink?"


    Emma invited.


    "Not today; I have some work to tend to. I''ll treat you another time,"


    Jennifer declined politely.


    "Alright, it''s a deal then."


    Emma extended her hand to shake Jennifer''s and personally escorted her to the elevator.


    After seeing Jennifer off, Emma Stone thought for a bit and walked to Catherine''s office door, rapping gently. Hearing Catherine call for her to enter,


    Catherine was there in the office, along with Mr. Mihash Fis, the head of the talent division, and Mr. Colin Coleman from the legal department. Catherine briefed them on Jennifer Lawrence''s situation and tasked them with the responsibility for the signing.


    After the two left, Emma Stone dutifully poured a cup of cold tea and placed it on Catherine''s desk.


    "All this diligence, are you trying to dig up info on Jennifer Lawrence?"


    Catherine asked with a smile.


    "No, I''ve just met with Jennifer. I knew her before as well. She''s a formidable actress,"


    Emma Stone responded.


    Catherine smiled slightly, "Yes, she''s good. That''s why we signed her. But you don''t need to worry about competing with her. You have your comedic roles, and she has her lead actress parts. There is no conflict between you two for now."


    "Yes, I understand. I was just curious about what her relationship with Link is like. Are they still dating?"


    Emma Stone leaned on the office desk across from her and asked with a gossipy look.


    "I''m not sure. His official girlfriend now is Ivanka, and I haven''t asked how many other hidden girlfriends he has."


    "I read in the newspaper there are seven or eight. For him to date so many girlfriends, he''s such a jerk, don''t you manage him at all?"


    Emma Stone asked with a smile.


    "No, I don''t! The more girlfriends he has, the more trouble he''ll end up with. Over time, he''ll grow tired of it and will consider settling down, getting married, and having children. Men are all the same. So let nature take its course, no need to manage him,"


    Catherine said as she flipped through the files.


    Emma Stone nodded thoughtfully.


    ----


    "Jennifer, how did it go?"


    Outside of Palm Beach Agency, Jennifer Lawrence, wearing sunglasses, stepped into the car and heard her agent Clausen asking.


    "All went well. Palm Beach will handle all our legal issues and the penalty fee will be paid in accordance with the contract. There''s no problem with the signing,"


    Jennifer replied.


    Clausen nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then informed her of something. The company had received a call saying that a representative of Weinstein International Films would like to meet her. Harvey Weinstein had seen her performance in ''Winter''s Bone'' and admired her acting skill. If she continues to perform well, they would consider offering her the lead role in a new film.


    "Someone from Weinstein Company?"


    Jennifer got a bit excited at the mention of Weinstein.


    Weinstein Company was a new film company founded by the Weinstein brothers in 2006.


    Since the 1970s, these brothers have released dozens of classic films, along with over six hundred independent and arthouse films.


    Including ''Pulp Fiction,'' ''The English Patient,'' ''Gangs of New York,'' ''Infernal Affairs,'' ''Chicago,'' ''Kill Bill,'' ''Cold Mountain,'' ''Shakespeare in Love,'' ''Good Will Hunting,'' ''The Lord of the Rings,'' and more, the movies they''ve produced and distributed have earned over three hundred Oscar nominations, taking home more than seventy awards. They are heralded as the "saviors of modern cinema."


    The Weinstein brothers also brought fame to directors like Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino, as well as actors like Gwyneth Paltrow, Russell Crowe, Ren¨¦e Zellweger, and others, being dubbed by the media as the ''Oscar-winning actress and actor maker,'' ''golden producers,'' among other titles.


    Being noticed by Weinstein Company was an excellent opportunity.


    But there was one problem. She was preparing to switch agencies, and Weinstein Company was a resource brought in by IMG. Would she still be able to take on a role at Weinstein Company after the switch?


    With this thought, Jennifer found herself in a dilemma.

 Chapter 326 Beauty at Paris Airport

    "Is it going to rain today?"


    Paris, Charles de Gaulle International Airport. Link looked up at the blue sky and the brilliant sun, similar to New York''s weather, showing no signs of impending rain. This made him doubt the accuracy of the French weather forecast. If it didn''t rain in the next two days, his trip would be in vain.


    "The French weather forecast says it''s going to rain tonight in the Paris area,"


    Anna caught up and said.


    Link nodded. After getting off the plane and walking for a few minutes, he also felt some mugginess. Paris has a temperate maritime climate, with an average outdoor temperature of 18 degrees Celsius in June and July. The feeling of mugginess indicated unusual weather, a sign of impending rain.


    "Have we arrived? At which exit?"


    As he walked to Terminal T2E, he received a message from Marion Cotillard.


    Link replied to her and noticed that he had over twenty text messages and seven or eight missed calls on his phone.


    One was from Ivanka, asking him to check in after landing.


    One was from Catherine, saying she had just met with Jennifer Lawrence and all was well.


    One was from Selena, asking if the news about him seeing a ghost at the Broadway Theatre was true. She asked what the female ghost looked like and if she was beautiful. She also called him a jerk for even wooing a ghost.


    He also received messages from Paul Walker, Dino Duva, James, Eminem, Emma Stone, Emma Roberts, Emma Watson, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce, and others.


    Most of them were inquiring about his dream of a ghost singing.


    Since both he and "The Phantom of the Opera" were very popular, after Tiffany broke the story, it was widely reported by many online media and broadcasters, sparking heated discussion online and becoming a hot topic in the entertainment industry.


    Netizens not only discussed it online but also flocked to the Broadway Theatre, indicating their intention to sleep there to see if they could hear the ghost sing.


    Due to the influx of visitors, the normal operations of the theatre were impacted.


    The theatre had to make a statement saying there were absolutely no ghosts in the theatre and that Link dreaming of a ghost singing was a random occurrence.


    Despite that, curiosity overwhelmed the netizens, leading to a packed Broadway Theatre. When "The Lion King" was performed onstage, many people were sound asleep in the audience.


    Subsequently, over a dozen influencers claimed they actually heard a woman singing in their sleep. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Others said they heard nothing, probably because "The Lion King" was being performed and not "The Phantom of the Opera."


    The situation escalated and even piqued the curiosity of acquaintances like Paul Walker, who sent him messages inquiring about the ''culprit''.


    Link replied to a few messages, telling everyone it was real and they could go and experience it for themselves.


    After Bob and Wallace picked up the luggage, the group of four discreetly walked out of the airport. He wore a cap and sunglasses, which covered half of his face. Anna and the other two also wore sunglasses, looking like a team of special agents.


    But as they exited the terminal, a paparazzo recognized him.


    ''Mr. Link Baker!'' A paparazzo shouted.


    Over a dozen paparazzi burst out and began snapping photos of him.


    "Mr. Baker, is this trip to Paris for work or are you meeting up with Marion Cotillard?"


    "Mr. Baker, some media reported that you are involved in Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet''s relationship, causing a crisis. What is your explanation for this?"


    "Mr. Baker, it''s said that while watching ''The Phantom of the Opera'', you dreamed of a lady ghost singing. Is this story true or just a publicity stunt?"


    Facing the paparazzi''s inquiries, Link answered a few questions, insisting that he and Marion were just friends, with no messy relationship, and hoped everyone would not speculate wildly.


    The paparazzi did not believe him and mentioned they had photographed him staying overnight at Marion''s house last month.


    Link stated that he and Marion were good friends and that staying at a friend''s house overnight was quite normal.


    He then signed autographs for more than a dozen fans who had gathered around, and walked out of the airport under the escort of Wallace and airport staff.


    "Link, over here!"


    Upon reaching Charles de Gaulle Avenue, a lady dressed in a spaghetti strap silk dress and with French-curled hair waved at him, standing next to an apple-green Volkswagen Beetle.


    This sexy French lady was none other than Marion Cotillard, thirty-five years old, who had debuted in 1992 and starred in big-hit French movies such as "Taxi," "Love Me If You Dare," and "A Very Long Engagement," and had won the Best Actress Oscar in 2008 for "La Vie en Rose."


    Although her beauty was not as stunning as her predecessor, the French Rose Sophie Marceau, she exuded a classical grace, with blue-gray eyes, red lips, and a sexy nose tip, full of artistic flair, a very sexy and cool woman.


    Around Marion Cotillard, dozens of media reporters and paparazzi were holding up cameras, continuously taking photos of the duo.


    Seeing these people, Link could guess, the few paparazzis in the hall were also drawn here by her.


    "Hi, Marion!"


    In front of the many reporters, he openly hugged Marion Cotillard.


    "Missed me?"


    Marion also boldly kissed him on the face, blinking her enchantingly deer-like eyes and curving her red lips into a slight smile.


    "Of course, from the day I left Paris, I''ve been missing you, your lips, your voice, now smelling your scent, there''s only one thing on my mind, to possess you," Link said softly in French while holding her.


    "I''ve missed you too, can you feel my whole body trembling?"


    The two looked into each other''s eyes, and even the atmosphere around them became ambiguous.


    "Mr. Baker..."


    Before the reporters and paparazzi could swarm up, Link pulled Marion Cotillard into the car.


    The car roared onto the Charles de Gaulle Airport''s direct roadway and started accelerating.


    "Chase!"


    The reporters and paparazzi also started their cars, and a fierce chase ensued on the highway leading from the airport to downtown Paris.


    Link, with his superb driving skills and ultra-fast response time, weaved through the dense traffic and pushed his speed over eighty miles per hour.


    Because of the high speed, Marion gripped the seat, occasionally screaming, sometimes urging him to go faster, sometimes asking him to slow down.


    After driving for more than ten miles, Link quickly lost the paparazzi tailing them through several swift lane changes.


    "How''s my driving?"


    Link smiled, holding the steering wheel.


    "Incredible, so thrilling,"


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    Marion Cotillard exclaimed excitedly, gripping the handle.


    Link looked at the rearview mirror and smiled.


    "Link, go there. I want to kiss you,"


    Marion leaned in with a breath tingled with heat.


    Link checked the surroundings, turned the car into a public parking lot at Villette Park in the 19th district, and the moment the car stopped, they gazed at each other and embraced passionately.


    After kissing for more than ten minutes, they were about to move to the back seat to see it through to the end.


    The phone in Link''s pocket tinkled, and as he held Marion close, he casually hung up. But the phone insisted on ringing again.


    He took it out and saw it was Director Woody Allen''s call.


    "Link, where are you?"


    Director Allen shouted into the phone, sounding somewhat displeased.


    "In the car, on the way to the set, it''ll take about, no, two hours to report in,"


    "Don''t lie to me. I just saw the news that you arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport twenty minutes ago. It only takes forty minutes to get to the set. What do you need two hours for? Link, remember, you''re an actor. You came to Paris to film, not to mess around...."


    Director Allen is quite a talkative fellow, not just in everyday life but also in his movies, where the characters usually have lines filled with rambling.


    Sometimes, a speech extends to eight pages filled largely with meaningless babble, a level of rambliness that perhaps only Director Quentin Tarantino could rival.


    As he listened to Allen''s droning, he placed the phone on the seat and continued to kiss and caress Marion.


    After talking for a few minutes, Director Allen at the other end seemingly heard something and suddenly shouted, "Link!! What are you doing? I''m asking you a question. Why aren''t you responding?"


    Tsk tsk tsk~


    Marion Cotillard couldn''t help but laugh out loud and finally couldn''t hold back, throwing back her sexy swan neck, laughing heartily.


    "...."


    The voice on the other end also fell silent.


    Link hurriedly picked up the phone, "Heard you, I''m coming right over to check in."


    "Hmph, half an hour, half an hour at most. It''s going to rain in Paris tonight, you better come early to prepare, don''t miss this heavy rain,"


    "Got it, see you soon!"


    After hanging up, he sighed and said, "Looks like our date has to be postponed."


    "Haha, you haven''t made up yet?"


    Marion tightened her skirt and asked with a smile.


    "No, it''s hard to reconcile."


    "It''s okay, you''ll have a good talk after filming. Director Allen isn''t really a stickler."


    Marion kissed his cheek and said.


    Link nodded his head and started the car.


    He didn''t have much hope about reconciling with Director Allen.


    Their conflict had been present since the start of filming.


    The main reason was a significant disagreement about acting styles.


    Director Allen was an actor who had received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.


    When he was creating "Midnight in Paris," he initially planned to write, direct, and act himself, but due to his age, which did not suit a romantic role in the film, he reluctantly chose Link.


    Because of this, the film''s male character was designed based on his personality¡ªbrooding, funny, a bit dopey, and incessantly chatty.


    During filming, Allen also wanted him to act in this way.


    Link tried it, but it didn''t work.


    He was not the brooding, rambling, goofy man and couldn''t play that role well; forcing it would have been awkward.


    He approached Allen to suggest simplifying some lines, complaining that the protagonist seemed excessively verbose and lacked masculinity.


    Allen disagreed and insisted he continue acting.


    He reluctantly acted for a few days but felt increasingly disconnected, suggesting someone else should take the role.


    Allen noticed the issue and reluctantly agreed to make some slight adjustments to the character based on Link''s appearance and personality.


    Subsequently, while filming, they frequently clashed over how much to change scenes and the extent of those changes.


    Allen was reluctant to make significant alterations and still wanted the protagonist to resemble himself.


    Link didn''t want to become another Woody Allen; he wanted to fully own the role, so he thoroughly researched the character, performed diligently, and even wrote over twenty thousand words as the protagonist''s biography.


    With the help of Marion Cotillard, Jennifer Lawrence, and others, he continually adjusted and perfected his performance, making the character vivid and dynamic.


    And since he was performing increasingly well and convincingly,


    Director Woody Allen was forced into a corner and had to accept it grudgingly, but the resentment remained, and during filming, he constantly found fault and made things difficult for him.


    This was one of the reasons for their conflict.


    Another reason, as assistant director Frank Arela told him, was that Allen liked to cast female leads he found aesthetically pleasing and would fall in love with during filming to capture their most beautiful shots.


    However, after falling for Marion Cotillard and Jennifer Lawrence, Allen was shocked to discover both women had been intimate with Link.


    Frank mentioned that upon learning this, Allen nearly lost it and furiously berated Link.


    Since then, he had been exceptionally strict with Link on set, with constant snide remarks and various forms of manipulation.


    But Link took it all and persisted until the end.


    And since he persevered, Woody Allen couldn''t let his anger out, hence his constant irritability and relentless attitude.


    Link wasn''t bothered by it.


    Director Allen was a highly skilled and respected director.


    During the filming of "Midnight in Paris," despite the nitpicking, he taught Link many useful things.


    His acting improved significantly, and he also learned about many French paintings and literary works.


    The gains outweighed the costs, and he didn''t bother to quarrel with an old man.

 Chapter 327 Doing the Most Romantic Thing

    ```


    "Scene 12, Shot 8, Take 1, action!"


    When the car arrived at the ?le de la Cit¨¦ set in the middle of the Seine River, director Woody Allen saw him getting out of the car with Marion Cotillard, his face dark with anger. He didn''t even bother to greet them but shouted, ''Get them in makeup, we start shooting in ten minutes.''


    Link wasn''t in the mood to argue with him, so he changed into his original costume, which was a finely tailored grey suit.


    He and Allen had also argued several times over this very suit.


    Initially, Allen had wanted him to wear a loose-fitting casual suit with a wrinkled shirt, saying that was his usual style.


    Link disagreed. The character had been altered and was no longer Woody Allen; it was now Link Baker.


    In terms of wardrobe, it should fit his image and character. It could be a bit relaxed in style, to look casual.


    But there was no need for a wrinkly shirt just to make himself look uglier on purpose.


    After all, the character was set as a famous writer and Hollywood screenwriter, and his girlfriend''s family was also very wealthy, so they cared quite a bit about dressing well.


    And the supporting actress, Adriana, she''s been the lover of notables like Picasso, Hemingway, Amedeo, and others; she''s seen plenty of outstanding men.


    If the male protagonist were slovenly and inarticulate, devoid of manliness, how could she possibly give up Picasso and Hemingway for him?


    Link believed that a more handsome appearance and a chic wardrobe would show off more modern charm and catch the eye of the supporting actress, making her fall in love with him.


    Woody Allen disagreed, arguing it was the male protagonist''s talents and inner worth that made the female counterpart fall in love, not his good looks.


    Link retorted. Could the protagonist really match Picasso, Hemingway, or Fitzgerald in talent?


    The dispute continued unresolved until costume designer Sonya Grande stepped forward and suggested trying on two different suits to see which looked better.


    Once he put on the finely tailored suit, the crew members were all drawn to his attire. The sharp suit, his messy yet stylish long hair, and his chiseled face gave him the aura of a classic, artistic actor.


    A few of the female staffers couldn''t help but clap and cheer, calling him too sexy.


    Allen watched him for several minutes, cursed a few times with a dark expression, looking very much like a scumbag, and then ordered the crew to get ready to shoot.


    "Cut!"


    "Link, are you an actor or what? What is this performance? It''s crap. And just so you know, with what you''re doing, not only will you not get an Oscar, but you wouldn''t even win a Zimbabwe Film Award."


    Behind the monitor on set, Allen shouted at him. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crew members, upon hearing the mention of the Zimbabwe Film Award, couldn''t help but snicker covertly, no doubt a fictitious accolade coined by Allen to taunt Link.


    Link shook his head. Before coming to Paris, the director''s assistant, Frank Arela, had told him they only needed to reshoot the scenes in the rain, nothing else, and he didn''t prepare in advance.


    After arriving at the crew, however, Allen told him there was an important scene that hadn''t been shot properly and that he needed to reshoot it with Marion Cotillard.


    Without much preparation, he stood in front of the camera, and it was normal that the first take wasn''t perfect.


    But Allen exploited the opportunity to mock him. Link felt Allen was intentionally giving him a hard time.


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    "Do you want me to go easy on you?"


    Marion Cotillard joked.


    "No need, I''ve got this,"


    said Link, flipping through the script.


    "Are you sure? Allen isn''t planning on making it easy for you today."


    Marion said as she adjusted his tie.


    "Don''t worry, how could I be afraid of an old man? As long as he''s got the energy for it, I''m game."


    "My dear, you''re too sexy."


    Marion tiptoed to kiss him.


    Link bent down to return the kiss and pinched her pert bottom.


    From a distance, director Woody Allen awaited the pair''s readiness for the next shot but suddenly saw them kissing and grabbing each other''s butts in front of the camera.


    A flare of anger shot through him; he slammed down his script in fury and barked:


    "Shoot! Start the shoot! If this doesn''t work out, don''t blame me for being foul-mouthed."


    "Scene 12, Shot 8, Take 2, action!"


    The clapper was snapped.


    Link and Marion took their positions, began to summon their emotions, and when the cameraman signaled the start, Link looked at Marion, puzzled: "What are you talking about?"


    "We should stay here, the dawn of the beautiful era, the greatest and most wonderful time in the history of Paris."


    Wearing a white ball gown and with a smile on her face, Marion spoke in a sensual voice.


    "But what about the twenties? There''s the Charleston dance, the Fitzgeralds, and Hemingway,... I mean, I prefer their company."


    Link said, shrugging his shoulders.


    "But that''s reality, very dull."


    "Dull?"


    Link''s face showed a tinge of surprise, and with a complex expression, he said, "But that''s not my reality. I come from the year 2010. For me to be in your era is like us being in 1890."


    "Is that true?"


    Marion asked in amazement.


    "Yes, I was trying to escape my reality, thinking that going back in time, just like you''re escaping your reality, we''re all looking for the Golden Age. Look over there at those guys--for them, the Renaissance period is their Golden Age. They''d trade this beautiful era for a chance to paint with Titian and Michelangelo. And those from the Renaissance might fantasize about a better time under Kublai Khan. I''ve come to understand, albeit not a major epiphany, that it''s clarified the things I once fretted about in my dreams."


    ```

 Chapter 327 Doing the Most Romantic Thing_2

    Link talked on and on.


    "What dream?"


    Marion Cotillard asked.


    "I once had a dream, a nightmare actually, I dreamed that I had run out of azithromycin, and then I went to the dentist, and they had no novocaine, you understand what I mean, they had no antibiotics at all."


    "What are you talking about?"


    Marion Cotillard looked at Link, her beautiful face showing some confusion and incomprehension.


    Director''s area.


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    Woody Allen watched Marion''s performance through the monitor and exclaimed, "So sexy! A girl like Marion would be pursued by high society no matter which era she lived in Paris... It''s a pity that beautiful girls have no taste, like Jacqueline Roque, and Marion Cotillard too, they all like bad men, damn it!"


    Woody Allen stared at the monitor, his expression becoming very angry.


    Assistant director Frank Arela and associate director Maroni Balestra exchanged glances and smiled secretly; they had worked with Allen many times and had some understanding of him.


    Allen was talking about Jacqueline Roque, Picasso''s second wife, and also an object of Allen''s secret adoration.


    Woody Allen had gone to Paris for a study visit in the fifties and encountered Jacqueline Roque. He was immediately attracted by her beauty and had pursued her.


    But at that time, he was just a screenwriter with no fame, short in stature, and not particularly good-looking. Aside from humor, he had no particularly noteworthy talents. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jacqueline Roque had turned him down decisively, and in 1961, she married Picasso, who was an eighty-year-old cad. After Picasso died in 1973, Jacqueline took her own life in 1986.


    In the movie "Midnight in Paris," there is also a character of Picasso, whom Woody Allen, probably out of disgust for Picasso, had depicted as a man who looked like Sittler, brutish, cruel, and heartless.


    Marion Cotillard''s character, Adriana, is Picasso''s lover, but in the movie, she is drawn to the male protagonist and leaves Picasso to choose the protagonist.


    Woody Allen also used this as a way to take his revenge on Picasso.


    In history, Picasso had two wives and more than a dozen openly acknowledged mistresses, and he had children whom he did not care for; he was a true womanizer.


    Link was also a playboy, rumored to have had liaisons with more than a dozen actresses. Although his fame couldn''t compare to Picasso''s, upon hearing that Link had slept with Marion Cotillard, Woody Allen transferred his disgust for Picasso onto him.


    This made Link''s character extremely complicated, not only bearing his own traits but also elements of Woody Allen, and he had to be viewed with hostility by Allen as if he were Picasso.


    Frank also felt Link''s difficulty in performing, he looked at the monitor and said, "Link is also doing quite well, he has a deep understanding of the character, it''s hard for ordinary people to portray this kind of temporal confusion and complexity."


    "Humph!"


    Woody Allen, with folded arms, didn''t respond. Looking at Link''s handsome and elegant face in the monitor, and hearing him deliver the lines fluently and emotionally, he knew that the guy was doing a good job, but the better Link performed, the more irritated Allen felt.


    Before joining the crew, Link''s acting was rough. He hadn''t received any professional training, nor had any good director to guide his acting; he was like an unpolished stone.


    Over the past month, Allen had been constantly directing Link, pouring many acting techniques into him through each performance, making him more and more proficient in acting, and even gradually developing a unique personal acting style.


    For an actor, having a personal acting style is one of the signs of mature technique.


    At only twenty-one, Link was starting to show his acting style, which not only meant he had a decent talent for acting, but also that his director was teaching him well.


    He should have been pleased with this, but Link was too much of a scoundrel, recklessly seducing women during the shoot, treating the production like his hunting ground with no regard for his director''s feelings.


    Naturally, Allen wouldn''t let him off easily.


    "Cut!"


    Director Allen called a break and reviewed the footage just shot, which was somewhat better than what had been filmed last month.


    Last month, Link was under too much pressure and his acting always felt tense. At the time, he had grudgingly given it a ''pass''.


    After a few days of rest, when Link returned to the set, Director Allen thought to shoot the scene again to see how it would turn out. The result was good, Link''s performance was more relaxed, with a suddenly enlightened feel, which was precisely the element needed in this part of the play.


    But Director Allen wasn''t ready to let Link off the hook. He first lavishly praised Marion Cotillard and then criticized Link for not putting his heart into the performance, asserting that if he did, he could do much better.


    "Link, you need to do the scene one more time, put more into it. I need all your acting chops, quick!"


    Director Allen shouted.


    On the set, Link felt helpless. The male lead in the scene he had just performed had 227 lines spanning five pages, which he had memorized over many days to be able to deliver at his own pace and understanding.


    Having done it twice during the performance, and now being asked to do it again, was quite taxing on him.


    "Link, you acted very well, there''s no issue. It''s Director Allen who''s purposely giving you a hard time."


    Marion said.


    "I know, the old guy is up in years; stirring up a little trouble is about the only pleasure he has left. So, let''s do it his way, one more time. Consider it a daily line drill."


    Link said nonchalantly.


    "Dear, you''re amazing. So talented and yet so magnanimous. What am I gonna do, even more in love with you?"


    Marion leaned into his embrace, her eyes full of infatuation.


    Link wrapped his arms around her soft waist and leaned down to kiss her red lips.


    Over at the directors'' area, when Director Allen looked up to check how ready Link was, he saw the two of them locked in a passionate kiss in front of dozens of people on set, with no regard for the surroundings.


    Director Allen smacked the table in anger, just about to give Link another tongue-lashing.


    Boom!


    Suddenly, there was thunder overhead, and the western sky was covered with dark clouds, a sign that rain was imminent.


    "Change set! Continue shooting!"


    "Link, stop kissing, get ready for the next scene."


    Frank Arela called out.


    But Link and Marion Cotillard continued to kiss until it started to rain, kissing in the rain as if no one else was there.


    Director Allen held an umbrella, watching the two kiss in the rain with undisguised envy and jealousy on his face. Kissing a sultry French woman in Paris in the rain was the most romantic thing he had imagined.


    But it was something he only dreamed about in his heart, never experiencing it himself.


    And there Link, the playboy, had effortlessly achieved it, kissing the hottest French actress on a rainy day in Paris.


    "Such an enviable bastard!"


    Director Allen cursed.

 Chapter 328 The Love Returns to the Rainy Night in Paris

    It was raining in Paris; the streets became wet and slippery, and the main cathedral of Notre-Dame loomed faintly in the distance through the veil of rain.


    Director Allen said that the best time to see Notre-Dame was on a rainy day.


    Because the visibility was blurred, viewing Notre-Dame now closely resembled the visual effect people had two hundred, five hundred, eight hundred years ago when they stood here, creating a sensation of traveling through time.


    Link disagreed, saying it wasn''t the same. Modern people, accustomed to skyscrapers, find Notre-Dame stunning but not particularly shocking or awe-inspiring.


    People centuries ago, unfamiliar with the world, reverent of gods and spirits, would likely kneel or lie prostrate when they came to the cathedral of Notre-Dame, instead of standing here without restraint.


    He asked Allen if he wanted to give it a try? Maybe they could actually find that feeling.


    Allen glared at him, wanting to scold him for not understanding art, but then realized there was some twisted logic to what he said.


    "Everybody, get moving, shoot quickly, don''t block the way here."


    Allen yelled, waving his hands.


    After the rain, the film crew hurried to shoot scenes of Paris in the rain, including famous landmarks such as Notre-Dame, the Louvre, the Place de la Concorde, the Eiffel Tower, and others.


    There were too many places to shoot. Creating artificial rain was too expensive, so taking advantage of the rainy weather was the most cost-effective and visually appealing option.


    Link was also required to stroll along the banks of the Seine River alone, hands in his pockets, getting drizzled on, admiring the ancient buildings on both sides of the river. Allen also wanted him to evoke the sense of walking through the corridor of history.


    After walking in the rain for over half an hour, his clothes nearly soaked, they finally captured enough material for the film.


    But even after these scenes were done, there was no time to rest. Under Allen''s prompt, he changed into dry clothes and went to the Place Saint-Jean XXIII for the final shoot of the day.


    This scene depicted the male protagonist Gil initially being left by his lover Adriana in a fantasy world, and when he returned to reality, he discovered his fianc¨¦e''s infidelity, leading to their breakup.


    After back-to-back breakups, Gil, now alone, wandered the Parisian streets with a melancholic expression, just as a light rain began to fall.


    At that moment, a French girl approached from behind. She worked at an old vinyl store, and Gil had encountered her twice on the street, making her somewhat of an acquaintance.


    The actress playing the French girl, Gabriel, was the French film star Lea Seydoux, who had played a supporting role in Director Quentin''s "Inglourious Basterds," was 25 years old, and was also quite a spicy French lass.


    However, her grandfather happened to be Jerome Seydoux, chairman of Path¨¦ Films and a good friend of Director Allen.


    To prevent Lea from being seduced into bed by him, Allen deliberately arranged for an assistant to watch over them, preventing too much private contact during the shoot.


    "Scene 12, shot 3, take 1, action!"


    "Hey, what brings you here?"


    Link turned to look at the girl approaching leisurely in the rain and asked.


    "My boss got a new vinyl record from Cole Porter."


    Lea Seydoux responded with a slight smile.


    "It made you think of me?"


    Link asked since Gil mentioned Cole Porter''s record at the vinyl store before.


    Lea Seydoux shrugged, making a face of agreement.


    Link smiled lightly, "I like being remembered by you. Are you heading home now?"


    "Yes!"


    Lea Seydoux adjusted the strap on her shoulder and smiled back.


    "Can I walk with you, or invite you for a cup of coffee? Look, the rain is getting heavier."


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    Link looked up at the sky and said.


    "No problem, I don''t mind getting wet."


    Lea Seydoux replied with a light smile.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, actually, Paris is most beautiful in the rain."


    "That''s something I often say too. I wholeheartedly agree, it''s even more beautiful now."


    Link caught raindrops in his hand, his face lit up with joy at being understood.


    Director''s area.


    Allen watched from behind the monitor, arms folded, as the screen showed the two walking shoulder to shoulder on the damp streets, talking as they went, their figures gradually vanishing under the dim street lights.


    Beautiful and romantic.


    He couldn''t help but let out a soft sigh.


    "Allen, do we need to do another take?"


    Frank Arela asked.


    "No, that''s a wrap!"


    Director Allen said.


    Frank Arela looked at him in surprise, it was the first time he''d seen him so readily approve Link''s actions.


    Director Allen gave him a glare, "With the rain so heavy, Link, being a man, isn''t bothered, but Layla, as a girl, can''t stand it. Call her back quickly before she catches a cold."


    "Got it!"


    Frank yelled through the megaphone, ''Cut! That''s a wrap for today''.


    "Frank, keep an eye on Link, don''t let him harass Layla."


    Director Allen instructed.


    "Understood, Director Allen!"


    Frank said with a smile.


    After shooting, Link returned to the Ritz Hotel where the crew was staying, his clothes drenched.


    Marion hadn''t gone home and was staying in his room. When she saw him return, she poured him a cup of hot chocolate.


    After drinking the hot chocolate, Link felt warm. He took off his clothes and went into the bathroom, with Marion following wrapped in a bath towel.


    The two of them made love in the bathroom.


    This time, without any disturbance from Director Allen and no worries about paparazzi snooping.


    Listening to the pitter-patter of heavy rain outside the window.


    They had a good time.


    Back on the bed in the bedroom, the two nestled against the headboard and chatted.


    "I recently got a script where the male lead is a boxer, and it would also suit you. Do you want to take a look?"


    Marion leaned against the headboard, pulling out a book and handing it over.


    Seeing the title of the book, "Rust and Bone," Link immediately thought of the movie "Rust and Bone," one of Marion Cotillard''s signature works.


    The movie was adapted from the collection "Rust and Bone" by famous Canadian author Craig Davidson.


    It tells the love story of Ali, a homeless boxer, and Stephanie, an orca trainer who loses her legs in an accident.


    The two meet at the lowest points of their lives: Ali helps Stephanie regain confidence in life, and Stephanie helps Ali find hope. They save each other and spark love, embarking on a new journey.


    Since the male protagonist of the film is also an underground boxer, Link had watched it twice and thought it was pretty good.


    "It''s a very nice story, is the male lead role still open?"


    Link asked after reading the novel of over fifty thousand words.


    "The director of this film is Mr. Jacques Audiard, and the film is still in pre-production. He wants me to play the female lead and has given me the script ahead of time. If you''re interested, I''ll recommend you to him,"


    Marion Cotillard said.


    Link nodded. He had also met Director Jacques Audiard once, at the Oscars in March this year. Director Audiard had been nominated for Best Foreign Language Film with "The Prophet", a highly competent director.


    "I''m very interested. Also, I own a production company, and if the film is short on investments, I could participate,"


    Link said, with his arm around Marion''s shoulder.


    "Deciding to invest just based on the novel, aren''t you worried about losing money?"


    Marion asked affectionately, running her finger below his chin.


    Link knew the film had done well at the box office and thus wasn''t worried about losing money. He kissed Marion''s hair and said, "I''m a boxer; I make money quickly and always need to find ways to spend it. It wouldn''t be a pity even if I lost it in a movie."


    "Yes, you didn''t mention it, and I almost forgot that you''re the famously rich Mr. Money Printing Machine."


    "I''m not just a money printing machine, I''m also other kinds of machinery, Miss Cotillard, would you like to experience this robot''s other features?"


    "I''d be delighted." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Marion laughed, biting her lip.


    Link gave a gentle smile and pulled the wool blanket over them.


    Under the blanket, the waves surged, while the wind and rain outside grew fiercer.


    In the next room, Director Allen sat under the balcony awning, looking out at the rainy Paris streets, holding a glass of Bordeaux red wine, about to enjoy some rare leisure time.


    Suddenly, he heard strange noises coming from next door.


    At first, he thought it was the sound of rain beating on the awning, continuous and constant.


    But upon listening closely, he realized that it wasn''t.


    His face darkened as he shouted toward the open window next door, "Keep it down! Have some shame."


    Unfortunately, it was of no use. The noise and rain from next door only got louder, completely ignoring the old man.

 Chapter 329 Monica Bellucci

    It had rained all night, and by morning, the weather in Paris had become cool, with quite a bit of pooled water on the streets by the Seine River, and the surrounding classical buildings looked like oil paintings from Monet after the rain, vivid and delicate in color.


    While Link was having breakfast, he heard from Frank that Director Allen had caught a cold last night and still hadn''t gotten up.


    After finishing their meal, he and Marion specifically went to visit, but Director Allen had a dark face and didn''t seem to welcome the two of them at all.


    Link didn''t linger to add to the congestion, and around noon, he followed Marion to the Pompidou Center in the fourth district, where they met Director Jacques Audiard at a nearby caf¨¦.


    Director Audiard was in his fifties, a famous French director, screenwriter, and producer.


    He started directing in ''95, with works such as "A Self-Made Hero," "Read My Lips," "The Beat That My Heart Skipped," "The Prophet," and others.


    He has won the Best Director at the French C¨¦sar Awards, the Palme d''Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, among other awards and nominations, making him a highly capable director.


    After meeting each other, they discussed movies, and Link and Marion acted out a scene where the main male and female characters first meet on the spot.


    Having collaborated for over a month, their relationship was very close, and they had great chemistry during the performance.


    After watching for a while, Director Audiard approved of their acting but offered some advice on Link''s French pronunciation, hoping that he would practice it more before filming.


    Link said it wouldn''t be a problem, promising to continue studying French with Marion.


    Director Audiard also brought up the issue of investment. Having acquired the adaptation rights to the novel last year, he spent half a year conceptualizing the screenplay and began the film project this month. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The initial budget for the movie was 15 million Euros, approximately 16.2 million US Dollars, and would be higher if they cast him as the lead actor.


    Director Audiard was also the producer of the film, having already secured an 8 million Euro investment from Lumi¨¨re Film Company. If Link liked the project, the rest of the investment would come from his film company.


    Link also said that wouldn''t be a problem.


    In the future, he would hold concerts in Europe and France and participate in boxing matches, and the income from ticket sales and match shares would be significant. Transferring this money back to the United States would require additional taxes, so he preferred to spend it where he earned it, by investing in films.


    If the film investment was successful, he could also buy villas, castles, and vineyards in Paris or across Europe for future vacations.


    After discussing the film project, Director Audiard left early.


    "Are you planning to start a movie production company here in Paris?"


    In the T¨¦lescope caf¨¦, Marion asked as she stirred her coffee with a silver spoon.


    "Yes, investing in and producing niche art films, maybe one or two, or two or three a year. What do you think?"


    "It''s tough. The film industry is really profitable only in Hollywood now. French cinema was not bad in the ''70s and ''80s but has seriously declined in recent years. Hundreds of movies are made each year, and most of them lose money."


    Marion shrugged her shoulders.


    "I understand; I''m not making movies to make money, mainly so I can come over and see you often."


    Link said, holding Marion''s hand.


    Marion looked at his handsome face, her gray-blue eyes flickered, she withdrew her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and gave him a seductive glance, "Young man, I''m over a decade older than you. Being lovers is good enough; you''d better not think about having me all to yourself."


    "Alright, my primary goal in investing in films here is to make money and secondly to see you, learn French, but since I''m not very familiar with the French film industry, I want to ask for help from someone who knows the industry well, to recommend one or two good investment projects each year, or your film projects. It doesn''t matter if I lose or profit, would that be okay?"


    Link said while holding her hand.


    Marion locked eyes with him for a few seconds, nodded her chin, then wrapped her arms around his neck and delivered a kiss flavored with the scent of coffee.


    Link also embraced her slender waist and responded passionately under the watchful eyes of the public.


    This is Paris, the city of romance, where kissing in public places is common¡ªand it''s one of the reasons he loves Paris.


    "Marion? Oh, sorry, we didn''t mean to interrupt."


    While they were kissing, two people came over to say hello. Link let go of Marion and recognized them.


    The woman, dressed in a blue strappy dress and voluptuous in figure, was the famous Italian film star Monica Bellucci.


    The man in casual suit was her husband, the famous French actor Vincent Cassel.


    "Hey, Monica, Vincent, are you guys here too?"


    Marion greeted them as she got up.


    Monica Bellucci looked at her, then at Link, a mischievously mocking expression on her beautiful face.


    "So it''s true what the news has been saying, you two are dating?"


    "Yes."


    Marion said nonchalantly.


    Link also got up and shook hands with Vincent Cassel, and greeted Monica.


    At over forty years old, Vincent was a middle-aged heartthrob and one of the most famous French actors at the moment.


    His works include "The Maid of Orleans," "Apartment 5C," "Brotherhood of the Wolf," "The Twelve Apostles," and the soon-to-be-released "Black Swan," among others.


    In comparison, his wife Monica Bellucci was even more famous internationally.


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    Her notable films included "Malena," "Irreversible," and "Don''t Look Back." She was known as "La Do?a" because of her voluptuous beauty and ample bosom.


    However, Monica, too, was getting on in years, over forty, with her figure starting to fill out, a round face, ample bosom and buttocks, a mature beauty of a certain age.

 Chapter 329 Monica Bellucci_2

    "Mr. Baker, it''s a pleasure to meet you here, you look more charming than in the news,"


    Monica Bellucci said with a smile as she sized him up.


    Link smiled faintly and also complimented that they were a loving couple, a role model in the film industry, although he remembered that the couple was about to divorce.


    "Link, I need to talk to Marion, do you mind if we take a few minutes of your time?"


    "Please, go ahead!"


    Link glanced at Marion, saw her sitting down next to Monica, and invited Vincent Cassel to sit down and chat about the movie "Black Swan."


    He was also acquainted with Darren Aronofsky, the director of "Black Swan," who had mentioned last year about offering him a role as a ballet dancer in the movie, which he had declined.


    In the booth next door, Marion and Monica Bellucci were chatting; both were French actresses based in Paris, belonging to the same circle and had been friends for a long time with good relations.


    Compared to others, Marion''s boyfriend, Guillaume Canet, had a better relationship with the Bellucci couple. They had worked together several times, and it was through Guillaume that Marion met them.


    "Marion, how does it feel to date a young, strong big boy?"


    Monica Bellucci teased with her sexy Italian accent. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Great!"


    "Yes, young men are very energetic, like an angry rhino."


    Monica said with a half-smile.


    "Link is no ordinary young man; he is the world boxing champion, the strongest man in the world, strong in every aspect."


    Marion held up two fingers and teased Monica to guess how long they had been playing since last night?


    "Twenty minutes?"


    Monica asked, blinking.


    Marion shook her head slightly, telling her to measure the time in hours, excluding foreplay.


    Monica glanced at Link in the next booth and stirred her coffee cup, "Last night, Guillaume came over to my place, looking for Vincent to have a drink, saying he''s in a lot of pain now."


    "Is it because of me?"


    "Yes, Marion, Guillaume loves you very much; he doesn''t want to see you taken away by Link."


    "He doesn''t need to feel that way; I told him when I left that I would stay at the set for a couple of days, finish filming and then go back. What is he in pain about?"


    Marion asked.


    "Because he loves you, he loves you very, very much."


    "I know, I love him too."


    "But you and Link, do you love Link as well?"


    Monica asked.


    "Of course!"


    "That''s the root of Guillaume''s pain; he wants you to love only him."


    "Are you here because of this?"


    Marion looked at her, although they were friends, she didn''t want anyone meddling in her private life.


    "No, Marion, don''t get me wrong. The weather is nice today, Vincent and I came here to shop, and it just so happened that we ran into you."


    Monica shrugged her shoulders and said.


    Marion said, "If he loved me, he shouldn''t restrict me, just as I wouldn''t stop him from seeing Diane Kruger."


    Diane Kruger was Guillaume''s ex-wife, a famous German actress and model, known for "National Treasure" and "Inglourious Basterds." They married in 2001 and divorced in 2006.


    "Guillaume said he deeply regretted seeing Diane Kruger, he now realizes that you are the one he loves most, and he said he will propose to you next."


    Monica Bellucci took Marion''s hand, advising, "Marion, you should also think it over. Link is too young and still a playboy. Sleeping with him is one thing, but taking it seriously is another. He definitely won''t love you like Guillaume does."


    Marion Cotillard pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "Monica, you''re wrong. Link is not any playboy."


    "The American media say he has had many girlfriends. Isn''t that a playboy?"


    "No, a playboy uses his advantages to toy with women''s emotions and bodies, but Link doesn''t. He never has such intentions.


    He takes relationships very seriously and sincerely, never thinking of discarding someone after having fun.


    If initially I dated him because he was handsome and talented, now... Monica, I think I have truly fallen for him, even more than for Guillaume."


    "He is gentle, elegant, humorous, takes his work very seriously, and is very ambitious, unlike Guillaume who lacks direction. Plus, he has a strong desire to possess everything.


    Sometimes when he holds me, it feels like he wants to merge me into his body. Initially, I thought I would hate this, but after meeting him, I find myself fascinated by this feeling. I know it''s not right, but I can''t help but love him."


    Marion rested her forehead on her hand, looking at Link at the neighboring booth; her eyes gradually filled with infatuation.


    Compared to Vincent next to him, although he lacked that mature, weathered flavor of an older man...


    He was equally mature, solid, masculine, and had a flawless handsome face and a clear, clean smile.


    Plus the strong muscles under his clothes, at times gentle, at times dominating, at times humorous, at times melancholic, like a cocktail that is intensely flavorful yet refreshing, always leaving people craving for more.


    Monica glanced at her, shook her head helplessly, and couldn''t understand how Marion Cotillard, a woman who had been in the entertainment industry for many years, could fall for a young man like Link, just because he was strong?


    "Marion..."


    "Monica, don''t worry about me. I''m over thirty, and I know how to handle matters of the heart," said Marion, placing her hand on Monica''s shoulder.


    "Alright, let''s go join them. The two men together don''t seem to have much to talk about."


    Monica Bellucci laughed as she watched the two men awkwardly chatting.


    Marion also laughed a few times and stood up to sit next to Link again.


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    Seeing the two women return, Link too breathed a sigh of relief.


    Initially, they talked a few words about "Black Swan," but after that, he mentioned sports, which Vincent wasn''t interested in. He also said that Guillaume was his friend and hoped that Link would stay away from Marion to not affect their relationship.


    Link said he too loved Marion and wasn''t trying to destroy anyone''s relationship.


    Vincent, speaking like an older man, argued back, saying Link was only after Marion because she was famous, beautiful, known as the French rose, and winning her over would feel like an accomplishment.


    He added that this feeling was like a poison, which he had experienced himself.


    Link disagreed, stating that he was more famous than Marion and didn''t need such means to satisfy his vanity.


    Marion is a very charming and profound French woman, being with her lets him better understand what love is, and teaches him how to live.


    That''s why he chose to continue dating her.


    Vincent didn''t believe his words and no longer spoke to him.


    When the two women returned to their seats, the booth''s atmosphere livened up again.

 Chapter 330 Earn 160 Million US Dollars in Half a Year

    After chatting briefly with Monica Bellucci and her husband at the caf¨¦, Link and Marion stood up to say their goodbyes and left.


    Having finished his parts in "Midnight in Paris," his work in Paris was done, and he was about to head back to the United States, not expecting to see them again for two to three, or maybe three to four months.


    Not wanting to waste time outside, they bought some fruits and flowers at the market and then returned together to Marion''s apartment by the Seine River.


    After a quick meal, the two cuddled on the balcony, watching the Seine River outside the window, chatting, tasting red wine, ML, delving deep into the soul as if it was the last time in their lives.


    By four in the afternoon, Link kissed the still-sleeping Marion, left a note, put on his hat, and left her apartment.


    "Boss, Mandy just sent a message, you might need to know about it."


    In the car, Ms. Anna said, holding her work bag.


    "Go ahead, I''m listening,"


    Link said, as he looked through the unread messages on his phone.


    "Since yesterday, a lot of media in the United States have been hyping up news that you''re a Playboy, claiming you''re toying with women''s emotions and bodies. They''ve even pulled up last year''s interview with Amber Heard to prove you have issues with abusing women,"


    Anna glanced at the file, which had the words ''pervert'' and ''addiction'' written on it, but out of respect for Link, she did not say them out loud.


    "Are many media outlets saying that?"


    "Only small tabloids or minor news websites with a circulation under a hundred thousand,"


    "This is defamation, what does the legal department say?"


    "The legal department is gathering evidence to sue the media outlets that are infringing on your reputation rights,"


    "Did they find out who is targeting me?"


    "It''s sudden, the company is still investigating, but there are two guesses,"


    Ms. Anna said.


    The first guess is related to Jay-Z and his people.


    While the media was hyping up that Link is a Playboy, some media and musicians also accused him of not being an authentic singer, saying his albums sell well due to hype rather than quality.


    They also compared his new albums "The Woman I Love," "Keep On Movin''," and "The Fighter" against Eminem''s new album "Recovery," praising Eminem''s album and belittling the artistic level of these three albums.


    "How have the sales been for ''Recovery'' these past few days?"


    "It released three days ago, and the nationwide sales are 357,000 copies, which is pretty good. They expect to hit 800,000 copies by the end of the week, and probably that''s the reason they want to pit Eminem''s new album against yours,"


    Anna explained.


    "This isn''t likely related to Eminem, he''s hardcore and doesn''t like sidetracks. As for whether it''s Jay-Z, Kanye or others, let Scott and the public relations department look into it for now. No matter who wants to challenge me, I''ll take it on,"


    Link said.


    Anna nodded, thought for a moment and then said, "Second, it has to do with the Captain America casting. Right now, a lot of young male actors are eyeing this role, including Will Smith, Sam Worthington, Channing Tatum, Chris Evans and over forty others."


    Recently, Marvel Entertainment announced the list of actors auditioning, and you were at the top. Many Marvel fans also think you are the most suitable to play Captain America, even creating a ''Best Choice for Captain America'' voting website, with 358,000 votes supporting you, 106,000 supporting Will Smith, while votes for other actors didn''t exceed ten thousand each.


    The media also thinks that Marvel is more likely to choose you for Captain America.


    Mandy thinks that rival agents might also try to tarnish your reputation, as Captain America is known to be faithful, unlike the Playboy that is Iron Man,"


    Link considered this possibility, but he wasn''t concerned, regarding the role of Captain America, his thought was, if he got it he would play it, if not, no loss.


    He told Anna, regardless of who was targeting him, to prepare well for public relations. He did not care about the Playboy stigma, did not care if people said he sold albums by hype, and didn''t care about the role of Captain America, but he would never tolerate defamation.


    "Understood!" Stay updated with My Virtual Library Empire


    Ms. Anna nodded.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After returning to New York, Link ignored the negative media and continued his training in the boxing ring.


    He participated in two boxing matches on the 15th and 18th, both WBC and WBA Super Middleweight championship challenges.


    The WBC championship challenge took place at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, his opponent was the WBC Americas champion nicknamed ''Ghost Dog'', Alan Green, also qualified to participate in the Super Six tournament.


    On that day, the Tokyo Dome was filled with 48,000 Japanese spectators.


    Link took 86 seconds to cleanly knock out his opponent, causing a huge sensation at the venue, with many spectators shouting ''Incredible! Link is incredible!'' Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The match was co-hosted by the WBC Japan branch, Japan Professional Boxing Association (JPBA), and the Joint Stock Association, and Link''s appearance fee was 32 million US Dollars, not participating in the pay-per-view, ticket, or advertising revenue sharing.


    After the match, the organizers enthusiastically arranged for eight women to help him shower.


    Link immediately declined, he liked Japanese girls but preferred to charm them himself, and not to have them delivered to his doorstep.


    Besides, many media were defaming him as a Playboy, and doing such a thing in Tokyo at this time was like giving ammo to the media. He did not believe the organizers would keep it a secret.


    On the 18th, he led his team to Dubai in the Middle East to participate in the WBA championship challenge, his opponent was the Denmark champion Mikkel Kessler.


    This was their second battle, attracting lots of boxing fans'' attention.

 Chapter 330 Earn 160 Million US Dollars in Half a Year_2

    Appearance fees of 30 million US dollars, plus a luxurious apartment on the 132nd floor of the Dubai Tower, and two valuable sports cars, with a total value of no less than 38 million US dollars.


    In this match, Mikko fought tenaciously, using his arms to protect his head and constantly changing positions around him, greatly hindering his offensive.


    Link had to be patient during the match, engaging in a guerrilla war with his opponent, first breaking through the opponent''s defense with refined combination punches and then knocking down the opponent with a series of heavy punches. At 65 seconds into the third round, he knocked out his opponent again and won.


    When he knocked down Mikko, thousands of wealthy people from the Middle East stood up and cheered.


    This match also brought Link''s professional record to 19 fights, 19 wins, and 19 KOs and earned him another 30 million US dollars in cash and a mansion worth ten million US dollars.


    After the match, some people from Dubai came over to persuade him, urging him to switch his nationality to Dubai and told him that people from Dubai could have many wives.


    Link was somewhat tempted, but he did not agree. His base was in America, and switching to another nationality did not make financial sense.


    After these two matches, he had defeated all the top fighters in the Super Middleweight rank and had undoubtedly become the dominant champion of that rank.


    Professional media such as "The Ring" and "KO" reported his second-round title defense victory, declaring him the strongest boxer in the history of the Super Middleweight rank, stronger than Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Joe Calzaghe, and other veteran champions.


    Also, earning 163 million US dollars from five matches, he was considered the most profitable athlete in the sports world.


    "Earning 160 million US dollars a year, this guy is too impressive."


    In a New York heavy metal music bar, 50 Cent looked at the news on his phone, grinding his teeth in envy. While being a singer was profitable, it did not reach the level of 160 million a year. Earning money at this rate was faster than robbing a bank.


    "Not a year, 160 million, it''s only June now. It''s 160 million US dollars in half a year."


    Eminem reminded him while drinking beer.


    "You don''t have to tell me, I know."


    50 Cent rolled his eyes and looked at his friend Jermain Taylor, asking, "Jermain, how much is your prize money per match?"


    The former WBA Americas boxing champion, Jermain Taylor, waved his hand, "Can''t compare, Link is a boxing superstar. Though he''s still not up to Tyson or Ali''s level, he''s not far off. Not to mention, he''s only 21 this year, his earning rate will only get faster."


    "Jermain, you are also a boxer, and you seem even buffer than Link, why can''t you beat him?"


    Chris Brown asked. Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Jermain, I also want to ask that. If you were more aggressive in the match, maybe you could defeat him. Why don''t you give it your all?"


    Drake followed with the question.


    Jermain bared his big white teeth, looking helplessly at everyone.


    "Boxing isn''t a long-distance race where gritting your teeth can make you seconds faster. Boxing emphasizes overall strength, and sometimes all-out efforts are futile. And Link, that guy is too strong, strong in all aspects.... Let me put it this way, when I fight Link, I feel like a seven or eight-year-old kid, and he''s a strong adult. No matter how hard I fight, I can''t beat him. Besides, there are rules in boxing matches; how can you just blindly go all-out?"


    "Is Link that impressive?" 50 Cent asked.


    "Extremely. Although he competes in the Super Middleweight, he has the punch weight of a Heavyweight, the speed of a Featherweight, and exquisite boxing skills, plus his tactics. He is an all-around boxer, and in the Super Middleweight rank, I dare say no one can match him for the next ten years," Jermain Taylor said helplessly.


    "What about outside of Super Middleweight? The news says he plans to move to Light Heavyweight next year."


    50 Cent said as he scrolled through his phone.


    Jermain thought for a moment, "There aren''t many who are better than him, but if he wants to take the Light Heavyweight championship, it won''t be easy. Belrut Shumenov, Chad Dawson, and Hopkins are also tough guys."


    "I really hope this guy loses a match. From the music industry to the boxing world, he''s almost never lost. And those he''s beaten are almost all our people, Black people. He''s too arrogant. I really hope someone can stand up and take him down."


    Chris Brown said.


    Everyone listened to him and thought about it, and it really was like that.


    In the boxing world, the people he defeated, like Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., Jermain Taylor, Andre Ward, Andre Rel, Jean Pascal, and more, were almost all Black boxers. His Golden Belt was also mostly snatched from Black champions.


    In the music industry, the East Coast rappers he had beaten were also all Black.


    This guy rose to fame by stepping on the reputation of Black celebrities.


    Too despicable.


    "Hey Chris, are you trying to incite a war? Don''t forget, Mikkel Kessler, Carl Froch, Lucian Bute, and others aren''t Black. Besides, Black boxers have dominated the boxing world for seventy to eighty years, giving white boxers no chance to shine. Now that Link is on the rise, you guys can''t accept it. Can''t handle losing?"


    Eminem retorted.


    "I''m not provoking a fight, but I just can''t stand him."


    Chris Brown said.


    50 Cent and others nodded in agreement.


    "This is jealousy, I''m actually jealous of the guy too. He''s so handsome, excellent at boxing, sings well, and is very popular with the girls... This guy really makes people jealous."


    Eminem remarked.


    Ding-a-ling!


    As they were talking, Eminem''s phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was Link calling.


    Link called to congratulate him because his new album "Recovery" sold 718,000 copies in its first week, becoming Billboard''s best-selling album.


    Eminem laughed heartily, thanked Link, and invited him to have a drink next time he was in New York.


    While he was talking to Link on the phone, 50 Cent, Chris Brown, and a few others looked displeased. Eminem was contacting Link in their stronghold and chatting happily, just like an undercover agent would openly talk to the police without caring about their feelings. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link and I are friends, we''re not part of your fight."


    Eminem said as he put down his phone.


    As they were speaking, Puff Daddy, Jay-Z, and a few white guys walked into the bar. Eminem glanced at them, "Who are they? Why is Jay-Z hanging out with white guys?"


    50 Cent peered and said, "Peter Peltz, David Zakman, Luther Detsky, and Josie Epstein."


    "Epstein? What''s his connection with that Epstein?"


    Eminem asked.


    "They are uncle and nephew, but it''s said he''s an illegitimate child,"


    50 Cent whispered.


    "Why would Jess hang out with these kinds of people? Isn''t he worried about damaging his reputation?"


    Eminem said disdainfully.


    The big Epstein is a local billionaire in New York.


    He started mingling in rich circles in the 1980s, accumulated a lot of connections, and had big names in both political and business arenas, known as the contemporary Gatsby.


    Since the 1990s, many people have reported suspicions of Epstein''s involvement in crimes, but those were easily dismissed by his powerful connections.


    In 2005, undercover police infiltrated Epstein''s circle and gathered a lot of criminal evidence related to him, including multiple cases of sexual assault and forcing women into illegal transactions, with many victims under the age of 18.


    In 2008, the police arrested Epstein, who, relying on connections within the judicial system, easily settled the matter and was only sentenced to 18 months of detention. He was recently released from prison and continues to wield great influence in wealthy circles and even affecting America''s political climate.


    Eminem strongly despised such people, even feeling instinctively that anyone with the Epstein surname was up to no good.


    Seeing Jay-Z heading upstairs with a few people, he couldn''t help but frown.


    "Puff Daddy knows those guys; he must have introduced them, but I also think it''s not good for Jess to mingle with them."


    50 Cent commented with a sneer.


    "We should advise Jess not to stray further down the wrong path."


    Eminem stood up and said.


    "Are you serious? Maybe they''re just chatting, not planning anything bad."


    50 Cent, pulling at his hoodie, called out as he saw Eminem standing up.


    "Then how about we go and listen in?"


    Eminem looked at 50 Cent, Chris Brown, and Drake, and asked.


    After thinking for a moment, they nodded.

 Chapter 331 The Plan to Bring Down Link

    "Take down Link, split the Link Music, does Jay-Z want in?"


    Just as Eminem and his crew reached the second-floor private room, they overheard this comment from inside. Eminem immediately stopped, looked back at 50 Cent and the others, and asked in a hushed tone if they should continue listening.


    50 Cent held his index finger to his lips, motioned a ''shush,'' and then pressed his ear against the door, gleefully eavesdropping.


    Eminem shrugged his shoulders, leaned on the hallway railing, whipped out his phone, and started playing Candy Crush, all while listening to the conversation inside¡ªmainly because the voices in the room were so loud that there was no need to press his ear to the door.


    "Just with those rumors, you think you can take down Link?" Jay-Z asked.


    "Rumors alone won''t do it, how about adding a criminal case?" Puff Daddy said.


    "A criminal case? What kind of case has Link done, do you have something on him?" Jay-Z asked with surprise in his voice.


    "Not yet. Josie checked his records through the judicial system. This guy has been cautious since he came of age¡ªno whoring, gambling, drug abuse, or illegal business. There are almost no loopholes. But he has recently revealed a big one¡ªlust!"


    Puff Daddy paused, then continued, "It''s easy to deal with a lascivious person. We just need to send him some underage girls, and let the girls come forward afterwards to report him. Hmph, guess if his reputation will go bankrupt? If he doesn''t want to go to jail, he can exchange evidence for shares in Link Music. I think he''d be very willing."


    "Sounds pretty good," Jay-Z said.


    Upon hearing this, Eminem couldn''t help but frown, a look of disgust appearing on his face as he silently mouthed the word ''trash.''


    50 Cent and the others listening also twisted their mouths. Even though they weren''t exactly saints, they never thought about using such a disgusting tactic against Link.


    "Josie, will you handle it, or should I? Your uncle has more¡ªand more obedient¡ªgirls. Why don''t you arrange it?" Puff Daddy said.


    "My uncle just got out of prison, and there are a lot of cops watching him. It''s not easy to get people from him, so you handle it," a languid voice responded.


    "How will you arrange it?" Jay-Z asked.


    "Em''s new album is a huge hit, and there''s a celebration party next week. He''s on good terms with Link. We can invite Link over, and then..."


    "Motherfucker!"


    When Eminem heard the conversation inside, he managed to hold back at first, but when they planned to use him to ambush Link, his anger shot from his feet to his head. He kicked open the private room door and spat out a litany of curses at a rate of twelve words per second:


    "Trash! A bunch of trash! Calling you trash is an insult to trash itself. You''re not even worthy of the garbage in my bathroom bin. You''re rats, sewer rats, your whole bodies from fur to blood to bone reek of decrepit, foul odors. You hide in the sewers every day, scheming against others, thinking of how to steal what others have. You are the absolute lowest of humans... no, you don''t even deserve to be called humans. You''re dog shit. Seeing you, saying your names, I feel like I''ve dirtied my eyes and mouth. I''m going to use mouthwash when I get back and wash my eyes..."


    "....."


    While the six people inside were discussing how to ruin Link and carve up Link Music, the door was suddenly kicked open. Eminem stood at the doorway, his mouth firing like a machine gun at the people inside, leaving them dumbfounded and unable to react.


    When they finally snapped back to reality, their faces turned pitch black. Eminem''s cursing was filthy. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    They were either billionaires or born rich, people with status in New York, but now they were being cursed by Eminem as trash, dog shit, stinking rats...


    Puff Daddy and Jay-Z looked especially grim. As people of color, they hated being discriminated against the most.


    Now they were being cursed by Eminem as despicable, stinking rats, the lowest of humans. It was as if they were being prodded in the throat with a toilet brush. Who could stand such a thing?


    Puff Daddy''s face darkened as he glared with his bulging eyes and pulled a Desert Eagle from his back waistband.


    "Em, stop cursing."


    Seeing the situation turn sour, 50 Cent wrapped his arm around the still ranting Eminem, covered his mouth, and retreated a few steps while laughing, "Jess, you guys continue your chat, we''re just passing by."


    "How come you''re here?"


    Jay-Z asked with a stern face.


    50 Cent chuckled, "Jess, Em''s just looking out for you. We all know Little Epstein and Puff Daddy aren''t exactly good people. Em''s worried you''ll pick up bad habits hanging out with them, so he dragged us up here to talk to you."


    "Fuck! 50 Cent, who are you calling not good people?"


    Puff Daddy cursed with a blackened face.


    Although he was known as Puff Daddy, he was actually around the same age as Jay-Z, just over forty. He started his career in gangs and selling drugs, later founded Bad Boy Records, and pushed stars like B.I.G., Jay-Z, Mariah Carey, and Jennifer Lopez, making hundreds of millions of US dollars.


    In recent years, he had ventured into business and investment, doing some unsavory acts.


    Despite his still significant status in the rap game, his influence wasn''t what it used to be, and the younger generation of rappers, including 50 Cent, didn''t really respect him much. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Heh heh, Sean, you mentioned in your lyrics that rappers are no good," 50 Cent said with a laugh.


    "Fuck off! Don''t think you can strut around here just because you''ve sold a few tens of millions of albums. If it weren''t for me paving the way, you''d all be nothing but vermin living in the slums, a bunch of broke asses. You should be grateful to me, got it?"


    Puff Daddy pointed his gun at a few people, his face wearing a displeased expression.


    "Sean, put the gun away, we''re all homies here."


    Jay-Z said, frowning.


    Puff Daddy snorted and said, "Your turn," before sitting back down on the sofa, crossing his legs, and tapping his shin with the gun barrel.


    "Em, don''t get pissed. Come and sit down; let''s have a talk," Jay-Z said soothingly to Eminem.


    Eminem shook his head, took a step back, glanced around the room at everyone, and said with disdain, "Jess, we''re friends, so let me give you a piece of advice¡ªdon''t hang with these guys. There''s no good in it. See ya!"


    Eminem pulled the hoodie over his head and left without looking back.


    The faces of Jay-Z, Puff Daddy, and the others turned dark.


    "Jess, Em''s right. You''re worth hundreds of millions of US dollars and have a good wife like Beyonce; we all envy you like crazy. You really have no business messing with these cockroaches. What can they bring you? Bullshit!"


    50 Cent quipped.


    "Fuck! 50 Cent, what the fuck are you talking about? Believe it or not, I''ll bust your fucking mouth?"


    Puff Daddy cursed, gun in hand.


    The four remaining in the room¡ªJosie Epstein, Peter Peltz, David Zakman, and Luther Detsky¡ªall had stern faces and glared at him angrily.


    50 Cent chuckled, whipped out a revolver from behind his back, waved it around and said, "I''ve got this toy too. Let''s not scare each other."


    Seeing that he too had a gun, Puff Daddy and the others held their breath, their anger fading from their faces.


    Peter Peltz, David Zakman, and Luther Detsky exchanged glances, deeply regretting coming to a black bar where it was clearly no place for white men to thrive.


    "50 Cent, put the gun away. We''re all friends here; there''s no need for this."


    Jay-Z said.


    "Alright, as you wish."


    50 Cent shrugged, put away his gun, flashed a grin at the people in the room and shouted, "Em, wait for me!" before running downstairs.


    Drake and Chris Brown scratched their heads. They came looking for fun but had unintentionally walked into an awkward situation.


    "Don''t talk about what you just heard, got it?"


    Jay-Z said.


    "Alright, we didn''t hear a thing."


    Drake and Chris Brown shrugged and then left the corridor.


    Jay-Z stood at the door for a few seconds with a stern face, then turned and said, "Em and Link are pretty tight. He''s heard our plan and might tell Link. With Link on alert, he might not fall for it again. Should we try something else?"


    "Don''t worry. Just like sex, drugs, and booze, once you''re hooked, you can''t quit. Even if Link is cautious, it doesn''t matter. As long as we''re crafty about it and find some hot girls, there''s no way he won''t bite," Josie Epstein said with experience.


    "Good, next let''s discuss how to divide Link''s music assets. It''s a big pie worth four or five hundred million. I haven''t had a slice of cake that big in a while," Peter Peltz said excitedly.


    Puff Daddy laughed and nodded, instructing two of his men to stand guard at the door before closing it again.

 Chapter 332 Its All Links Fault

    "Drake, Chris, what''s happening over there?"


    Drake and Chris Brown had just turned a corner in the corridor when they suddenly saw Beyonce standing in front of them.


    Beyonce was wearing a fashionable plaid shirt with a knee-length pencil skirt that showed off her abundant chest and curvy hips; a slim, white belt cinched her slender, supple waist, giving her an overall look that was both stylish and sizzling hot.


    Drake was taken aback by the sight of her and, coming to his senses, said, "It was Puff Daddy who brought some people to see Jay-Z."


    "Oh? Who was it?"


    "A few people with Josie Epstein."


    Drake mentioned several names.


    Beyonce raised her thick, long eyebrows, her seductive eyes glanced at Drake and Chris, then settled on Drake, "Why were Em and 50 Cent looking so sour when they went downstairs? Did they have a falling out?"


    Drake hesitated, then relayed what he had just heard, including Eminem''s accusations against Puff Daddy and his efforts to persuade Jay-Z.


    "They''re planning to use this method to deal with Link? Jess agreed to it?"


    Beyonce asked, batting her long eyelashes.


    "Jess didn''t object,"


    Drake said.


    After a moment of contemplation, Beyonce asked the two about their albums and new songs. Then, swaying her sexy hips and walking on her high heels, she left, leaving behind a captivating fragrance.


    Drake watched her full, sensuous hips and couldn''t help but swallow hard.


    "Jess just instructed us not to tell anyone about this, yet you told Beyonce."


    Chris Brown said.


    "Is Beyonce just anyone? She is the boss lady. Besides, I also feel that what Jess and Puff Daddy are doing isn''t quite right. If Beyonce knows about this, maybe she can have a word with him."


    Drake said.


    "Man, it''s all that bastard Link''s fault. If it weren''t for him, none of us would be in this mess now. Motherf*cker!"


    Chris Brown cursed. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Drake shrugged his shoulders but didn''t contradict him; it was indeed all Link''s fault.


    He was Canadian, originally making his debut as an actor, appearing as an extra in TV shows such as "Degrassi: The Next Generation" and "Charlie Bartlett."


    Influenced by Jay-Z, he began to sing.


    Starting in ''06, he released several original rap songs on the internet and caught Lil Wayne''s attention. In ''08, he became a signed artist with Lil Wayne''s record company and also joined the East Coast rap crew.


    When he first joined, the East Coast rap crew had Jay-Z as the big boss, with Beyonce, Eminem, Kanye, Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, T.I., Usher, and others as top-tier artists.


    There were also Rihanna, Chris Brown, Pharrell Williams, Ludacris, Alicia Keys, Nicki Minaj, and others who were all bestselling artists.


    Back then, the East Coast rap crew was extremely powerful in the music industry and had significant influence.


    Even megastars like MJ, Madonna, Mariah Carey, and Justin Timberlake were seeking collaborations.


    At that time, Drake thought the East Coast rap was very cool, and by hanging out with them, he could also achieve the same success as they did.


    But starting in ''09, things gradually began to go south.


    Apart from changes in the music market and the rapid development of pop and country music squeezing the rap music market to some degree, another significant reason was the rise of Link.


    When Link entered the music scene, he''d just defeated Tyson and Jermain not long before and was well-known in the boxing world, looking to switch to singing.


    Kanye and his crew were displeased with Link and wanted to make him lose face, so publicly they disparaged Link''s new album.


    They thought that Link, a newbie singer, wouldn''t amount to much; they could just suppress him a bit and his album would flop.


    But what happened next was beyond everyone''s expectations.


    Link''s new album was surprisingly good quality and became very popular in the market.


    In its first month in the US, sales surpassed one million copies, outperforming many top-tier artists'' albums and pushing Kanye, T.I., and Usher''s new albums down on the Billboard 200 chart.


    This infuriated Kanye and others; they had thought that Link was just a small fry in the music industry that they could easily crush.


    But when they tried to crush him, they found out he was a Transformer.


    They ended up tumbling and losing face in the media.


    This also led to Lil Wayne confronting Link at the 2009 Grammy Awards.


    They thought Link would cave, but sadly for them, they were wrong; Link was a real tough nut to crack. That day, outside the Grammy Awards venue, he not only openly criticized Kanye and Lil Wayne, but he also targeted Washington, directly igniting public opinion.


    In the following month, they rallied many Black celebrities and fans to try and brand Link with the stigma of racism, to force him to back down, apologize, and retire from the scene.


    But sadly for them, Link didn''t budge. He countered the enormous pressure with a song called "Give Me Reason" that escalated the situation even further, turning it into a social issue.


    In the end, even Washington had to step in, hoping the East Coast rap groups would back down and stop the ruckus.


    Afterward, Lil Wayne and 50 Cent were forced to apologize, marking the first-round battle in favor of Link, with East Coast rap losing.


    In the second round, Link announced his foray into rap and when the East Coast rap teamed up against him, they were shattered by the song "See You Again." For three whole months, it suppressed the entire rap community from raising its head.


    In the third round, the chart battle between Link and Jay-Z, despite Jay-Z having enlisted the help of many top-tier celebrities for promotion, couldn''t match Link''s series of tactics such as boxing matches, lottery events, swimming competitions, and scandal hype, among others.


    The East Coast rap lost again this round.


    The battle continued until the beginning of this year when East Coast rap joined forces with pop prince Justin Bieber and marketing guru Scooter, arranging three albums to surround and besiege Link''s new release. They thought they could defeat Link and regain some face.


    But it was a disaster.


    Not only did their albums not outsell his, but Scooter and Justin Bieber also got recruited by Link''s music label, directly becoming his subordinates, and Kanye and Usher also fell into Link''s grasp, becoming indirectly his subordinates.


    Kanye was utterly depressed, retreating to Hawaii Island to recover and write songs, attempting to reclaim his dignity with his next album.


    Usher, with an album crafted by 15 golden producers, took more than two months to just break one million sales, not even a quarter of Link''s new release.


    Usher also nearly sank into depression, staying home all day and not venturing out.


    After four battles and four defeats, the once-thriving East Coast rap was left fragmented.


    Now, Jay-Z is preparing to launch a fifth counterattack, but even before it''s begun, he faces dissension within his team, with Eminem and 50 Cent no longer playing here.


    Drake shook his head helplessly. Link really wasn''t a nice guy; without him, East Coast rap wouldn''t have ended up like this.


    "Let''s go have a drink," Chris Brown called out.


    Drake shrugged his shoulders, glanced at the sexy, enticing figure disappearing down the corridor, sniffed, and followed down the stairs.

 Chapter 333 News from the Female Undercover Agent (4/10)

    "Scene 22, shot 4, take 1, action!"


    In Los Angeles, Burbank County, on the set of "Bridesmaids," Link was wearing a grey suit with a bow tie, embracing a black woman beside him named Maya Rudolph, who played the third female lead in "Bridesmaids" and portrayed the bride, Lillian.


    He played the groom, Doug, a handsome and wealthy second-generation rich kid.


    The scene for today was about the bride, Lillian, holding an engagement party and inviting her best friend, Annie, to attend. Annie, played by Ms. Christine Wiig, was also the screenwriter and producer of the movie.


    In the film, Annie was a single woman in her thirties who was dealing with relationship frustrations and a messed-up life. When she came to the engagement party, she saw her ordinary-looking black friend, Lillian, engaged to a young and handsome rich man, and felt somewhat taken aback.


    "You guys aren''t joking, right? He''s your fianc¨¦, you''re going to marry him?"


    Christine Wiig pointed back and forth between the two and asked.


    Link and Maya Rudolph, who was playing the bride, looked at each other and embraced to kiss.


    Christine Wiig frowned, her expression exaggerated and comically choked by the sweetness, seeming somewhat amusing.


    "Okay, I believe you two are very much in love."


    Christine Wiig shouted.


    Link let go of Maya Rudolph and smiled, looking every inch the warm and sunny man.


    "Annie, welcome."


    Outside the set.


    Emma Stone, who played the fourth female lead, held a water bottle and watched the performance, saying, "Link''s acting seems to have gotten better. Before, his acting was a bit forceful and you could see the effort; it sometimes looked stiff. Now, his performance is so natural. He can quickly get into character and make any role believable just by standing in front of the camera."


    Catherine smiled faintly, "I heard from Anna that during the time Link was in Paris, he was pressed hard by Director Allen to shoot every day. Sometimes, a simple scene would be taken twenty or thirty times, nearly driving him to a breakdown. The performance he gives now was forged through that pressure."


    "I''ve heard that Director Allen is quite demanding with his actors. The fact that Link could stick it out to the end under him is impressive. I used to easily dominate when acting with him, throwing off his pace, but now it would be difficult. Next time I act with him, I''ll have to be careful not to be upstaged."


    Emma Stone said with concern, pursing her lips.


    "No worries, you''re a professional actor. The more you act, the better you get. Link is only doing this part-time; he definitely can''t match up to you in acting."


    Catherine patted her back and laughed.


    Emma Stone was not comforted by these words. If Link ¨C a part-time actor ¨C was so skilled, and she could only barely hold her own against him with her livelihood depending on acting, how was she to survive? No, she must dedicate more time to honing her skills to ensure she could overshadow Link when they acted together again.


    Emma Stone made a silent resolution.


    "Cut!"


    "Good job, that take''s a keeper!"


    Director Paul Feig shouted from behind the monitor.


    Seeing Link approach, Emma Stone promptly handed him a bottle of water.


    "Boss, have some water!" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a hot day in the Los Angeles area, and there were many people on set. During shooting, to ensure proper exposure, several fill lights had to be switched on. Wearing a suit, Link had stood in front of the camera for over ten minutes and was covered in a layer of sweat.


    "Thanks!"


    Link opened the water bottle and gulped down a third of it in one go.


    "Boss, you''re already so impressive, why do you still work so hard? You''re setting the bar high for the rest of us actors."


    Emma Stone took out a fan and began wafting air towards him, blinking her green eyes and smiling.


    "My goal as an actor is to win an Oscar for Best Actor. I haven''t even received a nomination yet, how can I not work hard?"


    "It sounds reasonable, but I think your goal of getting an Oscar is a bit unrealistic. Like Madonna, in ''96 when she filmed ''Evita'', her acting was quite good, and the film''s theme was also well-received. She had a lot of buzz that year, but the Academy didn''t give her a single nomination. I feel like your odds of snagging an Oscar are even slimmer than hers."


    "That''s why I have to work hard."


    Link shrugged his shoulders, took the small fan from her hand, and said as he sat in the folding chair, "Do you have any goals as an actor?"


    Emma Stone tilted her head and thought for a moment, then smiled, "How about joining the ten-million-dollar-pay-club?"


    "That''s too low, not worthy of your talent. Let me set a small goal for you: match Catherine Hepburn by winning the Oscar for Best Actress four times, how about that?"


    "Four times?!!"


    Emma Stone''s voice broke in alarm, and she looked at him, not quite believing in herself, "Winning four Oscars for Best Actress is a small goal? You might as well kill me."


    "It''s precisely because the goal seems unattainable that it''s worth fighting for. So go for it, Ms. Emma, I''m rooting for you."


    Link said with a smile.


    "Hmph, I don''t want to talk to you anymore. Talking to you just increases my pressure."


    Emma Stone gave him a glance and snatched the fan from his hand, lifting her skirt and walking away briskly.


    After a few steps, she suddenly stopped and slapped her forehead in annoyance, feeling stupid. She had planned to seduce Link while on set, to help her secure more roles and keep Jennifer Lawrence from overtaking her.


    But after just a few words, somehow they ended up talking about the Oscars, and she even retorted to Link. With this going on, how could she ever seduce him?


    Emma felt she should find someone to teach her how to seduce a man.


    She was notified by the crew to get ready, so she had to set aside her concerns for now and go shoot her scene.


    ¡ª


    The groom, Doug, played by Link, didn''t have a major part in the film, just eight scenes, essentially a glorified extra.


    After completing a scene, the production continued to shoot other roles'' scenes. He took out his phone and saw a message from Beyonce sent ten minutes ago.


    Beyonce was asking what he was doing and said she had something important to discuss with him.


    Link replied that he was filming on set, and asked what was up.


    A few seconds later, Beyonce responded: "I have important information, extremely important, related to your reputation and future. How will you repay me?"


    Link smiled lightly: "Let''s hear it!"


    Beyonce: "Recently, many media outlets have been labeling you as a playboy, toying with women''s bodies and emotions. Do you know who''s behind it?"


    Link: "Jay-Z?"


    Beyonce: "No. Josie Epstein, Peter Peltz, David Zakman, Luther Detsch¡ªring any bells?"


    Link looked at the four names and something resonated.


    Last time at the Broadway Theatre, there were three people around Kunas named Peter Peltz, David Zakman, and Luther Detsch.


    Afterward, he asked Ivanka about the identities of these three.


    Ivanka had informed him that Peter Peltz was the son of Nelson Peltz, a New York investor. The Peltz family had a broad investment portfolio including the internet, automotive, real estate, and were shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway, with a net worth of several hundred million US dollars.


    David Zakman was the grandson of Mortimer Zuckerman, the owner of the New York Daily News, and a mogul in New York''s publishing industry. Their family was also worth over a billion US dollars.


    Luther Detsch was the son of Donnie Detsch, the president of EMS Advertising Company, and also came from a wealthy family.


    All three of them were friends with Kunas.


    "Who is Josie Epstein?"


    Link asked.


    Beyonce replied quickly, informing him that this person was the nephew of Jerry Epstein. He had previously been involved in a scandal where he sexually abused and detained a male model, leading to the latter''s attempted suicide. After the incident, he was arrested by the police, but thanks to the connections of the Epstein family, he was easily released from jail.


    When Link saw the name of the senior Epstein, he felt a stab of discomfort.


    This man, belonging to the same clan as Kunas, initially mixed in investment banking on Wall Street, established an asset management firm, and catered exclusively to billionaires worth over 1 billion; those below that threshold were simply ignored.


    His main business involved organizing exclusive parties for the rich, acting as a broker in business and politics.


    Thanks to his consummate skills, he eventually entered America''s high society as a billionaire himself but also committed many misdeeds and was arrested in 2008. He got through his difficulties with ease due to his connections.


    Later, in 2019, he was arrested again and died in custody.


    Following his death, a little black book emerged, containing the names of many prominent figures.


    This also showed that he was a very powerful individual.


    Link had no desire to associate with such people, and didn''t even want to mingle with others who shared his surname, but they had come looking for him.


    "Besides those four, there''s also Puff Daddy and Jay-Z. They want to ruin you, not just tarnish your reputation. They''re planning to frame you with underage girls to break you completely, then try to take your Link Music. Be extra careful these days, and don''t mess around outside," Beyonce said.


    Link fell silent upon reading this message.


    Lately, he had been a bit indulgent in his private life, providing his opponents with an opportunity. They wanted to use this tactic against him.


    Fortunately, he didn''t have such inclinations and wouldn''t make a mistake in this regard.


    However, Beyonce''s reminder was useful; he would need to be more cautious in the future when dealing with unfamiliar women.


    "Thanks!"


    "Just thanks?"


    Beyonce responded dissatisfied, "I''ve risked my life to find out this information, and all I get is thanks?"


    "Thank you very much. I''ll buy you a drink sometime," Link thought for a moment and added.


    He also told Beyonce not to risk looking into this matter any further. If Jay-Z and his crew caught wind, it could put her in a dangerous position, which just wasn''t worth it.


    He also told her that he wasn''t a pushover, that he now had the money and the means to protect himself and didn''t need her to take such risks for him.


    Beyonce: "I want to help you, okay?"


    Link: "Have you fallen for me?"


    Beyonce: "Are you joking? Do you think I would fall for a 21-year-old guy? Don''t be too confident; you''re not that charismatic. I just find you somewhat intriguing, and that''s it."


    Link: "Well, then I can only thank you again."


    After a few more exchanges, Link told Beyonce that he had to get back to shooting and that they''d talk later. As he put away his phone, he received another message from Eminem, warning him to be careful as someone was out to get him.


    Without asking who it was, Link just replied with his thanks.


    It meant a lot that Em would reach out at this time.


    After thinking it over, he sent a message to Ivanka, alerting her to the fact that the recent media attacks had been orchestrated by Kunas, along with Josie Epstein, Peter Peltz, David Zakman, Luther Detsch, and Puff Daddy, who were trying to bring him down and carve up Link Music.


    He advised her to be cautious, as they might target her next.


    With Ivanka holding the fort at Link Music, even if his reputation collapsed, those people wouldn''t have a chance to lay their hands on it. He worried, though, that they might become desperate and go after Ivanka.


    Ivanka quickly replied, saying she was aware and would be careful. She urged him to be cautious and not to mess around outside. If he really liked to play the field, she could help arrange some models for him, which would be safer.


    Link rubbed his forehead, finding this woman''s words and actions sometimes utterly unfathomable.


    "Mr. Baker, you''re needed for the next scene,"


    a crew member reminded him.


    Link nodded, sent one last message to Ivanka, and put away his phone to enter the set for shooting.

 Chapter 334 Youre Beyond Saving

    The next scene featured two bridesmaids giving speeches on stage, both vying to show that each had a closer relationship with the bride, leading to jealous spats and tearing each other apart with words so awkward that they almost ruined the engagement party.


    Link was the groom and had little to say in this scene.


    After each bridesmaid finished speaking, the camera would turn to the bride, Lillian, and him, and he had to make some reactions¡ªstarting with a smile and applause, then later making exaggerated and comical expressions.


    During such scenes, Link realized that acting in comedies was not an easy task.


    In art films, the main focus was on understanding the character, revealing their emotions through subtle facial expressions and eye movements, making the performance natural, delicate, and moving.


    Comedies, on the other hand, were more expressive, requiring exaggerated expressions and actions to make the characters interesting and laughable to the audience.


    Neither of these acting methods could be said to be harder or easier than the other; Link believed that extroverts were more suited for comedy, while serious and introverted individuals were better for art films.


    In comparison, Link felt he was better suited for art films; performing in comedies, he felt embarrassed by some of the actions he had to execute.


    Before performing, he had to repeatedly convince himself that it was just acting to barely pull it off, so the results weren''t as good as those of actors like Emma Stone, who excelled at comedy.


    Today''s "engagement scene" was one of the movie''s climaxes and a very important part of it.


    The crew had been filming for two days at the Burbank County set, and Link had spent a day and a half as background scenery.


    Just after three in the afternoon, having finished the scene, Link got into the car and headed back to Catherine''s newly purchased apartment in the Metropolitan area, where little Anne had also been brought recently.


    "Anne, am I good to you?"


    "Good!"


    "Then who is your absolute favorite person?"


    "Mommy Daddy!"


    "Apart from Mommy and Daddy?"


    "Link Selena!"


    "Hold on, why is my name after Link''s? That won''t do; you need to say Selena before Link. We''re good sisters, understand? Link is an annoying guy, we don''t like him."


    In the living room, Selena was peeling grapes, eating one herself, and then feeding another to little Anne.


    Little Anne, eating grapes, blinking her shiny eyes, suddenly saw a familiar person walk into the living room. She immediately jumped off the couch and pitter-pattered over.


    "Link, you''re back!"


    Link laughed heartily and squatted down to pick up Anne.


    The little girl, just four years old with an apple cut and bangs, had a face that was pink and tender, very well-behaved and adorable.


    "Anne, we just agreed we didn''t like him, so why let him hold you? Get down quickly."


    Selena stood with hands on hips, speaking discontentedly.


    "What nonsense have you been teaching Anne all day? Keep it up, and I''ll smack you."


    Link raised his hand and ruffled Selena''s hair, turning her new curl into a bird''s nest.


    Selena, angry, swung her fists to hit him, but Link easily deflected all her attacks by pressing on her forehead.


    "Jerk! You only know how to bully girls."


    Selena smoothed her bangs, her round face puffing up.


    "Nonsense! I didn''t earn my Golden Belt by fighting girls."


    Link smiled gently, sat down on the couch with Anne, and glanced at Selena, "Your old braids looked pretty cute. Why did you get curls?"


    "I''m eighteen now, an adult. Braids are too childish."


    Selena gave him a look and sat down on the couch, pulling Anne to her side.


    Link looked at her adorable baby face, paired with the more mature curls and lipstick, resembling a little girl who had secretly used her mother''s makeup.


    "How''s the new song going?"


    "It''s amazing! We don''t talk anymore, we don''t talk anymore... How''s that, good right? When do we release the single?"


    Selena sang a few lines and asked proudly.


    "Not bad, but I haven''t had time to record songs lately. Let''s aim for August; it will also help promote your new album."


    Link picked up a bunch of grapes, lay on the couch, and watched the cartoon "The Simpsons" with Anne.


    Selena shrugged her shoulders and lay down beside him, poking his shoulder.


    "Media claims you have over twenty girlfriends, label you the entertainment industry''s number one scumbag. How does it feel to be known as such?"


    "It''s okay, a bit of a bad reputation doesn''t really affect me much."


    Link said, unconcerned.


    Selena humphed, "I warned you before, when you had a girlfriend like Taylor, you shouldn''t have messed around. And now? I think you should try to win Taylor back; she''s the best match for you."


    Taylor? S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link shook his head. After dating Emma Watson, Marion Cotillard, and Dadalio, he was increasingly baffled by Taylor; he had been so good to her, how could she have had the heart to break up with him just because of one infidelity?


    After much thought and considering Taylor''s past experiences, he concluded that Taylor was too career-minded, quite indifferent towards relationships, a heartless woman, indeed a true wild horse.


    Even if he could win her back, he wasn''t sure he could ever fully possess her.


    So, why not learn from her and take a more carefree approach to relationships?


    "Want me to help you? I saw Taylor yesterday, and I gave you a nasty scolding in front of her."


    Selena said with a smug smile.


    "She''s back from Nashville?"


    "Yes, her new album releases next month. She''s back for promotion. Do you want to meet her? I can set it up for you."


    Selena offered.


    Link thought about it and decided against it.


    They were very close before breaking up, but Taylor had left decisively.


    Three months post-breakup, given Taylor''s nonchalant nature, it was likely only a tenth of the affection remained, making it pointless to meet her now.


    Besides, being labeled as the industry''s number one scumbag, he wasn''t sure if Taylor would even want to see him.


    "Demi Lovato, Vanessa Hudgens, and even Miley, they''re all your friends. Why don''t you introduce me to them?"


    "Introduce all of them to you? Scumbag, you''re beyond salvation."


    Selena kicked him and walked away with Anne, saying she needed to keep her distance from such a scumbag.


    "Dinner''s ready!"


    Catherine called out from the dining room.


    After lunch, Link took Anne and Selena to Disneyland for some fun.


    Being young, Anne mainly enjoyed the children''s rides¡ªcarousel, Dwarf Roller Coaster, bumper cars, and so on.


    In the beginning, Selena claimed these were boring, but once at the amusement park, she clung to the children''s toys, having even more fun than Anne and not at all like an eighteen-year-old beauty.


    Link''s main job was ensuring their safety, taking photos for them, and carrying bags.


    When they were on the carousel, they even ran into Jessica Alba, who was there with her ''awkward daughter'' Ona. Alba was busy on the phone, leaving the care of Ona to a maid.


    Ona was eight months younger than Anne, dressed in a little floral dress and very cute. Together with round-faced Selena, they formed a trio of little darlings.


    Link took many photos of them.


    At past seven in the evening, he drove them home and then drove back to his bay villa in Santa Monica.


    With summer, the trees at the villa were even lusher and greener, and the lawn, untrimmed for over a month, was overgrown with weeds.


    Standing on the driveway in front of the house, Link looked at the silent, empty building. Although the lights were bright inside, it still felt desolate, and he thought it didn''t seem fitting to live there anymore.


    Recalling Selena''s words from the day, he sent a message to Taylor, asking how her new album was doing and if she had the confidence to beat "The Woman I Love."


    A while later, with no response from Taylor, Link put down his phone, did ten sets of sit-ups in the gym, took a shower, went to bed, and when he woke up the next day, he had received a message.


    "Of course!"


    Link shook his head; that woman was still as confident as ever.


    But considering the songs in her new album were mostly slamming him as a scumbag, coupled with the current negative news, Link felt the coming days wouldn''t be easy, and he would probably secure his place as the scumbag of the year.


    "Remember our bet? That time in January at the recording studio."


    Link sent the message and waited a few minutes for a reply that didn''t come. So he put on his running shoes and went out for a morning run to exercise.

 Chapter 335 Movie Premiere

    While shooting "Bridesmaids" in Los Angeles, Link also attended the first round of auditions held by Marvel Studios for the leading role in "Captain America."


    The first round of auditions was relatively straightforward, focusing on physical attributes such as height, build, eye color, and hair color to match as closely as possible to the real Steve Rogers, aka Captain America. Continue reading stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Link was two centimeters shorter than Captain America''s stats, had an excellent physique, matching eye color, but while Captain America had dark brown hair, his was black.


    Additionally, in the Marvel comics, Captain America is of Irish immigrant descent, and while Link knew that Link Baker was a mix of British, Italian, and Latin heritage, he wasn''t sure if there was any Irish in his ancestry.


    On this front, he scored slightly lower than fellow auditionees Chris Evans, Channing Tatum, and Sam Worthington.


    Surprisingly, African American Will Smith also made it into the second round.


    From this, it seemed the producers weren''t as strict about ancestry.


    Eight people passed the first round.


    Link felt his chances of selection were slim, so he went directly to director and producer Joe Johnston.


    The latter was a famous Hollywood director, known for works like "Jurassic Park III" and "October Sky," and had served as an art director for the "Star Wars" series.


    He asked him if he stood a chance of being selected and how big that chance was?


    Joe Johnston said that Marvel Studios had disagreements regarding the leading role, with divided opinions; some supported him, some Will Smith, and others Chris Evans. Who would ultimately play Steve Rogers depended mainly on the audition results.


    Director Johnston said his chances were considerable.


    "How did it go?"


    After getting into the car, Miss Mandy asked.


    "No definitive answer. I feel like Marvel is using my fame to promote their movie,"


    Link said, leaning back in his seat and shrugging.


    "Don''t worry, we are also negotiating with Marvel Studios. Your fame is significant, and your acting isn''t bad, so you should have a decent chance,"


    Miss Mandy said.


    Link wasn''t too sure about that.


    After the audition, he and Mandy went to the Disney Cinema on Hollywood Boulevard to attend the premiere of Selena''s new movie "Monte Carlo."


    The film is about three poor American girls who, while vacationing in Paris, find one of them mistaken for a British heiress. They enjoy the high life on this mistaken identity, seeing the splendor of high society and even finding love.


    The whole movie looked like a teen idol film, with beautiful lead actors, beautiful costumes, and beautiful set designs, suitable for teenagers.


    The target audience was indeed young people in their teens and twenties.


    "Great! Looks like a lot of fun!"


    Link clapped his hands and praised as he looked over at Selena.


    Selena smiled happily and approached in a princess dress to take interviews.


    Link glanced at Miss Mandy beside him. Her face wasn''t the adorable baby-face type like Selena''s, nor did Selena''s father have that kind of face shape. Yet, the mixed-race Selena was born with a baby face, an example of the unpredictability of mixed-heritage genes.


    Shortly after attending Selena''s new movie premiere, he went to the premiere of the first movie invested by Palm Beach Films, "Scandal Plan," a joint production with Screen Gem Films, with Warner Company handling the publicity and distribution.


    The premiere was held at the CGV Cinema on Hollywood Boulevard, and that day Link invited many celebrity friends to support the event.


    Paul Walker, James Franco, Casey Affleck, Tobey Maguire, Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, Tyson, De La Hoya, Morales, Selena, and Tom Hiddleston, whom he met on the set of "Midnight in Paris," among others¡ªmostly men.


    "Hey, Link, you know so many beautiful women and models; why did you only invite men today?"


    James Franco yelled while walking the red carpet.


    Link gave him a look. This guy was also quite the womanizer and would eventually be outed for sexual harassment by the victims.


    "Because only a few of you were available and just happened to be in Los Angeles; everyone else wasn''t around,"


    "Do you believe that yourself?"


    Paul Walker laughed, "As far as I know, Michelle, Gal Gadot, Amber, and several of your rumored girlfriends are in Los Angeles. Did you not invite them to avoid dealing with reporters asking about your relationship with them?"


    "All fake news. You guys are seasoned actors; how can you believe what is written online? It says I''m dating over twenty women simultaneously, sharing a bed with four or five women every night. Do you think that''s plausible?"


    "I may not trust others, but you, I believe it''s real."


    Paul Walker thumped his sturdy shoulder.


    Link didn''t argue and pulled the two handsome men together for a photo.


    "Mr. Baker, may we have an interview with you?"


    Outside the red carpet, a group of journalists shouted.


    Link said goodbye to Paul and James and walked to the interview area, "Today is the premiere of ''Scandal Plan,'' and I will only answer questions related to the movie. Please cooperate."


    The journalists were somewhat troubled by his words. Link had not attended many public events recently, and sometimes when he did appear, he refused media interviews, which left many journalists unable to get fresh material from him.


    Today, taking advantage of the release of his new movie, the journalists had come here hoping to ask him about those rumors, but he had preempted them with his statement.


    "Mr. Baker, as far as I know, this movie is about a girl who creates scandals intentionally to become famous at school, and you are a celebrity with numerous rumors. Are these rumors part of your publicity plan or are they true?" the Los Angeles Times journalist asked unhurriedly.


    The journalists turned their heads at his question, exhibiting looks of admiration. What a great question it was.


    Link responded, "I am already a celebrity and do not need to resort to such tactics for fame. Moreover, concerning the numerous fake news items and news that encroach on my personal reputation rights appearing recently online, Link''s legal department is investigating. Once the investigation concludes, Link Music will hold a press conference to explain the matter, and we will initiate civil litigation against the offending media or individuals."


    USA Today journalist seized the opportunity, "Mr. Baker, as we understand, Ms. Ivanka Trump is your current girlfriend. However, in May, while you were filming in Paris, French journalists captured you on a date with Ms. Marion Cotillard. You''ve also maintained a close relationship with another actress, Jennifer Lawrence. In addition, not long ago, media revealed that during your time in New York preparing for a match, you dated both Emma Watson and Miss Alexandra Daddario, the actress from ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.'' What is your explanation for this?"


    "Damn, is this true? Is Link dating five girls at once?"


    Upon hearing the reporter''s question, Paul Walker, who was taking pictures, turned his head and asked James Franco.


    "I don''t know, but it feels like it could be true. I''ve seen related news online, and there are photos... they''re not clear, but you can tell it''s him."


    James Franco shrugged, a hint of envy on his face.


    "There''s a saying in the industry, ''Good people hang out with good people, bad people with bad people.'' If we hang out with Link, will we be mistaken for jerks?"


    "I think so."


    James Franco laughed.


    "Damn, I shouldn''t have come here. I feel tainted."


    Paul Walker said, covering his forehead.


    Meanwhile, Link heard the journalist''s remarks and spread his hands, "I am very good friends with them. We often chat, go for walks, talk about scripts, talk about music... I don''t think these are matters that warrant media over-hyping."


    "Mr. Baker, someone photographed you kissing Miss Daddario on a bus. Is that also a normal friendship?" the American Express journalist asked.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, as I said, today is the premiere of ''Scandal Plan.'' I will only answer questions related to it. Does anyone else have a question?" Link said.


    The journalists felt helpless and had to change their strategy, asking questions related to ''Scandal Plan.''


    Since the movie also had investment from Link''s film company, and Link played a supporting role in it, there were some interview-worthy topics for the media.


    For instance, why Link started his film company, whether he was worried about losing money, his box office predictions for the movie, his appraisal of the film, his appraisal of the director and of the lead actress Emma Stone, among others.


    Some journalists tried to adopt the Los Angeles Times journalist''s method to dig into Link''s rumors, but Link avoided answering.


    To help promote ''Scandal Plan'' and achieve more box office success, he stayed in the red carpet area for over twenty minutes, answering more than a dozen questions, including ones about movies, music, boxing, singers under Link Music, Eminem''s new album, and Taylor''s upcoming new album too.


    He responded to every question except those about the scandals. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This attitude also left the journalists fairly satisfied.


    But after Link entered the CGV Cinema, he was surrounded by Paul Walker and others who demanded he compensate for damaging their reputations. Link could only agree to invite them for drinks at a party he would throw in a few days.


    Paul Walker said it wasn''t enough; he wanted to race cars, eyeing the Ferrari supercar that had been shipped from Dubai.


    Link also accepted the challenge, stipulating that the loser couldn''t touch a steering wheel for the next three years.

 Chapter 336 Friends with Benefits (5/10)

    ```


    After entering the cinema, the premiere ceremony began. Link, Emma Stone, Stanley Tucci, Lisa Kudrow, and other supporting actors, along with director Will Guler, took the stage to speak and answer questions from the media.


    They chatted about some behind-the-scenes anecdotes from filming.


    In the end, Link and Emma Stone sang "We Go Together," one of the movie''s songs, and won a round of applause.


    "I''m so nervous!"


    After returning to her seat, Emma Stone looked at the big screen that was about to start playing, her fingers tightly clutching the hem of her skirt.


    "Nervous about what?"


    "This is my first film as a lead actress."


    "This is also the first film I''ve invested in, and I''m not nervous at all."


    Link leaned back in his seat very relaxed, swinging his crossed leg.


    Emma Stone looked at him and saw that he was indeed not the least bit nervous, "Right, you make tens of millions of dollars per minute onstage. This film''s investment was only a few million. Even if it''s a loss, it''s nothing to you."


    Link smiled lightly. It wasn''t for that reason.


    He had seen an internal screening of "Scandal Plan" before the release, which was almost identical to the one he had watched before, and his own celebrity involvement added more buzz to the film.


    He remembered that the original film had an investment of 8 million dollars and grossed nearly 80 million dollars worldwide. It was the breakthrough role for Emma Stone, propelling her into Hollywood''s leading lady status.


    Now, with an investment of 10 million dollars, and greater scale in both promotion and release, the box office results should be no less impressive.


    "Don''t worry. Even if this film loses everything and doesn''t make a single cent, I''ll continue to support you. Remember, our goal is four Oscars for Best Actress, not just to be a film star,"


    Link encouraged her.


    Turning to look at him, Emma Stone blinked her large green eyes, "Really?"


    "Of course!"


    Link said, extending his fist.


    Emma Stone bit her lower lip and touched her small fist to his.


    The movie began to play.


    Before the film started, the Palm Beach Films logo appeared onscreen¡ªa simple sketch of a sailboat run aground on a beach, from which a reel of film unrolled. The beach then became colorful and was eventually shrunk into a singe frame of film.


    The seven-second animation was designed and produced by Pixar Animation Studios, and it told the story of how movies change the world.


    After the opening credits, the film moved into its main theme.


    The main character, Oliver, to get out of a tedious house party of a close friend, fabricates the lie that she has a date with a boy over the weekend.


    To make her friend believe her, she concocted lots of details, including kissing and going to bed, resulting in her friend mistaking her for a ''non-virgin.''


    Their conversation was overheard by the female president of the school''s religious club, a conservative who advocated that girls should not have sexual relations with boys before marriage and believed such girls were sluts and Mean Girls.


    After hearing Oliver''s words, the club president Marian spread the word that the protagonist was a slut and an unclean woman, using her as a negative example to encourage others to isolate her.


    Oliver tried to explain, but no one believed her. During this process, she realized she had unintentionally become the talk of the school, a queen of discussion, almost like a celebrity.


    She began to enjoy this feeling, started doing her makeup, wearing sexy revealing clothes, admitted she was a slut, and even sewed a red ''A'' on her clothes.


    After she became the school''s star, the boys all wanted the honor of dating her, vying for her attention and showering her with benefits, including gay guys, insecure guys, unpopular fat boys, and other marginalized groups.


    To help these face-saving boys, she agreed to fake-date them, and at one party, she pretended to have slept with a boy on purpose.


    This only made her more famous at school. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That is until a boy contracted an STD after messing around with a teacher, and to cover up their relationship, he falsely accused the protagonist of having transmitted it to him.


    Things started to go downhill.


    ```


    The female protagonist wanted to restore her reputation but found that those she had helped had all disappeared.


    In the end, the female protagonist found the cheating teacher''s husband, exposed the truth, and released a clarifying video online, restoring her reputation, and ended up with Todd, the school hunk played by Link.


    The movie is also called "Modern Scarlet Letter," which tells the story of a girl''s clarification and redemption after being slandered.


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    Unlike the original tragic "Scarlet Letter," "Scandal Plan" is a campus comedy with an interesting plot design and many humorous points.


    During the movie''s screening, bursts of laughter could be heard from the audience at times.


    "It looks pretty good, Link, how come you even understand investing in movies?"


    Next to him, De La Hoya, who had been invited to support the event, asked.


    "Is that difficult?"


    "Not difficult?"


    "Not at all, only need to find a good script, then contact a few good producers, directors, actors, and be diligent during shooting. The box office won''t be bad."


    "You must be joking. Hollywood screenwriters produce thousands of scripts each year, and only a handful make money. And the selection of directors and actors, you think you can just find the right people? I''ve also invested in movies before and lost millions."


    De La Hoya shook his head and said.


    "That''s because you don''t have the eye for it. If you''re interested in movie investments, you might consider joining Palm Beach Films. I''ll show you the ropes, and you won''t lose money,"


    Link said.


    Hoyle is also a billionaire with industries including Golden Boy Promotions, a publishing company, a clothing company, and a Spanish language TV channel; he is one of the most successful boxers in the business field.


    "Sounds good, but I want to see how this movie does at the box office first. I hope your film doesn''t lose money."


    De La Hoya said.


    "Of course it won''t!"


    Clap clap clap! The movie screening ended, and the venue erupted into enthusiastic applause; people were shouting "cool," "fantastic."


    Link also stood up to applaud and congratulate Emma Stone; as the movie''s lead actress, she contributed the most to its success.


    And Link was only a heartthrob + eye-candy in the movie, for his looks and fame.


    "Boss, I think we shouldn''t celebrate too early. Sometimes when you celebrate too soon, accidents happen later. We should wait for the first week''s box office results before celebrating,"


    Emma Stone said excitedly yet nervously.


    "You''re too anxious. Why don''t you take a vacation while ''The Help'' hasn''t started filming yet? The company will cover all expenses,"


    "No! Boss, you''re so outstanding and hardworking, I should learn from you and take on more movies each year,"


    Emma Stone said.


    Link nodded in satisfaction; if Palm Beach Films had a few more actors like Emma, he was confident that just with the shares from the talent agency alone, he could amass a fortune in the hundreds of millions.


    After the premiere, Palm Beach Films hosted a party at the Hilton Garden Hotel, entertaining the supporting friends, the crew, and hundreds of media and film critics.


    At the party, the director Will Guler approached him with a new project, asking if he was interested in continuing to invest.


    The new script was called "Friends with Benefits," about two attractive young people living in the big city who, because they got along so well, decided to rent a place together, and the story of how from nonbelievers in love they transformed into a couple. It belonged to the romantic comedy genre.


    Link remembered having seen this movie; the male lead was the "pop star legend" Justin Timberlake, who, although average in performance, seemed to have a box office gross that also exceeded one hundred million US dollars.


    Link asked how much the budget for the movie was?


    Director Will Guler said the leads weren''t final yet, he planned to use popular stars, and estimated the cost would be between thirty to fifty million dollars. He also asked if Link was interested in playing the male lead?


    After thinking for a moment, Link decided to invest, but whether he''d take the role of the male lead would depend on the "Captain America" audition results. If he had time, the role could be good too.

 Chapter 337 Announcing Retirement from the Music Industry

    Apart from Will Guler''s new work, Link also agreed to Casey Affleck to make a cameo in his self-written and directed biographic movie "I''m Still Here".


    This film tells the story of the big star Joaquin Phoenix who suddenly decided to quit acting to become a rapper.


    Link will play himself in the movie, Joaquin''s friend, a top singer who has successfully crossed fields.


    According to Casey Affleck, the role was specifically designed for him.


    Link found it interesting and agreed to it.


    After the premiere ceremony, the "Scandal Plan" crew started a nationwide roadshow, and Link, being a supporting actor, only participated in the publicity activities in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and other places.


    Emma Stone was the leading actress and she joined the crew in almost every major city''s publicity events, which was quite exhausting.


    However, her efforts were not in vain. "Scandal Plan" was released on a Friday, and over the weekend, it garnered 21.1 million US dollars at 2,856 theaters in North America, averaging 6,673 US dollars per theater, ranking second during the same period.


    The weekend box office champion was "Resident Evil 4", directed by Paul Anderson and starred by Milla Jovovich and Wentworth Miller, which earned 26.65 million US dollars over the weekend.


    The movie had a production cost of 60 million US dollars and was screened at 3,063 theaters during the same period, with an average per theater box office revenue of 6,436 US dollars, slightly less than "Scandal Plan".


    The third place was taken by "Monteloca" starring Selena, which earned 14.86 million US dollars over the weekend at 2,668 theaters.


    The fourth place was "American Citizen", starring George Clooney, which earned 9.37 million US dollars in its second week, accumulating to 26.41 million US dollars.


    The fifth place was "Robbers" led by Paul Walker, in its fourth week of release, it earned 4 million this week, cumulatively reaching 42.34 million US dollars.


    Although "Scandal Plan" did not achieve the highest box office revenue during the same period, with a production cost of 10 million US dollars and a box office revenue of 21.1 million US dollars in the first three days, it undoubtedly became a dark horse in the North American film market at the end of June.


    The movie also received good reviews, with a freshness rating of 78% on Rotten Tomatoes by 21,338 voters.


    "Los Angeles Times" commented, ""Scandal Plan" was originally just an ordinary youth campus film, but Emma Stone''s outstanding performance made this movie highly watchable and deserves a four-star recommendation."


    "Chicago Sun-Times" commented, "This film is not just frivolously dealing with taboo topics, but aims to discuss some real social issues through a comedic film... Emma Stone''s brilliant performance added many highlights to the film and also showed the post-85 actor''s strong capability for character building... Link''s guest appearance brought some surprises to the fans, and through this role, he also showcased a faint talent for comedic performance."


    "Hollywood Reporter" in its review mentioned that "Scandal Plan" earned 21.1 million US dollars in North America over the weekend, which compared to its production cost of 10 million US dollars, is a very commendable achievement.


    While focusing on the movie''s box office, our reporters also noted that besides Silver Screen Treasures, another producer was Palm Beach Films¡ªa company established less than two years ago, reportedly invested by the renowned singer, actor, sportsman Mr. Link Baker... Now, he has succeeded in another field yet again, truly an incredible guy.


    During the movie''s promotion period, Link also appeared on CBS''s "The Ellen Show" to help promote "Scandal Plan". S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link, welcome to The Ellen Show. We all know you are a formidable boxer, a highly talented and prolific singer, and an ambitious actor, and now we''ve learned that you''ve also achieved a great success in film investment."


    In the CBS Studios of The Ellen Show, the blonde-haired host Ellen DeGeneres sat on the white leather sofa and said,


    "I''m curious, how do you manage to be so successful? Many people in your industries struggle to succeed in even one area, yet you excel in each. Do you have a secret?"


    Dressed in a blue suit, Link adjusted his sitting position and smiled, "Ellen, there''s a misunderstanding here that I must clarify. It''s true that I have invested in Palm Beach Films, but I have never interfered with its operations, nor do I have the time.


    The huge success of ''Scandal Plan'' at the box office is the credit of the venture''s several managers. They have good investment insight and picked a great project.


    Honestly, I was also very surprised when I saw the first-week box office results of ''Scandal Plan''. I think I should give them some extra bonuses after the movie''s release."


    Link refrained from taking this credit mainly because he has been too successful these past few years.


    His accomplishments in music, boxing, and investment have attracted quite a bit of envy, for instance from personalities like Big Daddy Bull, Little Epstein, and Little Kunas, whose coveting of Link''s music is evident.


    To admit being a master of film investment would only invite more jealousy.


    After becoming a billionaire, he preferred to quietly make a fortune.


    "Bonuses? The staff at Palm Beach Films will be very happy to hear this news."


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    The host Ellen laughed.


    "They deserve it."


    Link shrugged and smiled.


    "Alright, let''s get back to the subject."


    Holding a cue card, Ellen said, "Recently, the internet and media have been buzzing with rumors about you dating multiple women simultaneously, calling you a playboy. Have you seen these news articles and do they bother you?"

 Chapter 337 Announcing Retirement from the Music Industry_2

    Link said, "That''s right. After I became famous, my private life has always been the focus of the media. After Taylor and I broke up in April, the media attention on my private life multiplied."


    Since I have a past, many entertainment reporters see me talking to the opposite sex, discussing work, and they subconsciously assume we''re dating. They take these unfounded rumors and publish them as news."


    People also labeled me ''fickle'' because of the fake video in April, and when they see my scandals, they subconsciously choose to believe them."


    This situation led to more and more scandals about me in the media, no matter how I tried to explain it, I could not clear it up."


    If you have seen ''Scandal Plan,'' you would find that the female protagonist''s experiences are very similar to mine."


    Oliver lied about dating a guy and did some things she should not have done. Once the news broke out, her classmates treated her like an easy girl. No matter how she explained it, no one believed her, and it brought a lot of trouble and burden to Oliver''s life."


    Later Oliver clarified the misunderstanding through a video and became a normal high school girl."


    But we live in real society, facing more complex situations. It is not easy to clarify misunderstandings, but I will figure out a way to clear everything up and get my life back on track."


    The host Allen said, "Speaking of Taylor, you went to Paris to shoot a movie right after you broke up in April and have never mentioned this in public. Now that it has been over two months, can you talk to us about the breakup?"


    Clap, clap, clap!


    As soon as Allen''s words fell, a round of enthusiastic applause came from the audience, and many people yelled, ''Good, just talk about that,'' ''Link, talk about Taylor.''


    Link smiled gently, "Sure, but I can''t guarantee I''ll answer every question."


    Clap, clap, clap!


    The audience clapped again, obviously very curious about this matter.


    "Christine, come here, Link is going to publicly talk about his breakup with Taylor."


    In the Beverly Hills villa, Emma Roberts called out to Christine Stewart.


    "What''s so interesting about that news? The reason he and Taylor broke up is obvious. He cheated, Taylor didn''t accept it, and she proposed breaking up. The situation is very clear, any other explanation is just a cover-up."


    Christine leaned back in the wicker chair, sucking on a lollipop, holding a game console, appearing indifferent, but still, she took off one earphone and listened with her body turned towards the TV where Link was speaking.


    "Link, after the verdict of the case in early June, we all knew that the video was fabricated, which means, you didn''t cheat while you were with Taylor, and you did nothing wrong, yet you still broke up. Both you and Taylor''s fans express regret. Do you feel regretful?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The host Allen asked.


    "Of course, I am the most regretful one. In fact, I had never thought about breaking up with Taylor, especially so suddenly. I thought we loved each other enough to face any crisis that might affect our relationship, but what happened later was completely beyond my expectations."


    Link spread his hands as he spoke.


    "So, can I interpret it as, the main reason for your breakup was Taylor?"


    Allen asked.


    Link shrugged, "Yes! She was the one who brought it up."


    "Asshole! You cheated first."


    In front of the TV, Taylor heard his words, clenching her white fists tightly. If Link had still been there, she would have punched him without hesitation."


    "Don''t get angry now, watch your health."


    Madame Andrea said as she patted his shoulder.


    "But the reasons leading to our breakup were complex, not just because of that video."


    Link added.


    "Can you talk about it?"


    Allen asked.


    "No problem."


    Link said nonchalantly.


    As he thought about the reasons for their breakup many times afterward, aside from cheating, aside from Taylor saying she felt pressured being around him,


    Link noticed another point: both he and Taylor cared too much about each other.


    He did not want to see other men getting close to Taylor, and Taylor did not want any girls getting close to him.


    Both tried to mentally control each other, wanting the other to act according to their own ideas."


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    Doing so was like restricting each other''s freedom, which, over time, made the other party feel bound and pressured."


    Before March, they succeeded in controlling each other. After March, when Taylor discovered his infidelity, it also meant her mental control failed."


    For a strong-willed person, she found it hard to accept this failure.


    This was probably one of the reasons Taylor proposed breaking up."


    While talking to the host Allen, Link only mentioned that they loved each other too much, cared too much about each other, which led to a feeling of bondage and being trapped by love when they were together."


    To ordinary people, this might feel like happiness."


    But for him and Taylor, this feeling of bondage restricted each other and became an obstacle to their development."


    Link also told Allen another reason: they had significant differences in their creative methods.


    He could write many good songs when he was with Taylor."


    But Taylor, when creating, needed to accumulate some negative emotions to spark her inspiration, so she often left home to wander around and experience life."


    This also led to them often needing to live apart."


    Additionally, after they became famous, their work schedules became increasingly packed. Sometimes Taylor would go on tour or record albums; sometimes he would do the same, leading to less time together."


    That was also one of the reasons for their breakup."


    "Hmph! If you understand it so clearly, why couldn''t you do it?"

 Chapter 337 Announcing Retirement from the Music Industry_3

    Taylor squinted her blue eyes, glanced at the guy on the television, picked up the remote to turn off the TV, but it was snatched away by Mrs. Andrea, who insisted on watching a bit more.


    "So the main reason for your breakup was work-related issues,"


    Allen said.


    "Yes!" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Did you keep in touch after the breakup? Many couples choose to remain friends after parting ways, are you friends now?"


    Allen pressed on.


    Link smiled, "Whether we''re friends or not, to me, she''s a very important person, a respectable person. She''s the one who taught me music, who brought me into the music industry."


    "Yes, you and Taylor are both outstanding. Last year, your albums ranked first and second in domestic sales. This year, your third album ''The Woman I Love'' has reached a cumulative sales of 4.12 million copies in the United States and 16.18 million copies globally. And that''s just within 12 weeks of its release, which is absolutely incredible."


    Clap, clap, clap!


    The fans in the audience clapped excitedly in applause.


    Link also clapped his hands, expressing his gratitude to the fans.


    "Link, we all know you''re a top-notch professional in cross-disciplinary fields, having achieved great success in boxing, music, and films. Will you continue to branch out, what''s your next target?"


    Allen inquired.


    Link thought for a moment, "Next, I''m considering retiring from the music scene."


    "What?!"


    Allen was startled by his sudden response.


    The clapping fans also froze, unable to believe what they were hearing¡ªa reigning album sales champion was talking about retiring?


    "Link, did you just say you''re preparing to retire from the music scene? Did I hear that correctly?"


    Allen asked.


    "Yes, you heard correctly. After two more albums, I will not release new albums any longer.


    These past two years have been too busy, occupied with practicing boxing, composing and recording songs, filming, and dealing with the media. The physical and mental pressure has been immense.


    Often, I feel incredibly exhausted.


    In recent months, this mental pressure has also led to a lack of inspiration. After releasing two more albums, I will consider retiring from the music scene indefinitely,"


    Link stated seriously.


    "You bastard, how could you do this,"


    Taylor said angrily.


    "Link saying he''s under a lot of pressure might not be untrue. He''s too good, excelling in boxing, music, and movies. With the increased attention and expectations, naturally, the pressure on him is immense,"


    Mrs. Andrea noted.


    Taylor didn''t speak, just stared at the guy on the TV, wishing she could punch that annoyingly handsome face.


    "Link is leaving the music scene? For real? His songs are so nice to listen to."


    In front of the television, Miley Cyrus exclaimed in shock.


    "Selena, did Link tell you about this?"


    Kesha turned to the round-faced Selena.


    Selena was stunned for a few seconds before shaking her head repeatedly, "I don''t know, he never told me about this. And it''s not true that he''s lacking inspiration. Last time he slept in the Broadway Theatre and woke up with ''Dancing with Your Ghost''. Just last week, he gave me a great new song, can that be called a lack of inspiration? If so, then I''m the inspiration-starved Sahara Desert."


    "I hope it''s not true, the music scene will be too boring without Link in the future,"


    Miley Cyrus added.


    "I don''t believe it, it''s definitely fake,"


    said Lil Wayne frowning, in front of the TV.


    "Saying it publicly, it''s probably not fake,"


    Drake commented.


    "Drake, you''re too young. Link, that bastard, is stirring up publicity, playing a hunger marketing game, telling fans that his albums won''t last forever, urging everyone to buy them quick.


    It''s like how some artists announce their retirement to drive up the prices of their work and then find an excuse to release new work once the prices rise. Link is the same, that bastard knows too well how to play the game,"


    Lil Wayne remarked.


    T.I. nodded, "Lil''s right. Link is not just doing hunger marketing, he''s also playing the sympathy card. He''s talking about retiring because of the pressure, to stop people from calling him a jerk. It''s too fake."


    "That sounds quite plausible,"


    Chris Brown chimed in, stroking his chin. Experience tales with My Virtual Library Empire


    Lil Wayne snorted dismissively and made a call to his assistant to arrange for some Internet trolls to go online and badmouth Link, accusing him of lying. If he really is under that much pressure, why not retire immediately instead of waiting for two more albums? It''s clearly a publicity stunt.


    "Eva, did Link say he''s planning to leave the music industry? Is that true?"


    In Link Music''s CEO office, Lana pushed the door open and stepped in to ask.


    Ivanka put down her signing pen, rubbed her temples, and replied, "It''s true. He has too much on his plate and is busy every day without rest. After retiring, he plans to focus more on his boxing training."


    "It''s such a pity, he''s so talented and his album sales are so high. It would be a shame for him to retire. Won''t you try to convince him?"


    Lana suggested.


    Leaning back in her office chair, fingers crossed, Ivanka laughed, "Why should I convince him? Once he leaves the music scene, he''ll give good songs to you guys to perform and help you produce albums. Isn''t that good?"


    Lana blinked, thought for a moment, and realized that indeed wouldn''t be so bad.


    Link had too many good songs, one after another. Like that "Dancing with Your Ghost," an ordinary person simply couldn''t write it.


    Once Link retired and stopped releasing albums, his good songs would be distributed to several singers under Link Music, and since she had a good relationship with Link, she would have even more chances to get good songs.


    "Link has indeed been very tired lately. I support him retiring to take a good rest,"


    Lana said with a smile on her face.


    Ivanka raised her eyebrows and smiled, picking up the phone to call Executive Director George Capal and Marketing Director Scott.


    She wanted them to pay attention to guiding public opinion after the show aired, to amplify the hype and focus the public''s attention on Link''s three albums, buckling down to sell a few million more worldwide.

 Chapter 338 Finalizing Captain America

    "The Ellen Show," also known as "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," is a popular talk show on CBS in the United States that combines current events, humor, celebrities, musical guests, and human interest stories. It''s one of the most beloved talk shows among the American public.


    According to Nielsen ratings, the show averaged 3.62 million viewers per episode in 2010, while the episode featuring Link reached an audience of 10.15 million, breaking the show''s record for highest viewership.


    Link''s announcement on the program that he planned to retire from the music industry after the release of his fifth album quickly became the most sensational news in entertainment circles in the United States and even globally. It was reported and discussed by numerous media outlets, and many netizens discussed it online as well.


    Some thought it was a publicity stunt to promote his album "The Woman I Love," intended to boost album sales.


    Others expressed regret, pointing out that the quality of Link''s first three albums was high and that his songs were great to listen to; an early retirement from the music scene was a loss for the fans.


    There were also those who supported the decision.


    These supporters were mainly Link''s boxing fans, who hoped he would drop all his work and focus on training in boxing. They believed he had a great chance to become a boxing superstar on par with Ali and Tyson, arguing that becoming a sports star was more memorable than being a music star.


    Meanwhile, Link''s music fans flocked to his Twitter to inquire about the situation, hoping what he said on the show wasn''t true.


    Many fans expressed their affection online, saying they loved him for his music, regardless of his Playboy persona or how many girlfriends he had. They urged him not to feel too pressured and to continue creating music.


    These messages totaled over a hundred thousand, with the top comment receiving a whopping 338,000 likes.


    Touched by his fans'' messages, Link felt moved.


    He tweeted a new message, telling his fans that he wasn''t retiring immediately, but rather after releasing two more albums.


    During the upcoming time, he planned to work closely with several producers at Link Music to create these two albums and provide fans with even better music.


    Additionally, he told his fans that in the future, if there were good songs, he would give them to other singers to perform or release new singles online instead of producing new albums. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After this tweet went out, it racked up 1.03 million retweets, received 830,000 comments, and garnered 4.27 million likes within 24 hours, setting a new record for likes and retweets on the Twitter platform. It also became the tweet that received over 800,000 comments in the shortest time.


    On June 26, 2010, Link''s Twitter account officially surpassed the 60 million mark, reaching 60.69 million followers.


    Becoming the most followed user on Twitter, he was also one of the most followed users on all social media platforms, including Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, Weibo, and Instagram.


    After the show aired, many acquaintances called to ask about the situation, to which Link confirmed it was true; he had been too busy over the past two years with no time to rest or deal with personal matters.


    Retiring from the music scene after releasing two more albums would give him more free time.


    People like Paul Walker joked that he was only thinking of retiring because he had made too much money; without money, he never would have considered it.


    Link didn''t deny their point.


    Musicians like Lady Gaga and Adele suggested that his last two albums should be deluxe editions with 50 songs each, released every three to five years, with one album equating to five of others'' albums.


    Link said he would consider it.


    Singers like Selena and a few others who were close friends suggested he should mentor them more on their albums, so they, too, could sell tens of millions of copies.


    Link agreed that it wouldn''t be a problem.


    Even Taylor, who typically didn''t bother much with him, took the initiative to send a message.


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    "Are you really retiring? Why, I thought we had an agreement last time."


    "Did we? My album sales are too high. If I don''t retire, none of you will get ahead. I think you should be happy about that."


    "You''re so arrogant. It''s just that this album of yours sold a bit better. Not all of them do. My new album will definitely outsell yours in the United States."


    "Nationwide sales? Impossible, you don''t stand a chance."


    Link remembered that her third album didn''t outsell Eminem''s, selling somewhere between two and three million copies.


    "Let''s make a bet, then. If you lose, you take back your statement about retiring."


    "And if you lose?"


    "You name it!"


    "Come back! Be my girlfriend again!"


    "What about Ivanka and all those other scandalous girlfriends of yours, are you willing to kick them to the curb? Jerk!!"


    "I meant, as one of them."


    "Get lost!!!"


    "You really are a shameless bastard."


    After sending three messages in quick succession, Taylor said, "If I lose, you can do whatever you want with me."


    "???"


    Link also sent two messages back, "Are you serious? You should know what kind of person I am, I''m definitely not a gentleman."


    "I know exactly who you are, you lecher. I also know what I''d be in for if I lost, but I absolutely don''t believe I will lose," Taylor responded.


    "This is your own doing. How long is the timeline? It can''t be ten years from now."


    "July 22nd next year. My new album is planned to release on that date this year."


    "That''s too far off, make it April 14th next year, the day you left the Bay villa."


    "April 13th, 13 is my lucky number. I''m sure to beat you on that day."


    "You really are a competitive woman."


    Shaking his head, Link sent another message asking if she had taken a boyfriend, hoping she hadn''t. Taylor replied that it was none of his business.


    "Remember the last time we were together on April 14th, you asked if there was a chance for us to get back together in the future if you succeeded and I wasn''t married, perhaps even making it down the aisle."

 Chapter 338 Finalizing Captain America_2

    I''ve given it some serious thought, and the answer is definitely yes," Taylor said. "Even if you become a notorious woman in the future, or even a failed singer, I am willing to accept you. I realize I really can''t forget you, you willful and stubborn wretch."


    "You''re the wretch, the lecher, the scumbag! I won''t become a notorious woman, nor will I be a failed singer, and you will never witness that day."


    "I hope so, keep it up!"


    "Screw you! Wretch!"


    Link smiled gently. In the past, seeing Taylor angry made him nervous, considering how to comfort her. Now, he found it quite enjoyable, which is probably the difference between a girlfriend and an ex-girlfriend.


    ¡ª


    During the release of "Scandal Plan," he also attended the second round of character auditions held by Marvel Studios. Eight people participated in this round, mainly to evaluate the actors'' performance abilities and command of dialogue.


    In the auditions, Link performed the farewell dialogue between Captain America and his superior, Agent Carter, on-site.


    It was the end of the movie, where Captain America decides to crash the uncontrollable, nuclear-armed plane into the Arctic Ocean to save the city of New York.


    Before the plane went down, Captain America asked Agent Carter for a dance. Carter tearfully agreed.


    The plot was very touching.


    Because he had practiced well in the crew of "Midnight in Paris" during this period, and was very good at performing emotional drama, he also excelled in this scene and delivered his lines well.


    He scored well in the performance aspect of the second round of auditions.


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    He successfully entered the third round, along with Will Smith, Chris Evans, and Channing Tatum.


    Seeing that four more people were shortlisted, the third round might not be the final one, and through Ms. Mandy, he announced he was giving up the role and would not participate in the next round.


    After becoming famous, the film companies were clear about what type of actor he was: good looking, great temperament, popular, skilled acting, strong box office draw.


    Based on these external conditions, when film companies had a role that suited him, they would deliver the script directly to his agency, even discussing the remuneration in advance, eliminating the need for auditions.


    Yet, Captain America, an unimportant role, required multiple auditions¡ªnot worth his time or patience. Moreover, he disliked the feeling of being selected by others.


    However, on the same day he announced his withdrawal from the auditions, "Captain America" producer and director Joe Johnston called, saying he wanted to have a talk.


    Link asked if the other party had the power to decide the casting. If so, then they could talk; otherwise, there was no point.


    Director Johnston affirmed he did have that power.


    Link agreed to meet and the next day at noon, he met Director Johnston and another producer, Stephen Brussard, who had been a producer of "The Incredible Hulk," at an Italian cafe on Hollywood Boulevard.


    The three of them greeted each other.


    Link, looking at the two producers sizing him up, said, "Gentlemen, may I ask a question?"


    "Please, ask!"


    "With my top-grade image, consummate acting skills, box office appeal comparable to A-list movie stars, not to mention my strong combat abilities, representing the American Dream and a national idol, and I don''t demand a high fee, what''s the difficulty in letting me play Captain America?"


    Link asked seriously.


    Director Johnston and Producer Stephen were momentarily taken aback, exchanging glances, somewhat surprised.


    After meeting Link, they had been thinking about how to ease into the conversation and create a better atmosphere for the meeting.


    But Link got straight to the point, directly addressing the central issue, asking why he couldn''t be Captain America?


    This question had also been a topic of repeated debate within the "Captain America" production team recently: What were the disadvantages of casting Link as Captain America?


    On the production team''s whiteboard, Link''s disadvantages were mainly three:


    First, he wasn''t a professional actor but a top singer, with significant influence in the music industry and worldwide. Casting a singer as Captain America came with certain risks.


    Second, he was a part-time actor, having so far only been in three movies¡ª"Fighter," "Deep Sea Quest 2," and "Scandal Plan," plus the unreleased "The Expendables." Among these films, with the exception of "Fighter," which he did quite well, the performances in the others were mediocre at best.


    In this respect, he couldn''t compare to Hollywood''s top stars like Will Smith, or Chris Evans, who had starred in multiple comic book movies.


    Third, although he was very famous, apart from "Fighter," which had a global box office of over a hundred million, the performance of his other starring films was average, without showing his box office drawing power yet.


    Besides these three main issues, there were other secondary issues: his hair wasn''t golden brown; he was a Playboy; his looks were too handsome and beautiful, etc., all of which were considered detriments.


    Despite all these issues, the "Captain America" production team still regarded him as their first choice.


    Because the guy was just too exceptional.


    First of all, he was famous around the world.


    The artistic film, "Fighter," released at the end of last year with an investment of 32 million US Dollars, had currently reached 156 million USD in global box office revenue, with over 92 million contributed from overseas. According to surveys, many viewers went specifically for Link. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If an artistic film starring Link could earn over a hundred million USD at the box office, a commercial film portraying a character with numerous book fans would undoubtedly achieve even higher figures.


    Casting him as Captain America would raise the box office figures even if the movie was subpar, thanks to his music fans.


    This was a box office guarantee.


    Next, Link was an exceptionally physically fit guy.

 Chapter 338 Finalizing Captain America_3

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    Olympic champion, boxing superstar, swimming legend, dubbed ''Superman'' by the media.


    He is the synonym for strength.


    Having him play Captain America, is a dream combination that brings a strong sense of anticipation to movie fans.


    During the movie''s promotion, there will also be plenty of topics worth hyping up.


    Third, Stan Lee, the comic author of "Captain America," thought Link was a good fit.


    Because of these strengths and weaknesses, the production team was endlessly debating internally and were set to continue, but suddenly a message came from Link''s side¡ªhe was out.


    Hearing that Link had given up, the production team suddenly came to a consensus, feeling that it might not be bad to have him play Captain America.


    Although Chris Evans is a good actor with experience playing comic characters, his box office appeal was not as strong as Link''s, and even Chris himself wasn''t particularly keen on taking on the role.


    As for Will Smith and the other few actors, they had too many inherent issues, making them even less suitable than Link and Evans.


    After considering all these factors, director Johnston and producer Stephen finally decided to meet with Link.


    "Link, you''re a singer, and when audiences see you in a role, your identity can be distracting, which is the biggest issue," director Johnston replied to Link''s earlier concerns.


    "I''m a top singer, which I believe is a plus. Also, my acting isn''t bad. You can ask some of the directors I''ve worked with; I never let people down. I have that confidence," Link said.


    Director Johnston and producer Stephen looked at each other and suddenly stood up, extending their hands, "Link, welcome to the ''Captain America'' cast."


    "?"


    Now it was Link''s turn to be confused. He had prepared for this role for half a month and went through two rounds of auditions, but the production side had never shown any intention of giving him the part.


    But now, just after some self-praise on his side, without any changes, the production team decided to give him the role.


    The change was very sudden.


    He smiled lightly and extended his hand:


    "Pleasure doing business!"


    ¡ª¡ª


    After settling the role, both parties discussed the film''s shooting schedule, physical training, costume design, firearms training, and other matters.


    The preliminary preparations for the movie were almost complete, with shooting likely to take place from October to the following February, in locations such as Los Angeles, New York, Britain, and Link would need to make some time.


    The Captain America character, after transforming into a Super Soldier, would have well-developed muscles.


    With his current physique, he still needed to put on some muscle mass.


    Link indicated no problem with this, as his match against De La Hoya was a cross-weight challenge, and being heavier in the match was not an issue.


    Regarding the film''s remuneration, these matters would be negotiated between Ms. Mandy and Marvel Company, and neither he nor director Johnston needed to worry about them.


    After the discussion was settled, Marvel Entertainment also made a public announcement that Link would play Captain America, and Link retweeted this news on Twitter.


    The news caused a huge stir in the entertainment industry and sparked many controversies.


    Link''s fans were very happy. Link was already handsome and strong; playing a character like Captain America would definitely make his image even more dashing and explosive.


    Moreover, Link was already the top stream in the boxing world and music industry. If this movie was successful, he had a great chance of becoming a top actor in the film industry.


    By then, he would be a superstar spanning the music, sports, and film industries¡ªit was an exciting thought.


    Link''s fans, seeing him become increasingly successful, were filled with pride and flooded into the Link Fan Club website to celebrate, which promptly crashed the site.


    Some supported, while others opposed.


    Those opposed claimed that he was a singer, and having a singer play Captain America felt a bit off.


    Others questioned his acting, doubting he could perform well as Captain America and suggesting that Will Smith should have been cast instead, arguing that choosing Link was an act of racial discrimination.


    But there were more supporters than detractors.


    Following the announcement, the Marvel Comics Club website launched a poll asking if people were looking forward to Link playing Captain America?


    Within three days, 2.04 million people had voted in anticipation, 362,000 were not looking forward to it, and 250,000 had a neutral stance.


    From this, it was clear that the majority held a positive view toward Link as Captain America, albeit not without some controversy.


    And controversy can be a good thing. For instance, after Marvel announced the selection, Link and "Captain America" remained highly popular, trending on Yahoo, Twitter, MySpace, and other websites for three consecutive days.


    "Damn, this guy is trending again,"


    50 Cent muttered as he looked at the news on his phone, his expression one of exasperation.


    Before the buzz around Link''s announcement of leaving the music scene, which lasted four days in the news, had settled, another surge of attention followed suit, almost as if he had a monopoly on the trending charts.


    Link''s situation was something they could envy but could never achieve themselves.


    "Man, if only I could have this many trends when I released an album, I would have sold more than 1.1 million copies by now,"


    Usher lamented, holding a glass of whiskey.


    50 Cent glanced at him and found he was becoming more and more like Kanye, constantly exuding negative energy to everyone around him. When he and Kanye sat together, they could dampen the entire booth''s atmosphere.


    "Arthur, you''re with SB Entertainment, which means you''re under Link. Link is a master of trending. If you want to trend, you could totally ask for his help. I don''t think he''d refuse,"


    50 Cent said mockingly.


    Arthur was sipping his drink and paused when he heard this. Suddenly, it made some sense to him. He had a partnership with SB Agency and Link Music was a major shareholder of SB. His success would benefit Link too.


    Maybe he really should seek help from Link or Scooter Braun for some publicity.


    As for the risk of being ostracized by the East Coast rap community, he didn''t care. As a singer, selling records was the only way to stand firm in the music industry; nothing else mattered.


    Arthur nodded, drained his glass, and got up to leave.


    50 Cent watched his retreating figure, stunned. Was the guy actually going to ask Link for help to trend?


    This is bad, the East Coast rap scene is going to fall apart.


    ¡ª


    "Miranda, how much did ''The Woman I Love'' sell this week?"


    In the president''s office of Link Music, Ivanka turned to look at her assistant and asked.


    "84,000 copies, third on the album chart, up two spots from last week, with cumulative sales reaching 4.224 million in the United States,"


    Miranda reported, glancing at her tablet.


    "Not bad. Have the marketing department continue their efforts, and aim to get this album to sell 5 million copies in the United States,"


    Ivanka said indifferently.


    "Understood!"


    Miranda replied with a slight smile, then left with her tablet. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ivanka stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the bustling Manhattan streets below, her lips curving into a pleasing smile.

 Chapter 339 Weekly Box Office Champion

    "Scandal Plan" had its second week in theaters.


    In 2,926 theaters across North America, it pulled in $18.36 million at the box office.


    A drop of less than 15% from last week, and it also outperformed several other films released at the same time.


    It became the box office champion of the week.


    The cumulative box office in North America reached $39.46 million.


    In second place was Selena''s "Monteloca," which, thanks to the fame of its cast and the powerful promotional capabilities of the Disney Company, earned $10.63 million in its second week, with a cumulative box office of over $25 million, which is on par with the production cost.


    Third place went to Milla Jovovich''s "Resident Evil 4," with a weekly box office of $10 million exactly, a drop of 63%.


    "American Citizen," "Robbers," and other movies this week all had box office earnings below $5 million.


    "Scandal Plan," after ten days of release in North America, has brought in nearly $40 million at the box office, which, compared to its mere $10 million cost, can be deemed a huge success.


    Generally, for movies, a cost-to-revenue ratio of more than three times is considered a hit, five times is a big hit, and ten times is considered a blockbuster, a dark horse of the year.


    "Variety" magazine predicts that this film will have a North American box office around $70 million and a global box office of $120 million, easily a blockbuster hit.


    According to film industry practice, when a movie sells well, many professional media outlets will analyze it to study the reasons behind its success, providing direction for other films; this can also be referred to as ''market trend analysis.''


    Last week, when the media analyzed the reasons, they believed that a key to the movie''s success was choosing the right actress for the lead role.


    Emma Stone''s wonderful performance added a lot of luster to the film, and if it had been another actress, it might have turned into a tasteless campus comedy.


    The second reason was the script and Will Guler''s solid directing skills.


    The third was the participation of big star Link and Lisa Kudrow, one of the stars of "Friends," which brought a lot of fame to the film.


    By this week, when media analyzed the reasons for the film''s big sales, they elevated Link to the same level of importance as Emma Stone.


    They believe the reason the movie''s box office didn''t drop much this week was mainly because of Link''s fame and strong appeal; his fans contributed a large portion of the box office.


    Also, his several trending searches added a lot of exposure for the film, which is very crucial during the time a film is in theaters.


    If Link hadn''t been part of the film, the box office this week would have likely dropped by at least 35%.


    "Hmph!"


    "Is your nose uncomfortable?"


    "Hmph!"


    At the dining table, Selena twirled her spaghetti with a fork, puffing up her round face and glaring at him.


    "Last year I invited you to play a role in ''Monteloca,'' but you refused. If you had come, my movie''s box office would have been better, and it could have been the champion of the week. It''s all your fault that we didn''t win."


    Link was amused by her words.


    "Didn''t you know I was busy last year? Besides, I remember there wasn''t a role suitable for me in that movie. Were you expecting me to play Sairo?"


    "Why not?"


    "What are you thinking? We''re siblings; how could we play lovers?"


    Link raised his hand and lightly smacked her smooth forehead.


    Whack!


    Selena pouted and glared at him, snatched the apple pie from his hand, took a big bite, and smiled triumphantly, tilting her little face upwards.


    Link shook his head, picked up another apple pie, and asked little Anne where she wanted to go today; he was free and could spend the day with her.


    "To Disney Park, I have a VIP pass; we can play there all day."


    Before Anne could respond, Selena eagerly exclaimed.


    "It''s not about you; how old are you, and you still want to go to an amusement park?"


    "Hmph, when I was a kid, I had to attend classes and Disney training camps; I hardly went to an amusement park even a few times a year. It''s such a regret. Now that I have time, I need to fill in the gaps of my childhood."


    Selena shouted.


    Madam Mandy glared at her, "Many of your training camp courses were at Disney Park; you went there once a week, and Catherine and I often took you to the amusement park. You have three photo albums full of pictures taken at amusement parks as a child. Do you want me to dig them out for you to see?" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Selena paused for a moment, then scratched her round face with her paw.


    "Who remembers things from when they were little? Alright, let''s not talk about this, Anne, lovely little Anne, tell us, where do you want to go today?"


    Selena shifted everyone''s attention back to little Anne.


    Little Anne blinked her large eyes, thought for a moment, then said softly, "To Disney?"


    "Haha, look, Anne and I think alike; we really are good sisters."


    Selena puckered up her oily lips and planted a kiss on Anne''s face, and Link, with a look of distaste, pushed her head away and wiped Anne''s bouncy little face with a wet wipe.


    "The news said that Taylor is releasing the first promo single for her third album today. Have you heard it?"


    Catherine asked, putting down a plate of black-seeded watermelon.


    "Oh! I almost forgot."


    Selena grabbed a piece of watermelon, chewed it, and quickly ran outside. A few seconds later, she came back in, carrying an Apple laptop.


    Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    "This single is called ''The Story of Us''; Link, it''s obviously about you guys. Wow, it''s been uploaded for less than two hours, and it''s already got over 1.65 million plays. That''s outrageous. Let''s listen and see how it is."


    Chattering away, Selena clicked on the music player, and Taylor''s light-hearted, sweet, and warm voice came through the computer speakers.


    I used to think one day we''d tell the story of us


    How we met and the sparks flew instantly


    And people would say they''re the lucky ones

 Chapter 394 - 339 Weekly Box Office Champion_2

    Everyone would say, "Look, they are so lucky to have found each other."


    I used to know my place was a spot next to you


    "Wow, that sounds great!"


    Selena exclaimed, propping her face up.


    Everyone ignored her, quietly eating fruit and listening to Taylor''s new song.


    miscommunications lead to fall out


    Misunderstandings led us away from love


    So many things that I wish you knew


    So many, many things I wish you knew


    So many walls up I can''t break through


    So many, many barriers I wished I could break through


    ...


    I don''t know what to say


    since the twist of fate when it all broke down


    And the story of us looks a lot like a tragedy now Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire


    The end


    "This song is so well-written, Taylor is so amazing,"


    Selena said after the song had ended.


    "Indeed, it''s a good song, Taylor is very talented,"


    Lady Mandy said.


    "Link, as the protagonist of the song, how do you feel?"


    Catherine said with a smile.


    "Yes, Link, do tell us what you felt after listening to this song."


    Selena leaned over the table, cradling her round face in her hands, her big eyes blinking.


    "Taylor is someone who is emotionally rich in her creations, yet very aloof in real life, like an observer rather than a participant. People like her are suited to be singers, writers, and poets, not someone''s girlfriend,"


    Link said while eating his fruit.


    "What do you mean?"


    Selena tilted her head, unable to understand the implication of his words.


    "Good song, but the person is slightly lacking."


    Link summarized simply.


    "You said that, I''ll tell Taylor right away that you think she is not interesting."


    Selena started the player and played the song again.


    This song seemed to summarize the relationship between the two, with Taylor admitting they both made mistakes, but Link''s were more severe. She had also said she put a lot of effort into trying to save the relationship, there was a lot she couldn''t let go, but in the end, they still ended up as strangers.


    She also mentioned that while she was trying to heal from the heartbreak, Link was already out having fun, making her reconsider whether the relationship was worth it.


    Listening to this song, it felt like Taylor took relationships very seriously, very persistently. Sadly, she was ill-met by misfortune, all her devotion and sincerity misplaced.


    She subtly accused Link of not taking the relationship seriously, betraying the love she had for him.


    Link shook his head as he listened; Taylor was a romantic only in thought. In her heart, emotions were fervent and intense, yet in actual relationships, she appeared indifferent and unfeeling.


    This personality trait made it hard to understand whether she was affectionate or heartless.


    "Let''s not listen anymore, shall we go to the amusement park?"


    Link wiped his fingers and asked little Anne.


    Little Anne nodded repeatedly.


    Selena''s eyes roved around, she picked up her small crossbody bag and silently followed behind.


    When the trio were strolling around Los Angeles, Taylor''s new song "The Story of Us" quickly exploded in popularity in the United States.


    On Amazon, iTunes, and other music platforms, the number of plays surged, soon breaking the records for first-day streams and downloads of several hit songs released before June.


    They included Link''s "all of me" "sorry", the Pre-War Goddess''s "need you now", Kesha''s "animal", Justin Bieber''s "baby", Wiz Khalifa''s "Black And Yellow", Beyonce and Lady Gaga''s collaboration "Telephone", Eminem''s "Not Afraid", and Lady Gaga''s version of "legends never die".


    It shot up to number three on the 2010 chart for first-day downloads, with 1.42 million downloads. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    First place was Link''s "legends never die" with 4.65 million downloads on its first day.


    Second was Eminem''s second promotional single from his seventh album released in May, a collaboration with Rihanna called "Love the Way You Lie", with 1.51 million downloads a day.


    Compared to the previous hit songs, the reason for this song''s success wasn''t its quality or artistic level, but its highly sensational topic, fully satisfying fans'' curiosity.


    The popularity of the song also led the media to revisit old stories, reinterpreting the reasons behind their breakup; Link had previously summed up on "The Ellen Show" that their breakup was due to work and personality differences.


    However, in this song, Taylor believed the reason was Link''s unserious attitude toward love, his infidelity, and his betrayal of her love.


    The differing explanations for the breakup caused some heated discussions online and in the media.


    Many media outlets repeatedly harped on the narrative that Link was a scumbag, but fewer media followed this trend compared to mid-June.


    After Link''s withdrawal from the music scene and the Captain America casting controversy, people lost interest in whether he was a playboy or not.


    Seeing the media''s reaction, Link was relieved.


    Many songs from Taylor''s third album were written when they broke up with Taylor locking herself in the music room; many were scathing attacks calling him a scumbag, filled with deep sadness and resentment, including one titled "The Devil in Love", indirectly referring to Ivanka, Emma Watson, and others, giving listeners goosebumps.


    One could imagine, once these songs were released, he would definitely be bitterly denounced by Taylor''s fans and the media.


    The recent promotion of him as a playboy didn''t help the public opinion.


    Combining these two negative streams of public opinion could badly affect his popularity.


    To protect himself, after discussing with Ivanka and Scooter, he decided to appear on "The Ellen Show" to publicly discuss the reasons for their breakup, setting off discussions in public opinion to mitigate some of the fans'' anger upfront.


    From the current situation, his decision was correct.


    "Originally, ''Devil'' was supposed to be the first promotional single but given your good apology, I changed "The Story of Us" to be the first promotional single; however, the album will still be released, and those songs cursing you will also be publicly released. You should be prepared to be denounced by the fans."


    Taylor sent the message.


    "How many songs are cursing me?"


    "Eh, sixteen!"


    "How many songs are on this album?"


    "The standard edition has 14, deluxe and international editions have 22."


    "So, you''re saying the entire album is about cursing me?"


    "...It might be a bit too much, but those songs are good, it would be a shame not to let the fans hear them."


    "That really is an irrefutable reason."


    Link shook his head; when he first decided to date Taylor, he had prepared himself to be chastised in her songs, but an entire album of songs about him was beyond his expectations.


    "Don''t feel too wronged, it''s all your fault. If you hadn''t cheated, I couldn''t have written these songs."


    Taylor added.


    "Really, I''m that important to you, helping you write so many good songs. Why don''t you reconsider, come back and be my girlfriend, one of them, maybe? I keep cheating, you keep writing songs, kind of like a perpetual motion machine, sounds great, doesn''t it?"


    "Get lost!!! I''ve decided, I''ll continue to curse you in the next album, you brought this on yourself, scumbag!"


    "Alright, just joking."


    Link sent the message, but the chat interface showed "not friends", apparently, he had been blocked again.


    Pocketing his phone, seeing Selena and little Anne plastered against the aquarium glass watching the fish, he took several photos of them with his camera.


    While watching the fish at the Los Angeles Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, they also encountered Angelina Jolie, tagging along with a group of kids.


    This woman was only thirty-five years old yet already had six children, three biological and three adopted; the youngest twins, Knox and Vivienne, were also over three years old. When they visited the aquarium, they had a party of more than ten people, including bodyguards, nannies, assistants, and two photographers filming them.


    "I want to have many kids in the future, makes it more lively."


    Selena, looking at Angelina Jolie''s children, said enviously.


    "What are you daydreaming about? You''re a kid yourself."


    Link ruffled her hair, pulling Anne along as they continued forward.


    Selena covered her head, glaring angrily at him, and when he walked a few steps ahead, suddenly jumped on his back, attempting to mess up his hairstyle, but unfortunately, he had gone back to short hair.


    Not far away, Angelina Jolie noticed their commotion and glanced over, a look of surprise on her face.

 Chapter 395 - 340: Album Celebration Party

    "Hi, Link! Selena!"


    Angelina Jolie came over to greet them and asked if he was free next week to attend the premiere of her new movie, "Agent Short."


    Link was uncertain if he had the time. After finishing two more boxing title defenses, he was planning to continue his world tour, which required rehearsals during this period.


    But seeing that she had personally invited him, he didn''t refuse either.


    Angelina Jolie and her fianc¨¦ Brad Pitt were top figures in the film industry. Cultivating a good relationship with them was also a valuable connection.


    "Hey, everyone has left and you''re still staring at her butt, you''re so lecherous!" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Selena waved her small hand in front of his eyes.


    "Who was staring at her butt? I just think she''s pretty impressive, managing both her career and family well. You should learn from her."


    "I don''t believe it, you were definitely looking at her butt."


    Selena rolled her eyes and continued watching the marine fish with little Anne.


    Link shook his head; he really hadn''t been staring at her butt just now.


    Seeing Angelina Jolie reminded him of other big stars in the entertainment industry like Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, etc. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    These ladies used to be top beauties in the entertainment world. In the blink of an eye, they all were in their thirties or forties, having children, their radiant beauty waning.


    This made Link suddenly feel a sense of urgency as if time was slipping through his fingers.


    ¡ª


    On the eve of Taylor''s new album release, Link also started the rehearsals for his tour.


    Originally, after the tour ended in January, he would continue the world tour in March or April during the release of the new album, to promote it simultaneously.


    But after a private video from the dressing room was leaked, many work arrangements were disrupted.


    He had to pause the tour and go to the Paris film crew to lay low.


    Now that the storm over the breakup had passed and the boxing matches were over, he was ready to finish the remaining 107 concerts while his third album was still being promoted.


    The remaining concerts were mainly in Asia and Europe, with the final shows in the United States.


    Since the performance team had taken almost half a year off, with some members leaving and new ones joining, intensive rehearsals were essential to avoid onstage mishaps during the shows.


    During the rehearsal period, Link Music held a celebration at the Thomp Building''s club in New York, celebrating that the third album, "The Woman I Love," had surpassed 4 million sales in the US and 15 million globally.


    The invitees were primarily people who had helped make the album a hit.


    Included were singers from Link Music, record producers, sound engineers, assistants, and PR department staff.


    Tiffany Thomp, Paris Hilton, Amanda Hearst, Georgia Bloomberg, Amanda Seyfried, Lindsay Lohan, and more than a dozen other celebrities who participated in the "falling flaunt wealth" marketing.


    And Lady Gaga, Eminem, and a few other singers in New York.


    Also, representatives from distributors in various states, department heads from Universal Records'' distribution, Atlantic Records'' distribution, companies involved in the album''s production, packaging firms, the album''s embossing companies, the music video director and key actors, top executives from media houses, and so on, totaling over eight hundred people.


    At the party, besides the various delicacies, there were 100 bottles of Ace of Spades champagne and a 1 million US Dollar cash raffle on the spot.


    Link, Lana Del Rey, Mars, Wiz Khalifa, Justin Bieber, and the newly signed trainee Charlie Puth, took turns performing, creating a sensational scene.


    "Is Charlie Puth the new singer signed by your company?"


    At the party, Lady Gaga, holding a glass of wine, looked at the young man on the stage, playing the piano and singing "Here With You." He was not yet twenty, his looks youthful, dressed in a suit, with a distinctive scar on his right eyebrow.


    "What do you think?"


    "Good voice, good piano skills¡­ But anyone you fancy, definitely can''t be bad,"


    Lady Gaga said with a smile.


    Link shook his head, unable to accept the compliment.


    Following Lana and the others'' album sales success, the media touted him as a music industry Midas, saying he was adept at training singers, turning any singer into a bestseller, almost mythically.


    In truth, he knew nothing about training singers.


    Lana and the others transformed from nobodies into celebrities and platinum album artists mainly because they were intrinsically talented, raw uncut gems.


    Such persons, given enough time, don''t need guidance to become stars.


    All he did was help them find the right music genre, line up some suitable songs, and get their careers on track earlier than might have otherwise been the case.


    Compared to Lana and others, Charlie Puth was younger, only 19 this year. In terms of musical talent, personal experience, and thinking, he wasn''t yet on par with Lana and the others.


    Signing him early to Link Music, with a contract worth a million US Dollars,


    might be rushing things and could potentially alter his attitude toward music or even hinder his creative progress. Link had no clear conclusion.


    All he could do was hire professional musicians to teach him and nurture him into a talent instead of letting him fade into obscurity.


    "Taylor''s new album has had strong pre-release promotions, and the first promotional single performed brilliantly. Looks like it''s you two leading the album charts again this year."


    Lady Gaga remarked.


    "Really? Taylor''s new album might surpass Em''s ''Recovery'' and ''need you now''?"


    "Very likely! Taylor''s new album has created more buzz than your third album had at its pre-release."


    Lady Gaga gave him a look, "It''s a good thing you two broke up, otherwise you two would monopolize the music scene for the next few years."

 Chapter 396 - 340 Album Celebration Party_2

    "That''s an exaggeration,"


    Link said with a gentle smile. Despite being very popular, he still couldn''t compare to a phenomenon-level superstar like Lady Gaga. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In terms of global recognition, he was on par with Lady Gaga, but when it came to influence on world pop music, Miss Gaga unquestionably had the upper hand.


    Nowadays, many people exclaimed "oh, my Lady Gaga" in surprise, and even those who had never heard her songs knew her name¡ªthat was the charm of Miss Gaga.


    Link admitted he couldn''t match that.


    "Hey, Link, Joanne, can we take a photo together? You two are superstars, and a pic with you guys is sure to get tons of likes."


    Internet celebrity Tiffany walked over with her selfie stick from the bustling crowd, her round face flushed with excitement.


    Link and Lady Gaga didn''t object and stood there to take a few photos with Tiffany.


    "Where''s your sister?"


    "Over there. My dad got wind of this and came to join in the fun. Eva''s worried he''ll start talking politics at the cocktail party, so she''s keeping an eye on him."


    Tiffany pouted her lips and struck a pose as she spoke.


    What a filial girl!


    Link gave a light smile, said goodbye to Lady Gaga, and went over to greet Mr. Thomp.


    Mr. Thomp pursed his lips and looked displeased when he saw him.


    Link didn''t mind and asked how he was? Was his work going smoothly?


    After staring at him for a few seconds, Mr. Thomp pulled Ivanka aside and told him seriously that in fact, he did not agree with Ivanka dating him. But Ivanka insisted, and that was the only reason he didn''t object.


    Mr. Thomp earnestly said if he really wanted to date Ivanka, he''d better get rid of some bad habits, not be fickle, and avoid doing anything that would hurt her.


    He added that even though Link now was worth several hundred million US dollars and had great fame, in his eyes that wasn''t much. If Link dared to hurt Ivanka, he wouldn''t let it slide easily.


    Link hastily assured him he would.


    Although the man was a somewhat ostentatious old gentleman, and his deeds were often the butt of jokes, no one denied he was a formidable character.


    Based solely on his past actions, good or bad, each one was beyond what ordinary people could achieve.


    If Mr. Thomp really set his heart on dealing with him, with the man''s capabilities and connections, without Ivanka''s help, Link might not be able to withstand it.


    After Mr. Thomp finished speaking, Link politely topped up his champagne and asked what he''d been busy with lately? Had things in Atlantic City been settled?


    Following the financial crisis, many of Ivanka''s family businesses were affected, mainly in the hotel and tourism industry, entertainment companies, and real estate firms. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    Because of this, Mr. Thomp had to sell off a bunch of unprofitable businesses and two buildings to maintain cash flow in the main company and minimize losses.


    After more than a year of struggle and adjustment, the Thompson family''s businesses were basically back to normal, with losses amounting to about five hundred million US dollars.


    But as Ivanka had done well with Link Music, worth over a hundred million dollars, she became a model for a second-generation rich in the wealthy circle, the proverbial ''child of someone else''s family.''


    Mr. Thomp was also proud, which was why he actively participated in the company''s cocktail party¡ªit felt like attending a parent-teacher conference.


    When Link asked him how his business was doing,


    Of course, Mr. Thomp only picked out the highlights, mentioning how he made a hundred million last month with his investment fund, then he drifted to politics, asking Link which side he was on?


    Link didn''t want to engage in such tedious talk, and after thinking for a moment, he leaned in to whisper a few words.


    Upon hearing what Link said, Mr. Thomp immediately beamed, patting his arm and praising his good eye, calling him a fine young man who would one day be great like himself.


    Perhaps inspired by his words, Mr. Thomp clinked glasses with him, downed his champagne in one gulp, asked him to pass a message to Ivanka, then left the party without looking back.


    From a distance, Ivanka was watching their conversation. At first, when she saw her father''s stern face, she worried and wanted to go smooth things over. But Link gestured for her not to come over, so she stood still and continued observing.


    But after a while, when she saw Link say something that instantly changed Mr. Thomp''s attitude to an amiable one, slapping Link''s shoulder as if they were close,


    Ivanka, familiar with her dad''s mannerisms when being superficial or genuinely warm, could tell he actually liked Link and was showing genuine affection.


    This change made Ivanka very curious. Once Mr. Thomp left, she said a quick goodbye to Georgia Bloomberg beside her and made her way over in her high heels.


    Today was a celebration for Link Music, a significant day, and Ivanka dressed up for the occasion in a silver-grey off-shoulder gown, her golden hair pinned up, revealing fair shoulders and an elegantly delicate clavicle.


    Her earlobes were adorned with a pair of gemstone earrings, which, combined with her cool and elegant beauty, made her all the more stunning and enchanting.


    With her tall figure, long legs over one meter, and her full curves at the bust and hips, every frown, every smile, and every move she made would automatically become the focus of the entire soiree.


    "What did you say to him? He looks very happy,"


    Eva asked, standing still in front of him.


    "I told your dad that he''s a very impressive man, and that someone like him will surely become a remarkable person in the future. I suggested he should stick to his goals, keep doing what he wants to do, and if he ever needs my help, I''ll support him fully,"


    Link said with a smile.


    "You shouldn''t have said that; he''s already full of ambition, always thinking about politics. You''re just encouraging him. What will you do if he really expects you to spend money to support him?


    Eva scolded lightly.


    Link smiled faintly, taking her hand and looking towards the figure who was walking away.


    "I wasn''t flattering him nor encouraging him. I honestly think your dad is an incredible man. Both of us can''t even compare to him. Since he has that idea and the courage, we, as the younger generation, should support him with all our might."


    Eva turned her head in surprise and gazed at his profile, blinking her curled eyelashes.


    "Don''t you think he''s ostentatious and all flash with no substance?"


    "Of course not, in the boxing ring, some people like to use straight punches, some prefer jabs. Many boxers like to use tricks, sneak attacks, finishing moves, such as my previous favorite, the rear hook punch. No matter the technique, as long as it''s within the rules and wins the fight, it''s a good one. Your dad''s approach is also a trick, and you''ll admire him once he succeeds."


    Link said with a laugh.


    Eva looked at him, linked her arm with his, and suddenly leaned in to kiss his cheek.


    "Pretend boyfriend +10 points!"


    "What ''plus ten points''?"


    Link, inhaling her enchanting scent, asked.


    "You''re my pretend boyfriend now. If you can score 100 points with me, I''ll consider accepting you as a real boyfriend and treat you like an official one,"


    Eva said, her delicate chin raised and her lips curling into a seductive smile.


    "That sounds great. I accept the challenge,"


    Link said, holding her soft palm with a smile.


    "Hey, Link, Eva, look over here!"


    Tiffany called out while holding her phone.


    Link and Eva turned to look at her, and Tiffany quickly pressed the button to take a snapshot of the two.


    In the photo, Link was dressed in a black suit with a bow tie, his figure tall and straight. Paired with his handsome and resolute face, deep and bright eyes, he exuded masculinity.


    Meanwhile, Eva, tall and shapely, with flawless white skin, her elegant golden hairstyle, and attire, also appeared sexy, glamorous, and poised, not in the least overshadowed by Link next to her.


    Tiffany used to envy Eva for being the heiress, her height and looks, her demeanor, her attitude towards life, her financial independence; now she had to envy her for having a good boyfriend too.


    It wasn''t fair, born from the same father, why was there such a big difference?


    Tiffany looked at the photo and pursed her lips.


    "Don''t post those photos,"


    Eva said.


    "Why not?"


    Tiffany asked, looking up, "My photos are all good-looking. Don''t believe me? Take a look for yourselves."


    "Right now, people are targeting Link, constantly slinging mud at him, calling him a playboy. Posting these photos will just give the media more fodder, best not to share them for now,"


    Eva commented indifferently.


    "But isn''t Link a playboy anyway? Does he need others to sling mud at him?"


    "Cough! Tiffany, do you know Selena? Next time I''ll introduce you to her,"


    Link quickly changed the subject, dealing with the candid Tiffany, and then took Eva back to greeting others at the party.

 Chapter 397 - 341: The Person Picking Peaches (6/10)

    At this cocktail party, aside from friends and partners, there were also a few uninvited guests.


    Following Little Kunas came Peter Peltz, David Zakman, Luther Detsky, Josie Epstein, as well as Usher brought by Scott, and 50 Cent who came along with Eminem to join in the fun.


    Little Kunas was the Vice President of Distribution for Atlantic Records, and he had collaborations with Link Music. He represented Atlantic Records, while the other four came uninvited.


    "Hey, Link, congratulations on your album''s big sales, you''re doing pretty well with singing,"


    Little Kunas said with a bland smile.


    While speaking, he didn''t even look at him; his grey-green eyes stared straight at the beautiful Miss Ivanka, his covetous intentions not at all concealed.


    "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Kunas!"


    Link responded with a light smile, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ivanka, fingers intertwined, like a perfect match.


    In comparison with the two of them, Little Kunas and the others were a motley crew¡ªshort, tall, fat, thin, small-eyed, big-mouthed, druggie faces, weak kidneys faces, greasy faces, and so on.


    "Humph, it''s nothing but leveraging marketing hype to sell records; nothing impressive there. Without those tactics, you wouldn''t have been able to sell a million copies."


    Druggie face Peter Peltz looked at Link with a haughty stare, as if he didn''t take him seriously at all.


    Upon hearing this sharp voice, Link immediately guessed he was dealing with the same person who had mercilessly ridiculed him at the Broadway Theatre.


    An ugly-looking guy with an unpleasant voice, but his sarcasm barely scratched Link, it even made him feel like laughing.


    "Haha, Eva Link, Peter is just kidding. Don''t take it to heart,"


    Little Kunas said.


    "It''s okay; I''ve seen too much of this kind of comment online, quite amusing."


    Link, holding back Ivanka from speaking, smiled nonchalantly.


    "Amusing? How so?"


    Peter Peltz was very annoyed to see that his mockery could still make him laugh.


    "Mr. Peltz, celebrities sell goods based on fame and publicity, your comment is like assuming Van Gogh wasn''t famous and his paintings would be priced similarly to yours¡ªa fun assumption, but meaningless."


    Link chuckled lightly.


    Peter Peltz still didn''t quite grasp what was amusing about it.


    "I''ve long said that this kind of talk is useless against Link, he''s used to it. Let''s get to the point,"


    said another person, David Zakman. A slightly overweight young man with small eyes, he held a champagne glass and listlessly eyed the beauties at the party. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you need something?"


    Ivanka asked, her delicate brows knitting together.


    "Ivanka, we''re all friends here and we''d like to be part of the music scene too. Link Music is doing well, and we are considering investing in it. What do you think?"


    David Zakman said.


    "Oh? How much money do you have?"


    "Forty million. Based on the current market value of Link Music, how about giving us a 10% share?"


    David Zakman said.


    "The current market value of Link Music is 480 million!"


    Ivanka said.


    "Eva, we know how much Link Music is worth, but besides having money, we can provide media, advertising, and other resources for Link Music¡ªresources that are priceless. I think it''s a good deal,"


    said someone else, Luther Detsky.


    His father was the president of EMS Advertising, a tycoon in the advertising industry, Donnie Detsch.


    Ivanka, with a slight smirk on her lips, told Link that these four guys, despite their good backgrounds, did not cherish the resources they once had and had done some foolish things. They were people their families disdained, so they did not hold the resources we want. She might consider if it was their brothers and sisters.


    When Ivanka spoke, she kept her expression calm and her voice normal, not caring if the others overheard.


    Upon hearing her words, the faces of Peter Peltz and the others fell immediately. While most talk behind one''s back, Ivanka outright exposed their shortcomings to their faces, giving them no face at all; it was infuriating.


    "Ahem, Eva, we''re all friends here, and Peter''s group is having some difficulties."


    "One hundred million US dollars!"


    Ivanka raised a finger before Little Kunas could finish speaking, "One hundred million US dollars, and I''ll sell you 10% of the shares."


    "One hundred million?!"


    "Link Music isn''t even worth five hundred million, and for a 10% stake you want one hundred million? Eva, are you extorting us?"


    "Eva, we''re not fools; don''t take us as suckers."


    Exclaimed Peter Peltz and the others in shock.


    Only Little Epstein stood with his arms crossed, his long, narrow face sporting a smile that wasn''t quite a smile.


    "I''m very busy and don''t have time for jokes. One hundred million isn''t a random figure but what Link Music is worth.


    Firstly, Link Music was founded two years ago, in early ''09 it was only worth 10 million, by the end of ''09 its value was 280 million, and now it''s close to 500 million US dollars, doubling every year.


    With the current speed, we are confident we can grow the company to 1 billion within three years, 2 billion in five years. Invest one hundred million US dollars now, and in five years, the returns will more than double. This is absolutely a most cost-effective investment,"


    Ivanka said with a composed tone.


    Peter and the others wanted to refute but, upon serious reflection, found that what Ivanka said was not an exaggeration.


    At the beginning of ''09, in New York''s wealthy circles, there was a joke about Eva of the Thompson family founding a music company, intending to leap into the music industry.


    Upon hearing the news, everyone laughed at Ivanka, saying she knew nothing of music and record operations, investing money in an unfamiliar field, which would surely add to the already strained financial situation of the Thompson family.


    Some also felt that Ivanka, having worked for several years in the family conglomerate and founded a few brands, had decent capabilities and might accomplish something.


    But the music industry is fiercely competitive, and for a novice to build a new record company would take at least five years.


    Yet no one expected that Link Music, this small scrappy company, would strike it big with its first album.


    The first album sold six to seven million copies worldwide.


    The second album sold directly over ten million copies worldwide.


    The third album was even more impressive, conservatively twenty million.


    And every singer under Link Music was talented, their songs pleasing to the ears, casually releasing an album would go platinum, as if they were at the forefront of the music market.


    The market value of Link Music changed every six months, in early 2009 it was ten million, by the end of 2009 it was 280 million, and by June 2010 it had ballooned to 480 million.


    It was too exaggerated.


    Based on this trend, Ivanka''s statement that the market value would reach one billion within three years seemed entirely possible.


    Under these circumstances, investing one hundred million seemed really worthwhile.


    "Eva, your view is overly idealistic, like living in an unobstructed vacuum. First of all, the rapid development of Link Music will inevitably lead to competition with the five major record groups, and they won''t just sit by and watch Link Music grow.


    Secondly, Mr. Baker recently said that he will retire from the music scene after two more albums. Without him, how much value can Link Music really have?"


    Josie Epstein said lazily.


    "The first issue can be completely avoided through commercial operations, such as deep cooperation with the five major labels and introducing shares of the five major labels.


    As for the second point, with Link no longer releasing albums, he will have more time to focus on the singers under Link Music, creating more best-selling albums for them, as well as more time to pick and train new singers. On the contrary, I believe that with Link retiring from the music scene, Link Music will develop even faster,"


    Ivanka said unhurriedly.


    Listening to her, it seemed to make a lot of sense.


    Link was considered a Midas touch in the music world, with an excellent eye for talent. If he dedicated himself to picking and training singers, Link Music would continuously produce best-selling artists in the future, and its market value would keep rising.


    "One hundred million is too much; we don''t have that kind of money."


    "Then we''ll talk when you have sufficient funds."


    Ivanka greeted and walked into the crowd, arm in arm with Link.


    Watching the two leave hand in hand, the expressions of those left behind varied.


    Little Kunas watched Ivanka''s sensual grace, her fingers interlocked with Link''s in a very intimate manner, and his heart ached as if it were being twisted by a knife.


    "How could Ivanka do this? Link is the major shareholder of Link Music, not her. If she agreed to let us invest, we could have full control of the company when we join forces in the future. I think she should be on our side, not Link''s, an outsider,"


    Luther Detsky with the greasy face said.


    "Hmph, she probably already sees herself as Link''s wife. Too bad Link is a player; she''s bet on the wrong horse,"


    Peter Peltz said.


    "What do we do now? Are we still going to invest in Link Music? We simply don''t have that kind of money,"


    David Zakman asked.


    "We came with goodwill to talk about cooperation with Link, but unfortunately they didn''t accept. So, let''s stick to the original plan and arrange some affairs for him. As long as we catch him in the act, he''ll hand over his shares in Link Music obediently,"


    Josie Epstein said with a sneer.


    "Good, let''s do that!"


    They exchanged glances and burst into laughter.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Sorry for making you waste a few minutes with me over there,"


    Ivanka said softly, pulling on his arm at the party.


    "Not at all, every second by your side is meaningful. I''ve never felt bored or that it was a waste,"


    Ivanka glanced at him and smiled with curved lips.


    "Although Peter and the others are not valued much in their family, we''re still in the same New York business circles. My family''s company and Link Music also have cooperative ties with some of their subsidiary companies, so despite disliking them, I can''t just ignore them,"


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    "I understand. Seeing you stand against five of them, dominating with your presence and intellect, as your boyfriend, I feel quite elated,"


    "Thank you. When you see the likes of little Kunas wanting to carve up Link Music, do you think the upper class is very sinister and shameless?"


    Eva asked softly.


    Link shook his head. No matter the era or country, there was never a lack of second-generation individuals who were lazy but adept at plotting to snatch the fruits of victory from others. He had seen and heard too much of these tricks to be surprised.


    "On the contrary, seeing their behavior makes me appreciate you even more. You are an amazing woman,"


    Link said earnestly, holding her hand.


    "You''ve earned yourself another five points,"


    Ivanka said with a quirk of her lip.


    "How many points do I have now?"


    "Five points!"


    "Huh? I thought I was given ten points before."


    "You started with negative ten points,"


    Ivanka said with a smile, twirling a strand of hair around her finger.


    Link helplessly accepted his reality.


    "Hey, Ivanka, Link!"


    Paris Hilton and a few socialites approached, smiling at the two, "Ivanka, aren''t you and Link already sick of being together all day? Can you lend him to us for a bit? We all want to know how strong Link is?"


    "Yes, I heard that Link can do push-ups for three hours straight. I really want to see if it''s true."


    "I want to see Link do push-ups too,"


    The other socialites also started laughing.


    "No problem! Look all you want, use him however you like,"


    Ivanka said with a laugh, pushing Link forward.


    Link shrugged his shoulders. Considering the help he had received from some of them, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and oblige.

 Chapter 398 - 342: Little Li Zis Jealousy

    "Link, have you ever slept with Eva?"


    "Of course! We lived together."


    "That''s so rare, Eva is very picky about men. If there''s even a slight issue, she cuts ties with them, we always thought she was frigid."


    At the party, Paris Hilton, Amanda of the Hearst Family, Georgia Bloomberg, and other socialites swarmed around him with questions, while the Kardashian sisters, Amanda Seyfried, and Lindsay Lohan stood in the outer circle.


    "Link, what does it feel like to ML with Eva? Can you do a push-up on her for an hour?"


    "I think it could be more, the two of them both look like very sexy people, maybe three hours."


    "Link, next time you guys ML, can you let us watch?"


    A few women said this jokingly yet seemed quite serious.


    Link felt helpless hearing this; he had wanted to pick a few questions to chat about, but after hearing more than a dozen, not one was appropriate to respond to. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t want to discuss such topics in public and instead asked them if they had time, the third album was shooting its championship singles MV, and they needed many female actors.


    The song "Girls Like You" required more than thirty female stars to appear every few seconds, similar to the original Maroon 5''s MV.


    Paris Hilton and a few others were very interested and eagerly signed up to participate.


    Link said he could arrange for all of them.


    Actor Amanda Seyfried even approached him proactively, mentioning that she had secured the lead role in "In Time" and that they might collaborate in the future.


    Link said he would be happy to work with her.


    Amanda was one of the most popular actresses in the film industry at the moment, debuting in ''99, gaining recognition in ''04 with "Mean Girls," skyrocketing in ''08 with "Mamma Mia!," and cementing her status last year starring alongside Megan Fox in "Jennifer''s Body."


    Earlier this year, "Vanity Fair" named her along with Christine Stewart, Emma Roberts, and Blake Lively as the four most noteworthy actresses of the new generation.


    Link remembered that she also was the original female lead in "In Time" and her acting was not bad either.


    Kim Kardashian also approached him to chat, accompanied by her sisters Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian, both in their twenties and thirties with voluptuous figures.


    Compared to socialites like Paris Hilton, the Kardashian sisters came from a middle-class family; their father, Robert Kardashian, was a defense lawyer in the Simpson case, and their mother, Kris Jenner, was a famous TV producer in Hollywood.


    The Kardashian sisters initially hung out with socialites like Paris and gained some attention. In ''05, they became famous through the reality show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," and in ''07, Kim rose to fame because of a private tape with her ex-boyfriend.


    In the past two years, they became celebrities in the entertainment circle through publicity stunts.


    But at large parties, they still played a rather marginal role, having to wait for others to finish talking before they could find an opportunity to speak with Link.


    Seeing the sisters, Link didn''t look down on them; women like Kim Kardashian, who have made over a billion US dollars through their own efforts, deserve praise, no matter the method.


    Link asked them what they were up to recently.


    Kim Kardashian mentioned she was shooting a TV drama Link hadn''t heard of, and she was also starting her own luxury brand.


    Link thought the idea of starting a personal brand was good; he had similar plans and mentioned that if she needed funds and the brand planning was good, he could invest.


    The Kardashian sisters were surprised to hear his words.


    They had just seen Link''s brief chat with Paris Hilton and other socialites, and thought he was a rather aloof person who was hard to interact with.


    But when Link spoke with them, his attitude was gentle, and he even supported Kim Kardashian''s spontaneous idea, mentioning he wanted to invest in them.


    Kim Kardashian felt excited; seeing him so handsome, wealthy, and nice, she almost wanted to glue herself and her sisters to him.


    At the party, Link also chatted with Eminem and Usher.


    Usher said right away that he admired his publicity methods, declared himself a fan of SB Entertainment and Link Music, and hoped for guidance from him when he released his album.


    Though Link had no specific advice to give, he generously agreed; being humble in such situations would seem insincere.


    Eminem also advised him in person to be careful with some women who intended to use them against him.


    Link expressed his understanding, noting he only associated with and accepted women with clear backgrounds and wouldn''t easily accept those who came uninvited.


    ----


    After the party ended, Link continued his boxing training and concert rehearsals.


    During this period, he also attended several movie premieres, including Angelina Jolie''s "Agent Salt," Michelle Rodriguez and Jessica Alba and Lindsay Lohan''s "Machete," and Leonardo''s "Inception."


    Both "Agent Salt" and "Machete" were released simultaneously, with the former making $36.5 million at the box office, taking the weekly box office championship, and "Machete" making only $11.3 million in the first week, seeming much lower in comparison.


    But "Agent Salt" had a production cost of $110 million, was released in 3226 theaters, and its first-week revenue was lower than the expected $40 million.


    "Machete," with a production cost of only $10.5 million, broke even in its first week, clearly a profitable film project. Read exclusive chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    That same week, "Scandal Plan" made $11.02 million in box office revenue, a drop of over forty percent, bringing its cumulative box office in North America to $50.48 million. Given current conditions, the film had a good chance of reaching $70 million in box office during its theatrical run in North America.


    If it made $70 million in North America, Palm Beach Films could earn over $20 million from this movie.


    "Inception," released in mid-July, earned $62.3 million in its first week, overshadowing all other films released in the same period. The movie was of high quality, with great plot design, cool special effects, and fantastic performances by the cast members.


    Once released, it was instantly popular among movie fans and was rated by "Variety" as the best sci-fi movie of the summer season.


    "Hey, Link, you should thank me."


    At the movie premiere, Leonardo looked at him with a greasy face and a smirk.


    "Why?"


    "Look who that is."


    Leonardo patted his arm, pointing towards Marion Cotillard in the crowd, clad in a red dress, her bare shoulders and back making her stand out like a delicate rose, overshadowing all other female stars.


    "I''ve seen the rumors about you two, are they true? There are many paparazzi in Hollywood, and you couldn''t meet these past few days. I invited you here to create an opportunity for you, how about that, I''m helping, right?"


    "Yes, you really are a good person."


    Link said sarcastically.


    In fact, Marion had come to the United States earlier but kept it low-key to avoid the paparazzi.


    The day she arrived, Link had personally picked her up at the airport and took her for a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway.


    They had spent the past two nights together.


    They had parted just three hours ago and did not need Leonardo to play matchmaker.


    Moreover, Leonardo''s invitation for him to attend the premiere was surely not about helping, his expression suggested he was more interested in watching the spectacle.


    "Actually, Link, I should also thank you,"


    Leonardo said with a shrug.


    "Go on!"


    "People used to call me a playboy, which really stressed me out. Now that they have you, a real playboy, my scandals seem totally plain in comparison."


    Leonardo laughed loudly.


    Link shook his head, uninterested in his remarks, and went to greet familiar faces like Tobey Maguire, Christian Bale, Hugh Jackman, and Scarlett Johansson, not forgetting Marion Cotillard of course.


    When the two embraced openly in the crowd, everyone turned to look, their faces full of gossip.


    "This jerk!"


    Leonardo frowned as he watched them, his expression turning sour.


    Tobey Maguire, confused, asked, "Why are you cursing Link?"


    Leonardo snorted, his hands in his pockets as he posed the question stylishly, "Tobey, between me and Link, who do you think is more handsome and charming? Don''t hold back, just tell me your honest opinion."


    Tobey looked at his increasingly round face and then at Link''s features, which were like a work of art, the answer was clear.


    But out of politeness, he still lied:


    "Of course it''s you!"


    "Yes, I knew it. Yet during ''Inception,'' Marion was so indifferent towards me, but now she''s so cozy with Link. Why? Just because Link is physically strong? What a shallow woman, doesn''t she know that it''s the soul that matters most?"


    Leonardo stared at Marion''s French-looking face with its easygoing elegance, becoming even more annoyed, and muttered,


    "And Link is a real jerk, playing with women''s emotions. Does she not know? Why would she degrade herself like that? Why?"


    When Tobey saw him suddenly get upset, he remarked in surprise, "Leon, I thought you don''t like women over twenty-five."


    Leonardo snorted. It wasn''t that he disliked women over twenty-five, but those women often brought up marriage and children, and he didn''t want to marry, hence he avoided older women.


    But that didn''t stop him from admiring charming older women.


    Like Marion Cotillard, who doesn''t like a delicate French rose? It would be a matter of pride if she admired him in return.


    Unfortunately, she didn''t admire him but was fascinated by Link, a young man barely twenty-one.


    Leonardo glared at Link, feeling threatened by him ever since their first meeting, and now more than ever.


    "Hey, Leon!"


    Link, with Marion alongside him, came over to chat with Leonardo, who forced a smile and then walked away.


    How bizarre!


    After attending a few movie premieres, Link returned to Lincoln Arts Center to continue rehearsals.


    I need a girl like you


    I spent last night


    On the last flight to you


    Took a whole day up


    Tryna get way up ooo

 Chapter 399 - 343 The World Tour Continues

    "Boss, Miss Liu just called."


    During the break after the midday rehearsal, Anna handed over the phone and said.


    Link wiped the sweat off his neck and called Chris Liu, who was on the other side of the world, and asked if she had been sleeping?


    Chris said she hadn''t slept, had just finished her late-night snack, was cooling off in the yard, and asked when his concert in Huaxia was starting?


    Link said he would be in Huaxia next week.


    This tour would first go to the Southeast Asia region for about 18 shows before reaching the Huaxia region. He asked Chris Liu how the new song he had sent her last time was coming along?


    To cater to the audience in the Huaxia region, he had prepared four songs in Mandarin and Cantonese, including classic old songs and original Mandarin songs, in collaboration with bands and artists like beyond, Wakin Chau, Faye Wong, and Chris Liu.


    Apart from beyond and Chris Liu, other supporting singers and warm-up performers were arranged by Universal Records. Link had the right to choose; when Universal Records sent over the list and information about the singers, he picked a few with good reputation and strong abilities.


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    Chris Liu said she had been practicing singing these past few months and was doing quite well. She added that it was her vocal coach who said so, not just her bragging.


    Link asked her if she could sing a bit.


    "Sing now? I''m not prepared and don''t have the accompaniment."


    Chris Liu said somewhat nervously.


    "No need to prepare, just casually sing a few lines. Your voice is beautiful; I believe it will sound very nice."


    Link encouraged.


    "Alright! Give me a minute."


    The phone was quiet for more than ten seconds, then Chris Liu asked, should she sing in English or Chinese?


    Link asked her to sing in Chinese first.


    "Oh!"


    Then a sweet voice came through the phone:


    When you are old, your hair has turned white


    Your sleep heavy


    When you are old, and can no longer walk


    Napping by the fireside, reminiscing your youth


    How many loved your moments of glad grace,


    And loved your beauty, with love false or true


    "Link, how was it?"


    Chris Liu asked after singing a couple of lines.


    "Fantastic, Chris, with your talent, you could absolutely be a singer."


    "Ha, don''t flatter me, I''m not that amazing."


    "Really good, Chris, you''re so beautiful, and your singing is lovely, the only thing missing is confidence. If you were a bit more confident and less nervous, you would sing even better."


    "Really? I believe you now. This song is beautifully written, both the melody and the lyrics are great, did you write it?"


    "I was involved, but I didn''t write it entirely."


    This song''s lyrics were adapted from the poem "When You Are Old" by the Irish poet William Butler Yeats, later set to music and performed by the singer Zhao Zhao, becoming a fairly well-known Mandarin song.


    After discovering this poem, Link composed a melody and handed it to Universal Records, who then passed it to their musicians at the Huaxia branch to translate into smooth-sounding Chinese lyrics.


    "You''re amazing. My mom heard this song and said it was very nice, even said it was a pity to let me sing it; she always picks on me when I sing it, which is really annoying."


    Chris Liu said.


    "How can your mom say that? You are already doing very well, much better than your peers. She should praise you more often rather than criticize. Do you want me to talk to her?"


    "Ah? Never mind, she''s just like that, likes to nag me when she''s got nothing else to do, meant no harm. We shouldn''t take it to heart. Can you really come to Huaxia in August?"


    "I really can! There won''t be any more delays this time."


    The original plan was to have the concert in Huaxia in June, but it was postponed for two months due to an unexpected setback.


    "Chris, in just over ten days, I''ll get to meet you. I''m very excited. How about you?"


    "Me too! When you get here, I can treat you to lots and lots of delicious food. This time I''ll host and you''ll pay, because last time you tricked me by saying you were broke," Chris said, her voice sweet and lively.


    "No problem!"


    As Link was about to speak, he heard Chris Liu exclaim from the other end, ''Mom, when did you get here?'' and ''Link, we''ll talk later.''


    A few minutes later, Chris Liu sent a message.


    "Oh no, my mom overheard our entire conversation, and she''s really mad now."


    "Is it serious? Should I explain to her?"


    "No need, we often do this. Sometimes she gets mad and won''t talk to me, and sometimes I get mad and won''t talk to her either. It''s never too serious."


    "Interesting, the way you and your mom interact is like sisters."


    "Yes, but she says you''re a playboy and thinks I shouldn''t contact you on my own. She worries that I might be deceived by you."


    "I''m not a playboy at all. It''s the media that''s framing me just like they framed MJ for child molestation, portrayed Madonna as a prostitute, and promoted Britney Spears and Lady Gaga as neurotic. In the eyes of the media, no popular singer is normal because it helps them sell their news products." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, paparazzi are the worst."


    After exchanging a few more messages, Chris Liu said her mom was urging her to go to sleep soon, so they ended their private chat.


    Link continued with his rehearsal.


    Cause all of me


    Loves all of you


    Love your curves and all your edges


    All your perfect imperfections


    After rehearsal ended past four in the afternoon. Link and Dadalio went out to eat together. The horror movie "Shadow of Death," in which she starred, released last week, performed modestly at the box office due to a summer full of blockbuster releases.


    Dadalio had been looking for new scripts recently, but her striking looks and too pretty face made her an unlikely choice for supporting roles opposite other female actors, and most of the scripts she received were for thrillers and erotic films.


    "Haven''t you found a suitable role yet?"


    In a Spanish restaurant on Fifth Avenue in the Upper East Side, Link asked Dadalio, who was opposite him, while eating an Iberian ham platter.


    Dadalio wore a white strapless long dress with dense black wavy curls spilled over her shoulders. Her big eyes and a perky nose made her even more beautiful and delicate than a Barbie doll. With her figure, she stood out as a top beauty even in the film industry filled with beautiful women.


    Yet she hadn''t made it big, which was somewhat odd.


    "No, still looking at scripts."


    Dadalio brushed a strand of hair from her ear, holding a spoon in her hand, she carefully tucked her hair behind her ear and gracefully fed herself with the spoon and fork, her movements both cute and elegant.


    "Yanni, there''s a role in my music video that would be perfect for you. Do you want to make a cameo?"


    "Not coming, you''re so popular, there must be lots of girls wanting to play in your MV, you surely don''t lack actors, right?"


    Dadalio smiled.


    Link smiled lightly. In the past, women who played roles in his music videos had all become famous, including stars like Emma Stone and the black model Jordan Dun. Each time he shot a music video, it attracted the attention of actresses, and this time was no different.


    "But you''re the most suitable."


    "Still, no thanks. I feel pretty good about where I am now. If there''s a suitable role, I''ll take it. If not, I''ll just keep looking. I never really thought about becoming a big star,"


    Dadalio insisted.


    Link nodded, glanced at her beautiful eyes. "Yanni, we''re friends. I''d like to do something for you. Is there anything you''d like me to do?"


    After a thought, Dadalio chuckled, "I like running with you, playing tennis, chatting, listening to you sing. If you have time, I would like to see you more often, can we?"


    "Of course!"


    Link gently reached out and tenderly stroked her smooth cheek. "Yanni, you''re so beautiful. If I had a palace made of gold, I would let you live in it, hidden from everyone else, except for me."


    "That would be imprisonment, my dad wouldn''t let you off,"


    Dadalio blinked and chuckled.


    "Yes, almost forgot about your super tough dad."


    Link chuckled lightly, discussing his plans for the coming weeks with Dadalio. He would be starting a world tour next week, which meant he couldn''t be with her for about two months. He apologized, but after the tour, they would have more time together.


    Dadalio quietly watched him, reached across the table, and took his hand, her face full of deep affection.


    Link paused to look into her lovely eyes. As their gazes met, they both stood up, held hands, and left the restaurant.


    The waiter, thinking they were leaving without paying, was about to call for attention when he noticed two U.S. dollars bills on the table, more than sufficient to cover the meal and a tip.


    As soon as Link and Dadalio got into the car, they eagerly kissed each other.


    Dadalio''s thin silk dress was nearly torn to shreds by his rough hands.


    The interior of the Ferrari gradually became constrained.


    Worried about being caught by paparazzi, they only fooled around in the car for a little over ten minutes. On Dadalio''s suggestion, he drove to her newly rented apartment in Brisbane.


    Unfortunately, their bad luck continued, as they encountered Dadalio''s lawyer mother there.


    They were kissing as they walked into the apartment, kicked the door shut, and just as something lovely was about to happen, they turned around to see a woman in a business suit sitting on the couch.


    "Mom?"


    Dadalio anxiously called out as she adjusted her skirt.


    Link looked at Dadalio, then at the serious-looking lady, and thought to himself that this date was probably ruined.


    ¡ª


    The next day, Link boarded the plane with an unresolved anger, starting a new round of the world tour.

 Chapter 400 - 344 Hong Kong Island Concert

    Link, while seated on the plane to Singapore, was still pondering the incident he had encountered the day before with Dadalio''s mother.


    When he saw Mrs. Dadalio, he had politely greeted her and, not receiving a positive response, he took the initiative to say goodbye to Dadalio.


    As he was leaving and the door hadn''t closed yet, he heard Mrs. Dadalio''s voice from inside: "Yanni, you know he''s a playboy..."


    Out of politeness, Link hadn''t eavesdropped on the rest of the conversation, but he could roughly guess that Mrs. Dadalio considered him a playboy and disapproved of Dadalio associating with him, intending to break them up.


    He had worried that Dadalio might be persuaded by her mother, and had messaged to ask if her mother was angry. Dadalio replied, "Link, I like you, and it has nothing to do with her."


    Link felt somewhat touched upon hearing this; if it hadn''t been for Dadalio being ordered by her mother to stay home, he would have wanted to rush over to be with her in the middle of the night.


    At the same time, there was a bit of regret in his heart that if he knew the Shadow Clone Technique and could create a dozen clones¡ªone to perform concerts for him, one to train, one to act in movies, and another to travel the world.


    And his real self could stay home and be with them day after day, but unfortunately, the cloning technique was beyond his reach.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "You, you''re Link, Mr. Link Baker, I''m your fan, I''m so happy to see you here, could you please sign something for me?"


    In business class, while Link was staring out the window at the clouds and lost in thought, a joyful exclamation came from nearby, from a tall, young girl with blonde hair and blue eyes.


    She was dressed in a sundress, youthful and vibrant, around twenty years old.


    She introduced herself as Emily Salas from New Jersey, on her way to Singapore for a vacation, and a die-hard fan of his, absolutely loving his songs.


    Link expressed his gratitude, took the notebook, and signed it for her, but he declined her request for a selfie, as he already had too many scandals and couldn''t afford to provide the media with more fodder.


    The girl didn''t mind and sat down in the seat next to him to chat, asking him about his concerts.


    Link politely replied with a few sentences.


    The conversation was normal at first.


    After two minutes, the girl began to touch him, expressing her admiration, and asked if there was anything he needed, offering to help him "take care" of it right here, while licking the corners of her lips with her tongue.


    Seeing her young appearance, Link thought of plans like the ones of little Epstein''s, and immediately became cautious.


    He signaled Anna to have her taken away.


    He then called Anna and three assistants, Wallace, Bob, and three temporarily hired bodyguards to have a brief meeting, setting a rule that during the tour, no strange women were to come near him without his permission.


    Those wanting autographs or selfies would have to go through them.


    Wallace was put in charge of this task.


    Everyone nodded and took note.


    After the meeting, Link leaned back in his seat and sighed helplessly.


    In the past, he found celebrities standoffish and difficult to approach. He had wanted to be a down-to-earth superstar once he became famous, but the reality simply didn''t allow it.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening! Our plane is expected to arrive at Changi International Airport in Singapore in 30 minutes. The ground temperature in Singapore is 31 degrees Celsius, 87 degrees Fahrenheit..."


    The sweet voice of the flight attendant sounded over the cabin''s speaker.


    The plane''s arrival in Singapore marked the first stop of Link''s concert tour in Southeast Asia.


    ¡ª¡ª


    As Link was conducting his tour in Southeast Asia, Taylor''s third album''s second promotional single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" was released.


    The song, which also addressed their breakup, sounded great.


    On the first day of its release, it achieved a total download count of 1.45 million across all platforms, even more popular than the previous "The Story of Us," and successfully topped various digital music charts and Billboard''s singles chart, becoming the album''s second chart-topping single.


    Its strength was truly formidable.


    "Rolling Stone" commented that from the two promotional singles released, the song quality of Taylor''s third album was very high, and well-received by the fans, "This is an album full of ambition and not lacking in Taylor Swift''s personal sincerity; it''s formidable and very likely to change the current Billboard album chart rankings." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A renowned music critic from the "Los Angeles Times," Jonathan Preston, used a playful tone, "Taylor Swift, wielding a revenge sword called ''Last Kiss,'' targets her ex-boyfriend, annual sales champion, Link Baker, in a battle of love turned hate, entwined with affection and resentment. Will Taylor succeed in her revenge, and can Link hold onto the sales crown? This is highly anticipated!"


    Other media also heavily reported on Taylor''s third album in the lead-up to its release.


    They pitted Taylor''s new album against Link''s new album, portraying it as a ''victim girlfriend against scumbag ex'' battle of revenge.


    It was also touted as the year''s second album chart contest, following Link vs. East Coast rappers, but this time as a battle between ex-girlfriend and ex-boyfriend.


    The headlines were quite provocative, attracting not just fans but also the general public, curious about which of the former lovers and disciples had the upper hand in music after their breakup.


    Even betting companies specifically set up betting projects for this.


    Given that Link''s new album had already sold over four million copies in the United States, a staggering number, the betting companies offered high odds: for Taylor''s new album to surpass Link''s within a year, the payout was 50:1.


    The high odds also attracted many gamblers.

 Chapter 401 - 344 Hong Kong Island Concert_2

    "Link, competing with Taylor for the charts, do you have a chance of losing?"


    During the concert in Kuala Lumpur, Dino Duva texted to ask.


    "No!"


    "Not even a little bit?"


    "Not even slightly!"


    "It''s a pity, if you lost, betting ten thousand could earn five hundred thousand, that would be a great deal."


    Dino said regretfully.


    Link shook his head helplessly,


    "How has Mario''s training been going lately?"


    "Not bad, this guy has slimmed down again, got a bit tough, says he''s preparing to fight in the super middleweight, wants to snatch the four major organization golden belts from you."


    Dino laughed.


    "Tell him to keep his feet on the ground, stop daydreaming."


    He replied with a message, and saw another unread message, from the old acquaintance country music princess Carrie Underwood.


    "Link, Taylor is aiming for your championship, are you nervous?"


    "Of course not! She''s no match for me."


    "Taylor is right beside me, can I relay your words to her?"


    "Sure, and tell her, if she wants to catch up with me, she needs at least five more years."


    "Haha, I told her, Taylor called you an arrogant man, she said she will use facts to make you eat humble pie and concede defeat... I feel you two really love each other, have you thought about getting back together?"


    "Thought about it, but she can''t tolerate me cheating."


    "This... can''t you just not cheat?"


    After chatting for a bit, Link turned off his phone and headed to the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in Kuala Lumpur where his concert was taking place.


    After more than two months of promotion and hype, Taylor''s third album "Last Kiss" was also released globally on July 22, sold 267,000 copies in the United States on the day of release, just 10,000 fewer than Link''s third album''s first-day sales, very sensational.


    As the songs in this album were of good quality, mainly content slamming Link for his flirtatious ways which ruined their love, there were also a few songs blaming his rumored girlfriends, considering them as the cause of the breakup.


    The lyrics of these songs were highly topical.


    Added to that, Scott Borchetta from Big Machine Records, who is skilled at PR stunts, hinted through the media that these songs were ''love requiems'' Taylor wrote post-breakup, containing many things she wanted to say but hadn''t.


    After the album''s release, it hit the hot search twice on the first day, four times on the second day, continued with four on the third day, and averaged three hot searches per day in the first week, keeping its popularity unabated.


    Fans, after hearing the songs, also gathered online, discussing which celebrities were implicated in the songs.


    For instance, "Better Than Revenge" was thought to target Emma Watson, and "Love''s Devil" was believed to hint at Ivanka. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And "I Knew You Were Trouble" was thought to involve certain actresses like Amber Heard, Christine Stewart, Emma Roberts, Amy Adams, Gal Gadot, Michelle Rodriguez, Emma Stone, and others, all of whom had either collaborated with Link or were in good terms with him.


    "Blank Space" was thought to involve female singers like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Lana Del Rey, and all others in good terms with Link.


    Additionally, songs like "Haunted," "Enchanted," "Dear Link," "Innocent," were also analyzed to see how much dirt there was on Link.


    Fans joked, Taylor''s third album was entirely about exposing Link''s secrets, settling scores with him.


    With Taylor as an ex-girlfriend, Link really had tough luck.


    During the breaks at the concert, Link also took the time to listen to the songs from the album.


    Initially, he broke out in a cold sweat, even alleviating the discomfort he had been feeling due to the hot weather in Southeast Asia, and after listening three or four times, he got used to it and found it quite amusing.


    Being bad-mouthed in songs written by the big star Taylor, and being linked with so many talented women, this too was a form of praise; his name might live on through these songs.


    Therefore, he retweeted Taylor''s promotional tweet for the new album, adding ''Songs are art, art is a reconstruction and sublimation of life, the people and events in the songs are not real; please do not blindly speculate and harm the innocent.''


    Link had better not posted at all ¨C his post was like stirring a hornet''s nest.


    Fans swarmed to his Twitter, calling him the boldest scumbag ever for daring to speak up and help promote Taylor''s album, apparently not worried about getting criticized.


    Others online asked about the actresses and singers mentioned in Taylor''s new album, querying how many times he had cheated during their relationship.


    Many of Taylor''s fans posted, saying, ''The songs are really good, but the person is really a scumbag.''


    Link ignored these restless fans and continued holding concerts in Malaysia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, etc.


    Since the fans couldn''t get answers from him, they turned to other actresses'' social media accounts, asking them to clarify.


    Except for Amber Heard, none of them stepped forward to publicly comment, seemingly unwilling to ride this wave of attention.


    Amber Heard''s tweet pushed this ''guess game of Taylor and Link''s third wheel in love'' to a new peak.


    Amber revealed in her tweet that Link and Taylor had dated before 2009 but broke up for some unknown reason.


    She then became Link''s girlfriend, and the first lady of Link''s Santa Monica Bay villa as well as the first celebrity girlfriend he openly acknowledged.


    Later in February 2009, Taylor suddenly returned to the United States, offered her one million US dollars to leave him, seeing that the two were truly in love, she graciously stepped aside to let them be together.

 Chapter 402 - 344 Hong Kong Island Concert_3

    Amber''s tweet set off a seismic shock across the internet in the United States.


    The melon was too big, and its structure was rather complex; many people didn''t know where to start slicing this melon.


    First off, the credibility of this melon was very high, and Amber wouldn''t self-sabotage just to spill the beans.


    Next, it was revealed that Link and Taylor started dating in 2008 rather than the previously rumored 2009, proving they had broken up more than once.


    Thirdly, after their previous breakup, it was Taylor who initiated the reconciliation and spent money to get rid of the rival, not Link pursuing Taylor.


    And then came fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth.


    Debates over whether Amber was a victim or benefactor, a gold digger or a fool, and whether Taylor''s money was well spent to buy back love; also, whether Taylor was innocent in this breakup saga, and what was the real reason for Link''s initial split with Taylor, and so on.


    A big melon was chopped into countless pieces, with all sorts of shapes and flavors, catering to different spectators.


    These melon pieces had plenty of seeds, fitting for simultaneous munching and complaining.


    Amber faced the most ridicule for choosing a million dollars over a boyfriend like Link.


    Some mentioned Taylor''s abrupt end to the world tour early in 2009, probably also related to Link, saying Taylor got what she deserved.


    Others said Taylor should have realized that Link was a playboy after seeing him quickly take up with new girlfriend Amber following their breakup; knowing well that Link was ''trouble'' but still jumping into the ''fire,'' it was all self-inflicted when Link cheated on her later.


    Many men envied Link for having a woman willing to spend a million US dollars just to be with him again; unfortunately, he didn''t cherish her until it was too late for regrets.


    It was rumored that some Hollywood film companies plan to use this storyline to make a movie.


    After the controversy, none of Link, Taylor, or Amber could escape without a tarnished reputation.


    But there were definite benefits, especially for the latter two.


    With this explosive news, Amber''s fame skyrocketed in the entertainment industry; virtually everyone in the United States knew of her as an actress, her popularity comparable to an A-list celebrity, and she also snagged a few roles playing a gold digger through this.


    Taylor''s new album sold 1.572 million copies in its first week in the United States, slightly less than Link''s third album''s first-week sales of 1.74 million, but it was an astonishing figure nonetheless.


    This success vaulted her album into the sixth spot in the history of US album first-week sales.


    In the album, all 14 songs entered the top 100 on the Billboard charts with "Devil" climbing to number one.


    "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," "I Knew You Were Trouble," "Blank Space," "Better Than Revenge," and "Mine" were ranked second, third, fifth, seventh, and eighth respectively; all songs had the potential to hit the top of the charts.


    "The Story of Us," "Last Kiss," "Ours," "Mean," and six other songs entered the top forty, generating widespread interest.


    "Billboard" Magazine claimed that this year''s race for the top album in America would likely come down to Link and Taylor.


    In December of the previous year at the American Music Awards, Taylor''s second album "Fearless" grabbed the top spot with 3.32 million in sales and several heavyweight awards. Link''s second album "Keep On Movin''" was third with 3.12 million in sales.


    But by May of this year, "Keep On Movin''" had surged ahead to take the lead.


    Both artists released their third albums this year with staggering first-week sales.


    Currently, Link''s third album "The Woman I Love" has a commanding lead with 4.33 million sales in the United States; whether Taylor''s "Last Kiss" can catch up will depend on its performance in the market in the weeks to come.


    Many of Taylor''s supportive fans took to the internet with the chant ''Support Taylor, defeat the jerk,'' calling her fans to unite and take on the jerk Link.


    Link sighed to himself, realizing that Big Machine Records was no less adept at album marketing than Blink Music; with this kind of hype, his own album might not be able to hold its ground on the charts.


    Even though he was aware of Taylor''s new album''s fierce sales, Link didn''t have much recourse; "The Woman I Love" was already released and its market potential in the United States nearly tapped out - further promotion and marketing were futile.


    All he could do now was focus on touring, increasing his overseas influence, and selling more albums.


    "Boss, Beyond is ready."


    Backstage at Hung Hom Stadium on Hong Kong Island, Link was changing his clothes as his assistant, Anna, reminded him from the door. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "OK! Let''s go!"


    Link slung his guitar over his shoulder, met up with the members of the guest-performing band Beyond in the hallway, and rode the lift together to the dazzlingly lit stage.


    "Link! Link! Link!"


    "Beyond! Beyond!"


    The audience roared with excitement upon seeing him and Beyond appearing together at the center of the stage.


    Link waved his hand and stepped to the middle of the stage, first playing guitar for Beyond''s current lead singer, Huang Guanzhong, who sang the band''s classic "Really Love You," pausing in the middle to shout, ''Welcome Link!''


    Link stepped to the center, continuing with another classic "Glorious Years."


    The sound of the bell signals the call to return home


    As if there''s a trace of sighs in his life


    His black skin gave his life meaning


    In a life dedicated to the struggle of skin color


    As years take possession into loss


    Tired eyes filled with hope


    ...


    This song was a work of Beyond''s late former lead singer, Huang Jiaju.


    Inspired by the life of South African leader Nelson Mandela, it paid homage to him, celebrating his lifelong efforts to overcome racial discrimination and strive for a democratic and free society, a work with lofty aspirations.


    It also had a high sing-along rate in Hong Kong and across Asia.


    As Link sang this song in the center of the stage, in somewhat broken Cantonese, over ten thousand spectators erupted into thunderous applause.


    Link was a global superstar, one of the highest-selling musicians in the world, also an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, a swimming legend, a movie star, Hollywood''s famous playboy, and possessed a top-tier face that could charm people from both the East and the West.

 Chapter 403 - 344 Hong Kong Island Concert_4

    In Asia, he had numerous fans.


    Now he stood on Hong Kong Island performing a famous song from Hong Kong Island stars, which was really cool.


    Whenever he paused in his singing, the audience would clap vigorously, cheer loudly, and bounce around in their seats. At the end, tens of thousands of people would sing along, the sound deafening.


    "That''s so exaggerated! How can this foreigner be so popular?"


    In the audience, Chen Xiaochun heard the surrounding shouts like thunder and looked around with a smirk.


    He noticed that the surrounding audience, including many Hong Kong Island stars, especially the female stars, were clapping and cheering, looking up at Link on stage with faces flushed with excitement, as if they had never seen a foreign man before.


    "Don''t call him a foreigner, that sounds terrible. Link is handsome, the most handsome man in the world,"


    his wife Ying Cai''er shouted while waving a glow stick.


    "Cai''er, you''re my wife, can you not praise another man in front of me? You''re being emotionally unfaithful,"


    Chen Xiaochun said, disgruntled.


    Ying Cai''er gave him a cold look and continued to shout loudly with a few of her friends.


    Chen Xiaochun felt helpless; he originally didn''t want to come to Link''s concert, but Ying Cai''er and her girlfriends had insisted, buying many VIP tickets in advance and even planning to meet Link backstage.


    Worried that his wife might be swayed by Link, he had no choice but to accompany her to the venue.


    On stage, after finishing "Glorious Years," Link invited Wiz Khalifa to perform "see you again" in memory of Huang Jiaju.


    It''s been a long day without you, my friend


    And I''ll tell you all about it when I see you again


    We''ve come a long way from where we began


    Oh I''ll tell you all about it when I see you again


    ....


    "See you again" was also one of Link''s songs with the highest sing-along rate on Hong Kong Island, and when he sang it for the second time, the venue echoed again with the voices of thousands, thunderously reverberating through the Hung Hom area.


    "Link is really handsome!" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "His live stage performance is pretty good too!"


    "Link''s singing is so powerful!"


    In the audience, Chen Yixun, Zheng Zhongji, Zhang Weijian, Rong Zu''er, and other singers watched in surprise.


    Link, a foreign singer, was comparable to their local singers, a spectacle only matched by Michael Jackson''s past concerts in Hong Kong.


    That night, Link performed one Cantonese song and nine English songs, including "See you again," "chasing the sun," "unstoppable," "give me reason," "All of me," which were among the top songs on the Hong Kong Island music charts.


    Because of the explosive atmosphere of the first concert and the limited capacity of Hung Hom Stadium with only 12,000 seats, many fans who wanted to attend couldn''t get tickets.


    After a survey, the organizers hoped Link would give eight more performances, guaranteeing an audience of over 10,000 people for each show.


    After considering, Link agreed to add three more shows. He was on a tight schedule, and adding too many shows on Hong Kong Island could affect his other city arrangements.


    During his time holding concerts on Hong Kong Island, he also participated in several public events, meeting several Hong Kong Island stars, including actors and singers like Chen Yixun, Nicholas Tse, Rong Zu''er, Yang Qianhua, all veteran singers over thirty, with few standout individuals from the ''80s and ''90s.


    Sponsored by Universal Records, the stars escorted him around Hong Kong Island, sampling local cuisine, visiting Hong Kong University, Victoria Peak, TVB television station, and an orphanage. This would later be made into the documentary "Link World Tour?Hong Kong Island Journey" after the concerts ended.


    Link also proposed watching a local boxing match and subsequently donated one million Hong Kong dollars to charities like the orphanage and established the Link Global Charity Foundation''s branch office in Hong Kong Island.


    Additionally, he held two signature events on Hong Kong Island, selling over 60,000 albums in three days, including his first, second, and third albums.


    As he continuously held concerts on Hong Kong Island and Taiwan Island, the second-week sales of "Last Kiss" were released, reaching 686,000 copies, accumulating sales of 2.258 million copies in two weeks.


    Seeing Taylor''s new album exceed two million in two weeks, Link also felt a bit nervous. Given this trend, this album had a great chance of breaking four million sales in the United States.

 Chapter 404 - 345: Encounter with a Beauty Backstage

    The trip to Hong Kong Island concluded.


    Link led the tour team to Taiwan Island where they held five concerts.


    He collaborated with singers such as Zhou Huajian, Wang Lihong, Mayday, Jay Chou, and Mo Wenwei, with audience numbers exceeding 30,000 at each concert. At the Taipei Dome, the number of spectators reached 68,000, creating a sea of people.


    Before coming to Huaxia for the concerts, he had also opened a Weibo account in advance and arranged for his assistant to update the concert news daily.


    Many Huaxia fans left comments such as "Welcome Hanzi Brother back," "Welcome Quan Brother to perform in Huaxia," "Welcome Link to taste Huaxia''s delicious food," and "Link, see you again."


    Since he saved someone during the 2008 Olympics and was praised by official newspapers, everyone''s attitude toward him was very friendly.


    The media also gave him plenty of coverage, mentioning his Olympic victory in 2008, the rescue during the Olympics, and the return of his Olympic Gold Medal to Huaxia, among other interesting stories.


    They also highlighted his identity as the world boxing champion, the European and American singer with the highest album sales worldwide, a celebrity of People of King rank in the music world, and a movie star, among other things.


    In just ten days, his Weibo followers exceeded ten million, making him the foreign singer with the highest number of followers on the platform.


    On Hong Kong Island and Taiwan Island, people also use Twitter quite a bit. During the concert series, his Twitter followers increased by over eight million. According to Twitter''s data department, 80% of these followers came from the Huaxia region.


    After finishing the concerts on Taiwan Island and undertaking two events, he led the team to several major cities along the southeast coast of Huaxia to perform.


    Ding-ling-ling!


    After completing a concert at the Shenchuan City Stadium, Link was resting backstage, writing thank-you cards for all the fans who had given gifts. His phone on the table rang. It was a call from Chris Liu.


    "Chris, I''m listening!"


    "Link, are you still backstage?"


    "I am, what''s up?"


    "I, I have a friend who wants to come backstage for an autograph, but your bodyguards won''t let her through. Could you talk to them?"


    "No problem at all, tell your friend to give your name, and I''ll give them a heads up."


    "Great! Please tell them quickly."


    After hanging up, Link called to notify Wallace and Bob, allowing someone named "Chris Liu or Yifei Liu" to come in. Wallace said there were two people, two Huaxia girls wearing masks and acting mysteriously. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link said it was okay, Chris Liu''s friends couldn''t possibly be assassins.


    Link continued filling out the cards, handing the completed ones to his assistant to distribute to the waiting fans backstage so as not to let them come in vain.


    Knock knock knock!


    "Come in!"


    Link put down his pen, and the door to the reception room opened as his assistant led in two masked girls.


    The one in front was a bit shorter, a little over 1.6 meters, dressed in a white tee and blue jeans, with a petite and slender figure, a ponytail, and bright almond-shaped eyes full of curiosity as she stared at him.


    The other was taller, wearing a blue long dress with long black hair flowing down, her fair and slender arms, and delicate seductive collarbones visible. She also wore a white mask covering her face, her pretty phoenix eyes blinking with excitement and joy.


    The two were also holding bouquets of flowers.


    After glancing at them, Link curved his lips and asked the assistant to take the flowers, "Thank you for the flowers, ladies. Do you speak English?"


    The taller one nudged the girl in front, who rolled her eyes at her and said in English, "Yes, we speak some English. Mr. Baker, I''m your fan. We were just down there watching your concert, it was amazing."


    "Thank you! Do you need autographs?"


    Link sat down and picked up a pen to inquire.


    The girl in front exchanged glances with the girl behind her and nodded.


    "Miss, what''s your name?"


    "Sing Shu, Jennifer Shu!"


    The girl in front spelled out her surname.


    Link nodded and quickly wrote on the card, ''To the beautiful Miss Jennifer Shu.'' Then he looked at the slightly taller girl. "And miss, what''s your name?"


    The girl blinked but did not speak.


    Link smiled gently and continued to write on the card, ''To Miss Chris Liu who doesn''t wish to reveal her name.''


    "Did you recognize me?"


    The taller girl pulled down her mask to reveal a delicate, pretty face with phoenix eyes, red lips, and a fair, pinkish complexion resembling a peach blossom fairy. She blinked her beautiful eyes, looked at the card, then back at Link with a smile on his face.


    "Hi, Chris, long time no see. Want a hug, just like when I left in ''08?"


    Link reached out with a smile.


    Chris Liu looked at him for a moment, stepped forward, and leaned into his chest with blushing cheeks.


    Link gently embraced her; she smelled sweet and her body was slender and light, like holding a soft stuffed toy.


    Jennifer Shu watched in astonishment. Feifei was usually very reserved, hardly hugging any men except for work in films, but she didn''t seem to mind being held closely by Link.


    Jennifer Shu sensed their relationship was probably not so simple.


    "Why didn''t you call ahead when you came? I would''ve had my assistant pick you up."


    Link asked as he released the girl from his embrace.


    "I wanted to surprise you, but your bodyguards are too strict. We had no chance to sneak in."


    Chris Liu said with a smile, looking up at him.


    Link smiled lightly and told her that during a concert in Southeast Asia, some fans had dressed up as staff members and snuck backstage, nearly causing an accident on stage. To ensure his safety, his bodyguards had to be more vigilant.

 Chapter 405 - 345: Meeting a Beauty Backstage_2

    Additionally, when coming here for concerts, many people would bring notes claiming to be the daughter of some big boss or officials'' kids, trying to take advantage of their status to meet him, the international superstar, and get a photo with him to show off their identity.


    To avoid trouble, he had made a request to the organizers that during the tour, he wouldn''t meet any connected families nor accept any informal party invitations and if they couldn''t ensure that, he would consider ending the tour early.


    After chatting for a bit, he asked Chris Liu and Shu if they were busy and if not, to wait a while for him to finish signing the cards on the table, then they could go out for a walk and grab a quick meal together.


    Chris Liu nodded and said they were not busy and would wait for him there.


    He then sat down to continue writing cards.


    Chris Liu, playing with her skirt hem, sat opposite him, quietly gazing at his face, the straight nose, and bright, deep eyes. Every time he looked up at her, Chris Liu would immediately turn her head away, her cheeks flushed, and her hands fiddling with her hair.


    "Looking at something?"


    "Not looking at anything... You seem even more handsome than before."


    Chris Liu said.


    "You''ve become prettier too. Has anyone ever told you that you look like a fairy?"


    Link asked while writing.


    "No, but fans call me a fairy, haha, they''re just joking."


    Chris laughed, covering her mouth.


    "The fans have sharp eyes, you really are a fairy."


    "Has anyone told you that you''re a prince?"


    "Of course, I''m also Superman."


    "Yes, you''re amazing. Before, I only knew you were a boxer, I didn''t expect you to also become the boxing champion, even Tyson is no match for you, and then you became a great singer. When I first saw those news, I couldn''t believe it was the same person, so I specifically looked up your information on Baidu..."


    Chris Liu rambled on about all the things she had wanted to say to him in the past two years but never had the chance.


    The reception room was brightly lit, surrounded by countertops full of flowers; the two sat at a coffee table, one writing and one talking, it was a very warm and loving scene.


    But Shu, sitting beside them, was getting anxious.


    She checked her phone, it was past eight in the evening, with two missed calls and a message on it. The message was from Feifei''s mother, asking if she had finished watching the concert, if she had returned to the hotel and to call back quickly upon seeing the message.


    Shu pulled Chris Liu''s delicate, pale arm, and Chris stopped talking, looking back at her, puzzled.


    "Come here!"


    Shu grabbed Chris''s arm and moved to a corner of the room, pulled out her phone, showed her the message, and asked how she should reply.


    "Ignore her!"


    "Are you sure? Aren''t you afraid of Auntie Li pinching you?"


    "Not afraid, I''ll dodge."


    Chris Liu smiled slightly and also checked her phone, which was set to silent: three missed calls, twelve unread messages, all from her mother.


    Without looking, she casually replied with a "Sleeping, good night."


    After sending the message, she readied herself to go back and continue chatting with Link.


    Shu grabbed her tender, white wrist, pulling her aside and whispering, "Are we really going to stay here and wait for Link? Your mom has said many times not to meet Link privately, claiming Link is a very dangerous man and that it''s not good for us to get too close to him."


    "My mom is talking nonsense, Link is a good person, how could he be dangerous."


    "Don''t you think Link is dangerous? He is so handsome, an Olympic champion, a world-class superstar, very talented, and also a billionaire. He ticks all the boxes but he is also known as a playboy with many girlfriends; Auntie Li is worried you might be deceived by him emotionally."


    "No, Link and I are just purely good friends, he won''t do anything to me. Also, foreigners have different aesthetics from us, what is considered beautiful in China may just be average to Link, and our figures are not voluptuous, he might not even like our type."


    Chris Liu looked down at her chest, only a B cup, feeling envious of those D cup girls in the west, her little butt only slightly perky, not nearly as good as Link''s girlfriend Ivanka''s perfect behind.


    "But he just complimented you, saying you look like a fairy, which means he also thinks you''re very pretty."


    "Huh, could it be that in Link''s eyes, I am also a great beauty?"


    Chris Liu touched her pretty cheek, blinking happily.


    "Definitely, I saw how he hugged you just now, he was very into it, which shows he likes you too."


    "Really?"


    Excited, Chris Liu pulled on Shu, glanced at Link still signing autographs, and whispered, "Shu Shu, do you really think Link likes me, too?"


    Seeing her so excited, Shu felt somewhat helpless inside.


    For the magnificent fairy sister, who could easily rank in the top ten beauties of the domestic entertainment industry, adored by at least one hundred million men in China, she became like a teen girl full of anxious yearning in front of Link.


    Just like that, if Link were to really advance on her, she doubted she''d be able to resist him even for a round.


    "Shu Shu, why are you not saying anything?"


    "Yes, Link seems interested in you, but remember, he''s a playboy, and being liked by him is not necessarily a good thing."


    "Link is not really a playboy; that''s just American media slandering him." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It can''t all be slander. The media reports he has over twenty rumored girlfriends, even if not twenty, at least two or three. He has girlfriends, and as stars, getting too close to him is not good for us."


    "But I am just purely friends with Link, and I have never thought about being his girlfriend."

 Chapter 406 - 345: Encounter with a Beauty Backstage_3

    "If Link asked you to be his girlfriend, or even more seriously, to do... that sort of thing with him, would you refuse?"


    "Of course, I''m not some random girl."


    Chris Liu confidently patted her chest.


    Shuchang gave her a helpless look. Around other boys, Feifei acted cool and distant, sparing even a smile as though it were charity, but in front of Link, she was like a little fangirl. Shuchang felt that if Link really had any ulterior motives, Feifei probably wouldn''t last a few seconds.


    "Chris, Jennie, sorry to keep you waiting."


    Link put down his pen and handed over the hundred or so cards he had just finished writing to his assistant.


    "It''s no problem."


    Chris Liu replied, pulling Shuchang aside to whisper,


    "Don''t worry, Link is really not a bad guy. I''ve known him since 2008. He''s an athlete; he doesn''t smoke, drink excessively, or do drugs, and he rarely goes to bars. His lifestyle is very healthy. Plus, with the two of us together, even if he did try to take liberties with me, you could help push him away."


    Shuchang thought about it and felt that it seemed to be the case.


    From the news, aside from being a bit of a playboy, Link didn''t have any other issues and was actually a major philanthropist, donating over ten million US dollars each year, which is about 100 million in Huaxia currency. It was staggering.


    Such a high-profile person wasn''t likely to use force against a young girl like Feifei.


    Additionally, with herself watching over them, if anything unexpected happened, she could help out.


    "Okay, we''re just going out with Link to stroll around and have some late-night snacks. After eating, we''ll go back to the hotel to sleep, all right?"


    "Deal, let''s go!"


    Chris Liu, pulling her best friend Shuchang, walked over.


    Link was also done with his tasks.


    He finished arranging other work, changed into a casual tracksuit, donned a cap, and together with Chris Liu and Jennie Shu, left the Shenchuan Stadium discreetly in a prepared car.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Arriving at Shenchuan City''s Pearl River Commercial Street, the trio stepped out of the car and strolled down the long pedestrian street, chatting as they walked.


    The street was crowded, with excellent security, and was brilliantly lit up, bustling with activity. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon encountering a snack shop, they stopped to buy some local delicacies: beef balls, double-skin milk, spicy crawfish, ginger vinegar eggs, and so on.


    However, due to concerns about stomach issues, Link didn''t dare to eat haphazardly. He had only a serving of fresh shrimp wontons, holding the snacks and beer at other times, walking between the two and watching them eat.


    Link took the opportunity to ask Chris Liu about her career developments over the past two years.


    Chris Liu said it hadn''t been going well. She had been blacklisted for two years and hadn''t filmed much, spending most of her time attending classes at school.


    In March, she had collaborated with Wang Lihong on a campus romance movie "Love Announcement," which was set to premiere in mid-August. Chris Liu asked if he was available and invited him to the premiere, and Link agreed to attend.


    Link asked if she wanted to pursue a career in the United States, mentioning that he owned a film company there which was doing quite well and had some resources at his disposal.


    The movie "Scandal Plan," released last month, was produced by his company and had already grossed over a hundred million US dollars worldwide.


    Chris Liu and Shuchang, listening, expressed their admiration repeatedly¡ªfor a hundred million US dollars converted to Huaxia currency was seven to eight hundred million, and a movie with that box office could rank in the top three domestically.


    Shuchang inquired about the investment in the film.


    Link explained that the production cost was eight million US dollars, with his company investing five million. They would receive 35% of the North American box office and 10% of the international box office. Warner Bros. Pictures'' subsidiary invested three million, and the film was also distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.


    Chris Liu and Shuchang calculated that he could make thirty to forty million US dollars from this movie project, a return on investment of six to eight times, equivalent to two to three hundred million in Huaxia currency.


    Chris Liu praised him repeatedly, impressed at how he could earn two or three hundred million from just one movie, and asked him how he managed to be so successful.


    Link mentioned that it was nothing special; he had fought in five boxing matches this year, earning 170 million US dollars, which was more than one billion in Huaxia currency.


    Chris Liu and Shuchang were so stunned they were speechless, as people usually talked about earning thousands or tens of thousands, while he was counting in billions.


    While they were chatting, Wallace called to warn that there were unidentified individuals trailing them, likely paparazzi, and suggested that he get into the car.


    Link relayed this to Chris Liu and Shuchang, asking for their opinions.


    Chris Liu nodded in agreement, and after a moment''s hesitation, Shuchang also got into the car.

 Chapter 407 - 346 Night Chat at the Hotel

    After getting on the car, Link checked his watch; it was past nine, and it was time for him to rest. He asked the two women where they were staying so the driver could take them back and they could talk more tomorrow.


    Chris Liu said she was staying at the Four Seasons Hotel on Fuhua Third Road, not far from here, then asked which hotel he was staying in.


    Link replied that he was staying at the Sheraton Hotel in the Central District, also a five-star hotel.


    Chris Liu said she still hadn''t had enough of a chat and asked if he wanted to go to their hotel so that everyone could have snacks, drinks, and a chat together.


    Link agreed and then looked towards Jennifer Shu to see if it was convenient for her?


    Jennifer Shu hesitated for a moment but then nodded and said it was convenient.


    Link instructed the driver to head to the Four Seasons Hotel and Chris Liu added a reminder not to forget to buy some snacks and beer, to which Link also agreed.


    Next to him, Jennifer Shu looked at Chris Liu and was speechless.


    Link had already offered to send them back and that would have been the end of it for today, but Feifei had to complicate things by inviting a man back to their hotel room for drinks at night. Didn''t she understand what it implied to invite a guy back to a hotel in the evening?


    Alright, maybe Feifei was quite naive and really didn''t get it, but the thought of spending the night in the same room with Link, a grown man, made her heartbeat quicken uncontrollably.


    "Jennifer, what would you like to eat? Oh, your face is so red. Is it very hot?"


    Chris Liu pressed the back of her hand to her smooth and fair cheek.


    "It is a little," Jennifer Shu said as she moved Chris Liu''s hand away and said she was fine with anything casual to eat. She saw Link telling his assistant to get out of the car to buy snacks, so Jennifer Shu took out her phone and typed a few words for Chris Liu to read.


    "What are you doing, inviting Link to the hotel at night?"


    Chris Liu blinked and took the phone to type some words as well.


    "I haven''t seen Link in two years. What''s the problem with inviting him over to chat at the hotel?"


    "A young and strong guy like him, and the two of us, girls, being together at night, do you think that''s normal?"


    "Why isn''t it normal? Are you worried Link would take advantage of us? You think too much, Link is definitely not that kind of person."


    "How do you know that? I''ve heard that foreigners are very open about these things, let alone that Link is a playboy. What if he makes a move on us?"


    "Jennifer, are you having too bad an opinion of people? I don''t know about others, but I can guarantee that Link is not that kind of person."


    Jennifer Shu thought for a moment, considering that Feifei and Link were old acquaintances and friends and she probably knew him well. Since Feifei dared to say that, she chose to trust her this time. She continued typing on her phone, writing ''No alcohol allowed.''


    "Alright!" Chris Liu replied, hugging her waist and pecking her blushing cheek.


    Jennifer Shu pushed her away in disdain, and the car got back on the road.


    Link and Chris Liu continued to chat about movies and music, with Link inviting Chris Liu to further her career in the United States.


    Jennifer Shu listened for a bit and then pulled out her phone to search for information about Link. She had just heard him claim his movie investment "Scandal Plan" had made two hundred million, and she was curious if he was boasting.


    After a quick search, she found that he wasn''t exaggerating; "Scandal Plan" had earned 6.74 million US dollars in its fourth week in North America, with cumulative box office sales of 57.22 million US dollars, making it this year''s biggest dark horse of the North American summer box office.


    As one of the producers of "Scandal Plan," Palm Beach Films, was indeed Link''s investment. Based on this calculation, he could indeed make two hundred million from one film.


    Jennifer Shu also searched for news about Link''s boxing matches and found it to be accurate as well.


    His first match with the renowned champion Roy Jones brought in 48 million US dollars, and his next four world championship defenses nearly 120 million. The combined duration of the five matches was less than half an hour, but he earned 170 million US dollars, earning him the title of "Money Printing Machine" in the boxing world.


    Seeing this, Jennifer Shu subconsciously covered her lips in shock. It was astonishing.


    Business Week also claimed that Link had made several investments in the past two years, including new energy vehicles, the internet, music, and films. His net worth at the start of the year was 320 million, and now it had doubled, estimated to be more than 800 million US dollars, which translates to fifty to sixty billion in Huaxia currency.


    Jennifer Shu blinked incredulously; Link was only 21 this year, yet his net worth was over fifty billion. According to this year''s domestic rich-list rankings, he could be in the top two hundred.


    Moreover, Link was different from the wealthy people she had met before.


    Many domestic tycoons acted like emperors even with just tens of millions in net worth, putting on airs as if there was no end to their arrogance.


    Link, with tens of billions in net worth, was casually strolling the streets with them, carrying their drinks and snacks, without showing the slightest hint of snobbery.


    Jennifer Shu thought about how she had casually taken the snack from Link''s hand earlier without even a word of thanks, and she felt her face burning up.


    She couldn''t help but steal glances at Link, noting his fair and handsome face under the light, his deep and bright blue eyes, high nose bridge, and the clean, sunny smile he always had when talking with Feifei, definitely not resembling a bad person.


    As she watched him, Link glanced back, prompting Jennifer Shu to immediately lower her head, blushing, and busied herself with her phone.


    "Is Jennifer also an actress?" Link asked in his clean, magnetic voice.


    Without waiting for her to respond, Chris Liu draped an arm over her shoulder and said with a smile, "Yes, we are the same age. Jennifer has acted in more than a dozen TV series and is quite a star in our country."


    "I can see it; both of you are very beautiful," Link said, looking at the two girls, reminiscent of sister flowers¡ªone a refined lady and the other a delicate beauty, each with their own charm.


    "Link, do you really think we are beautiful? Online it''s said that Westerners prefer Asian women with high eye corners and high cheekbones, but our eye corners aren''t high at all," Chris Liu said, gesturing to her pretty phoenix eyes with her slender index finger.


    "I don''t know how they see it, but I think both of you are beauties."


    "Haha, Link, Jennifer doesn''t have a boyfriend yet, would you like to date her? I can help you."


    Chris Liu draped her arm around Shu and laughed.


    Blushing, Shu lowered her head and pinched her slender waist with her hand, signaling Chris not to talk nonsense.


    "Shu Shu, don''t be shy. Link is a foreigner; you can say whatever when chatting with him, don''t feel burdened. He doesn''t mind these things," Chris Liu persuaded.


    Despite Chris''s words, Shu still couldn''t help but feel her face heat up at the thought of dating a foreign hunk and tycoon like Link, something she had never even considered.


    And Feifei was right, she didn''t have the looks and figure to compete with those Western women, and to someone like Link, who had dated many foreign girls, she might not be of interest. This made her lack confidence around Link and even feel a little envious of Feifei''s carefree attitude.


    "Chris, you said Jennifer is single, what about you? Do you have a boyfriend?"


    Link looked at the blushing girl and then at the peach-cheeked Heavenly Immortal.


    "No, I want to be in a relationship, but my mom doesn''t allow it. In her eyes, there are no good men in the entertainment industry, and I hardly know any guys outside of it. How can I even date them? I think with my mom controlling me like this, I''ll end up an old maid no one wants," Chris Liu said cutely, frowning.


    "So what kind of boyfriend are you looking for?"


    Chris Liu glanced at his face, a smile creeping on her lips.


    "Like me?"


    "No, you''re too perfect. Being your girlfriend would be too stressful, always worrying about other women stealing you away. That''s too difficult for me. I hope to find someone a bit less perfect than you; as handsome as you are but not as formidable," Chris Liu said, pointing at his face with a smile.


    "Is that so? I didn''t realize that being too perfect could make me less attractive," Link said with a light smile, his thoughts drifting to Taylor.


    Taylor had said something similar before leaving him, talking about feeling too much pressure by his side and likening him to a towering tree, overshadowing her growth.


    After leaving him, Taylor became a tree herself, stepping into the ring to challenge him. From Taylor''s point of view, leaving decisively and cutting her losses was indeed a good choice.


    But compared to a strong woman like Taylor, Chris Liu and Jennifer Shu were more like small flowers, ivy vines that grew better in the shadow of a large tree.


    The car arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel on Fuhua Avenue. Link asked for Chris Liu''s room number, directed Wallace and a few bodyguards to book two rooms on the same floor to rest, and to notify him if they decided to leave. He then stepped out of the car with two bags of snacks and beer.


    Seeing him with the bags, Shu proactively reached out to take one, carefully following beside Link.


    Their rooms were on the 16th floor, neither too high nor too low.


    The interior of the Four Seasons Hotel was rather luxurious. Just like the Hilton Hotel, it was also part of a global luxury hotel chain, headquartered in Toronto, Canada. Bill Gates and Saudi Prince Alwaleed were major shareholders, and there were currently eight hotels in Huaxia.


    While waiting for the elevator, Chris Liu''s phone rang. It was her mother, asking where she was and if she had gone to sleep?


    Reluctantly, Chris Liu said she had gone to bed and was about to fall asleep but got woken up by the call.


    Ding!


    The elevator arrived.


    Her mother immediately noticed the sound of the elevator, scoffed, and asked how there could be an elevator chime if she was in bed. Where was she going so late at night?


    Chris Liu helplessly explained that after the concert, she and Shu were out on the streets having snacks, just arriving back at the hotel.


    Her mother asked if Shu was beside her and wanted to speak to her.


    Rolling her eyes adorably, Chris Liu handed the phone to Shu, took the bag from her, bumped Link''s shoulder, and asked him, "Don''t you think my mom is annoying?"


    Link shook his head, saying, "Your mom must love you a lot."


    Chris Liu made a "yeah right" face.


    On the other end, once Shu answered the call, her mother inquired whether after the concert, Feifei had gone to find Link.


    Shu confirmed she had.


    Her mother asked what they did and whether they spent time alone.


    Shu glanced at Chris Liu and said no, she had been with them the whole time.


    Her mother tried to ask more, but Chris Liu snatched the phone back and said into the receiver, "Mom, can''t you stop nagging? I just met with Link and am heading back. Why do you ask so much? If you don''t trust me, then fly over here yourself. Shu Shu isn''t your supervisor." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her mother swore on the phone, calling her a damned fool or something of that sort, demanding she return home early tomorrow or she''d break her legs if she was late.


    Chris Liu replied, "I know," and hung up, then turned off her phone. She also told Shu to turn hers off, not wanting to be disturbed while drinking.


    While they were waiting for the elevator, a young man with a devil-may-care attitude, who was with a woman, looked at Link in his baseball cap then at the two masked beauties with great figures and presence beside him.


    He gave a quiet thumbs up and said, "Bro, you''re awesome!"


    Link glanced at him. The young man hesitated for a moment, and after Link and his companions entered the elevator, the man cursed behind them, "Damn, it''s a foreigner!"

 Chapter 408 - 347: Overnight at the Hotel Part 2

    The three of them came to the business suite, and before entering the room, Wallace brought a device and asked if he wanted to check for cameras to prevent any in the room.


    Link thought for a moment. The Fifth Season Hotel was a global chain; such a low-level mistake was unlikely, so he felt it was unnecessary.


    Chris Liu asked him what was wrong.


    Link explained that he had stayed in a hotel in London where someone had installed a listening device and had a similar experience in a hotel in Jakarta, so he always made it a habit to thoroughly check each time he stayed somewhere new.


    Upon hearing his words, Chris Liu also became somewhat worried and suggested it might be good to check.


    Wallace and Bob used professional equipment to sweep the place but didn''t find anything suspicious, then they left with their team.


    While Wallace was searching the room, Link, Chris Liu, and Shu sat at a small round table by the floor-to-ceiling window, eating snacks, drinking beer, and chatting about some interesting things.


    Chris Liu said she had seen that news about his room being bugged, and even the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window had been scratched open, which was quite frightening to think about.


    Shu mentioned that the security was better here in Huaxia and, although there were also many paparazzi, they dared not be too blatant when taking secret photos.


    Drinking her beer, Chris Liu said she had seen a video of him getting intimate with Emma Watson in a changing room and asked about his relationship with Emma Watson, as well as with Christine Stewart, Emma Roberts, Lady Gaga, and Marion Cotillard¡ªwhat were his relationships with these major celebrities?


    Link said they were friends, just like her, purely platonic friendships.


    Chris Liu didn''t believe him, complimenting him on being incredible, having an ex-girlfriend who was a diva and a current girlfriend from a prestigious family, with all his rumored girlfriends being major stars.


    Link smiled, denying it, and then started talking to her about work schedules.


    After finishing concerts in several southern cities, he would go to Dahai City in mid-August, where Chris Liu was also scheduled to perform. He asked Chris when she was free to record a demo for "When You Are Old" together.


    Chris Liu said she was free these days and would call her mother about it tomorrow.


    Chris Liu, who didn''t have a high alcohol tolerance, seemed a bit drunk after more than a can of beer, her cheeks rosy and eyes sleepy, leaning on Link''s shoulder snuggly.


    "Feifei, you''re drunk. Let''s go back to sleep."


    Shu suggested.


    "No, I''m not drunk!"


    Chris Liu clung to Link''s arm, leaning on his shoulder without letting go. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shu shyly looked at Link.


    Link smiled gently, placing his arm around Chris''s shoulders, and asked if she wanted to hear a song; Chris said she did, and Link softly hummed an English version of "When You Are Old".


    When you are old and grey and full of sleep


    And nodding by the fire, take down this book


    And slowly read, and dream of the soft look


    ....


    Shu quietly watched them, seeing how tender Link was with Feifei, with a touch of indulgence, she couldn''t help but feel surprised, a wave of envy, and a hint of jealousy crossed her heart.


    Link was so outstanding¡ªcalling him the finest man in the world wasn''t an exaggeration, yet the way he was so gentle with Feifei made her envious.


    "Jennifer, Chris has fallen asleep. Which room is ours?"


    Link asked softly.


    "Ah, over there."


    Shu pointed towards the room door.


    Link carefully picked Chris Liu up in a princess carry and followed Shu into the bedroom, which was a double room with two large beds. He placed Chris Liu in the inner bed, and Shu helped tuck her in. Chris nestled into the blanket like a lazy rabbit.


    "Jennifer, where shall I sleep tonight?"


    Link asked.


    Shu hesitated for a moment, looked around the room, and pointed to the other bed, saying, "You can sleep there; I''ll sleep with Chris."


    "Is that convenient? If it''s not, I can sleep on the couch outside."


    "No problem; it''s very convenient."


    After speaking, Shu realized and was surprised to find herself inviting a man she had known for less than half a day to sleep in the same room and even said it was very convenient.


    "All right! If you need to bathe, go ahead and use the bathroom. I''m going to exercise outside," Link said as he walked out of the bedroom.


    Sitting down on the bed, Feifei looked at the bathroom and the pajamas, unsure whether to take a bath. She glanced at the sleeping Chris, pulled her up again, stripped off her long dress and underwear, and replaced them with a set of white silk pajamas.


    After changing, she was sweating profusely.


    Standing by the door, she caught a glimpse of Link doing push-ups on the carpet. Wearing a sports tank top and shorts, his strong muscles were prominently outlined. He was doing one-handed push-ups, with his other arm on his waist, making it a challenging move.


    Yet, he did dozens of them in one go without breaking a sweat, and his expression was very serious, not just for show.


    Feifei watched him for a moment before gently closing the room door and taking off her T-shirt and jeans.


    She found a red silk dress in her suitcase and walked into the bathroom.


    After thoroughly washing herself for over ten minutes, she came out wearing the silk nightgown.


    The nightgown was very thin, revealing her translucent, fair skin under the light. Discover stories with My Virtual Library Empire


    The hem of the dress was very short, exposing her delicate white legs to the air.


    With her hair loose, Feifei glanced outside, saw Link still exercising, and hesitated before softly saying, "Link, I''m done washing, do you need to bathe?"


    "Okay!"


    Link turned to look at her with her hair loose, her petite and exquisite figure, and her fair skin tinged pink, and complimented, "Jennifer, you look beautiful!"


    "Thank you!"


    Feifei blushed at the sight of his strong body and hurried back into the bedroom, diving under the covers.


    Then, she heard Link coming inside from outside, walking into the bathroom to start his shower. The sound of running water in the bathroom left her mind in turmoil, unsure of what would happen next.


    Squeak!


    The bathroom door opened, and upon hearing Link step out, Feifei looked down and burrowed into the covers.


    "Jennifer, are you also sleeping over here?"


    At Link''s words, Feifei opened her eyes, realizing that she had initially said she would sleep with Feifei, yielding the bed to Link, but in her nervousness, she had completely forgotten this. Just as she was about to get up, she heard Link''s velvety voice say,


    "Stay here, don''t wake Chris up!"


    Link lifted the blanket and then lay down on the bed.


    Feifei curled up in the covers, shyly glancing at him. Link looked back at her bright almond eyes and gestured towards his shoulder.


    Biting her lower lip, Feifei fell silent for a few seconds before slowly leaning onto his shoulder.


    Feeling his strong muscle contours, his intensely hot body, and the wonderful masculine scent.


    She felt like butter on a hot pan, a candle on a branding iron, slowly melting away.


    "Bite on this, so you don''t wake up Chris," he commanded.


    Upon hearing Link''s command, she subconsciously opened her mouth slightly, and felt a piece of silky material, similar to the fabric of her nightgown.


    As a muffled rumble of thunder came from outside the window.


    Afterward, she remembered nothing else.


    Her mind went blank.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Having been reborn on this peculiar planet for over two years, Link gradually accepted everything here, acquiring identity, career, family, and many friends. He had integrated into this¡ªbecoming a part of this planet.


    In the process of blending in, he continuously adapted his living environment and was also influenced by those around him, altering his character, habits, hobbies, etc. significantly.


    In the past, he had admired the love that hoped for mutual affection for life, never parting even until death.


    Now, he preferred the poem by Marshal Yue, "Do not wait idly while the peach blossoms fade and the hair turns white with age; act while you can for time waits for no man," hence embracing joy while possible.


    With these changes, his heart had become much calmer, no longer anxious, and he seldom dreamed about the past anymore.


    Yet, last night he dreamed again of the West Mountain mine where he had once worked.

 Chapter 409 - 348: Making an Appearance Sparks Hot Debate (7/10)

    After the concert in the south ended, Link led his tour team to Dahai City, the economic center of Huaxia, an international metropolis built by the sea, gazing across the Pacific Ocean towards cities like Los Angeles.


    With a permanent population of over twenty-five million, Dahai City is the third most populous city in the world. Link had sold about 380,000 copies of his three albums here, making it one of the cities with the most fans in Huaxia. This city was also a focus of this tour, with three concerts expected.


    After arriving in Dahai City, besides rehearsing at the city stadium, Link also found time to accompany Chris Liu to the premiere of her new movie in the city.


    This was the first movie premiere he attended in Huaxia.


    When he appeared on the red carpet in formal dress, holding Chris Liu''s hand, he caused quite a stir on the scene.


    Dozens of reporters at the scene eagerly threw out questions, inquiring about the nature of their relationship.


    Link said the two were good friends, having met during the 2008 Olympics, and it just so happened that his Dahai City concert coincided with the release of Chris Liu and Wang Lihong''s new movie, and they had invited him to attend the premiere.


    Wang Lihong had also been a guest performer at his concert in Taiwan Island.


    At the premiere, he, Chris Liu, and Wang Lihong also took many group photos at the invitation of numerous photographers.


    These group photos, once uploaded online, were chased by many Asian netizens, as Link had high appeal and a good physique, with a face that transcended the East and West and was rated by major world media as the sexiest man in the world.


    Chris Liu and Wang Lihong were also considered among the most beautiful and handsome individuals in Huaxia.


    The group photo with the three of them was considered the highest beauty quotient of the year in the entertainment circle, combining the beauty of the East and West.


    "Damn! This guy is so handsome."


    In the dorm of the acting department, class of ''07 at the Dahai City Drama School, Lin Genxin was with his feet up on a chair looking at the photos online and exclaimed.


    "The sun must be rising from the west. Don''t you always claim to be the most handsome man in the world? Is there actually a man you think is handsome?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhou Fang put down his book and teased him, looking back.


    "Yeah, Old Lin, who are you talking about?"


    Dorm mate Pu Bajia laughed and asked.


    "Link Baker, come over and look, this guy is really handsome. Not just his face, but his body, his demeanor, everything. I admit he''s just a little better than me."


    Lin Genxin said.


    "Link? I thought it was someone else. It''s no wonder, since he''s the man rated by ''People'' as the sexiest man in the world. Even Leonardo and Tom Cruise can''t compare. And the guy''s not just handsome. He''s also a world boxing champion, a music superstar, and a billionaire. More importantly, he''s even younger than us by a year. He''s just too damn impressive," Zhou Fang exclaimed, slapping his thigh.


    "Eh? Liu Yifei? Why are Link Baker and Liu Yifei walking the red carpet hand in hand? Do they know each other?"


    Pu Bajia came over and took a glance, noticing another person next to Link, which was the fairytale-like beauty in a red off-shoulder gown with exquisite makeup.


    "Liu Yifei and Link Baker together? No way! How could they be together?"


    The other people in the dormitory crowded around, and upon seeing the photo of Link in a high-end tailored suit, holding the hand of the fair-skinned, physically attractive beauty as they walked the red carpet, chatting now and then, and looking quite intimate, they were taken aback.


    On another photo, the fairytale-like beauty was coquettishly smiling at Link, with a radiant smile, completely devoid of her previous aloof demeanor.


    "I heard that Link is a playboy. With Liu Yifei being so close to him, could there be something between them?"


    "Impossible, don''t talk nonsense, how could Liu Yifei like a foreigner?"


    "Why not? With Link being so handsome, it''s perfectly normal for Liu Yifei to fancy him," one remarked.


    "No way! The fairytale beauty is mine, and no one can take her from me," another boldly declared.


    At this time, not only were the students from Dahai Drama School buzzing, but many fans of the fairytale-like sister across the country also had a lot of questions in their minds after seeing these photos. What was the relationship between the two, and whether the fairytale-like sister had been harmed by Link?


    Since Chris Liu was very popular domestically and Link was no less so, the news of the two of them walking the red carpet side by side quickly topped the headlines of major media, catching the attention of many people.


    The program "Yu Lu''s Appointment" saw the high heat of the news and invited the two as guests.


    Link was holding concerts in Huaxia and needed the exposure; Chris''s new movie was releasing and could use some publicity. After discussing, both agreed to come on the show.


    In the program, Yu Lu asked about how they came to know each other.


    Link recounted his experience of attending the Olympics in Huaxia in 2008, where he encountered the "King of Kung Fu" film crew on the plane, which included Chris Liu, Jackie Chan, and Li Lianjie among the actors. He had asked for autographs from the stars and got to know Chris.


    After arriving in Capital City, Chris was the host and was very friendly to him, a foreign friend. During breaks from the competition, she took him to see the beautiful sights of Capital City, enjoy delicious food, and even taught him Chinese for a few days.


    The slogan he wrote on the Olympic venue, "I am Link, please cheer for me," was also taught by Chris.


    In the past two years, they often kept in touch over the phone, sharing common interests and hobbies.


    This time, he came to Huaxia to hold a concert and also to visit her, an old friend.


    The host, Yu Lu, asked him in English, how would he evaluate Chris Liu?


    Hearing this question, Chris Liu also smiled and looked at him, perched on her little legs, wearing a beautiful strapless dress, her black hair draped over her left shoulder, not only beautiful but also of great temperament.


    Link looked at her and praised her, saying Chris was a pretty girl, cute, warm to people, kind, and caring. She had a high pursuit of performance and was also a very outstanding actress.


    Clap! Clap! Clap!


    A round of warm applause erupted from the audience.


    Yu Lu then asked Chris Liu how she would evaluate Link?


    Chris Liu said Link was a perfect guy, handsome, strong, humble and polite, humorous, and talented, with almost no flaws.


    The female viewers in front of the TV nodded in agreement; Link indeed was perfect.


    He not only had a flawless face but also a super strong and sexy body, enviable musical talent, and a net worth of several hundred million US dollars.


    For women, marrying such a man would be extremely lucky and worth boasting about.


    Yu Lu saw that the atmosphere on set was good and, switching gears, mentioned that there were many rumors about Link in the Western media, with outlets like Vanity Fair calling him a playboy, asking if this was true?


    Link, being a Huaxia national and knowing that the Huaxia audience disliked scoundrels, naturally denied this point.


    He continued to use examples like MJ and Madonna to tell everyone that this was a Western media strategy to gain public attention by hyping negative news about popular stars, even if there wasn''t any negative news, they would create some, which was very common.


    He also mentioned that last month, six media outlets were sued to the Manhattan County Court by Link Music for fabricating rumors about him.


    After more than a month of hearings, the court ruled that Link Music had won, and the six media outlets had publicly apologized to him, admitting they fabricated false news to smear his reputation.


    Clap! Clap! Clap!


    Hearing he had won the case, the audience believed him even more and felt that the host, Yu Lu, asking such a question was very lowbrow.


    Yu Lu, seeing the situation was favorable, moved on to other topics, asking about their upcoming plans, the next concert, Chris Liu''s new movie, and asking Link to speak Chinese on the spot, among other things.


    Link answered methodically.


    "This Link looks quite good, handsome, famous, and even speaks Chinese."


    In Dahai City Film Studio''s office, the producer Zhang Weiping said while watching television. Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "Old Zhang, why are you still watching these programs? You used to say Yu Lu knows nothing and just babbles on all day long."


    Director Zhang Daming came in with a cup of tea and glanced at the TV.


    "Daming, you''re just in time. Take a look at this Link. What do you think?"


    Zhang Weiping pointed at Link on the TV, dressed in a suit, good-looking, and talking eloquently to the audience.


    "Link? I know him; I''ve known him since the 2008 Olympics. My daughter is even a die-hard fan of his. What do you want with him?"


    Director Zhang asked.


    "Isn''t there still a role for a foreign actor needed in ''The Flowers of War''? Link is also an actor, has worked with Woody Allen, is famous, and knows a little Chinese. How about we invite him to play the male lead?"


    "This... looks good, but he is a big shot, so his pay must be quite high."


    Director Zhang touched his stubbled chin, hesitant.


    "No matter, let''s first make contact and see what happens."


    "Okay then!"


    Director Zhang looked at Link on TV, touched his stubbled chin, and nodded.

 Chapter 410 - 349: Worried Fans (8/10)

    "Yu Lu''s Appointment" is one of Huaxia''s most famous talk shows, with each episode garnering about 0.08% of the viewer ratings.


    After the episode featuring Link and Chris Liu aired, the ratings soared to a new high of 0.35%, ranking first in its time slot, and Link''s fame in Huaxia skyrocketed.


    Previously, Huaxia audiences knew about Link, but their understanding was quite scattered.


    Those who liked English songs considered him a singer, those into boxing thought he was just a boxing champion, those who had seen his movies thought he was a film star, and many others still believed he was an Olympics champion from two years ago.


    After this program, everyone finally realized he was a man who combined a world boxing champion, music superstar, and film star, a billionaire at just 21 years old.


    At the same time, many of Chris Liu''s male fans expressed concern over Link''s appearance. Link was too handsome, wealthy, and tremendously talented, almost having a 100% lethal effect on women.


    Would Chris be harmed by befriending such a person?


    The more they thought about a foreigner harming their goddess, the more unsettled the male fans became, flooding Chris Liu''s Weibo comments, hoping she would remain calm, not fall for a foreigner, and best maintain just a friendship.


    But soon a group of comments shattered their illusions.


    Most of these comments were from Western students who informed the domestic netizens not to be fooled by Link''s words on the show. Though Western media often misreported about Link''s scandals, he was indeed a cad, having been linked with several female stars.


    These included Britain''s top actress Emma Watson, the French Rose Marion Cotillard, Victoria''s Secret supermodel Du Chen Kolos, gold digger Amber Heard, Hollywood''s newest starlet Jennifer Lawrence, and Hollywood''s beautiful actress Alexandra Daddario.


    The above six were confirmed girlfriends linked to him.


    There were over a dozen more women suspected to have had an affair with him, including Christine Stewart, Emma Roberts, Emma Stone, Katy Perry, Keira Knightley, Gal Gadot, Adele, Lady Gaga, and so on.


    The group of overseas student netizens listed not just a few of these female celebrities'' names but also posted their gorgeous pictures online.


    When domestic netizens saw the pictures of Emma, Marion, Du Chen, Amber, Jennifer, Daddario, Christine, and others,


    they drooled one by one.


    "This is way too beautiful, although our goddess is pretty, she''s not quite there when compared to these women."


    Since these women were conquered by Link, how far could Chris Liu be from being conquered?


    The male fans felt a chill running through their hearts.


    Yet, some netizens spoke up in Link''s defense.


    They argued that Western media loved to report negative news about celebrities, the bigger the celebrity, the more the negativity, like MJ and Madonna, both had been top figures in the Western music industry, the former was branded a child predator and the latter was shamed as a slut.


    Now that Link''s fame was so substantial, Western media would never let him be, and because he was too perfect with hardly any flaws, the media blamed him for being a cad.


    Link was truly a good man.


    The studying-abroad netizens argued that in the West, "Link is a cad" was nearly a consensus, but because he was so powerful and talented, no one cared about his private life.


    The chances of Chris Liu not being played during their two years of interaction were practically zero.


    The male fans kept feeling colder and colder, as if their goddess was tainted, should they continue to like her?


    As everyone was tangled in this issue, some netizens posted the pair''s activity schedule, showing that Link had been developing his career in the West for the past two years and had never been to Huaxia, while Chris Liu had always been in the country, making it nearly impossible for them to have any kind of relationship beyond friendship.


    The male fans thought about it, and it did seem to be the case, warming their hearts slightly.


    But then someone exposed that they had encountered Link at the Senshichuan Four Seasons hotel four or five days ago, around nine o''clock at night, and one of the girls with him looked like Chris Liu; his testimony and his girlfriend''s could prove it.


    The male fans'' hearts cracked, feeling not just cold but also pained.


    Yet someone else countered that, without photos or videos, a mere ''looked like'' slandered a girl''s innocence, only a fool would believe that, adding that during Link''s concert in Senshichuan, he had stayed at the Sheraton, not the Four Seasons.


    The news left the fans feeling hot and cold, their hearts aching terribly.


    Due to the limited information online and the low credibility of the news, they didn''t know whom to believe, or if their goddess had been played?


    To be safe, some fans started a campaign on Tieba with the slogan "Protect our goddess," which nearly instantly garnered over three hundred thousand likes in a day.


    "Ha, these fans are quite cute."


    Chris Liu, lounging on the couch with her fair legs hooked, delightfully read the comments on her computer and even gave a like to the "Protect our goddess" post.


    Smack!


    While she was enjoying herself, her butt was slapped.


    Chris Liu turned around in surprise, only to see her mom staring at her with a stern face, cold as ice.


    "Mom, what''s up? Can you not keep a cold face every day? It''s quite frightening," Chris Liu said, rubbing her butt discontentedly.


    "Liu Yi Fei! Tell me honestly, what did you and Shu Chang do after the concert last Wednesday night? I know everything, don''t think of hiding it from me."


    "Did... didn''t do anything!"


    "You still dare to argue, look at this," Liu Li pulled out her phone, pointing to a netizen''s expos¨¦ about seeing Link at the Four Seasons hotel with two girls.


    Others might not believe the news, but Liu Li had no choice but to.


    That day, Feifei and Shu Chang just happened to be staying at the Four Seasons. Initially, allowing Feifei to attend Link''s concert also meant considering a private chat between the two, but Liu Li never expected Feifei to be bold enough to bring a foreign boy back to the hotel at night, and a playboy at that.


    What''s the difference between this and inviting a wolf into your house?


    "This..."


    Chris Liu, seeing that message, her cheeks unnaturally flushed red. She was delighted to meet Link that day, and after shopping and having some snacks and drinks, she was even more excited and invited Link to continue drinking and chatting at the hotel.


    Thinking back on it, she couldn''t help but blush¡ªit was too bold of her that day.


    Seeing her daughter''s complexion, Liu Li understood everything in an instant. That night, Feifei indeed brought Link back to the hotel. Thinking about her well-behaved and sensible daughter bringing a man back to the hotel late at night, she suddenly felt a loss of control.


    "Tell me! Who suggested bringing Link back to the hotel, was it Link or Shu Chang? And what exactly happened that night? I want you to tell me everything exactly as it was." S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liu Li said, holding back her anger.


    "Mom, don''t be so nervous. Nothing happened that night."


    Chris Liu straightened her hair and sat up to talk about that night, from backstage to shopping, to how she invited Link to the hotel and then they chatted and eventually went to sleep.


    "Slept? How did you sleep?"


    "How else? Shu Chang and I had a room with two beds. Shu Chang and I slept on one bed, and Link slept on the other."


    "..."


    Liu Li looked at her incredulously. "The three of you slept in one room that night?"


    "Yeah, what''s the big deal? Actually, I don''t remember it very clearly; I was drunk, and Shu Chang said Link carried me to bed in a princess carry, very, very gently."


    "You were drunk too?"


    Liu Li covered her forehead; today''s conversation was somewhat beyond her understanding. Her usually sensible daughter had not only brought a man back to the hotel but also shared a room and was drunk beyond comprehension.


    This meant no precautions against Link whatsoever.


    When had her daughter turned into such a na?ve girl?


    "That¡ªdid he take advantage of you, and when you woke up the next day, did you feel any discomfort?"


    "Of course not, Mom, you think too ill of people. After I got drunk, Link wanted to leave, but Shu Chang saw it was very late and persuaded him to stay by giving him the other bed, and then Shu Chang and I shared one, nothing happened in between."


    Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Are you sure? Did you check thoroughly?"


    "Mom! I''m a girl; wouldn''t I know if I had been taken advantage of?"


    Chris Liu blushed and pushed her hand away.


    Liu Li looked at her cheeks and brow, indeed seeing no changes.


    "So, you''re saying Link slept with you guys that night and didn''t do anything?"


    Liu Li was somewhat surprised; would a playboy like Link let such an opportunity slip by?


    "Mom, like I said before, Link is a good guy. He would never do something like taking advantage of a girl. Besides, look at his ex-girlfriends, his current girlfriend, and a few rumored ones. Do you think he lacks women?"


    Chris Liu pointed to several pictures of beautiful women on the computer.


    The first one showed Taylor performing on stage, dancing and singing while the audience cheered loudly¡ªa strong presence.


    The second was a very beautiful picture of Ivanka, top-notch in body, looks, temperament, background, and learning.


    And then his rumored girlfriends, all beautiful and sexy beauties.


    Seeing these photos, Liu Li thought Link indeed had his share of good fortune. Perhaps he was genuinely uninterested in Huaxia girls. Still, seeing her daughter''s disheartened expression, she felt a bit sympathetic and comforted her:


    "Our Feifei is also considered a great beauty in the eyes of foreigners, otherwise, Link wouldn''t befriend you or invite you to his concert. You must know, men are visual creatures."


    "Really?"


    Chris Liu blinked, asking happily.


    "Absolutely! The performance costumes have arrived; come out and try them, see if there are any adjustments needed."


    Liu Li patted her and walked out.


    "Okay!"


    Chris Liu put on slippers and went out to try on the concert costume, made according to her body measurements. The size was perfect; no alterations were needed.


    After trying on the clothes, Chris Liu remembered something. She called Shu Chang to ask if her injuries were better. That night Shu Chang slipped in the bathroom, hitting her knee and hip, and had to rest in the hotel for a couple of days.


    Chris Liu asked if she could come to the concert venue.


    Shu Chang said she was much better and could go tomorrow.


    Chris Liu said good, see you at the concert.

 Chapter 411 - 350: All-Star Audience

    August 16, Dahai City Sports Arena, Link''s global tour concert at the Shanghai venue.


    Despite the recent flood of news on social media about Link being a scumbag, which impacted his reputation negatively, the concert venue was still packed that day with over eighty-three thousand attendees, and not a single seat was empty. There were even thousands of people outside the arena, listening in on the concert.


    Due to the overwhelming attendance, the organizers had to deploy over five hundred security personnel to maintain order at the venue, and more than ten ambulances and fire trucks were on standby at the east gate of the arena, ready to respond immediately in case of any emergencies. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    When the concert started that day, Link led his performance team onto the stage, first singing five popular English songs, "Never say never," "Unstoppable," "Trouble I''m In," "Keep On Movin''," "This Is Me."


    Dancing and singing, he elevated the atmosphere to a higher level.


    Every time he started to sing, the audience would shout loudly, "Link! Link! Link!"


    Especially the female fans, whenever Link walked to the edge of the stage, they would stretch out their arms, screaming loudly; once when Link bent down to shake hands with them, he almost got pulled off the stage by a few enthusiastic female fans.


    "This is too cool, I should have become a singer too," he remarked.


    In the middle of the audience, Lin Genxin held a light stick, staring at the guy on the stage who was passionately singing in extravagant performance attire.


    A couple of days ago, he thought the guy looked handsome in photos, just a bit more than himself, but now watching him from the audience seats, he felt this guy was incredibly handsome, without boundaries.


    At that moment, he was like a massive magnet, causing a strong reaction wherever he went. The audience would boil over, reaching out their arms and screaming non-stop.


    And when he waved his hand, the more than eighty thousand people in the venue would wave their light sticks along with him; when that many people waved light sticks together, it looked like a sea of shimmering lights, with waves surging majestically and stunningly.


    In the past, Lin Genxin thought being an actor was pretty good, as it allowed one to earn money and be loved by many fans, but watching Link''s concert, he suddenly felt that compared to singers, actors had much less influence on their fans.


    "Big Lin, what did you say?"


    His roommate, Zhou Fang, turned his head and asked.


    "Nothing!"


    "Oh, Link is so handsome! Look, Link is coming this way, Link! Over here!!"


    Zhou Fang waved his hand and shouted excitedly.


    "Keep it down! Don''t forget you''re also a man," Lin Genxin awkwardly watched him, as he shouted and his voice became as high-pitched and sharp as the surrounding girls, his face flushed with excitement, making one''s scalp tingle.


    "What''s wrong with being a man, can''t men be fans?"


    "Your goddess Liu Yifei might end up sleeping with him," Lin Genxin retorted.


    Zhou Fang put down his light stick and glared at him unhappily, "So what, the goddess will eventually sleep with someone, better Link than those losers."


    "...Okay, as long as you don''t mind," Lin Genxin shrugged his shoulders.


    "Look! Those are two senior sisters from the ''06 class and a few junior sisters from the ''08-''09 classes, they are dancing as backup for Link," his roommate, Pu Bajia, pointed at a few girls dancing on stage and shouted.


    Lin Genxin glanced over, and sure enough, they were schoolmates, Ma Danni, Lan Xinyan, Lou Yixiao, and a few others. They followed Link, dancing as they walked. However, compared to the dancers from the United States, their performance seemed a bit immature.


    After Link finished singing "This Is Me," he waved to the audience below, took the stage elevator, and temporarily exited the stage, allowing local singers arranged by the organizers, such as Zhang Liangying and Jin Sha, to perform two songs.


    Since the two were new singers performing for the first time in front of more than eighty thousand people, they were somewhat nervous, and their control over the stage was not as good as Link''s, causing a slight drop in the lively atmosphere.


    After the two left the stage, suddenly, a burst of dazzling fireworks erupted, followed by the pleasant sound of piano coming through the mist, it was the intro of "all of me."


    As the mist cleared, there was Link, dressed in a flamboyant suit, sitting in front of a piano, his fingers flying across the keys, looking incredibly handsome. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The audience, seeing Link on stage again, started shouting excitedly, but as his sexy voice came through the speakers, everyone gradually quieted down to listen to his song intently.


    What would I do without your smart mouth


    If not for your sweet nothings, what would I do?


    Drawing me in, and you kicking me out


    Your passion ignites me, then you''re cold as ice


    Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can''t pin you down


    "Link is so handsome!"


    Tang Yan, an actress from Dahai City, sat in the front row of the audience, staring intently at the man on stage, captivated by his handsome profile and upright posture, playing and singing by himself, feeling that this man was immensely charming.


    Not just good-looking, he also had a very appealing aura, one glance and you couldn''t look away.


    "I heard his net worth is seven to eight hundred million US dollars, converting to Huaxia currency that''s fifty to sixty billion, a true tycoon," Tang Yan said.


    Next to her, actress Yang Dami also stared unblinkingly at Link, as if looking at a shining mountain of gold.


    "How did he achieve this? I heard he used to be poor and made seven to eight hundred million dollars in just two to three years, that''s incredible," actress Zhao Liying stared at Link, her round face filled with admiration.


    "I know, Link is also a very impressive boxer. He earns forty to fifty million US dollars per boxing match and competed in five matches in the first half of this year, making 170 million US dollars. The American media even call him a human money printing machine," Zhao Liying explained.

 Chapter 412 - 350: All-Star Audience_2

    Actor Li Chen clenched his fists, and the muscles on his shoulders bulged. Even though he was a second-generation rich kid, he still greatly envied Link''s earning ability.


    "Half a year earnings of 170 million? In US dollars?"


    Those around him who hadn''t heard this news covered their mouths in astonishment, hardly believing it and repeatedly asking Li Chen if it was true or just a rumor.


    Li Chen immediately searched for the news on his phone and showed everyone. After seeing it, whenever they looked at Link, they felt like he was radiating with a golden light.


    "Link doesn''t just make money from boxing; he also owns a music company with several top-tier singers under his label, valued at four to five hundred million US dollars. And do you know how much he earns per performance in his world tour? At least a million US dollars per show, plus a 30% share of the ticket revenue. Since last year, he has performed in over a hundred shows, conservatively earning two hundred million US dollars."


    Another well-informed industry insider spilled the details.


    Hearing this, everyone was stunned into numbness. This guy was not only handsome and immensely talented, but his earning capability was also incredibly fast.


    If one could marry such a man, fame, fortune, and status would all be secured, probably even causing one to wake up laughing from dreams.


    The female celebrities in the audience looked at Link again, their eyes even more fervent, filled with adoration and hints of flirtation, and some even displayed greedy looks.


    On the stage, after Link finished singing "All Of Me," a tidal wave of applause and cheers erupted, lasting for over a minute. Still seated at the piano, Link waved to the audience and said into the microphone,


    "I''m honored to perform in Dahai City, and I''m so happy to see so many lovely fans here. Thank you all for your applause and cheers. Next, I will present a new song, ''When You Are Old,'' which I will perform with my friend, Ms. Liu Yifei. Hope you all like it!"


    Clap, clap, clap!


    A fervent round of applause followed from the audience.


    "Mom, I''m feeling a bit nervous, what should I do?"


    Standing in the elevator, Liu Yifei clutched her chest, taking deep breaths while her cheeks turned pink.


    "You''re nervous at a time like this?"


    Liu Li looked at her helplessly. The show was about to start, with over eighty thousand people outside; getting stage fright now would be a major on-stage disaster.


    "Feifei, don''t be afraid. Link is there on stage, he''s so capable, he will definitely take care of you," She encouraged.


    Liu Yifei blinked her beautiful phoenix eyes. Thinking about seeing Link once she got on stage, she gradually calmed down, took a few deep breaths, and rose slowly in the elevator.


    After a brief period of darkness, when she opened her eyes again, she found herself on a dazzlingly lit stage, the giant screen behind her twinkling with lights.


    And below, in the vast audience area, was a dense crowd of people and light sticks, resembling countless fireflies in summer, or like a sky full of stars.


    Liu Yifei stared dumbfounded at the audience below, her nervousness making her breathless.


    She was an actor and had released three albums, but she had never performed in front of so many people. A small mistake, barely noticeable to one person, would be magnified ten thousand times by ten thousand people¡ªlet alone over eighty thousand. Was she really going to sing here?


    Hearing the prompt in her earpiece, her anxiety grew. This was nothing like the rehearsal.


    "Oh no! Yifei is going to have a problem,"


    Backstage, Liu Li saw her standing on stage like a post and felt like going up and kicking her into action.


    "Hey, Chris, are you ready? I''m starting," Link said with a smile.


    Liu Yifei glanced at him, quickly snapped out of it, and following the rehearsal routine, she waved to the audience and introduced herself as Liu Yifei, expressing her honor to perform there with Link.


    Though she was two seconds late, the issue wasn''t significant.


    "Yifei! Yifei!"


    "Fairy sister! I love you!"


    Below, her fans saw her appearance and also cheered loudly, clapping for her.


    Liu Yifei waved her pale arms, approached the piano, and stood ready. She didn''t look at the audience anymore and stared straight at Link, admiring the casual smile on his face. Faced with tens of thousands of people, he still performed marvellously.


    Link also glanced at her, smiled gently, and began playing the piano, singing "When You Are Old" once in English.


    When you are old and gray and full of sleep, Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    And nodding by the fire, take down this book,


    And slowly read, and dream of the soft look


    ...


    The second time, Liu Yifei sang, listening to Link by the piano, she instinctively thought of when they recorded the song in the studio. She calmed down, picked up the microphone, and sang softly:


    When you are old and unable to walk,


    drowsing by the fire, recalling your youth,


    Many people loved your cheerful youth,


    Their admiration for your beauty, insincere or heartfelt,


    But only one person still loves your devout soul sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    Although Liu Yifei''s singing skills were average, her voice was sweet and shy. Coupled with her beauty, dressed in a lily-like gown revealing her fair, tight shoulders, and black hair gathered at her crown, showcasing her swan-like neck and exquisite features, she appeared even more beautiful, and her singing seemed even more delightful.


    Hearing her song, male audience members excitedly shouted, the noise rivaling the previous cheers for Link.


    "Huh, this song is quite nice,"


    From the front row of the audience, actor and singer Zhou Xun listened and remarked surprisedly. He initially felt Link''s English version was rather bland; listening to Liu Yifei''s Mandarin version revealed an unexpectedly good song, not just the tune but the lyrics as well."

 Chapter 413 - 350: All-Star Spectator_3

    ```


    "It sounds so good, who wrote this song, and why did they have a foreigner sing it?"


    The actor Chen Kun crossed his legs and nodded.


    "Listen, I heard from the colleagues at Universal Records that the music was... written by Link, and the lyrics were adapted from a poem by the Irish singer Ye Zhi, and the... the Chinese lyrics were adapted by a domestic musician at Link''s request."


    Gold medal music producer Zhou Yadong stuttered as he spoke.


    "Link can even write Chinese songs, that''s amazing, much better than many domestic singers. Domestic singers spend all day drinking and bragging, and can''t produce a single good song all year round."


    Zhou Xun and Dou Ying clapped their hands and praised.


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    Hearing these words, Zhou Yadong, alongside domestic male singers Pu Shu and Dou Peng, blushed but couldn''t refute. Link''s song "When You Are Old," both the music and lyrics, was just too gripping, making the popular domestic songs of the year seem incomparable.


    After Liu Yifei finished singing on stage, Link left the piano, took the microphone, and taking Liu Yifei''s hand, they moved to the center of the stage. This time Liu Yifei sang the English version, while Link sang the Chinese version.


    When you are old, your hair is grey Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Your eyes are sleepy


    When you are old and cannot walk


    Dozing by the fire, recalling your youth


    How many loved your moments of glad grace


    "Wow!"


    "It sounds amazing!"


    When the fans at the venue heard Link sing in Chinese, they couldn''t help but excitedly applaud and cheer. Prior to this, they knew from "Yu Lu''s Appointment" that Link could speak a bit of Chinese, but they never expected him to sing so beautifully in Chinese.


    Despite slight issues with his pronunciation and enunciation, his singing abilities were clearly much stronger than Liu Yifei''s, his voice deep and magnetic, his emotions full and sincere, incredibly moving, and even more pleasant to the ears than many domestic male singers.


    "Yadong, now I understand why Link is famous. He''s not only talented but also very dedicated. I heard that during a concert in Thailand, he sang a song in Thai. When he had a concert on Hong Kong Island, he sang ''Glorious Years'' in Cantonese, and for a concert in mainland China, he composed and performed a song in Chinese himself. This means he has to learn various languages and study local songs before his concerts. Could you guys do that?"


    Zhou Xun asked, turning to the male singers.


    The few male singers turned their heads away awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. To imitate Link, to learn a new language for every concert location seemed an insurmountable challenge. If they had such a knack for learning, they might as well go back to school and become scientists.


    "This is the difference! You guys sigh all day long, acting as if the world owes you for your unrecognized talents, when in reality, it''s all your own fault. You''re not working hard enough, not passionate enough about music, nor do you love your fans enough. You deserve your downfall," Zhou Xun said.


    "Xunge, stop, let''s leave these guys some dignity," Dou Ying advised from the side.


    Zhou Xun glanced at the flushed, sweating men and suddenly felt a rush of exhilaration. She saw Link and Liu Yifei approaching and, following the audience''s lead, shouted loudly, "Link, I love you!"


    On stage, Link sang and, seeing a few familiar faces in the audience, he smiled gently and waved at them.


    After finishing "When You Are Old" onstage, Link waved, took Chris Liu by the hand, and they left the stage together.


    The venue erupted into enthusiastic applause that lasted for over two minutes and didn''t subside.


    Backstage, Liu Li, seeing that Liu Yifei came offstage successfully, suddenly relaxed her tense body and realized she had broken into a sweat, even dampening her dress a bit.


    "Aunt Li, it''s hot, wipe off your sweat," Shu Chang offered a wet wipe.


    Liu Li thanked her and took the wet wipe to dab at her forehead. As she watched Link and Liu Yifei leave the stage hugging each other closely in the monitor, she looked at Shu Chang and asked while pinching the wet wipe:


    "Shu Chang, did Feifei say you three shared one room that night?"


    Suddenly faced with this question, Shu Chang froze, then blushed crimson.


    Even though several days had passed, the memory of that night still made her quiver and heat up all over.


    Her head spun as if she could smell his sweet scent again and hear his burning breaths by her ear.


    "Shu Chang, what''s wrong?"


    ```

 Chapter 414 - 351: Super Hardcore Singer

    Seeing her face flush with red, even her neck turned red, Liu Li softly comforted her, "It''s okay, Feifei has told me about this. You don''t have to be shy, and no one else knows."


    "That... That day we talked until very late, there was still thunder outside, and it wasn''t safe to go out, so I asked Link to sleep on the adjacent bed."


    Shu Chang said with her head lowered.


    "Just like that? Nothing else happened at night?"


    "No!"


    Shu Chang shook her head slightly, looked down, and blinked her eyes, and once again, that dimly lit room flashed before her eyes.


    There were two beds, on the large bed near the window, a delicately beautiful girl was dreaming sweetly, like a sleeping princess.


    And on the other bed, under a thin blanket.


    A petite figure was held in the arms of a robust silhouette.


    She dared not recall anymore.


    In fact, there wasn''t much to remember.


    That night, thunder suddenly sounded outside.


    ...


    Her mind had no memories.


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    When she awoke, it was almost daybreak.


    Although there wasn''t much to remember, she would savor the experience of the night for a lifetime.


    "Mom, I''m back!"


    "Shu Chang, how did I perform just now?"


    Chris Liu entered the dressing room, swirling her dress around, her exquisite face blooming with a smile.


    "Feifei, you did very well."


    Shu Chang stood up, pulling her and smiling slightly.


    "Haha, I thought so too."


    Chris Liu sat down, excitedly talking about the feeling of being on stage, mentioning how, when she first went on stage and suddenly saw the crowd below, she went numb, her mind went blank, not knowing who she was, where she was, or what to do?


    Luckily, Link was beside her to remind her, so she gradually recovered, proceeded as they had during the rehearsals, but singing in front of more than eighty thousand people was still nerve-racking, her throat seemingly locked up, and it was fortunate that Link was there accompanying her, otherwise, it would have been quite embarrassing.


    "But my courage has grown a lot now, now if you tell me to sing at a concert for ten or twenty thousand people, I can do it without even taking a deep breath, I feel like I could be a singer and hold concerts too."


    Chris Liu waved her slender arm confidently as she spoke.


    Liu Li gave her a look, this was what you''d call ''getting carried away.'' However, having gone through such a big event definitely enhanced Feifei''s psychological resilience. Besides, Feifei''s fame would also increase significantly, and those people looking to sabotage Feifei wouldn''t find it so easy as before.


    Link had indeed done Feifei a huge favor in this matter.


    "Hey!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    Liu Li looked at Feifei who was playing with her phone and asked.


    Liu Yifei handed her phone to Liu Li and Shu Chang to see. It had many unread messages, all from people in the industry, including fellow Little Flowers like Yang Dami, Huang Shengyi, Wang Luodan, as well as Tang Yan, Liu Shishi, Zhao Liying, Gao Yuanyuan, Liu Tao, Dong Jie, Li Binbin, Fan Bing, and many other male celebrities whom she knew.


    Some of these messages congratulated her on her successful performance, some inquired about her relationship with Link and whether she could introduce them to Link, claiming to be fans of Link, eager to meet him.


    "Mom, how should I reply to them? Link mentioned he won''t accept private invitations or attend parties of strangers during the tour."


    Chris Liu asked.


    "Humph, ignore them."


    Liu Li said with a cold expression.


    Now, seeing Feifei appear at Link''s concert, everything was different.


    Link was a pop king in Western music, a world-class superstar. It was said that a singer had offered a million to become a guest at Link''s concert but was turned down by Link.


    Yet Link had invited Feifei, an amateur singer, onto the stage, making her the only performer from the Huaxia region other than the band Beyond to be personally invited by Link.


    This indicated that their relationship was indeed strong, not just the casual friendship rumored on the outside.


    Furthermore, Link''s net worth was around 50 to 60 billion Huaxia currency, higher than many tycoons in the entertainment industry, and he also owned movie and music companies.


    With Link as a friend, people in the industry knew it wouldn''t be long before Feifei returned to the entertainment circle, so they started sending her messages to curry favor, and some wanted to approach the rich magnate Link through Feifei.


    Liu Li knew exactly what these people were thinking.


    "Mom, is it okay to pretend we didn''t see those messages? After all, everyone is friends,"


    Chris Liu said. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liu Li gave her a glance, asking her to reply to those congratulatory messages, but for anything involving Link, she should claim ignorance or inconvenience.


    As she spoke, Liu Li''s own phone kept vibrating non-stop. Pulling it out, she saw many old acquaintances she hadn''t contacted in a while also looking to reach Link through her.


    Even Shu Chang had received messages.


    The three exchanged glances and gently laughed together.


    "Let''s not bother with that for now, let''s watch Link''s concert, that''s the most important thing at this moment,"


    Chris Liu dropped her phone and shouted capriciously.


    Liu Li and Shu Chang followed her suggestion and turned their attention to Link on stage. Wearing a microphone and slinging a guitar, he stood in the middle of the stage, performing the rock song "Give Me Reason" with a rock band accompanying him, the music rhythmically intense and uplifting.


    So give me reason to prove me wrong


    To wash this memory clean


    Let the floods cross the distance in your eyes


    Give me reason to fill this hole


    As Link performed "Give Me Reason" with his guitar, passionately belting out the song to the band''s accompaniment, the audience''s passion reignited, with many fans screaming out loud, some even stripping off their clothes and running around in the stands until several security guards restrained and removed them.


    "Link is so amazing,"


    Chris Liu gazed at Link on the stage, excitedly stating, "Before, I thought he was just physically strong, unbeatable in a fight, but now I know his spirit is even stronger. He dares to stand alone in front of tens of thousands, singing and dancing so relaxedly, he''s truly amazing."


    Having studied Link''s profile, Liu Li naturally knew how formidable he was. This kind of guy would be a great friend, a strong ally, but potentially a problematic boyfriend.


    She really didn''t want Feifei to be influenced by Link, much less fall in love with him.


    Yet she also understood this would be difficult, as Link was so handsome and outstanding. Even if she were twenty years younger, she would be irresistibly drawn to him, let alone the innocent-minded Feifei trying to keep her away from Link would be very challenging.


    All she could do now was try her hardest to protect Feifei, preventing her from getting hurt too much in this affair.


    Next to her, Shu Chang also gazed dreamily at Link, watching him dazzling on stage, worshiped by thousands, feeling as though her body and soul were once again completely filled by him, and she couldn''t help trembling slightly, humming softly through her nose.


    In the second half of the concert, Link performed seven more songs: "Girls Like You," "The Rose," "Give Me Reason," "Closer," "Stay With Me," "Promises," and the closing piece, "Legends Never Die."


    Having spent the previous hour shouting and jumping along with Link, using up a lot of their energy, many in the audience had hoarse throats and sore wrists from waving glow sticks.


    By the last two songs, many were too drained to shout, originally planning to rest a bit to save energy for leaving the venue.


    But the final song was "Legends Never Die." Link, slinging his guitar, sang powerfully and explosively as always.


    Behind him, more than fifty dancers gave a performance worthy of the Super Bowl, with energetic dancing and singing that escalated the atmosphere to an extremely high level.


    The originally resting audience, driven by the incredible atmosphere, couldn''t resist continuing to shout and jump around.


    As a result, many fans left the concert without any energy left, feeling that attending Link''s concert was more exhausting than running a marathon.


    "Link is freaking awesome!"


    "Definitely epic. A foreigner holding a concert here and filling a stadium of over eighty thousand people is stronger than many top local singers."


    "That''s not what I''m talking about. I mean his physical and mental endurance, singing for over two hours straight, and still being able to perform a high-difficulty song like ''Legends Never Die'' so wonderfully at the end. That''s freaking amazing. Who among you could do that?"


    "He''s the world boxing champion, not your average person, so of course, we can''t compare,"


    Xu Wei, Zheng Jun, Chang Kuan, and other rock singers watching the audience reluctant to leave expressed their envy with a few sighs before rising and leaving their seats.

 Chapter 415 - 352: Sweet Backstage (9/10)

    "Link, you were incredible, the live audience was totally mesmerized by you."


    After the show ended, just as Link walked into the backstage lounge, Chris Liu approached with a sweet smile to offer her congratulations.


    The girl was wearing a white lace dress, revealing her delicate collarbones and slender arms.


    The fuller area of her chest was also partly visible, trembling slightly.


    Beneath the knee-length hem were a pair of pale, thin legs as straight as chopsticks, with knees pressed tightly together, leaving no gap at all.


    She looked a bit sexy.


    "And you? Were you mesmerized by me?"


    "Of course! I''m your die-hard fan and have been captivated by you for a long time."


    Chris Liu said with a playful smile.


    Link smiled gently, embraced the girl, and kissed her red lips, which tasted faintly of cherries, like jelly.


    Chris Liu stared at him in surprise, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, but she didn''t dodge, instead looking at him shyly with blushing cheeks, her beautiful eyes sparkling with anticipation.


    Link didn''t disappoint her; he wrapped his arms around her slender waist, leaned against the wall, and kissed her forcefully until she was breathless.


    When Liu Li came over and saw her daughter hanging on Link''s neck and talking affectionately, with a joyful smile on her face, while Link was holding Feifei''s slim waist, his hand caressing her body a bit too boldly.


    She initially wanted to call out that it was time for Feifei to go, but she swallowed her words before they escaped her lips.


    Ever since Link and Feifei appeared on "Yu Lu''s Appointment," there had been all kinds of speculation about their relationship in the circle, with some saying they were just friends and others claiming Feifei was Link''s lover, and since Link was a globally known playboy, most believed the latter.


    In the beginning, Liu Li had thought of making a clarification.


    But today, Feifei was at Link''s concert, performing the love song "When You Are Old" with him, their demeanor very intimate.


    It was obvious to anyone with eyes that their relationship was more than casual.


    Making any clarification at this point would be practically useless.


    Moreover, after Feifei showed an intimate relationship with Link, people in the circle started to approach them warmly again.


    Not only did old acquaintances rekindle ties with her, but media, advertisers, and film companies also started to call, some wanting to interview Feifei, others proposing collaboration offers, turning her phone number back into a hot line.


    In this respect, dating someone like Link was actually a good choice for Feifei.


    Besides, setting aside the benefits, Link truly was a remarkable young man; aside from his roving eye, he had almost no faults, and for a successful man, being a playboy wasn''t unusual or even considered a fault.


    Feifei was growing up and inevitably meeting men, which couldn''t be avoided.


    Being involved with a man as exceptional as Link, even if she were to lose the most precious thing without a name or status, would still be a hundred times better than being with a faithful man.


    After pondering for a while, Liu Li realized she had no reason to dissuade Feifei, so she pretended not to see anything, took out her mobile phone, and busied herself with it.


    In the lounge, Shu Chang was also looking at Feifei, who was in Link''s arms, a hint of envy on her face. She knew Link might be slightly interested in her body but would never fancy her like he did Feifei.


    Although she knew this, she wasn''t disheartened.


    Compared to the female celebrities outside clamoring to meet Link, she not only knew him but had also given him her first time and had the most intimate contact with him. She could now interact with him like a friend, which made her luckier than those women.


    "Boss, Selena''s on the phone, are you free to take it?"


    Ms. Anna came over with his phone in hand and asked.


    "Yes, I''m free!"


    Link reached out to take the phone, and as soon as he answered, Selena''s cute yet annoying voice came through.


    "Link, is the concert over? Are you backstage hitting on girls?"


    "Nope!"


    Link glanced at Chris Liu and Shu Chang, who had just sat down beside him, and shook his head decisively.


    "Humph! Don''t try to lie. Remember, I''m the Saint Priestess of the Mexican temple. I just asked the deities what you were up to, and they told me you, bad guy, are flirting."


    "Stop the nonsense, little witch! Why did you call? Tell me quickly, I''m busy here."


    Link was indeed not lying about being busy; after the concert ended, many fans had brought gifts, and even more were waiting outside, hoping to get his autograph on photos and albums. He needed to sign hundreds of autographs before he could leave.


    "Do you know what day it is today?"


    "Just tell me, don''t make me guess."


    "The new Billboard singles chart has been updated. Have you seen the ranking for ''We don''t talk anymore''?"


    "Oh, you almost made me forget. What''s the ranking?"


    It was only after Selena mentioned it that he remembered. Their latest collaboration, "We Don''t Talk Anymore," was released last week, and on this weekend, Billboard magazine would update its charts.


    "Guess what....well, since you''re busy, I won''t make you guess. ''We don''t talk anymore'' ranked....second place on this week''s single charts, yes! That''s so great, reaching number two in its debut week, I''m so awesome, haha~"


    Celebratory laughter from Selena came through the microphone.


    Link raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Shouldn''t it be that I''m awesome?"


    "No, you said you''d give this song to me, so it''s mine, and so is the achievement. You can''t take it back," Selena retorted crisply.


    "I won''t take it back, but you also said that you''d get a good score on the SAT in December and go to a good university. The exam is less than four months away, how prepared are you?" S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Selena took the SAT in May and did terribly. To turn his sister into a scholar, he went to great lengths, even trading a good song.


    "....."


    "Selena, are you still listening?"


    "Not anymore! You''re so annoying, making me study even across the Pacific Ocean, are you a devil?"


    "Alright, I''ll let you off this time. Who is the champion of this week''s single chart?"


    "Of course, it''s Taylor! ''Blank Space'', Taylor is so amazing. The album has been out for three weeks and has produced four champion singles, it''s about to catch up with your ''The Woman I Love''. What do you think, are you scared?"


    "Not scared. All her songs in that album are about me. Even if all 14 songs become champion singles, that would still be thanks to me, I share the honor."


    Link joked as he signed autographs. Your next read awaits at My Virtual Library Empire


    "So thick-skinned! I''m telling Taylor in a bit that you said her songs only win because of you."


    "As you wish. When is your new album coming out?"


    "Next Monday, remember to promote it for me on Twitter."


    "Okay, anything else?"


    "Yes! You need to stop flirting around. With Taylor''s new album out, the whole world knows you''re a playboy now. As your sister, I''m too embarrassed to even face people. And little Anne, little Anne also said she''s too ashamed to go out because of you. It''s all your fault."


    "There are a lot of fun things to do here in Huaxia, what gift do you want? Oh, right, Huaxia people are good at exams, they produce world-class test papers. Do you want me to bring back a hundred sets of SAT practice tests for you?"


    "You..just don''t come back, you''re infuriating, pighead!"


    Selena hung up the phone, huffing angrily.


    Link smiled lightly and asked Ms. Anna about this week''s Billboard chart standings.


    Anna took out her tablet and told him that Taylor''s new album ''Last Kiss'' had sold 328,000 copies this week.


    It remained the Billboard album chart sales champion for another week, with a cumulative US sales figure of 2.586 million copies, and currently fourth on the year-end album chart.


    It was less than a hundred thousand copies behind Eminem''s ''Recovery'' at third place, and just 180,000 copies shy of ''Need you now'' at second, with good prospects of hitting the second spot next week.


    ''Last Kiss'' had twelve songs in the top 100 singles chart, with four entering the top 10, maintaining its high popularity.


    US media predicted that Taylor''s third album could sell around 4 million copies in the United States alone. With continued promotion, there was a good chance it would catch up to Link''s third album.


    This week ''The Woman I Love'' sold 12,400 copies in the US, with a cumulative sales figure of 4.382 million copies, and a global cumulative sales figure of 17.32 million copies.


    Link''s second album ''Keep On Movin'''' had a total of 3.58 million copies sold in the US within a year of its release, and 16.67 million copies globally.


    During the world tour, all three albums saw an increase in overseas sales, and ''The Fighter'' was expected to break 10 million global sales within two more years, while ''Keep On Movin'''' was on its way to becoming a double-diamond record.


    Hearing Ms. Anna''s report, Chris Liu and Shu Chang exchanged glances, their faces showing admiration as they looked at Link with reverence.


    "How is ''Scandal Plan'' doing at the box office?" Link continued to ask.


    "The box office this week is 3.41 million US dollars, North America''s cumulative box office is 60.53 million US dollars, and the global box office is 135 million US dollars."


    "Sounds pretty good."


    Link nodded and continued to sign autographs, expressing his gratitude to his fans.


    Chris Liu and Shu Chang worked diligently by his side, like his little secretaries.


    Link smiled gently, leaning in to Chris''s ear and asking if she wanted to go to the hotel again tonight for drinks and a chat.


    Chris remembered what happened that night and her cheeks gradually turned pink, her beautiful phoenix eyes becoming misty as she shyly said she had to ask her mom for an opinion first.


    Link wasn''t in a rush and said he would wait for her response.


    Meanwhile, Shu Chang, taking the chance while Chris was away, whispered that she could come over tonight and asked if he needed her to.


    Link, signing autographs, nodded.

 Chapter 416 - 353: Japanese Female Teacher (10/10)

    On the evening of August 16, Link finished his first concert in Dahai City.


    According to media reports afterwards, there were 85,000 spectators at the venue that day, with thousands more outside the sports hall, making it an extremely hot event, the largest concert in the music industry in the past three years.


    Besides the large number of audience members, this concert also contributed several hot social news topics.


    The first was Link and the divine sister Chris Liu''s performance on stage, which sparked further speculation about their relationship.


    Many domestic media picked up some of Link''s scandals from American newspapers.


    They claimed he was a playboy with over twenty rumored girlfriends in the European and North American entertainment circles, that his private life was chaotic and not as perfect as rumored, and that his character was slightly inferior to domestic stars.


    They also crazily hinted that the relationship between Link and Chris Liu was not pure.


    Upon seeing these news, Chris''s fans expressed their depression, suggesting that the divine sister might have already been tainted by Link, the pervert.


    Even some radical fans posted slogans on forums saying "Link roll out of Huaxia, bring back our divine sister."


    The second hot topic was the Chinese song they sang together on stage, "When You Are Old," which afterwards received a lot of affection from Huaxia music fans, being regarded as a classic Chinese song.


    Universal Records timely released a greatest hits album by Link targeted at Huaxia music fans.


    The album contained twelve songs, all favorite songs of Huaxia music fans, including "See you again", "Give me reason", "Despacito", "All of me", "unstoppable", "never say never", as well as the English version of "When You Are Old".


    Since the Chinese version of "When You Are Old" wasn''t suitable for the English version album, Chris Liu was asked to sing it.


    Universal also signed a record deal with her, planning to create a Chinese album around "When You Are Old".


    The second hot news was Link''s concert in Dahai City, which attracted many stars to the scene.


    According to photos snapped by paparazzi, more than forty stars, including movie actors, singers, models, and athletes came to his concert.


    The front-page news of "Southern Metropolitan Daily" claimed that Link''s concert in the country stirred up half of the entertainment circle and published many suspected star sightings, including Zhou Xun, Sun Li, Deng Chao, Li Chen, Yang Dami, Tang Yan, Zhou Yadong, Xu Wei, Zheng Jun, and others.


    Most did not acknowledge it, but a few female stars, including Yang Dami, Tang Yan, Wang Luodan, openly expressed they were fans of Link and really liked his songs.


    Actor Zhou Xun also publicly praised Link as a great singer, stating that attending his concert was a joy and he would continue to attend the next one. Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    Actor Li Binbin also mentioned in an interview that she liked Link''s songs and talked about the possibility of co-starring in a movie with him; she expressed great anticipation for working with Link.


    The third hot topic was Link''s vocal skills and his dedicated performance in music, which caused heated discussion among domestic media.


    Firstly, he sang for two hours straight on stage and still maintained a high level of passion afterwards, performing very steadily with absolutely top-notch vocals.


    Furthermore, he was very good to his fans; when coming abroad for concerts, he would learn the local language and songs in advance. Reportedly, he knew six foreign languages, including English, Spanish, Thai, French, Italian, and could understand some Cantonese and Mandarin.


    Reportedly, he was currently learning Korean and Japanese, preparing for his upcoming concerts in Korea and Japan, showing great professionalism.


    Many media outlets urged domestic singers to learn from Link, to actively improve their own abilities, bring more and better songs to fans, and strive to make Chinese songs break out of Asia and go global.


    Regarding these news in the newspapers, especially the third hot topic, Link felt very helpless; it was like being roasted on a fire.


    He knew Thai because he had lived in the Thai region before, already knowing the language without needing to learn it specifically for a concert, and it was the same for Cantonese and Mandarin.


    However, with media promotion, they touted him as a hard-working, dedicated good singer, claiming that whenever he held a concert somewhere, he would definitely learn the local language in advance.


    This led to companies hosting concerts in South Korea and Japan sending representatives to meet him, inquiring about his progress in learning Korean and Japanese, what local songs he planned to sing at the concert, and whether he needed a singer to collaborate with.


    It was also said that fans from both countries were very much looking forward to him singing a local song at the concert.


    Link listened intently, overwhelmed by the complexity of it all. To boost his album sales, he had no choice but to find time to learn two more languages.


    Upon hearing that he was preparing to learn Japanese, the office in Japan hurriedly presented a stack of female singers'' profiles and photographs, hoping he would choose one to be his Japanese teacher and also act as his guide during concerts in Japan.


    If possible, they also hoped he would give them a boost.


    Link initially wanted to refuse because when he had participated in boxing matches before, the organizers had given him more than ten beautiful women with impure intentions, and he worried that the Japanese counterparts might play some tricks.


    However, seeing many famous singers in the material they sent, it did not seem like they were just trying to fool him.


    He scrutinized the options carefully and selected the aesthetically pleasing Yui Shinohara.


    She was 22 years old and 169 cm tall.


    In 2007, she became famous for starring in the film "Love Sky" and won the Best Newcomer Award at the 31st Japan Academy Film Prize thanks to the film.


    In 2008, she released her debut single "Make my day", which clinched the runner-up position on the Oricon Charts and topped the Japanese Billboard charts.


    Between 2008 and 2009, she released two albums, becoming a dual threat in the industry and a rising star in Japan''s entertainment circle, fluent in English.


    "Would this one be alright?"


    Link, holding the photograph, asked Tahara Yasue, the President of Universal Records'' Marketing Division in Japan.


    "Hi!" sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without even looking, the other party nodded and said it would be fine.


    Link was somewhat surprised, noting the sincerity from the Japanese side; they readily agreed to send a popular star to be his Japanese teacher.


    "Mr. Tahara, would this inconvenience you?"


    "Hi! Mr. Baker choosing her is both her honor and her luck, and it will absolutely not be inconvenient, Mr. Baker. Please look at the others as well; these singers are all very willing to be Mr. Baker''s Japanese assistants. Please give them a chance to serve you," Tahara politely offered.


    Link looked over the rest, although they were all decent, some were too old, some too young, some were married, and none had the fresh, outstanding beauty or fame of Yui Shinohara.


    He indicated that one Japanese teacher was enough.


    Tahara nodded in agreement, took back the materials, and said he would arrange for Yui Shinohara to come over as soon as possible.


    The record company from South Korea also sent someone over with a stack of materials, offering to arrange a Korean teacher for him.


    Link turned them down, partly because Korean agencies are quite strict with female artists, leading to many incidents; he did not want to get embroiled in any repercussions.


    Moreover, after the concert, he would join the cast of "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" and could then learn Korean from Jun Ji-hyun, thus not needing to trouble others.


    Just after the South Korean company''s representatives left, Wendi Deng called to ask if he was free to have dinner together.


    She also wanted to introduce him to the film''s director, Wang Ying, and the two leading actresses beforehand to get acquainted, which would make shooting much easier.


    Link first apologized to Wendi Deng. He had been too busy since arriving in Dahai City with rehearsals, concerts, album signing sessions, and press conferences, hardly finding time to visit her. Link proposed to host the dinner himself as a treat for her and Director Wang, along with the two actresses.


    Wendi Deng laughed and said since she was the host, he should follow local customs to be at ease, suggesting that there would be another occasion for him to host when he''s less busy.


    Link agreed to her suggestion.

 Chapter 417 - 354: Two Heroines

    After 7 p.m., Link brought Chris Liu to an Italian-owned seafood restaurant in the Huangpu District on the Bund.


    The restaurant was upscale, brilliantly decorated, and frequented by elegantly dressed people, including many blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners.


    Knowing that Wendi Deng had arranged the dinner here, Link quietly praised her attentiveness. She had learned about his dietary preferences prior to the banquet.


    Once inside the restaurant, a violin orchestra played, filling the place with melodious music and creating a splendid atmosphere.


    Guided by a waiter, he led Chris to the central seating area.


    "Hey! Link!" Enjoy new tales from My Virtual Library Empire


    Ms. Wendi Deng and a few others had already arrived. She waved at Link, gave him a warm hug, and introduced the three guests beside her.


    Sitting in the middle was the elderly director Wang Ying, who was in his sixties.


    Originally a director from Hong Kong Island, Wang switched to Hollywood in the nineties, directing famous films such as The Joy Luck Club, The Nanny Diaries, The Last Holiday, and Prayer of the Dragon. He was a well-known Huaxia director in Hollywood. His wife was a famous actress from Hong Kong Island and the ex-girlfriend of "Brother Fa". S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The other two were the leading ladies from Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.


    Binbin Li, known as Alice Lee in English, was 37 years old, a leading actress in national cinema, and had starred in works like Young Justice Bao, Young Zhang Sanfeng, A World Without Thieves, and King of Kung Fu, securing her status as a top actress in the domestic entertainment industry.


    She played the lead role with the most screen time in this film. Allegedly, when Wendi Deng approached her, she agreed to participate without even reading the script, eager to break into the international film market.


    The second was South Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun, 29 years old, standing at 173 cm, dressed in a pale blue dress with her long black hair cascading over her shoulders, revealing some sexy collarbones. Her makeup was exquisite, and she had a pure, beautiful appearance, yet carried a bold, independent aura that made her a favorite among many old-timers.


    She started her career as a model in the nineties. In 2001, she rose to fame in Asia with the movie My Sassy Girl and became a well-known actress across Asia. She later featured in successful films like Daisy and My Savage Senior Sister. Despite the fierce competition in the South Korean entertainment industry, as she aged, her career hit a bottleneck, and she was trying a transformation.


    Last year she moved to Hollywood and acted in an international co-production, Battle of the New Century, which had mediocre box office results.


    Upon receiving the script for Snow Flower and the Secret Fan from Fox Searchlight Pictures, she immediately agreed to take part.


    In this movie, the two of them even had a romantic scene.


    Link also introduced Chris and, after taking their seats, chatted with everyone. Despite being the youngest, he was the focus of the conversation.


    Wendi Deng praised him as a charismatic man.


    Wherever he went, he caused a sensation¡ªbe it in the United States, Britain, or France. Now, in Huaxia, he had become a notable figure in the entertainment industry. His reports were frequently seen in the press, overshadowing several other top domestic stars'' news.


    Wendi Deng asked him if he had any secrets?


    Link smiled and said, "I know the wife of a media tycoon¡ªis that a secret?"


    Wendi Deng laughed loudly.


    The others also smiled lightly, while looking at him with a hint of surprise. Recently, there had been rumors in the circle that Link was a talented but arrogant man.


    It was said that after coming to Mainland to hold concerts, he had refused many private, business, and official invitations.


    When a leader from the Music Association wanted to discuss the development of music careers in both East and West with him, he also declined.


    Through his assistant, Link conveyed that his purpose in coming to Mainland was to hold concerts as a singer. Other than singing performances, he wouldn''t get involved in other matters.


    If there were any formal matters, they could be submitted through documents to his management company, and he would handle them accordingly. He hoped for everyone''s cooperation.


    This refusal to show face was also one of the reasons for the recent increase in negative news about him in the media.


    From these rumors, Link should have been a very aloof and difficult person to deal with, but now he behaved very witty and humorous, and was very amiable in his interactions, nothing like the arrogant and rude person the legends described.


    "Yifei, Mr. Baker seems very easy to talk to, and very humorous too,"


    Alice Lee said to Chris in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.


    "Link has always been like this. He''s easy to talk to and doesn''t put on airs at all. We often joke around and say whatever comes to mind."


    Chris, holding Link''s hand, revealed a delighted smile on her delicate face, seemingly happier to hear others praise Link than herself.


    Alice Lee glanced over Chris at Link, who was talking to Wendi Deng, and secretly regretted it.


    If she had known this guy would become so impressive, she should have been warmer to him on the plane back then. Maybe if she had been warmer... But then she thought about being thirty-seven while Link was only twenty-one, and she couldn''t help but dismiss those thoughts.


    The guests had arrived, and the restaurant staff served a table full of delicious dishes, Australian giant lobsters, Japanese abalone, Spanish oysters, Canadian geoduck, along with several types of seafood from Huaxia, Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, ornate lobsters, sea cucumbers, etc.


    The remainder were Huaxia specialty stir-fries and fruit desserts, complete with appealing color, aroma, and taste.


    Wendi Deng pointed to several dishes on the table and told Link that in Huaxia, food is sometimes not just food, but often considered medicinal, a supplement that when eaten regularly can strengthen the body, beautify and nourish the skin, and prolong life.


    She also told him that in ancient Huaxia texts, oysters, geoduck, and sea cucumbers are recorded as being able to nourish the kidneys and generate Yin and Yang energy.


    Wendi Deng even explained what Yin and Yang are.


    Director Wang Ying, being older, clearly had more knowledge in this area. He picked up the topic and critiqued the culinary merits of the table''s offerings one by one using knowledge of health preservation, covering topics like nourishing the kidneys and liver, balancing Yin and Yang, achieving equilibrium of Yin and Yang, and so on.


    His explanations were mysterious and profound.


    Link felt like laughing; if he hadn''t been Huaxian himself, he might have actually been bamboozled by their words. However, seeing their enthusiasm, he ended up eating more of the oyster and geoduck sashimi.


    At the dinner table, Link discussed movies with Director Wang Ying, mentioning that he had watched "The Last Holiday" and "Chinese Box" from the director, found them very interesting, and was excited to collaborate. He hoped to receive guidance during the shoot.


    Director Wang Ying, an experienced player in the industry, spoke politely and humbly, not leveraging his age. He even cracked a few mildly risqu¨¦ jokes to bridge the age gap between them.


    Link felt that collaborating with him would likely go smoothly.


    He also chatted with Alice Lee and Jun Ji-hyun for a while.


    He had known Alice Lee from a long time ago, on a plane to Huaxia in 2008, but back then she was busy talking with Jack Chen and hadn''t been as warm to him as Chris.


    After meeting again, Binbin Li was clearly more enthusiastic, saying she really liked his songs and had often fallen asleep listening to them lately.


    Wendi Deng, laughing, interjected to ask if she had dreamed of Link at night, mentioning that Link held the title "dream lover of a billion young women worldwide."


    Alice Lee shyly admitted she was one of those billion women.


    Wendi Deng, patting Link on the shoulder and laughing, asked if he could make Alice''s dream come true.


    Alice Lee shyly glanced at Link and blushed, looking down.


    Link chuckled softly, seeing her blush at thirty-seven, he silently marveled at the substantial differences between Eastern and Western people in terms of skin, blood circulation, body odor, and patience.


    As he thought about all these random things, the seafood he had just eaten turned into a surge of heat coursing through his body.


    The scent in his nose wasn''t of seafood, but rather the body fragrance of the several women around him.


    It unavoidably caused him some ungentlemanly reactions.

 Chapter 418 - 355 Teacher Han Yuquan

    To avoid embarrassment, he had no choice but to divert his attention and continue chatting with Jun Ji-hyun.


    Jun Ji-hyun used to be a top celebrity in South Korea, and now she is about a first-tier actress with great fame. However, the Korean entertainment industry goes through swift changes, with many actresses considering a career transition around the age of 25 or 26. If they don''t succeed, they often choose to get married. Maintaining high popularity in the Korean entertainment circle is quite difficult.


    Jun Ji-hyun is no exception. Her recent attempts to transition have not been smooth, and at the beginning of this month, she terminated her contract with SidusHQ, becoming a freelance artist. In South Korea, she is in the awkward position of being famous yet without market demand.


    But Link knew that she was a stock with potential. In 2014, she became popular across Asia once again with the TV series "My Love from the Star", marking the second spring of her career.


    Link told her that he was recently studying Korean and hoped to get her guidance after joining the drama team.


    Jun Ji-hyun expressed that she would be pleased to help, and that he could contact her with any questions at any time.


    "Link, don''t just focus on chatting with a beauty, I have something I''d like to ask you about." Wendi Deng put down her chopsticks and spoke in a more serious tone.


    "Please, go ahead!"


    Link said with a smile.


    "Tesla is preparing to go public recently, and the stock price has risen to 25 US dollars in the second round of IPO. Tesla''s market capitalization has increased to 2.5 billion. As a major shareholder of Tesla, could you share whether it''s appropriate to invest in Tesla stock at this price level?"


    Wendi Deng inquired.


    Overhearing the serious conversation, others also turned their attention to them.


    Hearing this question, Link pondered seriously as well.


    Originally, according to the intended timeline, Tesla would have already gone public.


    Due to Link''s intervention, having invested over one hundred million US dollars in Tesla Inc., Tesla did not lack funds for its electric vehicle project research, which reduced Elon Musk''s urgency to push for Tesla''s IPO.


    However, considering the long-term strategy, it was inevitable for Tesla to go public. Relying solely on the investments from shareholders to support EV research was too burdensome, and over time it could decrease their enthusiasm for investing, which wouldn''t be good for Tesla''s long-term development.


    In early August, Musk started the second round of the IPO. Compared to the first round with a share price of 17 US dollars, the second-round stock price rose to 25 US dollars per share.


    The market capitalization of Tesla also increased from 1.7 billion US dollars to 2.5 billion, a significant jump, more than doubling since the beginning of the year.


    Because Tesla cars only had the first-generation Roadster in the market, without any other automobile products.


    And the Roadster, with a price tag of 95,000 US dollars, was akin to that of a luxury sports car. Average consumers couldn''t afford it, and it lagged far behind gasoline cars in terms of performance and safety, so the market prospects were unclear.


    This caused Wall Street financial groups to lack confidence in investing in Tesla.


    Wendi Deng probably had the same idea, which is why she came to inquire from him, the second-largest individual shareholder in Tesla''s board of directors.


    If he said it was a good investment, his trustworthiness would boost Wendi Deng''s confidence in investing in Tesla. However, if he lied and something went wrong, it would negatively impact his personal credibility.


    This is the importance of networking in the capital industry. Knowing capable people can make earning money much easier.


    After some contemplation, Link spoke, "My opinion is that clean energy vehicles are the future direction of the automotive industry, and Tesla is the benchmark for global new energy vehicles. It''s also the only American independent manufacturer of purely electric vehicles that qualifies for listing, with broad market prospects, part of a blue ocean strategy.


    Taking this into account, after the initiation of Tesla''s second-round IPO, I have increased my holdings by 2.3% more Tesla stock through my personal asset management company. If you think what I''m saying makes sense, you might want to consider investing a bit."


    "You''ve acquired an additional 2.3%? How much Tesla stock do you hold now?"


    Wendi Deng asked curiously.


    "11%!"


    In reality, it was 16.8%, which was his stake after the second financing round. Of this 16.8%, 11% was under his personal name, which would be the publicly disclosed figure when Tesla went public.


    The remaining 5.8% was held by Vanguard Asset Management Company as part of a strategy to reduce investment risk, diffuse external attention, and secure an extra seat on the board of directors for Tesla.


    "Wow!"


    Alice Lee exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise upon hearing the figure of 11%.


    Based on Wendi Deng''s statement, with Tesla''s current market value of 2.5 billion US dollars, Link''s 11% stake translated to 275 million US dollars.


    She heard that he also owned a music company valued at four to five hundred million, a sports company worth over a hundred million dollars, a promising movie company, could make thirty to forty million dollars per boxing match, and earn over two hundred million from world tours. Discover hidden stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    Alice Lee felt this guy was amazing; at twenty-one years old, with a net worth of seven to eight hundred million dollars, he was like a living God of Wealth.


    Jun Ji-hyun holding her juice cup, glanced at Link, her reaction not as big as Alice Lee''s, her gaze filled more with curiosity.


    "Link, I trust you, and if I make a profit, I''ll treat you to seafood," Wendi Deng said, raising her glass with a laugh.


    "I think that seafood meal is a sure bet for me."


    Link smiled lightly and raised his glass to clink it against hers.


    After a seafood feast, Director Wang Ying, being older, couldn''t stay up late. There were scenes to shoot the next day, so he mentioned he needed to return for rest.


    Link also took Chris by the hand, bidding farewell to Wendi Deng and the others before they split up in the parking lot.


    "Tsk!"


    When Link got into the car, Alice Lee covered her mouth and laughed.


    "What are you laughing at?"


    Wendi Deng turned her head, looking at her with curiosity.


    Alice Lee''s face flushed slightly as she spoke in a hushed voice.


    When Link stood up just now, one hand was in his pocket.


    The pant leg bulged out, looking like he had stuffed a wine glass inside.


    When they were leaving, the waiter gave him a few extra glances, mistaking him for hiding something.


    Wendi Deng also smiled, "Young people, full of vigor, it''s a natural reaction."


    Alice Lee glanced at the departing car and, thinking of Chris Liu inside, asked, "Wendi Jie, I heard Link''s current girlfriend is Miss Ivanka, a wealthy heiress. Doesn''t she mind Link fooling around outside?"


    "Mind what? Men being playful is in their nature. The more capable they are, the more playful they get. If you tie down your man, stifling his nature, you''ll end up with a mediocre man in the long run.


    You might not understand since you''re not married. Once you are, you''ll realize that to have a long-term relationship with your husband, it''s best to be his assistant and comrade rather than his overseer. If you become his overseer, you''ll end up with an enemy or a slave, but if you''re his comrade, when he succeeds, you also get to share in his glory and spoils."


    Wendi Deng, walking in her high heels, continued speaking as she walked.


    "Wendi Jie, if we don''t intervene when men have affairs, won''t they just get worse? I''ve heard of many men who gamble away even their wives in the end."


    Alice Lee followed behind her, speaking up.


    "I''m referring to men with abilities like Link, not those who can''t even quit their alcohol and gambling addictions. Holding someone like Link back would just make him settle for being an average Joe, while indulging his desires and ambitions, becoming his assistant and comrade, means his future is boundless. Ivanka is a very smart woman, one I admire. Her approach with Link has been very intelligent."


    Wendi Deng said.


    Alice Lee and Jun Ji-hyun nodded, half understanding, half not.


    Wendi Deng inwardly shook her head, feeling it was futile to explain this to them.


    As actors, the men they usually encountered were fellow actors, directors, or sons of the wealthy. The men they would likely marry would be from these categories as well; they had no chance of meeting ambitious and able men like Murdoch and Link.


    Telling them not to worry too much about their husbands'' private lives, but instead concentrate on their careers, was like playing the lute to a cow.


    Reaching the parking lot, Wendi Deng stood in front of her car, glancing at the two women, particularly at Jun Ji-hyun, because she had noticed Link had taken an interest in her.


    "Ji-hyun, regardless of whether Link is a flirt, when you work with him, it''s best to take it seriously. He''s quite young, already worth billions, and has successfully entered into New York''s wealthy society. His future is vast ¡ª this could be your opportunity."


    "I understand, Wendi Jie."


    Alice Lee nodded seriously, with a smile on her face.


    Jun Ji-hyun smoothed her long, straight hair, her pretty face showing a polite smile.


    Wendi Deng waved her hand and got into her Rolls-Royce, leaving the restaurant.


    "Ji-hyun, what do you think of Link?"


    Alice Lee asked. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Baker is a very impressive person."


    Jun Ji-hyun thought for a moment before responding.


    "Yes, men like him are the real chosen ones. Ji-hyun, Link took the initiative to learn Korean from you; I think it''s a good opportunity, don''t waste it."


    Alice Lee said with a smile.


    "Unni, you''re mistaken. I''m willing to teach Mr. Baker Korean, but there won''t be anything else. I have a boyfriend, and we''re very stable together."


    Jun Ji-hyun explained.


    Seeing her speak earnestly, Alice Lee didn''t say any more and got into the car to return with her to the hotel where the production crew was staying.

 Chapter 419 - 356 Mysterious Night (1/10)

    On the streets of Dahai City''s Bund, the neon lights dazzled and the night was enchanting, yet even more enchanting was the girl beside him.


    Earlier at the dinner table, while Link was talking with Wendi Deng and a few others, she just listened quietly, never interrupting. Whenever she saw him about to eat seafood, she would use her delicate white hands to help him, behaving exceptionally demurely.


    Just now, under Alice Lee''s persuasion, she had drunk two glasses of red wine, which turned her cheeks pink. The sparkling ripples in her phoenix eyes, as she leaned on his shoulder exhaling the sweet aroma of alcohol, made her seem irresistibly soft and boneless.


    "Boss, after we left the restaurant, it looks like a car has been following us, seems like paparazzi,"


    from the passenger seat, Wallace said, staring at the rearview mirror.


    "No worries, keep driving,"


    Link wrapped his arm around Chris''s shoulders and whispered, "With the paparazzi tailing us, do you still want to come back to the hotel with me?"


    "I''m not scared!"


    Chris tilted her lovely face up to him, her eyes bright and sparkling, reflecting the flowing lights from the window, showing her bravery and determination, yet also her cuteness.


    Link gave a soft laugh.


    He leaned down to kiss her lips, which were soft like jelly.


    He also tasted the exquisite richness of the Trazzi red wine.


    After kissing for a few minutes, Link instructed Wallace to try to shake off the paparazzi, ensuring they didn''t catch photos of Chris following him into the hotel. He was a playboy, and one or two extra pieces of gossip wouldn''t affect him much.


    But it was different for Chris. She was a goddess-like sister with a public persona that was pure and ethereal. She planned to work in domestic entertainment in the future, and too many scandals would be detrimental to her career.


    Wallace took out his phone, called up a backup driver and another bodyguard, and asked them to block the suspicious vehicle behind. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing his arrangements, Chris wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him proactively.


    Link chuckled softly.


    The girl was the type who was naive yet loved fun.


    She had never been kissed before.


    If it took a bit longer, she would struggle to catch her breath, her cheeks would turn red, and her body would go limp.


    Link, always fond of teaching, could only keep coaching her over and over again.


    From the car to the Hilton Hotel, there was just a minor incident as they were entering the hotel elevator.


    "Feifei!"


    As Link had his arms around Chris Liu in front of the elevator, he suddenly heard an excited call from behind.


    The incoming woman, wearing a coffee-colored strapless dress revealing her ample bosom, in her twenties, with straight, medium-length hair and high heels, her slim, straight legs like chopsticks, cried out "Feifei" while her eyes fixed intently on Link, showing limitless affection, as if she had fallen in love with him at first sight.


    Link glanced at her, recognizing her as the actress Yang Dami.


    "Feifei, is it really you? What a coincidence."


    Yang Dami exclaimed with joy.


    "Mimi? You''re here too?"


    Chris Liu looked at her in surprise, smiled sweetly, and warmly clasped hands with Yang Dami.


    The two had previously worked together in "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and "The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3" and were acquaintances.


    Yang Dami glanced at Link, and gasped, covering her mouth with her hand, blinking excitedly, "Is this Mr. Link Baker? The big star Mr. Link Baker?"


    "Yes, Mimi, this is Link, Link, this is Yang Dami, we''re friends, you can call her Mimi."


    Chris Liu introduced, innocently linking arms with Link.


    "Mr. Baker, hello, I''m a fan of your songs, I love them a lot, and I was also in the audience at your concert the day before yesterday, your performance was spectacular,"


    Yang Dami said with a glowing smile.


    "Miss Yang, hello!"


    Link smiled gently and shook hands with her, a slip of paper being slipped into his hand in the process.


    He couldn''t help but marvel at her boldness, daring to use this tactic on a foreigner. If he hadn''t been aware of these tricks and had read the slip of paper right there, it would have been quite embarrassing.


    The elevator arrived, and Yang Dami waved, smiling brightly as they said goodbye.


    Chris Liu also smiled sweetly and suggested they go shopping together when she had free time.


    Yang Dami readily agreed.


    As the elevator doors slowly closed, Link took out the note he had received. It was a message written in English, containing over three hundred words. Perhaps due to limited proficiency in English, there were many grammatical and tense errors.


    Initially, Yang Dami complimented him, then mentioned that the entertainment industry was developing rapidly within the country and investing in it would definitely be profitable. She hoped for a chance to meet him in person to discuss this, assuring him he would be satisfied. At the end, there was a series of phone numbers, an MSN number, and an email address.


    "Where did this note come from?"


    Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    Chris Liu asked curiously.


    "From that friend of yours,"


    Link handed her the note, suggesting she learn the survival rules of the entertainment circle.


    "Mi Mi? She''s always so clever, but I''m luckier, now I''m the only one who can lean on you like this."


    Chris Liu leaned on his shoulder and laughed.


    Link smiled softly, bent down to kiss her, and then carried her into the luxurious penthouse suite.


    Having consumed energy-boosting foods and been intimate with Chris, his physical reactions were even more pronounced given his strong body and robust vitality.


    He took off his jacket, revealing robust muscles, and slowly approached the girl.


    Just as things were about to start, Chris hugged him tightly, nervously saying it was her first time and asking if he minded?


    She mentioned that in the United States, it was embarrassing and not cool for a girl over twenty to still have not gone through the rite of passage. She asked if that was true?


    She nervously explained that things are more conservative domestically; chastity is very important to a girl, sometimes more important than life itself. Her mother was also very strict, so she hadn''t experienced such things even at twenty-two.


    Link of course didn''t mind. He held the girl in his arms, kissed her, and whispered sweet nothings to her.


    When she relaxed, they gradually moved on to the main event.


    The night outside deepened, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky, tearing a slit in the pitch-black night and sprinkling a drizzle in the darkness.


    But that was not enough.


    The second, third, fourth, up to the hundredth flashes of lightning struck the sky, as if the goddess of lightning was wielding a silver chain-like whip outside the heavens, lashing one whip after another, intending to split the sultry night air into fragments. It was as if Thor himself stood above the skies, wielding a gigantic fist and violently executing heavy punches down upon the sky, one after another, with tremendous force and intensity.


    The sky trembled and wept.


    In the darkness, the raindrops grew larger, pattering against the Hilton Hotel''s glass windows.


    In a room twenty floors below the presidential suite, Yang Dami looked out at the heavy rain, drank two glasses of red wine, yet her phone remained silent. She sighed lightly. Had she made a fruitless trip today? Should she keep waiting?


    She didn''t even understand why she had come here.


    This year, after her contract with Xinda Rong Company expired, several agencies contacted her, offering lucrative contracts inviting her to join.


    But having worked under Xinda Rong''s banner for over five years, she knew a bit about the industry''s workings. Being an artist in a large company inevitably involved internal competition and fighting over roles; exploitation was also severe.


    Joining a smaller agency meant fewer resources and would limit her development.


    Yet regardless of the size, working in any company meant working for someone else, following others'' commands.


    Yang Dami didn''t want to be that kind of actor; she wanted to be in control, to be someone of higher authority, commanding others.


    But currently, she was only quasi-first-tier in the industry, with not much capital. Becoming a leader was not easy.


    Just as she was about to sign with Ya Mei Entertainment, she suddenly saw a news report about Link.


    After watching it, she found not only was Link incredibly handsome but also immensely talented. At just 21, he was worth tens of billions of RMB, stronger than all the agency owners in the industry.


    He wasn''t just a singer but a world boxing champion too, owning successful movie and music companies, far more successful than many big bosses in domestic entertainment.


    That alone wouldn''t have piqued her interest, but later, when she learned that Link was a playboy involved in a flirtatious relationship with one Feifei, she saw it as an opportunity to try her luck.


    Over the past few days, using some connections, she found out the hotel where Link was staying, leading to this unexpected meeting.


    Fortunately, she struck up a conversation with Link. Unfortunately, he still hadn''t called her, and she was uncertain if her efforts were in vain.


    Ding Ling Ling!


    Suddenly, the phone on the bed rang. Yang Dami put down her wine glass and leaped onto the bed.

 Chapter 420 - 357: Honeys Reward

    Dahai City had rained all night.


    When morning came, the sky gradually cleared, revealing blue skies, white clouds, and sunlight that appeared especially crisp and clear.


    Link had run fifteen kilometers on the treadmill at the gym, performed twenty sets of weight training, ten sets of sit-ups, and jumped rope for half an hour.


    Drenched in sweat, his muscles became plump again, and he felt a strong sense of power throughout his body; he was quite pleased with this feeling.


    Wiping his sweat, he returned to his hotel room and encountered Jennifer Shu coming out of the bedroom, dressed in a light T-shirt, a sexy skirt, white shoes, and her hair tied up in a bun, looking very fresh.


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    Link lifted her up, lifted her skirt and white T against the wall, and casually asked her about Chris''s condition.


    Jennifer clung to his neck, trembling, and said that nothing was wrong.


    She had rested with some medicine for a day and was doing a bit better than that day.


    Link nodded and continued with his actions.


    Jennifer then said that Liu Li had just called to inquire about the situation, Feifei said it was nothing, but Liu Li, hearing Feifei''s slightly hoarse voice, couldn''t rest easy and insisted on coming over to check.


    Feifei couldn''t fend off her persistence and had to tell her the room number; Liu Li would arrive shortly.


    Thinking that Liu Li would soon arrive, and meeting here would be somewhat awkward, Link told his singer not to leave after Liu Li had checked the situation, as he wanted to have a chat with Feifei''s mom.


    Jennifer nodded in agreement.


    After leaving the bathroom changed into fresh clothes, Link went into the bedroom to visit Chris.


    Chris was still sleeping, her eyes closed, her breath shallow, her little face pale yet delicate, her skin almost translucent, lying there like a fairy on an ice bed, even more beautiful than the night before. He kissed the girl''s forehead and then headed down to the dining area for breakfast.


    The breakfast at the Hilton was quite sumptuous, featuring French, Italian, and Japanese cuisine, as well as various Chinese dishes, all laid out dazzlingly in a display case for guests to enjoy.


    Having had a lavish dinner the previous night, Link wasn''t in the mood for something heavy and opted for a simple meal of a cup of hot water, some toast, boiled eggs, and a corn cob.


    Wallace and Bob accompanying him chose differently, loading their plates with roasted fish and steak, filling them up and treating breakfast like lunch.


    As Link sat down in a booth with his plate, he overheard someone outside speaking¡ªa woman telling Wallace in not very fluent English that she was Emily Yang, a friend of Link and Chris Liu, and she had something she wanted to discuss with them.


    Wallace asked if she had an appointment?


    Emily Yang said she did not.


    Wallace told her that Mr. Baker was having breakfast and was not available to see guests at the moment.


    Emily Yang said she could wait outside.


    After eating a few pieces of bread and wiping his hands, Link told Wallace outside to invite Ms. Yang in.


    Emily Yang pushed open the glass door and walked in, dressed in a strappy dress, with her hair in a ponytail and bangs styled like catfish whiskers, wearing light makeup, looking much fresher than the night before.


    "Good morning, Mr. Baker, sorry to disturb your meal,"


    Emily Yang greeted him, trying to appear composed.


    "Good morning, Ms. Yang, what can I do for you?"


    Link shook her hand and invited her to sit opposite him at the table.


    Emily Yang looked at his face, took a deep breath, and in not very fluent English said, "Mr. Baker, I saw from the news that you are not only a singer, boxer, and actor, but also an excellent entrepreneur with a knack for investing. I wanted to ask if you''re interested in investing in the Chinese Entertainment Industry.


    Since 2008, the growth rate of the Chinese Entertainment Industry has been accelerating, with mainland box office revenues alone growing from 3.87 billion yuan in 2005 to 6.206 billion last year, and this year''s movie market is looking even better, with ten movies breaking 100 million in box office sales in just the first eight months, indicating that the Chinese Entertainment Industry is growing rapidly and is a sector with high investment value."


    Emily Yang appeared to have done her homework, speaking fluently to him about the recent developments in the film, television, and music industries in the country, assuring him that investing in the Chinese Entertainment Industry would definitely be profitable.


    However, her research was limited or perhaps not deep enough, the data and information she provided were collected from magazines and had little reference value.


    She mentioned only the growth in domestic box office receipts without discussing the reasons behind this growth, what the potential and challenges of the domestic movie industry were, nor how it compared to America''s entertainment industry or what advantages the Chinese Entertainment Industry held. Nor did she specify how she would approach the investment if she managed to secure it.


    These points are what investors most want to hear, but unfortunately, she didn''t mention any of them.


    Compared to the pack of managers from Wall Street investment banks, she appeared utterly amateurish in pulling in investments.


    Nevertheless, Link was willing to give her a chance because she was ambitious, capable, and daring. Just for those qualities, she was much stronger than many actresses, and her success in the original timeline proved that indeed she was a woman with potential.


    "Ms. Yang!"


    Link interrupted her, took an egg, and handed it to her, asking, "If I give you ten million US dollars, how much can you earn me in a year?"


    "Ten million US dollars?"


    Emily Yang was taken aback by his sudden question, a bit confused and simultaneously extremely surprised.


    Actually, she had come here today just to try her luck, to see if there was a chance to connect with Link. While she was talking earlier, she didn''t have much confidence in herself.


    But she hadn''t expected Link to talk about investing ten million US dollars in her.


    Everything seemed easier than she had imagined.


    She suppressed the excitement in her heart and thought about Link''s question. If she could get ten million US dollars from him, which according to the current exchange rate was more than 78 million, with that 78 million as capital, how much could she earn back in a year?


    After seriously considering, Emily Yang came up with an answer: five million US dollars.


    If she had ten million US dollars as investment capital, earning five million US dollars in one year wouldn''t be difficult.


    "Five million?"


    Link hooked the corner of his mouth, feeling that this girl was quite honest.


    Originally, a Wall Street investment bank manager had approached him for investments, listing a series of profitable projects. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link had asked the same question.


    The reply was at least one hundred million, at most one billion US dollars. Yes, an investment of ten million, earning back a billion within a year.


    That manager had even explained in detail how he would operate with the money and earn a billion.


    If he had really believed that nonsense and handed over the money for the man to manage, as soon as he got his ten million, he would use it as leverage to demand more investments. If not continued, there would be even greater losses, somewhat akin to a hostage situation.


    His main tactic was to get the money first and then not care about how much was earned afterward.


    But Emily Yang, after careful consideration, told him that she could earn him five million US dollars in a year.


    Though likewise false, it had some semblance of sincerity.


    "How do you plan to earn it?"


    Link asked.


    "Mr. Baker, I have two plans. First, to invest in movies, as the current movie industry is quite profitable. I will use my connections to invest in one or two good movie projects. I am confident I can make money; second, talent agencies in the entertainment industry also make a lot of money. I plan to follow the model of South Korean SM Entertainment, signing many artists with potential for training. As the entertainment industry is growing rapidly and needs more artists, it will certainly break even within three to four years."


    Emily Yang said.


    "Three to four years? Do you know how much I earn from one boxing match? Do you think I would invest in a project that would only earn five million in three to four years?"


    Link said lightly.


    Upon hearing his words, Emily suddenly remembered that this guy was like a money printing machine, each boxing match earning him thirty to forty million US dollars. Projects like the ones she mentioned, earning several million a year, indeed held little investment value.


    "Mr. Baker, sorry to have bothered you!"


    Emily Yang stood up and bowed, ready to leave, but just as she was about to reach the door, Link called out for her to wait. Emily Yang stopped and looked at him, puzzled.


    "Miss Yang, I have no interest in your investment projects, but I am a bit interested in you. If I invest in you, how would you repay me?"


    Link said.


    Emily Yang was overwhelmed with joy upon hearing his words. Link was a billionaire, and if he took an interest in her, it could be a great opportunity for a turnaround.


    She blinked, walked back to Link''s dining table, and slowly unfastened her belt, revealing her fair skin and black lace lingerie. Standing at 166 cm with a slender frame yet a C-cup bra size, she was somewhat appealing.


    But compared to Ivanka, Dadalio, Taylor, or Du Chen, her figure had no advantage.


    "Is this your repayment?"


    Link wiped his fingers with a napkin, not sparing her another glance.


    "Mr. Baker, if you''re willing to invest in me, I can do anything for you."


    Emily Yang bit her lower lip, her face flushing as she removed all restraints. Although the restaurant was air-conditioned, with temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius, her skin still got goosebumps.


    But Link still didn''t look, as Emily lowered her head, struggled for more than ten seconds, walked up to him, and slowly knelt down.

 Chapter 421 - 358: The Girls Perseverance

    Morning traffic in the urban district was bustling, and many areas were congested. Liu Li arrived at the Hilton Hotel around ten past ten and made her way to the top-floor luxury suite. She knocked on the door, expecting to see Link or Feifei, but to her surprise, a wet-haired Chuchang answered.


    "Chuchang? What are you doing here?"


    Liu Li asked.


    Chuchang, her face reddening at being seen, shyly explained that Feifei was indisposed, and Link had called her over to help take care of things.


    Liu Li, seeing her flushed cheeks and sparkling apricot eyes, instantly understood everything.


    With a stern face, she pulled her into the room and asked if Link had bullied her as well.


    If so, she should tell her, and she would stand up for her.


    Chuchang shook her head again and again, saying it was voluntary.


    It was her who had actively climbed into Link''s bed, not Link forcing her.


    Link had been kind to her and hadn''t mistreated her.


    "Really?"


    "Hmm!"


    Chuchang shyly yet firmly nodded her head.


    Liu Li helplessly looked at her, originally wanting to advise her to stay away from Link and focus on her acting before finding a good man to marry.


    Men like Link, the scoundrels, liking him would lead nowhere good.


    But then she thought of her own daughter still lying in Link''s bed.


    She retracted the words she was about to say, sighed, and walked into the bedroom.


    The bedroom was brightly lit, and the curtains of the arched floor-to-ceiling windows were drawn.


    The clear sunlight shone through the glass into the room, more than two hundred meters high.


    From the bedhead, one could see the bustling Bund and the Pearl Tower, a captivating view.


    Chris was still asleep.


    Her pale delicate face, her black hair in disarray, and her slightly furrowed brows.


    She looked like a peach blossom ravaged by a violent April storm, carrying a broken beauty, and at this moment, Feifei appeared more vulnerable and pitiful than ever.


    "Feifei!"


    Liu Li sat by the bed, tenderly touched her daughter''s forehead, and suddenly caught a strange medicinal scent.


    She sniffed, saw a crystal bottle on a round table beside her, filled with a thick green paste.


    The bottle had a label with a string of unfamiliar words that didn''t look like English.


    "What''s this?"


    Liu Li turned to look at Chuchang.


    Chuchang, her face flushed, explained that it was Link''s medicine; he was a Boxer and often got injured during training, so he always carried this kind of paste with him.


    Liu Li took the bottle and looked at it, then suddenly lifted the blanket.


    Seeing Chris''s condition.


    Her face turned alternately red and white as she looked at Chuchang angrily, asking how could this have happened?


    Chuchang blushed, lowered her head, and pinched her own tender wrist.


    Liu Li, who had seen this all before, instantly understood what she was implying, her face turning bright red as she asked irritably why they hadn''t taken her to the hospital?


    As soon as she said it, she realized the question was wrong. Chris was a popular starlet.


    Being taken to the hospital in such a condition, even with the best preparations for confidentiality, could inevitably lead to leaks afterward.


    Chris was the pure goddess, like a Heavenly Immortal.


    If such news were to break, her image would collapse, and it would be difficult to rebuild that same innocent persona.


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    Seeing her unhappy expression, Chuchang quickly reassured her that Link''s medicine was very effective.


    Resting in bed for a couple of days would resolve the issue.


    Link was also very gentle with Chris.


    Maybe she wouldn''t even need a day to recover.


    Liu Li asked her how she would know?


    Chuchang hesitated, then confessed shyly that she had used it as well.


    Liu Li suddenly remembered that a few days ago, Chris and Chuchang had gone to Shenchuan to see Link''s concert. Afterwards, Chris mentioned that during a bath, Chuchang had slipped and hurt her hip and knee, and had to rest in bed for three to four days.


    "Could it be that you, you guys?"


    Liu Li, shocked, looked at Chuchang, meaning that night three of them had been in the same room, and something had indeed happened.


    Chris was drunk, completely unaware of what the other two were doing?


    And Link was not the gentleman she had imagined who would resist temptations.


    He was just a rough, insatiable predator, and both his singing and his daughter had been deceived by him.


    "Singing, did he force you?"


    "No, it was my own choice. He never intended to touch me; I went to his bed willingly. He is the most handsome and the best man I have ever met. I didn''t want to miss him."


    Shuchang explained shyly, clutching the hem of her skirt.


    Liu Li gave her a look of disappointment.


    It''s just a man, why should a decent girl give herself away for nothing?


    Yet, thinking about her own daughter, who knew that Link was a heart-breaking playboy but still foolishly liked him.


    Willing to give him the most precious thing, holding nothing back.


    Liu Li couldn''t help feeling powerless.


    Her daughter and Shuchang weren''t to blame, they were too naive, unaware of the sinister nature of people.


    The wrong one was Link, that bastard. He was a playboy, too aware of what girls liked and were obsessed with.


    He just showed them his best side, deceiving their trust, stealing their most precious things.


    Letting them gradually sink into the beautiful dreams he wove for them, never able to escape.


    Thinking of this, Liu Li suddenly found Link very terrifying, like a wolf. There was no benefit in dealing with such a person.


    If she were more rational, she should decisively take Chris and leave now, to cut her losses. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But for Chris to become like this and just walk away would let that bastard Link off too easily. Liu Li clenched her fist and pounded her thigh.


    "Hmmng~"


    The girl on the bed''s eyelashes quivered slightly, then she opened a pair of eyes clear as autumn water, shimmering and filled with joy and uncontrollable shyness.


    Chris pulled the blanket over her small face and mumbled:


    "Mom, why are you here? I told you I''m fine, really fine."


    "If you''re fine, why are you still in bed?"


    "I...Mom, please don''t ask."


    Chris said shyly, hiding her small face under the blanket like an ostrich.


    "I''ve always said Link is a dangerous guy. Stay away from him. Now do you see how bad he is?"


    "Mom, Link isn''t bad. He''s very good, extremely good, ten thousand times better than any man I''ve imagined."


    Chris said from under the blanket, shy yet happy.


    "He''s rough with you, and you''re still praising him. Are you crazy?"


    Liu Li said angrily.


    "Mom, Link really is good. He''s very gentle with me, takes great care of me. It''s just me who isn''t good enough."


    Chris toyed with her hair as she spoke.


    "You... silly girl!"


    Liu Li shook her head helplessly, thinking that if she had been more assertive yesterday and stopped Feifei from leaving with Link, things wouldn''t have turned out this way.


    Now the deed was done; her well-raised daughter had been spoiled by that pig.


    There was no use talking about it anymore.


    "Where''s Link then, if Feifei has turned out like this, where did he go off to die?"


    Liu Li asked Shuchang with a displeased look.


    "Link''s at the fitness center, I knew it when he left."


    Chris defended Link.


    "Shut up! I didn''t ask you!"


    Liu Li glared at her daughter, feeling that she had raised her in vain, now her head was filled with that bastard Link.


    Shuchang gave a slight smile and told Liu Li that Link had just finished training and had come to see Chris.


    At this moment, he was having breakfast at the dining center and had left a message saying he wanted to talk to Liu Li.


    "He wants to talk to me? Good, I also just happen to want to talk to him."


    Liu Li said with a cold face.


    Seeing her like this, Chris worried that she might argue with Link later, so she quickly spoke well of Link, hoping Liu Li wouldn''t blame him.


    But the more Liu Li heard her daughter speak like that, the more annoyed she got and said "shut up" again; then she gently covered her with the blanket and asked if there was anywhere she felt uncomfortable.

 Chapter 422 - 359: Links Promise (2/10)

    Link wrapped up Emily Yang''s business at the restaurant and, carrying some food, returned to his hotel room. Jennifer opened the door for him and pointed towards the bedroom, whispering that Liu Li had arrived and had seen Feifei''s injuries, her expression troubling.


    Link nodded, handed her the breakfast, and entered the bedroom. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liu Li sat beside the bed with her back to him, and without turning around at the sound, Chris, however, was beaming at him, the adoration nearly spilling from her eyes.


    Link smiled softly, greeted Liu Li, naturally receiving no warm response, and he didn''t mind, bending over to hug Chris tightly, pressing his lips softly against her red lips for over a minute until he heard a cough from behind, at which he let go of the girl in his arms.


    "Mr. Baker, I think we need to talk,"


    Liu Li said coldly.


    Link nodded and asked Jenny and Chris to have breakfast in the bedroom while he and Liu Li stepped into the adjoining parlor.


    Seeing the two leave, Chris felt somewhat anxious.


    "Jen Jen, do you think they will quarrel?"


    "Don''t worry, Link has a good temperament, and Auntie Li isn''t unreasonable, so they won''t argue,"


    Jennifer Shu passed her a cup of hot milk.


    Chris nodded and, glancing at Jennifer, said, "Jen Jen, thanks for last night, otherwise I wouldn''t have managed to hold up."


    Jennifer''s cheeks colored as she sat down and embraced her affectionately, "No need for thanks, we''re besties."


    "Yes, we are besties."


    Chris gave a slight smile and pecked her on the cheek.


    Meanwhile, Link and Ms. Liu stepped into the parlor, and he asked what drink she would like. Ms. Liu, arms crossed and face cold, stared at him as though she were looking at a villain.


    Link felt quite helpless under her gaze.


    In matters involving women, he had always believed in mutual consent, love before sex, having never forced anyone, not Jennifer Shu, not Chris Liu.


    Being seen as a villain now made him feel somewhat aggrieved.


    "Lina, how about some tea? Oh, and I''m not sure if you''ve had breakfast, but would you like me to have the waiter bring up a breakfast platter so we can talk while eating?"


    Link suggested.


    "No need, Mr. Baker, what''s done is done. I want to know how you''ll handle your relationship with Chris, whether you consider it a one-night stand to be dismissed after, or will you give Chris an official status? We Huaxia women value status more than life,"


    "Status? What do you mean by that?"


    Link feigned confusion and asked.


    "Mr. Baker, you must realize, Chris loves you deeply. I want to know how you intend to treat her, what place will she have in your life? This matters a lot both to Chris and to me,"


    Ms. Liu said sternly.


    Link nodded, poured a cup of tea for Ms. Liu, and urged her to calm down, not to get too agitated. Regarding Chris, he assured her that he would provide a proper explanation both to her and to Chris.


    He had two proposals.


    The first was to take Chris to the United States to live, to buy her a villa in either Miami or Los Angeles, where she would reside and receive a monthly allowance. If she wished to continue acting, he would also do his best to support her.


    Ms. Liu opposed this idea, having lived in the United States for five or six years, she knew the situation there, and a Huaxia actress like Feifei had virtually no prospects in that environment.


    Taking Feifei to United States would essentially be asking her to become his mistress, a caged canary.


    Feifei was her lovingly nurtured daughter, and she would never want to see her daughter end up that way.


    Link then suggested a second proposal: he planned to buy a courtyard house in Capital City to accommodate Feifei, aware that she loved acting and aspired to achieve success in the entertainment industry.


    However, the entertainment industry is complex, and a beautiful girl like Feifei, without substantial backing, was bound to become a target for capital exploitation like many other actresses.


    In light of this, he was ready to invest a hundred million US Dollar, start a film and television company, invest in Huaxia movies, and thus in a way, become a financial backer. This could also help secure more resources for Feifei, protecting her career.


    Ms. Liu, hearing the second proposal, fell silent.


    Compared to the first, the second was much better.


    Yet, with the rise of Mainland''s film and television industry, and more Huaxia movie companies emerging over the past few years, many businessmen had invested tens of millions only to see no returns. How long could Link, a foreigner, sustain a movie company in the domestic market?


    Ms. Liu expressed her concerns, thinking that him, a foreigner, investing in the film industry in the Mainland was not a good idea.


    Indeed, Link also knew that investing in the domestic entertainment industry did not promise substantial profits, and it would be better to take advantage of the real estate market before it soared, buying several buildings in coastal cities.


    However, Chris preferred being an actress over being a landlady, so he planned to allocate part of his funds to invest in a movie and talent agency while using the rest for hoarding real estate and investing in a few promising companies.


    He told Ms. Liu that he had two plans.


    First, under the guise of foreign investment, he would invest in existing domestic film companies, acquire some shares, and have Feifei act as a proxy holder. This company could serve as Feifei''s backing in the Mainland.


    Given the current situation in the domestic entertainment industry, numerous film companies hoped to collaborate with Hollywood studios, allowing domestic films to go international, earn foreign currency, and win international awards.


    This included top directors and A-list actors who, after establishing a foothold in the domestic film circle, aspired to make it in Hollywood, but most were unsuccessful.


    If he agreed to invest and promised to co-produce Hollywood blockbusters with domestic film companies in the future, helping to promote and distribute domestic films,


    those film companies would find it hard to refuse such an enticing proposal.


    The second was to establish a small film studio, primarily investing in Chris''s films. If there were good film projects, he could also invest in one or two each year, not needing to make a large profit, just enough to break even.


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    Link asked Ms. Liu for her opinion.


    Since the company would be managed or held by proxy by Chris in the future, or more precisely, by Ms. Liu.


    The two became partners.


    Ms. Liu thought for a moment and said she needed to think about it.


    But from Link''s words, she could tell that this guy was not someone who would simply play around and then let go. When he was with Feifei, he had seriously considered how to arrange things for Feifei and how to help her career. He seemed like a very responsible man.


    But the more he appeared this way, the more uneasy Liu Li felt.


    If Link had been a scoundrel who walked away after having his fun, Feifei might have been hurt by the relationship but could have matured from the experience, no longer as naive as before. However, Link did not let go and was preparing to treat Feifei as his lover in Huaxia.


    Although Feifei knew he was a scoundrel, her love for him made it hard to let go, and she would continue to entangle with him.


    The deeper and longer the entanglement, the greater Link''s influence on Feifei would be, and this influence might last a lifetime.


    Ms. Liu looked at Link, puzzled.


    "Mr. Baker, I have a question. We all know you are a playboy with many beautiful lovers worldwide. They are all top beauties, and I don''t understand why you would be attracted to the naive and silly Chris?"


    "I love Chris, Lina, that''s the truth,"


    Link said earnestly.


    Ms. Liu snorted lightly, not believing his words.


    Even if he liked Feifei, it was because of her delicate Oriental features and slender figure.


    She absolutely did not believe that a foreigner could truly fall in love with a Huaxia girl he had only met a few times, not to mention that this guy was a scoundrel unworthy of love.


    Link smiled carelessly, "Lina, you should know that in the Western media, I have a bad title, Playboy, and many scandalous girlfriends. Do you know why despite being recognized as a playboy, there are still many girls who love me?"


    Ms. Liu snorted coldly; obviously, because the guy was handsome, strong, famous, and had a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars.


    These were the things that women dream of, and like luxury goods, they had a fatal attraction to them, which is also why, despite knowing this guy was a scoundrel, they were still captivated by him.


    "Lina, if you think they love me just because I''m handsome and wealthy, then you are mistaken. They love me because I love them too. When I''m with them, no matter who, I love them wholeheartedly without any deceit. They feel my love and accept me, love me. If you don''t believe me, you can ask Chris if she can feel my love for her. I think her answer would definitely be yes,"


    Link said.


    Ms. Liu looked at him helplessly; clearly a big scoundrel, yet he fancied himself a lover, feeling like a merciful murderer.


    "Mr. Baker, I believe you also love Chris, so while you are still in Huaxia these days, I hope you can act like a lover and spend more time with her."


    "I will!"


    Link nodded earnestly, then continued discussing the investment in the film company with Ms. Liu, hoping she could make a decision soon, and about purchasing a courtyard house in Capital City. If she had good suggestions, she could speak up. If she didn''t like the courtyard house, buying high-end apartments was also an option.


    Ms. Liu responded expressionlessly.


    Lastly, there was one more thing he told Ms. Liu: the previous night, they had not taken any precautions, and Chris also did not want to take medication. If Chris accidentally got pregnant, he would like Ms. Liu''s help in taking care of her. No matter the outcome, Link expressed his readiness to take full responsibility.


    Hearing his words, Ms. Liu looked at him indignantly, pointed her finger at his nose, huffed loudly, and stormed out the door.

 Chapter 423 - 360 Golden Shell Investment (3/10)

    After taking care of some personal matters, Link continued his concert tour.


    In just half a month, he held twelve concerts across Huaxia, from south to north, from east to west, with almost one every day, making for an extremely busy schedule.


    His concerts were nearly sold out at every venue, with an average audience size of 52,000 people. Over twelve concerts, he sold more than half a million tickets, outperforming many of Mainland''s top singers in concert ticket sales.


    Link''s fame in the country grew larger and his fan base increased even more.


    In that half-month, his three albums sold 470,000 copies in Mainland, including three English songs that successively took the top spot on the Pepsi Music Charts, with eighteen songs breaking into the top ten, alongside tracks by artists such as Jay Chou, Lin JJ, Hu Yanbing, and SHE.


    The "Southern Metropolis Daily" called him a new force in the Huaxia music scene, with a huge influence on the Mandarin music industry, comparable to first-class domestic singers.


    Meanwhile, his image as a playboy received even more coverage by the media, making him somewhat of a controversial figure in the country.


    During his tour, he casually shot three commercials, earning more than twelve million US dollars in endorsement fees, including ads for cars, beverages, and insurance companies.


    Including performance fees, ticket revenue shares, and other income, he made over forty million US dollars, or approximately 320 million Huaxia currency, including the portions from Hong Kong Island and Taiwan Island.


    After paying a considerable amount in taxes, the remaining money was transferred to Hong Kong Island.


    He registered an investment company called ''Golden Shell'' on Hong Kong Island and used its name to invest in Wanda Film Industry and Dolphin Bay Talent Agency.


    The former is a subsidiary of Wanda Group, specializing in cinema investment, film investing and distribution, television series, and gaming among other businesses.


    With a current market value of about 3.2 billion, after officially going public in 2015, it rose through a series of mergers and acquisitions to become Huaxia''s leading cinema stock, peaking at a market value of over 200 billion, making it a project with significant potential.


    Link invested thirty million US dollars to acquire about 7.2% of Wanda Film Industry''s shares, joining its board and becoming the third largest individual shareholder.


    And under the name of Palm Beach Films, he reached multiple cooperation agreements with Wanda Film Industry. Since he didn''t have time to be in Mainland, Ms. Liu acted as his proxy regarding Wanda Film Industry affairs.


    Ms. Liu also registered a movie studio in Capital City, responsible for managing the acting careers of Chris and Shu Chang.


    With a registered capital of three million, Golden Shell Investment held 49%, Chris Liu 41%, and Shu Chang 10%.


    The second investment was in the Dolphin Bay Talent Agency, with a registered capital of five million, Golden Shell Investment holding 75%, and Emily Yang holding 25%.


    The business scope involved actor representation, commercial development for actors, publicity and promotion for actors, as well as for films and television series.


    This was the current positioning for Dolphin Bay. If Emily Yang wanted to grow and strengthen the company, she would need to demonstrate more ability and help him make money before Link would continue to invest and support her.


    Besides these, he also spent over twenty-two million US dollars on several property acquisitions.


    Including a large siheyuan, two luxury apartments in Chaoyang District.


    Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    He also snapped up twelve high-end apartments in a bustling area of Dahai City, under the management of Shell Baby Property Management Company.


    Originally, he wanted to invest in companies like Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu, but unfortunately, these companies were already public. Investing now would hardly allow him to become a shareholder, and the returns would not be substantial. It was more profitable to invest in American companies.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After handling these matters, he arrived at the "Snow Flower Secret Fan" film set located outside Dahai City''s Bund.


    Link played a rich, young, and handsome American businessman named Joseph.


    His primary role involved falling in love with the second female lead, Sophia Snowflake, portrayed by Jun Ji-hyun, although Snowflake''s affections were for the first female lead, Nina Lily.


    While Sophia Snowflake maintained an intimate relationship with him outwardly, her heart was always with Nina Lily, which led her to terminate the child she carried with Joseph.


    Yet Joseph continued to love her, and he was even moved by her and Lily''s love.


    This film was adapted from a novel by Chinese-American author Lisha Kuang, titled "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," published in 2005, selling over one million copies, and translated into more than thirty languages, marking it as a best-selling novel.


    Wendi Deng, having failed to secure a more significant position at News Corp, turned her attention to the film industry; "Snow Flower Secret Fan" was her first film as a producer and her stepping stone into the realm of cinema.


    After Link joined the cast, Wendi Deng often approached him, inquiring about the potential success of the film and whether it could be a box office hit.


    Link said he didn''t know.


    Wendi Deng didn''t believe him, pointing out that "Scandal Plan," in which he invested, grossed close to 150 million US dollars worldwide in just a month. With an 8 million investment yielding 150 million at the box office and receiving decent reviews, she argued that it demonstrated Link''s acumen in film investment.


    Link explained that Palm Beach Films was mainly handled by Catherine, and "Scandal Plan" was a project she secured. He was only responsible for investment; he truly didn''t know about the other aspects.


    However, in regards to "Snow Flower Secret Fan," given its gay theme, it wouldn''t be publicly released in Huaxia, and with its Huaxia background, Asian faces, and niche subject matter, it wouldn''t perform well in the Western market either. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the film turned out well, it might, like "Lust, Caution," win some international awards, but the likelihood of reaching a hundred million dollars in box office sales was slim.


    Wendi Deng said she didn''t expect the box office to surpass a hundred million, but if it could make forty or fifty million and win a few awards, that would be sufficient.


    Link suggested it was worth a try. He wasn''t aware of the film''s original box office prospects, but with the addition of international movie stars like himself, Alice Lee, and Jun Ji-hyun joining the cast, forty or fifty million should be achievable.


    "Mr. Baker, it''s time for you to get ready."

 Chapter 424 - 360 Golden Shell Investment (3/10)_2

    The crew member came over to remind them.


    Link nodded, greeted Wendi Deng, and walked onto the set to perform.


    His part wasn''t large, mainly consisting of five scenes. The first was singing "Can I Get a Kiss" in a high-end bar in Dahai City to confess his love to Sophia Snowflake.


    Link was a singer, good at both English and Chinese songs.


    Dressed in a black suit, he stood on stage with a microphone and said to the guests below, "Ladies and gentlemen, I''d like to sing a song for the most infuriating, most stubborn woman I''ve ever met. This song..."


    Laughter and applause rose from the audience.


    Link smiled as well and continued, "Yes, she''s here in the audience and knows I''m talking about her. As for the rest of you, you can guess. This song perfectly describes what our relationship was like, begging her for a kiss, music!"


    The live music started to play, and Link tapped his fingers, singing the English version of "Can I Get a Kiss" with the accompaniment.


    give me just one kiss, yes or no


    kiss on my face, Leave a love mark of you


    give me just one kiss, yes or no


    ... S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The extras beneath the stage also began to dance gracefully.


    The lighting for this scene was handled by the special effects artist from "Star Trek," and it looked really good, giving off a high-quality feel.


    Link came off the stage, singing and swaying his shoulders, relaxed and effortless in his performance.


    Director Wang Ying watched his performance and nodded slightly.


    No wonder he was an actor who had worked with the great director Woody Allen. His actions, language, expressions, and even micro-expressions were all well-calibrated, and there wasn''t a hint of stiffness in his performance.


    Originally, when Wendi Deng mentioned giving this role to Link, he was a bit worried, thinking that a Boxer turned singer wasn''t quite right, and that filming might be difficult.


    Now it seemed that his previous concerns were unfounded.


    Alice Lee was also sitting on set, watching Link''s performance with a hint of surprise in her eyes.


    She had seen Link''s performance in "Fighter," and while he was good, he was just that¡ªgood, not quite a top-tier actor.


    But in just over half a year, his acting had improved tremendously. His performance style was more mature, his delivery more stable.


    And there was that natural aura of an international superstar about him, which was very attractive.


    "See, I told you this guy is amazing, capable of succeeding at anything. Now do you believe me?"


    Wendi Deng said.


    "I believe it, but it''s a pity he''s too young. If he were a bit older, I would definitely pursue him,"


    Alice Lee joked.


    "You''re just in your thirties, not old at all. Do you know Marion Cotillard? She''s fourteen years older than Blink, and the two of them are still hot and heavy. This shows that Link won''t care about age when chasing girls. Chris, if you want to pursue Link, you might have a chance,"


    Wendi Deng replied with a light laugh.


    Alice listened to Wendi''s words and watched Link in the center of the dance floor. She couldn''t help the skip in her heartbeat, feeling a hint of temptation to try, but she knew it wasn''t right and quickly reined in her racing thoughts, admonishing,


    "Sis, don''t stir the pot. If I run into his room in the middle of the night and scare him away, and there''s no one to shoot the movie, you can''t blame me."


    "Not a chance, Link has a big appetite. If you dare to go to his room at night, he''s bound to devour you completely."


    Wendi Deng laughed softly.


    Alice suddenly remembered the way Link had his hands in his pockets when they parted at the seafood restaurant, her face growing hot at the thought of actually going to Link''s room at night, perhaps never coming out.


    She gave Wendi Deng a look, asking her to stop talking so she wouldn''t be distracted during the shooting.


    Wendi Deng patted her shoulder, telling her that Link had invested a huge sum of money in Wanda Film Industry to support Chris Liu.


    This news had already spread in the entertainment industry''s capital circle, and everyone knew that Chris was Link''s person. Those who had bullied Chris and blocked her career were now likely looking to mend their relationship with her to avoid offending Link.


    Alice asked how much money Link had invested in Wanda Film Industry? The specifics weren''t public, and ordinary people didn''t know the details.


    Wendi Deng held up two fingers.


    Alice asked if it was twenty million?


    Wendi Deng simply said to add another zero.


    Alice felt a shiver inside, sighing to herself at how wealthy this Playboy was, spending over two hundred million for a girl. Two hundred million divided would make two billionaires, yet he spent it on one woman.


    Before, Alice didn''t understand the meaning of a "rich girl," but now she did¡ªChris Liu was worth two billion.


    "This guy isn''t afraid of going broke?"


    Alice Lee thought to herself as she watched Link in the middle of the set.


    "Can I Get a Kiss, is it possible


    Kiss on my face, leave a love signature


    Can I Get a Kiss, is it possible


    Kiss on my heart, make me miss you


    Even when I look into your eyes, if you don''t agree..."


    After singing the English version of "give me just one kiss," Link continued singing the Chinese version of "Can I Get a Kiss."


    "Cut!"


    After one run-through, Director Wang Ying called a break, walked over to Link, and hesitated before telling him his Mandarin was too standard, lacking a bit of flavor. She hoped that when he sang, he would not pronounce it too perfectly.


    Link was somewhat speechless.


    Ever since becoming Link, due to the different structure of his tongue and throat muscles, and a different way of articulation, even though he knew how to speak the most standard Mandarin, the Mandarin he spoke was still awkward, coming out as ''foreign Chinese''.


    Before shooting this film, Director Wang Ying told him to learn this Chinese song in advance and to practice fluently. As a result, he had to take time out of his concert schedule to practice this song, receiving guidance on his pronunciation from Chris and his singing coach.

 Chapter 425 - 360: Golden Shell Investment (3/10)_3

    He had practiced for a long time to reach this level, yet now Director Wang Ying said he sang too well, rendering all his previous efforts moot.


    However, Director Wang Ying was also right, a foreigner who spoke fluent Mandarin was definitely more sought after than one who had a mouthful of broken Chinese.


    Link, heeding the advice, switched back to singing "Give Me a Kiss" in broken Chinese, and although it sounded awkward, he felt much more comfortable with the pronunciation.


    "Everyone, sing along!"


    Give me a bowl, intentional or not


    The bowl on my cheek Sang, leave a mark of love


    Give me a bowl, intentional or not


    .....


    Link sang and danced his way over to Jun Ji-hyun, their eyes meeting.


    Link wore a black suit, white shirt, looking dashing, while Jun Ji-hyun was clad in a tight-fitting red dress, her long, straight black hair draped over her back, her figure curvaceous.


    The spotlight was on the two of them, resembling the lighting at the Oscars, making the scene look fantastic.


    "Even if I''m glaring at you, and you don''t agree, I will still plead with you... Hey, everyone, look how she''s playing me."


    Link slowly moved closer to Jun Ji-hyun, attempting to kiss her, but she turned her head, avoiding his lips.


    "Never disappointed!"


    Link continued to sing.


    "Wow!" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Clap clap clap!


    The audience applauded and cheered.


    At that moment, Jun Ji-hyun cradled his chin and gently kissed him.


    The crowd erupted into another round of cheers.


    Link flashed a light smile, took Jun Ji-hyun''s hand, and led her to the middle of the dance floor.


    Jun Ji-hyun took the initiative to kiss him on the lips, for her role as Snowflake was the aggressor in the romance, and she kissed like a man would.


    Link embraced her, placing his hands on her slender waist and slowly slid them down to her curvaceous back. Jun Ji-hyun had a nice figure with some curves.


    "Cut!"


    "Not bad, let''s do another take!"


    Director Wang Ying shouted.


    Asking for another take didn''t mean the last one was poor; rather, it hoped for better performance and breakthroughs in acting in the next scene.


    The better the actors performed, the higher quality the movie would be.


    Link didn''t mind doing another take. On one hand, it was a chance to hone his acting, and on the other, it was an opportunity to learn Korean from Jun Ji-hyun during breaks.


    He already knew a bit of conversational Korean, just as he knew a little Japanese, but not much. If he wanted to master these two languages, he still needed more practice.


    When Jun Ji-hyun taught him Korean, she was quite serious, starting with everyday conversation, vocabulary, then moving to more complex sentence patterns, and she also shared some Korean history and anecdotes.


    After practicing for a while, Link still found Korean challenging to speak but understood more and more Korean sentences.


    To express his gratitude, he offered to treat Jun Ji-hyun to a meal, which she declined, telling him directly she had a boyfriend and their relationship was stable. Accepting his invitation could lead to rumors and make her boyfriend anxious, so she apologized and refused.


    Link found this amusing. After becoming a billionaire star, it was rare for a woman to decline his invitation, and now he''d been rebuffed by Jun Ji-hyun.


    He didn''t mind, however, and continued to learn Korean from her. He bought her a gemstone bracelet as a token of appreciation, worth about a thousand US dollars, which Jun Ji-hyun did not turn down.


    In return, she gave him a Sony music player containing over sixty classic Korean songs and more than ten daily Korean conversations, which she recorded herself¡ªan earnest gift.


    Bit by bit, they became friends.


    Link didn''t show any interest in pursuing her, and since he didn''t, she also had no reason to refuse his friendship.


    Regarding Japanese, the President of Universal Records Japan''s marketing department, Tahara Yasue, brought his Japanese teacher to Dahai City.


    What surprised him was not only the arrival of Yui, but also another girl named Nozomi Sasaki.


    Same age as Yui, 22 years old, 168 centimeters tall, with measurements of 80/58/82 cm, a pure and fair complexion, long legs, and a curvy figure.


    Nozomi Sasaki, originally a model, was now an actress with three works, "Drops of God," "Angel''s Love," an up-and-coming talent.


    Tahara Yasue said she was Yui''s assistant and would be responsible for Link''s Japanese studies together with her from then on.


    Link was somewhat speechless.


    The eagerness from Japan made him suspect a trap, such as industrial espionage.


    So, before figuring out their motives, he limited his interactions with them to studying Japanese and refrained from any excessive behavior.


    "Cut!"


    "Perfect! Next one!"

 Chapter 426 - 361 New Heng Yui-chan

    Haidong New Area is the financial trade zone of Dahai City and also one of the most bustling districts of this international metropolis.


    Adjacent to Huangpu River, it is surrounded by towering skyscrapers.


    It hosts the world''s second tallest building, the Dahai Center Tower, and the fifth tallest, the Universal Financial Center, which also features the highest restaurant in the world, as certified by the Guinness World Records.


    The fifth tallest building in the new area is the Jianghai Tower, standing 327 meters tall, and is currently the most expensive apartment residence in terms of price.


    Currently, each square meter is priced at over fifty thousand, and each apartment sells for over ten million. During the purchase process, buyers must undergo an identity check and interview. Buyers with money, power, and fame are given priority, while those like coal bosses, who only have money, often do not make the cut.


    Link owned two apartments in the Jianghai Tower, both over 500 square meters in area, and this was also his foothold in Dahai City.


    However, the current residents here were not him, but his two Japanese language teachers, Yui Aragaki and Sasaki Nozomi.


    "Oga-san, I''m doing well here in Huaxia. The dormitories are in a high-rise apartment, even taller than Tokyo''s Ginza, and the outside is very bustling..."


    Dressed in a white t-shirt and jeans, Yui sat kneeling on a leather sofa, calling her mother, Erika, who was far away in Okinawa Prefecture, explaining that her purpose in coming to Huaxia was for a business trip to teach an important person Japanese and that she would likely return to Japan in half a month.


    She also asked about her father''s condition, whether he had been released yet?


    Her mother said that her father had already left the inspection office and that after resting for a week, he could continue working at the prefectural office.


    Yui sighed with relief and said, "yogatta."


    Erika, still worried about her, wanted her to avoid going out as much as possible while working in Huaxia, as Huaxia people did not like Japanese. She also asked who the important person she was teaching was and whether he might bully her?


    Yui explained that he was an American, a genuine American, very polite, and a true gentleman, who had done nothing untoward toward her.


    Upon hearing he was American, Erika was reassured and told her to earnestly teach him Japanese and not to act willful as young women tend to do.


    Yui quickly said she wouldn''t and asked her mother not to worry, adding that she would bring her a gift.


    After hanging up the phone, Yui collapsed onto the sofa, her knees knocking together, feet pointing outward, and she brushed her bangs from her forehead.


    After some thought, she called her boyfriend, Ryo Nishikido. To be precise, he wasn''t a boyfriend yet, but they had mutual feelings and had just established a relationship.


    Both were signed artists at Johnny & Associates, had interacted for six months, thought well of each other, and had privately agreed to be a couple.


    But the agency forbade its artists from dating during their contract, so when they met at the company, they only looked into each other''s eyes and greeted each other with "konya qi wa."


    If they missed each other, they would secretly call or text. After establishing their relationship for over two months, they had only held hands twice.


    This business trip to Huaxia, serving as a Japanese teacher for the world''s most famous playboy, was something she was reluctant to accept. Her boyfriend, Ryo Nishikido, also disagreed and even went to the company''s senior management to protest.


    Initially, because she had been performing well in the past two years and had high popularity on the islands, Johnny & Associates wanted to protect her and help her turn down the job.


    However, for some reason, the agency later changed its stance, announcing a suspension of all her public activities and insisting she take on the job.


    Yui was heartbroken and wanted to protest by fasting. Her boyfriend, Ryo Nishikido, also encouraged her to persist, believing the company would eventually make concessions.


    But just then, her father, an official in the Okinawa Prefecture agricultural department, was exposed for embezzling funds, accepting and giving bribes, with irrefutable evidence.


    If prosecuted by the prosecution office, he would not only lose his civil servant job and reputation, but also face imprisonment for more than five years.


    At the time, Yui was protesting in an apartment in Tokyo; when she heard the news over the phone, she felt as if the sky were falling.


    Her father, Chia Aragaki, was 47 years old this year. Although he was just an ordinary civil servant at the prefecture level, roughly equivalent to a village chief''s rank,


    being a civil servant in Japan is a very respectable job, stable in employment and good in benefits, respected by those around and giving a sense of pride to their family members.


    Her father was the pillar of the Aragaki family, a remarkable man, now exposed for embezzling funds, and next, he would be thrown into prison. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whether her father had embezzled funds or not, in Yui''s heart, he remained the best father.


    To help her father, she called acquaintances for help, willing to use all her savings to pay his fines, hoping the audit office would reduce his sentence during the trial, allowing him to come home sooner.


    Unfortunately, her connections were all in the entertainment industry, unrelated to the political arena, and she found no way to help.


    At that time, Yui felt very powerless; although she was a star, she still felt like a very insignificant person.


    Just when she was about to despair, someone from the agency introduced Mr. Tahara Anjo to her.


    He said he could handle Chia Aragaki''s case, prevent prosecution, and perhaps allow him to continue as a civil servant.


    The condition was that she had to sign a confidentiality agreement and volunteer to be the playboy''s Japanese teacher.


    Hearing Mr. Tahara''s words, Yui agreed without hesitation.


    It was just teaching Japanese to a playboy, not being a female slave. As long as she handled it properly and maintained her boundaries, it was not difficult.


    After Mr. Tahara Anjo left, Yui thought about how she had been protesting for several days, and yet, she still had to go to Huaxia to teach Japanese to that playboy, feeling utterly defeated.

 Chapter 427 - 361 Yui from New Heng Part 2

    A flash of insight struck her, and it seemed she understood everything.


    Perhaps the accusation of her father embezzling funds was orchestrated by Tahara Anjo and the office, their goal being to make her accept this job.


    It was utterly despicable!


    Even though she had understood all this, Yui grew not more relaxed, but even more tense.


    She had known Playboy Link Baker for a long time, originally a boxer, said to be undefeated with no one as his match, having defeated even the famous former boxing champion Tyson in just a few rounds, incredibly impressive.


    Later, he entered the music industry, and with just three albums, he became the king of pop in Europe and America, his songs also hugely popular in Japan.


    "unstoppable" "see you again" "legends never die" "all of me" "Everything You Need" and other eight songs successively topped the Japanese Billboard singles chart, and his three albums sold over four million copies in Japan, more than the albums of top Japanese artists.


    What sold even better than his albums were his photo books.


    Link released two photo books in Japan; the first was released in August 2009 alongside his second album "Keep On Movin''," successively selling over 1.2 million copies. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The second photo book, released this April, has so far sold over 5 million copies, ranking first among male photo books.


    "Women''s Own" magazine claimed that virtually every modern city woman in Tokyo owns a copy of Link''s photo book.


    Although this statement might seem exaggerated, it isn''t too far-fetched.


    Link is very handsome, with beautifully sculpted muscles, a very sexy physique, a masculine presence, and his photos in underwear are particularly sexy, reportedly inspiring fantasies among many proprietresses daily.


    Yui had also collected a copy, but at that time, she didn''t know she would end up having any interaction with him.


    After being forced to become Link''s Japanese teacher, her fondness for him dropped by 5%.


    Link was also a movie star, owned a very successful record label, and had a net worth of over 150 billion yen, making him a tycoon.


    Despite his status, Link was just a moderately famous tycoon; his fame in the United States was a bit less than MJ, Madonna, Britney, and others.


    Yui didn''t quite understand why the agency insisted on forcing her, a popular star, to become his Japanese teacher.


    Especially since the government department was involved in the matter, they could easily expose her father''s misdeeds or suppress the issue quietly.


    This made Yui very nervous, feeling the situation was more serious than she had imagined.


    After deciding to take on this job, due to the confidentiality agreement, when she informed her boyfriend Ryo Nishikido, she didn''t mention that Tahara Anjo helped resolve her father''s case, merely stating it was her choice to be Link''s Japanese teacher.


    Her boyfriend became angry upon hearing her decision, blaming her for not standing firm, and suggested that she might be deceived into sleeping with the playboy.


    Yui promised she wouldn''t, saying she would keep herself pure for him, and would not have any relationship with the playboy; if the playboy dared to force her, she would fight back desperately.


    Ryo Nishikido only forgave her after hearing her promise, calling daily to check if the playboy had done anything inappropriate to her.


    Yui said no, the playboy had recently been busy filming on set, only coming to the apartment to study Japanese for two hours a day, greeting her when he arrived and also when he left, behaving very politely.


    Her boyfriend warned her not to let her guard down, suggesting the playboy''s manners might be a disguise, and once she let her guard down, the playboy would pounce, taking advantage of her and unleashing his lust, adding that all men are like that.


    Yui thought it unlikely.


    Before, when looking at Link''s photo books, she found him very handsome, a very handsome playboy; but upon meeting him in person, he seemed even more handsome.


    Black, finely cut short hair, eyes like blue crystals, a high and prominent nose, his facial contours seeming as if crafted by an Ancient Greek sculptor.


    He had a tall and straight figure, with very strong and sexy muscle lines, his body contours visible even clothed.


    He was also gentle and polite, devoid of Japanese male chauvinism and did not belittle women, his temperament very good, even when faced with cold treatment, he did not get angry, instead making her feel very rude and ashamed afterwards.


    Link was also well-read, having read many books including works by literary and philosophical figures such as Hemingway, Amedeo, Bu?uel, Dali, as well as Japanese authors Haruki Murakami''s "Norwegian Wood" "Kafka on the Shore," Yasunari Kawabata''s "Snow Country" "The Old Capital," and Ry¨±nosuke Akutagawa''s "Rashomon" "In a Bamboo Grove."


    Every time she talked with him, Yui felt ashamed of her own limited knowledge and experience.


    She also felt ashamed for previously viewing him with disdainful eyes reserved for playboys, how could such a handsome, refined, and knowledgeable man possibly just be a playboy who enjoyed toying with women''s bodies?


    So, when her boyfriend said that Link would unleash his animalistic side on her, she felt her boyfriend was like her past self, understanding Link superficially from the media, presuming him to be a worthless man, but in reality, Link was not like that.


    Yui didn''t explain on behalf of Link, only told her boyfriend to rest assured, firmly telling him that the person she loved was still him and asked him not to worry about her changing her heart.


    Ryo Nishikido also reluctantly said he would wait for her return.


    After hanging up the phone, Yui held her phone and zoned out.

 Chapter 428 - 361 New Heng Yui-chan_3

    I originally wanted to reminisce about my boyfriend to express how much I miss him.


    But for some reason, now whenever I think of a man, the first image that pops up is Link''s, with his deep and bright eyes, his clean and sunny smile, every gesture he makes exudes a man''s charm and makes it hard to not feel a fondness for him.


    "Argh! Why am I thinking of him again?"


    Yui-chan slapped her forehead, unlocked her phone to open the photo album, and looked for pictures of Ryo Nishikido, ready to dispel Link with her boyfriend''s photos.


    It''s just that her boyfriend had a somewhat ordinary appearance, with long hair that exploded in all directions and a nose ring. She used to think it was cool, but compared to Link, it felt worlds apart.


    One was like a luxury item displayed in a Chanel flagship store, while the other was like half-priced merchandise from a discount shop.


    Yui-chan shook her head, feeling ashamed for such thoughts and kept reminding herself insistently in her heart that what she truly liked about her boyfriend was his inner beauty, not his appearance, inner beauty is a hundred times more important than outer beauty.


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    As she was wrestling with her thoughts, her phone suddenly blasted a ringtone, and Yui-chan almost dropped it on the floor in a panic. She scrambled to pick it up from the couch, and the caller ID showed ''Tahara Yasue''.


    Actually, she had met Tahara Yasue only twice; the first time was when she signed a confidentiality agreement, and the second was when he took her to meet Link, after which he disappeared like a missing person.


    She had inquired about Tahara Yasue''s identity from her agency seniors before, and they told her that Tahara Yasue was a big shot in the entertainment industry, also taking care of tasks for other bigwigs. Having his favor and approval would mean never lacking resources in the entertainment circle.


    Yui-chan carefully answered the call, politely greeting Mr. Tahara.


    Mr. Tahara''s attitude was also very pleasant, and he inquired about Mr. Baker''s progress learning Japanese.


    Yui-chan reported that Mr. Baker was very dedicated to studying Japanese, was making prompt progress, and could now understand some Japanese conversations, recognize more than a hundred Japanese characters, and was quickly improving in spoken language, able to say over fifty everyday phrases.


    Mr. Tahara said that was good and then inquired whether Mr. Baker had done anything to her, like kissing, touching, or sleeping with her?


    Yui-chan blushed fiercely and hurriedly said ''No way, no way'', remarking that Mr. Baker was very polite; he hadn''t even touched hers or Nozomi Sasaki-chan''s hands and was a very respectable person.


    There was silence on the other end of the phone.


    "Mr. Tahara? Are you still there?"


    Yui asked softly.


    Tahara Yasue responded that he was, and then said he had an important task for her.


    If she could complete it, her father''s ranking in the prefectural office would be promoted by two to three ranks, making him the head of a department or a team leader in the prefectural office.


    Yui-chan was very surprised.


    In Japan, being a civil servant is a very respectable job with high income and good benefits, and because of this competition for positions is fierce, and promotions are difficult to obtain.


    Her father was very capable at work but hadn''t been promoted in over a decade in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries due to a lack of smooth communication and lack of backing from important figures.


    If he could be promoted by two to three ranks, he would become an official in the prefectural office, and his annual income could rise from 5.6 million yen to over 8 million yen. Moreover, the Aragaki Family would become a prestigious family in Okinawa Prefecture.


    This kind of prestige was more dazzling than having a daughter who was a star, and even more worthy of respect.


    Tahara Yasue continued to say; he could also help her older brother who was an auxiliary policeman to become regularized, to become a full-fledged police officer.


    Yui-chan covered her mouth in shock, her dark pupils trembling within their sockets.


    Becoming an official police officer was her brother''s dream; however, even after five years of being an auxiliary officer, he had not been regularized. If he could become a real police officer, that would be amazing.


    But Yui-chan understood that every gift came with a pre-determined price tag.


    Given such favorable terms by Mr. Tahara, the task he had in mind must also be equally challenging, perhaps even requiring the sacrifice of one''s life to accomplish it.


    Yui-chan asked in a whisper what the task was?


    Mr. Tahara said he hoped she could attract Mr. Baker, become Mr. Baker''s lover, and if possible, bear his child.


    Regardless of the child''s gender, her father would receive a promotion of at least three ranks, and if she wanted to continue acting, she would be granted S-rank resources.


    Yui-chan opened her mouth in shock, stunned for a moment, as she had just pondered many other things Mr. Tahara might have asked her to do.


    Like taking nude photos of Link, stealing Link''s new song drafts, probing into Link''s business secrets, giving him laxatives before a boxing match, and even considered the possibility of being used as an assassin to kill Link.


    But she had never imagined that Mr. Tahara''s task would be for her to become Link''s lover, to bear his child.


    Yui-chan curiously asked why this was so, pointing out that she was a popular actress in the Japanese entertainment circle, influential not only domestically but across all of Asia, and now she was being arranged to become Link''s lover, a surrogate mother?


    She didn''t understand the intentions behind such an arrangement by Mr. Tahara, Anj¨­, and the governmental departments.


    Mr. Tahara told her that Japanese women currently enjoyed a positive reputation internationally and were more recognized than women from other Asian countries, progress that had been bought with the sacrifices of countless Japanese women, including Yoko Ono, Marcia Aoki, Riko Shibata, and others.


    Yui-chan pointed out that those women were wives of celebrities, not mistresses, and that their relationships were born of free love, not arrangement.


    Mr. Tahara Anj¨­ said that was merely the surface, and asked her how she regarded Link as a person?


    Yui-chan thought for a moment and said he was a very handsome and powerful young man.


    Mr. Tahara Anj¨­ told her that Link was considered one of the most outstanding and powerful men in the world, his strength, his speed, and his talent all proved he was part of one of the finest races.


    If they could introduce his genes into the Japanese gene pool, it would play a crucial role in improving the quality of the Japanese people as a whole.


    Mr. Tahara also said this wasn''t an isolated incident, as the success of mixed-raced individuals active in various sectors in Japan over recent years had already proven that the plan was feasible.


    Yui-chan gradually understood Mr. Tahara''s point but felt both ashamed and angry. It was a new era, so why did people still harbor such eugenic thoughts? Japanese genetics were already good as they were; why the need to borrow from others?


    And yet, she, a major star, had been reduced to a sad tool for surrogacy.


    In the end, Mr. Tahara Anj¨­ said the initiative was not for his personal gain nor for the profit of any company, but for the benefit of all Japan and its future generations.


    The future standing of the great mixed nation among the world''s communities, its potential to be one of the global leaders, depended on her performance, and he hoped she would consider it seriously.


    Yui-chan was extremely irritated upon hearing this; earlier, Mr. Tahara Anj¨­ had used the prospect of promotions for her father and regularization for her brother as bait, and now he elevated the mission to a matter of national and ethnic importance, as if she were a traitor to the nation if she refused.


    Yui-chan initially wanted to reject the proposal outright, but thinking of her father''s promotion, she hesitated and said she needed to consider it seriously.


    Mr. Tahara Anj¨­ said that was acceptable and told her that Nozomi Sasaki-san had already accepted the mission, and if she declined, she could opt out at any time. The mission was purely voluntary; there would be no coercion, and he also emphasized the importance of maintaining confidentiality.


    Click!


    The phone call was disconnected, and Yui-chan listened to the busy tone in the handset, her mind somewhat in disarray.


    Should she accept this peculiar mission?


    Was it true that Nozomi Sasaki-san had accepted it?


    Yui-chan was puzzled. She tossed her phone aside and sprawled on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 429 - 362 Nozomi Sasaki-chan

    Tap, tap!


    The distinct sound of footsteps awakened Yui-chan as she sat up from the sofa and picked up a Japanese textbook to flip through.


    However, her gaze drifted over the top of the book to see her roommate, Nozomi Sasaki, descending the central spiral staircase, dressed in a bright silver knee-length silk skirt and wedge slippers, nearly 170 cm tall with a slender and sexy figure, and a pair of fair, long legs.


    Her face was delicate, with sparkling large eyes and pink lips, giving her an innocent and sweet look, yet her attire was very sexy and charming.


    This was Nozomi Sasaki.


    Originally a model, she rose to fame last year with the movie "Angel''s Love," where she played a compensated dating girl. With her exquisite face and tall, sexy figure, along with her pure yet tempting demeanor, she became one of the most eye-catching actresses in Japan''s entertainment industry.


    In June, she was also ranked 33rd in the "Top 100 Most Beautiful People in the World" by the American movie site TC Candler, the only Japanese woman to make the list.


    Compared to Sasaki, Yui-chan didn''t consider herself much of a beauty.


    But what she couldn''t understand was, with Nozomi Sasaki around, why did Mr. Tahara still arrange for her to come here?


    Sasaki had a beautiful and pure face and a devilish figure. Just by putting her in Playboy Link''s bed, Link would undoubtedly not refuse her, even if it was about having a child, Nozomi Sasaki would surely accomplish the mission.


    Yui-chan felt Mr. Tahara''s arrangement was somewhat superfluous.


    "Konichiwa!"


    Yui-chan took the initiative to greet her.


    "Konichiwa!"


    Nozomi Sasaki nodded slightly.


    Both were Japanese and actors, but they had never interacted before. Having lived together for over a week, due to personality differences, their interactions were few and limited to brief greetings whenever they met.


    Yui originally thought that her coming here at this time meant she had something to discuss, but that wasn''t the case.


    Nozomi Sasaki entered the small living room, opened the fridge, took out a bottle of cherry soda, then picked up a "Vogue" magazine from the rack, and walked to the sofa on the viewing platform, lounging there with her fair and smooth long legs crossing at an angle.


    Her posture was very seductive, a breezy gust lifted her skirt, revealing more of her sensual body parts along with her bust, which, since she was not wearing a bra, formed an enticing outline under her silk dress.


    Yui thought that if Playboy Link saw this scene, he would go to bed with Nozomi Sasaki tonight, and twenty days later, the pregnancy could be confirmed, thus fulfilling everyone''s task. Yui suddenly felt that this mission might not be so difficult after all.


    "Sasaki-san! I think we need to talk."


    Seeing that Sasaki was ignoring her, Yui decided to initiate a chat.


    "Talk about what?"


    Nozomi Sasaki''s tone was still cold.


    "About Mr. Tahara''s task. He said you took on that task."


    Yui leaned on the back of the sofa, needing to raise her voice a bit to reach across the distance to the viewing platform where it was windy.


    "Yes, are you trying to compete with me to see who can get pregnant by Mr. Baker first?"


    Nozomi Sasaki glanced at her, a hint of competitive spirit showing on her delicate face.


    "What? No, that''s not it, Sasaki-san, you got it wrong. I have no intention of competing with you. I have a boyfriend, and we love each other deeply. I also don''t want to have Mr. Baker''s child, that''s the truth. I think we can divide the tasks. I''ll be responsible for teaching Mr. Baker Japanese, and you can be in charge of, no, attracting his attention, making him fall in love with you and making you successfully conceive. What do you think?"


    Yui shouted.


    "What are you saying, why don''t you come over here and sit down?"


    "I''m afraid of heights! It''s too high up there, it looks very scary."


    Yui covered her eyes and walked a few steps towards the viewing platform, her back against the corner of the wall facing the living room, and repeated the above words again. This time she was closer and didn''t need to speak too loudly.


    "You don''t want to come here? Why did you take on this job then?"


    Nozomi Sasaki put down her magazine and asked.


    "I didn''t want to take it."


    Yui sighed, knelt on the carpet, and talked about some family matters. She didn''t mention that her father had been investigated for corruption, as that was not an honorable matter, only that there had been some mishaps at her father''s work, which Mr. Tahara had helped to settle.


    Thinking about Nozomi Sasaki''s current popularity, Yui assumed she wasn''t here voluntarily either, and asked why she came.


    However, Nozomi Sasaki said she came voluntarily.


    Not long ago, the Artiste Section Manager at TOP COAT Agency spoke to her. Mr. Link Baker was preparing to learn Japanese and needed a Japanese language assistant; she agreed immediately.


    Yui was somewhat surprised and asked her why she agreed. Link was a playboy, and being his Japanese teacher would result in media speculation about an inappropriate relationship with him. Why then would she agree?


    "Why not agree?"


    Nozomi Sasaki perched her fair slender legs, shook them slightly, took a sip of cherry juice, and said that Link was an international superstar. Being involved in rumors with him would not only be widely reported by the Japanese media but also by the European and American media.


    This could increase her fame in the modeling and acting industry even more, possibly inviting her to participate in the four major fashion weeks, walking for the top six blue-blood and eight red-blood luxury brands, becoming a supermodel like Gisele Bundchen, Kate Moss, or Demi Moore.


    "But they want you to have a child with Link, and after having the child, they might ask you to give up your career and stay at home to focus on raising the child, unable to achieve anything else."


    Yui said.


    Nozomi Sasaki glanced at her, "Why would you think so? Mr. Baker is not only a celebrity but also a billionaire. If I became the mother of his child, for the sake of his reputation, he would not neglect me and the child."


    With his support, I thought I could continue to model and act, which would definitely be better than the current situation. I believe the problem we should consider is not what to do after having the child, but how to actually have his child. You should be able to see that Mr. Baker is not enthusiastic about us."


    Yui scratched her forehead. She had approached Sasaki Nozomi wanting to discuss how to tackle the assignment and avoid being treated as a surrogate mother.


    However, after chatting for a while, she realized that Nozomi''s thoughts were almost completely opposite to hers; what troubled her was not an issue at Nozomi, and what she tried hard to avoid was exactly what Nozomi actively pursued.


    As their objectives differed, they simply could not continue the conversation.


    Ding-dong!


    Yui''s phone rang again, and she answered it.


    It was her brother Shin Hideshitada. On the phone, he mentioned that his superiors had talked to him, stating that she had been sent on a business trip to Huaxia for a very important national project, and that she should perform well as they would be proud of her.


    Listening to her brother''s words, Yui felt a tingle in her nose and almost cried, but she didn''t want him to worry, so she pretended to be calm and promised to perform well and bring him gifts when she returned.


    There were also two unread text messages from her boyfriend Ryo Nishikido.


    Ryo said that during his nap, he dreamed of her being pinned down by a huge black wolf; he woke up frightened.


    Ryo asked what she was doing, if she was alright, and told her to take good care of herself.


    Reading the messages made Yui even more heartbroken.


    On one side were the nation and her family; on the other were her personal future and love. She stood in the middle, unsure of which way to go.


    "Yui-chan, are you struggling?"


    Sasaki Nozomi offered her a bottle of cherry soda and knelt across from her, resting on her knees.


    Yui blinked, noticing that from up close, Nozomi seemed even prettier¡ªher delicate, fair, small round face looked pure and adorable, and the slight movements beneath her silk dress revealed her pink cleavage, the straps slipping off her shoulders, adding a touch of sexiness.


    She also smelled wonderfully sweet.


    "What did you say?"


    Yui asked after taking a sip of the soda.


    "You don''t want to have a relationship or a child with Mr. Baker, right? So, how about we swap duties? I''ll become Mr. Baker''s Japanese teacher, and you can be the assistant. You can help prepare the lessons and stay in the room during the sessions. I will tell Mr. Baker you''re unwell. Do you agree?"


    Sasaki Nozomi suggested.


    Yui thought about it, and the arrangement didn''t seem too bad.


    Nozomi wanted to have Link''s child. Mr. Tahara needed a Japanese woman to bear Link''s child.


    She could do nothing and just wait until Nozomi had Mr. Baker''s child; then she could return to Tokyo and continue as an actress and singer as if nothing had happened.


    As for her father and brother...


    In this matter, Yui felt most guilty towards her father and brother, who doted on her so much. She could have helped them in their careers, but she hadn''t done that.


    Suddenly, Yui felt like the selfish woman from the movie "Nobody Knows," only caring about her own pleasure, disregarding her family''s welfare.


    "Yui-chan, have you agreed?"


    Sasaki Nozomi smiled faintly.


    Seeing the smile on her lips, pure and sweet, Yui recalled Nozomi''s role in "Angel''s Love," where her character deceived a classmate into part-time prostitution in order to become a madam. She had that same kind of smile then, somewhat sinister.


    "Nozomi-chan, I''ve thought it over. Mr. Tahara arranged for me to teach Mr. Baker Japanese and for you to assist, intending for us to cooperate in teaching him. If we secretly swap duties and delay Mr. Baker''s Japanese learning progress, Mr. Tahara might blame us if he finds out.


    I suggest we stick with the original division of work. I''ll teach Mr. Baker Japanese, and you be the assistant. You can interact with Mr. Baker more on your own, and I won''t interfere or compete with you," Yui said.


    "Humph! I knew it, you too don''t want to miss this opportunity, do you?"


    Sasaki Nozomi''s sweet smile turned cold.


    "It''s not that. I have a boyfriend," Yui replied.


    "Is your boyfriend comparable to Mr. Baker?"


    With a slight smile, Sasaki Nozomi flipped her skirt and stood up, heading upstairs while speaking, "If you''re not giving up, then let''s compete, but the loser will definitely be you, big-face girl!"


    "What? Big-face girl?" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yui glared, covering her cheeks, her face wasn''t big at all; it was round and cute, beloved by many fans.


    She was still the number one female artist on the ORICON STYLE "Artists You''d Want to Date" list, and was ranked third in the 2009 national goddess list, more popular among male fans than her, right?


    Yui knelt on the floor, fuming as she watched Sasaki Nozomi walk upstairs.


    She wanted to come up with a nickname for her too, but staring at her back for a good while, she couldn''t find an appropriate word¨DSasaki Nozomi was just too beautiful, without any obvious flaws.


    Ding-dong~Ding-dong!


    Just then, the doorbell rang. Yui checked the time; it was 3 p.m. exactly when Mr. Baker had scheduled their Japanese lesson for today.


    Seeing the messy living room, Yui quickly got up to clean up.

 Chapter 430 - 363 MTV Award Nominations

    After filming, Link drove to Jianghai Building in the Jiangpu New District. Along the way, he received calls from Ivanka and Mandy, and the three talked about some issues.


    Firstly, "The Woman I Love" had dropped below 10,000 in sales in the United States this week, falling out of the top thirty on the album charts. Five months after its release, the current cumulative U.S. sales totaled 4.45 million copies, and it seemed to have exhausted its potential.


    In terms of overseas sales, thanks to his tour and numerous scandalous reports, this month''s overseas sales reached 2.24 million copies, with a global cumulative total of 18.72 million copies, making it highly likely to break through 20 million copies within the year.


    Meanwhile, Taylor''s "Last Kiss" fell to second place this week after five consecutive weeks at the top, with sales of 125,000 copies, bringing its cumulative U.S. total to 3.02 million copies. It temporarily ranked third on the annual album sales chart, with strong sales momentum.


    Since Taylor''s influence overseas was not as strong as his, the sales of that album were average, around 5.35 million copies.


    Seeing these numbers, Link secretly thought it was a misstep; he should have compared global album sales with Taylor, not just U.S. sales.


    This week also marked the second week since the release of Selena''s second album "A Year Without Rain," which had an opening week sales of 247,000 copies, landing it second on the album chart.


    When Selena released her new album last week, Link, adhering to the chubby-faced girl''s request, posted a tweet encouraging everyone to support her new album.


    As a result, fans teased him, saying he didn''t want to see Taylor''s album continue to sell well and was worried about being defeated by Taylor on the album chart, so he used Selena''s new album to suppress Taylor.


    Some even called for continued support of Taylor, to defeat this jerk and let justice triumph over evil.


    Link refuted this statement.


    He explained that all eighteen songs in his third album "The Woman I Love" contained the words ''I love you'' and each represented the most sincere love.


    In contrast, all fourteen songs in Taylor''s third album "Last Kiss" were filled with resentment, with each singing ''I don''t love you''.


    This is a world full of love, so those who liked his songs would definitely outnumber Taylor''s fans, and his own album''s victory in sales would also represent the victory of ''love'', with everyone who has love in their heart emerging as victors.


    Fans scoffed that his words sounded nice but still couldn''t hide the fact that he was a scumbag.


    They pointed out the numerous scandals he was involved in during his concert tour in Huaxia, as the media exposed his alleged affairs with several Huaxia actresses, including Chris Liu, Jennifer Shu, Zhou Xun, Wang Fei, He Chaolian, Cai Yiling, Alice Lee, and Jun Ji-hyun.


    Link countered by saying that those were false rumors, and if merely chatting with and discussing work with women was considered scandalous, he might soon lose even the right to speak to women. He hoped people would not believe or spread rumors, as rumors are stopped by the wise.


    Taylor''s fans said he had it coming for not cherishing Taylor when he had the chance.


    In the end, Taylor herself stepped in to break the siege.


    Taylor also retweeted Selena''s announcement of her new album on Twitter.


    Seeing both Link and Taylor supporting Selena, fans declared Selena the ultimate winner.


    Selena promptly posted a cute smiling face on Twitter, saying, ''Love or no love doesn''t matter, cuteness is what''s most important''.


    With the promotion from both of them, Selena''s album "A Year Without Rain" secured the sales championship this week with a slight lead at 148,000 copies sold.


    And the single "We Don''t Talk Anymore," a duet between Link and Selena, which was also considered to be a song he wrote for Taylor after they broke up, topped the singles chart this week.


    This single''s rise to the top of the charts was also seen as a victory for all three individuals.


    Of course, there were plenty of fans who continued to criticize him, calling it ''good songs by a bad guy,'' ''deeply emotional scumbag,'' and noted that he seemed to release multiple hits every time he got dumped, compared to a treasure trove, suggesting that Ivanka and his other rumored girlfriends should dump him too, so he could write more good songs.


    Aside from Billboard''s news, the nominees for the 27th MTV Video Music Awards were also announced last week. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This year''s MTV Music Awards mainly selected music videos for songs released between July 2009 and July 2010.


    Link earned 11 nominations in 16 categories with the music videos from his second and third albums as well as various singles, including Video of the Year, Best Male Video, Best Rock Video, Best Pop Video, Best Collaboration, Best Direction, and more.


    However, the artist with the most nominations this year was Lady Gaga, leading the pack with 13 nominations.


    Taylor''s third album was released a bit late and didn''t fall within the selection period, hence she only received one nomination for Best Female Video.


    Selena gained two nominations from her debut album''s MV, for Best Dance Video and Best Art Direction.


    Within the four artists under Link Music.


    Lana Del Rey earned two nominations, including Best New Artist and Best Direction.


    Mars got three nominations: Best Male Video, Best Collaboration, and Best New Artist.


    Wiz Khalifa received two nominations, for Best Hip-Hop Video and Best Collaboration.


    Justin Bieber got one nomination for Best New Artist.


    The rest of the nominees were mostly familiar faces, including Eminem, Beyonce, Pink, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Ke$ha, Katy Perry, Coldplay, Green Day Band, and others.


    The Los Angeles Times, in its coverage of the MTV Video Music Awards, mentioned that there weren''t many highlights this year except for the competition between Link and Lady Gaga, to see who would win the most awards and become the most influential artist in Western music this year.


    The MTV Music Awards ceremony is scheduled for mid-September, and Link needs to make a trip back during his concert tour.


    In addition, Ivanka mentioned that Ariana Grande had signed up with Link Music and asked if he had any arrangements for her?


    After some thought, Link said to treat her the same as Charlie Puth at first, letting them learn songwriting in the recording studio with guidance from professionals like Graham, David Kahn, and Mars; they should be able to learn something, and then consider releasing an album in a year or two.


    Ivanka suggested that they gain some experience on the American Idol show to accumulate fame and performance experience.


    Link thought this was a good arrangement.


    He also took the opportunity to inquire about the new albums from Lana Del Rey and Mars.


    Both of them had released their last albums about a year ago and were preparing for their second ones. Link was busy with his concert tour and working on his fourth album and didn''t have any new songs for them.


    However, he could still help oversee the song production process, offer some suggestions for changes, and prevent them from taking any wrong turns.


    After ending the call, he took two gifts for his Japanese teachers and headed to the apartment on the thirtieth floor of the Jianghai Building, pressing the doorbell twice.


    In fact, he had the key to the apartment''s smart lock, but out of politeness, he rang the doorbell first to give the people inside some time to prepare.


    After waiting two minutes with no one answering the door, he was about to call and check when the door opened from the inside, revealing a face of refreshing beauty. Supporting the door, she nodded at him,


    "Kokujikyowa, Mr. Baker, sorry to have kept you waiting."


    "Kokujikyowa, teacher Yui!"


    Link responded with a bow and walked in with the gifts.

 Chapter 431 - 364: The Beautiful Female Teacher

    The high-rise apartment in Jianghai Mansion is a high-end apartment, with the upper and lower floors featuring classic European decorative styles.


    From the floors and walls to the spiral staircase, ceilings, and the design of the French windows, every detail exudes an air of luxury and elegance. The apartment is well-equipped with modern appliances.


    After looking around, Link found it very nice, but when compared to Ivanka''s apartment, both the layout and the interior design were of a lower standard. This kind of gap couldn''t be bridged by money alone, as aesthetics were key.


    If he had time in the future, he could ask Ivanka to help with the design.


    Upon arriving at the small living room, Link handed the gift to Yui-chan¡ªit was a hand-drawn album of Huaxia landscape paintings. It wasn''t very expensive, but it was unique, interesting, and held some collectible value.


    Upon seeing the gift, Yui-chan repeatedly waved her hands, saying that she was paid for the business trip and there was no need for him to spend his money.


    Link said it was a local souvenir that wasn''t worth much and also his gift for becoming her student.


    After thinking it over, Yui-chan reluctantly accepted the album.


    Looking around the small living room, Link asked where Miss Sasaki was.


    Yui-chan told him that Sasaki was upstairs and would be down shortly. She apologized for being occupied with other tasks and not preparing to welcome him, asking him to wait for three minutes.


    Link nodded, saying he had plenty of time today and was in no rush. He told her to take her time.


    Yui-chan placed her hands in front of her waist, bowed to thank him, and then slowly exited the living room.


    Link took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack, where the clothing of two female teachers was already hanging. Yui-chan''s clothes tended to be simple and elegant, resembling those of an ordinary city girl, whereas Nozomi Sasaki-chan''s wardrobe was mostly designer labels, fashionable and striking.


    Out of politeness, he refrained from examining their clothes further and returned to the small living room, where the coffee table now held a basket of fruit, a pot of fragrant tea, and two celadon tea cups, infusing the air with a light aroma.


    "Mr. Baker, I''ve kept you waiting." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yui-chan, holding books, quickly emerged from the study.


    Her medium-length loose hair was tied back in a ponytail. She''d added a light blue ladies'' blazer over her attire and swapped her slippers for white shoes. Matched with her tall figure and sweet, friendly smile, she looked even more fresh and beautiful.


    Link inwardly praised Yui-chan, who truly lived up to the title of ''national wife'' as seen through the eyes of her Japanese fans¡ªshe was indeed beautiful.


    "Mr. Baker, may we begin our lesson?"


    Yui-chan lowered her head to brush aside a strand of hair near her ear and then knelt down at the low table.


    "Teacher Yui, please teach me well."


    Link nodded and sat cross-legged on the soft stool opposite her.


    Yui-chan noticed his awkward position and, slightly embarrassed, looked down, her ears turning a faint red.


    She had suffered a lot getting here from Huaxia, due to her fear of heights and discomfort flying which even caused her to get airsick.


    Her mood was also spoiled due to a situation with her father. She initially started teaching classes to take revenge on this playboy. Yui-chan had suggested that if he wanted to learn Japanese quickly, it would be best to change the desk to a low Japanese-style one and for him to kneel on the carpet during classes.


    Link followed her suggestion, quickly arranging for a low table, tatami mats, and two Japanese folding screens to be bought, exceeding her requirements.


    However, in terms of sitting posture, Link explained that he was an athlete and kneeling might hurt his knees, so he could only sit cross-legged.


    Seeing him so cooperative, Yui-chan did not press the issue further, secretly thrilled by the idea of having successfully played a joke on a big shot.


    But after spending a few days with him, she realized that this infamous playboy was not a bad person at all. He was handsome and refined, intelligent and learned, full of talent, and had a warm and polite character, which contrasted sharply with the sneering face and the predator she had imagined who only knew how to take advantage of girls.


    After getting to know him, Yui-chan felt a quiet guilt. What if Link found out she had been pranking him? Would he get angry?


    "Mr. Baker, if you''re uncomfortable sitting like this, we can move over there and sit on the sofa... The learning experience might be slightly less effective, but it won''t be much different," said Yui-chan, pointing to the adjacent small reception room with a gentle tone.


    "It''s all right, studying Japanese while sitting here is indeed more calming," Link said nonchalantly.


    One advantage of the low table was that he could talk face-to-face with Yui-chan.


    Only three feet apart, he could see her bright, lively eyes, her fresh and pure face. When she laughed, eight white teeth would show, and when she smiled, the corners of her lips curled up high, revealing sweet dimples that were soft and infectious.


    Being in close proximity to such a girl who could provide emotional value was also bound to improve the efficiency of learning Japanese.


    "Mr. Baker, if you don''t mind, let''s start our lesson. Please flip to page twelve in the booklet, today we learn the Japanese expressions for everyday items," Yui-chan opened the booklet and said.


    "Yooshi~"


    "...Mr. Baker, it''s not quite appropriate to use ''you xi'' to express ''good'' here, ''hi'' would be more accurate, or you could use OK."


    Yui-chan corrected seriously.


    "OK!"


    "I''m very sorry, Mr. Baker, for being late."


    Just as the two were about to start the lesson, several shy and sweet voices of ''sumimasen'' came from behind.


    Link looked up and saw that it was Nozomi Sasaki-chan.


    Her attire was very sexy, reminiscent of a female teacher from a Japanese adult film, wearing gold-rimmed round glasses, a white suit, a fitted skirt, and meticulous makeup. It was unclear if she wore any underwear beneath her jacket, which revealed a fair cleavage.


    The hem of her fitted skirt was rather high, rising above her thighs with just a slight sit-down.


    Her shapely long legs were clad in black stockings and high heels.


    With her sexily swaying catwalk, her legs moving back and forth, she exuded a sense of trendy sexiness.


    But her face was pure and delicate, her expression serious and even a bit cold, carrying a flavor of a celibate older sister.


    She was like a high-end version of a female teacher.


    Link glanced at her and greeted her in Japanese, "Good afternoon, Teacher Sasaki, your clothes are very pretty."


    "Arigato! Link-san, you also look very handsome today."


    Teacher Nozomi Sasaki smiled sweetly, giving a slight bow, and the cleavage under her jacket became even more conspicuous, like a white line in a valley on a snowy day, glaringly bright.


    Link smiled lightly, his mind filled with extra caution.


    Nozomi Sasaki was also quite a famous actress in the Japanese entertainment industry.


    After entering the entertainment industry last year, with her sweet looks and sexy figure, she became popular in Japan, and many Japanese media and netizens hailed her as Japan''s number one beauty, the ''dream lover''.


    Now she dressed so seductively in class as if to tempt him, which made him maintain his vigilance.


    Here, vigilance wasn''t a matter of timidity but stemmed from a lesson learned from previous experience.


    That lesson involved MJ.


    In the 1980s, MJ managed to buy the rights to popular songs, including over two hundred hits from The Beatles, through his ATV Music Publishing company.


    In the early 1990s, Sony Records, coveting the music rights MJ held, proposed a merger with ATV Music Publishing, where the rights to all songs would be split equally.


    In this way, Sony Music also secured 50% of the rights to the songs by MJ and The Beatles, while MJ obtained 50% of the song rights under Sony Music.


    However, as Sony Music grew stronger with the acquisition of over two million song rights from around the globe over the decades, the value of Sony/ATV Music''s rights soared from a few hundred million US dollars to between forty to fifty billion US dollars.


    According to the agreement from 1995, 50% of that belonged to MJ, making MJ''s net worth over twenty billion US dollars.


    This was a huge fortune, and Sony believed that MJ had received an unfair advantage and demanded to change the initial agreement. MJ refused, and the situation between them became extremely tense.


    Later, a lot of negative stories about MJ came to light, causing him plenty of troubles and nearly ruining his reputation.


    Western media reported that this was partly the reason.


    After MJ''s death, Sony Music managed to buy back shares and all of MJ''s song rights from his estate, becoming the world''s largest music rights company. If this was a war, Sony undeniably emerged as the ultimate winner.


    The situation was quite similar for Link.


    He was the largest shareholder of Link Music and owned all of the company''s song rights, including his three albums, as well as those of Lana, Mars, Wiz Khalifa, and Justin Bieber.


    The rights to these songs were Link Music''s most valuable assets, which was also why Wall Street kept on raising Link Music''s market value.


    In contrast, Taylor''s first six albums'' song rights were sold for three hundred million US dollars in 2018, while all of Justin Bieber''s song rights were transacted for two hundred million US dollars in 2021.


    The value of the albums under Link Music and its artists, after 2018, could conservatively be estimated to worth no less than one billion US dollars.


    This was a pie worth hundreds of millions or even over a billion US dollars, and nobody could resist lusting after it. Since last year, several parties had been eyeing Link Music, proposing financing and acquisition plans, including the five major record companies, partly motivated by the desire to own these song rights.


    In fact, neither Link nor Eva had planned to hold onto these rights long-term. After two or three years of release, the ongoing revenue from these songs would significantly decrease, selling the rights would also result in a huge profit.


    But before voluntarily selling the rights, he didn''t want anyone to touch this pie or to be held hostage by it.


    Therefore, when he saw Tahara Ayane bringing two popular Japanese actresses to serve as Japanese language teachers, he grew wary, and seeing Nozomi Sasaki-chan in her alluring teacher outfit coming to class just heightened his caution.

 Chapter 432 - 365: Yuis Guilt

    After Nozomi Sasaki-chan sat down opposite him, a charming scent of perfume wafted from her.


    The short, half-length skirt also rubbed against her skin, making a soft noise barely audible, as if a lover''s red lips were gently brushing past the ear, or as Laozi described in the "Tao Te Ching," "the loudest sound is hardly heard." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From Link''s perspective, he could just see Nozomi Sasaki-chan''s kneeling posture.


    Her knees came together, in a seiza position, causing the skirt to roll up slightly.


    It seemed there was some enticing white.


    Because of this, Nozomi Sasaki-chan had to pull down her skirt hem several times, but the hem seemed elastic, curling up even more.


    "Hmph!"


    While Link was sneaking peeks, another teacher was also staring at him with eyes full of scrutiny, as if trying to use this incident to test whether this student had any self-control.


    Link smiled lightly, and to avoid letting Yui-chan down, he sat up straight, concentrated hard, and began to follow Yui''s instructions to learn the Japanese names for various pieces of furniture, such as the wardrobe (¤è¤¦¤Õ¤¯¤À¤ó¤¹), the dish cupboard (¤·¤ç¤Ã¤­¤À¤Ê), and the double bed (¥À¥Ö¥ë¥Ù¥Ã¥É), among others.


    Seeing his performance, Yui-chan nodded with satisfaction, feeling increasingly that Link-san was a person of morals and cultivation. Someone like him, even if he were a playboy, it wasn''t his fault; rather, it was because some bad women were seducing him.


    Thinking of bad women, Yui-chan couldn''t help but cast an unhappy glance at Nozomi Sasaki-chan nearby. This was a classroom; her attire as a teaching assistant was too inappropriate, making it seem like they were shooting an adult film.


    Nozomi Sasaki-chan, however, was indifferent to her gaze and was intently flipping through a pamphlet, listening to Link learn Japanese.


    Whenever Link mispronounced something, she would turn her body to the side, and with a sweet yet serious voice, she''d correct his mistakes and teach him to make sentences using the new furniture terms he''d learned.


    For example, a double bed was a bed big enough for two people to sleep on, side by side, not stacked on top of each other¡ªthat would be a single bed.


    The bathtub: After a busy day, the teacher would strip off her clothes and lie in the tub to soak.


    The faucet is where the water comes out of the pipe; they come in various lengths, with some being a few centimeters and others tens of centimeters, in all shapes and sizes.


    Initially, Yui-chan didn''t notice anything amiss, but after listening for a while, she realized these examples were somewhat suggestive and could easily lead to wild thoughts.


    "Cough!"


    Yui-chan coughed lightly, her cheeks taut, and with a tap on the desk with her finger, signaled her to be mindful.


    Nozomi Sasaki-chan didn''t even look at her and kept teaching Link Japanese on her own terms, sometimes leaning over toward Link or pouting her pink lips and chiding him in a sweet voice, making very tempting gestures.


    And there was her skirt hem...


    Yui-chan couldn''t help but quietly pull it down a bit, covering some parts that should not be exposed.


    But her thighs were quite plump, so it wouldn''t budge.


    Yui-chan had been holding back for a long time, and finally, when the half-hour break came, she asked Link to continue reciting the new words and sentences he had learned, and took Nozomi Sasaki-chan''s arm to the next room''s lounge.


    She closed the door.


    "Nozomi-chan, what are you doing?"


    Yui-chan glared at Nozomi Sasaki, asking angrily.


    "Yui-chan, what are you doing?"


    Nozomi Sasaki crossed her arms and asked indifferently in return.


    Although she was one centimeter shorter in bare feet than Yui-chan, Nozomi Sasaki was wearing high heels, which made her two centimeters taller, allowing her to look down into Yui-chan''s eyes with a provocative smile on her lips.


    "Me? I am of course teaching a class. Right now, I''m the one asking you, so please answer me."


    Yui-chan met her gaze unflinchingly.


    "I am also teaching a class!"


    "But, but with the way you dress and continuously tempting Mr. Baker, how can that be considered teaching? You''re clearly seducing Mr. Baker. Don''t forget that Mr. Baker is currently our student. Is this how a teacher behaves?"


    Yui pointed at her exposed cleavage and long, white legs.


    "Yui-chan, have you forgotten Mr. Tahara''s task? Without doing this, how can we complete the mission?"


    Nozomi Sasaki said.


    Yui-chan paused, her memory jolted back to Mr. Tahara''s mission¡ªthey were to get close to Link, find a way to extract ''seeds'' from him to improve the Dahai ethnic gene pool. In this light, Nozomi Sasaki-chan''s actions were part of carrying out their task; it seemed she wasn''t wrong.


    "But, we can take our time with that task, like first developing feelings, deepening our understanding, mutually liking each other, and then willingly engaging in a relationship. Wouldn''t that be better?"


    "Develop feelings?"


    Nozomi Sasaki laughed coldly, leaned in close to see her face, almost touching nose to nose.


    "Yui-chan, did you come here to fall in love? Our goal in getting close to him is to steal something from him. Does it matter whether we fall in love with him or not? Waiting to fall in love before stealing from him, do you think that''s more noble?"


    Yui-chan opened her mouth but didn''t know how to respond.


    Their approach to Mr. Baker was far from pure; they intended to steal something very important from Link.


    So, whether they loved him or not, they were thieves, and Link was the victim.


    If they waited until Link fell in love with them to steal, they would take not only the seed but also his love.


    If they waited until they fell in love with him to steal, it would be an act of hurting their loved one under the guise of love.


    No matter what they chose, it was a shameful act.


    So, Nozomi Sasaki was right, not to love him nor be loved by him, and to simply have a relationship would perhaps cause him less harm.


    But, Yui-chan couldn''t get over the idea of having relations without love.


    "Nozomi-san, don''t you feel wronged by doing this? I know you''re not someone who takes things lightly. Maybe we can negotiate a deal with Mr. Baker. For example, we could ask him to willingly give us a share because, as we learned in biology class, that thing is available every month and there''s plenty to go around."


    Yui-chan blinked her large eyes, suddenly feeling that her suggestion was brilliant.


    Mr. Baker was a very nice person and seemed easy to talk to. If they told him everything and asked for his help, maybe he wouldn''t refuse. Then they wouldn''t have to do anything bad and wouldn''t feel guilty.


    "Big-faced girl, how can you be so naive and still become a big star?" Nozomi Sasaki stared at her and asked.


    "What?"


    "Would you just give away your own child? Not to mention that Mr. Baker is a billionaire. According to legal provisions, illegitimate children sometimes have inheritance rights. Do you think he''d be willing to hand over some of his descendants to the Japanese government to potentially claim part of his wealth?"


    Yui-chan thought it over and realized how naive her idea was. If Mr. Baker had been that generous, Tahara Anjo and the others would have already obtained his genes. But beyond that method, were there better ways?


    "Yui-san, do you really want to accept this mission? If you do, let''s compete fairly. If you don''t, then don''t block my way and prevent me from completing the mission."


    Nozomi Sasaki questioned her.


    Yui-san blinked her big eyes, thinking hard, and then took two steps back and bowed deeply at a ninety-degree angle to Nozomi Sasaki with great formality.


    "Nozomi-san! Please take care of it!"


    Nozomi Sasaki blinked emotionlessly and walked away with a sensual stride, in her suit skirt, her pert buttocks and pale thighs looking very alluring.


    Before, Yui-chan would have scorned her for being a flirtatious woman, but now she had nothing but respect for her.


    Nozomi Sasaki-san was willing to sacrifice her body for her country and nation. Compared to someone like herself who only cared about her feelings and personal love, neglecting her country and family, she was truly great, and she was too selfish.


    Yui-chan sighed, brushed her bangs, and spiritedly went back out.


    Click!


    In the small living room, Link used the remote to turn off the display and continued to study Japanese.


    When Yui-chan entered the living room, she saw him still practicing Japanese, not having moved an inch, and admired silently that Link-san was a good man. He was strong, excellent, wealthy, and also industrious in his studies, striving for self-improvement.


    Stealing from him would probably invoke guilt.


    Yui-chan sighed softly, composed her emotions, and continued to teach Link Japanese, with a clear and sweet voice, as if reading a script.


    Nozomi Sasaki-san also moved gradually to Link''s side, stretching her pale fingers, teaching him to recite word by word, with a hundred times more seriousness than his primary school teacher.


    Sometimes when he made a mistake, Nozomi Sasaki-sensei would gently tap on his shoulder with her little fist, chiding him to be serious, all the while non-stop presenting him the view down her collar and gently rubbing her knees against his.


    Link, suppressing the surging impulse, read aloud from the pamphlet, wondering what the two would do next.


    ¤³¤Î¸è¤Ï¤É¤¦¤Ç¤¹¤«


    "How about this song?"


    ¤¤¤Ä¤·¤ã¤ó¤Ï¤¤¤ò¤¿¤Á¤Þ¤·¤¿¤«.


    "When did you leave Dahai City?"


    ¤Ë¤Û¤ó¤Ïʼ£¨¤Ï¤¸£©¤á¤Æ¤Ç¤¹¤«?


    "Is this your first time in Japan?"


    The lesson continued for nearly an hour until Nozomi Sasaki-san told Yui-chan she would stay back to tutor Link-san and asked if Yui-chan could help prepare some food.


    Yui-chan looked at her, cheeks flushed, picked up the booklet, and without turning back, ran upstairs.


    "Link-san, please turn the pamphlet to the next page so we can preview tomorrow''s lesson," said Nozomi Sasaki-chan in her sweet voice.


    "Okay, Sasaki-sensei," Link responded with a clear smile, reached for Nozomi Sasaki-chan''s soft waist, and kissed her cherry-like lips.

 Chapter 433 - 366 Tattered Cloth (4/10)

    Bang!


    Yui-chan hurried back to her bedroom, closed the door, leaned against it, and slowly sat down on the floor, knees knocking together, panting heavily in her chest.


    When she went upstairs, she took a sneak peek back and saw Link-san embracing Mikuru-chan and kissing her.


    It was like a passionate French kiss, the movements were intense, and just one glance made her face blush and her ears burn, unable to look a second time.


    Although Yui-chan had never experienced adult relations, under the influence of her roommate Mikuru Ishida-chan, she had secretly watched a risqu¨¦ movie and felt extremely ashamed.


    Now Link-san and Mikuru-chan were probably doing those very same embarrassing things.


    Yui-chan cradled her burning cheeks, her mind involuntarily conjuring up some peculiar images.


    Pitter-patter!


    After a while, Yui-chan heard a series of distinct footsteps coming from the second-floor corridor, heading towards her room, the footsteps heavy, not like Mikuru-chan''s airy steps. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yui-chan''s heart tightened, was it Link-san coming up? Wasn''t he downstairs getting intimate with Mikuru-chan, why was he coming up now?


    Could it be that he was coming to see her?


    Thump-thump!


    The footsteps stopped outside her room, the heavy tread made the person outside seem like a wild beast, its breathing audible.


    Yui-chan stood up nervously, held her breath, and pressed her pounding heart. Link was a world heavyweight champion, very strong and physically robust; what if he forced his way in to bully her, how would she resist?


    "Link-san, my room is over there, this is Yui-chan''s room."


    Mikuru-chan''s soft voice came from outside the door.


    Thump-thump!


    The footsteps walked away, then the neighboring room''s door opened and was slammed shut.


    Yui-chan exhaled in relief and sat down on the carpet. Just now there had been only Link-san''s footsteps outside, but she could hear Mikuru-chan speaking. Yui-chan could imagine the scene outside, Mikuru-chan probably clinging onto Link-san''s arm or back.


    ''She must be in his arms, with Link-san''s strength, a single arm should be able to lift Mikuru-chan.''


    At that thought, Yui-chan quickly shook her head. How could she let her mind wander like this? She opened her door to peek outside, no one was there, but at that moment from the bedroom next door came a strange noise, much like the one from the risqu¨¦ movie she had seen, only more intense.


    Yui-chan listened for a while until her cheeks burned hot. She hurriedly closed her bedroom door, but in the silence, she thought she could still hear a faint sound. Yui-chan covered her ears and lay on her bed. After a while, she softly opened her door and tiptoed down to the small living room.


    But seeing the scene in the living room, Yui-chan couldn''t help but cover her mouth; the once tidy room was in complete disarray, one of the two folding screens had toppled over, and the fruit platter and small booklets on the coffee table had been scattered on the floor.


    On the floor also lay Mikuru-chan''s suit jacket, skirt, black stockings, and white T-shirt.


    By now, they were mostly torn to shreds.


    Link-san''s shirt and jeans lay carelessly on the ground as well.


    Seeing these items, Yui-chan couldn''t help but think of them as the scene of a brutal home invasion where Link-san was the violent perpetrator, and Mikuru-chan was the victim.


    However, remembering that Mikuru-chan was doing all this to conceive, she realized that it was Link-san who was the unwitting victim.


    Yui-chan felt it was wrong to label Link-san as the perpetrator. She shook her head, knelt on the carpet, and picked up the fruit platter and booklets. She also collected Link-san''s clothes, folded them neatly, and placed them on the sofa.


    Seeing the tattered remains of Mikuru-chan''s uniform, Yui-chan felt a twinge of sadness. Mikuru-chan was doing this for the sake of the country and nation; she hoped Mikuru-chan''s sacrifice would be worthwhile. Nevertheless, as she picked up the pieces of Mikuru-chan''s white skirt, she was taken aback.


    Yui-chan couldn''t believe it. Mikuru-chan seemed so flirty, her bottom so perky when she walked swinging from side to side, her makeup and dress mature and sexy. How could she still be a girl?


    She didn''t know the reason but felt that this piece of fabric must be very important to Mikuru-chan, so she blew it dry with a hairdryer and carefully folded it.


    Thinking of Mikuru-chan''s earlier mention of cooking, Yui-chan, worried that the two might be hungry when they came down, found some ingredients in the kitchen and prepared sushi, a pot of miso soup, and a pork cutlet.


    Considering that Mikuru-chan just lost her virginity and needed to replenish herself, Yui-chan took out her phone to look up a suitable dish for Mikuru-chan, then called the apartment''s maid to ask her to buy some ingredients.


    The maid took nearly an hour to deliver the ingredients to the apartment. Yui-chan had thought Link and Mikuru-chan would come downstairs earlier, but they didn''t. Only when she finished preparing all the food, Link-san came down wearing shorts and a T-shirt.


    "Yui-sensei, thank you for the trouble."


    Link said, looking at the neatly folded clothes on the sofa.


    Yui-chan gave him a glance, her face reddened as she shook her head. Normally, she would have scolded Link for bullying Mikuru-chan, calling him a bad man, but considering Mikuru-chan was stealing from him and she was an accomplice, she felt a bit guilty.


    "Link-san, I''ve made some Japanese dishes, would you like to try some?"


    "Sure, Yui-sensei, you are really an excellent lady. Not only is your acting great, but your Japanese cooking is also pretty good. Whoever marries you will be very fortunate."


    Link sat at the low table, praising the dinner Yui-chan had made.


    "It''s not that impressive, I can only make a few dishes, and the taste is just so-so."

 Chapter 434 - 366 Tattered Cloth (4/10)_2

    Yui-chan said modestly.


    Link smiled lightly, eating his meal while chatting with Yui-chan about her work. After Yui and Nozomi Sasaki arrived, he kept his guard up. He didn''t intend to get too friendly with them, planning to only learn Japanese, hold his concert in Japan, and then go their separate ways, never to meet again.


    However, through the closed-circuit television, he had overheard part of their conversation in Japanese. He could understand only a few words, such as "steal," "seed," "fall in love with him," and other short phrases and vocabulary.


    Their conversation piqued his curiosity.


    In order to quickly figure out Tahara Anjo''s intentions, he took a certain risk by overpowering Nozomi Sasaki, which led to some unexpected revelations.


    First was Nozomi Sasaki''s body, which appeared mature and sexy, but was actually quite na?ve, like a green peach tinged with red.


    The second point was the reason why Tahara Anjo sent them.


    Initially, Nozomi Sasaki-chan was reluctant to confess, but under his "harsh interrogation," she eventually spilled everything. It turned out that Japan was interested in his robust genetics and wanted to borrow some of his genetic material.


    It seems that when he had a boxing match in June, the Japanese organizers arranged for over a dozen girls to assist him with his bath for the same purpose.


    As for this matter, he didn''t really care. Although illegitimate children have some rights to inheritance, as long as he was alive, with legitimate heirs available, he wasn''t worried about his property being divided. Moreover, he expected to have a substantial amount of assets in the future, and having more descendants to share his wealth seemed like a good thing.


    Also, if he was powerful, his descendants would also be strong like him. Being a dominant group among humanity, why not have more children while still young?


    Having a few hundred children who were all strong could mean that in several years, there might be the chance to unify the world.


    After confessing, Nozomi Sasaki-chan requested that he not tell Yui-chan or Tahara Anjo about this. If Yui-chan found out, she would probably be too embarrassed to face him.


    Link agreed to her request.


    However, after leaving the room, he carefully contemplated and felt that Tahara Anjo and others probably had more complex schemes than simply wanting his genes. He didn''t know if they were plotting against Link''s music, but it was always wise to be cautious with the Japanese.


    "Teacher Yui, I''ve finished my meal. Thank you for the generous hospitality. I have a night scene to shoot and can''t stay here any longer,"


    Link said as he put down his chopsticks, speaking politely.


    When Yui-chan saw the five empty plates and food containers on the low table, her mouth opened slightly in surprise. The food she had prepared for three people was gone; Link had finished it all within less than ten minutes, not leaving even a drop of soup behind.


    Yui-chan was pleased that he had finished the food she prepared, which was a high compliment, but his appetite surprised her.


    "Link-san, are you leaving?"


    Seeing Link rising to his feet, Yui-chan hurriedly stood up as well.


    "Yes, these past few days I''ve been filming in The Bund. Due to a tight schedule, I have to shoot multiple scenes in a day."


    "Oh! I wish Link-san a smooth filming session."


    Yui-chan said as she took his coat off the rack and handed it to him.


    "Thank you! It will be,"


    Link replied in Japanese. At the doorstep, he told Yui-chan that Nozomi Sasaki-chan was very tired and would probably need to sleep a while longer before waking up. He asked Yui-chan to take care of her until he could come to see them the next day.


    Yui-chan didn''t understand why Nozomi Sasaki-chan would be so tired, but she quickly agreed to his request, saying that Nozomi Sasaki-chan was her companion and it was right for her to look after her.


    The two said goodbye at the door.


    After closing the bedroom door, Yui-chan sighed with relief.


    Link was a very good man, but she had come to his side to steal from him, to take from a good person. Each time she thought of this, Yui-chan found it difficult to face him.


    Back in the small living room, as Yui-chan saw the empty plates, her stomach rumbled with hunger. She could only make another meal for herself¡ªfortunately, vegetables and fruits were abundant and much cheaper in Huaxia than in Japan, so cooking was convenient.


    While preparing the food, she went upstairs to check, and sure enough, Nozomi Sasaki-chan was sleeping. The bedroom was in disarray, her hair that had been tied up was now scattered, and her cheeks were flushed like she''d just stepped out of a sauna. Her eyebrows, eyes, and nose seemed even more beautiful.


    Yui-chan stood by the bed, gazing at her face for a while, filled with admiration. Nozomi Sasaki-chan was like those true samurai of ancient times, brave, fearless, and unafraid of sacrifice, much stronger than someone selfish like herself.


    Yui-chan brushed her bangs aside and went back to the dining room to eat. She looked through a landscape painting album that Link-san had sent over, contemplating what to give in return as a reciprocal gesture.


    As dusk approached, she went up to the second floor to see if Nozomi Sasaki-chan had woken up¡ªif she had, Yui-chan planned to bring dinner to her.


    But as she reached the door, she heard Nozomi Sasaki-chan on the phone.


    "...Director Tahara, I have done what you said, and I hope you will keep to our arrangement and help solve the problem of my father''s high-interest debts... I know he owes a lot of money and will likely gamble again, but he is my father... I heard that the government is encouraging people to immigrate to Brazil¡ªI was wondering if I could get a spot for my father, could I?"


    "...I passed out, and I don''t know if I''ll get pregnant, but Link-san said he likes me and will take care of me, I think there''s still a chance I might carry his child."


    "...Director Tahara, I''m depending on you for my father''s sake, arigato."


    Hearing the voice from inside, Yui-chan covered her mouth and stood at the door, unsure whether to enter or leave.


    "Yui-san, come in," said Nozomi Sasaki-san with a slightly hoarse voice.


    "Nozomi-san, I didn''t mean to eavesdrop on your phone call," Yui-chan said with a flushed face, standing at the doorway.


    Nozomi Sasaki leaned against the headboard and glanced at her.


    "You heard everything?"


    "Yes, I heard a little. Nozomi-san, did you also take on this task because of your father''s situation, just like I did? They said my father embezzled and were going to sentence him. Then Mr. Tahara approached me, saying that if I agree to become a teacher for Link-san, he would help resolve my father''s issue. Is that how your father ended up in debt? Could this be a scheme they''re setting up? Should we call the police?" Yui-chan fiercely said.


    "When I was younger, my father worked at a bank, and we had a villa in Shibuya District. After his investment failure, he lost his job and then got caught up in gambling, eventually selling the villa and the car, leaving more than a hundred million yen in high-interest debts at the gambling den. These past few years I''ve been working outside and also helping my father pay off his debts. It''s not a recent occurrence. I suspect the financial issues your father had at work weren''t recent either," Nozomi Sasaki said.


    Yui-chan frowned, reflecting on her words. Nozomi-san seemed to be right; after her father had been arrested, her mother still complained on the phone about her father''s misdemeanors for a small sum of money.


    So, it indeed wasn''t Mr. Tahara''s fault.


    "Nozomi-chan, I''ve made some lamb blood soup, do you want to eat now? I''ll bring it up to you. Oh, and this is for you," Yui-chan said as she took out a cloth from her pocket, placed it on the bedside table, smiled sweetly at Nozomi Sasaki-chan, stepped out of the bedroom, and closed the door behind her. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nozomi Sasaki picked up the piece of cloth from the table, silently inspected it, and carefully tucked it under her pillow.

 Chapter 435 - 367 The Flowers of War

    "She''s inside!"


    "May I see her alone?"


    In the hospital, on the dimly lit corridor, Nina Lily stopped in front of a ward door. Joseph looked at her and slowly entered the ward. On the bed lay Sophia Snowflake, who had recently suffered a miscarriage, also a woman he had loved.


    Joseph quietly watched the unconscious Sophia, his handsome face showing sorrow, and a mild melancholy lingered in his deep eyes. The light from the ceiling poured down, casting his profile like a beautifully crafted piece of art.


    Seeing Link''s performance, Director Wang Ying nodded in satisfaction. A boxer who had honed his acting to this level was indeed remarkable.


    "Cut!"


    "Perfect!"


    After joining the crew of "The Secret Fan of the Snowflake," Link continued filming, completing Joseph''s scenes in about six days.


    Clap clap clap!


    When he finished shooting the final scene, the crew members all put down their work and applauded him in unison.


    On one hand, his dedication on the set over the past few days was admirable. As a global superstar with a hectic schedule, he had not been late for a single shoot, and he was punctual during rehearsals.


    His attitude towards the staff was also very good; he didn''t refuse any requests for autographs or photos from the cast and crew, displaying no airs like one might expect of a global superstar, which made everyone''s impression of him quite favorable.


    On the other hand, his acting was also impressive, taking his performance seriously. Sometimes, feeling unsatisfied with his performance, he would consult with Director Wang Ying, hoping to reshoot, striving to do his best¡ªa responsible attitude towards the film.


    Link, seeing everyone applauding for him, also clapped his hands, bowed in thanks to everyone, and even took a group photo with them.


    "Link, a prominent director would like to meet you, do you have time for a chat?"


    After the group photo, Wendi Deng came over smiling, accompanied by a slim, silver-haired director with strikingly bright eyes. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link looked over and recognized him immediately¡ªit was Director Zhang Da, known for his many seminal works like "Ju Dou," "To Live," "Hero," "Ambush from Ten Sides," "The Story of Qiu Ju," and "Curse of the Golden Flower."


    If one were to choose a director who had the greatest influence and best represented the development of Huaxia cinema in the world, it would undoubtedly be him.


    He was also the chief director of the 2008 Olympics opening ceremony.


    Link had seen him at the Capital City Olympics back then but had not greeted him. Now, seeing Wendi Deng bringing Director Zhang Da to the set, Link was somewhat surprised. What did he want with him?


    He took the initiative to go forward, shook hands with him, and said, "Director Zhang, your reputation precedes you." Director Zhang Da replied in kind, and Wendi Deng, standing nearby, couldn''t help but chuckle.


    With Wendi Deng playing intermediary, the three of them went to a nearby teahouse to chat.


    Director Zhang Da was straightforward. As soon as his bottom touched the chair, he declared his intent to offer him a role in a new movie, "The Flowers of War," a story about a group of Huaxia people bravely resisting invaders during the 1937 invasion of Capital City by the Japanese.


    The movie included a foreign character, an undertaker, a money-grubbing drunkard who, at a crucial moment, impersonates a priest to rescue "The Flowers of War" in a church, a character akin to "Oskar Schindler."


    Director Zhang Da believed he was suitable and invited him to play the male lead.


    "Director Zhang, am I suitable to play a priest?"


    Link, browsing the script, hesitated somewhat. He had played a boxer, a writer, a diver, a student, a groom, a mercenary, a businessman, and now a priest, he felt some pressure.


    "Mr. Baker, I think you are very suitable. You''re a foreigner, yet you possess a Huaxia spirit of humility and amiability, which wouldn''t stand out in a group of Huaxia people¡ªa rare trait.


    Furthermore, John Miller was not originally a priest; it''s a role he assumes under special circumstances. If you agree to take the role, we can redesign the character based on your image, perhaps as a playboy who came to Huaxia for business, or a nomadic musician looking for opportunities here¡ªall these are negotiable," said Director Zhang Da sincerely.


    It sounded appealing, but Link still had his reservations.


    First off, he had too much work lined up for next year, including boxing competitions, his fourth album, and a slew of movie projects.


    This included "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," "The Time Management Bureau," "Captain America," "Friends with Benefits," "You Are Still Here," and "Rust and Bone," plus this "The Flowers of War." His next year looked overwhelming.


    Yet, turning down the role seemed a pity.


    Firstly, it was a patriotic film. In this lifetime, he had become a foreigner and couldn''t serve his country directly. Taking on this movie and using his fame to promote Huaxia cinema internationally would be a meaningful deed.


    Secondly, the film apparently had a good reputation, being the box office champion for the year.


    Moreover, working with an internationally renowned director like Zhang Da could also be beneficial for his acting skills.


    Link asked Director Zhang Da about the filming schedule for the movie.


    Director Zhang Da mentioned it was roughly planned for February or March. His part wasn''t extensive, and it could likely be filmed within half a month.


    Link thought for a moment and mentioned that the script was excellent, but with his workload next year, whether he could take on this movie would depend on his schedule. He would give an answer next week.

 Chapter 436 - 367 The Flowers of War_2

    Director Zhang expressed his understanding.


    After seeing off Director Zhang, he called Mandy and Anna to discuss the new movie invitation from Director Zhang and asked if they were available in February or March.


    Ms. Mandy told him that the filming dates for "Captain America" were between October and February, and in February and March, they needed to shoot "Friends with Benefits" and "The Time Management Bureau."


    Also, he was releasing a new album at the beginning of the year, and February and March were the award season. If he took on "The Flowers of War," he probably wouldn''t have any days off at all.


    Listening to this made Link''s head spin. After thinking about it, he could talk to Director Will Guler to see if the filming could be delayed by a month or two. If not, they could look for a new lead actor.


    Palm Beach Films was one of the producers of the movie, so as the boss, requesting the crew to delay the shooting by a month or two was not a problem.


    If the crew was already prepared and delaying the shoot would be costly, they could also change the lead actor.


    This type of commercial film didn''t have high demands for the lead actor. As long as he was handsome and popular, there were many in Hollywood who could fit the role.


    Ms. Mandy said it was okay as long as he didn''t mind the exhaustion. He was the core of the entire team. If he worked harder, everyone could receive more bonuses and profit shares.


    Over the phone, Ms. Anna told him that the promotional work for the World Tour in South Korea had already started. According to the negotiations between Universal Records and the Korean side, the original plan of five concerts in South Korea was increased to eight.


    Listening to this, Link felt helpless. His workload was already substantial, and Universal Records kept adding more, setting a pace that might lead to his overworking to death.


    Anna continued, saying that Universal Records had also promised that for all the additional shows, they would give him and the performance team an extra $500,000 per show, and ensured that each show would have no fewer than 30,000 attendees. Any shows with audiences under 30,000 would still be paid as if they were full at 30,000.


    Hearing this, Link closed his mouth again.


    With each additional concert, he could earn an extra $1.5 million in performance fees, with ticket revenue also totaling over $300,000 per show. Adding three more concerts would bring in more than five million dollars, more than the salary for filming a movie.


    Moreover, the more concerts held in a region, the more tickets sold, which further demonstrated the singer''s local popularity and appeal.


    Adding more concert dates was actually something most singers looked forward to.


    Many singers claim they want to hold a hundred concerts before they start, but when the time comes and no fans show up, they end up wrapping up after just a few shows.


    Moreover, holding concerts is also a way to promote the singer and their albums. Before and after concerts, a singer''s fame and album sales in that region generally increase.


    For instance, during Link''s concert tour in Huaxia, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan, just in Mainland alone, his three albums'' total legitimate sales reached 620,000 copies, which was more than thirty times higher than in July, a very significant effect.


    It''s said that the pirated tape and CD sales of his three albums exceeded eight million copies, purchased by many high school students as English listening practice tapes.


    Link wasn''t too concerned about this. Once these pirated fans gained some financial capability, they might convert to legitimate fans, and perhaps in the future, they could be like the fans of superstar Stephen Chow, who claimed that everyone owed Stephen Chow for a legitimate album.


    As he was about to go to South Korea for concerts, Link first visited two Japanese language teachers and spent a day learning Japanese at his apartment.


    He also arranged for company staff in Japan to buy a luxurious apartment in Tokyo in advance.


    On one hand, it could serve as his future residence in Tokyo, and on the other hand, it could take care of Nozomi Sasaki-chan.


    Nozomi Sasaki-chan was beautiful, with a sexy figure and skin that seemed as though it had been soaked in milk. Her voice was also sweet when she spoke, and she possessed the gentle demeanor typical of Japanese women, offering great mental and physical satisfaction.


    Link felt that having a Japanese lover wasn''t too bad.


    Additionally, to thank Yui-chan for her help, he based on his impression wrote a piece of music and handed it to a musician under "Link Music" to refine it, creating an English duet song "Good Time," planning to perform it with Yui-chan at the Tokyo concert.


    In Yui-chan''s two albums, there are also several English songs, her voice is sweet and warm, which matched well with "Good Time."


    Yui-chan was very happy after receiving the invitation and every time she saw him, she would show her eight white teeth and even took the initiative to apologize to him, saying that she studied Japanese on a low table to prank him and asked for his forgiveness.


    Link smiled and said he didn''t mind.


    Feeling guilty, Yui-chan deliberately prepared a large table of Japanese cuisine as an apology and mentioned that she would invite him to eat again when they were in Tokyo in the future.


    Link asked her if she realized that being friends with a playboy like himself could lead to misunderstandings in the media and among fans, and asked if she wasn''t worried? S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yui-chan said she didn''t care and praised him as a good person, not the playboy others claimed he was.


    She also expressed how honored she felt to be his friend.


    There were several times Yui-chan almost couldn''t resist revealing their purpose for being there, but each time she was about to spill the beans, Nozomi Sasaki-chan would interrupt her with a change of topic.


    Seeing how innocent and cute Yui-chan was, Link sometimes felt a bit bad about himself.


    Before flying to South Korea, he also made a trip to the Capital City, stayed at Chris Liu''s house for two days, accompanied Chris and Jennifer to the courtyard house that was being renovated, and spent two nights in a luxury apartment in the Chaoyang District.


    However, due to being careless, they were photographed by paparazzi walking hand in hand and watching a movie.


    After the photos were leaked, a lot of negative online commentary about him appeared on the domestic internet, with many netizens indignantly calling him a "scum" and "flirtatious big radish," demanding him to leave Huaxia and never come back.


    When he initially came to Huaxia, netizens welcomed him enthusiastically, calling him "Text Bro" and "Boxing Bro."


    But now, they were all clamoring for him to leave sooner.


    It truly was a case of, "Thirty years in the east, thirty years in the west."


    Nevertheless, before leaving Huaxia, he and Link Music respectively donated fifty million Huaxia currency to Huaxia Charity Association, Huaxia Youth Development Foundation, and Link Charity Foundation''s Huaxia branch to support charitable causes in Huaxia, almost leaving all the money he earned on this trip in the land.


    This act was immediately reported by many official domestic media outlets, praising him as a philanthropist devoted to public welfare and welcoming his future exchanges in Huaxia.


    The public''s opinion of him slightly improved, feeling that aside from some flaws in his personal life, he was almost a perfect idol in other respects.


    So, when he posted a farewell message to his fans in Huaxia on Weibo before leaving, the comment section turned into a brawl, with more than 120,000 comments in three days, some welcoming him back, others not, and some saying they would welcome him as long as he didn''t flirt.


    He had become a semi-red, highly controversial foreign celebrity.


    This controversy also gave him tremendously high popularity and visibility among the people of Huaxia, and in a subsequent Weibo poll on the most popular foreign celebrities, he outclassed Leonardo, Lady Gaga, Kobe, Jordan, and Avril Lavigne to take first place.


    Even the endorsement offers from domestic advertisers increased from seven to eight million US dollars to over twelve million after taxes.


    Seeing his fame and profitability, many Huaxia companies actively contacted Dynasty Promotion, hoping to secure the rights to his next boxing match.


    The appearance fee offered was also over twenty million US dollars.


    This was the highest appearance fee a foreign boxer could achieve in a domestic match.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Buzz buzz buzz!


    As the plane took off, Link looked out at the vast lands of Huaxia and softly said, "I will come back."

 Chapter 437 - 368: Taylor is Pregnant

    In September, as East Asia gradually entered autumn, the sunshine in Los Angeles was still as brilliant as midsummer, with a clear and cloudless blue sky.


    Link stood at the airport, looked up at the sky, and amidst the tremendous roar, a Boeing 747 almost grazed the terminal building as it flew eastward.


    Perhaps his body had acclimated to the environment of Los Angeles, for when he stepped off the plane and set foot on this land, he felt a bit more relaxed, and the tiredness from the past few days seemed somewhat alleviated.


    When he put on his sunglasses and walked out of the terminal with his working team, Ms. Mandy came up to meet them ahead of time and told him that many reporters wanted to interview him about his world tour and asked if he wanted to accept?


    Link considered it for a moment, and he didn''t refuse.


    As a public figure, without media promotion, there was no traffic, and thus no market.


    Even though dealing with media was taxing, he still had to treat it as a priority task.


    Upon reaching the airport''s forecourt, a group of around forty to fifty media reporters, including many photographers, approached him.


    "Mr. Baker, welcome back to Los Angeles. Could you share with us any gains from the Asian leg of your world tour?"


    The reporter from the Los Angeles Times shouted with a recording pen.


    "There were many gains, the greatest of which was certainly gaining a lot of lovely fans. Although we speak different languages and come from different cultures, music knows no boundaries. We are delighted that they like my songs, which will also be a motivation for my creation. Furthermore, I got to see many Asian cities, beautiful natural scenery and a variety of delicacies..."


    Link talked to the reporters at ease, discussing fans, the humanities and culture of the Asian region, as well as its music and singers.


    "Mr. Baker, shouldn''t your greatest gain be meeting a lot of Asian beauties?"


    Suddenly a reporter shouted from the crowd.


    Ha ha ha!


    The reporters burst into laughter at once.


    Link looked at the reporters with their various odd appearances, shook his head helplessly, and thought that despite his travel fatigue, he patiently answered their questions, only to receive mockery and teasing in return; these reporters really had no scruples.


    "Mr. Baker, according to Asian media reports, every time you visit a region, you are linked with the local popular actresses. How do you manage to do that?"


    The American Express reporter shouted.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I will explain this one last time here. During my Asian tour, because the schedule was very tight, I stayed in many cities for less than two days. That scandals are still rumored afterwards clearly indicates that the media are creating fake news to attract attention; it is not worthy of comment.


    Additionally, gentlemen of the press, the weather is quite hot, and my time is limited, so please focus your interview questions on the tour. I will not answer any other questions."


    Link warned sternly.


    "Mr. Baker, a recent news report by South Korea''s KBS television stated that South Korean superstar Ms. Jun Ji-hyun has broken up with her boyfriend and it''s believed to be related to you. Just yesterday, Jun Ji-hyun''s boyfriend claimed during a media interview that their breakup, aside from work reasons, was somewhat related to you. How do you intend to explain this?"


    An Asian reporter with a ''Korean News Agency'' badge on him shouted.


    Link didn''t explain, nor did he wish to explain.


    After his tour in Huaxia ended, he led the team to South Korea for a concert tour. What he didn''t expect was that before he even arrived in South Korea, rumors about him and Jun Ji-hyun were already swirling around, suggesting that the two developed feelings for each other while filming in Huaxia, becoming very close and possibly living together.


    Later, someone revealed that he had learned Korean from Jun Ji-hyun, which is true. During an interview on a KBS program, when the host asked him about this, Link gave an affirmative answer, explaining that he only studied Korean with Jun Ji-hyun during breaks from filming.


    Subsequently, a KBS reporter interviewed Jun Ji-hyun, who praised his language aptitude as very good and his learning as quick. She said she was happy to be his Korean teacher.


    When the reporter asked if they were still in touch and whether Link, who was holding a concert in South Korea, would be invited to try Korean cuisine, Jun Ji-hyun confirmed that they were friends and inviting him to a meal was appropriate.


    After both of them had clarified, the media rumors lessened somewhat. However, just three days later, news broke out about Jun Ji-hyun breaking up with her boyfriend.


    What was originally a simple celebrity breakup story became sensationalized by the Korean media for more attention. They unscrupulously dragged Link, who was conducting concerts, into the drama, turning a breakup into a scandalous love triangle complete with an international romance, which created quite a stir.


    During his concert tour across South Korea, Link was asked about the rumor every time he accepted media interviews, despite his many explanations, but the media still clung to this conspicuous story.


    He ended his South Korean concert tour earlier to return to the United States, partly to avoid the scandal, but unexpectedly, he was asked about it again as soon as he got off the plane.


    In response to the journalists'' questions, he could only emphasize once more that his relationship with Miss Jun Ji-hyun was purely platonic, with absolutely no other issues.


    Miss Jun Ji-hyun''s breakup with her boyfriend was also unrelated to him, and he stated this would be the last time he publicly addressed the matter and would never respond to such questions again.


    Seeing that the group of journalists was uncooperative, he had no desire to continue the interviews and had Ms. Mandy block the journalists, announcing the interview was over.


    "Mr. Baker," a journalist stated, "there are rumors that Ms. Taylor Swift might be pregnant. Are you the father of the child, and will you two reconcile because of this?" S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What?!" Link stopped in his tracks, surprised, as he was about to leave.


    "Is that true?" he asked.


    "When did this happen?" he inquired, looking at Ms. Mandy while on the business vehicle.


    Ms. Mandy handed him a newspaper, the Hollywood Reporter with today''s front-page headline stating ''Country Music Queen Taylor Swift Suspected of Being Pregnant.'' There was a side-profile photo of Taylor in the article.


    Wearing sunglasses and a loose, polka-dot long dress, carrying a bag, she entered a recording studio with the protection of bodyguards and assistants.


    From the figure, her silhouette seemed fuller than before, and she walked slower, appearing like a pregnant woman.


    Other media speculated that during the release of her third album, Taylor always wore loose-fitting clothes rather than the standard t-shirt and jeans. The Hollywood Reporter posted twelve recent photos of Taylor''s outfits in the article. In eight of the pictures, she was wearing dresses, and in the rest, the clothes were also looser at the waist.


    Furthermore, the Hollywood Reporter pointed out another piece of evidence¡ªduring the promotion of her third album, her public appearances were significantly fewer than during her second album''s promotion, and each appearance was very brief.


    In conclusion, the Hollywood Reporter speculated that Taylor was pregnant.

 Chapter 438 - 369: Whose Child is it? (5/10)

    "There are also many posts online discussing whether Taylor''s pregnancy is true or not, some believe it''s real, and others think it''s just hype. From 8 this morning, this news has also successively topped the hot search lists on platforms like Google, Yahoo, and Twitter, maintaining a high degree of heat. As of ten o''clock, Taylor''s side has yet to offer any explanation."


    Ms. Mandy handed over a tablet as she spoke.


    Link skimmed through it.


    Following the revelation by the "Hollywood Reporter," many netizens posted activity photos of Taylor, pointing out that prior to last year, every time she attended public events, she would wear body-hugging clothes, showing off her slender waistline.


    Taylor had also mentioned on a talk show that she was anxious about her figure, saying that if she put on even a pound, she would punish herself by not eating until she lost the excess weight.


    However, looking at her recent photos, her figure had obviously trended towards gaining weight, with her exposed cheeks and the backs of her hands looking a bit chubby.


    Therefore, netizens are 80 percent certain that the news of ''Taylor''s pregnancy'' is true.


    Link scratched his forehead as he looked at these photos, feeling somewhat annoyed.


    If Taylor''s pregnancy was true, who was the father of the child?


    If it was himself, it wouldn''t be a bad thing, but what if it wasn''t his?


    Link clenched his fists, feeling increasingly troubled.


    After some thought, he took out his phone and called Taylor, but a recorded message informed him that the number was not reachable.


    He opened WhatsApp and sent her a message asking if the child was his, saying he was willing to take responsibility if it was.


    After sending the message, he regretted it instantly, realizing he shouldn''t have asked if it was his, but should''ve been more subtle, like asking how many months pregnant she was.


    Taylor already had a bad temper, and now being pregnant, he didn''t know how she would react to this message.


    He tried to retract the message but failed, which meant that the receiver had already read it.


    "You look a bit rounder in the face and even prettier. Are you really pregnant?"


    Link asked.


    "What''s it to you?"


    Taylor replied.


    "I haven''t seen any news about boyfriends you''ve been seeing recently, and you''re not the type to mess around. If you are pregnant, the child can only be mine, and as the father, it naturally concerns me."


    "You think you know me so well? Too bad you''re wrong this time. After we broke up in April or May, I was feeling down and got drunk at a bar, then slept with some guy. Afterwards, I found out I was pregnant. I took it as a gift from heaven, so I decided to keep it. It has nothing to do with you, so stop overthinking it."


    Taylor replied.


    Link was so furious upon reading the message he nearly crushed his phone''s screen. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I can''t believe you''re that kind of woman..."


    As he was drafting his message, it suddenly occurred to him that this might just be Taylor blowing off steam. Every time he talked to her, he ended up so angry he felt like hitting someone. Perhaps this was just another one of her rants.


    He deleted the message and dialed Andrea''s number, which was hung up after ringing twice.


    "I already told you it''s not yours, it doesn''t concern you, what more do you want?"


    Taylor messaged him.


    "I know it''s mine, but I can''t tell you the reason right now."


    "What reason?"


    "I can''t tell you right now."


    "Asshole, did you tamper with the condom that time?"


    Ding-a-ling! Before he could reply, his phone rang¡ªit was Taylor''s call.


    As soon as Link answered, he heard Taylor cursing at him, although her vocabulary was limited, repeating words like "asshole" and "damn jerk," without even an F-bomb.


    "Taylor, don''t be angry, it''s not what you think, I swear to God, everything I did was because I love you."


    "You''re a lying jerk, I swear I''ll never let you see the child in this lifetime."


    "Honey, listen to me explain..."


    Beep beep beep!


    The call was disconnected, and despite trying to call back twice to explain, Link couldn''t get through.


    He used WhatsApp to message Taylor and was blocked again, and was no longer friends on MSN, Facebook, and other platforms.


    Link pinched the bridge of his nose, wishing he had been gentler earlier.


    In fact, he had anticipated that Taylor would get angry, but without saying so, he wouldn''t have been able to confirm whether the child was his. Now that Taylor was furious, it essentially confirmed it for him.


    Using that method to get Taylor pregnant was indeed a bit low.


    But Taylor didn''t use birth control afterward and took no measures when she discovered the pregnancy, which indicated she was willing to accept the child.


    Therefore, the arrival of this child was the mutual wish of both parties, a fruit of love, and not some conspiracy.


    Seeing the nanny car pull onto the coastal highway, Link wanted to check on Taylor, but had no idea where she was. After a moment''s thought, he dialed Lina''s number, which took two tries before it was answered.


    "What do you want?"


    Selena''s voice was soft and mushy, carrying a bubbly sound.


    "Are you still sleeping?"


    "Cough cough! No, how could I, I just came back from running outside, huffing and puffing, how''s it going in South Korea, it should be the middle of the night over there, right? What''s up with the call?"


    Selena pretended to be out of breath as she spoke.


    "I''m in Los Angeles."


    "Ah? Oh, yes, I remember now, you did say you were coming back today, I just washed a plate of strawberries for you, come home soon and have some."


    "Did you know Taylor is pregnant?"


    Thump!


    The sound of something dropping to the floor was followed by a startled yelp.

 Chapter 439 - 369: Whose Child is it? (5/10)_2

    "Are you okay?"


    "What did you just say?"


    Selena asked.


    "Did you know that Taylor is pregnant?"


    "How is that possible? I saw her just last week; she... she looked a bit heavier, and her belly had grown a bit."


    "You noticed she was heavier and her belly had grown but you didn''t ask her what was going on?"


    "Gaining a bit of weight is no big deal; I sometimes gain a bit too, and I have a little belly. How was I supposed to think she was pregnant? Is this true? How do you know? Could it be fake news? Who''s the father? Wait, no, it''s yours, so does that mean I''m going to be an aunt? Hehehe haha, I''m going to be an aunt, that''s amazing."


    "Stop!"


    Link held his forehead, "I think it''s mine, and now I want to visit Taylor, but I don''t know where she lives, she won''t answer my calls, could you...."


    "I''ll call her right away, let''s go together."


    Beep! Selena hung up the phone.


    Link looked at the Miss Mandy across from him, intending to ask her to manage her daughter, but then he remembered that Apple was already eighteen; it was too late to manage her now.


    "Link, is it really yours? Are you sure?"


    Miss Mandy asked excitedly.


    "I guess so, but I can''t be completely sure."


    Link said hesitantly.


    "So does that mean I''m going to be a great-aunt? Catherine will be a grandmother? But I''m not at all prepared, what should I do?"


    Miss Mandy asked with a frown.


    Link looked at her speechlessly; I''m about to be a father and haven''t said a thing, what does a great-aunt need to prepare for?


    Ding-a-ling!


    Selena called, and as soon as it connected, she shouted, "Link, what have you done wrong? Taylor is very angry now, says she doesn''t want to see you, doesn''t even want to hear your name, and said that if I dare tell you where she lives, she will never speak to me again. Bad boy Link, I''m standing with Taylor on this, you must have done something wrong to make Taylor that angry."


    "Then do you know where Taylor lives?"


    "I know, oh, I don''t know!"


    "Selena, Taylor won''t let me visit her, and I can''t just barge in; I can only trouble you to check on her. It''s an important task, can you help me with it?"


    "Of course, wait for my good news, but first, tell me, what''s the gift you brought me this time?"


    "Uh... it''s a beautiful set of Korean clothes with lovely arm bands and very delicate accessories. I think you''ll look gorgeous in it."


    "That''s more like it, wait for my good news."


    Selena happily hung up the phone.


    Link thought about the box of SAT practice tests that he would give to Selena later.


    "Selena and I should go together; she''s clumsy and clueless about everything,"


    Miss Mandy laughed.


    Link thought it over, and that seemed like a good idea; Miss Mandy was Selena''s mother, and Taylor probably wouldn''t be angry seeing her.


    A while later, Catherine called, excitedly saying she wanted to see her grandson.


    Link listened, feeling helpless; they couldn''t even confirm if the child was his, so why were they talking about seeing a grandson?


    But since Catherine and Mrs. Andrea knew each other, and hearing about Taylor''s pregnancy, it seemed okay for her to visit.


    So, soon after Link got back to the bay villa, Catherine, Miss Mandy, and Selena left in a car, leaving only Link and little Anne at the villa.


    He walked around the villa with Anne, who was dressed in a Tang-style palace dress, taking photos on the lawn.


    Anne, naturally adorable, wore a pink, hand-embroidered dress with an apple cut and her hair tied with a pink ribbon, looking even cuter, like a doll in Tang clothing.


    Link thought, if Taylor was carrying a girl, in three or four years, she would be as cute as little Anne.


    Just the thought of becoming a father gave him a sense of confusion about what to do next. If the child really was his, how would he explain things to Taylor, to the child?


    And then there was Ivanka; if she found out the truth, could they still continue their romantic relationship?


    If not, could there be changes at the Link music concerts?


    And Chris Liu, Dadalio, Marion Cotillard¡ªmight something happen there?


    And in the media, if the situation was confirmed, he could foresee his reputation as a scoundrel rising to a new level. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He might even surpass Tiger Woods, who had 120 mistresses, and Kobe, who had multiple mistresses and was accused of abusing a waitress, as the number one bad boy in sports.


    As he and little Anne walked around the villa, the online opinion, after half a day of spreading and fermenting, reached a high level of intensity.


    Before noon, the netizens mainly centered on the topic of ''whether Taylor was pregnant or not,'' with some saying yes, posting lots of evidence, and others saying no, also posting heaps of evidence.


    But after twelve o''clock, Taylor had still not clarified.


    Online opinion supporting Taylor''s pregnancy gradually took the upper hand, and those who disagreed became the minority; with the minority falling silent, the netizens now took ''Taylor''s pregnancy'' as an irrefutable fact.


    After confirming Taylor''s pregnancy, the energized netizens began discussing ''who the father of the child is.''


    Ex-boyfriend Link was undoubtedly treated as the prime suspect, and several other candidates were listed, including singers like Joe Jonas and John Mayer, who had worked with Taylor on stage within the year.


    But before these speculations heated up, the listed individuals responded through their agents, stating their admiration for Taylor''s music but clarifying that they were just friends with her, with no further relationship.

 Chapter 440 - 369: Whose Child is it? (5/10)_3

    By the end, the only one without a reaction was Link''s side.


    Rumors from the paparazzi also surfaced that Link''s cousin Selena, mother Catherine, and agent Ms. Mandy had formed a group and headed to Taylor''s residence in Los Angeles, presumably to visit Taylor.


    There were also child and maternity specialists online explaining the physical changes in women after pregnancy. Based on Taylor''s current figure, it is estimated that she is about twenty-four weeks pregnant, which would be around April. At that time, Link and Taylor were going through a breakup.


    By this point, there was no need for further discussion; Link was one hundred percent the father of the child in Taylor''s womb, a product of before their breakup.


    Once the father of the child was confirmed, online public opinion moved to the next stage.


    What would Taylor do about the baby? Would she have an abortion? Would Link accept the child? Could this lead to a reconciliation between the two?


    Regarding the question of whether Taylor would terminate the pregnancy, netizens agreed that since Taylor has kept the baby until now, it was clear she intended to give birth. If she chose to have an abortion after the exposure, she would face a lot of criticism and public pressure, making it not worth the backlash.


    The second point of discussion was whether Link would accept the child.


    While discussing this point, the temper of the netizens suddenly became irritable.


    Many brought up the past, cursing him as a scumbag. Originally, when he and Taylor were together, they were considered the "Golden Boy and Jade Girl," making many believe in love again.


    But just over a year later, due to a fake private video and because of Link''s indiscreet private life, the two broke up, leading many to become disappointed with celebrity couples once again and forming a general consensus that there is no true love in the entertainment industry.


    Initially, many felt that Taylor was making a big fuss over a fake video, causing an unnecessary breakup, and felt sympathy for Link.


    But Link''s subsequent behavior was a blow to many.


    This guy, within just three or four months after breaking up with Taylor, was exposed to have had more than ten rumored girlfriends, with evidenced relationships with five, proving to be a real scumbag. Taylor''s decision to kick him out was absolutely wise.


    The only unfortunate thing was becoming pregnant with his child.


    Now that Link had a child, how would he handle it? Would he become a prodigal son returning, and reconcile with Taylor?


    A portion of netizens supported the two getting back together, to give the unborn child a complete family.


    Moreover, Link is now the leading male singer in the pop music scene, with the world''s best-selling album sales.


    And Taylor is the top figure in the country music scene at this stage, a singer whose album sales are among the highest in the United States, and the youngest music queen.


    Both are young, talented, and good-looking geniuses.


    If the two could join hands and walk together, they would definitely be regarded as one of the most dreamy couple combinations in music history.


    However, those opposed to their reconciliation also had valid reasons.


    Netizens believed that Link was a scumbag, not deserving of a good girl like Taylor.


    Even if the two came together now because of the child, Link would still cheat when he wanted to, and if Taylor couldn''t accept it, they would face another breakup.


    In that case, it would be better for them to go their separate ways and never contact each other again, which is not uncommon in the entertainment industry.


    As for the child, it should be treated as a beautiful accident. Just because of the child, Taylor shouldn''t have to sacrifice her happiness to accommodate a scumbag, which would be too unfair to her.


    Upon seeing these comments, Link shook his head speechlessly.


    So far, Taylor had not acknowledged the pregnancy, but netizens had already figured out the child''s name and future, completely meddling in others'' affairs without their input.


    "Link, do you know, your reputation now stinks worse than durian, it''s absolutely rotten."


    In the villa, Selena lay on the sofa, eating the grapes he had just washed, sniffing her nose.


    "Cut the crap! You just saw Taylor, how is she?"


    Link asked while handing her ice cream.


    ""It''s true, Taylor is really pregnant, look at her belly."


    Selena picked up a plate and placed it under her clothes to demonstrate, "Catherine said at least four months, but Taylor also said that her pregnancy has nothing to do with you, and she will never tell the child who his father is. Just let the child grow up fatherless, Link, you''re such a bastard. What the hell did you do to make Taylor so angry?"


    "Don''t talk nonsense, I just made a mistake any man could make, I didn''t do anything bad."


    Link said.


    Selena rolled her eyes dramatically, then suddenly pounded her small fists on his shoulder a few times, claiming it was for Taylor and the child.


    Link couldn''t be bothered to argue with her, simply telling her that the gift he brought from Asia was on her bedroom counter. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing about the gift, Selena''s eyes lit up. She handed him the grapes and dashed upstairs in her slippers with a clatter.


    At first, excited cheers came from upstairs, but after a few seconds, they turned into a series of frustrated shouts.


    "Damn you, Link, I will never tell you about Taylor''s matters again, I swear!"


    "That''s something I brought back from the other side of the Earth, remember to finish it."


    "I absolutely will not!"


    Selena yelled indignantly.


    Link shook his head and saw Mrs. Anna approaching with a rather distressed expression.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Boss, ever since Taylor''s pregnancy was exposed, there has been a lot of negative publicity about you on the internet; people are calling you the Music Industry''s Number One Scumbag and are urging fans to boycott your album, to prevent you from having a foothold in the music scene."


    Mrs. Anna said.


    "Really?"


    Link sat cross-legged on the carpet, opened his laptop and started browsing. Although he was prepared, he was still shocked by the torrent of negative coverage on the internet.


    Yahoo, MySpace, Entertainment Online, and other news websites and forums were flooded with negative news about him, including his shady past as well as recent sensational gossip.


    The comment sections of these news stories were also brimming with vitriolic comments, calling for a ban on this scumbag, demanding that he be pushed out of the music industry.


    Link checked Twitter and saw that under the most recent tweet about the Seoul concert poster, there was a barrage of abuse.


    This scene inevitably reminded him of the cyberbullying he faced last March after offending a group of black artists, including a backlash from Kanye and his fans.


    Back then, his Twitter account had only one to two million followers, with thirty to forty thousand insulting him.


    Now, with seventy-two and a half million followers on Twitter, the negative comments reached several hundred thousand.


    At a glance, all the comments were filled with negative energy, creating an atmosphere as if everyone was pointing fingers at him. If someone with weaker resolve were subjected to these comments, they might crumble under the pressure.


    But Link wouldn''t. Having started his career in the boxing ring and now at this point in his journey, he had experienced both flowers and a great number of thorns, as well as applause accompanied by an overwhelming amount of ridicule.


    After being criticized so much, his heart had grown thick-skinned; these negative comments didn''t affect him much, not even causing him to frown.


    "Boss, the similarity of these negative comments is high, it seems someone is orchestrating a smear campaign, guiding public opinion, trying to use the power of netizens to attack us."


    Anna analyzed.


    Link nodded, thought for a moment, then posted a new tweet expressing that this was a huge surprise, giving thanks to Taylor, and stating that he would take full responsibility for his actions, and never let everyone down.


    He also called Scott and instructed Link Music''s marketing department to handle the situation.

 Chapter 441 - 370: Links Counterattack

    After he posted his tweet, related news and public opinion surged to a new climax on the internet.


    At a glance, every major news platform''s trending list featured this story, overshadowing even the United States'' continued troop increases in Afghanistan.


    Before Link posted his tweet, the speculation about Taylor''s pregnancy was just gossip based on her recent photos and news; no one had confirmed information.


    Now, with Link directly posting that it was a surprise, expressing thanks to Taylor, and stating his intention to take full responsibility, it confirmed the rumor of "Taylor''s pregnancy."


    Immediately following that, many news websites swiftly changed their lead stories.


    Headlines announced country music superstar Taylor Swift''s pregnancy, with Link revealing the news online and pledging to take full responsibility. Some media suggested the couple''s relationship faced a new twist due to Taylor''s unexpected pregnancy, speculating a possible reconciliation.


    In the comment section of Link''s Twitter, the trolls'' criticism and accusations reached a new pinnacle, with retweets reaching 170,000 in three hours, likes at 1.02 million, and comments hitting 430,000¡ªa truly staggering response.


    Previously, trolls were content with calling him a jerk and a demon of the entertainment industry, but now they''d begun making personal attacks, saying things like he was unfit to be a father, should get out of the music industry, and that he should be banned¡ªa jerk. There was no shortage of curses and vulgar language.


    As a result, Twitter''s backend specially set up a sensitive word-blocking system for his account, preventing any comments with profanity or personal attacks from being displayed in the comment section.


    But this did not stop the trolls. They moved their attacks on Link from Twitter to other websites such as MySpace, Facebook, and Yahoo community forums, spreading rumors and disparaging him, determined to paint him as the villain.


    "Haha, Link, look at this comment about you, it''s hilarious. They said you are a...."


    "Shut up!"


    In the study, Link glanced at the chirpy face and continued to flip through his textbook. It was a critical moment now; the more the public outcry seemed ready to crush him, the more he had to respond with calm, adapting to the unchangeable conditions with equanimity.


    "With so many people cursing you, are you going to leave the entertainment industry?"


    Selena blinked her lively big eyes, her round face wearing a cheeky grin.


    "Have you finished the practice exam? If not, go finish it."


    "Hmph, no way!"


    Clutching the latest iPad, Selena laid in front of his desk, pouting, "I told you long ago to be a good man, but you didn''t listen, and insisted on flirting around. Now look what''s happened, you''ve become the music industry''s number one jerk.


    I suggest you quickly make an apology video, sincerely admitting your mistakes to all netizens and fans, promising not to repeat them, and hoping the fans give you another chance. What do you think?"


    "What did I do wrong?"


    Link asked while browsing through his book.


    "You, you''ve done so many bad things, cheated, been unfaithful, all of it amounts to capital offenses. Do you seriously think you''ve done nothing wrong?"


    Selena exclaimed in shock.


    Link shook his head, telling her that all the girls he''d been involved with had been willing participants, and each relationship was built on true love. There had been no deception, no playing with hearts, so he hadn''t done anything wrong and didn''t need to apologize.


    "True love? You have the gall to speak of true love, you jerk? Your skin must be really thick."


    Selena retorted with a pout.


    Link raised his hand and flicked her smooth forehead, prompting Selena to step back two paces, fuming as she glared at him. Then she took out her tablet to go online, vowing to mobilize all her fans to curse him¡ªthe jerk.


    Knock knock knock!


    Ms. Mandy knocked and entered.


    "Link, there''s been a response from Taylor, have you seen it?"


    "I''m looking at it now."


    Sitting on the floor with her tablet, Selena shouted, "Three minutes ago, Taylor posted a tweet saying it was an unexpected gift, a tough decision, but in the end, she chose to calmly accept it and to face everything alone. It has nothing to do with anyone else, and she hopes a certain gentleman does not overstep by making unwarranted comments for the sake of relevance.


    Haha, Taylor nailed it. Link, you''re just looking for attention, for relevance. I must share it, and I''ll add my support for Taylor, down with the jerk Link."


    Link frowned as he listened, turning to Ms. Mandy to ask if Taylor really said that.


    Ms. Mandy spread her hands, smiling, and said it was more or less the gist.


    Link shook his head, inquiring about Scott''s plans for dealing with the situation.


    Ms. Mandy explained that with so much negative news online, any action would hardly make a difference now. Scott''s advice was to initially handle it coldly, stay silent for a while, then look for other methods later, slowly guiding public opinion to mitigate the negative impact.


    Scott had also said that having the reputation of being a ''jerk'' wasn''t entirely bad, including figures like Clinton, Tiger Woods, and Kobe, who gained a sort of ''masculine'' reputation, ''strong desire,'' and ''aggressiveness'' after numerous scandals, winning the support of many male groups.


    And it was true, Ms. Mandy said that during his relationship with Taylor, most people who bought his albums were young female fans, making up around 80 percent, but after April, there was a significant increase in male fans, accounting for over thirty percent.


    In the past three months, he''d been linked with actresses from various countries and was viewed as an enviable and highly charismatic man.


    Just like Leonardo and Brad Pitt, although they change girlfriends or get divorced and married, their female fans still adore them, and male moviegoers think they are sexy and charming, icons of masculinity, turning to worship them.


    Following in the footsteps of several big stars, Link is now considered the new generation male god of the entertainment circle.


    "How can this be possible?"


    Hearing Miss Mandy''s words, Selena was the first to complain discontentedly, "How can they do this? He''s a scumbag, a playboy, a big bad guy, what''s there to worship? If this happened to us girls, would they still see it the same way? This is gender discrimination, it''s unfair."


    Link shook his head, "If I ignore it, I''ll probably lose some fans."


    "Yes, Scott believes this is a process of purifying fans because the label of being promiscuous has already been established," his agent replied.


    "It''s a scumbag, not promiscuous,"


    Selena retorted.


    "Shut up!"


    Miss Mandy raised her hand to slap her, but Selena ducked away, covering her head. Miss Mandy continued, "Because that label already exists, it''s an unchangeable fact. Unless you completely reform, it will be difficult to win back those fans who supported you because they thought you were a good man.


    After those fans leave, the remaining ones are the true fans, who will continue to support you regardless of whether you''re a scumbag or not, as long as your music is good and your boxing matches are exciting. Just like Tiger Woods and Kobe, after encountering those incidents, not only did their annual income not decrease, but it actually became more stable."


    Kobe Bryant''s ''Eagle County incident'' took place in ''03. Afterwards, media reports claimed that Kobe paid $5 million in compensation, which was nearly half a year''s salary to settle the matter. Even after ''03, Kobe was still embroiled in numerous scandals but became increasingly prestigious in the NBA.


    He later surpassed Shaquille O''Neal to become the most famous NBA star after the millennium.


    Last October in Florida, Tiger Woods had a car accident right outside his home. Later, the media revealed it happened when his wife discovered his long-term extramarital affairs. Enraged, she took a golf club to hit him, and in his hurry to escape in the car, he accidentally crashed into a tree by the driveway.


    From that October, media also exposed that Tiger Woods had over a hundred mistresses, including models, reporters, waitresses, female neighbors, etc., and more than twenty illegitimate children.


    Tiger Woods also ranked second in Forbes magazine''s ''Most Disliked Stars in American Sports'' list published last February, with Kobe, James following closely behind.


    Yet Tiger Woods was last year''s highest-earning athlete in sports, slightly more than Blink.


    This also suggests that the private lives of male stars don''t have much impact on their careers.


    "It''s not fair, why do male stars become more famous and earn more as they become worse, but we female stars cannot?"


    Selena protested with her cheeks puffed out.


    Miss Mandy ignored her and continued, "Link is a singer, and in the music world, after releasing a few albums or reaching a certain age, many singers consider a transformation to adapt to their fans'' growth and to broaden their fan base.


    Female singers usually go from innocent, sweet, and cute to a mature and sexy style; Madonna, Britney Spears, Beyonce¡ªare all examples. Male singers also undergo style transformations; some go from country to rock, some from fresh-faced youths to sexy mature men, and some from good boys to bad boys.


    After releasing three albums, Link can also consider transforming from a good man to a scumbag, a mature man, which can attract many mature fans as well."


    Link thought for a moment; the idea didn''t sound bad, but being passively beaten wasn''t his style.


    "Waiting until the opponent''s attack ends to start whitewashing would seem too passive, and I''ll lose too many fans in the meantime.


    First, investigate who''s hiring the trolls to attack me. It would be best if we could find the mastermind behind it all, but if not, then at least find a few of the most active platforms and users, check if they''ve made any excessive statements, and if there''s any infringement, send them a legal notice to protect my legitimate interests with legal weapons.


    Second, what entertainment scandals or political ugliness are going on in the circle recently? Stir them up a bit to divert the public''s attention.


    The third and most important point is that this wave of public opinion is quite heated; it would be a waste to let it go.


    We should actively guide the discussion; figure out a way to shift netizens'' attention from criticizing me, to the rivalry between Taylor''s and my album on the charts, turning this invisible controversy into tangible album sales data, calling on all righteous netizens to unite and purchase Taylor''s new album, join forces to beat this scumbag, to let justice prevail over evil."


    Hearing his words, Selena looked at him with wide-eyed surprise, "You would be that kind-hearted?"


    "I''ve said it before, my love for Taylor is true,"


    Link said.


    "Okay, I''ve got it, and there''s one more thing¡ª Ivanka just called, she''ll be in Los Angeles later."


    Miss Mandy said.


    "Ivanka? What''s she coming here for?" S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link asked in surprise.


    "Link, you''re in for it now. Ivanka''s coming to break up with you. If you get dumped twice in one year, that would be too funny."


    Selena squinted her eyes, laughing.


    Link glanced at her, suddenly reached out and pinched her cheeks, pulling them to each side, stretching her round face into a pancake face.


    Selena was dumbfounded for two seconds, then started screaming and began pounding him with her little fists.

 Chapter 442 - 371: Eva Meets Taylor

    Upon hearing that Ivanka was coming, Link was unable to continue reading. He took out his phone to call her but the call wouldn''t go through, perhaps she was on the plane.


    He asked Mandy if she knew why Ivanka was coming.


    Mandy said she didn''t know, but it wouldn''t be like Selena said, to break up with him. Ivanka was not the impulsive type.


    Link nodded. He wasn''t worried about being dumped by Ivanka, as their relationship was a partnership, thriving and suffering together. As long as Ivanka was still at Link Music, being dumped by her wouldn''t matter.


    He was just curious about why Ivanka was flying to Los Angeles at this time.


    To figure out her reason, Link drove to Los Angeles International Airport to pick her up. At the terminal''s VIP passage, he saw Ivanka, whom he hadn''t seen for a long while.


    She still had her exquisite makeup, dressed in a custom-made dress that highlighted her sexy curves yet looked dignified and serious. Wearing sunglasses and carrying a small crossbody bag, she appeared tall and striking.


    As she walked, her legs crossed like scissors with a forceful demeanor, making her the center of attention as soon as she appeared in the square. Everyone around looked at her, and people nearby made way for her.


    Two formally dressed female assistants followed her, further magnifying her presence.


    "Ivanka is so cool, how can someone be as cool as her?"


    Selena said through the car window.


    "You can ask her."


    When Link saw Anna walking Ivanka over, he opened the car door to let Ivanka in while the assistants took another car.


    "Ivanka, you look beautiful. I''m your fan."


    Selena smiled sweetly.


    Ivanka smiled slightly, complimenting Selena and asked if she had a boyfriend, saying surely many boys pursued her, which made Selena very cheerful.


    "Ivanka, you''re so great, how could you fall for a guy like Link? He''s just somewhat good-looking and sings somewhat well, nothing else."


    Selena asked brightly.


    Ivanka pressed her plump lips together, looked up at Link, who was driving, and showed an expression that was neither happy nor angry. Link felt quite uneasy, "Ivanka, are you here for work?"


    "I plan to talk with Taylor."


    "What?"


    Selena exclaimed, blinking her big eyes, "Ivanka, you said you''re going to talk to Taylor?"


    "Yes, I''ve wanted to talk to Taylor for a long time, just haven''t found the right opportunity. Now the timing is quite good."


    Ivanka said calmly.


    Link gripped the steering wheel, feeling like pins and needles.


    Taylor and Ivanka were both strong, dominant women. They were likely the type to never see eye to eye. Now Ivanka saying she wanted to meet and talk with Taylor made him, the middleman, feel a chill.


    "Ivanka, this is my issue. I can handle it. You don''t need to interfere."


    Link said.


    "This isn''t just your issue, it''s mine too. We''re business partners. When your public image faces a crisis, it''s my duty to help solve the problem and get through the ordeal.


    Secondly, you''re my boyfriend and possibly my future husband. Since Taylor is carrying your illegitimate child, I think I need to speak with her. Don''t worry, Taylor is not just anyone; I won''t and can''t harm her. Also, I personally admire Taylor and hope to become friends with her."


    Ivanka spoke slowly.


    Selena, listening by her side, was dumbstruck, feeling out of her depth.


    "Ivanka, Taylor is recuperating and probably doesn''t want to see you."


    Link said thoughtfully.


    "I''ve contacted Taylor, and she agreed to talk."


    Ivanka revealed.


    Link was stunned. Taylor agreed? How did she manage that?


    As the car approached downtown, Ivanka''s assistant took the wheel, and they hurried to Taylor''s villa with Selena.


    As they were leaving, Selena tugged at Link''s arm, whispering in his ear, teasing him about having such a formidable girlfriend yet daring to mess around outside, saying he truly didn''t know how to spell ''dead,'' and adding that this time he was definitely done for. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link watched the car drive away, then took a second car back to the bay villa.


    Shortly after he returned, about an hour later, Ivanka and Selena also returned to the villa.


    Link went to Ivanka, asking what she had discussed with Taylor.


    Ivanka told him it was a woman''s matter and he didn''t need to know.


    Link then asked Selena, who rolled her eyes and said, Ivanka and Taylor were conferring in the study. She had listened at the door for ages and didn''t hear a word, which was infuriating.


    While Link was curious, a message popped up on WhatsApp. It was from Taylor, but when he opened it, the chat screen showed only a message indicating that it had been retracted.


    After waiting a while without receipt of a second message, he sent a message asking what was wrong, only to see a display of ''not friends.''


    Link nearly crushed his phone in frustration, thinking both women were too difficult to handle. He wished he had chosen some na?ve girl for a relationship.


    Shortly after Ivanka arrived in Los Angeles, related news and images appeared online, which included the scene of Link picking her up at the airport, sparking a wave of speculation about why Ivanka was visiting.


    Later, a paparazzo leaked that upon landing, Ivanka went directly to Taylor''s villa, accompanied by Selena, and stayed there for about an hour.

 Chapter 443 - 371 Eva Meets Taylor_2

    Since Taylor and Ivanka were both big celebrities and the leading ladies in the current media storm, news of their meeting quickly made it to the top of several news websites'' trending lists, attracting countless netizens to come and join the discussion.


    Many were curious about what they discussed during their meeting, and Taylor''s song "The Devil" from her album, which was thought to be a veiled reference to Ivanka, stirred speculations about whether the two might come to blows.


    Unfortunately, both parties declined to comment on the meeting during public interviews afterward, leaving Link, the male lead, unable to satisfy his curiosity through online discussions.


    However, after their meeting, mainstream online opinion, after being guided, shifted from attacking him personally to the competition between the two in the album charts.


    Many netizens shouted about taking down the scumbag Link and supporting Taylor to win Album of the Year, saying they would save up to buy her album and help raise her child.


    Insiders also leaked that, supposedly, Link and Taylor had made a bet while they were together to see whose new album would have the highest sales in the United States, but only the two of them knew what the stakes were.


    On that very day, Link Studio released the good news that Link''s third album "The Woman I Love" had surpassed 4.5 million sales in the United States and 19.33 million worldwide, topping both the U.S. and global charts for 2010.


    Meanwhile, Taylor''s third album "Last Kiss" had accumulated 3.225 million sales in the United States that week, still a significant gap from Link''s 4.5 million.


    Some fans believed that Link Studio''s announcement at this time was a taunt at those supporting Taylor, being presumptuous and taking advantage of her pregnancy, bullying Taylor, a woman carrying his child.


    This guy is truly shameless and immoral, a definitive scumbag.


    Netizens were outraged and openly cursed at Link, calling him the worst man of the 21st century, expressing their support for Taylor to beat this scumbag.


    To support Taylor, Selena publicly auctioned off her collectible deluxe editions of "The Woman I Love" with Link''s autograph, and deluxe editions of "Keep On Movin''" and "The Fighter" on the Amazon store.


    She purchased twenty copies of Taylor''s new album "Last Kiss," saying that she would take practical action to support her friend Taylor and take down her cousin Link.


    Kristen Stewart, Emma Roberts, Blake Lively, Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, supermodel Du Juan, Taylor''s friend Jamie King, Jessica Alba, and so on, all publicly expressed their support for Taylor to defeat the scumbag Link.


    Even Beyonce expressed her liking for Taylor''s songs during a public event, preparing to show her support.


    After Beyonce, Kanye West, 50 Cent, Lil Wayne, and Drake were also rumored to be quietly encouraging their fans to buy Taylor''s new album.


    Additionally, a group of people who admired Taylor or disliked Link, including the Jonas Brothers, John Mayer, Jamie Foxx, and Will Smith, showed their support for Taylor on various occasions.


    The Hollywood Reporter commented that in this battle for the charts, Link had become ''abandoned by all,'' the music industry''s ''lonely man.''


    Under the influence of these celebrities, sales of Taylor''s new album went against the trend and rose, selling 210,000 copies in the new week, and climbing back to the top of the charts after two weeks.


    "Last Kiss" had now sold a cumulative 3.44 million copies in the United States, and for an album released less than two months ago, these numbers were not far behind "The Woman I Love" during its initial two months.


    The Chicago Tribune commented that if Taylor hadn''t been pregnant, and had done more promotion during the publicity period, it would just be a matter of time before she surpassed "The Woman I Love" by Link.


    The Los Angeles Times commented that from last year to this year, Link had competed with many artists on the album charts, such as Kanye, Jay-Z, Justin Bieber, Usher, and Drake, whom could be tentatively called his ''enemies.''


    Now, as he was about to dominate the music industry, his former lover Taylor stood on the opposing side, becoming his rival. It seemed that Link was walking the lonely path of a king, and whether he could still win this time was an unknown.


    Surprisingly, amid the pessimistic public opinion, last week''s sales of "The Woman I Love" also saw a rebound, reaching 45,000 copies, almost 39,000 more than the previous week, almost an 8-fold increase.


    This data angered many netizens. At this point, why were there still people supporting Link? Did those who bought Link''s album have no bottom line?


    "Could this be a publicity stunt?"


    New York, inside a black metal bar, Chris Brown pointed to a "Billboard" magazine and said, "I mean, Link and Taylor broke up in April, and now there''s this pregnancy rumor. Could this all be a complete publicity stunt? We all know that, despite the quality of Link and Taylor''s album, even if it sells a decent number, it''s absolutely impossible to sell three or four million copies. That''s just an exaggeration."


    "Damn it, they only know how to create hype, manipulate public opinion. A trash album can sell over four million copies. People like Link should be kicked out of the music industry."


    T.I. said, annoyed.


    Last week, he released his new album "No Mercy," which stayed at the top for only a week before being overtaken by Taylor''s album, which really pissed him off.


    "Maybe it''s not a stunt. Who would have a child just for publicity?"


    50 Cent remarked.


    "Regardless, I think we should all learn from Link. Last time at the celebration party, Link said that we live in the internet era, the pace of life has been speeding up, and fans'' perceptions and tastes are constantly changing. As music creators, we must keep up with these changes to avoid being eliminated.


    He also mentioned that the internet is a double-edged sword: while it''s easy for the public''s attention to be scattered by the sheer volume of information online, if used well, the internet can also be a powerful tool to concentrate public attention. That''s why promoting and hyping things up through online platforms have become extremely important. After giving it some thought, I think he''s absolutely right," S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Usher said.


    Listening to this, Lil Wayne and a few others frowned. As much as they disliked Link, they had to admit the guy was right.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Mr. Baker is really something, isn''t he? I''m not his match when it comes to manipulating public opinion,"


    Scott mused as he flipped through the newspapers in the Link Music Company office.


    "Boss, I don''t think it''s your fault. You and Mr. Baker are in different positions, so you see things from different perspectives. Mr. Baker and Miss Swift used to be a couple, and he doesn''t mind using publicity to help promote Miss Swift''s album. You didn''t know the relationship between the two or Mr. Baker''s attitude towards Miss Swift, so it''s natural you didn''t think of this angle,"


    his assistant, Alex, said.


    Scott shook his head. Although Alex wasn''t wrong, when it came to using the internet to create hype and craft news stories, he felt far behind Link.


    "Alex, go and notify the PR department for a meeting. Once this storm blows over, we need to consider how to reshape Mr. Baker''s image. These things must be handled well, or President Ivanka will think I''m not fit for the role of Marketing Director,"


    Scott said, pinching his brow.


    During the work meeting in the morning, President Ivanka asked him how he viewed the current situation.


    He publicly stated that he thought Link''s strategy was better than a cold treatment and expressed a desire to learn from Link.


    Afterward, President Ivanka told him that Link was too busy to handle publicity matters and in the future, the Marketing and PR Department had to take responsibility for such issues instead of always bothering him.


    President Ivanka''s words added to his pressure; he also had to rush to figure out how to make amends.


    The competition between Link and Taylor''s albums, as well as the "Taylor''s pregnancy" news, were reported frequently by the American media for about a week, then guided by the Link Music PR Department, the media focus and public attention switched to the allegations of sexual harassment involving Harvey Weinstein, the founder of the Weinstein Company.


    This significantly reduced the pressure on Link.


    But before he had a chance to relax, another issue thrust him back into the eye of the public storm¡ªTesla went public.

 Chapter 444 - 372: Tycoon Link (6/10)

    On the internet, news like "Scumbag Link" and "Buy albums to support Taylor, help Taylor raise her child" hadn''t even cooled down when another piece of news fiercely broke into the top three trending lists on major news platforms.


    The cause was on September 12, when Tesla Inc. was listed on NASDAQ, (stock ticker: TSLA), becoming the first independent all-electric vehicle manufacturer to be listed in the United States.


    Tesla Inc. issued 13.3 million shares, about 14.3% of its total shares, at a price of $21 per share with a corresponding market value of $2.38 billion. On the opening day, Tesla''s stock price rose to $28 and peaked at $35.


    Tesla''s market value smoothly surpassed $3 billion US dollars.


    If it were just $3 billion US dollars, Link, a major shareholder of Tesla, would not have drawn much media attention.


    However, over the following week, Tesla''s stock steadily climbed from the issue price of $21 US dollars to $38 US dollars, and Tesla''s market value also expanded to $4.28 billion US dollars, peaking at $6 billion US dollars.


    When Tesla''s market value broke $4 billion US dollars, The Wall Street Journal published a piece of great news on its front page, not to congratulate Tesla on surpassing $4 billion but to congratulate Tesla''s second-largest individual shareholder, Mr. Link Baker, whose net worth had surpassed $1 billion US dollars, making him a self-made billionaire.


    The Wall Street Journal extensively introduced Link''s investments in the Tesla project in the article, claiming that Link had spent nearly two hundred million US dollars since the beginning of the year, buying up more than 11% of Tesla''s shares.


    After the successful listing of Tesla, Link Baker still retained 10.3% of Tesla shares, becoming the second-largest individual shareholder of Tesla, the global spokesperson for Tesla, and the fifth highest voting member on Tesla''s board of directors.


    Based on the current market value of Tesla, the 10.3% share that Link held was worth over four hundred million US dollars. Along with Link''s music venture, currently valued at $520 million US dollars, as well as Dynasty Promotion Company, investments in Twitter, and the more than one hundred million US dollars he earned through boxing matches.


    The Wall Street Journal estimated Link''s net worth was comfortably over one billion US dollars, estimated between $1 billion to $1.2 billion.


    The Wall Street Journal also published comments from Elon Musk, who began by saying that he was neighbors with Link, both living in the Bay Area villas, less than three miles apart.


    Musk also mentioned he was a fan of Link''s boxing and initially sought Link out for an autograph, not investment. Later, the two got along well, and he asked Link if he wanted to invest in Tesla, which was a great company that, in the future, could carry humans to Mars.


    Link said that was cool and immediately agreed to join.


    Musk mentioned he was very excited at the time, feeling like he had found a like-minded person.


    Finally, when the reporter asked Musk how he would describe Link?


    Musk said that Link was a visionary friend, a keen and bold investor, a steadfast partner, and mentioned that Link played a crucial role in Tesla during tough times as one of the key investors.


    Besides Musk, The Wall Street Journal also interviewed other shareholders of Tesla, including Google''s founder, Larry Page, who described Link as one of the most exciting and excellent young individuals he had ever met.


    Michael Moritz, a senior partner at Sequoia Capital, also spoke highly of Link during an interview with The Wall Street Journal.


    The intent of these individuals was to leverage Link''s fame to publicize the news of Tesla''s IPO, to drive Tesla''s stock price, and they indeed achieved this goal.


    Given Link''s popularity, the news reported by The Wall Street Journal like "Link''s net worth surpasses one billion US dollars," "Link becomes the youngest billionaire globally," and "Link enters the list of America''s richest 500," quickly soared to the top of the trending lists on major news websites.


    The articles highlighted Link''s investments in Tesla, detailing that from the beginning of the year until August, he had invested over one hundred million US dollars, buying 11% of the shares from Musk, which had nearly tripled in a few months after Tesla''s IPO.


    Thanks to this successful investment, he currently has a firm net worth of over one billion US dollars.


    This also surpassed Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz, making him the youngest billionaire globally; earlier in the year, at 26, Dustin Moskovitz had become America''s youngest billionaire with a net worth of $1.4 billion, ranking 290th on the Forbes list of America''s wealthiest.


    According to Forbes'' list of America''s wealthiest released at the beginning of the year, Link was expected to enter the top 500, a bona fide wealthy individual, not merely a singer or boxer.


    So while many netizens were still angrily calling Link a scumbag and clamoring to buy Taylor''s albums to help her raise her child, they were suddenly astonished to see news like this explode online. Link, merely 21 years old, had a net worth exceeding one billion US dollars? Could it be true?


    Some people, incredulous, searched everywhere for related news and discovered that not only The Wall Street Journal but also Business Week, Vanity Fair, and the New York Post had verified with solid data that it was indeed true.


    Business Week mentioned in an article that one billion US dollars was a conservative estimate.


    Considering Link''s shares in Tesla, Twitter, Link Music, and Dynasty Promotion Company, his total net worth had already surpassed one billion US dollars.


    Adding his earnings from boxing matches, world tour income, album profit shares, film studio profits, movie salaries, and other investments, his net worth ought to be between $1.2 billion to $1.5 billion, with potential entry into the top 300 on Forbes'' list next year.


    The New York Post claimed that The Wall Street Journal had made a serious error in its investigation. This year alone, from his earnings in boxing matches, world tours, and two album shares, these three income streams had already netted over $300 million US dollars. It was rumored that Link also held an undisclosed amount of Amazon stocks, with a minimum net worth of $1.5 billion, not the $1 billion estimated by The Wall Street Journal.


    The public gawked at these figures.


    It turns out that Link was not only a world boxing champion, a music superstar, and a film star but also a multi-billionaire worth over a billion US dollars.


    Isn''t it a bit forgiving for such a wealthy individual to be a bit frivolous?


    Isn''t this the kind of life every man should aspire to?


    By the way, these days, some people are still fussing about scrimping and saving to support Link''s child.


    Given Link''s net worth and pop queen Taylor''s fortune, their child would at least be a billionaire from birth. Do such people need others to support them? Are they insane?


    "I was wrong. I''m just a joke."


    "Idol Link, please forgive my ignorance, take my knees."


    "I declare from now on, Link is not just my father; he is my role model."


    Many who had once insulted Link online saw the news and swiftly changed sides, showering him with praise and even adoration.


    In the comments section of Link''s Twitter, the number of negative comments decreased by over one hundred thousand overnight.


    Congratulations on becoming a billionaire and expressions of admiration for him increased by over two hundred thousand.


    Many people also left messages asking Link about his investment plans moving forward, ready to follow his lead.


    Link replied, "Tesla."


    With the promotion by media outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, the fame of Tesla increased significantly and became a star stock on Nasdaq. In three days, its market value had surged to 6 billion US dollars, almost tripling its pre-listing value.


    Link''s net worth also rose astronomically, hyped by the media to be around ten or twenty billion, like a huge bubble.


    After Tesla''s stock reached 6 billion, many shareholders, seeing profitable opportunities and fearing that the price had increased too much for others to buy in, began to sell large amounts of stock, causing Tesla''s stock price to gradually decline to around 38 US dollars per share, with the market value stabilizing at around 4 billion US dollars.


    "Kathy, how much did we earn this time?"


    In a coffee shop at 45 Wall Street, Link looked at the composed Kathy Wood and asked.


    "Not much, as of now, we have a balance of over 65.5 million US dollars in our account,"


    Kathy Wood replied, holding her coffee cup with a restrained smile.


    "Over 65 million? That''s indeed not much."


    Link nodded.


    Ms. Kathy Wood was stunned for a moment; in less than half a month, netting over 65 million US dollars just from buying and selling seemed considerable to her. Was this not much?


    Initially, when she said it was not much, she was being modest in front of her boss, trying not to boast about her own merits.


    Apparently, Link truly did not consider over 65 million a significant amount.


    Well, she suddenly remembered, to someone like him, who could earn thirty to forty million from a single boxing match, over 65 million indeed wasn''t much.


    If she had known, she wouldn''t have tried to be modest with him.


    "Link, I think 65 million is quite a lot. Besides, we also took advantage of the dip in Tesla''s stock price to acquire nearly 1.6% of the shares, amounting to over 60 million. Including that, we earned over 120 million US dollars from this operation,"


    Ms. Kathy Wood said, suppressing her excitement.


    After Tesla''s listing, believing that Tesla''s stock price had room to rise, Link proposed to purchase more shares while the prices were low.


    Since Link had demonstrated precise judgment in buying Tesla''s shares, Kathy was quite confident in following his advice. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Therefore, after the listing of Tesla, she led her asset management team to buy a large number of Tesla shares at low prices, and sold them all when the stock price broke 60 US dollars. Later, they bought millions of shares again around 36 US dollars. From buying and selling, they netted over 65 million in cash and 1.6% of Tesla''s shares.


    This was the most profitable and successful operation in her career. With these transactions, she and her team earned over ten million in commissions.


    Now, she was not only Link''s asset manager but also a senior partner at Pioneer Asset Management Group, a star manager at a Wall Street investment bank, and a millionaire.


    Although it was only two days since she became a millionaire, every time she saw the money in her account and the shares in her hand, she was ecstatic.


    However, after meeting with Link, her excitement gradually cooled down.


    Since Link heard they made over a hundred million and didn''t even blink an eye, she suddenly felt that becoming a millionaire was not that big of a deal.


    "How many shares of Tesla do we still hold?"


    Link asked.


    "Our company holds 6.5%, and you personally own 10.8%. According to our department''s prediction, Tesla''s stock price will drop further. If you still have confidence in Tesla, we can continue buying at the lower price range,"


    Kathy Wood said.


    Link nodded, thinking it was a good suggestion.


    Currently, Tesla still had not launched its blockbuster product; the recent surge in its stock price was the result of capital operations. He expected that the market value would fall below 4 billion US dollars soon, and it would still be viable to buy more shares then.


    He remembered that Tesla''s market value had broken 100 billion in its tenth year and reached one trillion in the eleventh year of listing. If everything went smoothly, it wouldn''t be hard for him to become a billionaire in the future.


    He then inquired about Bitcoin, whose price had just risen to 3 US dollars, still considered a low price.


    Kathy Wood mentioned that they had accumulated 100,000 Bitcoins, making them one of the largest Bitcoin holders on the market. She asked if he wanted to keep stockpiling?


    Link nodded, indicating that they should continue stockpiling while selling some, keeping around 100,000 as more wouldn''t be useful. No one had become the world''s richest person by hoarding Bitcoins according to the Forbes rankings; the focus should continue to be on corporate stocks.

 Chapter 445 - 373 NVIDIA Corporation

    In addition to Tesla, Link also held a 16.5% stake in Twitter and owned 450,000 shares of Amazon stock.


    Currently, Twitter has not gone public, but after three rounds of financing, its market value has reached 1.8 billion US dollars, making the 16.5% stake worth approximately 280 million.


    This year, Amazon shook off the impact of the financial crisis with its stock price rising from 336 US dollars at the beginning of the year to 396 now, bringing its market value to 68.8 billion US dollars.


    The 450,000 shares of Amazon were worth around 182 million US dollars.


    Together, these assets brought his net worth to around 1.2 billion US dollars, neither the 1 billion mentioned by The Wall Street Journal nor the 1.5 billion estimated by the New York Post.


    As for the money from his tours, record sales, and boxing matches, some had not yet been received, and the portion that had been received was successively invested into stocks of Tesla and Twitter, so they could not be added together cumulatively.


    He then inquired about good investment opportunities currently available from Kathy.


    Kathy handed over a tablet, which displayed a document with potential investment projects selected by the research department of Vanguard Asset Management Company, graded from five stars to one star, the higher the number of stars, the greater the investment potential.


    Due to the success of Facebook, many similar social networking apps had become desirable targets for Wall Street investment banks, which was evident on this list as well, with nearly all the companies at the top being internet technology firms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Foursquare, and others.


    Link browsed the list and suddenly saw a familiar company name, NVIDIA Corporation, marked as a company specializing in designing graphic processing units and motherboard chipsets for artificial intelligence computing.


    The company was founded in 1993 by a Chinese American, Jason Huang, and went public in 1999, with a current market value of 13.8 billion US dollars.


    The research department of Vanguard Asset Management Company gave the following recommendation:


    This enterprise is a leader in the global 3D graphics technology and digital media processors industry, and its founder and manager, Jason Huang, is an exceedingly talented entrepreneur.


    Although the company''s growth has been less than smooth since it went public, with its market value increasing by less than 10 billion dollars in over ten years, it has made steady progress and is considered a company with substantial potential in the internet sector.


    The reason against recommending it: With the boom in the smartphone market in recent years, NVIDIA also announced last year that it would enter the field of smart device research, learning to manufacture mobile computing chips, but this area is highly competitive.


    NVIDIA manufactures computer chip software, but many of their technological products cannot be adequately utilized in computers. For instance, their GPU chips can process 3D graphics and data, but the chip has a high workload and does not function normally inside a phone due to its size and cost.


    This led to NVIDIA''s failure to make a transition, forcing it to abandon this market segment and subsequently suffering significant losses, with its market value falling from around 16 billion US dollars to the current 13.8 billion.


    Vanguard Asset Management Company''s research department gave NVIDIA a three-star rating, neither excellent nor poor.


    Link stroked his chin, recalling that NVIDIA was also a company with a market value exceeding one trillion and was a leader in the future field of artificial intelligence semiconductors, having achieved great success in automated driving and autonomous vehicle research.


    The company was unremarkable 20 years before, but often featured in the news 20 years later.


    To his surprise, the company''s current market value was only 13.8 billion US dollars¡ªless than one-fifth of Amazon''s and had even more potential than investments like Twitter and Amazon.


    After some contemplation, Link flipped through the list once more from start to finish and marked three promising projects, including NVIDIA, and handed them over to Ms. Kathy, asking her to arrange for a detailed investigation of these three, and to prepare a comprehensive investment report.


    If they indeed turned out to be solid, he would consider investing.


    Ms. Kathy Wood took a look and said she would report back to him the following week.


    Kathy then mentioned that managing the shares he held in multiple companies, along with Golden Shell investments, was rather complicated. She suggested that he establish an investment firm or asset management company to improve management efficiency.


    When necessary, he could also leverage the company for financing, and if it did well, it might even go public in the future.


    Link thought it was a good idea.


    He was already overwhelmed with work, and each week he had to go through the investment reports sent by Kathy, filled with numbers and charts that often left him with a splitting headache.


    Add to that his responsibilities involving Link Music, Dynasty Promotions, world tours, boxing matches, Palm Beach Films, Wanda Film Industry, Dolphin Bay Agency, and other companies'' affairs.


    Then there were seven or eight films and the weekly calls to several girlfriends.


    There was too much on his plate, and he needed to find a way to lighten his load.


    Establishing an asset management company was not a bad idea.


    While chatting with Kathy, he noticed a familiar figure entering from outside.


    The man was in his forties or fifties, slightly balding with a bit of a beer belly, casually dressed, and accompanied by a woman in her thirties. They were talking and walking with an intimate air about them.


    Link sipped his coffee and watched the man for a moment, realizing that he indeed knew him¡ªit was Mr. Thomas Swift.


    He hadn''t seen his prospective father-in-law and the grandfather of his child for a while. The man looked quite well, much better than when he was wheelchair-bound.


    Taylor had mentioned that he transferred to Morgan Investment Bank''s headquarters to work, which seemed to be the case.


    Link watched as Thomas placed his hand on the woman''s thigh, caressing it gently, and took out a box with the Cartier logo from his pocket, placing it on the coffee table. The woman opened the box, hugged him around the neck, and planted a kiss on his greasy face.


    The old father-in-law let out a chuckle about to embrace the woman but suddenly locked eyes with Link. In an instant, his expression froze, and the muscles at the corner of his eyes twitched, revealing an awkward look.


    Link offered a slight smile, stood up, and moved toward his would-be father-in-law, Thomas. Encountering him in such a situation was awkward whether he greeted him or not, so he decided to go and be part of the awkwardness.


    Tom also stood up and walked over, shaking hands with him in the aisle, and glanced at Kathy Wood. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link, on a date?"


    "Tom, this is Miss Kathy Wood, my investment manager,"


    Link introduced.


    Tom laughed heartily, greeted Kathy, and since both were from the finance industry and well-acquainted with Wall Street, they had heard of each other; Tom had a celebrity daughter, and Kathy was an emerging star in investment banking.


    "Link, your investment in Tesla was impressive; many Wall Street consortia were afraid to get involved, but you had the courage¡ªremarkable."


    Tom praised.


    "That''s all thanks to Kathy."


    "On Wall Street, although the manager is important, it''s rare for clients to trust us and give us their money to handle,"


    Tom adjusted his glasses and said.


    Link smiled, mentioned the possibility of working together, and prepared to take his leave.


    Tom nodded in agreement and before leaving, he told him that Taylor was pregnant and not very emotionally stable, hoping he would take the time to visit her and preferably not say anything upsetting to anger her.


    Link understood his meaning, smiled lightly, and then parted ways with Tom, continuing his conversation with Kathy.


    Tom sat in the booth opposite for three or four minutes, properly finishing a cup of coffee, and then left with the lady.


    As Link watched his retreating figure, he felt that Mrs. Andrea also had it tough, constantly busy with Taylor''s matters and having no time to take care of the home; now her husband was out finding a younger woman behind her back, and he wondered how she would feel if she knew.


    But he had no intention of telling; this was Taylor''s family affair, and it seemed he wasn''t in a position to intervene now.


    Thinking of Taylor, he picked up his phone and tried sending a message, surprisingly discovering he had been unblocked.


    "I just ran into your dad."


    That was the first message, and it went through.


    "I''m discussing some work on Wall Street, happened to see Tom around; it''s nothing much, just wanted to ask how you''re doing? I''d like to come see you, could we schedule a visit?"


    That was the second message, still successfully sent.


    "It was my fault for getting you pregnant that night on April 13th, after going at it for three hours straight, leaving you unable to move even a finger. I asked if you could forgive me just once, not to leave, but you were still determined to go.


    I was very angry then, acted on impulse, and secretly took off the condom, thinking I could use this way to keep you. I''ve reflected on it many times afterward and know I did something unforgivable and stupid.


    Two months passed without any news of your pregnancy, I thought it hadn''t succeeded, felt disappointed, yet relieved that I hadn''t hurt you again.


    A while ago when I returned from South Korea, I suddenly heard you were pregnant, which to me is undoubtedly great news. Our child will definitely be as smart and beautiful as you and as strong as me. I''m really looking forward to seeing the baby born. Although I''m not a good boyfriend, I will strive to be a good father, please give me a chance."


    That was the third message.


    "I''d like to play the piano for the baby while you''re pregnant, maybe they''ll grow up to be a singer too, what do you think?"


    "Are you attending the MTV award ceremony the day after tomorrow?"


    After sending seven or eight messages without a response, he checked the time and told Taylor he had to go.


    Ding-dong!


    As he and Kathy reached the door, his phone received a message.


    "I can play the piano, better than you. The child is mine, and I will take good care of them; you don''t need to worry. Ivanka... is a nice woman, more suitable for you than I am,"


    Taylor said.


    Link was somewhat surprised; Taylor, usually sharp-tongued, complimenting Ivanka?


    "What did you talk about last time?"


    "It''s none of your business."


    "I hope to have time to visit you and the child. They say children who grow up with a father are more masculine. Fat James, you know him, a single-parent family, grew up with his mother, and his personality became more fearful and timid. I hope to contribute to our child''s upbringing."


    "No need, I get angry just seeing you. It''s better for you and the child if you don''t appear in front of me."


    "The child needs me."


    After sending the message, he was shown as not a friend.

 Chapter 446 - 374: The Tyrant Takes the Bait

    After leaving the caf¨¦, he bought a bunch of flowers and drove to the Palm Beach Films music company building.


    About ten minutes later, he saw Ivanka in a light blue dress and high heels, walking out of the company entrance with a seductive posture.


    He honked the horn and started the car, stopping by the roadside.


    When Ivanka saw him, the corners of her sexy lips curved up slightly. She grabbed her bag, opened the car door, and seeing the tulips on the passenger seat, she couldn''t help but laugh, covering her lips with her hand while her sexy chest contours heaved with the laughter.


    "What are you laughing at?"


    "It''s nothing, just didn''t expect you to know how to create romance. It feels quite amusing,"


    Ivanka said, holding the bouquet.


    "I''ve always understood romance; it''s just that I''ve been too busy with work to demonstrate it. You shouldn''t see me as some rough guy who understands nothing."


    Link shrugged his shoulders and started the car.


    Ivanka glanced at his profile, a faint smile appearing on her lips.


    "Are you fetching me from work and bringing me flowers because you have some ulterior motive?"


    "Of course not, don''t think too much,"


    Link shook his head to divert the topic and started discussing the asset management company with Ivanka, mentioning he was overwhelmed with work recently.


    He planned to transfer Ms. Mandy from Palm Beach Films, entrusting her with full responsibility for the Palm Beach Films Agency, and also putting Catherine in charge of Palm Beach Films.


    Ms. Anna had been doing well in the past two years and could take over from Ms. Mandy as his Executive Agent.


    Ivanka had no objections to this, but mentioned that she just spoke with Wendi Deng on the phone.


    Wendi had praised him extensively for over half an hour on the phone, telling him how she followed his advice in August to buy some Tesla stock early. After Tesla went public, she made over four million US dollars from those stocks, calling Link a man favored by the goddess of fortune.


    "At the beginning of the year, Tesla was in bad shape, rumored to be at risk of bankruptcy. Others were afraid to invest; how could you dare to buy so much Tesla stock?"


    Ivanka asked.


    "Of course, because I''m favored by the goddess of fortune."


    Link kissed Ivanka''s tender hand, sweeter than flowers, softer than marshmallows.


    Ivanka playfully glared at him, warning him to focus on driving. She then said, "My dad is a bit displeased with you; he said you knew Tesla had potential. Why didn''t you include him too? He said he already sees you as family and wants me to tell you to inform him the next time you find a good investment opportunity."


    Link smiled lightly, somewhat at a loss for words about Mr. Thomp''s integrity.


    A few days ago, when the media revealed Taylor''s pregnancy, Link and Ivanka''s relationship also came under scrutiny. When reporters asked Mr. Thomp for his opinion, he pouted and said that Ivanka had broken up with Link and was currently dating Kunas. Compared to playboy Link, he was more optimistic about Kunas.


    However, Ivanka soon arrived in Los Angeles and stayed overnight at the Bay Villa, proving Mr. Thomp wrong with her actions, which embarrassed him quite a bit.


    "Are you still upset with my dad?"


    Ivanka asked, staring at him.


    "Of course not, I understand him. Besides, Mr. Thomp is a very adorable and charismatic man. I respect him as always,"


    Link said with a smile.


    Ivanka was pleased with his response and leaned in to kiss his cheek.


    When the car reached 43rd street, Link parked, and they went to Walmart to buy a lot of vegetables, fruits, and seafood. After returning to the Woolworth Building apartment, he personally cooked a sumptuous candlelit dinner for Ivanka.


    Ivanka enjoyed the meal, but she didn''t rate it highly.


    Ivanka said he was an artist, an entrepreneur, an athlete, usually busy with work. When he got home, he should rest instead of wasting time in the kitchen.


    She didn''t encourage this behavior nor would she give him extra points for this delicious meal. She certainly wouldn''t call him a ''domestic'' man because her man didn''t need that kind of quality.


    Link looked at her radiant and striking face, sighing that this woman was also too difficult to serve. He had wanted to make a delicious meal to comfort her for her recent hardships, but she didn''t appreciate it.


    "We''re eating under the stars and chatting, don''t you think this is wonderful?"


    Link glanced at the sky outside the observation deck. Looking up, there were bright stars everywhere, looking down, the neon lights of Manhattan were dazzling. Neither looking up nor down, but facing Ms. Ivanka, who was even more beautiful than the starry sky and the night market, he thought it was beautiful.


    "It is wonderful, and very romantic, but this romance is based on you being busy for an extra hour. That''s not what I want, so I don''t encourage you to do this,"


    Ivanka said.


    Link was silenced by her remark. Sometimes her words and actions were hard to understand, yet they often hit the nail on the head. To win over such a woman, if not of her own volition, would likely be challenging.


    After dinner, all the plates were still on the table ¨C this was Ivanka''s request.


    Ivanka said that in a capitalist society, it is most important for everyone to stick to their roles. He, being a singer, an excellent investor, and athlete, should focus on his primary job, like writing more good songs, researching company management, and engaging in more physical training.


    And cooking and household chores should be left to professionals.


    If he did everything, the incomes of chefs and service personnel would decrease, lowering their quality of life. They''d need extra jobs to support themselves and wouldn''t spend more time improving their culinary skills and service quality.


    That would be detrimental to everyone, so after accumulating more capital, he should learn to give opportunities to others and be a conscientious capitalist.


    Link found it funny; he had merely wanted to wash a few dishes, yet Ivanka had given him a lecture.


    What made him more helpless was that Ivanka''s words seemed reasonable. With a fortune of over a billion, competing for jobs with chefs and waitstaff indeed seemed a bit excessive.


    Before going to sleep, the two sat on the couch watching season nine of "American Idol," where a singer was performing his "Girls Like You" with a guitar.


    Seeing that the atmosphere was nice tonight, he took the opportunity to put his arm around Ms. Ivanka''s shoulder, trying to kiss her and deepen their relationship.


    Unfortunately, he was unsuccessful.


    Ivanka rejected him coldly, stating that his points weren''t enough and warned him that if he tried to force her, she would consider ending their relationship and casually took a pepper spray from the couch.


    Link mentioned that he knew she had been in several relationships and didn''t care about any tattoos or the like on her body.


    Ivanka merely smiled indifferently, saying she had nothing strange tattooed on her body, all her parts were as pristine and white as the skin on her arms and there was nothing she felt ashamed of. His attempt at provocation was ineffective on her.


    Ivanka said he wasn''t lacking women, what he lacked was a partner, a comrade to fully support him in battle, and she preferred being that role.


    "If you need women, I can arrange for two models for you."


    Ivanka said, turning to pick up the phone.


    Link shook his head. "Why seek other women? I''m curious, as the man who''s called the world''s sexiest; don''t I attract you at all, or, as the others say, do you have a low libido?"


    "Of course not. We are a couple by agreement, and until you''ve earned enough points, we can only maintain this relationship. Those are the rules of the game. If you don''t adhere to them, neither shall I. What meaning is left in rules we agreed on previously?"


    Ivanka said, folding her arms.


    "Alright, how many points do I have now, and how many points are needed to become a real couple?"


    "Last month ¨C20, this week +20, current points tally is 5. To become a real couple, at least 80 points are needed. You''re far from it."


    "You hold the right to score, you could give me 80 points right now."


    Link said, threateningly encircling her waist.


    "No, using force will only deduct points."


    Ivanka warned, pointing at his nose. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link saw a hint of smugness on her lips, and could not help but hug her and kissed her fiercely. By the time Ivanka had grabbed the pepper spray and aimed it at him, he was already heading to the gym.


    Ivanka sat back on the couch, crossing her long legs, blinking her dewy eyes, slightly lifting her red lips, and in that moment, her cheeks blushed brilliantly.

 Chapter 447 - 375: The New MTV Session

    After Tesla went public, Link''s public image also shone as his net worth increased.


    Apart from being praised by Mr. Thomp, Mr. Swift, and Wendi Deng, the attitude of netizens towards him also underwent a 180-degree change online.


    Those who once criticized him as a scumbag now began to understand and idolize him.


    They thought that at 21 years old, being physically fit, hugely famous, and wealthy, it was normal for a man like him to be embroiled in some scandals.


    Just like the Hollywood mogul Howard Hughes in the 30s and 40s who was rumored to have dated Catherine Hepburn, Jean Harlow, Ava Gardner, and other actresses.


    A lack of scandals would make him seem lacking in masculine charm, not cool at all.


    Many netizens posted online, asking Link how to achieve his level of success and hoped to learn a few tricks from him.


    Link uniformly replied, practice boxing.


    Some netizens supported the idea, saying they would take up boxing to become the next Link and make big money while attracting beautiful women.


    Others issued a ''disfigurement warning'' and posted photos of the famous actor Mickey Rourke.


    Before becoming a professional Boxer, Mickey was a Hollywood heartthrob, as popular as Brad Pitt. After turning pro, he could only play ugly villain roles in "Iron Man 2," "Once Upon a Time in Mexico," and "Sin City."


    It was nearly impossible for an ordinary person to replicate Link''s success.


    Some netizens suggested that now Link had money, he should retire from boxing to protect his handsome face.


    This opinion garnered a lot of support from female fans who thought being handsome was more important than winning the Golden Belt.


    Because of these remarks, many media outlets predicted he was preparing to retire from boxing after becoming a billionaire.


    This unconfirmed piece of news even became a hot topic before the MTV Video Music Awards.


    On September 16, at the red carpet event of the MTV Video Music Awards, a reporter asked him about this, questioning if it was true.


    Link firmly denied it, expressing that boxing was his favorite sport and life-long career, and even if he had to fight until fifty and couldn''t fight any longer, he wouldn''t easily step down from the ring.


    Fans who enjoyed watching his boxing matches began making noise on site, applauding and cheering for his response.


    "Mr. Baker, a slight tangent, a few days ago you acknowledged on Twitter that Taylor is pregnant with your child. After the child is born, would you consider reuniting with Taylor, or take on the responsibilities of a father?"


    Outside the Nokia Theatre, host Johnny Depp asked with a microphone in hand.


    Link gave him a helpless look. This was the red carpet at the MTV Awards, and this guy wasn''t asking about the awards but chose to dig into gossip.


    That''s the downside of having too many scandals. Every time he attended a public event, reporters swarmed him with all sorts of questions, leading to his rare appearances at public events nowadays.


    Link thought for a moment and gave a firm answer, stating he was still negotiating with Taylor for the right to visit her and the child, and would consider taking the child under his care if Taylor was too busy with work after the birth.


    "Mr. Baker, won''t this affect your relationship with Miss Ivanka? With Miss Ivanka taking the initiative to visit Taylor in Los Angeles, does it mean she has accepted this child? Also, when Miss Ivanka met Taylor, do you know what they talked about?"


    Johnny Depp asked.


    These questions obviously exceeded Link''s expectations. He waved his hand and said, "Johnny, this is a live MTV event, can you not ask questions unrelated to MTV?"


    "Uh, haha, okay then!"


    Johnny Depp switched to other questions.


    For instance, he received 11 nominations at this year''s MTV awards and asked how many awards he planned to win, noting that musicians under Link''s music label including himself had garnered 19 nominations, which nearly accounted for a quarter of all nominees. The media joked this year''s MTV Video Music Awards could be called the Link-MTV Awards; he was asked his thoughts on this.


    Link hadn''t thought about how many awards he would win; to a musician,-selling four to five million albums in the United States and ten to twenty million globally was the best reward, the most valuable honor, other awards were just icing on the cake.


    This was why in the past two years, when releasing albums, he focused on promoting and trying to sell as many albums as possible, and rarely engaged in public relations for awards.


    Regarding the second question, that many artists under Link music had been nominated for MTV awards this year was simply a reflection of their capability.


    Lana, Mars, Wiz Khalifa, and Justin Bieber, all released albums late last year that each sold over a million copies in the United States, placing them within the top twenty in album sales for the year 09/10.


    They all had the potential to win awards.


    However, in response, he would only say he was grateful to the MTV awards jury, that Link music was born for music and would continue to produce better music to thank the fans and everyone''s support.


    After the interview, Link left the red carpet area and entered the main hall of the Nokia Theatre, the venue for this year''s MTV award ceremony.


    Since he arrived a bit late.


    When he showed up, most of the nominated individuals had already arrived. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Kesha, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Pink, Lana Del Rey, Mars, Eminem, Kanye West, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, The Black Eyed Peas, Linkin Park, Green Day Band, and others, all familiar faces.


    There were also some new faces, including Jaden Smith who rose to fame with "The Karate Kid," Jesse Eisenberg and Andrew Garfield, the lead actors from "The Social Network," Sofia Vergara who became popular through "Modern Family," and Emma Stone who rose to fame with "Scandal Plan," among others.

 Chapter 448 - 375: The New MTV_2

    Although there were many big stars at the venue, when Link arrived, everyone''s attention inadvertently shifted to him, mainly because he had become extremely popular that year.


    Lady Gaga, who was hailed as a global superstar, had only half as much media coverage in the United States as him from the beginning to the end of the year, and her number of trending searches was only a fifth of his, according to data from Nielsen.


    If Lady Gaga was considered a global phenomenon, Link was the most dazzling star in the United States this year.


    "Vanity Fair" described him as the ''sun'', whose news could be seen every time you turned on the TV or the internet, and his aura was so intense that the combined brightness was blinding.


    "Link, why are you walking the red carpet alone? You don''t think this will stop people from seeing you as a jerk, do you?"


    Katy Perry teased.


    The people around laughed when they heard her words.


    Before April, everyone said Link was a good man, the most perfect man in the world.


    After April, everyone cursed him as a jerk.


    Yet, due to his status, no one dared to call him that to his face.


    Now, hearing Katy Perry calling him a jerk, everyone found it amusing and also looked at Link to see his reaction.


    Link just smiled gently, naturally showing no reaction. He hugged Katy Perry, and then greeted nearby celebrities like Lady Gaga, Kesha, and Eminem.


    He explained that he was supposed to walk the red carpet with Selena, but she abandoned him halfway because she detested his bad reputation, so he had to walk the red carpet alone.


    The crowd laughed again at his self-deprecating humor. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡ª


    "How could this be?"


    In the second row of the hall, Kanye West watched Link and Katy Perry, frowning as he said, "Last week Katy Perry and the others publicly supported Taylor, cursing Link as a jerk, and now they are acting as if nothing happened?"


    Lil Wayne, T.I., and Chris Brown were also puzzled.


    At that time, not only were netizens across the internet cursing Link and demanding he leave the entertainment industry, but dozens of popular actors and singers also called Link a jerk and expressed their support for Taylor.


    Seeing everyone cursing Link, Kanye West and the others could not resist stepping on him a few more times, praised Taylor a bit, and even helped promote Taylor''s new album to strike at Link.


    "Hollywood Reporter" even published a comment that "Link has become an outcast in the entertainment industry, without a solid standing, and perhaps it would be a good decision to retire from the music scene ahead of time."


    At that time, Link was virtually a street rat, despised by everyone.


    Seeing Link in such a state made Kanye West feel as if his bipolar disorder had healed without medication.


    Lil Wayne, T.I., and the others were also pleased; since last year, they had been humiliated by Link many times and had suffered a lot. Now, they finally got their revenge.


    However, the subsequent changes left them stunned.


    The first was that Link''s scandal was overshadowed by other news.


    Then, following the public listing of Tesla, jerk Link transformed into billionaire Link, rumored to have a net worth of over a billion US dollars, ranking within the top 300 on the "Forbes" list of wealthiest Americans.


    Even though Jay-Z and Beyonce''s total assets also amounted to a billion, their assets were mainly in the music industry, which paled in potential compared to a wealthy stock owner like Link.


    After Link became a billionaire, the media''s negative reports about him melted like snow under the scorching sun.


    On one hand, the netizens'' attitude towards him shifted; many went from dislike to admiration and veneration, and even those who still disliked him did so out of envy rather than disapproval of his philandering.


    On the other hand, the media''s vulnerability became apparent when facing capital; they would automatically sidestep some issues and word their statements more cautiously to avoid provoking someone so influential.


    Seeing the change in both netizens and the media, Kanye West and the others could only grudgingly shut their mouths, silently cursing Link for his dumb luck, managing to resurrect despite being blacklisted across the internet, decreeing him too tough to beat.


    Now, seeing Katy Perry and the others treating Link warmly as before, and Link reciprocating unchanged, it felt like they had fallen into a trap.


    Could this be another of Link''s schemes?


    They were not alone in their thoughts; nearby, the Jonas brothers, John Mayer, and other singers who had publicly stomped on Link were also puzzled as they looked toward Katy Perry''s group.


    Wasn''t Link supposed to be an outcast? How come he was suddenly all friendly again?


    Could it be that all those previous scenes of trashing Link were prearranged, with only they, oblivious, getting too into their roles and becoming clowns?


    Kanye West held his forehead, leaning back in his seat exhaustedly; Link, that bastard, was always laying traps, making them almost impossible to guard against, and one might not even know when they had fallen into one.


    In the future, when dealing with him, they must be more cautious to avoid falling fatally into his traps.


    Sitting next to him, Jay-Z''s face turned even darker; the last time Link was attacked across the internet, it was he, with the likes of big-mouth dad, little Epstein, and Peter Peltz, who orchestrated it.


    They spent over six hundred thousand US dollars hiring a massive number of trolls to attack Link from various platforms continuously creating dark material, calling for netizens to cyberbully him, aiming to turn Link into a nobody.


    Their hope was to force him out of the music industry while simultaneously suppressing the market value of his music.


    Initially, the plan was going smoothly; Link was criticized so heavily he couldn''t raise his head and had to hide in his villa for refuge.

 Chapter 449 - 375: The New MTV_3

    Later, netizens'' condemnation was bolstered by the support of big celebrities like Selena, Christine Stewart, and Katy Perry, as well as Beyonce, Kanye, and others, all of whom were vilifying Link as a scumbag.


    They could almost see Link transform from a dazzling world superstar, a youth idol, and the American dream, into a piece of stinking dog shit.


    Unfortunately, fate did not comply.


    That bastard''s investment in the failing Tesla Inc. went public and was extremely successful.


    Later, under the hype of Wall Street capital, Link transformed from a low-quality entertainment star into a capital circle''s nouveau riche, a wealth idol, an investment star, with his reputation undergoing a complete 180-degree turnaround.


    Compared to the financial tycoons of Wall Street, their power was very limited, whether in capital or connections, they were no match at all.


    Seeing the trend was gone, they had to end the battle prematurely, hastily ending it, not only losing hundreds of thousands of US dollars but also inadvertently helping Link trend several times online, helping him sell tens of thousands more albums.


    Every time he thought about it, Jay-Z couldn''t help but scowl, Link''s luck was too good, he had been reviled by the whole internet and still managed to make a comeback.


    As he was quietly blaming Link, suddenly he noticed his wife Beyonce also looking towards Link with a gleaming smile, her charming eyes twinkling, seemingly very interested in what was happening on that side.


    "What are you looking at?"


    Jay-Z asked with a dark face.


    Beyonce turned to look at him, pressed her lips lightly and said, "Nothing!"


    Seeing her put away her smile, Jay-Z felt even more upset, tightening his grip on her wrist and lowering his voice to growl, "I''m your husband, don''t look at me like that."


    "Let go! You''re hurting me."


    Beyonce glared at him, pulled back her arm and rubbed it, saying, "I was looking at Link."


    "Fuck, why are you looking at him? Don''t tell me you also like that pretty boy."


    Jay-Z said through clenched teeth.


    "I was seeing how hypocritical he is, how much he can pretend."


    "Pretend?"


    "Of course, he recently faced an onslaught of online hate, everyone attacking him, recklessly cursing him, venting all their life''s frustrations on him. At that time, he stood alone against everyone, isolated and unsupported, bearing immense pressure. Guess if he was harboring anger and resentment in his heart.


    Now that he''s gritted his teeth and survived the ordeal, guess if he''s planning to retaliate against all those who attacked him?"


    After hearing her words, Jay-Z thoughtfully said, "You mean Link hasn''t forgiven people like Katy Perry, he''s just pretending not to care about it on the surface, but actually preparing for revenge?"


    Beyonce shrugged her shoulders, "I don''t know, just putting myself in his shoes, would you forgive those who hurt you when you faced setbacks? Not to mention Link is a very vindictive and combative man."


    Jay-Z thought for a moment, probably wouldn''t forgive.


    Back then, Kanye merely said his album was trash in the media, and he held onto that, counterattacking that Kanye was sick, so the harmonious atmosphere over there was all a facade, were they disagreeing behind the scenes?


    However, Link''s acting was indeed good, it didn''t seem like he was pretending at all.


    Beside him, Beyonce continued to gaze at Link with her long legs crossed, her charming cheeks gradually turning rosy.


    Link also noticed Beyonce and averted his gaze as soon as they made eye contact. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This woman was too much to handle; she had called him in the morning to ask where he was, and after he replied that he was training at the boxing gym, Beyonce showed up there by the afternoon.


    At that moment, the flame that Ivanka had ignited within him, instead of subsiding after being suppressed all night, had flared up even hotter, and after Beyonce arrived, they fiercely clashed in the underground parking lot.


    After the fight, the leather seats were gouged with several holes from her nails, the window glass was damaged by her high heels, and the seatbelts had to be replaced due to severe tugging.


    Link shook his head, cleared the pixelated images from his mind, and continued discussing music and gossip with Katy Perry and the others. The atmosphere on-site was genuinely good, not pretentious as outsiders might assume.


    The truth was, Katy Perry and the others had agreed to support Taylor because he had reached out first, which not only helped Taylor but also eased their relationships.


    Upon hearing his suggestion, Christine Stewart was the first to express support, seizing the opportunity to mock him fiercely; anyone unaware might think she held a serious grudge against Link.


    The others were more or less the same.


    Later, Taylor threw a celebration party at the Beverly Hotel and invited them, including Selena, Katy Perry, and even Dawn Kuros. However, they didn''t invite him.


    He felt like the behind-the-scenes manipulator had been completely forgotten.


    "Hey, Link, I have a question for you."


    Miley Cyrus poked his shoulder and said, "You have a girlfriend in France, one in Britain, one in Huaxia, one in Japan, one in South Korea, one in Singapore, one in Netherlands, and a few in the United States. The tabloids say you''re forming a United Nations of girlfriends; is it true?"


    Hahaha!


    As Miley concluded, a burst of laughter erupted from those around them.


    "Really Link, why don''t you push a little harder and gather a full United Nations?"


    "Link, Russia is a permanent member; you can''t miss having a Russian girlfriend."


    "And also Germany, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, those countries have lots of beautiful women, when do you plan to find them?"


    Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Carrie Underwood teased.


    Link''s expression darkened, "This is all slander. I admit to having several foreign female friends, but my main reason for interacting with them is to learn languages, which helps in promoting concerts. It''s not like it''s said online that I have a romance in every country I visit; I''m not that idle."


    "Oh really? So how many girlfriends do you have now? Three? Is it tiring to date so many at the same time? I mean no offense, just collecting some material for future songs,"


    said Lady Gaga, chuckling.


    Link shook his head. In the music industry, whether male or female, everyone had rich emotional lives; aside from Taylor, nearly all the popular female singers frequently changed boyfriends.


    This included Madonna, Britney, Avril Lavigne, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and others, who, before turning thirty, almost all had four or five ex-boyfriends.


    The only difference between him and them was that they dated one and dumped one, like individual stock market traders, whereas he was dating four or five at the same time, holding for the long term, eventually becoming a major shareholder.


    That''s why they called him a scumbag, a label Link could hardly agree with.


    Just as he was about to argue, someone shouted, "Look, Taylor and Selena are here."

 Chapter 450 - 376: The Final Grand Prize

    Nokia Theatre Hall, Taylor, dressed in a loose-fitting red dress with her golden curls cascading down, walked down the aisle, her long legs still striding quickly. If you didn''t look at her slightly plump cheeks and the small bulge of her waist, you wouldn''t be able to tell she was pregnant.


    Trailing behind her was the round-faced Selena. Her first album sold well, and several of her single MVs were impressive, earning her two nominations at this year''s MTV.


    Originally, Link was supposed to walk the red carpet with her, but she had been stood up halfway through.


    Selena followed close by Taylor''s side, holding onto her and continuously urging her to slow down and be careful with her belly.


    Seeing Taylor coming, Link stood up, ready to greet her. However, the crowd around him was quicker to act, swarming Taylor in the blink of an eye, bombarding her with questions and warm greetings while many others just watched with interest.


    From the beginning of September until now, the news of Taylor''s pregnancy had maintained an extremely high level of attention.


    The reason was simple; Taylor was a country music queen, last year''s album sales champion in the United States music scene, and one of the most popular singers currently, making her pregnancy big news in itself.


    And the person considered to be the father of her child was believed to be another music industry king, Link.


    Between a king and a queen, who first fell in love and then broke up, breaking up nearly half a year before the news of a child surfaced¡ªtheir story was more exciting than the plots of many Hollywood movies, and people eager to gossip had no reason to pass up on such juicy news.


    The stars in the circle were also fellow gossip enthusiasts. Seeing Taylor arrive, they gathered around to get in on the gossip, preventing Link, the male lead, from even getting close to Taylor.


    "Please make some space, don''t crowd around here, Taylor needs some fresh air."


    Selena said in her crisp voice.


    The onlookers gradually dispersed, and only Link and Taylor remained in the aisle, standing tens of meters apart, looking at each other from a distance.


    Whoosh!


    The front row of the audience suddenly quieted down. Lady Gaga and others sat in their seats quietly, watching the two with interest as if they were watching a stage play.


    "Hey, Taylor, how have you been?"


    Link walked over and greeted.


    "How can Link ask like that, don''t they talk on the phone?"


    Katie whispered.


    "Selena said Taylor has blocked all of Link''s contact information, she''s become the go-between."


    Miley Cyrus said, covering her mouth with her hand.


    "I thought they would still be friends after the breakup."


    Lady Gaga said.


    "It''s so hard to be friends with Link, he''s so charming. If you keep being friends with him, sooner or later you''ll end up in bed with him again, so it might as well not break up at all."


    Katy Perry said.


    "Hi!"


    With a twinkle in her blue eyes, Taylor glanced at him and said to Selena by her side, "Where are our seats?"


    "Link, where are our seats?"


    Selena, supporting Taylor, winked at him to perform well.


    "Here."


    Link pointed to the seats next to them.


    Taylor said thanks, straightened her dress and sat down, with Link sitting beside her.


    This seating arrangement was made by the MTV organizers. Last year, when he and Taylor were dating, MTV had them sit apart; now that they had broken up, their seats were put together.


    Sure enough, this arrangement would indeed add a considerable number of viewers to this evening''s event.


    Taylor and Selena were among the last guests to enter. Shortly after they sat down, the MTV Video Tape Awards ceremony began.


    Justin Bieber was the opening performance guest of the evening. Lana Del Rey, Mars, Selena, Drake, and other singers who had done well in the first half of the year, would also take the stage to perform their hit songs.


    "How have you been recently?"


    Link asked softly, watching the performance on the stage.


    "Gained sixteen pounds, waist''s grown five inches, what do you think?"


    Taylor snorted softly.


    "It''s my fault, I know it''s too late to say sorry now, but I still hope to have a chance to make it up to you."


    "Make it up? I''m 21 this year, right at the upward trajectory of my career, I never thought about getting pregnant and having a child at this time. But because of you, everything has changed. You almost destroyed me, and now you''re telling me you want to make it up to me? How? With U.S. dollars? I don''t need it." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor clenched her snow-white fists, looking at him angrily.


    Caught in front of the camera, Link couldn''t give her a hug. He spread his hands and said, "I''m really sorry, mainly because I loved you too much, didn''t want to break up, so I did what I did."


    "Love me? You think I would believe that? If you loved me, you wouldn''t mess around on the side. If you loved me, you wouldn''t hurt me in such a despicable manner. If you truly loved me, you would let go decisively.


    You don''t love me.


    What you did only had one purpose.


    You didn''t want to lose!


    You''re someone who likes to compete and win, always have been, whether in boxing or in music, you''ve never lost, and you don''t want to. The same goes for love; you want to be the winner always.


    So, when I refused to forgive you, adamant about leaving you, you felt defeated. You were angered and resorted to such low means to treat me, trying to turn a loss into a win, right, Mr. Tactical Master?"


    Taylor pursed her lips, speaking coldly.


    "I''m indeed competitive and don''t like to lose, but when I was with you, I never thought about winning or losing. It was like when we would play around, play rock-paper-scissors for chores, or play tennis or volleyball, you always won.


    Even in songwriting and composing, you were always better than me. I never cared about these things. I''m not always competitive, at least not with you, I never wanted to win against you."

 Chapter 451 - 376: The Final Grand Prize_2

    "Hmph, I admit that you often get the better of me in sports, but losing at rock-paper-scissors and having to do housework is definitely not okay. It''s because you have clumsy fingers and simply can''t beat me."


    "Wanna bet?"


    Link stretched out his palm.


    Taylor looked at him, holding her snow-white fist and said, "Don''t try to change the subject. The outcome of such a trivial game you might not care about, but you definitely care about winning and losing in boxing, music, and love. You''d even resort to despicable means to win a competition. Am I right?"


    Link shook his head, "Dear, don''t think so badly of me, okay? I tried to get you pregnant because I love you. You decided to keep the baby after finding out you were pregnant also because you still love me. So, this child is the fruit of our love, not the product of some conspiracy, right? Regardless, the child is innocent. I don''t want you to pass on your resentment towards me to the child."


    Taylor took a deep breath, "So this is your plan, to lock me down with a child once I give birth?"


    "No, after the child is born, if you wish to raise him, then keep him. If not, hand him over to me, and I''ll try to be a good dad."


    "Don''t even dream about it! This is my child, why should I give him to you? I''ve told you, you will never see the child. I mean what I say." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor snorted lightly. As Bruno Mars finished his performance with the dance crew and stepped down amid a warm round of applause, Taylor also clapped her hands, her lips moving slightly as she whispered, "No one can win forever, not even you."


    Unfortunately, the applause around was so enthusiastic that Link did not hear her words clearly.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After a few opening acts, the MTV Awards ceremony officially began.


    The first award was the Best New Artist. There were five nominees: Kesha, Lana Del Rey, Mars, Jason Derulo, and Justin Bieber.


    In the end, Justin Bieber, with his hit song "Baby", took home the award for Best New Artist and performed the song on stage.


    The second award presented was for Best Female Video. Even though the nominees included Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Kesha, and Beyonce, none could hold a candle to Lady Gaga''s "Bad Romance."


    This was the first award Lady Gaga had received.


    The third award presented was for Best Rap Video.


    Link and Wiz Khalifa were also nominated for this category with their release of "see you again" in August of the previous year.


    But the winner was Eminem''s "Not Afraid", a very hardcore rap song and one of the lead singles from his new album "recovery", which had reached number one on the singles charts.


    The following six technical awards included Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Editing, Best Special Effects, and most breakthrough videos, Link missed out on all of them, while Lady Gaga snagged three, taking home four astronaut trophies.


    "Hey, Link, looks like you''re going home empty-handed today. Want me to give you one?"


    Lady Gaga, wearing a startling ''meat'' dress and holding several astronaut trophies, laughed.


    Link didn''t refuse, taking one from her hands, indicating he would raffle it off for his fans. After raffling too much last year, he had given away all the Golden Belt medals and had nothing left to give this year.


    Lady Gaga didn''t mind when she heard he was using it for a raffle and generously offered him another one.


    Link said he would return it to her if he won an award later.


    Lady Gaga and Katy Perry joked that his chances of winning an award were slim.


    The reason being that during the final stages of MTV''s judging, he had experienced a spate of online attacks, where the media was filled with negative reviews of him, criticizing him as a scumbag, an irresponsible man.


    The MTV award judges, most of whom were adults with families and children, would likely be influenced by public opinion and cast their votes for someone else.


    The following two awards confirmed this assumption.


    The tenth award was for Best Male Video. Before the awards ceremony, the media believed that Link was the clear favorite to win since his nominated song "Legends never die" was the only single in the United States to reach over 10 million sales that year.


    The song''s message and theme were very positive and inspiring, focusing on Americans'' favorite sport, football.


    Together with Link''s level of performance, as well as the quality and viewership of the song''s music video, it ranked first among the singles released that year.


    The only songs stronger than this were "See you again" and Lady Gaga''s "Bad romance", but those were released the previous year and were not comparable.


    Eventually, the Best Male Video award went to Eminem''s "Not Afraid".


    Eminem himself appeared surprised upon hearing he had won. He stood up, bumped fists with Link, and then went on stage.


    "You don''t like to lose, so how come you lost this time?"


    Taylor clapped her hands, a hint of a smile on her lips.


    "Are you happy to see me lose?"


    "A little!"


    "If it makes you happy, then my loss has value."


    "Hmph, that''s because you can''t win."


    Taylor said.


    "I never thought of having to win everything. In your heart, am I someone who only cares about winning and losing?"


    "Aren''t you?"


    Taylor tilted her head to look at his profile.


    "In the past, when I boxed, it was for myself. After joining the gym, every time I won a match, everyone there was happy.


    After I became a professional boxer, my supporters were happy to see me win matches. When I joined the music industry, everyone at Link Music Company and all of my fans, including you, were happy when I won.


    I too wanted all those supporting me to be happy because of my victories, so I worked twice as hard, trained, created, and fought to keep winning. But I never anticipated that one day, my competitive spirit would become a reason for you to dislike me."

 Chapter 452 - 376: The Final Grand Prize_3

    Link said resignedly.


    "Don''t make yourself sound so aggrieved; no matter who you were trying to please with your previous efforts to win, the fact that you took advantage of me when I was unconscious... that... that you did that to me, resulting in my pregnancy, clearly indicates you''re the only one happy about it."


    Taylor spoke in a suppressed voice.


    "The child should be happy too. After they''re born, they''ll surely giggle nonstop."


    "Shut up! Don''t use the child to make your point."


    Taylor caressed her belly as she spoke.


    While the two of them were talking, a camera in the audience remained fixed on them, motionless.


    Link shook his head.


    Onstage, Eminem and Rihanna, with her red hair, performed their hit song "Love the Way You Lie"; Taylor had said she liked the song and that all the scumbags should listen to it.


    Link did not respond.


    After the Best Male Artist award, the show continued with awards for Best Rock Video, Best Group, Best Dance Video, and Best Pop Video.


    Link received four nominations but no awards, while Lady Gaga received four nominations and won two.


    Among these four nominations, the rock song "Legends Never Die" MV and the pop song "Girls Like You" MV had high public expectations before the awards show, but the MTV jury committee still didn''t give it to him.


    By this time, those close to him looked at him with a mix of helplessness and sympathy, while those who saw him as an enemy jeered.


    "Are you happy to see me not winning any awards?"


    "Yes, what about it?"


    "How about a smile for me to see?"


    "..."


    Of course, Taylor did not smile and even gave him a disdainful look.


    "Alright, no more jokes. I plan to stop attending any music award ceremonies starting from the second half of next year. Will that make you any happier?"


    "Are you serious?"


    Taylor asked, furrowing her brows.


    "Yes, when that time comes, you can go to the award ceremonies, and I''ll stay home with the child, watching you on TV."


    "Don''t even think about it. I won''t let you take care of the child."


    Taylor huffed and, still caressing her abdomen, leaned toward Selena.


    The awards ceremony was about to end, and last year''s MTV awards big winner Beyonce took the stage to present the final award for ''Video of the Year''.


    Nominated for the award were five music videos: Lady Gaga''s "Bad Romance", Florence + The Machine''s "Dog Days Are Over", Thirty Seconds to Mars'' "Kings and Queens", BoB''s "Airplanes", and Link''s "Legends Never Die". S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The winner of Video of the Year is..."


    Beyonce glanced at the nominee card and said with a sultry smile, "The scumbag, oh, sorry, Mr. Link Baker''s "Legends Never Die""


    The audience was caught off guard for a moment, then burst into laughter.


    Kanye West and others slapped their thighs, whistled, and laughed heartily, thinking Beyonce''s public calling out of Link as a scumbag was really cool; she didn''t give Link any face at all.


    Link shook his head, hugged Taylor, Selena, and Lana Del Rey, and made his way through the crowd to the stage to receive the award.


    After getting on stage, Beyonce hugged him in public before handing over the trophy to him.


    Link, holding the shiny spaceman trophy, approached the microphone. Before he even began to speak, a wave of applause and cheers erupted from the audience, with many acquaintances standing to clap.


    Link smiled slightly, holding up the trophy and bowed in thanks to everyone.


    "Thank you!"


    As the applause subsided, Link said into the microphone, "Seeing so many friends clapping, I feel like I''m far from being deserted by everyone."


    The audience laughed, knowing he was poking fun at himself for the recent "Hollywood Reporter" comment that he had been deserted by everyone.


    "Over the past year, I''ve been through a lot. I had an enviable relationship, but I didn''t cherish it and carelessly lost her. I had many honors and was a very upstanding idol, but because of my negligence, I gradually became what Beyonce calls a ''scumbag''. I originally predicted I would win 11 trophies at this MTV Awards, and now I''m left with just one... Miss Gaga, is it because you are just too amazing?"


    Link looked towards Lady Gaga in the audience as he asked.


    Lady Gaga covered her mouth, laughing and shaking her head repeatedly.


    The audience couldn''t help but chuckle. At first, everyone thought he was confessing and it sounded rather sad, but then he turned the topic to winning trophies, saying he predicted winning 11 of them. Clearly, he was joking.


    "Thank you! I''m grateful to the MTV judges for bestowing this important award on me. Earlier, down there, Taylor and Selena said that the judges were right not to award me, because they are good people, with high moral character, who wouldn''t give an award to someone mired in negative news.


    Now that you''ve given me this award, it''s not just an acknowledgement that "legends never die" but also an appreciation of my character, suggesting that I am a good man, right? Thank you, I think so too."


    Ha ha ha!


    The audience laughed out loud, and some teased him about his thick skin.


    "I also want to thank Graham, David Kahn, Ali, Mars, and all the staff at Link Music Studios. When we received the invitation from the Super Bowl organizers, it was on the eve of Christmas, and there was just over a month before the Super Bowl started. In order to finish the song early, we all spent New Year''s in the studio. This trophy belongs to you too.


    Thank you to all my fans who support me, and to my family and friends. It''s your unwavering support that has made me better. I will continue to work hard to write more good songs, legends never die!"


    Link raised the trophy as he spoke.


    Applause exploded from the audience once more, with many standing up to applaud and cheer.


    "Weird! Isn''t Link supposed to be a scumbag? Why do so many people like him?"


    Actor Jesse Eisenberg looked around in surprise at the seats.


    "Of course, it''s because he''s handsome, talented, and has a net worth of over a billion. With a guy like that, what woman wouldn''t be interested?"


    Actor Andrew Garfield said enviously.


    "You''re right. If you''re an Olympic champion, there will be ten women who like you; if you''re a world boxing champion, a hundred girls will want to marry you; if you''re a world superstar, at least a thousand women would want to have children for you; and if you''re twenty-one with a net worth over a billion, at least ten thousand women would swoon over you. Link has it all."


    Actor Chris Pine admired.


    "He really is quite an incredible guy."


    Not long after stepping down, Link took the stage again with his performance team, passionately singing "legends never die," taking the atmosphere of the venue to a climax.


    Legends never die


    Legends never fade away


    When the world is calling you


    When the world calls out to you


    Can you hear them screaming out your name


    Can you hear them calling out your name


    Legends never die!!

 Chapter 453 - 377: End and Beginning

    The 27th MTV Video Music Awards ceremony concluded.


    Lady Gaga, with 13 nominations and 7 wins, became the biggest winner of the MTV Awards this year.


    Link, with 11 nominations and 1 win, despite winning the prestigious Video of the Year Award, was still considered the biggest loser because, before the ceremony, the media had predicted he would win at least four awards and share the spotlight with Lady Gaga, which he did not.


    Eminem, with the motivational song "Not Afraid", won the Best Male Video Award and Best Rap Video Award, making him the second biggest winner of the MTV Awards this year.


    Artists under Link Music secured 3 wins out of 19 nominations, specifically Video of the Year, Justin Bieber''s Best New Artist, and Lana Del Ray''s Best Art Direction for the "young and beautiful" MV.


    Afterwards, the media summarized the biggest highlights of the MTV Awards into three points.


    The first was Lady Gaga changing into eight different dresses and makeup looks on stage, each more extravagant than the last.


    The second was MTV''s arrangement to seat Link and Taylor, former lovers, together, where the live broadcast often focused the camera on them for a total of 12 minutes, making them the most filmed guests who did not perform on stage.


    The third was the outcome of the awards that night, with Lady Gaga winning 7 out of 13 nominations, and Link, intended to rival her, won only 1 out of 11, leading to a crushing victory for Lady Gaga.


    However, many fans voiced their discontent for Link afterward.


    The songs he was nominated for, including "Legends never die", "See you again", "Girls like you", and "all of me", were all popular hits with high-quality MVs, especially the first two, which were considered legendary.


    He ended up with only one award, which was seen as more of a consolation.


    Fans generally believed that recent negative news about Link had influenced the MTV judges'' opinions of him.


    This also sparked discussions amongst professional music media: should music awards be judged based solely on professional standards or should the artist''s character be considered, with those having fewer scandals and better reputations more likely to win?


    Choosing purely professional criteria would be more objective and fair, but defining professionalism is difficult and can introduce societal issues.


    However, including the assessment of an artist''s character can only reveal their state during a certain period, leading to potential miscarriages of justice.


    After Rolling Stone brought up this issue, it sparked a lot of discussion in the music industry, with support for both sides, but no one could provide the best solution.


    As for these controversies, Link either ignored them or didn''t have time to care.


    After the MTV Awards, he returned to South Korea to resume his concert tour.


    He had already held six shows in South Korea, with two remaining, but the tickets sold so well that they were sold out within a few hours every time they went on sale.


    Universal suggested adding two more shows, making it four remaining.


    Originally, he thought a two-week hiatus would cool down or distract attention from his scandal with Jun Ji-hyun and other entertainment news.


    But, as soon as his plane landed at Seoul Airport, the Korean media exploded like gas ignited by a spark, continuously hyping his scandal with Jun Ji-hyun and linking him with other female celebrities.


    ''"Vanity Fair" rated Link Baker, also known as Mr. Playboy, as the top playboy in the entertainment circle as he returns to South Korea to continue his tour.'' This was a headline added spontaneously by the Seoul Broadcasting System SBS in today''s entertainment news. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Additionally, MBC, KBS, and "Peninsula Daily" along with other major media outlets also reported on related events.


    This resulted in him being immediately surrounded by many Korean media reporters as soon as he disembarked from the plane, and during the concerts, paparazzi were always visible.


    With too many paparazzi around, the plans he had arranged with Jun Ji-hyun over the phone to have dinner during concert breaks failed to materialize.


    Unable to meet with Jun Ji-hyun, he temporarily focused his efforts on performing concerts.


    He held concerts in four cities: Seoul, Busan, Daegu, and others.


    In Seoul, special guests included Girls'' Generation, T-ara, and 2AM. The highlight of the show was his performance of the original Korean song "Trouble Maker" with Girls'' Generation leader Kim Taeyeon, which was enthusiastically received on site.


    Afterwards, not only was Kim Taeyeon rumored to be his girlfriend by the Korean media, but the other eight members of Girls'' Generation were also implicated.


    "East Asia Daily" claimed to have seen someone who resembled Link entering the Girls'' Generation dormitory building one night and not leaving until morning.


    Of course, that was fake news. Although Link had visited their dormitory, it was only at the invitation of Kim Taeyeon and Jessica Jung to take a tour, and he left after just half an hour, not staying overnight.


    During his concert tour in South Korea, he also made two investments.


    The first was in Big Hit Entertainment.


    This company, established in 2005 by the well-known music producer and composer Bang Si-hyuk, primarily engages in music production, album distribution, artist management, promotion, planning, training, and other related activities.


    At the time, it only had the newly debuted boy group 2AM and the trainee group BTS, ranking it as a second-tier music company in South Korea, far behind SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment.


    After talking with President Bang Si-hyuk, Link invested 2 million US dollars, approximately 2.7 billion Korean Won, acquiring 41% of Big Hit''s shares.


    He also promised to use Link Music''s channels to push Big Hit''s boy bands into the United States market in the future.


    Secondly, Jun Ji-hyun was preparing to start her own agency to handle her management affairs after terminating her contract with SidusHQ.

 Chapter 454 - 377: End and Beginning_2

    Link sought out Jun Ji-hyun to discuss a collaboration, preparing to work with her.


    In the end, he invested three million US Dollars, secured 49% of the shares of the new talent agency, as well as Jun Ji-hyun''s performance agency contract in the United States, making Jun Ji-hyun a foreign artist under the Palm Bay Agency.


    Jun Ji-hyun''s talent agency was then named ''J&Baker Entertainment'', ''J'' being Jun Ji-hyun''s surname Jun, and ''Baker'' being Link''s surname.


    Because of this name, the South Korean media generally believed that Jun Ji-hyun had become his actual girlfriend, with "Asia Daily" claiming that Playboy had knelt before the skirt of the barbarous girlfriend.


    However, that wasn''t the case; Jun Ji-hyun was a rather independent woman, and at this stage, the closest physical contact they had was holding hands.


    After the world tour''s stop in South Korea had ended, he flew to Japan to continue his concerts.


    Due to the economic downturn in recent years in Japan, rigid social stratification, and the tight control of all profitable industries by the six major financial groups, it was even more difficult for foreigners to make big money there than in the United States.


    With no good investment opportunities, he focused solely on his concerts after arriving in Japan.


    Whenever he found the time, he would go to the Baker villa in Tokyo''s Minato District to chat, take walks, and ML with Nozomi Sasaki-chan.


    This villa was a top-notch luxury house he had purchased for eight million US Dollars, not far from Tokyo Bay, Roppongi, Tokyo Tower, and the US Embassy, in one of Japan''s most famous wealthy areas, where the residents were either rich or noble, and the security was top-notch.


    It was by virtue of his international celebrity status that Link was able to acquire this property.


    After moving in together, Mr. Tahara Anzai obtained Nozomi Sasaki''s managing contract through connections and returned it, along with 500,000 US Dollars in compensation.


    After discussion, Link and Nozomi Sasaki jointly invested 1.2 million US Dollars to acquire a boutique lingerie company, founding the Nozomi Sasaki high-end lingerie brand, and even sent her father to Brazil to grow cacao.


    Occasionally Jun Ji-hyun would also come over to talk about music and make Japanese cuisine.


    Despite keeping a low profile, Japanese media never stopped the rumors about him, first reporting on his romance with Japan''s new national goddess, Nozomi Sasaki-chan, claiming that the two had moved in together, a claim to which neither party clarified.


    After the news broke, Japanese netizens were very angry; some went to Tokyo subway stations with protest signs, calling for a boycott of Link''s concerts, and some made Molotov cocktails, attempting to destroy the business vehicle he was using during his performance.


    But then the Japanese media reported that ''national daughter-in-law'' Jun Ji-hyun was also very close with Link, which was confirmed by Jun Ji-hyun''s ex-boyfriend Ryo Nishikido.


    Ryo Nishikido claimed that in August, Jun Ji-hyun had been sent to Huaxia by her company to teach Link Japanese, and love grew over time; shortly after her return, she broke up with him, stating that they were living together.


    Upon hearing this, Japanese netizens became even more angry: first the national goddess and then the national daughter-in-law had been ''slept with'', it was outrageous for Link Baker. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Outraged male netizens formed a website, vehemently demanding the authorities cancel all of Link''s concert dates in Japan.


    However, Johnny & Associates, Yui''s talent agency, denied this.


    First, Ryo Nishikido and Jun Ji-hyun were just work colleagues, there was no romantic relationship nor was there a breakup.


    Second, Jun Ji-hyun and Link shared a professional relationship and she was a special guest performer at Link''s Tokyo concert.


    Because of their work, they had some interactions, but it was only on a professional level, and Johnny & Associates stated that the two had collaborated on a new song "Good Time" and recently another titled "Listen", which would be performed live at Link''s concert in the Tokyo Dome.


    Third, Jun Ji-hyun and Nozomi Sasaki were close friends, and Yui''s visit to Nozomi Sasaki''s villa was at her invitation, not a date with Link.


    As for Johnny & Associates'' statements, Japanese fans were skeptical.


    Latter, Yui herself came forward to explain that she was just a good friend of Link''s, a fan of his, who enjoyed his music. She went to see Link mainly to help him grasp Japanese and also to collaborate on new songs, without any other kind of relationship.


    Seeing that Yui still appeared so pure and sweet, people believed her words.


    However, fans were still uneasy and left messages on her Twitter, hoping she would stay away from Link after the concert, calling him a playboy.


    But Yui replied below, saying that Link was a person of good character, not a playboy, and she praised Link for being talented, humorous, and a top-notch good man.


    Fans saw her naivety and were worried; in the comments, they informed her that Link had more than ten girlfriends around the world, being called Hollywood''s #1 scumbag by magazines like "Celebrity Scene", and was definitely not any kind of good man.


    Yui initially wanted to defend Link further, but her manager stopped her, advising her not to argue with fans.


    This defense thus ended unresolved.


    Link had 16 shows in Japan, held in cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Nagoya, Kobe, with each audience exceeding 30,000 people; at the Tokyo Dome concert, there were 65,000 spectators.


    The total of sixteen concerts sold over 800,000 tickets, and this income alone exceeded forty million US Dollars.


    During the concert series, "Good Time" and "Listen", the songs Link performed together with Yui, were released and topped the Japanese Oricon charts at number 1, with first-week sales of 450,000 and 620,000 copies respectively.


    Additionally, during the Japan tour, his three albums sold a total of 1.32 million copies, with the third album rising to the top of the Oricon chart''s weekly sales champion position, more than three months later.

 Chapter 455 - 377: End and Beginning_3

    Link also sparked a ''Link fever'' across Japan with his handsome looks, strong and sexy body, superb stage performance skills, and beautiful singing voice, winning the adoration and love of countless Japanese fans. He was also named ''Most Charming Man of the Year'' by magazines such as "Women Themselves" and "Daily Sports".


    ¡ª¡ª


    By early October, the world tour''s Asian leg had concluded.


    The Asian tour lasted nearly three months, stopping in 37 cities for 48 concerts, and sold a total of 2.67 million tickets, making Link the Western artist with the highest ticket sales in Asia over the past decade, with the last one being MJ.


    During this period, his three albums doubled their sales in the Asian market, with approximately 4.2 million copies sold, an impressive feat.


    Conservatively estimated, Link''s net income from this Asian tour was around 120 million US dollars, with revenue sources including ticket sales, appearance fees, album and single sales, concert video sales, endorsements, photobooks, etc.


    Major media outlets such as the "New York Times," "The Washington Post," and "Los Angeles Times" lavished him with extravagant praise for his Asian journey.


    They said he conquered the hearts of countless Asian fans with his beautiful songs, exquisite singing, strong stage presence, outstanding creative and learning abilities, and powerful personal charisma, adding that this marked the beginning of his rise to a global superstar.


    Publications like "People Magazine," "Newsweek," "Vanity Fair," and "GQ" featured him on their covers, proclaiming that after weathering September''s media storm, he had emerged anew and remained the most influential man in the international music scene, fashion, sports, popular culture, and the film industry for August and September.


    Of course, some tabloids slyly called his Asian tour a ''flirtatious journey'', linking him with Asian female singers he had collaborated with only once or met briefly.


    They included members of Girls'' Generation, Tara, Sun Yanzhi, Liang Jingsheng, Jolin Tsai, and Princess, among others, labeling them his rumored girlfriends, causing the number of women linked to him to surge from just over a dozen to dozens or even hundreds.


    Link didn''t pay much attention to these allegations.


    Having been through the online backlash in early September, netizens seemed suddenly fed up and lost interest in his romantic rumors. They cared less about how many rumored girlfriends he had and more about when his next album would be released, his next boxing match, and his upcoming film.


    Without the trouble of rumors, Link could focus on training at the gym, preparing for the year-end boxing match and devote more time and energy to preparing for his role in "Captain America".


    "Link, this is your boxing match schedule for next year. Take a look, and if there''s no issue, I''ll discuss the specifics with Anna," his assistant Simon said, handing over a document.


    "It''s only October, and you''re already arranging matches for next year," Link said as he took off his gloves in the boxing ring.


    "Mainly because you''re too busy," Simon shrugged and smiled, "Anna said you have a lot of work next year, almost no time to rest, so she wants us to get the boxing match schedule out early and arrange your calendar in advance to avoid conflicts."


    "Every time I see you guys fill up my schedule so fully that I don''t feel any anticipation for the next year''s events," Link said as he flipped through the folder, noting there were five boxing matches for the next year, with the first two being Super Middleweight championship defenses.


    To enhance the appeal of Super Middleweight matches, starting next year, the four major boxing organizations WBA-WBC-IBF-WBO will hold preliminary challenger title fights in advance, and the top two will earn a chance to challenge Link.


    Originally, there was only one spot, but to give more people opportunities, it was changed to two matches.


    There are tentatively three Light Heavyweight matches planned.


    The first one is against WBA Light Heavyweight champion Belrut Shumenov.


    Belrut is from Kazakhstan; he debuted in ''07 with a current professional record of 10 fights, 9 wins, 1 loss, 6 by knockout. He also set the record for the least number of fights to become Light Heavyweight world champion, which is 9 fights, and is nicknamed the ''Dark Horse from Kazakhstan''.


    He''s pretty strong, with a fierce fighting style.


    After taking the WBA Light Heavyweight Golden Belt from the Spanish champion Campiro last year, he successfully defended his title once in March,


    Trouble is, he''s not very famous, even less so in the United States boxing scene compared to Mario.


    He accepted the challenge hoping to defeat Link, the superstar, to gain higher popularity and appearance fees.


    The plan for the second and third matches is undecided.


    If he beats Belrut, the plan is to have him directly challenge the remaining champions of the three organizations: WBC champion Bernard Hopkins, IBF champion Chad Dawson, and WBO champion Nathan Cleverly.


    If the three reigning champions still refuse to fight, he would obtain the challenger''s qualification through the championship challenge matches. With the title of challenger, the champion of that organization would be left with only two choices: fight or automatically relinquish the Golden Belt.


    These five matches are the plan for next year.


    There are just some issues with the arrangements for the match venues.


    Simon said that since his big breakout in the Asia region, businesses and travel companies from Huaxia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, and others, were all competing for the right to host his matches.


    The starting bids are already over 20 million US Dollars, after taxes, per match.


    Link thought for a moment and said that given the large population and market potential, Huaxia should be considered first.


    Simon nodded and took note of it.


    Link then asked about the Dynasty Sports Agency. In July, Dynasty''s first round of financing was successful, increasing its valuation from 120 million US Dollars to 200 million US Dollars. It also established a new management team and changed the company name from Dynasty Promotions to Dynasty Sports.


    Considering Link''s contribution to the company, his shares remained unchanged at 30%, still making him the second largest shareholder after the financing.


    The company currently has four professional boxers and six athletes in other sports, including badminton, tennis, and hockey among other niche sports.


    While signing athletes, Link also thought about recommending a few boxers to the company.


    However, the last boxer he recommended, Joe Smith, after joining a major event company, went through 12 professional matches, with 7 wins, 4 losses, and 1 draw, far from the champion Joe Smith that he remembered.


    It was then that he realized, to become a champion, a boxer didn''t just need to be signed and have matches arranged. They need to follow their original trajectory for growth.


    In reality, for a boxer to become a champion, they need the support of coaches and sparring partners, the promotion by agents and management companies, and the boxer''s own performance in the ring.


    With different coaches, sparring partners, and agents, a former champion might just become a second-rate boxer. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After looking at Joe Smith''s performance, he had no intention of continuing to recommend newcomers, so as not to inadvertently do more harm than good.


    "Link, have you ever paid attention to the professional wrestling league? They want to invite you to be a guest presenter. You wouldn''t have to compete, and the appearance fee is 3 million US Dollars."


    Simon said, putting away his folder.


    "WWE? If the invitation is for me to take part in a wrestling match, I''d be a little interested," Link said.


    "That won''t do. WWE matches are scripted, and without the proper training, it''s easy to get hurt¡ªand you have a movie to shoot soon," Simon advised.


    Link nodded, accepting Simon''s counsel.


    He wasn''t worried about getting injured; it was more that WWE events took a long time, and he simply didn''t have the time for it right now. However, attending once as a guest presenter and earning some easy money seemed like a good idea.


    After Simon left, he continued to train in the boxing ring.


    Mario came by at one point, but just watched him train from a distance, no longer coming over to hassle him as he used to.


    Since the media revealed his net worth of over a billion in September, everyone around him, including Mario, Dino, and Simon, had become more reserved in their interactions with him; the conversations weren''t as casual as before, which he found quite boring.


    Even though he was now a billionaire, his circle remained the same, without any upgrade.


    If the people from his original circle stopped paying him attention, he''d indeed end up lonely.


    He waved at Mario, calling him over for a bout. Mario hesitated but approached, donned his gloves, and stepped into the ring.


    Compared to the first half of the year, Mario''s big belly had deflated somewhat, but overall his weight didn''t seem to have reduced much, nor had his strength improved. He was still only able to take one or two heavy strikes from him.


    To help him regain confidence, Link pulled some punches and sparred with him for over an hour.


    Bang! Thump thump thump!!

 Chapter 456 - 378 Hollywood Tycoon

    Legends never die


    Legends never fade away


    When the world is calling you


    When the world calls out for you


    Can you hear them screaming out your name


    Broadway, Bar No. 1717, in the private room amidst the glitz and glamour, Link lounged on the sofa with his legs crossed in the center.


    There was a glass of pure water on the table, and on the stage nearby, Dino and Mario were clutching a microphone, belting out with all their might.


    Though the lyrics were correct, not a single line was on key, and what''s more, they were incredibly invested in their performance, shaking their behinds as they sang, a cacophony that could only be described as wolves howling and ghosts wailing amidst chaotic demons dancing.


    Link rubbed his forehead, regretting his decision to accept their invitation.


    After training, Dino had asked him with hopeful eyes if he wanted to hit the bars.


    Link thought he had nothing planned for the afternoon and could manage his time freely; besides, after becoming famous and wealthy, he felt increasingly distant from his old circle, which wasn''t a good sign.


    Considering this, he had followed Dino and the others to this shabby place.


    Once there, Dino called over four scantily-dressed dancers, claiming they were there to give him a good time.


    Link didn''t accept. Knowing that people like Little Epstein and Old Boastful Dad planned to use women to trap him, he no longer allowed unfamiliar women to get close in order to avoid being extorted.


    Dino and Mario teased him a few times but didn''t force him anymore. Then Dino and some boxers went to drink, sing, and dance, starting a lively nightlife.


    Link sat alone on the sofa, sipping pure water while the environment around him buzzed with noise, yet he felt an increasing calm within. He had been busy with concerts, dealing with the media, training, and other work for months and hadn''t enjoyed such tranquility for a long time.


    It felt not too bad.


    "Link! Want to come up and sing a song?"


    Mario shouted into the microphone.


    Link waved his hand, indicating no. After singing the same dozens of songs over and over for two months, even a person with a deep passion for music would feel burnt out. He now lacked even the interest to pick up the microphone.


    "Don''t call on him. It costs a million US dollars for Link to sing a song now. How could he just sing here easily?"


    Dino joked.


    "If I had known singing was so lucrative, I would have studied music back then."


    Mario said, shrugging his chubby cheeks.


    Link just smiled.


    Ding-a-ling!


    His phone on the table rang twice and then stopped. He picked it up to see it was Jennifer Lawrence''s number; he wasn''t sure if she actually needed him or had misdialled.


    He was about to call back when Jennifer sent him a message asking if he was busy as she was in New York for a movie audition.


    Link replied that he wasn''t and sent her the address of the bar, asking if she wanted to come over.


    Jennifer said she was nearby on Broadway and could arrive in ten minutes.


    In less than ten minutes, Jennifer Lawrence appeared in the bar''s private room.


    Dressed in a camel-colored sundress with sneakers, her blonde hair cascaded over her shoulders, her shoulders still chubby, cheeks plump with baby fat, skin rosy and smooth, bust full, and her posterior was pert.


    Her looks weren''t refined, her body not particularly curvaceous, and in Hollywood, crowded with beauties, she would be considered above average. Sometimes when she didn''t dress up, she could look like a plain village girl.


    However, her charm lay in her simplicity and naturalness, free from pretense, making her seem more like earthenware compared to those delicate vases.


    "What movie audition did you come for?"


    Link asked, pouring her a glass of white wine after she sat down.


    "Silver Linings Playbook, a new movie by David O. Russell. You''ve worked with him before."


    Jennifer said.


    Link nodded, recalling the film. It was about a man and woman from lower social standings finding redemption through love. It shared a theme with "Rust and Bone."


    Jennifer won the Oscars as the first post-90s actress with this film and became the second youngest to ever win the award. It was indeed a great movie.


    Because the film was good, Link told Russell at "The Fighter" premiere that if he had another new movie, to let him know. He was interested in discussing either the lead role or investing.


    At the time, Russell had nodded emphatically. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, as the casting progressed, Russell hadn''t reached out to him at all.


    "How did the audition go?"


    "It started off well. Russell was pleased with my performance, but soon after the audition ended, the production team called, saying I didn''t pass. When I phoned Russell to inquire, he said it was Harvey Weinstein''s decision as he is the lead producer on this film."


    "Harvey?"


    "Yes. Before I joined the Palm Bay agency, someone from The Weinstein Company had approached me with a role that they said suited me. After passing the audition, Harvey Weinstein sent me a hotel room number, asking me to discuss the role. I refused and it upset him, so he interfered with my audition again."


    Jennifer Lawrence explained.


    Link frowned as he listened.


    In the entertainment industry, the casting couch was common, almost as old as the film industry itself.


    Upper-level movie executives exploiting actors, actors using their bodies to obtain roles, it''s all too common.


    It was said that among Hollywood''s major studios, producers with power and resources who hadn''t exploited a few actresses or actors were almost too embarrassed to call themselves producers among their peers.


    And the actors and actresses in Hollywood, particularly those with some appeal, had almost all faced such a situation.

 Chapter 457 - 378 Hollywood Tycoon_2

    Because there are so many actors in the entertainment industry, no actor is indispensable, which provides a breeding ground for the unspoken rules. Those who do not accept the unspoken rules, unless they have strong backing, basically have no chance of getting ahead. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after the millennium, with the prevalence of the feminist movement, the cost of engaging in unspoken rules has increased.


    Also, because the Hollywood film industry''s operating mechanism is more robust, from project initiation to casting, filming, and marketing, there are mature operational processes, and everyone has their responsibilities.


    The executives and producers of the seven major film companies are also just employees; their task is to make money for the shareholders. If they fail to make a profit, they will be replaced, and their power is greatly diminished. They can no longer do whatever they want and give roles to whomever they fancy.


    As well as this, the film industry''s unions are also monitoring and resisting various unspoken rules, protecting the rights and interests of the actors.


    This has led to a decrease in media reports about unspoken rules, and the rules themselves have become more covert and civilized in their methods.


    But that does not mean they do not exist.


    Currently, the most severe unspoken rules in Hollywood occur within independent production companies.


    Independent production companies, as opposed to major studios like Warner, Disney, Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Sony, and others, are smaller film companies.


    They have unique operational models and creative philosophies and are freer in film production and marketing. They can select capable filmmakers to collaborate with rather than depending on the professionals from large production companies.


    In terms of creative content, they have greater autonomy, do not overly focus on box office, do not cater to the market and the audience, and do not need to be accountable to capital, because the president of the movie company is often the company''s major shareholder, just like Link''s Palm Beach Films.


    In short, independent films prioritize artistry and have more autonomy and innovation.


    This independence also gives the presidents of independent production companies a lot of power.


    For example, with a film invested by Palm Beach Films, Link can make the final decision on who to use as the director or lead actress, which also provides fertile ground for unspoken rules.


    In today''s independent production field, the Weinstein Company is considered the industry''s leading company, and its founder Harvey Weinstein has, with his strong production and distribution capabilities, an immense influence in the film industry.


    He has also been dubbed by the media as the savior of modern cinema, an Oscar-making machine for Best Actor and Actress, and a master of winning Oscars.


    At various Oscars ceremonies, "Harvey" and "God" are the two names that award recipients thank most frequently, tied in the second place in their acceptance speeches.


    Countless actors and directors have worked with him.


    Including Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Quentin Tarantino, director Steven Soderbergh, Kate Winslet, Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Angelina Jolie, all A-list celebrities.


    He has successfully launched many classic films, including "Pulp Fiction," "Good Will Hunting," "The English Patient," "Gangs of New York," "Infernal Affairs," "Chicago," "Kill Bill," "Shakespeare in Love," "The Lord of the Rings," "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," "Cold Mountain," "Cinema Paradiso," and others, all of which have had a massive impact worldwide.


    Many actors and films have won Oscars thanks to Harvey''s efforts.


    In the "Hollywood Reporter''s" list of the 100 most powerful people in Hollywood, Harvey was named one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood for eight non-consecutive years, consistently ranking in the top ten.


    Beyond that, he is also a spokesperson and ''money man'' for the Democratic Party in Hollywood, with a close relationship with the Clintons, and the elder daughter of the current Obama administration interned at the Weinstein Company.


    He is also Jewish and possesses strong background and network resources in the media world.


    This has led Harvey to cover the sky with one hand in Hollywood.


    Since the nineties, he has been sued multiple times for crimes of sexual assault and harassment, but because of his strong network of contacts in the media and judiciary, he continues to remain unscathed.


    Link had seen similar reports before; Harvey Weinstein liked to invite actresses or models to his room to discuss work, then ask them to provide intimate services like massages, hinting at offering significant roles. Those who accepted would get opportunities, and those who didn''t would miss out.


    This is how Harvey played by the unspoken rules. Even if it got out, he could claim that the other party was willing, rather than coerced, which made it difficult for legal investigations.


    Link hadn''t expected to hear Jennifer Lawrence talk about it firsthand.


    Nor had he expected Jennifer to reject Harvey.


    After Harvey''s downfall, Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jennifer Lawrence were seen as the representatives of ''Weinstein''s women,'' dubbed ''the three queens of Harvey.''


    All three relied on Harvey''s maneuvering to win the Oscar for Best Actress at times when they should not have won the award.


    For example, after winning, Gwyneth was called ''Goop Queen,'' and although Meryl and Jennifer were qualified to win, they did not achieve the award through normal means and subsequently faced much criticism.


    Jennifer was also considered to have become famous through Harvey''s support, and now she has rejected him, which is quite an interesting development.


    Link thought it must have been his own emergence that offered her a better choice.


    Compared to Harvey, he might not have the same clout in the film industry, but he was young, handsome, wealthy, of good character, on the rise in his career, and had greater potential and reliability than Harvey.

 Chapter 458 - 378 Hollywood Tycoon_3

    Facing Harvey''s olive branch, Jennifer''s choice showed that she was a smart girl.


    Link recalled something else.


    Not long ago, he experienced an online backlash, attacked by millions of netizens. To divert public attention, Link''s publicity department had contacted several media outlets to heavily promote the sexual harassment case against Harvey.


    Originally, this case was only a small snippet in the New York Times, mentioning that a settlement had been reached in a sexual harassment case against Harvey, but it had not attracted much attention.


    After Link used it as a shield, the news was magnified dozens of times and gained significant attention.


    It was said that Harvey spent millions of dollars to settle it.


    Given Harvey''s connections in the media and his decades of experience in the entertainment industry, he would have realized that Link Music Company was using him as a shield.


    Would Harvey hold a grudge over this and take it out on the artists under Palm Beach Agency, causing Jennifer to lose her role?


    Link thought it was possible.


    ¡ª


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    While they were talking, Jennifer Lawrence''s phone rang. She glanced at it, her face changed slightly, and she whispered that it was ''Harvey Weinstein'' and asked if he should answer.


    Link signaled Dino and Mario to keep it down.


    He asked Jennifer if it was convenient to put the phone on speaker so they could all hear what Harvey was saying.


    Jennifer nodded, answered the call, turned on the speaker, and said, "Hello, Mr. Weinstein."


    "Jennifer, it''s very noisy there."


    "Yes, Mr. Weinstein, I''m at a bar. What can I do for you?"


    "Russell, the director told me you were great and perfect for playing Tiffany. Bradley Cooper also told me you''re the right fit, and they all want to work with you, but! I told them, this is my movie, and I decide who can act and who cannot."


    "....."


    "Jennifer, are you listening?!"


    His voice became coarser, like a chimney throat, either spewing smoke or breathing fire as he spoke.


    Link, wrapping his arm around Jennifer, whispered in her ear to chat with Harvey casually.


    "Mr. Weinstein, I''ve heard from Director Russell that you have the final say in everything, including casting."


    "Yes, this is my movie, of course, I have the final say. Jennifer, I know you''re a talented actress, and the only one among the new generation I approve of. I think you have a great chance of winning an Oscar, but you need to be smarter."


    On the phone, Weinstein assertively stated. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Weinstein, could you tell me what I need to do to win an Oscar?"


    "Ha ha, that''s a good question, Jennifer. Hearing you say you switched from IMG to Palm Beach Agency is an extremely foolish decision.


    Link Baker is just a playboy; he doesn''t understand anything and has no connections. His founding a film company in Hollywood is only to facilitate his womanizing and won''t be of any help to you."


    "I bet his Palm Beach Films won''t last three years in Hollywood, and after three years, he''ll leave Hollywood with tens to hundreds of millions of dollars in debt."


    "Is that so? I heard that the ''Scandal Plan'' produced by Palm Beach Films has already grossed over 70 million in North America and 160 million worldwide, with an investment of just eight million, earning at least forty million for Palm Beach Films on this project alone."


    "Huh! He just got lucky with a blockbuster hit. He can''t always be that lucky, no one in Hollywood can, his next movie will definitely be a major flop, mark my words."


    "Is that so? I''m a new actress and don''t understand these things very well."


    Jennifer glanced at Link, who nonchalantly smiled.


    "And to hear that he wants to win the Best Actor Oscar? Ha ha, that''s hilarious, with him being a singer and boxer, and his mediocre acting skills, and he thinks he can win an Oscar?


    That''s a huge joke, the Academy must be crazy to give him the Oscar. I assure you, a person like him will never win an Oscar in his lifetime."


    Link''s expression darkened upon hearing this; although Harvey was right about him being a singer and boxer and a world superstar, hard to be approved by the Academy,


    he would not accept that his acting was poor.


    What did Harvey, a movie wholesaler, know about acting?


    Jennifer winked at him, asking if he wanted to continue listening.


    Link nodded gravely.


    Over the phone, Harvey criticized him as a scumbag, playboy, clueless about movies, always liking to create sensational news, being flashy but hollow.


    He also said Jennifer''s switch to his agency was a highly awful and foolish decision that would likely ruin her career and cause her to miss the Oscar for Best Actress.


    "Would you regret it if you didn''t win an Oscar?"


    Link asked the girl softly, his arm around her.


    "I don''t know if I can win, but being with you feels great."


    Jennifer shrugged and said.


    "Jennifer, I''m giving you one last chance, leave Link Baker and I''ll give you the role of Tiffany, and I''ll help you win that little golden man, I have the capacity, but if you choose to stay with Link, well, that''s too bad...."


    "Too bad for what?"


    Link picked up the phone and laughed, "Mr. Harvey Weinstein, your words just now were quite powerful, like a roaring lion, but from several women you''ve assaulted, you''re not even a man, needing injections just to perform as one. I''m curious, as someone who''s not even a man, what right do you have to yell at me or compete with me for a woman? Do you even qualify?"

 Chapter 459 - 378 Hollywood Tycoon_4

    "Link Baker?!"


    The voice of Harvey Weinstein, filled with surprise and fury, roared over the phone.


    "It''s me, Mr. Weinstein. I don''t know why you''re so hostile towards me, but I don''t care. I''m not too fond of you either."


    "Link Baker!!"


    Harvey Weinstein said through clenched teeth, "You dare to say I''m not a man? I swear, you will pay for what you just said."


    "Really? Harvey Weinstein, not long ago a media friend of mine gave me some information. It documented dozens of women you assaulted or harassed under the guise of work since the eighties, including testimonies from over ten victims. What do you think will happen if I make this information public?"


    "Nonsense! You think I''ll believe that?!"


    "Julia Ormond, Ashley Judd, Rose McGowan... Do I need to name more?"


    Link sneered.


    "...They all did it willingly. I don''t believe you have their statements."


    "Whether you believe it or not is none of my concern. I''m not Jesus."


    Link decisively hung up the phone.


    "Link, did Weinstein really assault dozens of women?"


    Jennifer asked in shock.


    "More than that."


    "That''s awful. How can there be such bad people in the world."


    Jennifer frowned, her rosy cheeks showing a look of disgust.


    Dinglingling!


    The phone rang again. Jennifer glanced at him, ready to hang up, but Link waved his hand and answered it.


    "Good afternoon, Mr. Weinstein. What can I do for you?"


    "Link, why are you investigating me? What do you want?"


    "I stumbled upon it, just treated it as gossip. I don''t want anything special."


    "Give me the information, and I''ll help you get the Oscar statuette. You should know that with your situation, the Academy voters will never cast their ballots for you. Only I can help you win an Oscar."


    "Not interested. I''m an Olympic champion, world boxing champion, a world superstar, and a billionaire. What''s an Oscar statuette to me? Do you think I care about the Oscars? I publicly declared that winning an Oscar is just giving the media something to joke about. Do you all take it seriously?"


    Link said lightly, his arm around Jennifer.


    "... So what do you want? Link, I know you, I''ve known you for a while. We are the same kind of people, both liking beautiful women. We can negotiate."


    "Jennie mentioned ''Silver Linings Playbook'' was a good movie. I''ll take it, hand over the script and the entire project to Palm Beach Films for funding."


    "What? You want that movie?"


    "Correct! That''s the price for harassing my girlfriend."


    "I didn''t harass her. Alright, Link, Weinstein Company invested over thirty million in this project. How much are you willing to pay to buy the entire project?"


    "I only want the script adaptation rights, market price thirty thousand US dollars."


    "Thirty thousand?! Damn, what kind of hellish joke is this? You''re offering thirty thousand for a thirty million project? Do you think you can just blackmail me with that information? Link, you''re too young. With my connections, I bet even if you release all the information, you can''t do anything to me."


    "Really? I just made over a hundred million US dollars this year in competitions and have nowhere to spend it. How about we bet a hundred million US dollars to see whether your connections are broader or my money is more abundant?"


    Link said.


    Harvey Weinstein is a Hollywood mogul and a golden film producer, but only a billionaire.


    After falling out with Walt Disney Pictures in 2005, he and his brother Bob Weinstein left Miramax Films and established Weinstein Company.


    Without the shelter of Disney Pictures, the Weinstein Company was stretched thin in terms of resources and funds, compounded by the lower-than-expected box office returns from several movies last year, leading to financial shortages at the Weinstein Company.


    According to Hollywood Reporter, to fund new movie projects like ''The King''s Speech,'' ''Piranha 3D,'' and ''Lighting Up America,'' last year Weinstein Company had to mortgage the rights to 200 movies, borrowing two hundred million US dollars from asset management and insurance companies.


    Knowing the other party was short of money, Link played the role of a brash, young, and wealthy individual, daring the other to take the challenge.


    "Link, you are an impressive young man, I really appreciate you, and we both like beautiful women, that''s something we have in common. I think we have a chance to be friends, not rivals. You just said you liked ''Silver Linings Playbook''?"


    Haha, coincidentally, I like that movie too. How about we collaborate once? The movie''s production cost is forty million, we each invest twenty million, and share the profits equally. We''re all friends here, let''s get rich together?"


    "And the lead actress, Jennifer Lawrence, is perfect for the role. Just say the word, and I''ll arrange for her to join the cast immediately," Harvey Weinstein said laughingly.


    Jennifer Lawrence looked at him in surprise.


    Link raised the corner of his mouth and laughed, "Harvey, you''re right, everyone is friends here. Cooperation benefits both, while conflict harms both. I understand that principle, I''m just young and don''t know much about filmmaking or the movie promotion business."


    He heard that many billionaires who didn''t understand the rules of Hollywood came with their checks, only to be defrauded by film companies through fake accounting, inflated costs, and stolen box office revenues. "Harvey, you''re a top producer, a Hollywood tycoon. If I partner with you, would you trick me?"


    "... Uh, haha, Link, you really have a sense of humor. We''re friends, how could I trick you? Absolutely not! How about we discuss this in person when you have time?"


    Harvey laughed heartily.


    Link thought for a moment and agreed.


    He had also considered eliminating Harvey¡ªthe scoundrel right then and letting Palm Beach Films become the leader in Hollywood''s independent production sector, but it was too difficult.


    Firstly, the current government was Democratic, giving Harvey a political advantage. Even if he could gather evidence of Harvey''s crimes, he wasn''t entirely sure he could get him incarcerated.


    This was not an opportune moment.


    Secondly, Harvey had been deeply embedded in Hollywood for over thirty years, well-connected with the seven major film studios, the biggest talent agency CAA, and official authorities in California and New York.


    As a newcomer from another sector, it was nearly impossible to bring him down quickly. That was not a strategic advantage.


    Thirdly, the conditions were not favorable.


    Many top and second-tier actors had worked with him. The film stars and directors he had promoted were still the backbone of the American film industry. That was Harvey''s foundation in Hollywood.


    If he openly confronted Harvey, he would face the risk of being isolated by the entire circle.


    Moreover, Harvey''s influence in Hollywood was overwhelming, and victims harbored concerns, afraid to publicly stand against him. Just a few victims'' complaints wouldn''t significantly impact Harvey.


    Based on these points, Link thought that it wasn''t yet a good time to break with him, and partnering with him wasn''t a good option either.


    Rumors had it that both Harvey and his brother Bob were not good sorts: one brutally depraved, the other sinister and greedy. Partnering with them was like seeking refuge with a tiger.


    "Link, are you going to co-produce this movie with Harvey?"


    Jennifer asked.


    Link nodded. "Silver Linings Playbook" is of good quality and is Jennifer''s crowning work. Its box office performance shouldn''t be bad. It would be a pity to miss out, and as for being tricked by Harvey, that''s a certainty.


    But to deal with a strong character like Harvey, you must oppose him head-on, counter move by move, to successfully retrieve the chestnuts from the fire.


    Ring ring ring!


    Less than three minutes after he ended the call with Harvey, the director David O. Russell called to inform Jennifer that she had passed the audition.


    "Link, should I take this role? Harvey seems very scary."


    Jennifer hesitated as she held her phone.


    "Don''t worry, with me here, no one can do anything to you."


    Link patted her back.


    Jennifer looked up at him, smiled slightly, and with both arms hooked around his neck, she spontaneously offered her red lips.


    What would I do without your smart mouth


    Without your sweet nothings, what should I do


    Drawing me in, and you kicking me out


    At times you''re passionately hot, at times cold as frost


    Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can''t pin you down


    On stage, Dino, holding a microphone, was singing; Mario slapped him lightly, pointing at Link''s spot, and even pouted his lips mimicking a kiss, Dino felt slightly disgusted seeing his thick lips.


    "Link, that guy is way too trashy, all his girlfriends are superstars."


    Mario looked at the kissing couple with envy on his face.


    "It''s skill, something you can''t envy."


    "If only I had known, I''d have gotten into the stock market too. If I had a hundred million dollars, I could also date female celebrities."


    Mario grabbed the microphone, cleared his throat, and shouted loudly,


    Legends never die


    The legend never fades


    When the world is calling you S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 460 - 379 Bobs Countermeasure

    Clang!


    On Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles, right outside the office door of the president of Weinstein International Film Company, Bob Weinstein stretched his hand to knock but halted when he heard the sound of glassware being smashed inside.


    He withdrew his hand, lit a cigarette at the door, and waited for four or five minutes until silence returned inside.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    He knocked on the door.


    "Get in here!"


    The person inside roared loudly like an enraged lion.


    Bob Weinstein pushed open the door and saw glass shards all over the floor. Even Harvey''s favorite crystal nude statue was shattered. Harvey himself was sitting in the office chair, his gaze cold and his fleshy face twisted with anger.


    His breathing was heavy. With each breath, his big belly and short, thick double chin puffed up together, like a bullfrog in a swamp.


    Bob had a big belly and a double chin himself but believed he was a touch more handsome than his brother, Harvey.


    "What''s wrong, Harvey?"


    Bob used his foot to push some glass shards aside and took a couple of steps forward.


    "Link Baker! That damn Link Baker!"


    Harvey banged on the desk, hysterically shouting.


    "Link? How did he provoke you?"


    Bob asked, puzzled.


    He knew of Link, a very dazzling youngster who had achieved tremendous success in both the boxing ring and the music industry. Now he had come to Hollywood to make his mark and even started his own film company.


    To Bob, Link''s approach was just too naive and idealistic, thinking that doing well in other fields meant he could do equally well in Hollywood.


    That was impossible.


    The waters in Hollywood were much deeper than those of the boxing and music industries.


    Take, for instance, Larry Ellison''s son, David Ellison, who came to Hollywood with fifty million U.S. dollars to invest in films a few years ago.


    His first film, "Air Combat Hero," had a production cost of sixty million U.S. dollars but earned only seventeen point eight-three million worldwide at the box office. He lost the entire fifty million, becoming the butt of jokes within the industry.


    Billionaire Larry Ellison couldn''t stand it and approached Lei Shidong, the boss of Paramount Pictures, to arrange for David Ellison to learn at Paramount. He wanted his son to master the art of film production before engaging in further film investment.


    So, in Hollywood, having money alone was not enough.


    Many believed Link would become Hollywood''s next laughingstock after David Ellison, even though his first film, "Scandal Plan," was a big hit. No one believed his luck would continue.


    "Hmph!"


    Upon hearing his brother Bob''s question, Harvey gloomily explained what angered him about Link.


    Before calling Jennifer, he thought that with his status, a mere few words would be enough to make the newcomer actress Jennifer comply. He had used this tactic on many actresses before, and it never failed.


    But with Jennifer, it backfired.


    Not only did it not work, but his bluffing and mockery of Link were all overheard by Link.


    It was infuriating.


    Jennifer was also a disappointment.


    He called Jennifer partly because he saw potential in her. At twenty years old, she demonstrated impressive acting skills, a promising actress worth cultivating.


    Secondly, he wanted to use this as a means to get back at Link.


    Everyone knew Link was the most charming man in the world, with tremendous allure for women.


    If he could appear publicly arm in arm with Link''s scandal-ridden girlfriend Jennifer, it would be a severe face-loss for Link, and everyone would know that even if Link was handsome, wealthy, and strong, Harvey was the only king in Hollywood.


    But the plan backfired, and instead, that bastard Link threatened him, forcing him to transfer the film rights to him.


    Harvey was furious. He had dominated Hollywood for over thirty years, rising from an unknown to one of the most powerful figures, and no one had dared defy him like this for many years. Yet today, he had been confronted face-to-face by a 21-year-old kid. It was unbearable.


    "What did you say? Link has evidence of you sexually assaulting several actresses? Is it true?"


    Bob asked seriously.


    "I''m not sure, but it feels real."


    Because Link insulted him, saying he had no balls and needed injections to function as a man.


    Only those extremely intimate with him would know such a thing.


    Then there were the three actresses Link mentioned, whom he indeed had harassed.


    Additionally, Link was a billionaire, the son-in-law of the Thompson family, with connections to Amanda Hearst, heiress of the Hearst Corporation, and media tycoon Murdoch.


    Given his strength and network, if he set his mind to discover relevant evidence, he surely could.


    This was Harvey''s real concern.


    "Harvey, I told you long ago, if you want to play with women, go pay for it, don''t fool around in the company. It''s the twenty-first century, not the fifties or sixties. Your methods are dangerous, but you wouldn''t listen. Now what?"


    Bob shouted with his neck bulging.


    "Shut up! I am Harvey Weinstein, the savior of modern cinema, the most formidable producer in the world. Many great movies on the market are my work, and no one has contributed to the film industry like I have. What''s the problem with playing with a few actresses?"


    Harvey shouted back even louder.


    Bob shook his head helplessly.


    Harvey had been so pumped up by the Hollywood media that, although his contributions to modern cinema were significant, he was not irreplaceable.


    Aside from him, Jerry Bruckheimer, David Heyman, Catherine Kennedy, and Scott Rudin, among others, were all top producers.


    Just looking at box office performance, Harvey didn''t rank in the top ten among producers.


    He was only slightly stronger in competing for Oscars, known as a machine for creating Oscar Best Actor and Actress winners, which led to his growing complacency.


    "Harvey, now that Link has your dirt, what are you going to do? He''s not like Asia Argento or Rose McGowan, those women without any foundation; it''s going to be hard to get rid of him."


    Bob asked.


    Harvey sat in his office chair, took a deep breath, and his neck and belly swelled up again, his facial flesh trembling slightly.


    "First, stabilize him. I''ve already agreed to give Jennifer Lawrence the lead role in ''Silver Linings Playbook'' and promised to co-invest in the movie with him. I''ve shown enough sincerity, I believe he won''t turn against me for the time being."


    "What about after that? The evidence is in his hands. What if he comes back next time with those things to threaten you? Are you going to give him the next role, or the next movie to produce? This is definitely not acceptable."


    Bob, also a shareholder of Weinstein Company, strongly disapproved of Harvey''s approach to handing out roles and projects to others without discussion, which was obviously harming the company''s interests¨Chis interests as well. Even between brothers, clear boundaries must be set when it comes to interests.


    "Damn it, it was me who brought in this movie, don''t talk to me in that tone."


    Harvey said discontentedly.


    ''Silver Linings Playbook'' was the result of a chance meeting with director David O. Russell at a party, where Harvey asked him about any new works, and Russell briefed him on his new script.


    It sounded great, and Harvey asked for a collaboration. Russell was hesitant at first, but after Harvey dangled the Oscar bait, Russell immediately agreed.


    That was his tactic against Hollywood filmmakers.


    In the film industry, everyone is unusually obsessed with the little gold man, as if having one made them more noble than their peers.


    Many would sacrifice their dignity, body, and even their moral bottom line for an Oscar.


    If someone else used the Oscars as bait, actors and directors might hesitate, but not Harvey. The films he produced and distributed received more than three hundred Oscar nominations and over seventy little gold men, unprecedented in film history.


    So when he used the Oscars as bait, almost no one could resist his temptation.


    Except that bastard Link.


    "Alright, do you have any plan to deal with that bastard Link?"


    Bob asked, spreading his hands.


    "Go tell Bruce Cohen to increase the budget of this movie, double it on the existing basis. Link wants to collaborate, right? Then let him obediently hand over the money. Once he''s paid up, hmm, I''ll let him see just how deep Hollywood waters are and let him know what happens when he crosses me."


    Harvey''s eyes flashed with anger, the flesh around his eyes twitching, and a cruel glint shone in his grey eyes.


    "Is that feasible? Although Link is a newcomer, the people at Palm Beach Films aren''t. They''ve been involved in ''Scandal Plan'' and know how to calculate costs and box office returns. Trying to trap him on costs will be difficult. Besides, he''s got your dirt. Won''t doing this before he gives it up provoke him?"


    Bob picked up a cigarette and tapped it on the office desk.


    Upon hearing this, Harvey''s eyebrows knitted tightly. Bob had a point; Link might not know movies, but surely someone around him did, enabling him to pick a box office dark horse and turn a few million in investment into tens of millions.


    Against someone so experienced, tactics like inflating costs and cooking the books wouldn''t work.


    If something went wrong in the process, and Link found out, what if that bastard chose to tear his face off and expose the dirt?


    Harvey wasn''t worried about those dark secrets.


    As long as that person in Washington was still there, there was no need to worry about being held accountable.


    But after those secrets were exposed, they would inevitably deal a blow to his own image, affecting the production and distribution of the company''s films.


    Now, there were many hidden dangers within the Weinstein Company, including cash shortages and massive debts. If the film releases were affected and the cash inflow was just a few months slower, it could lead to a break in the cash flow chain. In a more severe case, it could even lead to the company going bankrupt.


    So at this time, it wasn''t yet time to tear his face off with Link.


    "Bob, you have a sharp mind, do you have any good ways to deal with Link?"


    Harvey said, looking to his brother with the hooked nose who always liked to squint his eyes.


    Bob lit a cigarette, took a puff with squinted eyes, and said, "Link is a billionaire, earning tens of millions from a boxing match, a hundred million or two from a concert tour. He''s got a lot of cash flow, and our company is precisely lacking money.


    To us, Link could be a good partner. After reaching a collaboration, we would become stakeholders, sharing profits and losses alike. To expose your dirt would be to oppose the U.S. dollars, would he still do that?"


    "Collaborate with him? A young man who knows nothing is worthy?"


    Harvey said contemptuously. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He has money, and he knows nothing, which is a good thing for us. Do you really want to collaborate with someone who knows the business and meddles in our movies?"


    Bob asked while holding his cigarette.


    Harvey stroked his chin thoughtfully, realizing the logic, he gestured for his brother to continue.


    "I hear Link is lecherous. Once we''ve secured the collaboration, you could find an opportunity to send one or two actresses to get close to him, drag him down, and incidentally obtain his dirt. That way, not only wouldn''t you have to worry about his threats, but you could also turn the tables and have leverage over him."


    Bob said with a cold laugh, pinching the butt of his cigarette.


    Hearing his brother''s clever plan, Harvey couldn''t help but nod.


    Indeed, this was better than tearing his face off with Link. Besides, given Link''s lascivious nature, it wouldn''t be too difficult to obtain his dirt.


    As long as he could get his hands on Link''s dark secrets, Harvey thought coldly, he would make sure Link knew the consequences of crossing him.


    Seeing Harvey agree with his suggestion, Bob also breathed a sigh of relief. Given the company''s rough situation and various troubles, if they clashed with a rich and famous billionaire like Link, even if they won, it would be a pyrrhic victory.


    Turning an enemy into a friend now and gaining a capable partner for the company was definitely a good move.


    As long as Link agreed to the collaboration, they would become allies, and the dirt in his hands would no longer pose a threat.


    Bob silently congratulated himself on his idea.


    Thump thump thump!


    An scantily clad woman arrived at the office door, Harvey''s female assistant, holding a syringe in his hand.


    Bob glanced at her, shook his head, and stood up to bid farewell and leave.

 Chapter 461 - 380: Captain America Filming

    When Link and Jennifer were making love in bed, Harvey called.


    He asked when he would come to Los Angeles so they could talk face to face.


    Harvey also lavished praise on him over the phone for a few minutes, saying he was young, handsome, and charming, the most outstanding young man he had ever seen, and that he couldn''t wait to talk with him in person.


    Hearing Harvey''s enthusiasm, Link felt a chill crawl up his spine to his brainstem, and he couldn''t help but shudder on Jennifer.


    Harvey was not a good man. Though he had softened his tone in prior calls, Link could still feel the anger and hatred mixed in his words through the phone.


    In this call, Harvey''s tone had become very normal, and he was eagerly talking about discussing a collaboration¡ªsuch a change made Link wary. The other party''s eagerness to meet might mean that they had already set a trap, waiting for him to fall in.


    So, should he go to Los Angeles to discuss the collaboration with Harvey?


    If he goes, he might fall into a pit.


    If he doesn''t, it would look as though he was afraid of Harvey and might miss out on an opportunity to make money.


    Link, hugging Jennifer''s waist, thought seriously for a moment and decided to go to Los Angeles.


    Although Harvey was a scoundrel, notorious for casting couches, intimidating victims, alleged workplace bullying, and monopolistic practices, after his fall, apart from these issues, he didn''t seem to have any other serious crimes. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In terms of danger, he was less of a threat compared to the likes of little Epstein or the boastful old man.


    Going to Los Angeles to talk might not be a bad idea.


    He said he would go next weekend.


    Recently, in New York, aside from practicing boxing, he was also shooting "Captain America."


    Captain America Steve Rogers is from Brooklyn, New York. Before becoming a superhero, he lived there. He had more than twenty scenes to shoot in the area, and seven or eight had already been done; next week, the crew would move to Los Angeles.


    After hanging up the phone, Link sat back on the headboard, his hands gently combing through Jennifer''s disheveled hair.


    After vigorous activity, her fair skin had a pinkish tinge; the blush near her apple cheeks was deeper, as if she had just emerged from a sauna, and even her freckles were concealed by the blush, disappearing from sight, making her face seem even more beautiful.


    Indeed, Jennifer was the kind of girl that wasn''t delicate but had a lasting appeal.


    She also had the wildness, vitality, and voluptuousness typical of American Western girls¡ªa different feel from the likes of Taylor, Marion Cotillard, Emma Watson, and Nozomi Sasaki-chan.


    Ring-a-ding-ding!


    As he was admiring the sleeping girl in his arms, the phone rang again¡ªit was Ivanka''s call, asking where he was and why he hadn''t come home that night.


    Link said he was sleeping over at the Yorkville apartment and asked if she needed something.


    Ivanka asked which woman he was messing around with.


    Link said Jennifer Lawrence and also told her Jennifer had come to New York for an audition that day.


    Ivanka snorted and said to deduct 5 points.


    Link protested, arguing that firstly she had said she didn''t care about such matters before they were dating, so the deduction was unreasonable, and secondly, he was a normal man with normal physiological needs. If his girlfriend was unwilling to be intimate with him, he would have to seek out elsewhere. How could he be penalized for this?


    Ivanka said she held the scoring power, and it was up to her to give or deduct points.


    Hearing this, Link resigned himself to hide her pepper spray at the right time and then teach her a lesson, making her add points up to full.


    Ivanka mentioned that her brother, Edward Thomp, was having a birthday party at home tomorrow and asked if he wanted to attend.


    Link asked if there were extra points for attending.


    Ivanka said no.


    Link said he would attend and inquired about the party time and what gift he should prepare.


    They talked about work for a while¡ªLana''s second album "Born To Die" was in production, and she asked if he had any suitable songs. Charlie Puth had successfully entered the second round of "American Idol," and there was also the music promotions department work at Link Music.


    Scott was currently the head of the promotions department, juggling both that and managing SB Entertainment, often struggling to keep up with both. Many tasks were not completed satisfactorily.


    Ivanka suggested finding a new chief of publicity, letting Scott focus on running SB Entertainment and transferring the management of Charlie Puth and Ariana Grande''s careers to SB Entertainment.


    Link agreed.


    SB Entertainment was also an asset of Link Music; as SB grew stronger, it would also enhance the market value and influence of Link Music. Scott had a more significant role in SB Entertainment than in Link Music.


    After chatting for over half an hour, Link hung up and embraced the girl beside him as they drifted off to sleep.


    He woke up on schedule at six o''clock the next morning, as usual, washed up, changed clothes, and went for a morning run outside Central Park.


    Since Dadalio was filming on set and not in New York for the time being, he could only run alone under the golden sunrise, with earphones in his ears, solitary in his actions.


    When he got home, Jennifer was already up and training in the gym; she wore a sports tank and leggings, exercising her arms and core on the stretching machine. Jennifer said her forearms were a bit thick, and there was some fat on her belly; she wanted to get leaner.


    Link said he liked her as she was.


    A chubby belly was sexier than a thin one, and with her height of 170 and sturdy, long legs, she differed from the more delicate celebrities like Emma Roberts and Amanda Seyfried. She was more like a serious actor than a youthful idol.


    Watching Jennifer work out, he remembered the movie that made her famous all over the world, "The Hunger Games."

 Chapter 462 - 380 Filming Captain America_2

    Jennifer became an Academy Award-winning actress with "Silver Linings Playbook" and rocketed to the top tier of Hollywood actresses with "The Hunger Games Trilogy," earning a paycheck of over twenty million.


    When Jennifer made money, it meant Palm Bay Talent Agency made money too.


    Link thought it appropriate to give Catherine a heads-up to see which movie company owned the film rights.


    After breakfast, Jennifer headed to director Russell''s studio in New York to discuss her role, while Link drove her there before continuing to Brooklyn to resume filming "Captain America."


    At the beginning of the movie, Captain America Steve Rogers is a skinny, sickly young man who has applied to join the American military several times and keeps getting rejected due to his poor health, often being bullied by others.


    Because Link was tall and strong, even losing weight didn''t make him look thin and frail enough.


    To solve this issue, the crew initially wanted to use CG effects to alter his physique, but after several trials, they found the results unsatisfactory. They had to find two body doubles who were thin and frail and then splice together their performances with Link''s through editing techniques.


    This led to slow progress in the early stages of filming; they could only shoot one or two scenes a day. Link had been on set for nearly ten days and had only completed eight scenes.


    "Scene 9, shot 3, take 1, action!"


    On a long street in the Brooklyn set of the "Captain America" crew, Link sat in a car from the World War II era, gazing out at the alley through the window, and said to Agent Peggy Carter beside him,


    "I don''t understand why a dame like you would join the army, oh, no, I mean a lady, an agent, not a dame, you''re very pretty, but..."


    Link stuttered out nervously.


    Dressed in a military uniform, Ms. Peggy Carter turned to look at him, "You have no idea how to talk to a woman, do you?"


    "That''s the longest sentence I''ve ever said to a woman."


    Link looked down at his fingers, feeling downcast and somewhat insecure, and said, "Girls wouldn''t want to dance with someone who steps on their feet."


    "You could give it a try,"


    said Ms. Carter.


    "No, just the thought of asking a girl to dance is terrifying. I''ve been waiting for years."


    "Waiting for what?"


    "The right partner."


    Link hesitated before saying.


    "Cut!"


    "Let''s keep that one and go for another take."


    "Link, make your voice softer. In Steve''s eyes, Agent Carter is like a goddess. He''s feeling insecure and sensitive when he''s with Ms. Carter. Your voice is too strong and could ruin that feeling,"


    director Joe Johnston called out after reviewing the take.


    "OK!"


    Link nodded and went back to the car to perform again.


    Director Johnston rested his chin in his hand, continuing to watch Link''s performance with Hayley Atwell.


    Actually, Link hadn''t performed badly just now, but before collaborating with Link, he had specially called Director Woody Allen to ask about his approach to working with Link.


    With gritted teeth, Director Woody Allen told him that Link was the type of actor who needed to be squeezed like an olive; the more pressure applied, the better he would perform. If he were coddled, he would become a third-rate actor. So, when working with him, one must never go easy on him.


    After listening, Director Johnston had an epiphany, realizing that working with Link would probably be quite strenuous.


    Every director has their style: some are good-tempered, others bad-tempered; some swear at actors when things don''t go smoothly on set, others prefer to give them the cold shoulder.


    Director Johnston believed himself to be rather even-tempered, but trying to press down a superstar every day on set was challenging work. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For this, he had sought advice from several directors known for their temper.


    He asked them how to critique actors in a way that was harsh, yet wouldn''t hurt their self-esteem.


    Some directors said one thing, others something else; the ones he was on good terms with directly cursed him, accusing him of mocking them.


    Director Johnston did a lot of preparation before shooting, but once filming started, he found that there was no need for it.


    Link''s performance had matured a lot since "Fighter." Simple scenes required only one take to get right, which was no worse than some seasoned actors from the same crew, leaving no need for repression.


    This left Director Johnston both relieved and somewhat disappointed.


    However, to prevent Link from becoming complacent, he was more demanding during shooting, offering comments after each take to put a little pressure on Link.


    After a few scenes together, he found this method to be quite effective. Amid the constant pressure, Link''s performance steadily improved, and occasionally, he gave an explosive performance.


    Besides, during filming, he discovered that Link''s emotional scenes were more nuanced and explosive than his action scenes, which surprised him. How could a world boxing champion excel more at emotional acting?


    Director Johnston shook his head as he watched Link and Hayley Atwell''s performance on the monitor, and suddenly remembered something. He called over his assistant, Doug Coleman, and instructed him to keep an eye on Link to make sure he didn''t get too close to Hayley. He also alerted both of their agents, hoping the two would maintain a distance until the film wrapped.


    In this film, Captain America and Agent Carter are the kind of lovers who yearn for each other without fulfillment. By preventing Link and Hayley from getting intimate during shooting, he could better maintain that sense of longing.


    If they really ended up in bed, Director Johnston was worried that their performance in romantic scenes would be compromised.


    "Cut!"


    "Keep it! Next scene!"


    After wrapping up in the afternoon, Link changed out of his military uniform, ready to chat with Miss Atwell about tomorrow''s scenes, but they were soon pulled apart by their respective agents.


    Ms. Anna told him that it was Director Johnston''s instructions; given his reputation as a playboy, he should stay away from the leading lady during shooting to avoid any scandals and aid the completion of their upcoming scenes.


    Link felt helpless upon hearing this. He was only a person with strong desires, not a cad who flirted with every woman he saw. Director Johnston''s arrangements seemed quite unnecessary, and on this matter, he also saw the shadow of Director Woody Allen.


    He called Allen to ask about the post-production of "Midnight in Paris" and when it would be released. Allen''s reply was simple, saying it was early days and to just wait.


    Link asked about his own performance and whether he had a chance at the Oscars. If so, he''d like to have Harvey Weinstein do some lobbying.


    Allen told him he was dreaming; actor Peter O''Toole had been nominated for Best Actor eight times without winning. With Link''s situation, he''d need at least eighteen nominations before having a chance at winning, and he should not be in a hurry.

 Chapter 463 - 381 Big Uncles Party

    Leaving the set, Link drove back to his Woolworth Building apartment to change clothes, and then with Ivanka, he went to the wealthy villa area on the west side of Central Park where his eldest uncle, Edward Thomp, lived.


    Edward Thomp was Ivanka''s older brother, thirty years old this year, and served as the vice president of the Thomp Group''s real estate company, a quite ordinary second-generation rich kid.


    Link had met him at a party at the old Thomp family house before, so he was no stranger when they met again.


    "Hi, Edward, happy birthday."


    Link handed over the birthday gift that Ivanka had picked out.


    "Haha, thanks! Link, it''s so great that you could come. We definitely have to drink a few more glasses tonight."


    Edward Thomp extended his arms and gave him a warm hug.


    Link chuckled softly, patted his shoulder, and upon seeing Tiffany coming over, asked her what she had been up to lately and why she hadn''t visited Ivanka.


    Tiffany glanced at Ivanka next to her, rolled her eyes, and said she was still a student with classes every day; she didn''t have time to visit daily. She complained that even if she wanted to go, someone wouldn''t welcome her, hinting at Ivanka.


    Ivanka snorted lightly, saying that since Tiffany became an internet celebrity, she was glued to her phone and computer all day, filming everything; she had failed three subjects in her final exams.


    To keep her from continuing to fool around like that, her computer was confiscated, and her social media accounts were strictly monitored, allowing her to post only one message a day until she started college.


    "Link, you be the judge. Do you think what Eva is doing is right? Isn''t she violating my human rights?"


    Tiffany pouted, her round and plump face filled with discontent.


    Link glanced at Ivanka''s stern face and said with a smile, "Your sister is just looking out for you."


    "Forget it, pretend I didn''t ask."


    Tiffany waved her hand and said, "Selena told me that you''re even stricter with her, nagging her every day about getting enough sleep, exercising, reading books, and you even made a long reading list for her. What''s worse is that last month, when you went to Huaxia for your concert tour, you brought back a hundred SAT practice tests and forced her to do them. Selena says her eyes are going blind from reading and she feels like vomiting from doing the tests. Oh, poor Selena."


    "Practice tests? Sounds pretty good. Are such papers available on Amazon? I''ll buy a hundred for Tiffany to work on too."


    Ivanka asked with interest.


    Tiffany''s face changed, and she shook her head frantically at Link with a scowl.


    Link cruelly nodded and said they were available.


    Tiffany glared at the two of them and walked away huffily.


    Link smiled softly and, taking Ivanka''s hand, walked into the party. Today''s party was filled with young people, many of whom he knew.


    Among them were the likes of Kunas, Peter Peltz, David Zakman, Luther Detsky, Josie Epstein, and the Georgia Bloomberg and Amanda Hearst sisters, as well as the Hilton sisters, and many other familiar faces. Most were rich second, third, or fourth-generation wealthy, with Link being the only first-generation rich amongst them.


    "Little Epstein is here? How come I didn''t know he was also your friend?"


    Ivanka asked in a light tone.


    "Haha, we''ve had a few drinks together¡ªLittle Epstein is a pretty fun guy."


    Edward laughed.


    "I have to say, your taste in friends is still pretty bad. Not a single respectable person among them."


    Ivanka said coldly.


    Edward''s eyes twitched as he looked towards Link with a wry smile.


    Link, with his arm around Ivanka''s waist, said that today was Edward''s birthday and to not spoil the mood with such talk.


    Ivanka glanced at him and held back from saying more.


    Edward breathed a sigh of relief, winked gratefully at Link, and pointed to a young man next to Kunas, saying, "Eva, I''ve made some progress too; take a look at who that is."


    Link and Ivanka looked over. Across from Kunas stood a young man in a red suit, about twenty-six or twenty-seven, with short brownish-blond hair and a clean-cut, handsome look.


    Despite the presence of rather wealthy second-generation rich like David Zakman and several New York officials'' offspring amid the group, the man in the red suit still held center stage, surrounded by a group of admirers.


    "David Ellison?"


    The eldest son of Oracle President Larry Ellison, who at the beginning of 2010, had a net worth of 28 billion US dollars, ranking sixth in the Forbes global billionaires list.


    "Haha, correct. I met him at an underwear¡ªahem, a high-end fashion show party. He''s now the president of Skydance Media and has made a fortune of hundreds of millions of dollars on his own without relying on family. He''s a very accomplished guy. We get along pretty well," Edward said somewhat proudly.


    "Hey, Link, Mr. Link Baker, I''m delighted to see you here. My name is David Ellison, and I''m a fan of yours."


    While they were chatting, David Ellison from the crowd suddenly looked over and then stepped forward, hands outstretched towards Link from a distance, his face showing a mix of excitement and thrill.


    "Hi, David, I''ve heard about you too."


    Link extended his hand and shook with the other person.


    David Ellison held his hand with both of his, pulling up the corners of his mouth as he laughed and said, "Did you hear that my first film lost fifty million US dollars? That I am a prodigal son?"


    Link gave a light smile. He had heard these rumors.


    It was rumored that David Ellison was especially fond of air combat movies like "Top Gun" and "Pearl Harbor," so his debut film, "Air Combat Hero," lost forty to fifty million, making it one of the more severe movie financial losses in recent years.


    However, the fact that the other party proactively brought up such an embarrassing matter in conversation also showed he was a relatively straightforward person.


    "No, I''ve seen the trailer for ''Thunder of the Earth,'' and I understand it''s your new work. The quality of the trailer was quite good,"


    Link said.


    "Thunder of the Earth" is a western adventure film jointly produced by Paramount Pictures and Sky Dance, slated for release in December.


    It is directed by the famous Coen brothers from Hollywood, with Scott Rudin, one of Hollywood''s top ten producers, serving as the chief producer, and David Ellison as the executive producer.


    The lead actor is Jeff Bridges, who won the Oscar for Best Actor earlier that year, with Matt Damon as the second lead.


    From the producers to directors and leading actors, everyone involved is a powerhouse, signaling the movie''s guaranteed quality without even watching it.


    David Ellison''s involvement in such a production cast made many people envious.


    "Haha, thank you! I only had a minor role in this movie. Even if the movie is a big sell, my contribution won''t be that significant. Speaking of movies, your company''s production, ''Scandal Plan,'' is a real success. An eight-million-dollar investment with over 160 million in global box office revenue, that''s almost a twentyfold return. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link, how did you manage that? When I first invested in a movie, I knew nothing and lost over fifty million on my first try, while your first movie earned over fifty million. That''s incredible,"


    David Ellison said, holding onto Link''s hand and talking incessantly, not even noticing that he had pushed Edward Thomp to one side.


    Ivanka pressed her red lips into a smile, walked over to Georgia Bloomberg, and started chatting with David Ellison''s sister, Megan Ellison.


    Seeing David Ellison''s enthusiasm and high regard, Link felt it wouldn''t be appropriate to boast. He humbly claimed he was only responsible for the investment, while other aspects were managed by the company''s producers, and his contribution to the movie was extremely limited.


    David Ellison disagreed, saying that Link was not only the producer of the movie but also a supporting actor. Without his performance, the box office wouldn''t have been as high.


    This was also the opinion of professional magazines like "Complete Movie" and "Variety," which particularly mentioned how he made the film hit the headlines multiple times during its release, greatly helping the box office revenue.


    Besides talking about movies, David Ellison was also a fan of his boxing and singing, knowing many details about his matches by heart.


    He mentioned how he often watched Link''s matches at home with Larry Ellison, and how his father would explain Link''s tactics and techniques during the fights, saying his dad also really liked his boxing.


    Hearing David Ellison speak about those boxing matches confirmed for Link that the other party was truly a fan.


    A non-fan couldn''t remember all those details, especially not the son of a billionaire. If he weren''t genuinely interested, he wouldn''t bother remembering such things.


    Seeing that the other party was a real fan, Link warmed up a bit and, with a glass of champagne in hand, invited him to sit down for a chat.


    Not far away, Peter Peltz and the younger Epstein looked at the two engaged in deep conversation, their faces showing a hint of annoyance. When David Ellison had come over earlier, they had warmly greeted him, initiating many interesting conversations.


    But David Ellison was reserved, without even a smile, displaying a very aloof attitude.


    Everyone thought he simply wasn''t the type to smile, so they didn''t care.


    However, after Link arrived, Ellison acted like an enthusiastic fan meeting his idol, with endless praise and adulation, never once stopping his smiling.


    Peter Peltz was scornful. Did the son of a billionaire really need to fawn over Link like that? Wasn''t he worried about losing face for his father?


    Kunas, seeing that everyone had become very enthusiastic about Link, especially the Thompson family treating him almost like a member of their own, like Ivanka''s husband, was furious. He too had briefly enjoyed such treatment, but after Link appeared, everything changed, and he became an outsider.


    "You guys said you wanted to teach him a lesson. Why is there no movement after half a year?"


    Kunas, holding a champagne flute, asked in a low voice, though his smile remained pleasant and elegant.


    "We''ve made a move. The recent online black tide was our doing. You know how serious it got; Link was almost brought down by us. But he got lucky with Tesla''s IPO, becoming a billionaire, a financial legend. Along with his youth and charm, his fans not only stopped hating him but worshipped him even more and became more loyal. The guy''s luck is just too good,"


    David Zakman said resignedly.


    Josie Epstein added, "I and the blusterer had arranged for a few young girls to approach him, but he seems uninterested in those without fame, and he''s highly vigilant. After a few attempts, we didn''t succeed."


    Kunas was very displeased upon hearing this and glanced at Link, who was the center of attention among the crowd. He lowered his voice and growled, "Is there really no way at all?"


    Peter Peltz and Josie Epstein furrowed their brows and thought for a while.


    Someone mentioned that Link liked to play the stock market, so perhaps they could introduce him to some stocks that would cause him to fail in his investments. Without his money, his aura would surely diminish.


    Luther Detsky suggested luring him into drug use, arguing that someone like Link who achieved success so young must feel a profound sense of emptiness and could be controlled with substances.


    Josie Epstein said that since Link had no interest in ordinary girls, perhaps they could use a female celebrity to get close to him, make him slip up, and then try to hold something over him.


    Kunas nodded at their suggestions, urging them to arrange it as soon as possible. He couldn''t stand the sight of Link for another moment.

 Chapter 464 - 382: The Woman Who Attacked at Night

    At his cousin''s birthday party, besides David Ellison, he also got acquainted with several second and third-generation members of the Hearst and Bloomberg families.


    There were Amanda Hearst''s brothers, Georgia Bloomberg''s cousins and brothers, as well as members of the Hilton and Mars families.


    The young Hearsts were currently holding significant positions at the Hearst Corporation, which owns over fifty daily and weekly newspapers including "New York News," "San Francisco Examiner," "American People''s News," "Chicago Examiner," and more than three hundred magazines such as "Harper''s Bazaar," "Esquire," "Marie Claire," "ELLE," along with cable television and internet assets like A+E Networks, ESPN, and Netscape.


    The Bloombergs, rich and noble in New York, with billions in family assets and great political influence¡ªlike Georgia''s father, who held the position as New York City''s mayor three times.


    Several second and third-generation Bloombergs were currently carving out their paths in politics and the business world.


    At past Thompson Family parties, these individuals were not very enthusiastic about him, showing no interest even in greeting him.


    But this time, many people approached him proactively, engaging in conversation, exchanging contacts, and warmly welcoming him as if accepting him as a member of the high society.


    Link knew it was due to his increasing worth, but he didn''t pay it much mind nor did he put on airs as if to say, "Before you ignored me, now I''m out of your league."


    Whenever someone came up to greet him, he''d patiently chat for a while, discussing politics and the economy, and talking about movies and music.


    Each time this happened, Ivanka would stand quietly by his side, her stunning face adorned with a fitting smile.


    The pair lingered at Edward''s party for over two hours before driving away in the evening. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How did your chat with David Ellison go?"


    Ivanka asked as she drove.


    "Not bad, he loves movies and wants to make a name for himself in Hollywood. Seeing that I''ve done well in film investments, he suggested establishing a partnership with Palm Beach Films, and I agreed."


    Link leaned back in the passenger seat, his head slightly fuzzy from a few beers he''d had.


    "You seemed to hit it off with Megan Ellison, too. Are you trying to pick her up?"


    Ivanka asked nonchalantly.


    Megan Ellison, David''s sister, was twenty-four and also aimed to make a splash in Hollywood.


    Link remembered she had been somewhat more successful than David, with her investments in films like "Zero Dark Thirty," "The Grandmaster," and "The Master" achieving good box office revenues and reviews.


    When Megan approached him to talk, he offered enough patience and enthusiasm, hoping for a chance to collaborate. To Ivanka, however, his enthusiasm seemed like an interest in Megan.


    "No such thoughts. Megan seems very androgynous and quite assertive. I only like naive and sweet girls now. I have no interest in strong, independent women like you," Link said.


    Ivanka''s lips curved slightly, "Her brother and sister seem very interested in you."


    "Yes, men admire my boxing skills, and women love my singing and good looks. I charm both men and women," Link said proudly.


    "Really?"


    Ivanka asked faintly.


    Link was about to affirm confidently but suddenly remembered that after nearly two years of knowing her, he hadn''t yet won her over, which made him feel slightly frustrated.


    Looking at Ivanka in her light-colored skirt, curvy front and back without pockets, he asked if she had her pepper spray with her.


    Ivanka said he could try it out.


    Link stretched out his hand but then decided to wait a little longer, looking for a more appropriate time to make his move.


    To kill time during the drive, he brought up his feud with Weinstein, stating that the latter might seek revenge by setting traps on his new film project. To prevent mishaps, he planned to involve David Ellison in a joint investment to spread the risk.


    Ivanka thought it was a good idea. She mentioned that Weinstein had deep roots in Hollywood and many connections in politics too. She urged him to be careful and also assured him that she could handle things if anything went wrong, citing the Thompson family''s political connections.


    Hearing her speak so calmly and composedly gave Link the sensation of having a strong backer, which he found quite delightful, without an ounce of embarrassment.


    When they arrived at the Woolworth Building, he remembered Jennifer Lawrence was still at his home in Yorkville. Jennifer was in town for work; just a couple of days trip. As her boyfriend, he should spend more time with her.


    He apologized to Ivanka, saying he needed to stay in Yorkville for the night.


    Ivanka rejected his suggestion and asked for Jennifer''s number instead, inviting her to stay at the Woolworth, asserting there were plenty of empty rooms in the apartment anyway.


    Link was confused, as it hardly seemed like a good idea for a legitimate girlfriend to invite a rumored girlfriend over. Besides, Jennifer, being an assertive girl herself, wouldn''t accept such an absurd invitation.


    But to his surprise, Ivanka got out of the car, made a call¡ªGod knows what she said¡ªthen got back in and told him Jennifer Lawrence had agreed, and that her assistant was already arranged to pick her up and would arrive shortly.


    Upon going upstairs, Ivanka casually ordered a table of seafood from the hotel downstairs, planning to have a seafood feast in the apartment that night.


    Link called Jennifer to confirm if she really wanted to come and not to feel obliged, but Jennifer responded that as long as Ivanka didn''t mind her presence, she wouldn''t mind either.


    Link hung up and asked Ivanka what she had said to Jennifer and why she agreed?

 Chapter 465 - 382: The Woman Who Attacked at Night_2

    Ivanka said faintly that women understand better what other women want and need.


    Link asked, "What is needed?"


    Ivanka replied, "Men."


    Ding!


    The elevator door opened, and the two returned to the apartment. As soon as they entered the living room, Link heard the tinkling of piano keys and a sad, low female voice singing "Dancing With Your Ghost."


    Yelling at the sky


    Shouting toward the heavens


    Screaming at the world


    Crying out in all directions


    Baby, why''d you go away?


    Baby, why did you have to leave me?


    I''m still your girl


    I am still your girl


    I stay up all night


    I stay up all night


    Tell myself I''m alright


    I tell myself everything is fine


    Baby, you''re just harder to see than most


    ...


    The singing voice was beautifully sad, ethereal and desolate, like a ghost singing in the bleak Palace of Versailles, utterly stunning.


    After listening to it once, Link thought it was better than his own rendition and even more touching than the original.


    Entering living room three, a woman with long, curly hair sat at the Steinway piano, singing and playing.


    Her thick hair cascaded down like a waterfall, revealing her delicate, fair shoulders on either side. She was dressed coolly, wearing a white tube top and silk shorts, her chest and hips nearly matching Ivanka''s in scale.


    "When did Lana get here?"


    Link turned to Ivanka.


    "She''s been here since noon; she was sleeping in the bedroom when you arrived," Ivanka said, taking off her shoes.


    "Her singing is too negative, bordering on depressive. As her BFF and boss, haven''t you thought about helping her?"


    "Only a man can help her with that, why don''t you give it a try?" Ivanka encouraged.


    Link shook his head; he had heard some things about Lana''s situation.


    Lana once dated a street racer when she was eighteen or nineteen; during a race, he had an accident where his head was crushed by a tire. She underwent a year of psychological counseling afterwards.


    At twenty, she finally began to come out from under the shadow of that relationship and found a singer boyfriend with shared interests. Yet within a year, her second boyfriend died in a car accident, which she witnessed firsthand. The trauma deepened her psychological scars, making her very sensitive to words related to boyfriends and cars, bordering on phobic.


    The continuous blows brought Lana''s spirits down, causing the songs she sang and wrote to resemble dirges.


    Of the 14 songs on her second album "Born To Die," apart from the two by Link, the other 12 she wrote herself, each more morose than the last.


    With "Dancing With Your Ghost," one could play her album from start to finish at a funeral without needing to change the track.


    "Hey, Lana, can I request a song?"


    Link shouted.


    Lana looked back at him, her long eyelashes fluttering as she smiled and said, "What song would you like to hear?"


    "How about ''Here With You''?"


    This song was one of the lead tracks from his third album; because of its upbeat melody and positive lyrics, it had many similarities to "Young and Beautiful," and was also considered a cheerful version of that song.


    Link hoped this song would influence Lana''s mood.


    "OK!"


    Lana adjusted herself and began to sing and play along.


    To all my friends


    To all my dear friends


    The night is young


    The night is yet unwaxed


    the music''s loud


    The music is ringing


    They playing our song


    They are lost in the music we created


    Nowhere else that I belong


    ...


    After listening, Link couldn''t help but look disappointed; a cheery song, when sung by Lana, still carried the aura of a mournful one.


    Ivanka smiled faintly, reminding him that Jennifer Lawrence had arrived.


    Link and Ivanka greeted Jennifer at the elevator entrance.


    Upon meeting, Ivanka took the initiative to greet Jennifer, who also smiled politely in response, glancing at Link.


    The atmosphere between the two women wasn''t awkward.


    But Link felt incredibly awkward as he followed behind them, unsure whether to walk in front or behind them. Walking in the middle and holding one''s hand appeared to be an option, but the mood wasn''t right; it felt like trying to climb stairs that weren''t there and risking hitting his head.


    When the three of them reached the living room, Lana, upon seeing Jennifer, also seemed surprised; then looked at Link and smiled mischievously.


    At that point, Link also realized that inviting Jennifer here might not have been a good idea.


    After Jennifer''s arrival, the specially ordered seafood feast was brought to the dining table by the servers.


    The four of them sat at a long dining table.


    Link sat at the head of the table, with Ivanka, Jennifer, and Lana on either side. As they ate, the three women chatted about movies, music, and fashion, leaving Link without an opportunity to interject. Once, when they were discussing movies, he tried to chime in, but the three women stopped talking to listen to him alone.


    Link wasn''t used to being the head of the household, and suddenly being placed in this position was somewhat overwhelming for him.


    To avoid awkwardness, after he finished speaking, he kept quiet for the rest of the meal, quietly eating his seafood and thinking that with both Jennifer and Ivanka present, something might happen that night, so he ate more abalone, oysters, and geoduck.


    However, when it came time to go to sleep, everything was different from what he had expected. It was out of the question that Ivanka and Lana would share a bed with him, and Jennifer had no intention of sleeping with him either, so he was alone for the night.


    This situation reminded him of an old saying: one monk will shoulder two buckets of water, two monks will share the load, but three monks will have no water to drink.


    Link was the bald monk with no water to drink; seeing the three women each return to their rooms, he had no choice but to suppress the vigorous fire inside him and go to sleep.


    But in the middle of the night... Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He dreamt he was trapped in a cold, damp swamp with his legs sinking in.


    The more he struggled to lift his legs, the deeper he sank.


    As he gradually woke up, he found a woman in his arms.


    Long, dense curls with a faint, icy fragrance.


    A curvaceous figure.


    Not quite as sleek as Ivanka''s but fuller and more mature than Jennifer''s.


    He was taken aback.


    Just as he was about to speak, she kissed him.


    Whispering in his ear, "I''m sorry, I really like you," along with a bashful sob.


    Link withdrew his hand, which had been pushing her away, and completely succumbed to the bottomless swamp of the dream.


    The next day when he woke up, however, his arms were empty, and he was still alone in bed.


    Last night''s swamp seemed only to exist in his dream.


    The next day he continued his routine of running, training, and shooting movies. Jennifer finished her work here and returned to Los Angeles to continue shooting "X-Men 4."


    The only change was that Link became a bit more cautious while driving.


    On his way to the set, a black man suddenly darted out in an alley, startling him. As he braked to avoid the man, he was rear-ended by another car, and his vehicle''s front end hit a fire hydrant, soaking both him and the car.


    During the collision, he couldn''t help but think of the rain-soaked swamp from the night before, feeling last night''s woman had been somewhat mystical.


    "Link, look here, we''ve started shooting, buckle up."


    Director Joe Johnston from the "Captain America" crew called out.


    "OK!"


    Link rubbed his face and said.


    "Scene 14, shot 2, take 2, Action!"


    "Captain America" continued filming, with Steve Smith finally joining the army under Dr. Erskine''s tutelage and partaking in the ongoing Super Soldier project.


    After using the "Super Soldier Formula," his physique underwent a dramatic transformation. He became taller, stronger, and his endurance, speed, reflexes, and intelligence were all top-notch.


    "Steve, how do you feel?"


    In the lab, Dr. Erskine asked.


    Link, lying in the experiment chamber, chuckled: "Feels pretty good."


    "That''s penicillin!"


    Dr. Erskine patted his shoulder as the staff announced the start of the experiment.


    Link watched Agent Carter''s retreating figure, a flash of determination in his blue eyes.


    "Five, four, three, two, one! Begin!"


    The staff began the injection, and the chamber''s syringe advanced in tandem. Link''s eyes widened as he gritted his teeth tightly and grunted in pain, while the lights in the laboratory flickered.


    "Cut!"


    "That''s a keeper, let''s do another!"


    "Link, you''re about to transform, put some more into it, I believe you can do even better," Director Joe Johnston exclaimed.


    "OK!"


    Link lay on the bed, took a deep breath, and gathered his spirit to continue the performance.

 Chapter 466 - 383 Meeting with Harvey

    In the original Captain America comics, Cap became a Super Soldier after the serum injection.


    But the idea of injection associated with drug use could lead to some negative social impacts, so in this movie, Cap needs to undergo some physical training first, then through oral medication, serum injection, and exposure to Vita Rays to stimulate muscle growth and complete the transformation.


    In the script, the exposure to Vita Rays is described as an extremely painful process; the stronger the ray energy, the more intense the pain, which ordinary people simply cannot bear, so during filming, Link needs to let out a series of agonizing roars.


    "Turn it off! Turn it off!"


    In the laboratory on the set, Agent Carter heard Steve shouting in pain inside the experiment pod.


    "Turn it back, Mr. Stark, turn it back, turn it off!"


    Dr. Erskine shouted.


    Howard Stark, the father of Iron Man, held the control valve, ready to reduce the intensity of the Vita Rays.


    "No! Don''t turn it off! I can take it!"


    Inside the pod, Link gritted his teeth and shouted.


    Stark continued to turn the energy valve, adjusting the intensity of the Vita Rays to 100%.


    Boom!


    A series of explosions occurred in the laboratory, and even the light inside the pod dimmed, emitting a burst of white smoke.


    Just when everyone thought the experiment had failed, the pod door opened, and Link was lying inside, his upper body bare and all his muscles bulging.


    His solid pectorals, eight-pack abs, firm deltoids, and trapezius muscles, like pythons awakening, all lay dormant under his skin. As he moved his body, the muscle groups beneath his skin began to shift, giving an incredibly powerful impression and a great visual impact.


    "Sexy!"


    "Link''s physique is really strong!"


    "The real Captain America must look something like this."


    The crew members gazed at Link''s body, men with envy, women with fervent eyes.


    Director Johnston nodded in satisfaction; this was exactly the effect he wanted. When choosing actors initially, physique was an important consideration.


    Among all the actors who auditioned, Link did not have the biggest muscles, but his were the most symmetrical, with the most aesthetically pleasing lines, and they looked the most powerful.


    But for a better visual effect, before the shooting started, he specifically instructed Link to put on some more muscle, and after Link had added more than ten pounds, the result now looked very good.


    "Link, how do you feel...."


    Agent Carter came over to ask, just getting out her line when she slapped her lips, showing an embarrassed smile.


    "Cut!"


    "Let''s do it again!"


    "Steve, how do you feel?"


    Agent Carter, looking at his strong and sexy muscles, her eyes glowing with heat, reached out to touch those two steaming pectorals but stopped midway.


    "I''ve grown taller."


    Link stood up straight and said, gasping for breath.


    "You do look taller."


    Agent Carter pulled out a piece of clothing and handed it to him.


    "Cut!"


    "Next!"


    The film crew had been shooting in New York for over ten days, and by late October, they arrived at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. Link followed the crew there to discuss cooperation matters with Harvey.


    The meeting with Harvey Weinstein took place in an Italian cafe on Hollywood Boulevard. Apart from offering delicious Italian coffee, the cafe also served a variety of desserts like tiramisu cheesecake, gold bread, dove cake, Italian custards, and more¡ªall of which tasted quite good.


    When Link and the head producer of Palm Beach Films, Broderick Bentley, arrived at the cafe, Harvey was already there, chatting with director David O. Russell at a booth.


    Upon seeing him come over, Harvey gave him a few appraising looks, his eyes cold and deep. But this only lasted for less than a second before Harvey suddenly burst into laughter, stretching out his arms and shouting to Link, "Link, you look even younger and more handsome in person than in the photos."


    Link gave a light smile and thanked him, then noticed the other man extending his hands, belly protruding, in a gesture that seemed to invite a hug.


    He quickly reached out and grabbed Harvey''s right hand for a shake, saying he really liked the movies he produced and praised him as the leader and godfather of modern cinema, lavishing him with heavy flattery.


    Harvey laughed heartily and returned the compliments, mentioning all of Link''s titles.


    The atmosphere was more harmonious than Link had anticipated, which made him even more cautious.


    Harvey was no gentleman¡ªcunning and deceptive, a man who played outside the rules and had no bottom line. His notoriety in the film industry was well-known, often acquiring many film sources at international film festivals through almost fraudulent means, then editing and distributing them in North America to make a profit.


    Among those conned were a significant number of filmmakers from Huaxia.


    A director surnamed Feng from Huaxia had publically cursed him out for liking a movie at a festival and offering an extremely high price for the North American rights, like 10 million US Dollars, with a down payment of 200,000 US Dollars. Other distributors would drop out of the competition upon seeing Harvey''s high bid.


    With no competitors left, Harvey would then start to play dirty, delaying the deal. After the filmmakers urged him several times, he would begin to undercut the price, going from the initially agreed 10 million down to 1 million or even lower, using the bait of helping with the Oscars publicity.


    By that time, the filmmakers, unable to find a suitable distributor and eager to cash in on their movie, would grit their teeth and reluctantly agree, bearing a significant economic loss.


    With Harvey being so sly yet presenting a smiling face to him, Link had to be extra cautious with the approaching conversation.


    Once Link sat down, he let Broderick Bentley, the producer, handle the discussion about cooperation.


    Bentley was a golden producer Link had dug up from Warner Bros. Pictures at a high price. Fifty years old this year, he had ventured into film production in the early 1990s, contributing to the production of over forty movies with works like "Becoming Jane Austen," "The Hitman''s Holiday" and "Windkill" representing his filmography.


    He was also one of the producers of "Scandal Plan" and served as the head producer at Palm Beach Films. He was quite skilled in matters of film production.


    Meanwhile, Link was chatting with director David O. Russell, who seemed to be unaware of the clash between him and Harvey, explaining after they met why he hadn''t sought to collaborate with him.


    The concept for "Silver Linings Playbook" was provided by Bradley Cooper, who liked it and approached Russell to request a collaboration.


    Bradley Cooper, a renowned actor, had appeared in several well-received television series such as "Sex and the City 2" and "Alias Seasons 1, 2, and 3." He shot to fame in 2009 with "The Hangover," becoming a top-tier movie star, and had previously worked with Link on "Valentine''s Day."


    Link nodded in understanding; he wasn''t overly interested in the male lead for this film. With four to five movies on his hands already, he was too busy to take on more and didn''t want to burden himself further. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Additionally, with his value on the rise, he planned to finish these movies next year and henceforth only accept one or two good roles per year. He would spend the rest of his time training, managing Link Music, investing in movies, or making other investments, aiming to accumulate more capital over these years.


    "Broderick, let''s settle it like this; I believe this will be a very pleasant cooperation," Harvey said, standing with his prominent belly, extending his hand for a shake with the producer.


    "Yes, we are also looking forward to cooperating with you," Bentley, the producer, said with a smile.


    "Link, how about it, any other objections?" Harvey asked, his toad-like mouth grinning as he looked at Link with a meaningful expression.


    Link shook his head, claiming he didn''t understand films and was only responsible for funding; everything else should be managed by him and producers like Bentley and director Russell. He hoped to make a good profit from the movie.


    Harvey laughed, assured that it would certainly be so, then pulled Link aside to whisper and inquire when he could return that set of materials.


    Link stared at Harvey''s greasy face, tentatively saying that the materials had been completely destroyed; even if someone exposed them in the future, it wouldn''t be his side''s problem. After all, he had received the materials from someone else and hadn''t collected them intentionally.


    Link expected Harvey might confront him and demand to end their cooperation right there, but he didn''t.


    Harvey merely squinted his eyes and chuckled, saying it didn''t matter; he valued this cooperation far more than that insignificant set of materials.


    Seeing Harvey''s attitude made Link even more wary.

 Chapter 467 - 384: Heart-to-Heart with Taylor

    The meeting with Harvey lasted about half an hour, from meeting to parting, and the atmosphere was better than Link had anticipated, which made him even more puzzled about Harvey''s intentions.


    All he could do was tell the producer Bent to be careful with the movie''s budget estimation and mentioned that he had a bit of a dispute with Harvey, implying their relationship wasn''t as harmonious as it appeared.


    Producer Bent expressed his understanding.


    After three days of calculation and consultation, the budget for "Silver Linings Playbook" was set at 22 million US dollars, nearly half less than the 40 million Harvey had initially mentioned, with both companies co-producing, each investing 11 million US dollars.


    Since this movie was a Weinstein Company discovery, holding the dominant rights, they were entitled to an additional 5% of the North American and international box office revenues.


    After discussing with Catherine, producer Bent, and producer Herrick, Link had no objections, but in order to share the risks, he proactively contacted David Ellison to inquire if he was interested in the project.


    David Ellison, after reading the script, found it impressive and expressed great interest.


    After negotiating with David Ellison, Link split his 11 million investment share into two: Palm Beach Films holding 60% and Skydance 40%, both investing jointly and sharing the post-release revenue and risks.


    Since this change was an internal transaction within Palm Beach Films and unrelated to the Weinstein Company, it would not affect the overall project operation, thus the collaboration was smoothly established.


    Having finalized "Silver Linings Playbook," Link had completed a major task and could now focus on filming and training in boxing.


    Since arriving in Los Angeles, he had visited Taylor multiple times at her Beverly Hills villa, initially being turned away, but after Mrs. Andrea''s mediation, he finally saw Taylor.


    During their meeting, Taylor did not treat him kindly, often turning her back on him without saying a word.


    Link didn''t mind; whenever he had time, he would sit with Taylor in the sun-drenched yard and chat about his recent work.


    He also mentioned that he had recently written a new song "Say Something" and was planning to include it on his fourth album, asking if she wanted to listen.


    Taylor hummed dismissively, her head bowed as she looked at a magazine, ignoring him.


    Link smiled, took his guitar, sat on the balcony, and played and sang by himself.


    This song was released by A Great Big World in 2014 and became popular due to Christina Aguilera''s spotlight, reaching the top ten in the United States and number one in the UK, Belgium, Canada and other countries.


    It was a very touching love song, later covered in Chinese by the singer Zhang Shaohan.


    Say something I''m giving up on you


    Won''t you hold on to me? I''m stepping onto the path of leaving you,


    I''ll be the one if you want me to


    Indeed, I would turn around with just one gesture from you,


    Anywhere I would''ve followed you


    Indeed, I always followed, always by your side,


    Say something I''m giving up on you


    Won''t you hold on to me? I''m stepping onto the path of leaving you.


    And I am feeling so small


    I feel increasingly insignificant in your world,


    It was over my head


    All around was your coldness and hardness,


    Know nothing at all


    Making me utterly at a loss.


    ...


    When Taylor heard Link''s melancholic, low, and sorrowful singing, she couldn''t help but lift her head to look at him, her curled lashes flickering, her expression growing more and more surprised, and after the surprise, a trace of annoyance crossed her face, her white fists clenched tightly.


    This bastard writes every song so passionately, as if he''s a great lover, but in reality, he cheats, flirts, and dates around ¡ª a universally recognized scoundrel.


    This song was wasted on him.


    Yet, annoyingly, he sang it so well, with so much feeling and engagement, it was compelling.


    Taylor felt helpless and incapable, like facing a murderer but unable to arrest and jail him.


    After singing, Link looked at Taylor and asked with a smile, "How did it feel?"


    "Mediocre!"


    Taylor continued to look down at her magazine.


    "This song is suitable for a duet, it lacks expression with just me singing. Are you interested in collaborating with me? The two of us singing together would definitely create an amazing effect."


    "No thanks, just let me read,"


    Taylor said, brushing her long hair beside her ear.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, not insisting further. He sat on the sun-drenched balcony, feet resting on the wrought-iron railing, tilting his head to look at Taylor''s glowing complexion and fuller figure. She seemed even prettier since getting pregnant.


    "How have you been recently? It must be good, right? I heard from Selena that you guys party every day, hang out with a few girlfriends, go shopping, I heard you even went to a ranch for a vacation last time, I''m really envious,"


    Link said.


    Taylor blinked her eyes and ignored him.


    "But I''ve been doing pretty badly, both at work and in life. It feels like everything went downhill after we broke up. It''s like I''m a train that has derailed, wildly speeding across the wilderness without knowing where the road is or where the end is."


    Link rested his arm, looking at the blue sky and white clouds over Beverly Hills, occasionally spotting a few birds flying by, suddenly feeling somewhat exhausted.


    Taylor glanced at him and saw his handsome profile, his brow marked by melancholy and wistfulness. Her heart felt as if it was being tugged at; it itched and ached. She took a deep breath and tossed a magazine at him.


    "Don''t talk about your unhappiness with me; I''m not a trash can for negative emotions. Besides, isn''t this the life you chose for yourself? Attending high society parties every day, socializing with billionaires and tycoons from all walks of life.


    Plus, you have money now. You can keep women all over the world, flirt with whoever you want, and no one will manage you. Isn''t this exactly what you wanted? Everything was your choice. Why are you pouring out your grievances to me?"


    Taylor scoffed.


    Link shook his head, gazing at the sky and the ivy hanging from the second-floor balcony, where the sunlight was mottled.


    "Andrea told me you used to love desserts when you were little. She was worried you''d get cavities and become a little chubby, so she would stop you. When you couldn''t have them, you''d eat them secretly. Once you earned money, you achieved dessert freedom, eating as much as you liked, but then suddenly you didn''t want them anymore.


    I''m the same as you. When you were controlling me, I always felt that women outside seemed tasty, and I couldn''t help wanting a taste. Now that no one''s controlling me, and I have snack freedom, I''ve realized everything isn''t as good as I imagined. But at this point, I''ve deviated too far from the right course, I can''t turn back; I can only close my eyes and blindly rush forward."


    Link pointed at a plane crossing the sky, turning back with a smile, "But there is something very strange; no matter how frustrated or confused I am, every time I sit beside you, I feel as if I''m back on my original track, very relaxed and comfortable. Isn''t that strange?"


    Taylor blinked her blue eyes, flipping through the magazine, and said, "You should be saying this to Eva, she is your girlfriend."


    Link said, "My greatest confusion in life comes from her. She''s too smart, which makes it impossible for me to understand her, to know what she''s thinking, what she wants to do, or how she feels about me, whether she truly likes me. She treats me well, but I''m not sure if love is part of it.


    I''ve also said before, we come from different backgrounds, our habits are vastly different, and so are our thoughts and ideas. She likes to hire chefs to cook while I prefer to cook myself. She likes to live in luxurious apartments hundreds of meters high.


    I prefer to keep my feet on the ground, to stick my feet into the beach sand, feeling the warmth of the sand grains, and other things. These differences make me very uncomfortable with my current life, feeling like I''m always floating in the air."


    "This is your own making; no one forced you to be with her."


    Taylor said.


    "It does seem so, but during the time we''ve been together, she hasn''t done anything wrong. She centers everything around me, acting as a partner in life and career, as if she''s my comrade-in-arms. Breaking up with her would hurt another person, a good woman... Okay, I''m too greedy. This is still my fault."


    Link stood up and stretched, standing on the balcony and looking at the sky, the distant blue sea, and the bustling city of Los Angeles.


    Seeing that the sun was setting, he didn''t want to bother Taylor and Mrs. Andrea any longer, and he offered to leave on his own.


    Watching his car drive away from the villa, Taylor returned inside, saw the guitar he had left on the balcony, silently contemplated it, then her delicate fingers plucked the strings, softly singing the song he had just sung.


    Say something I''m giving up on you


    Won''t you try to stop me? I''m on the path of parting ways with you


    I''m sorry that I couldn''t get to you


    Sorry, I still couldn''t stop the tears in your eyes


    Anywhere I would''ve followed you


    Though, I''ve been following you all along


    Say something I''m giving up on you


    Won''t you try to stop me? I''m on the path of parting ways with you


    And I will swallow my pride


    Putting up with it quietly


    You''re the one that I love


    Deep down I love you


    And I''m saying goodbye


    Yet saying goodbye


    ...


    As Taylor sang, Mrs. Andrea came in with a stack of documents, stood at the door and listened for a while, then after Taylor finished singing, asked, "Is this your new song? It sounds really good."


    "No, it was written by that jerk Link,"


    Taylor said irritably. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mind your words, why do you curse him?"


    Mrs. Andrea said, trying to persuade her.


    "He deserves it; we''ve broken up, yet he still won''t let me go, constantly turning up here acting like a romantic, trying to dominate me with such methods. Ugh, don''t let him come again; I get so annoyed just seeing him."


    Taylor smoothed her hair and took her guitar upstairs.


    Mrs. Andrea shook her head; she still thought they were the perfect match. Although Link was a bit flirty, he was still young and not beyond redemption. With some patience and effort, they could perhaps still harvest a perfect relationship.


    Suddenly she remembered the documents in her hand and called out to Taylor, "Here are the documents from Nashville Hospital; they need your signature. Are you sure you want to do this?"


    "Yes!"


    Taylor said firmly.

 Chapter 468 - 385: The Expendables Released

    While shooting "American Captain" in Los Angeles, Link also took time to make cameo appearances in "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" and "You Are Still Here."


    In the former film, he cameoed as the protagonist''s older brother, a football star and the protagonist''s idol and role model, featuring in four scenes, which were not very challenging.


    The latter was a documentary directed by Casey Affleck about Joaquin, in which Link played himself, a top-level singer successful across fields, portrayed as a superstar and playboy with a rather chaotic personal life.


    His part mainly consisted of two segments, one being his conversation with Joaquin Phoenix backstage after a performance, discussing their perspectives on rap music and their reflections after gaining fame.


    The other part was him and Joaquin performing the lead song "Believer" from his second album on stage, along with the rap songs "I''m the one" and "Lighters."


    To shoot this scene, the crew held a small concert in the Burbank area of Los Angeles where Link performed as a guest.


    In October, he even flew to Paris to attend Marion Cotillard and Guillaume Canet''s engagement ceremony, and when he saw Marion, he unexpectedly found out she was also pregnant, though her belly was much smaller than Taylor''s.


    Link asked her how many months along she was.


    Marion told him it wasn''t his concern, urged him not to worry, and confided in his arms that Guillaume was good to her and loved her, which is why she had accepted his proposal.


    Link, touching her belly, felt it was almost the same as Taylor''s. He remembered that Marion had been pregnant with her first child before shooting "Rust and Bone," also this year, so he could not be sure if this child was his.


    Later, Guillaume also approached him, stating that Marion was now his wife and asking him not to interfere with their married life.


    Link could only return to Los Angeles with mixed emotions to continue filming and training.


    In early November, "The Expendables" was released. The movie had wrapped up in May and after six months of scheduling, was set to premiere in November.


    This film brought together many top global action stars, including Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren, and other veterans, as well as the currently most popular male singer and world boxing champion Link Baker.


    Even before its release, the movie generated great anticipation and enthusiasm among action film fans and was hailed by many media outlets as the most anticipated action movie of 2010, labeled ''The Manliest Movie of the Year,'' and ''A Must-Watch Movie for Real Men.''


    "The Expendables" did not disappoint, earning $41.05 million at 3,270 North American theaters over its opening weekend.


    It outperformed the parody "Twilight Movie," Jennifer Aniston''s "Love Happens," Weinstein Company''s "Piranha 3D," and Universal''s major production "Nanny McPhee Returns," winning the weekend box office crown.


    The film received mixed reviews.


    Those who liked the film said the action scenes were impactful and explosive, reminiscent of watching classic action movies like "Rocky" and "First Blood" from the eighties and nineties, making it a true action film.


    Those who disliked it called the movie clich¨¦d and not in line with the tastes of current audiences, nor as explosive as expected.


    The media gave it an average score of 72, while it earned a 68% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 46 supports and 14 oppositions; Yahoo''s film critics rated it a B.


    Whether for or against, viewers were fairly satisfied with Link''s performance in the movie.


    They felt his action scenes were not inferior to those of the veteran action actors, praised his handsome looks, strong and sexy physique, and said his coolness and fighting skills breathed new life into this old-fashioned, clich¨¦d movie with an all greasy-old-men cast, significantly enhancing its watchability.


    Some fans even said they only watched the scenes featuring Link, skipping the rest of the movie.


    Many movie fans had urged Link to take on more action roles, to become an action actor rather than spending his time in films romancing female actresses, arguing that if people wanted to see him in love scenes, they could read about it in the newspapers without having to buy a ticket to the theater.


    Thanks to this film, Link once again rose to global fame, with his handsome looks, cool fighting moves, and his playboy demeanor in the film also attracting countless fans.


    Complete Movie called him ''the next big action star.''


    Vanity Fair described him as one of the most promising action actors among the new generation. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In its second week, The Expendables brought in 20.67 million US dollars in box office revenue, even though it had dropped by more than 50%, but since there were no strong competitors at the time, it still remained the box office champion for the week, with a North American cumulative box office of 61.72 million US dollars.


    The estimated box office in North America was above 130 million US dollars, which isn''t considered too high relative to its 82 million US dollar production cost.


    But the main cast of the film came from eight different countries, and Link, Stallone, Schwarzenegger, and Bruce Willis had extremely high popularity and box office appeal overseas, leading the media to believe that the international box office would surpass that of North America.


    A conservative estimate put the global box office around 300 million US dollars, which, by that calculation, would make the film a big seller.


    After the release of The Expendables, Link''s box office appeal was confirmed once again, with many movie companies waving large checks to work with him, many of them action films, but Link turned them down.


    After becoming a global superstar, his desire for fame had waned;


    and after becoming a billionaire, million-dollar paychecks held little temptation for him, as he now had limited time and preferred to participate in films that would make money for the company.


    Like The Hunger Games.


    Upon investigation, it was found that Lionsgate Films, a company primarily known for horror films and an independent film and television production company based in Canada since 1997, held the adaptation rights to this novel.


    They had produced series like Saw, Texas Chainsaw 3D, All Cheerleaders Die, The Cabin in the Woods, The Blair Witch Project, and also some quality independent films like Hotel Rwanda, Dead Man Walking, Girl with a Pearl Earring, among others.


    After The Hunger Games was published in ''08, Lionsgate Films acquired the adaptation rights and, as the rights were only valid for five years, they were currently in the process of production.


    Palm Beach Films had extended a collaboration proposal to Lionsgate but had not yet received a response.


    However, Link was not in a hurry; according to media reports, affected by the financial crisis and the development of the internet, which caused a significant reduction in DVD sales, Lionsgate had faced substantial losses in recent years, cutting staff by 8% since ''08, reducing 45 positions.


    Even so, Lionsgate Films was still saddling a debt of 350 million US dollars, had announced a quarterly loss of 93.4 million US dollars in May, and expressed plans to continue reducing movie production to decrease losses.


    As Bent the producer had said, in Hollywood, there are hardly any film companies that are not short of money.


    Especially in the independent production company sector, major independent production companies like New Line, Focus, Lionsgate, Dimension, Weinstein Company, and Castle Rock Entertainment nearly all had financial deficits of hundreds of millions of US dollars.


    As long as there is money daring to be invested, there is no need to worry that no one would take over.


    Hollywood is also like a big casino, but the risks in this casino are higher than those in Las Vegas because here, if a bet fails, the losses could amount to tens of millions of US dollars.


    Bent, when talking about film company losses, was actually advising him to take smaller steps, not to invest in too many projects at once, and to temporarily avoid large project investments to prevent losses.


    Link understood his meaning, but The Hunger Games series had performed well at the box office, and after the Twilight Series, it was one of the most successful film series; it would be too bad to miss out, so he wanted the company to continue making contact with Lionsgate.

 Chapter 469 - 386: Evas Cooking Skills

    "You''re back, dinner will be ready in no time. Go wash your hands and change your clothes."


    In the afternoon, after finishing shooting and returning home, Ivanka came out of the kitchen, smiled at him, and then went back to continue her bustling work. A fragrance of cooked food wafted from the kitchen.


    Link watched her from behind and couldn''t help but touch his forehead.


    Although Ivanka had been here for more than ten days and had cooked meals for him seven or eight times, he still couldn''t believe she would move from New York, discard her upscale dresses, put on an apron, and cook.


    This happened in the second week after he left Taylor''s house.


    Once when he came back from the set, he suddenly noticed someone in the villa and a fragrance of food coming from the dining room. He thought it was Catherine or Mandy.


    When he entered the dining room, he saw several dishes with good presentation on the table.


    Miss Ivanka came out of the kitchen holding a dish, wearing a tight apron, greeted him with a smile, and asked him to sit down for dinner.


    At the time, Link was a bit dazed, not knowing when she had come or why she suddenly taken to cooking.


    He followed her into the kitchen in disbelief and indeed it was Ivanka. She was wearing a long apron that wrapped her tall and full figure, looking even more sexy and graceful.


    Her hands held the kitchen knife and cut the vegetables in a somewhat clumsy manner, but she did it with great care and seriousness. The dish she made had a style, the colors were well matched, looking almost like she was arranging flowers.


    At that moment, Link asked her what she was doing, and Ivanka said she was cooking.


    Link asked why she had come over to cook since she used to only order takeout.


    Ivanka said she read a book which mentioned that for a couple living together, cooking at home helps nurture the relationship, so she did just that.


    Link asked what about the chefs and waiters losing their jobs, wondering if it would make them seem like heartless capitalists?


    Ivanka joked that it was fine, they could create more job positions. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, Link asked if she was still in contact with Taylor and whether Taylor had said anything to her.


    Ivanka didn''t admit it but just urged him to wash his hands and eat.


    "Why are you still standing there? Catherine told me you like stir-fried dishes from Huaxia, so I followed a recipe and made a spicy diced chicken. Try it in a moment and give it a critique."


    Ivanka said, setting a dish on the dining table.


    Link glanced at her, went to the restroom to wash his hands, changed into a set of loose sportswear, and when he returned to the dining room, there were six dishes on the table, four dishes and two soups, which all smelled very appealing, and they were clearly a significant improvement compared to what she''d made ten days earlier.


    Link sat down to eat, deliberately tasting the Kung Pao chicken she made. The taste was average, too sweet, but considering it was the first time Miss Ivanka had cooked it, he ate several more spoonfuls.


    "How is it?"


    Across the table, Ivanka rested her chin on her hands, her beautiful face filled with anticipation.


    "Very good, out of a perfect ten, I give you eight and a half."


    Link nodded and said.


    "Thank you! I suddenly realized that cooking seems to also be a meaningful thing, like now, after I have cooked and you are satisfied with the meal, praising my culinary skills, it''s also a great achievement for me, more meaningful than finalizing a fifty million deal," Ivanka said, twirling her hair with a smile.


    For cooking convenience, she had tied her golden-brown hair into a ponytail and wore no makeup.


    Even like this, Ivanka was beautiful, but Link thought the kitchen didn''t belong to her. She was meant to be in management, doing important work, and her time shouldn''t be wasted on making three meals a day.


    Cooking would damage her hands and facial skin; the cooking fumes were harmful to her hair quality.


    These weren''t the consequences he wanted.


    "You''re doing great, but I suggest you don''t cook anymore. You can let the servants do it. If you''re interested in cooking, you can do it on holidays."


    Link said.


    "Why? Don''t you like it?"


    Ivanka asked.


    "I don''t know what Taylor said to you, or what advice he offered, but what I want to say is, you don''t need to do these things or change anything for me. You are you, and the original you was more outstanding and charming than any other woman, and I fell for you. After you make these changes, I don''t know if I will be more fascinated by you, but I think the original you was just fine."


    As he spoke, Link suddenly remembered a song, a hit song that made Mars famous.


    It was almost as well-known as "Uptown Funk," and to his surprise, he discovered the song should have been released by now, but it seemed Mars hadn''t created it yet. Could it be that he had influenced this?


    "What''s wrong?"


    Ivanka, who had been seriously contemplating his words, suddenly noticed him freeze, lost in thought and not even noticing a green bean falling from his fork onto the table.


    "I remembered a song that seems like I heard it in the recording studio, lyrics from that song are what I want to say to you."


    "Really? Then sing it for me to hear."


    Ivanka said with a smile.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, walked to the grand piano in the living room, wiped his fingers, placed them on the keys, and began to play and sing.


    Oh her eyes, her eyes,


    Make the stars look like they''re not shining,


    Her hair, her hair,


    Falls perfectly without her trying,


    She''s so beautiful,


    And I tell her every day,


    ...


    Ivanka crossed her arms and listened to him sing quietly, the corners of her lips turning up more and more.


    But every time she asks me do I look okay,


    I say,


    When I see your face,


    There''s not a thing that I would change,


    Cause you''re amazing,

 Chapter 470 - 386 Evas Cooking Skills_2

    You are so beautiful


    Just the way you are


    Just be yourself


    And when you smile


    When you smile


    The whole world stops and stares for a while


    Cause girl you''re amazing


    Girl, you are so beautiful


    Just the way you are


    Just be yourself


    ...


    Upon hearing the first few bars, Eva wasn''t overly surprised, but as it continued, she couldn''t help but cover her red lips, her beautiful eyes blinked as she gazed at Link in earnest, a flush spreading from her ears to her cheeks.


    Ding ding dong dong!


    After Link finished singing, he raised his hands and stood up from the piano.


    Clap clap clap!


    Eva couldn''t help clapping enthusiastically, like a little fan girl.


    "Is this something you just wrote? It''s a very good song, I can guarantee it could absolutely be a number one hit."


    Eva said with a smile.


    "I don''t know, it seems familiar, I forgot where, I will call The Help in a moment."


    Link said, wrapping his arms around her and heading back to the dining table.


    "So, what you wanted to tell me is that I should just be myself?"


    At the dining table, Eva looked at him and asked with a slight smile.


    "Yes, you are perfect just the way you are. There is no need to change anything for me."


    Link responded.


    "But what if next time you go and complain to Taylor again, giving Taylor the chance to mock me for not being a competent girlfriend? What should I do then?"


    Eva asked.


    "Did Taylor really tell you about the cooking? Are you two that close?"


    Link asked in surprise.


    Eva pursed her red lips, "Taylor and I don''t get along well, but we have a lot of common topics concerning you. When we''re free, we talk about you, and as for what we discuss, that''s our secret and I can''t tell you."


    Link felt tense upon hearing this; in theory, ex-girlfriends and current girlfriends should hate and despise each other, but Eva and Taylor still kept in touch, often discussing him, making him feel like he was being ganged up on by his ex and current girlfriend.


    Link thought he needed to be more careful around Taylor, not to treat her as a confidante, sharing everything. Him sharing this with Eva seemed like Taylor was also using Eva to deal with him, keeping him from bothering her.


    Realizing this, he fell silent. They had broken up half a year ago, and their contact had gradually decreased, making their relationship more distant. It seemed he really shouldn''t bother Taylor anymore, as it would be better and fairer to her.


    "Alright, I won''t talk to her about those weird things anymore. Can I just see the kids in the future? You can come along whenever you have the time."


    Link suggested.


    "Let''s agree on that. Although these past few days, while learning to cook, I really found some joy in serving others, especially doing it for someone I love,"


    Eva said with a smile.


    "You can cook on holidays, and let the maid handle it on regular days."


    "Okay!"


    Eva poured a glass of white wine, insisting on clinking glasses with him, saying it added a sense of ceremony to sealing the agreement.


    After dinner, Eva returned to her study to deal with work matters, while Link recorded a short clip of "Just the way you are" and sent it to Mars from The Help and his team members, asking what they thought.


    After a while, Mars responded saying it sounded great, asking if it was his new song?


    Link was surprised; the song was written by Mars for his girlfriend, how could he not have heard it? Was it possible that with a change of company, he didn''t meet that girlfriend and therefore never wrote this song?


    The Help also commented positively, asking if it was complete?


    Link sent the short sample and lyrics to Grammy, asking Mars''s team to re-arrange it and to sing it again for a listen.


    Mars was in the studio preparing his second album and managed to record the song within an hour, sending it back to Link for his opinion.


    Link listened to it once and felt it still lacked something, especially Mars''s emotional touch on the song delivery, and there were also some issues with the arrangement.


    He sent a message saying it wasn''t good, pointing out several issues with the harmony and accompaniment, asking them to refine it further. If Mars could perform it well, he would give him the song.


    Mars promptly called to thank him, assuring he would perform the song well.


    "Just the Way You Are" was Mars''s breakthrough hit, topping music charts in over a dozen countries including the United States, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and Britain, and it also helped Mars win the Grammy Award for Best Male Artist.


    The song is of high quality and very popular, a staple at weddings, and often played on "Day Day Up."


    Link had thought about making the song his own, but decided it was better left with its original owner.


    Firstly, Mars''s sultry voice suited it better than his.


    Moreover, he was already a top figure in the music industry, and having another hit song wouldn''t significantly boost his fame, whereas for Mars, such a song could greatly enhance his reputation, boost album sales, and accelerate his rise to the top.


    From the perspective of Link''s music career development, letting Mars sing it was more advantageous.


    "Are you done with your work, how about we play some tennis?"


    Ivanka came downstairs carrying a tennis racket, dressed in a white bandeau that showed off her fair, flat stomach, and olive green leggings that highlighted her curvaceous hips and long, shapely legs, with muscles gently outlined, neither too thick nor too thin.


    She was also wearing a green headband and a pair of wristbands, exuding health and vitality.


    "I remember you saying you didn''t like playing tennis, worried about bulking up, so why suggest it now?"


    Link put down his pen and stood up to speak.


    "I think you were right, we used to live very different lives, from daily dietary preferences to lifestyle habits, to sports activities, but now that we are a couple, if we want to stay together for a long time, we need to learn to move closer to each other, otherwise, even if we are together, we won''t feel happy or fulfilled," Ivanka said.


    Link smiled lightly, "There''s no need for that, as long as you let me in your bed at night, there will be no barriers between us."


    Ivanka paused, looked at him, and said, "If you want to sleep with me, you could do it right now."


    "Really? How should I do it, just pin you down?"


    Link said, laughing.


    "No, just propose to me, and I''ll immediately give you 80 points, even 100 if you dare," Ivanka said, batting her long eyelashes.


    Propose?


    Link was momentarily stunned and somewhat surprised, as he had never considered marriage, mainly because he was too young at just 21 years old, which seemed too early at his age in any country.


    After getting married, his status would change, no longer the eligible bachelor but a married man, possibly with children. The thought was quite frightening.


    "Do I have to marry you to sleep with you?"


    Link felt that conquering her would be more challenging than with Taylor. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ivanka looked at his cheek and hesitated for a few seconds before saying, "Because my mom is Czech and lives in a very conservative area, she insists that I must be engaged to a boyfriend before sleeping with him, otherwise I''ll never be happy in life, and I promised her."


    "So, that''s why? Well, wait, have you ever been engaged before?"


    "Of course not!"


    Ivanka glared at him, picked up her racket, pushed past him, and walked out of the villa.


    Link was stunned for a moment. If what she said was true, then she might be...


    Impossible!


    With her peach-shaped figure, explosive chest, and seductive expression, she seemed like a highly experienced woman. How could such a woman have never been with a man?


    Even Jesus wouldn''t believe it.


    What was her purpose in lying?


    To trick him into marriage?


    "Hey, what are you thinking about, do you still want to play tennis?"


    Ivanka shouted from the lawn.


    Link set aside his mixed thoughts and joined her on the tennis court.


    Playing tennis with Ivanka was a pleasing sight, watching her run around the court, her breasts bouncing, and her pale, flexible waist and long, straight legs...


    Bang!


    It was only when a tennis ball hit him in the forehead that he stopped ogling and focused on the game.


    The match was a best of five sets, each set five points, and he won the first match by taking three straight sets cleanly.


    Ivanka, not willing to accept defeat, insisted on a rematch.


    In the second match, he won again with a significant score difference.


    Despite the sweat drenching her and her leggings soaking through, and her leg muscles trembling slightly, Ivanka still insisted on another match.


    Seeing her barely able to hold the racket, Link advised her to stop and practice another time.


    Ivanka insisted on playing, declaring that she could definitely win this match.


    With no other choice, Link let her win one.


    In the end, Ivanka smiled and claimed her victory.


    Link didn''t argue but as he watched her back, he recalled the matter of adding points. If a proposal meant an increase of eighty, could it be a trap?

 Chapter 471 - 387: American Music Awards

    After their conversation, Ivanka returned to New York to work, where it was more convenient for her to handle her business.


    As she was leaving, Ivanka mentioned that if he couldn''t return to New York on weekends or holidays, she would fly to Los Angeles to be with him. Link wanted to say it wasn''t necessary since her presence didn''t mean they would share a bed, making her visit no different from not coming at all.


    At the same time, he also found her condition of marriage before sex a bit peculiar.


    Logically speaking, even in the somewhat conservative regions of the United States and South Korea, people don''t really care about how many men their future spouses have been with.


    Why would Ivanka use this as an excuse? Or was she telling the truth, that she had never been with a man before?


    Every time he thought about this, he felt a bit conflicted. After talking with Taylor, he had planned to end this awkward romantic relationship with Ivanka and fully embrace being a playboy, but hearing this made him hesitate to let go.


    Although there are many beautiful women in the world, capable women like Ivanka are rare. Giving her up seemed like no subsequent choice could compare to her.


    After wrestling with this for several days, Link had to admit that Ivanka was very good at "fishing." Ever since they started Link Music together, he had been hooked by her, caught tightly in her net.


    ¡ª


    In its third week, "The Expendables" earned $12.75 million at the box office, dropping to third place with a North American cumulative total of $74.47 million.


    By this week, "The Expendables" had been released concurrently in over thirty countries overseas, accumulating $104 million at the box office.


    The global box office is expected to exceed $300 million.


    Although its performance did not match earlier releases like "Inception," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ¨C Part 1," and "Toy Story 3," it was still one of the more successful films at the end of the year.


    The film''s cool action scenes and Link''s charismatic role garnered a lot of fans internationally after its release.


    Chris Liu, Sasaki Nozomi, and Yui-chan even called him specifically to say how cool he was in the movie, perfectly playing the role of a handsome, skilled, and fickle man.


    Alright, they were teasing him.


    "Cut!"


    "Next scene!"


    After the "Captain America" crew moved to Los Angeles, shooting progressively smoothed out but also became more monotonous.


    Working eight hours a day, from nine in the morning to four in the afternoon, he was not against working overtime, but in Hollywood, the overtime wages were too high, and the crew did not want to increase expenses unnecessarily.


    With his free time, he spent most of it boxing, making his muscles stronger and increasing his weight to 181 pounds. Apart from the demands of filming, he was also preparing for next year''s light heavyweight competition.


    With the increase in muscle mass, the coordination of muscle groups, mobility, and reaction speeds also faced certain declines.


    He needed to adapt to his current muscles and punching weight before the competition and try to increase his speed. If he could maintain the speed of the super middleweight class in the light heavyweight competition, it would be a tremendous advantage for him.


    In martial arts, speed is paramount, and the same applies to boxing.


    After gaining weight, he also tested his punching power.


    His right punch reached a maximum of 1650 pounds, and his left 1500 pounds.


    That was about twenty pounds heavier than tests in May and June.


    This was good news for him, boosting his confidence in winning the match a bit more.


    The only one probably dissatisfied with his weight gain was De La Hoya.


    With their fight next month, since they were not in the same weight class, the match was inherently uneven.


    The requirement for weight at the time of the match was not very strict, so both could gain weight before the fight.


    De La Hoya, standing at 182 cm, planned to gain ten pounds before the fight, initially thinking that he could match Link''s weight. However, seeing Link''s increased weight, his muscles became even more robust and solid, with no signs of bad muscle, he looked formidable.


    Every time Hoyle saw him, he would grumble accusing him of fearing loss, which was why he secretly bulked up before the match.


    In mid-November, the American Music Awards arrived, and Link took time to attend the ceremony at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, the same venue as the MTV Awards. The singers participating were almost the same as well.


    Since the criteria for the American Music Awards are based on the Billboard magazine and the Billboard website''s comprehensive data, including album and digital single sales, radio play, internet streaming, social media activity, and tour ticket sales.


    Simply put, it''s a competition of popularity in the U.S., album sales, online activity, and concert ticket sales.


    In all these aspects, Link was undeniably number one.


    His third album "The Woman I Love" sold 4.68 million copies in the U.S., and about 20.50 million globally, the only album in 2010 with U.S. sales exceeding four million and global sales over twenty million.


    In second place was Taylor''s "Last Kiss," with U.S. sales of 3.85 million and about 9.50 million globally. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Third place, Eminem''s "Recovery," with U.S. sales of 3.23 million.


    Fourth place, the pre-war goddess band''s "Need You Now" at 3.02 million.


    Fifth place, Justin Bieber''s "My World 2.0" with sales of 2.32 million.


    Sixth place, British singer Susan Boyle''s "The Gift," with U.S. sales of 1.72 million.


    Seventh place, Lady Gaga''s "The Fame" at 1.59 million.


    Eighth place, Aubrey Drake''s "Thank Me Later" at 1.21 million.


    Ninth place, Wiz Khalifa''s "Deal Or No Deal" at 1.19 million.


    In tenth place, Kesha''s "Animal" sold 1.14 million copies.


    Among the artists ranked 11 to 20, soul singer Sade with "Soldier of Love", Usher''s "Raymond vs. Raymond," Katy Perry''s September release "Teenage Dream," Miley Cyrus''s "Can''t Be Tamed," and Selena''s "A Year Without Rain" all boasted sales over 800,000 copies in the United States within the year.


    Due to Link''s third album being far ahead of his peers, it was unmatched in media and online popularity.


    At the American Music Awards ceremony, he also won four major awards by a large margin, including Artist of the Year, Best Male Pop Vocal Artist, Best Pop Album, and Best Adult Contemporary Artist, making him the biggest winner at the awards.


    Eminem won Best Rap Artist and Best Rap Album for "Recovery."


    Usher also bagged two awards, for Best R&B Album and Artist.


    Lady Gaga only secured the award for Best Female Pop Vocal Artist, while Taylor, Carrie Underwood, and the Pre-War Goddess Band shared the country music category''s Best Female Artist, Best Album, and Best Group.


    Justin Bieber received the Best New Artist of the Year award.


    Wiz Khalifa, Selena, Lana Del Rey, Katy Perry, and Bruno Mars were all nominated, but the competition was too intense for them to clinch any awards.


    After the American Music Awards, Link returned to the film set to continue shooting.


    In mid-November, he traveled with the crew of "Captain America" to Britain, Sweden, Norway, and other locations for filming.


    After being busy for over two months, he completed the main part of Captain America''s shooting, with the remaining post-production to be done in Los Angeles studios, approximately ten more days of filming.


    In December, he returned to the United States to attend a boxing match with De La Hoya at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas.


    Announced at the beginning of the year, after a year of promotion, the match was well-known nationally and successfully sparked the interest of boxing fans.


    To add intrigue to the match, he and Hoyle performed two songs as a pre-fight warm-up and started the match after the performance ended.


    The fight lasted three rounds; Hoyle''s clever tactics during the match prolonged the fight rather than Link intentionally holding back.


    With his lightweight speed, superb boxing skills, and high-frequency Quick Fist strategy, he made the fight extremely challenging.


    Eventually, Link took advantage of Hoyle''s waning stamina, trapped him in a corner, and landed two consecutive punches to his face, successfully knocking him out and winning the match.


    Due to effective promotion, the fight''s Pay-Per-View (PPV) sales reached 125 million US dollars, ranking second on the Forbes boxing PPV revenue chart.


    The first place was the May 2007 match between Hoyle and Mayweather, with PPV sales of 136 million US dollars.


    The third place was on June 8, 2002, Lennox vs. Tyson, with PPV sales of 112 million US dollars.


    The fourth place, on June 28, 1997, Mike Tyson vs. Holyfield, had PPV sales of 100.2 million US dollars (second fight).


    The fifth place was on August 19, 1995, Mike Tyson vs. Peter McNeeley, with PPV sales of 96 million US dollars.


    The sixth place, on April 19, 1991, Holyfield vs. George Foreman, had PPV sales of 80 million US dollars.


    The seventh place was on November 9, 1996, Mike Tyson vs. Holyfield, with PPV sales of 77.9 million US dollars (first fight).


    Although the PPV revenue for this fight was high, it did not surpass the one between Hoyle and Mayweather.


    Afterward, "Ring Magazine" commented on this fight, stating that although both fighters were big names and the match was exciting, it lacked suspense.


    Link was too strong in the Super Middleweight division, unbeatable with great strength, speed, and excellent technique, making him the most renowned and formidable boxer in the ring.


    While Hoyle was also a top-tier boxer, his age, height, weight, and punch power were inferior to Link''s, and his recent record of two losses out of three fights severely dampened fans'' confidence in him.


    The betting odds were significantly against Hoyle at 1 to 65, even higher than the odds for Tyson''s fight against Douglas.


    Many could guess the outcome even before the match, which caused a decrease in boxing fans'' willingness to pay to watch, resulting in only 125 million US dollars in PPV revenue.


    However, the fight did well on video platforms like YouTube, with 1.85 million viewers opting to pay to watch, bringing Link and Hoyle around 20 million US dollars in shared revenue.


    Including ticket sales and other earnings, Link and Dynasty Sports totaled 72 million US dollars in revenue from this match, while Hoyle and Golden Boy Promotions made about 38 million US dollars, making the total prize money for this event 110 million US dollars, marking Link''s first match to earn over 70 million US dollars.


    His earnings from boxing that year also exceeded 200 million US dollars.


    After the boxing match, Link led his touring team to continue performing concerts in Europe.


    Over the course of just over two months, they held 52 concerts.


    In February, he brought his tour back to North America, performing 16 shows across the United States and Canada, concluding successfully at a concert in Times Square, New York.


    This tour, which started in October of 2009, spanned 18 months and took place in 82 countries and regions worldwide, totaling 166 concerts.


    It sold 4.43 million tickets globally, averaging 26,000 people per show, making him the singer with the highest ticket sales in a global tour over the past decade.


    He outperformed top artists and bands such as Super Boys, Backstreet Boys, Madonna, Britney Spears, and Lady Gaga, even surpassing MJ''s ''Dangerous World Tour'' to set a new Guinness World Record.


    The ''Dangerous World Tour'' in 1993 had 69 shows with 3.5 million ticket sales, averaging 50,000 people per show.


    Link''s record was for holding 166 concerts worldwide in 18 months, selling 4.43 million tickets, surpassing MJ in both the number of regions and total ticket sales.


    Afterward, the media nicknamed him "workhorse," joking about the high frequency and speed of his concerts, noting that he never seemed tired, connecting one show to the next, sometimes holding four concerts in a week.


    Despite the fast pace of his concerts, each performance was stable; there were no lip-syncing, voice cracks, or off-key issues, and he never cut corners with his fans.


    This performance also earned praise from both the media and fans, with many artists publicly expressing their intention to follow his lead by first getting fit before embarking on a global tour.

 Chapter 472 - 388: The Man Who Fears Marriage

    In March, in Miami, on the azure sea, a white yacht drifted with the waves. From afar, it looked like a white waterbird gliding between the azure sea and the blue sky.


    Link lay on the deck of the yacht, his upper body exposed, wearing only a pair of beach shorts and a pair of sunglasses. His skin shimmered with a metallic sheen under the sun, and his muscles, solid and powerful, appeared as though they were cast from iron.


    Sitting opposite him was James, who had just boarded the yacht, wearing a baseball cap and also shirtless, showing off a plump expanse of white flesh. The waistband of his pants was tightly cinched around his belly, which almost seemed to spill onto the deck.


    "Link, I''ve made up my mind to go to Los Angeles with you, New York is fine too," James said.


    "It''s too late, I don''t want to take you now," Link replied, without looking up.


    "Why? Staying here, part of me will always be here, and the thought of it is terrifying. I want to see the world outside, New York or Los Angeles," James pleaded.


    "The outside world... It''s just like that, nothing worth seeing, not as beautiful as Miami Beach," Link said casually, leafing through a magazine under the sunshade, not even lifting his head.


    James scratched his chubby face, hesitated for a moment, then slumped into the deck chair resignedly.


    "Link, I don''t want to get married. I''m totally not ready for marriage," he confessed.


    "It''s too late for that. Lillian is already carrying your child. You say you don''t want to marry now; what were you doing before?" Link pointed out, a slight curl to his lip.


    More than ten days ago, Link had returned to Miami, worn out and ready to rest for a while.


    But he''d heard that James got a new girlfriend named Lillian, a Latin girl, a bit overweight, not particularly beautiful but not ugly either, a fine match for James.


    Lillian was an employee James hired last year for his dive shop, industrious and adroit, able to keep the place in tip-top order all on her own.


    After working together for three to four months, they naturally ended up sleeping together.


    Less than two months later, Lillian got pregnant and asked James what they should do.


    James was terrified, so frightened that he fled to Daniel''s shop to hide.


    Lillian then turned to James'' mother, Cathy, and told her about it.


    Aunt Cathy knew Lillian and was very pleased with her as a daughter-in-law; she was grounded and capable, had a good disposition, and had even completed two years at a community college ¨C a lot better than the girls James had known before.


    She told Lillian she hoped she would keep the baby and even said she would make James marry her.


    Latter, Aunt Cathy found James at Daniel''s shop and told him to marry Lillian.


    James flatly refused. His ideal wife was a hot-bodied, stunning beauty, not someone like Lillian, with a so-so face and a rather plump figure.


    Stammering, he asked Cathy whether he could take Lillian to get an abortion.


    Cathy slapped him across the face, telling him it was out of the question. She asked why he slept with her in the first place if he didn''t think much of her and now didn''t want to take responsibility now that she was pregnant. She demanded to know who he''d learned this from.


    Cathy dragged him by the ear back home, let Lillian stay to nurture her pregnancy, and started preparing for their wedding. They would marry in two months.


    As the wedding drew near, James became increasingly anxious. Seeing Link return, he pestered him every day about fleeing to Los Angeles or New York.


    Link knew the entire story from Cathy and naturally wouldn''t indulge James'' whims. If he really took James to Los Angeles, Cathy would truly believe James had learned to be bad from him.


    Lillian and the unborn child would blame him in the future, and he did not want to be the villain.


    "Get married first. Once the child is born, you''re welcome to come to Los Angeles or New York," Link suggested.


    Link took a sip of lemonade, moistening his dry lips.


    "I don''t want to get married, I''m only 24 years old, I haven''t had enough fun yet, and that child... I''m not ready to be a dad at all,"


    James spread his hands and said.


    Link gave him a glance. If it weren''t for the store he owned and his U.S. citizenship, a guy like him would just end up as a bachelor in any other country¡ªno one would be chasing to marry him and have his kids.


    "There are two months left until the wedding, it''s not too late to start preparing now. Also, Cathy is planning to open a small coffee shop downtown, and she''s leaving you and Lillian to manage it. With a wife and kids, and the coffee shop, you could have a pretty good life."


    "Don''t you think that''s terrifying? I''ve grown up without ever leaving Miami, and now I''m about to get married and become a dad, to be stuck with a coffee shop for life. It''s too dreadful, life like that is predictable from miles away. I regret it now... I should have gone with you to Los Angeles earlier."


    James said.


    "So what if you went to Los Angeles? Parties are lively, but you can''t party every day. Universal Studios, Venice Beach, Beverly Hills, Sunset Boulevard¡ªthese places are beautiful and bustling, but you''d get tired of them over time.


    And those bars, dance halls, and clubs are just where bored people pass the time. The more you go, the more bored you''ll become. Staying in Miami, staying where you like, might not be such a bad thing after all."


    "That''s not what you used to say. You always used to encourage me to go out."


    "You didn''t have a child back then,"


    Link said.


    It wasn''t just because of the child, but also because of James''s personality. Someone as internally weak as him would suffer even more in a big city. It was better for him to stay in the comfort zone of Miami.


    As for the idea that living in a big city shapes you to become more mature and resilient, that doesn''t apply to everyone.


    Some people are naturally strong and tough; they turn into gold through hardships. But most end up as crushed fragments, and James was clearly not among the former.


    Moreover, after living in New York and Los Angeles for over two years, Link''s feelings for those places had evolved from initial yearning to a somewhat weary state.


    To him, these two cities felt like bottomless quagmires, in which treasure chests labeled with wealth, fame, status, and lust lay hidden. The more you acquire, the heavier you become, sinking deeper and deeper.


    Link had never considered himself covetous or lecherous; his goals had been a couple of beauties and savings of several hundred million.


    But after witnessing the materialistic torrents of Hollywood and the extravagant opulence of Manhattan, one''s character is subtly influenced, personal values contorted, and desires inflated to no end, making a person increasingly greedy, lustful, and vain.


    Although Link had resisted and struggled against it, upon returning to Miami from those quagmires and reflecting on his actions over the past year, he realized all his struggles were fruitless.


    Once someone enters the morass, they become part of it, even though at this moment his physical self may be floating on the surface of Miami Beach.


    Another societal aspect of him remains in New York and Los Angeles, with newspapers, TV, and the internet still broadcasting the things he did there.


    As if he had never left.


    Even someone considered strong like him couldn''t stay true to himself after entering a big city, let alone James.


    "Link, I heard about the child you had with Taylor..."


    "Stop it,"


    Link said.


    "Oh, okay!" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    James awkwardly scratched his face.

 Chapter 473 - 389: Net Worth Two Billion (7/10)

    After James departed on the speedboat, Link lay on the sofa browsing through magazines.


    By March, "The Expendables" had been gradually withdrawn from theaters across North America, grossing 130.3 million US Dollars in North America and 297 million US Dollars worldwide, with several countries and regions still showing the film.


    This movie ranked 18th on the 2010 North American box office chart.


    Produced by Palm Beach Films, "Scandal Plan" earned 71.41 million US Dollars in North America and 122 million US Dollars globally, placing the 38th on the annual North American box office rankings. Though not highly placed, it was considered the biggest surprise hit of 2010.


    From box office revenue shares as well as DVD, home entertainment, and cable television splits, Palm Beach Films reaped over 48 million US Dollars, nearly twelve times its cost.


    More importantly, the film''s lead actress Emma Stone also soared in popularity in the entertainment industry, becoming as famous as the top four ing¨¦nues.


    Having appeared in both films, plus "Valentine''s Day" released earlier in the year, Link was in three films this year with global box office earnings exceeding 100 million each, earning him high praise from the media for his strong box office appeal.


    The first three months of every year is the award season in the entertainment industry, with more than ten award shows including the Golden Globes, Grammys, Oscars, People''s Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, and Critics'' Choice Awards, all of which Link received nominations or invitations to the ceremonies.


    However, due to a multitude of personal matters during these two months, he only attended the Grammy Awards.


    This year at the Grammys, he led all artists with twelve nominations and ultimately won three awards: Song of the Year, Album of the Year, and Best Pop Male Vocalist, making him the biggest winner of this year''s Grammy Awards.


    He also won other accolades including the People''s Choice Award for Favorite Action Movie Star ("The Expendables"), Teen Choice Award for Scene Stealer ("The Expendables") and Best Kiss ("Valentine''s Day" vs Taylor), and Critics'' Choice Award for Best Actor in an Action Movie ("The Expendables"), among others.


    He was literally taking home awards left and right.


    Furthermore, artists under Link Music and actors from Palm Bay Talent Agency also had a rich harvest at various music/movie award ceremonies at the beginning of the year, grabbing more than twenty awards.


    Besides award ceremony news, he also looked at the latest Billboard chart data.


    In November last year, Lana released her second album "Born to Die", with lead singles "Dancing with your ghost" and "Born to Die" ascending to Billboard''s number one spot in succession, with the former sitting at the top of the singles chart for three non-consecutive weeks.


    The album''s sales were unexpectedly strong, selling 224,000 copies in the first week in the United States, topping the album chart, and currently reaching a total of 1.137 million in the US alone, marking Lana''s second platinum album.


    The album sales overseas were even better than in the US.


    Following its release, the album conquered the charts in nine countries including Britain, France, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, and Australia.


    By March, the cumulative sales had surpassed 500,000 copies in eleven countries, with Australia leading at two million copies sold.


    As of now, "Born to Die" has accumulated a global sales total of 8.37 million copies, and achieving diamond status is only a matter of time.


    Lana was rightfully considered the top female artist at Link Music.


    Following Lana, Bruno Mars also released his second studio album, "Doo-Wops & Hooligans", in early February.


    The album''s first promotional single, "Grenade", was released in mid-January, dominating the Billboard Hot 100 for three consecutive weeks, becoming Mars''s third number-one single following "Nothin'' on You" and "Lighters".


    In mid-February, the second promotional single "Just the Way You Are" was released alongside the album.


    The song was an instant hit upon release, with first-day sales reaching 860,000 copies and holding the top position on the singles chart for six consecutive weeks, still unbeaten this week.


    Both promotional singles had impressive sales, which helped promote the album''s reputation, debuting with 341,000 copies sold in the US, and becoming the Billboard 200 album chart winner for three consecutive weeks.


    To date, the album''s US sales figure has reached 924,000 copies, poised to surpass Lana''s, though internationally, Mars''s second album sales lag behind Lana''s.


    While Lana and Mars''s albums sold well, fans and the media did not forget him, the man behind the scenes.


    He single-handedly handled the lead singles of both albums, garnering huge success in the market.


    Now, fans, peers, record companies, and the media all regard him as a musical genius, a master, an influential figure akin to a godfather.


    It''s said that any song he writes will inevitably climb to the top of the singles charts, whoever sings his song becomes famous.


    Some say his songs are a barometer for the market, asserting that to ensure an album''s success, one needs only to follow the style of his songs or those of the newest albums by Link Music artists, and they can''t go wrong.


    The media has made him out to be something of a legend.


    Singers eager to join Link Music are numerous as fishes in a river, sending in hundreds of demo tapes every week, hoping to catch his eye and become the next Lana, Mars, or Wiz Khalifa.


    After the success of these two albums, Link Music''s market value easily broke through 600 million US dollars, with the latest valuation between 620 million and 650 million.


    Because of his massive influence on the United States music scene and popular culture last year, coupled with his overwhelming popularity, "Time Magazine" listed him again as one of the ''Time 100,'' ''Time Idol,'' and ''Top Ten Hot Internet News Personalities.''


    "People Weekly" also once again named him ''Sexiest Man of the Year,'' ''Most Influential Person in American Pop Culture,'' and ''Music Superstar.''


    In the annual music industry power list published by "Rolling Stone," his rank was only behind the CEOs of record companies like Universal Music, Sony Music, and Warner Music, placing him sixth, with Ivanka in the ninth position.


    Also, because he''s been on fire recently, Link didn''t want to deal with the media, which is why he came to Miami to rest and recharge.


    "Link, do you want to try the iced tea I made?"


    Nozomi Sasaki came out of the cabin holding a silver tray, wearing only a bikini. Tall with long legs and hair tied in a bun, she revealed a delicate and sweet little face, appearing fresh and cute, just like a woman walking out of a Japanese manga.


    Nozomi-chan had also come to Miami over ten days ago to join him on vacation. She would keep out of sight when others were around, only showing herself when alone with Link, to make tea, chat, or cuddle in his arms, every wish readily granted.


    Link took a sip of the iced tea, made with British tea leaves. It had a cool and slightly astringent taste, with a sweet aftertaste and rich aroma of tea.


    "It tastes good."


    Nozomi-chan knelt by his side, smiling sweetly at him, snuggling into his embrace.


    She had just come out of the cabin, her skin cool and smooth to the touch, feeling great in his arms.


    "How are the lingerie sales?"


    "The new lingerie brand was launched at the end of last year, and in the beginning of this year, sales in Tokyo, Yokohama, and Osaka reached over 68,500 pieces, profiting 32 million yen. I have the data on my laptop, do you want to take a look?"


    Nozomi Sasaki offered as she pretended to get up.


    Link waved his hand dismissively, 45 million yen being only about two hundred thousand US dollars. Nevertheless, for a newly launched brand to sell so much was not bad at all.


    "Are you still filming?"


    "No, I bid farewell to the entertainment industry in September and stopped appearing in the media."


    Nozomi Sasaki said.


    Link caressed her smooth cheek, "Aren''t you uncomfortable with not attending public events anymore?"


    "Not at all, I like it this way. The Japanese media have reported about our relationship, and now everyone knows that I belong to you. They respect me a lot, and I get invited to sit in the high seat at business meetings, which is much better than before."


    Nozomi Sasaki looked up at him, her eyes filled with admiration.


    Link smiled gently; the Japanese public has a strong admiration for the successful.


    After their relationship was exposed by the Japanese media last September, many Japanese fans called him a scumbag and demanded he leave Japan. However, as Tesla went public and his net worth rose significantly, becoming a billionaire, the voices in the media criticizing him subsided.


    In the last half-year, as Tesla''s stock price has steadily climbed, reaching a market value of 6 billion US dollars, Twitter''s third round of financing hit 4.5 billion US dollars, and Link Music broke through 600 million.


    Just these three parts alone, "The Wall Street Journal" estimated his net worth to be around 1.8 billion US dollars. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taking into account earnings from global touring and boxing matches, among other things, The Wall Street Journal estimated his net worth to be around 2.2 billion.


    In early March "Forbes" valued him at 2.45 billion US dollars, primarily including stock holdings in the aforementioned three companies, shares in Dynasty Sports, Amazon stocks, and investments and income from music, boxing, film, advertising, and real estate.


    This final amount of 2.45 billion US dollars placed him at number 398 on the "Forbes" global billionaires list, which was nearly ten times higher than last year.


    As his net worth increased, negative media coverage about him in the United States and internationally decreased, with most reports being about his public appearances, rarely mentioning any scandals.


    In Japan, the situation was similar; the media stopped reporting on his and Nozomi Sasaki''s scandals, instead focusing on their business activities.


    Nozomi Sasaki-chan also gained several prestigious titles at the beginning of the year, such as the most beautiful female CEO, vice-president of the Tokyo United Lingerie Association, and vice-chairperson of the Tokyo Loving Heart Association, among others.


    Nozomi Sasaki underwent a significant transformation in status, from an exploited artist to a respected woman; needless to say, she didn''t miss her old career.


    Link kissed her cherry-like lips and loosened the straps beneath her, wriggling on the deck like big fish as the yacht swayed.

 Chapter 474 - 390: The Childs Life and Death

    On the surface of the sea, Ms. Anna held a folder and waited on the lower deck for a while until she saw the Japanese woman slowly descending the escalator. She bowed slightly with her hand on her lower abdomen and whispered that Mr. Baker had invited her up.


    Ms. Anna politely thanked her, handed her hat and sunglasses to the assistant, and followed Sasaki Nozomi to the second deck.


    When Link saw Anna coming up, he put on a shirt, poured a glass of sparkling water, and handed it to her, asking, "What matter has compelled you to make the trip out to sea?"


    Ms. Anna was now his agent, primarily responsible for liaising with Link Music, Palm Bay Agency, and managing other aspects of his career, essentially the steward for his entertainment-related work.


    Ana reported three matters at hand.


    First, the few films he had shot last year were major box-office hits, believed to wield significant box-office appeal.


    Palm Bay Agency recently received numerous script invitations, with eight proposals offering over ten million each, all from the significant film productions of the year by the top six studios.


    Among them were "The Tsunami Miracle", "The Hobbit", and "Les Miserables", some offers for lead roles and others for significant supporting roles¡ªall quite ideal.


    Link thought it over and refused them all.


    These movies were all commercial films, and the purpose of making commercial films was to make money, which was precisely what he did not lack at the moment.


    A salary of ten to twenty million per movie was just a matter of minutes in a match for him, while shooting a movie took two to three months or even more.


    His time and energy were limited; he couldn''t afford to spend all of it on filming.


    He informed Anna that he would do at most two films a year for himself. He still had four films to shoot this year, so there was no need to accept other scripts for now. If he wanted to act, he would proactively seek roles that interested him.


    Ms. Anna acknowledged his plan, moving on to the second matter: Harvey Weinstein''s secretary had just called. Weinstein Company was planning a celebration party for the weekend and invited Link to attend.


    At the recent 83rd Oscars, "The King''s Speech", produced and distributed by Weinstein Company, received twelve nominations and took home Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay, becoming the biggest winner of the Oscars.


    Harvey Weinstein was also acknowledged in many winners'' speeches, making him one of the most watched figures at the Oscars.


    "The King''s Speech" not only received great reviews and numerous awards but also performed well at the box office, debuting on December 25 last year and amassing a total of 108 million in North America and over 220 million abroad.


    With only a production cost of fifteen million.


    Weinstein Company profited greatly from this film, overcoming last year''s downturn and financial crisis to reemerge as a leader in independent film production.


    At the beginning of the year, "Hollywood Reporter" ranked Harvey the most powerful person in Hollywood, surpassing Disney CEO Robert Iger, Fox CEO Murdoch, Paramount''s Lei Shidong, and directors like Spielberg, George Lucas, and Tom Cruise.


    Link considered for a moment and decided to accept the invitation.


    Since late last year to early this year, Harvey had twice invited him to parties, which he had declined, citing too much busyness and lack of time.


    Now, with media reports indicating he was vacationing in Miami and clearly having time, continuing to refuse would cause Harvey to lose face and potentially affect their collaboration on "The Silver Linings Playbook".


    "Anna, anything else?"


    Link asked.


    Anna hesitated a bit, "Boss, the detective sent over some news, it seems Taylor wasn''t prematurely born, and the child did not die young."


    Link frowned, "Is the news reliable?"


    "I''m not entirely sure. The hospital where Taylor gave birth is a highly confidential private hospital. All doctors and nurses involved in the delivery had signed non-disclosure agreements in advance, prohibiting them from revealing any work-related details, which made it difficult for us and the media to gain any information when investigating.


    The private detective faced difficulties too, but he picked up some information from an obstetric nurse he met at a bar a few days ago; however, without photos and exact data, I can''t verify the accuracy of the detective''s information,"


    Ms. Anna explained.


    Link pinched his forehead.


    In February, before the expected due date, he had wrapped up all his work to rush to Nashville to be with Taylor but was rejected by her, not even allowed a single meeting, no matter what he said.


    In early February, he returned to Los Angeles to attend the Grammy Awards and took home three trophies, becoming the biggest winner at the Grammys.


    He hadn''t even gotten the chance to enjoy his victories when that same night, Anna called from Nashville to report that Taylor had slipped on some snow during a prenatal checkup, resulting in an unplanned premature birth.


    By the time he arrived in Nashville, Taylor''s assistant, Emily, told him that due to inadequate medical intervention during childbirth, there was an accident and the child had died. She asked him to mourn.


    Link was distressed on hearing the news and inquired about the exact circumstances. Emily replied that she wasn''t present at the time and wasn''t sure of the details.


    Considering Taylor''s situation, he didn''t press further.


    Then he followed Emily into the hospital room and saw Taylor unconscious on the bed, her face pale. He put aside the matter of the child and took it upon himself to care for Taylor.


    After caring for her for a week, Taylor''s health gradually improved and she could walk in the grass. Suddenly one day, Taylor asked him if he wanted to know how the child had died.


    Link did not want to bring up the matter and was about to change the subject.


    Taylor told him that it was an accident caused by her deliberately falling to the ground.


    She said that if the child had lived, he would be like he was now, constantly clinging to her, controlling her life. He could also use visiting the child as an excuse to intrude into her life, making it impossible for her to leave him.


    She hated that, so she steeled her heart and ended the child''s life herself.


    When Taylor spoke, she clenched her fists white, her expression turning icy cold.


    Link was both shocked and doubtful, but he didn''t ask whether it was true or false. After returning Taylor to her hospital room, he also left Nashville.


    Because, true or false, Taylor''s words revealed her wishes not to be disturbed by him, and he had no reason to stay.


    However, after calming down, he thought Taylor might have spoken in anger. If she were truly ruthless, she would have had an abortion during the first few months of pregnancy, not waited until now.


    If Taylor''s act was not deliberate, the child''s death was an accident, or there might not have been a premature birth at all, perhaps Taylor made it up to get rid of him.


    Considering this, he decided to hire a detective to investigate the situation, but the secrecy from Taylor and the hospital was tight.


    Whether his people investigated or the media interviewed, all reported that Taylor had an accident a few days before her due date, and the child unfortunately did not survive.


    Now the detective had received a bit of news stating that Taylor did not deliver prematurely and the child was fine.


    He didn''t know whether this news was true or false.


    If it were true, that would be more than good.


    After thinking, he told Anna there was no need to investigate further since there was no point.


    With the child gone, digging up such elusive news would be useless and might cause Taylor secondary harm.


    If the child was still alive, Taylor, as a mother, would not just abandon him.


    Given her net worth of several hundred million US dollars, she would definitely be able to take care of that child.


    If the child was still alive and found by a detective or made known by the media, it wouldn''t be a good thing.


    Since Taylor wanted to conceal everything, he would respect her wishes.


    Anna acknowledged this. She asked him when he would return to Los Angeles and offered to help book his flight in advance.


    After seeing Anna off, Link stood on the deck, gazing at the vast blue sea, thinking of the child whose fate was unknown, he couldn''t help but sigh.


    If time could be turned back to three years ago, he probably would not have gotten involved with Taylor.


    This woman is beautiful, intelligent, independent, tall, and talented, rising to fame at a young age. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not yet thirty years old and already worth several hundred million US dollars, she is a world-class superstar, a dominant force in the music industry.


    Without his presence, she would have had many famous star boyfriends.


    Money, beauty, fame, status, mansions¡ªshe had it all.


    This woman is no different from the child of destiny found in wish-fulfillment stories.


    Meeting her was challenging; trying to win against her was even harder.

 Chapter 475 - 391 NVIDIA Shares

    After bidding farewell to Ms. Anna, Link jumped from the deck into the sea for a swim.


    Sasaki Nozomi watched from the deck for a while before exhaling softly and jumping in after him.


    Her swimming skills were decent, with slender legs that made for an attractive sight, but her stamina was limited, and soon she became too exhausted to swim on. Link took her to dive under the sea, trying to emulate the actions from a adult movie.


    After several attempts, which weren''t quite satisfying, they returned to the yacht.


    Having spent a few days at sea, most of his concerns were evaporated by the sun, and he regained some spirit.


    By late March, he flew back to New York.


    Nozomi stayed in Miami. In early March, a magnitude nine earthquake struck the northeast Pacific region of Japan, leading to a leak of radioactive materials from two nuclear power plants in Fukushima, causing panic among the Japanese people.


    The crisis was not yet over at this stage, and the surrounding area was severely contaminated, making it safer for Nozomi to stay in Miami.


    Just after Link returned to New York, he received good news from Ms. Cathy Wood. The fourth-largest shareholder of NVIDIA Corporation, State Street Capital, agreed to transfer 3.72% of its shares at a price of 550 million US dollars.


    State Street Capital also proposed a method of transaction: to swap with the Twitter shares he held.


    Considering that Twitter''s market value was under 50 billion US dollars, about one-third of NVIDIA''s, he would need to exchange about 12.7% of Twitter shares for the deal.


    After the third round of financing, Link was left with only 14.5% of Twitter''s shares.


    If he agreed to the trade, his shareholding in Twitter would plummet to below 3%.


    Link requested that Cathy continue negotiations with them.


    Although NVIDIA''s market value was higher than Twitter''s at the time, Twitter''s growth rate was much faster than NVIDIA''s. At the beginning of the previous year, its market value had just crossed one billion dollars, by August it had reached two billion, and after a successful round of financing early in the year, it had climbed to four billion, with projections it would hit ten billion by year''s end.


    Twitter Company was planning to go public the next year, and the question was whether it could become the next Facebook and enter into the hundred billion-dollar company club?


    Many investment banks on Wall Street gave affirmative answers.


    Professional media like The Wall Street Journal expressed strong confidence in Twitter''s development, recognizing Twitter''s significant role in the social networking field. With over eighty million followers on the Twitter platform, Link was the celebrity with the most followers across all major social networks.


    This also indicated Twitter''s vast potential.


    It also kindled investors'' enthusiasm; since Twitter''s third round of financing, many consortia and investors wanted to get their hands on Twitter shares, driving the market value continually higher.


    And as the second-largest shareholder, Link''s stakes became a coveted asset among the consortia.


    Based on the current situation, it was inappropriate to swap shares at the market price for NVIDIA shares.


    After several rounds of discussions, State Street Capital agreed to a 11.3% Twitter share exchange, which was their bottom line.


    After considering it, Link opted for the trade, exchanging 9.3% of his Twitter shares and eighty million in cash and securities for State Street Capital''s 3.72% stake in NVIDIA.


    Although Twitter''s market value at one point exceeded two hundred billion US dollars after going public, the company struggled with advertising and promotion profitability and gradually fell behind in competition with platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Weibo, etc., posting deficits of hundreds of millions of dollars each year.


    This led to a significant reduction in Twitter''s user base and a substantial drop in market value.


    In 2022, when Musk fully acquired Twitter for 44 billion US dollars, it was partly due to Twitter''s poor management.


    In 2023, NVIDIA''s market value successfully exceeded one trillion, becoming the fifth American internet technology giant after Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon to join the ''trillion-dollar club''. In 2024, its market value surpassed two trillion, showing even greater potential than Twitter.


    Upon completing the transaction, Link held a total of 5.3% of NVIDIA Corporation shares.


    Of these, 1.6% were purchased by Cathy and her investment team from the stock market and other shareholders, costing him more than two hundred million in cash reserves.


    After acquiring 5.3% of NVIDIA Corporation shares, Link became the sixth-largest shareholder of the company.


    The first was Vanguard Asset Management Company, with around 13.31%, the second was BNY Mellon with about 12.1%, Fidelity Management & Research Company at 8.6%, the fourth was NVIDIA founder Jason Huang with 8.2%, and the fifth was State Street Capital with 5.8%.


    Link didn''t hold the NVIDIA shares in his name when executing the trade; he used the name of Golden Shell Investment Company.


    This company was established in early December of the previous year, managing all the shares of his American companies, including 16.2% in Tesla, 5.3% in NVIDIA Corporation, 5.2% in Twitter, and 0.004% in Amazon, with a total market value of approximately 1.9 billion US dollars.


    Link served as the chairman of Golden Shell Investment Company, owning 98% of the shares.


    Cathy Wood held 1%, and the company''s other management owned approximately 1%.


    The company''s primary business includes financial tax consulting, investment consulting, financial tax agency, asset custody, industrial investment, and investment information consulting. It also accepts investments from other clients, with an entry standard of ten million US dollars.


    "I have thirty million on my account; what if I entrust it to Golden Shell Capital for management?"


    At the dinner table, Ivanka stabbed a strawberry with her fork and asked.


    "Investment comes with risks, before you enter the field, you need to be prepared to lose money."


    Link said while eating his bread.


    "No problem, with Link Music, I don''t have to worry about running out of money. Besides, The Wall Street Journal has praised your sharp eye and insight in investments. I believe in you,"


    Ivanka said.


    Link gave a gentle smile.


    Some time ago, the Golden Shell Investment Company''s stock exchange with State Street Capital had garnered quite a bit of attention on Wall Street.


    A transaction nearing a billion US Dollars is not considered huge on Wall Street, but because it involved him, a celebrity, it became headline news.


    Also, because the development prospects of Twitter Company were good, it belonged to the hot stocks.


    Meanwhile, NVIDIA had gone public in ''99 and had a market value surge past 20 billion in ''03. In ''05, due to a failed market decision, it fell to 15 billion US Dollars, and during the ''08 financial crisis, it dropped below 10 billion US Dollars. It recovered slightly in the next two years, but after entering the mobile phone sector last year and failing, its market value dropped again. The current market value is less than 15 billion US Dollars, making it an unpopular stock.


    Exchanging hot stocks for cold ones was obviously a poor move.


    At the time of the transaction, most media believed that Golden Shell was exchanging shares of a company with endless potential for an unpopular stock, which was a wrong decision. They said that Link would regret it after Twitter went public and that he would suffer a big loss on this deal, turning it into a Waterloo in his life.


    However, a minority of the media supported his decision.


    For instance, The Wall Street Journal reported that the American stock market had experienced two financial crises caused by the virtual economy in ten years, leading to high risks and uncertainties in the virtual economy.


    Link''s move to shift his investments from the Internet sector to NVIDIA, a more real-world semiconductor manufacturer, was seen as a good way to avoid risk.


    Link made no explanations for external commentary, whether good or bad.


    After securing a large number of Tesla and NVIDIA Corporation shares, he felt a lot more settled inside. Now all he needed to do was hold on to these two stocks without making rash moves, and in another ten years, his net worth would be at least several tens of billions at the base.


    With a net worth of tens of billions, in America, he would rank at the very top of the pyramid. The rest of his life would just be about living comfortably, marrying a capable and wise helper, having a bunch of heirs, and his life would be complete.


    Link looked over at Miss Ivanka Baker, sitting opposite with her curly blonde hair and a demeanor of cool elegance, and suddenly thought that marrying her was not a bad choice at all.


    "Is there a problem?"


    Ivanka touched the corner of her lips with her finger to see if there was any jam on her face.


    "If we get married, would you change your name to Ivanka Baker?"


    Link asked with a smile.


    Ivanka looked at him with surprise and said, expressionless, "I could, on the condition that you propose to me first."


    "How many kids would you want to have after we''re married?"


    Link continued to ask.


    "How many do you want?"


    "How about ten?"


    "Ten?!"


    Ivanka frowned slightly and indifferently said, "As long as you don''t find it bothersome, I don''t have a problem with it."


    Link smiled softly and continued with his breakfast.


    "What exactly are you trying to say?"


    Ivanka stared at him and asked.


    "Can we have children before getting married?"


    "Absolutely not, don''t even think about it."


    Ivanka said coldly.


    Link nodded, deciding not to take the risk since he had already suffered a heavy blow with Taylor.


    Encountering another strong and independent Ivanka, if he did this again, he would probably be the one to suffer in the end. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 476 - 392: Unexpected News (8/10)

    After breakfast, Taylor followed Ivanka to visit Link Music Company to make his presence known.


    At the recording studio, he met Ariana Grande who invited him to the recording booth to listen to her newly written song.


    Link listened to it once and felt it was pretty good.


    Ariana''s voice was sweet and lively, with a strong explosive power. Coupled with her Broadway stage experience and over half a year of honing her skills in the recording studio, her singing and performance abilities were strong. What was even more rare was that she was also a creative talent.


    Link found Graham and a few other producers to discuss letting Ariana record an EP to test the waters.


    On one hand, they wanted to see the market''s reaction and the level of acceptance for a singer with her style.


    On the other hand, it could also give Ariana some practice. In the process of talking with her, he could clearly see the desire for fame and success in the young girl''s eyes.


    Ever since the 16-year-old Justin Bieber shot to fame in the music scene, more and more singers aspired to become famous in their teens, and record companies likewise kept lowering the age threshold when scouting for talent.


    Against this backdrop, it also caused talented youngsters like Ariana to become impatient to become famous early.


    Link did not discourage her. He didn''t know exactly when Ariana debuted, nor was he clear about how many albums she had released or their specific achievements.


    But he knew she was one of the future top figures in the music world. Even if she took some detours and faced some setbacks over the next couple of years, it wouldn''t matter, as Link Music Company was a major business with capital to make mistakes.


    Aside from Ariana, another signed artist, Charlie Puth, received the same treatment.


    After writing a few songs and presenting them to him and Graham and a few other producers for review, as long as they weren''t too bad, they could be released to test the field.


    Ariana and Charlie, after receiving the news from their agents, excitedly buried themselves in the recording studio to refine their songs, in hopes of getting a higher evaluation from the production department.


    Link''s main purpose for visiting the recording studio was to discuss the production of the fourth album with Graham and the others.


    Initially, the fourth album had 26 songs, but after narrowing it down, there were 20 left, 16 of which were from Link.


    Songs like "Sorry," "That Girl," "Love is Gone," "Let Her Go," "Say Something," "Let Me Down Slowly," "Late Night Melancholy," "No Promises," "Remember Me," etc., were all quite classic ballads of heartache.


    These songs had nearly emptied his stock.


    He also told Graham and a few other producers that this might be his last album, and they needed to strive for perfection in the production to make it as perfect as possible.


    Graham and the others didn''t try to persuade him otherwise. Link Music was his, and even if he didn''t release any new albums, he could still provide good works for his signed artists to sing, continuing to develop new talent.


    The only pity was that his current fame in the music scene was immense; any album he released could sell millions of copies. Moreover, he was only 22 this year. Retiring too early would be a great loss for both the music industry and his fans.


    But Graham and the others were powerless to change it. Link was now worth over two billion and had become a major capitalist. He didn''t need to release albums to have money to spend, so they couldn''t force him.


    After the discussion, they agreed that it would be appropriate to release the album around July or August, with the specific timing depending on the distribution department''s schedule.


    After determining the time, Link sent messages to a few familiar singers he knew, such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Adele, Katy Perry, and Kesha,


    telling them he planned to release his album around July or August and asking when their new albums were scheduled to release, to avoid clashing dates.


    Especially with Adele''s "21"¡ªa legendary album featuring hit songs like "Rolling in the Deep," "Someone Like You," and "Set Fire to the Rain."


    If his release coincided with hers, Link wasn''t confident enough to win.


    Adele replied that her company planned to release her new album at the beginning of the next month and wouldn''t clash with him. She jokingly asked if he wanted to release earlier so they could compete on the charts.


    Link said they could still compare even if not in the same period, and the winner would treat to dinner.


    Adele agreed.


    Lady Gaga replied that her second solo studio album "Born This Way" was expected to be released at the end of May, so there wouldn''t be a clash either.


    Beyonce replied that she was preparing to release her fourth solo album "4" at the end of June or the beginning of July and asked if he wanted to have a competition. The loser would have to be the submissive one on a date.


    Link agreed.


    Katy Perry replied that she had no plans to release a new album this year and asked if his goal for this album was to break five million in sales?


    Katy Perry had released her second music album "Teenage Dream" in September last year, and its sales in the United States had already exceeded two million copies, making her one of the most popular female singers in the music world at the beginning of the year.


    Miley Cyrus and Kesha had released new albums last year and didn''t have plans for this year either.


    Link thought for a moment and sent a message to Mrs. Andrea, mentioning that he was planning to release his fourth album around July or August and inquiring about Taylor''s new album plans.


    Mrs. Andrea replied that Taylor was also preparing a new album, planned for release at the end of the year.


    After discussing with Graham and the others, Link decided to set the fourth album''s release for around September.


    This year, Adele, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Taylor, and others were all releasing albums, and artists like Kanye, Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber, and Eminem were also preparing new albums; the market competition was fierce.


    For Link''s album to break into the top three would not be an easy task.


    Ding-dong!


    As he walked out of the office, his phone received a message from Mrs. Andrea.


    "The children are fine, don''t worry."


    Seeing this message, Link froze for a few seconds, his hands trembling involuntarily.


    Although he had received information from the detective that the children might be okay.


    But hearing it straight from Mrs. Andrea''s mouth, he couldn''t help feeling a surge of excitement.


    He had many questions he wanted to ask her, yet after thinking about it, he also understood Mrs. Andrea''s difficult position.


    All he sent was "Thank you."


    "Don''t mention this to Taylor, and don''t ask her about it. She''s in a foul mood right now," Mrs. Andrea cautioned.


    "Got it," he replied.


    After replying to the message, Link took a deep breath, expelling most of the frustration that had built up over time, while simultaneously feeling extreme hatred for that woman, Taylor.


    To maintain her single status and to keep her personal freedom, she fabricated a premature birth incident, deceiving everyone and even claimed to his face that she had purposely done away with the child.


    He had to admit, the woman was ruthless; those were words he could never bring himself to say.


    "What''s happened? You seem to be in a good mood," Ivanka said as she approached in her high heels and studied his face.


    "It''s a nice day today. How about we go to Long Island for a hot spring soak?" Link said with a smile, hugging her seductive waist.


    "Don''t even think about it. Don''t think I don''t know what you''re up to. I''ll tell you now it''s not going to work. I will not let you succeed. And my dad wants us to come home for dinner, would you like to join?" Ivanka took his wandering hand and, looped it in hers, suggested. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course!"


    A smile lit up Link''s face as he followed Ivanka out of the office, driving to the Thompson Family''s grand old villa in the Upper East Side.


    As Mr. Thompson had remarried a few years ago and Ivanka had moved out, she seldom returned. Today, Mr. Thompson had personally invited her and Link home for a visit and mentioned it was a family dinner party. No matter what, he wanted Link brought along.


    The Thompson family''s dinner parties were always bustling affairs. Besides the sixteen members spanning three generations of the immediate family, there were Ivanka''s four uncles, aunts, and a host of other relatives, totaling over forty people.


    These individuals held prominence in business, politics, the judicial system, and the arts.


    Yet compared to Link, they paled in significance, which was why they greeted him warmly, pulling him aside to chat about this and that.


    Link did not take offense, engaging more with those with whom he shared common interests and politely smiling with those without.


    Old Mr. Thompson eventually took him aside to the study for a private conversation.


    He inquired if Link had any plans to invest in the Thompson real estate, offering to sell him a portion of the shares.


    Link considered it and tactfully declined, citing a lack of funds.


    The Thompson real estate primarily included skyscrapers, hotels, casinos, and clubs in several major cities, with a total market value of around a hundred billion US dollars. The Thompson Family owned about 20% of it.


    This year, Forbes'' "400 Richest Americans List" placed Old Thompson at number 128 with a total net worth of 2.9 billion.


    Link was ranked 166, not lagging far behind.


    Despite its prominence, Thompson real estate''s profitability fell short compared to multinational hotel chains like Hilton, Sheraton, and Four Seasons, offering limited investment potential.


    Mr. Thompson didn''t press him further.


    He did, however, criticize his decision to trade Twitter for shares in Nvidia as ill-considered and suggested that for any significant future investments, Link should consult with him. Having many connections with the upper echelons on Wall Street, he could offer advice and consultation.


    Link expressed his gratitude.


    After the party, he accompanied Mr. Thompson to meet some figures from the New York business and political world, and they played a round of golf at the Thompson Group Golf Club.


    Link''s skills were mediocre, and during the game, he mainly listened to the conversations around him.


    The men, all Republicans, were discussing how to strategize for political gains.


    After a while, Link understood why his future father-in-law had invited him. It wasn''t just about expanding his network but also about leveraging the wealth of the newly rich to build alliances.


    He didn''t mind; if he married Ivanka in the future and his father-in-law succeeded in his endeavors, he could also stand to gain some benefits. The two families were, after all, in it together.


    Within his abilities, he didn''t mind giving his future father-in-law a hand.


    He suggested the older man become more active on Twitter and Facebook, posting more current events comments and personal stances, which could also attract attention.


    His future father-in-law had previously been in the television industry, preferring to voice his opinions and views on TV programs to capture public attention.


    But now, in the era of the internet, gaining attention through social networking platforms could be more effective.


    His future father-in-law agreed with him and said he would try using social networking platforms. He ended by mentioning that Link''s golf skills were terrible and he needed to practice.


    As golf was one of the social networking tools of the elite, playing a good game could earn a lot of respect in those circles.


    He even offered to personally coach Link, but after a few swings, he threw out his back, and Link had to stop playing to take him to the therapy room for massage and treatment.

 Chapter 477 - 393 Harveys Party

    "Link, do you want a massage?"


    The father-in-law took off his clothes, lay on the massage table, and let out a comfortable sigh.


    "Oh, no, I don''t feel any discomfort."


    Link looked at the two attractive masseuses, wondering if he should step out to give his father-in-law some privacy.


    "Link, don''t look at me now; when I was young, I ran marathons often and even took third place in the New York region."


    The father-in-law gasped out the words as he was being massaged.


    "Yes, it''s clear you''re in good shape."


    Link, with a lollipop in his mouth, leaned against the balcony railing, admiring the view of the small lake and green fairways. It was quite nice.


    "Link, you and Ivanka have been dating for over half a year, when do you plan to get married? Ivanka isn''t getting any younger."


    The father-in-law suddenly changed the subject and asked.


    Link smiled helplessly, not expecting to be pushed for marriage face-to-face. After thinking it over, he said he would seriously consider the matter once he finished the work at hand.


    The father-in-law hummed a few times without any further sound, his hands grabbing at the masseuse''s buttocks.


    Link touched his forehead, thinking with his father-in-law''s behavior, even if he succeeded in running for office, he''d likely be driven out. For his own interests, perhaps he should find a time to advise him¡ªto be a good person.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After wrapping up work in New York, Link flew to Los Angeles to attend the Weinstein Company''s celebration party.


    The party was held at Weinstein''s Beverly Hills mansion that bordered Universal Gardens and spanned the size of about five football fields, estimated to be worth over thirty million US Dollars in the current Beverly real estate market¡ªa well-known luxury home.


    "Hey, Link, you''re here too?"


    When Link and Jennifer Lawrence got out of the car, they happened to meet Casey Affleck pulling up in his red Porsche, with his wife Summer Phoenix, who is also Joaquin Phoenix''s younger sister, sitting alongside him.


    "Harvey invited me."


    Link said with a soft smile, greeted Summer, and said to Casey, "I forgot to congratulate you on winning the prize at the Berlin Film Festival. Now many people say you and your brother are Hollywood''s versatile duo."


    "Haha, we''re versatile, but we can''t compare to you; you''re the universally acknowledged superman."


    Casey Affleck laughed.


    At the end of last year, Casey''s directorial debut "You Are Still Here" wrapped up and won the Documentary Biography Movie Award at the Berlin Film Festival in January, attracting considerable attention in Hollywood.


    His brother Ben Affleck is a leading Hollywood actor, known for "Pearl Harbor," but in recent years, he turned to directing, releasing "Gone Baby Gone," "The Town," and the "Argo" that premiered last September.


    This film, self-written, directed, and starred in by Ben Affleck, was made on a budget of 37 million and grossed 154 million globally, earning Jeremy Renner an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. The film was both critically acclaimed and a box office success.


    Ben Affleck thus became one of Hollywood''s more successful directors, gaining much praise and hailed as ''the second Clint Eastwood.''


    It''s rare in Hollywood to see siblings like Casey and Ben Affleck who are actors and directors, and successful at both; they have been dubbed ''cinematographic twins'' by Variety magazine.


    While the two were chatting in the parking lot, two more luxury cars pulled up beside them.


    One was Oscar Best Actor Russell Crowe''s ride, a white Fiat 8V, and the other was a Porsche with the famous director Robert Rodriguez, each accompanied by star companions.


    Link hadn''t worked with either of them, but knew them, and after exchanging greetings, he walked with Jennifer into Weinstein''s luxurious estate.


    At the party scene, there were even more stars.


    There were acquaintances like director Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, who soared to fame with "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," director Martin Scorsese, who had collaborated with Harvey several times, and Tom Hooper, the director of "The King''s Speech."


    And major stars like Richard Gere, Kevin Spacey, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Colin Firth, Bradley Cooper, Meryl Streep, Michelle Williams, Renee Zellweger, Nicole Kidman, Salma Hayek, Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Heidi Klum, and over two hundred other film actors or film and television industry professionals.


    The entire party was sparkling with celebrities, even more so than the ''Oscar Night'' party. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Currently, Hollywood was in its busiest phase, and for so many people to set aside their work to attend Harvey''s party, Link had to admire such connections.


    If last year he had directly fallen out with Harvey over that phone call, given Harvey''s connections in the industry, Palm Beach Films would likely have trouble finding suitable directors and actors for their movies.


    And he himself, along with the actors under Palm Beach Talent Agency, would probably be ostracized by these people.


    It wasn''t an exaggeration¡ªmany actors and directors present were very ''loyal'' to Harvey.


    Like Matt Damon and Russell Crowe.


    After Harvey''s downfall, there were reports that a New York Times journalist named Sharon Waxman was preparing in 2004 to write an article exposing Fabrizio Lombardo, hired by Harvey to procure women in Italy.


    Matt Damon and Russell Crowe, under Harvey''s direction, respectively called the journalist Sharon, asking her not to publish the article and pressuring her. Eventually, the report came to nothing.

 Chapter 478 - 393 Harveys Party_2

    There was also Dame Judi Dench, who, to thank Harvey for helping her win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, had "Judi Loves Harvey" tattooed on her buttocks.


    Then there was Nicole Kidman, who had been collaborating with Harvey since the nineties, including movies like "Island Thriller," "Moulin Rouge," "The Hours," "Cold Mountain," and "Nine," and was considered the actress most deeply tied to Harvey.


    There were also directors Rodrigo, Quentin, and Soderbergh, whose success was largely linked to Harvey.


    If someone were to challenge Harvey, even if they were worth billions of US Dollars, these people would likely choose to support Harvey, as he could help them win Oscars, something Link was not yet capable of.


    "Hey, Link, didn''t expect to see you here, this is a big surprise."


    Director Quentin called out from the crowd.


    "Director Quentin!"


    Link saw the fierce-looking director and went over to talk.


    Quentin was a genius director, known for his black and violent American films, his movies almost always achieving both critical acclaim and box office success, making him a worthy collaborator. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, with Harvey around, Quentin was unlikely to collaborate with other companies.


    Others at the party turned to look at him, some with surprise and confusion, some with envy and jealousy, and some with ardent gazes.


    Although everyone present was a star, very few could match Link''s global fame, not to mention his much superior wealth, let alone the fact that Link was only 22 years old.


    Other people also came up to greet him, mostly female celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Salma Hayek, supermodel Heidi Klum, Elizabeth Banks, and so on, continuously walking over.


    Jennifer Lawrence, seeing the women flocking over, subconsciously tightened her grip on Link''s arm to prevent these women from whisking him away.


    Link pinched her fingers, signaling her to relax, as he, although lustful, had little interest in these older women.


    ----


    Not far away, Harvey Weinstein was discussing a film project with Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.


    Harvey had seen Link arrive, but since his previous calls to invite Link to private parties were consistently dodged by him, not giving him any face, it also prevented him from dragging Link into any scandals.


    This angered Harvey.


    Seeing Link at the party, he had originally planned to leave Link hanging a bit longer, making him come over to greet first.


    But as soon as Link arrived, the women at the scene warmly crowded around him, almost sticking to him.


    The men also quietly talked about him, their words filled with praise and envy.


    Link instantly became the center of attention at the party.


    Harvey squinted his eyes, his heavy eye bags quivered, and he chuckled, saying to Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, "Youth is still the best, women all like young and handsome men."


    "Harvey, you''re not old, all the beauties here are for you,"


    Matt Damon said, laughing with a glass in hand.


    The remark was music to Harvey''s ears, he laughed heartily, stomach protruding, and subtly signaled his assistant before walking towards Link with a glass in hand.


    "Ha ha, Link, welcome to my party."


    While Link was talking to director Martin Scorsese, Harvey waddled over from the crowd, belly sticking out, mouth grinning like a toad, with a somewhat inscrutable smile on his face.


    The major stars standing in between stepped aside, clearing the space for him.


    Link shook hands with him, "Mr. Weinstein, your party is the coolest I''ve seen, filled with big stars, it''s quite stunning."


    "Ha ha, Link, don''t forget you''re a big star too, but you''re more famous and harder to invite than they are."


    "Famous is an overstatement, just too many side jobs, I suppose you''ve heard I''m a workaholic."


    Link joked about himself.


    Harvey laughed out loud, and the surrounding celebrities joined in the laughter.


    After a bit of small talk, Link brought up the topic of "The Silver Linings Playbook", which started shooting in February and was almost done with the principal photography in just over a month; the next steps were post-production and distribution.


    However, during the shooting, Weinstein Company only released the first batch of funds, and the second installment of approximively 6.5 million US Dollars had not yet been remitted, which could delay the movie''s post-production.


    Producer Brod Brent guessed that Harvey was using this method to control the movie''s editing and distribution rights.


    Originally, it was agreed that the movie will be co-promoted by two companies.


    If one company took over the marketing tasks, they could potentially manipulate the accounts, inflating promotion costs to break even from the marketing expenses alone, ensuring that even if the box office flopped, they would remain in a no-lose position.


    This was a common practice among the six major Hollywood studios.


    The six majors, including Universal, Disney, Warner, Fox, and Sony, all have their own TV stations, newspapers, and other promotional channels, making them often more convenient than independent producers in promoting movies.


    Some movies seem to make huge losses, but they make money through promotional channels, profiting the parent company.


    This was also why the six major studios have remained powerful in Hollywood; originally the seventh, MGM, suffered because it lacked promotional channels, eventually went bankrupt, and was divided among the six majors.


    "Link, it was a negligence from the finance department, I''ll call them later to check and if they haven''t already, I''ll send the funds right away, don''t let it delay the shooting.


    Today''s a celebration party, let''s not talk about work now, come with me, and I''ll introduce you to a few good friends."

 Chapter 479 - 393 Harveys Party_3

    Harvey grasped his hand warmly as he spoke.


    Link didn''t refuse and followed Harvey to meet several well-known directors and producers in the circle.


    Among them was a producer named Julie Temo, also a female director, whose representative works include "Frida" starring Salma Hayek in 2002, which received five nominations at the Oscars and other films such as "The Psalm''s Vengeance," "Oedipus Rex," and "Crossing the Skies."


    Last year, her directed art film "The Storm" was nominated for Best Costume Design at the Oscars not long ago.


    Both of these films were collaborations with Harvey.


    Upon seeing Harvey, Director Julie Temo spoke in a gentle tone about the box office revenue share for "The Storm," mentioning that her company hadn''t received the first installment and inquiring for the reason.


    Harvey''s face instantly turned cold, and he turned to his assistant and said, "She''s no longer my guest, have her leave."


    "Mr. Weinstein, I''m so sorry, I didn''t intend to bring up this matter here, but I''ve been to the Weinstein Company more than ten times trying to see you and couldn''t, so I had to speak with you here," said Director Julie Temo with a downcast expression.


    Harvey waved his hand, showing impatience as he motioned for two assistants to take Director Julie Temo away.


    Director Julie Temo''s husband, who was also a composer, came over to intervene.


    He argued that according to the contract, their company was supposed to receive 22% of the North American box office revenue share after "The Storm" premiered.


    Now, nearly half a year since the film''s release, the company hadn''t received the first installment of their share.


    The company was about to go under and had no choice but to come and queue up to see Harvey Weinstein.


    "Shut up!"


    Harvey, pointing at the man''s nose, cursed out loud, "This movie only made $13.5 million at the North American box office, not even a third of the production cost, and you still want a share? Not a penny for you. Get them out of here."


    Harvey''s face was grim, the flesh on his face twitching continuously, his short and thick neck, and his belly also inflated with every breath he took.


    The assistants, along with several burly bodyguards, escorted Director Temo out, dragging her husband away from the splendid and bustling villa hall.


    Many people at the scene witnessed this, but no one would interfere at this time. Weinstein was known in the entertainment circle as a ''tyrant'' with a bad temper, and meddling at this moment might result in the same treatment as Director Temo.


    After the Temo couple was led away, the party scene quickly resumed its liveliness.


    Link watched the bustling party and smiled lightly.


    Rumors had it that Harvey was arrogant and ruthless, warm to those who could make him money and extremely cold to those who couldn''t. Now it seemed the rumblings were true.


    "Haha, Link, don''t get the wrong idea. My issue with Director Temo isn''t what you saw. Before filming this movie, we had a contract stating that there would be profits to share if it was a box office hit, but none if it failed. I am merely following the contract," Harvey explained with a smile back on his face.


    Link nodded and didn''t say much. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could roughly understand the mode of cooperation between the parties: Director Temo''s company invested in the film with the director''s fee and a portion of the capital, and they would get 22% of the North American box office revenue after the movie''s release. Such arrangements are quite common in Hollywood.


    Unfortunately, the North American box office for this film was only $13.5 million, while the production cost was as high as $35 million US Dollars, leading to a loss of tens of millions.


    Harvey, having lost money, was not happy and, wanting to reduce his company''s losses, swallowed the entire box office revenue, refusing to give the due share to his partners.


    With no money in hand, Director Temo had two choices.


    One was to sue with the contract in hand. Lawsuits cost money and victory wasn''t guaranteed, which wasn''t a good option for those strapped for cash.


    The second was to cover the production''s deficit out of pocket. If she couldn''t come up with the money, both she and her company stood a great chance of going bankrupt.


    This is Hollywood, a gambling arena even larger than Las Vegas.


    Link didn''t sympathize with Director Temo''s plight, but became even more cautious and wary of Harvey.

 Chapter 480 - 394: Unmasking and Rage

    At the party, Link followed Harvey and was introduced to a bunch of famous filmmakers. At first, he thought Harvey was trying to recruit him, but then he thought otherwise.


    Last time, on the phone, he had cursed Harvey out, and Harvey couldn''t possibly harbor good intentions towards him. What Harvey was doing couldn''t be anything good.


    He glanced at Harvey''s excited expression and guessed that Harvey was probably trying to show off his power, like a mafia boss flaunting his henchmen, aiming to intimidate him with this tactic.


    After introducing the filmmakers, Harvey introduced him to over ten beautiful actresses and models, Kara Divai, Lina Heidy, Lupita Lio, Eliza Dushku, and others¡ªall women in their twenties or thirties.


    While introducing them, Harvey, with his arm around Link''s shoulder, warmly told him that he could pick any woman here, sleep with whomever he wanted, and there would be absolutely no problems.


    Link politely declined.


    Of the girls at the party, excluding the older ones like Nicole Kidman, among the younger actresses in terms of looks and figure, none were a match for Jennifer Lawrence, let alone Dadalio or Sasaki Nozomi.


    While Harvey was introducing them, he didn''t look much, only politely greeting.


    Harvey stared at him for a while, then his face suddenly darkened.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Bang!


    "Damn it, Link! You dared to deceive me; I''m going to kill you."


    In the villa''s room, Harvey picked up a vase and furiously smashed it to the ground. He breathed heavily, his flabby cheeks quivering uncontrollably, and his eyes burning with an uncontrollable murderous intent.


    Bob was standing at the door. When he saw the pieces of the blue and white porcelain scattered on the floor, a hint of regret flashed in his eyes. He had spent over thirty thousand US Dollars to buy this antique from Japan with high collectible value, and now it was reduced to shards.


    Seeing Harvey grab another one, he hurriedly went over to stop him.


    "Harvey, it''s normal for Link not to accept the women you arranged. He is a big star; even if he is lascivious, he would be conscious of the impact and naturally wouldn''t easily accept strange women. I think we should take it slow with this sort of thing. Later, when he gets to know them better and we offer him women, he will surely accept," Bob advised.


    "Hmph, do you think I''m angry about that? No, that damn Link deceived me. The actresses I introduced today have been harassed by me, and they''ve caused trouble before.


    After Link said he had dirt on me last time, I immediately arranged for lawyers to negotiate with them. It took over three million US Dollars and more than a dozen movie roles to settle them down.


    I invited them to the party this time with the intention of dragging Link down with them, but that damn Link showed not the slightest reaction when he saw these women, when he heard their names. Do you know what that means?" Harvey bellowed, his belly heaving.


    "What?"


    "It means that damn guy never heard their names at all, doesn''t know what happened to them. This shows he doesn''t have any dirt on me in his hands; he''s just bluffing based on rumors.


    He''s swindling me!! Swindling me, the most powerful man in Hollywood!!" Harvey pounded his fists on the table and screamed hysterically.


    Bob frowned and thought for a moment before asking, "Are you sure? There are so many female actors you''ve oppressed, could it be that the dirt he has is from someone else?"


    "Impossible! Almost all the women I played with in the eighties and nineties are married with children now, settled with families. Considering their reputations, they wouldn''t dare start trouble.


    The ones who dare to cause trouble are the brainless young women, like the ones just now. Seeing that Link had no reaction to them, I''m certain he''s deceiving me.


    That damn Link, I will never let him off."


    Harvey shouted, his face flushing red.


    "So what are you planning to do? Link is no ordinary person; he''s worth billions, with businesses spanning sports, entertainment, technology, and automotive. He has a significant estate, and there are also rumors from New York that he''s planning to marry Ivanka Trump. With the Thompson Family involved, his political and legal connections are no worse than ours; it will be hard for us to take him on," Bob said.


    "So what? This is Hollywood; this is my turf. He should be prepared for a disgraceful downfall for offending me," Harvey retorted angrily.


    He still remembered the last time on the phone when Link swore at him rudely, saying he had no balls, that he wasn''t a man.


    At the time, Harvey was so angry his eyes nearly burst into flames, and he wanted to slaughter Link.


    Later, that bastard made the excuse that he had dirt on him that could ruin his reputation.


    Out of self-protection, he had to bow and scrape, agreeing to collaborate with Link and give him half of a decent project.


    But what was the conclusion?


    It was all lies. Link had nothing on him, and he''d been played for a fool.


    The thought of being intimidated into submission, greeting with a smile, and even offering women to Link by some fake dirt Link had made up on the spot made Harvey grind his teeth. In over twenty years of being a renowned producer in Hollywood, he had never been humiliated like this, but this time he had been thoroughly played by Link. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He would definitely not let this issue slide easily.


    "A disgraceful downfall? How are you going to make that happen?" Bob asked.


    Harvey took a few breaths, sat in his office chair, and thought for a moment, coming up with several methods.


    First, if Link wanted to become a famous movie star, then find a way to blacklist him, disabling him from landing any roles.


    Second, sabotage Palm Beach Films so his investments would go down the drain.


    Third, use the media to sling mud at him, destroying his reputation and bringing him to ruin.


    "Is this possible?"


    Upon hearing this, Bob shook his head, "That''s difficult. First of all, Link is a world-class star with strong box-office appeal. The six major studios won''t pass up on an actor who can boost ticket sales. Moreover, he''s already shooting ''Captain America.'' Before the release of the movie, Marvel Studios, Disney, and Paramount Pictures will all protect him to avoid tarnishing his reputation.


    If ''Captain America'' does well at the box office, Marvel is likely to film a sequel, making it even harder for us to ruin his reputation. As for Palm Beach Films, Link has money and can continue to invest; trying to take down this company is practically impossible."


    Harvey''s forehead furrowed tightly, and the fat on his face squeezed together, making his visage menacing. He pondered Bob''s words and realized he was absolutely right. Given the current situation, he truly had no way of taking down Link.


    Thinking of this, he grabbed a vase and smashed it onto the floor, bellowing, "Then what do you suggest we do, just let Link off? That''s out of the question!"


    Bob lit a cigar, took a few puffs, and said, "I have three methods. First, after Link''s familial alliance with the Thompson Family, he will politically lean towards the Republican Party. Also, he hails from Florida, a Republican stronghold, while California is Democratic territory, where we have a clear advantage."


    "What''s the use of saying all that? I want to take down Link, not run for election," Harvey said unsatisfied.


    Bob continued, "In California, most actors and singers lean towards the Democratic Party, and media reports will tend to side with Democratic policies. We can promote the narrative that Link is pro-Republican, causing everyone to isolate Link. Although this might seem futile, it can bring a lot of hostility towards Link, benefiting us more."


    Harvey thought it over and reluctantly agreed with the suggestion.


    "Second, garner allies.


    In recent years, Link and Dynasty have made a lot of money in the boxing arena, while the profits of peer top promoters like Gold Promotions and Kunasbury Promotions have significantly decreased. I don''t believe they hold no animosity towards Link; these are potential collaborators.


    Link, after entering the music industry, clashed significantly with East Coast rappers and even affected the black actor community. Many black actors have publicly expressed their dislike for Link and their unwillingness to work with him; these are also people we can unite."


    Hearing Bob say this, Harvey gradually quieted down, contemplating his countermeasures.


    "Additionally, I''ve heard that young Kunas is quite infatuated with Ivanka, and the two families nearly formed a marital alliance. It was just because of Link''s drastic interference that young Kunas''s dream shattered. Rumor has it that he harbors deep hostility towards Link; he is another potential ally.


    More importantly, the Kunis family is our brother in faith, completely trustworthy," Bob said with a meaningful tone.


    Listening to this, Harvey suddenly had a moment of clarity. That bastard Link had seriously offended the deeply pigmented community in his rise to fame, as well as stirring up conflict with New York''s Jewish power representatives, the Kunis family, over Ivanka.


    He had managed to offend two major ethnic groups simultaneously, essentially asking for trouble. With just a little effort from these two groups, no matter how many billions Link had, his reputation and fortune could be destroyed in the blink of an eye.


    Thinking this, Harvey suddenly became excited, confident that uniting these factions against Link would be an easy task.


    "Third, the simplest way to deal with Link is to let him stay in Hollywood. Hollywood is our turf; Link is a novice in the movie business, utterly unversed in filmmaking or investment.


    We, on the other hand, are professionals with ample funds and networks. All we need to do is suppress his movie box office, ensuring that every investment he makes fails, time after time.


    Even if he has billions, how many losses can he withstand?


    We can also arrange some projects that seem promising but are actually terrible for their company, which will surely expedite Link''s and Palm Beach Films'' bankruptcy. What do you think?" Bob asked.


    Harvey nodded seriously.


    The first suggestion could weaken his influence on the political level and tarnish his reputation.


    The second would unite Link''s enemies against him, overpowering him from all sides.


    The third would exploit our own advantages to defeat him in Hollywood.


    All three suggestions were very practical; if applied well, dealing with Link would be incredibly simple.


    "Dear brother, you''ve thought it through well, especially the third one which is exactly to my liking. I am an expert in filmmaking, and I am 100% certain I can defeat him in that area, causing him to suffer huge losses.


    However, the first and second methods are also good; it would be a pity to give them up. So, how about leaving the work of contacting young Kunas, the East Coast rappers, the boxing companies, and promoting the fact that Link supports the Republican Party to you?" Harvey said, agitated.


    "No problem, provided that our company must make money," Bob emphasized.


    He knew little about movie production and distribution, and his expertise was mediocre.


    From Miramax Films to the Weinstein Company, everything relied on Harvey''s operations. His task was akin to the company''s executive director, Harvey''s assistant, and logistics manager.


    Compared to Harvey, who liked to engage with women and enjoy flattery, Bob preferred the actual U.S. dollars. He agreed to take on Link this time because he wanted to carve out a large chunk from Link''s substantial wealth.


    "Haha, it''s settled then."


    Harvey, thrilled, stood up and gave a hug to his clever brother, then smirked coldly, "Link Baker, get ready to face my fury!"

 Chapter 481 - 395: The Attack Begins

    At the party, Link noticed Harvey''s dark expression but didn''t care much, as they were not friends; there was no need to pretend to be friends and stab each other in the back, a type of interaction he was not accustomed to.


    So, when he saw Harvey''s expression sour, he actually felt relieved, interpreting it as a sign that he had done something right to annoy Harvey.


    Seeing Harvey''s scowl, Link lost any interest in staying at the party. He greeted a few acquaintances like Cassie and Quentin, then left Harvey''s villa with Jennifer.


    Driving through the streets of Beverly Hills, the April sun bathed him in comfort.


    Thinking about Harvey''s attitude, Link made a call to producer Brod Bent to inquire what Weinstein Company would do if the funding for the continued production of "Silver Linings Playbook" was not made available and how their company could retaliate?


    Bent said it wasn''t a big problem.


    After signing the filming contract last year, Palm Beach Films and Weinstein Company each held 50% of the movie rights.


    If Weinstein Company failed to disburse the funds on time, according to the contract''s terms, ''in a film project jointly funded by multiple movie companies, if one of the companies has financial issues, the other investors have priority to claim the remaining investment shares.''


    This means they could buy out Weinstein Company''s 50% share of the movie rights and proceed with independent production and distribution.


    The contract also specified a timeline, allowing investors from 120 to 180 days to raise funds, and if the funds were not available by the deadline, and after arbitration by an arbitration committee, a party could be declared in breach of contract.


    Half a year wasn''t a lot of time and could bankrupt many debt-ridden movie companies.


    However, this did not include Palm Beach Films.


    Last year, Palm Beach Films earned over 48 million from the "Scandal Plan" project, and together with the thirty million he had arranged as reserve funds, they were well-financed. Even after investing in "Bridesmaids," "The Help," and "Silver Linings Playbook," there were still funds remaining.


    Therefore, no matter what tricks Weinstein Company was planning, Palm Beach Films had enough capital to engage.


    Link then asked about the situation with "The Hunger Games."


    Bent said the progress was not smooth. Lionsgate Films was developing this project in collaboration with Color Force, and although they were not currently short of funds, Jennifer Lawrence''s audition went well.


    As she was young, just twenty-one, fitting the female protagonist''s profile, and displayed strong, brave traits with good acting skills in "Burning Plain" and "Winter''s Bone," producers Nina Jackson and director Gary Ross held her in high regard.


    Hearing this news, Link thought for a moment¡ªJennifer Lawrence could continue as the lead actress; it was alright if Palm Beach Films did not invest, only missing out on a few billion, which could be regained in the stock market.


    He told Bent that since Lionsgate Films did not need an investment, they should let it be.


    He then called Ms. Mandy, asking the agency to continuously monitor the "The Hunger Games" project, aiming to secure the role of Katniss for Jennifer.


    Ms. Mandy acknowledged the instruction.


    While he was making calls, Jennifer Lawrence sat in the passenger seat, blinking her blue-grey eyes, quietly watching him.


    Hearing Link say he would help her secure the lead role in "The Hunger Games," her expression grew complicated.


    Initially, she joined Palm Beach agency mainly due to Link''s high-profile status and his billions of dollars in assets, which included some valuable resources.


    Being his signed artist could garner her additional film and TV resources, like how a single call from him helped her secure the second female lead in Fox''s "X-Men," and his successful endeavor with "Scandal Plan" showed some strength.


    Joining such an agency was more beneficial to her career than staying with IMG.


    As for sleeping with Link.


    Before last year, knowing that Link was a playboy with many girlfriends, she wasn''t planning to invest much emotionally, enjoying sleeping with him more than loving him as a person.


    But after being together for half a year, she found that Link was a commendable man¡ªstrong, diligent, intelligent, upright, kind, ambitious, with healthy lifestyle habits¡­ Except for being somewhat of a flirt, he was nearly flawless.


    In terms of promiscuity, Jennifer noticed he was just flirtatious but not heedlessly lustful or someone who toyed with women''s feelings. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He took every relationship seriously, investing real emotions, reciprocating heart for heart.


    In both work and personal life, he also provided great care and attention to his girlfriends, very considerate.


    Previously, Jennifer only intended to use Link as a stepping stone and a shield, planning to ditch him after becoming famous.


    Yet, having spent more time with him, she realized he was not just a virile lover, but also a considerate and gentle friend, a man hard to come by.


    He could satisfy a woman''s every fantasy about a man, as well as meet her physiological, material, and reputational needs.


    The longer she stayed with him, the more Jennifer found herself unable to leave him, nor willing to do so.


    She was uncertain if this was love; unsure if her actions were right, making her feelings quite complex.


    "Jennie, I heard you performed well during the auditions for ''The Hunger Games''?" Link asked after hanging up.


    "It was decent."


    Jennifer Lawrence shrugged her shoulders and smiled, "During the audition, they asked me to perform a scene where Katniss takes her sister''s place in The Hunger Games. I did as they instructed, and director Gary Ross thought I did well and was a good fit for the role."


    "However, the actors auditioning this time were all very strong; I saw Emma Roberts, Saoirse Ronan, Shailene Woodley, and Chloe Moretz there, and they all looked good too. Until the producer announces the final selection, I''m not sure if I can land the role," she said.


    "Don''t worry, you did well. Leave the rest to the company. What you need to do is prepare confidently for this role. This is a leading role, and playing it well could greatly benefit your career," Link said as he drove.


    "Got it," Jennifer replied.


    She glanced at him, grabbed his left hand, and smiled, "I''m heading to the set to film tomorrow, but I''ll be free in the afternoon and evening. How about you come stay at my place? I can make fried chicken for you."


    "That sounds great. Does everyone from Kentucky know how to make fried chicken?"


    Link recalled a joke: Kentucky, being the home of KFC, meant that any Kentuckian who didn''t know how to make fried chicken was considered a drag, just like Floridians who hadn''t seen an alligator, weren''t sunburned, or hadn''t visited the Orlando Disney Park.


    "I don''t know about everyone, but we have a lot of chicken farms, and most housewives can make it with unique ingredients and methods. It tastes better than KFC and McDonald''s," Jennifer said excitedly.


    "Now I''m starting to drool," Link said and smiled.


    Following Jennifer''s directions, he went to Costco and bought two fresh broilers.


    In the United States, besides home-raised turkeys, common types of chicken include Broilers, Poulsen, Cornish, and Butter Chicken, all differing in taste and function, whether laying eggs or for meat.


    Jennifer was also decent at making fried chicken. Except for the first batch being slightly burnt, the rest were delicious, golden in color, crispy on the outside and tender inside.


    It was rare that a celebrity would cook, and Link thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere.


    "Link, it''s ready to eat," Jennifer said as she brought a plate of good-looking fried chicken to the living room.


    Link opened the fridge, took out two cans of chilled beer, and sat on the balcony to enjoy lunch.


    ¡ª¡ª


    While Link was enjoying beer and fried chicken at Jennifer''s house, the Weinstein brothers launched their first attack on him.


    First, they spread news of Link''s support for the Republican Party through the media.


    The method was simple: take a snippet from the New York Daily News about Link attending a private party hosted by Mr. Thomp, republish it, and prominently feature it in the Los Angeles Times and the Hollywood Reporter, heavily promoting it.


    By identifying Mr. Thomp and several guests in the photo, the media portrayed the gathering as a Republican party event, implying that Link might be a financier for the Republican Party or planning to run for office.


    Since California is multi-ethnic with diverse immigrants, and the Democratic Party''s tolerant stance towards immigrants has made California mostly Democratic since the 1990s.


    Moreover, a significant portion of Hollywood''s box office comes from these immigrants.


    Hollywood actors rely on these immigrants'' support, so in public venues where they need to reveal political leanings, most actors express Democratic support to attract immigrant fans, as do singers.


    Even though many singers internally favor the Republicans'' tax cuts for high-income groups, they won''t reveal their political bias in public to avoid offending their fans.


    Now, Bob is using this tactic against Link, and while it won''t fatally damage Link''s reputation, it could affect his movie box office and album sales.


    After spreading the news, Harvey, as a Democratic representative in Hollywood, conveyed his dissatisfaction with Link through his contacts.


    He criticized Link as a descendant of fishermen, whose maternal grandfather was an Italian immigrant. As a descendant of immigrants, he ought to naturally support the Democrats.


    But after his success, he supported the Republican Party, branding Link as a ''traitor to the Democratic Party''.


    He also referred to an old news item from 2009 where Link strongly criticized the new black president to prove Link was a staunch Republican.


    Bob also contacted figures like Kunas, Jay-Z, and others, expressing dissatisfaction with Link, and they reached a consensus against him.


    Eventually, Harvey discovered that Palm Beach Films'' new movie ''Bridesmaids'' was releasing in early May.


    Intent on hitting Link''s box office numbers, he rescheduled the release dates of two films under his label to clash with ''Bridesmaids'' in May, planning to give Link a taste of his own medicine.


    Besides that, he also spoke to several movie studio heads and producers, sharing negative views of Link, such as him being a Republican, racist, and playboy, revealing the opinions from Washington insiders, and cautioning them to be careful when collaborating with Link and Palm Beach Films.


    Whether these executives would give Harvey face wasn''t sure, but one thing was certain: they would definitely hesitate when dealing with Link.


    The more hesitant people became, the more likely it would evolve into an ostracism against Link.


    Click!


    Harvey hung up the phone, caressed the woman beneath him, and smirked coldly.


    "Link, what makes you think you can compete with me?"

 Chapter 482 - 396: Investment and Banishment

    In the morning, the weather in Los Angeles was nice, warmer than the day before, at about 18 degrees Celsius or higher.


    Link, in his long-sleeve sportswear, had run around fourteen or fifteen kilometers along a long tar road, working up a good sweat.


    On his way back from the pier, he just happened to see the sunrise from the top of the Hollywood hills, coating the city in a dazzling golden hue.


    "Good morning, Link!"


    As he reached Villa 1072, he encountered Schwarzenegger running from the opposite direction, dressed in sportswear, with a slicked-back hairdo, and a burly bodyguard following him.


    Seeing Schwarzenegger, he couldn''t help but recall recent news.


    After the governor stepped down in January, the media exposed that he had an illegitimate child with a nanny, causing an uproar, and due to this scandal, Schwarzenegger was living separately from his wife, which was probably the reason he was staying here.


    "Good morning, Arnold!"


    Link slowed down, greeted him, and was going to continue running but noticed Schwarzenegger had stopped by the side of the road, so he also had to stop and see what he wanted to talk about.


    "Hey, Link, the papers say you''re planning to get into politics and run for president in the future, is that true?"


    Schwarzenegger said with a grin.


    "It sounds like a good idea, but I don''t have any such plans at the moment."


    Link said helplessly.


    He had also seen similar news in the papers recently, some saying he was a Republican, supporting Republican congressmen, others saying he was actively involved in politics and would run for president in the near future.


    The news that he would run for president was more sensational than that of him being a Republican.


    For a guy who climbed out from the slums, who became a world boxing champion, a world superstar, and a billionaire, if he also became president, that would truly be the ''American Dream.''


    Because of this, many people had rushed to his fan site to post messages, urging him to run for president, saying they would definitely support him and donate to his campaign.


    In less than three days, there were over five hundred thousand such messages.


    Because of this news, he now had to take more than a dozen phone calls every day.


    Most were acquaintances calling to verify the accuracy of the news, and upon hearing him say it was false, everyone urged him to give it a try, saying maybe he could succeed, everyone treated it as a bit of fun.


    Link hadn''t expected Schwarzenegger to ask about this issue in person, and thinking that the other party was a recently retired Republican governor, he guessed that there might be political motives behind this conversation.


    "Haha, Link, I''ve seen your resume and your statements in media interviews, you would make a great politician and even have a chance to run for office, I think you should give it a try."


    Schwarzenegger said.


    Link was non-committal; he had never been involved in politics and didn''t know what abilities were required to be a politician, but given the history of presidents who had been assassinated, he felt he needed to be cautious about this. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If I have the chance, I''ll consider it."


    "That''s great, I think highly of you."


    Schwarzenegger punched him lightly in the chest and continued running with his bodyguard.


    Link had just seen a hint of regret on the other''s face; although Schwarzenegger had served two terms as governor of California, with decent political credentials and renown, having been born in Austria with dual Austrian and American citizenship, according to the Constitution, citizens not born in the United States were ineligible to participate in the presidential election.


    ¡ª


    When he returned to the bayside villa, Ivanka was up, dressed in a tight-fitting pure white T-shirt and khaki capris, with white shoes, swinging a badminton racket on the lawn.


    Seeing him return, Ivanka picked up a racket from the ground and passed it to him, wanting him to play badminton with her.


    "Are you sure you can play badminton?"


    Link glanced at her ample chest, which, given its size, would affect her speed whether jumping or swinging the racket.


    "I''m no match for you in tennis, you''re no match for me in badminton."


    Ivanka said provocatively, holding the racket sideways.


    "I''ve never played badminton, but I think beating you won''t be a problem."


    "Stop boasting, serve already."


    Ivanka bent over and shouted sternly, her eyes focused on him.


    Link smiled lightly, took a couple of sips from a water bottle on the ground, then picked up the shuttlecock and served it over, though the first time it failed to go over the net, giving Ivanka a chance to laugh gleefully.


    The second time it went smoothly over the net, but Ivanka quickly intercepted and sent it to the left corner, Link took several steps back and returned the play, but unfortunately, the arc was too low, hit the net, and he lost a point.


    "You''re improving fast, keep it up."


    Ivanka said with a tilt of her lips.


    Link knew she was gloating, and he hit the shuttlecock over with a swipe.


    After playing for half an hour, they were at a stalemate.


    Despite Ivanka running around the court breathlessly and dripping with sweat, she was hit in the chest twice by the shuttlecock, and she glared at him coldly while rubbing her left breast, accusing him of playing dirty during the game, and deducting five points.


    Link didn''t care, knowing how to score points now, he wasn''t interested in five or ten points; he wondered when he could add a hundred points and pluck this thorny rose.


    When they returned to the villa, the maid had already prepared breakfast, and Link and Ivanka washed off the sweat and came to the dining room in fresh clothes to eat.


    "This villa is a bit small, and the security situation is so-so, should we consider moving somewhere else?"


    Ivanka stirred her fruit salad with a spoon and said.


    "If you''re also living here, I agree to move to a bigger place, if you''re not staying here, it''s all the same to me wherever I live."


    Link, while eating bread and browsing through the newspaper, replied.

 Chapter 483 - 396: Investment and Banishment_2

    "I''ve already started to establish a Link music subsidiary in Los Angeles and buy a large recording studio. Work for the company can also be handled there in the future."


    "No problem, you''re in charge; I''ll be responsible for giving the thumbs-up."


    Link said, looking at the newspaper.


    "Additionally, last year our company''s earnings reached 180 million US Dollars. After dividends, we still have a balance of over sixty million, without a penny in debt. For a company, this situation is not reasonable.


    Consulting firms on Wall Street also say our Link music industry structure is too singular, and our development is relatively conservative. The consulting company suggests we diversify, trying to venture into the downstream industries of music to increase the company''s industrial scale, such as music players, headphones, or music websites. Do you have any recommendations?"


    "Is Link music singular? Don''t forget we also have the SB project talent agency. But you''re right, too much balance is also not good, so it''s time to make some investments."


    Link thought for a moment before speaking.


    "Oh, what are you planning to invest in? I trust your judgment more than those Wall Street guys."


    Eva put down her silver spoon, looking at him seriously.


    "Let''s talk while we eat; don''t turn the dining table into a conference table. As for the music players you just mentioned, there''s no need to invest. Nowadays, listening to music on mobile phones is very convenient; music players don''t have much market. Regarding headphones, we don''t understand the business, and there''s no need to meddle."


    "We could acquire a niche headphone brand, or partner with a big brand to launch Link music brand headphones, mainly targeting fans. Based on your and Link music''s artists'' fan base, the market scale could reach hundreds of millions."


    Eva explained the operation process of branding the headphones.


    Link thought for a moment; it was almost like selling celebrity merchandise, not a huge investment, and if operated well, it could earn as much as selling records.


    "Alright, we can give it a try. Also, you mentioned music websites. Do you have any good targets?"


    "The current paid music websites are mainly iTunes, Amazon Music Store, Universal Music website, etc. These platforms are supported by groups like Apple and Amazon, leaving us no opportunity to invest.


    However, there are a few free streaming music service platforms doing well. I''ve looked into four of them, and the best performing one is Pandora Radio, which is currently the most popular music provider in the United States, with a valuation reaching 2.5 billion US Dollars after three rounds of financing.


    The second is Spotify, founded in 2008 by Swedes, which has gone through one round of financing and currently values around eight hundred million US Dollars. However, because of copyright issues, last year Steve Jobs teamed up with Warner and Universal among other record companies to try to block Spotify from obtaining song rights in the United States. Spotify''s domestic development has been hindered, and its future is unclear.


    Then there are Aspiro and Wrapster, two new streaming sites founded in the last two years, modeled after the earliest music download site Napster, currently also having received a round of financing with a valuation around 200 million."


    Eva, without using a tablet, was able to accurately recount the data and information she had seen while having breakfast, a point he highly admired.


    Link considered the four streaming music platforms she mentioned.


    The first to be translated as Pandora Music Box, was founded in 2003, providing songs based on the user''s musical preference automatically. It is currently the largest streaming music platform in the United States, with definite investment value.


    However, it lags behind Spotify''s potential compared to ''Soundfield.''


    Currently valued at less than a billion, Spotify will grow to become the world''s largest streaming music platform in the future.


    This platform has both paid and free modes, the paid model charges users 10 US Dollars per month for unlimited music, or 0.006 to 0.0084 US Dollars per song.


    Link knew of this company when Taylor had a falling out with Spotify over music distribution channels. Taylor removed all her songs from Spotify in 2014, causing quite a controversy in the international music scene.


    By 2014, Spotify''s valuation had reached eight billion US Dollars, and by 2020 it exceeded 60 billion US Dollars.


    From this point of view, Spotify was a more worthwhile investment.


    The third, Aspiro, is a music platform invested in by Jay-Z, committed to providing high-fidelity music and music videos, taking the route of high-quality goods. Taylor had two albums'' worth of songs on the Aspiro platform.


    Link didn''t know if Jay-Z had made a move yet, but relatively speaking, Spotify was a bigger investment value.


    He shared his view with Eva, mentioning they could talk to the representatives of Spotify in the United States, and if they agreed to invest, the songs released under Link music could also be distributed on Spotify. Aspiro was also worth discussing.


    Eva indicated that she understood and would continue to follow up on these three projects.


    Ding-ling-ling!


    The breakfast wasn''t over yet when the phone''s ringing carried through from the living room; Link put down the newspaper and went to the living room to answer the call.


    "Boss, I just got a call from the production company of ''In Time;'' they''re considering replacing your role."


    Miss Anna said over the phone.


    "Oh, what''s the reason?"


    "The crew originally planned to shoot in May, but due to your busy schedule, it had to be postponed to June. The crew had originally agreed, but now the production company, New Regent Pictures, refuses to agree to the delay, demanding the crew replace you. I''m communicating with the ''In Time'' producer right now." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I understand, keep up the negotiations with them, and if they don''t agree, then just give up the role."


    Link thought for a moment before saying.


    Ding-ling-ling!


    He had just hung up the phone when his mobile rang again, with Catherine calling.


    "Link, director Will Guler just came to see me. Because of your scheduling conflict, Screen Gems is considering discontinuing the co-production of ''Friends with Benefits'' with us, opting instead to work with the Weinstein Company."

 Chapter 484 - 396: Investment and Banishment_3

    Mandy had called and said, "The Hunger Games" cast was also ready to switch allegiances and give the lead role to another actor. Link, why is this issue arising simultaneously? Is someone intentionally targeting us?"


    Catherine asked.


    Upon hearing Weinstein Company, Link immediately remembered that this matter likely had something to do with Harvey.


    At the last party, Harvey suddenly scowled and showed some hostility, and now he was making these targeted moves despite the ''compromising material'' Link had on him.


    Could Harvey have guessed that Link didn''t actually have any ''compromising material''?


    Link thought for a moment and then told Catherine to put aside the issue with "Friends with Benefits" for now, as Palm Beach Films currently had plenty of good scripts and that losing one project wasn''t a big deal.


    What needed to be done now was to continue negotiations with the cast of "The Hunger Games" to secure Jennifer''s role.


    Catherine said she understood.


    Link also told Catherine about his conflict with Harvey and advised the company to be cautious as last year, several executives from Miramax Films had joined the newly established Palm Beach Films.


    Miramax was originally founded by the Weinstein brothers; ''Mira'' was their mother''s name, and ''Max'' was their father''s.


    In ''93, it was sold to Disney for $80 million, and by ''05, the collaboration ended, and Miramax became a subsidiary of Disney.


    Be careful about Harvey contacting former employees to plant seeds of discord within the company.


    After hanging up the phone, he saw there was a missed call on his mobile, precisely from Ms. Mandy.


    He called back and told Mandy he was aware, not to worry, and to take things slowly. A few roles in a few movies didn''t greatly impact the company; they should continue working as usual and prioritize securing Jennifer''s role. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ms. Mandy felt relieved after hearing this and mentioned that she was communicating with director Gary Ross. They were very fond of Jennifer and did not want to change the actress, but Lionsgate Films'' second-largest shareholder was pressuring the cast to adjust the role.


    Link said he understood and to keep communicating, reporting back with any updates.


    "What''s happened?"


    Ivanka came over with a glass of milk and handed it to him.


    Link drank it in one gulp and mentioned Harvey''s move, starting with being stood up by the cast, followed by unilateral contract terminations by partners, and even the artists under Palm Beach agency were affected.


    Link suddenly realized the weight Harvey held as Hollywood''s most powerful figure was heavier than he had imagined.


    The people, knowing his net worth was over two billion and that he had strong box office appeal, chose to support Harvey at this time, indicating Harvey was more crucial to them and could bring them greater benefits.


    "Eva, do I have a chance to take down Harvey?"


    "Based on those scandals?"


    Ivanka folded her arms, thought for a moment, and said, "It would be extremely difficult and very costly. Firstly, all of Hollywood''s sexual assault and harassment cases are mostly transactional.


    Over the past hundred years, thousands of such cases have occurred in Hollywood, but only three people have been convicted, and they were lesser-known producers without much power.


    With Harvey currently having immense clout in Hollywood, many people rely on him for fame and money. If something were to happen to him, he would receive a lot of help.


    Moreover, Weinstein Company has also survived its financial crisis, and they aren''t short on money to hire lawyers.


    Additionally, with the Democrats in power, if Harvey were to run into trouble, his allies, considering their own interests, would voluntarily provide legal, political, and media assistance. Bringing him down would be costly, possibly resulting in mutual destruction.


    It would be better to wait a few more years, until the Democrats are out of office, or if Weinstein Company mismanages, it will be easier then to take down Weinstein."


    Ivanka gently persuaded him.


    Link, thinking about the timing of Weinstein''s downfall, nodded,


    "Then let''s wait! Even without relying on scandals, I can defeat him in the movie industry."


    Seeing his confident expression, Ivanka couldn''t help but curl her beautiful lips into a smile.

 Chapter 485 - 397: The Situation Compels Strength

    Today''s breakfast was destined to be uneasy. It wasn''t long after he had hung up the phone when Paul Walker, Casey Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Roberts, Jessica Alba, and others called one after another.


    They asked him what the conflict with Harvey was all about, with rumors that Harvey was going to blacklist him in Hollywood and had even called close directors and actors, hoping they would support his decision and be cautious about working with Link.


    They had all received messages from their acquaintances before calling to inquire about the situation.


    "Link, I heard you were cooperating with Weinstein Company on a film project. How did it suddenly fall through?"


    Paul Walker asked.


    "Maybe it''s because the papers said I''m a Republican."


    "Eh? Are you really a Republican, and planning to run for election?"


    Paul Walker asked in surprise.


    "No, I''m a non-partisan, I''m not interested in politics,"


    Link laughed.


    Ivanka had taught him before that as a politician, he needed to be tactful and good at lying and deceiving the public. When asked about it, he could claim to be a Democrat and support Democratic policies, which wouldn''t make any difference.


    Just like her father, who was a Democrat in the eighties, became a Republican in the nineties, joined the Democratic Party in 2001, switched to the Republican Party in 2009, and had also been a part of the Reform Party during different periods. He stood wherever it benefited him, without caring about public opinion.


    Link knew Ivanka made sense, but he couldn''t be as smooth as his father-in-law, nor could he lie to Paul Walker.


    "So, it''s a misunderstanding? That''s great. You could call Harvey to explain, I think he won''t hold it against you anymore,"


    Paul Walker said.


    Link, hearing him talk about Harvey so familiarly, asked if he was also close with Harvey.


    Paul Walker explained that in ''99 he shot to fame with the movie "Beautiful Eyebrows," becoming a youth idol.


    That movie was produced by Miramax Films.


    He and Harvey were familiar, but not close.


    Link, hearing this, felt helpless. Harvey and Miramax''s star-making ability was indeed strong; they had made hundreds of movie stars famous since the ''90s, and nearly all the veteran movie stars currently active on the screen had collaborated with him, including several of his good friends, Paul, Casey, Joaquin, and others.


    Seeing this situation, he also understood why those victims in the Harvey sexual assault case didn''t dare to speak out before his downfall.


    Because Harvey''s connections were too powerful; once they spoke up, they would have no place in Hollywood anymore and would have to say goodbye to the entertainment industry for good, with too high a cost.


    "Paul, things here are a bit complicated, and just calling to explain won''t work. But you don''t have to worry, as powerful as Weinstein''s influence may be, he can''t do anything to me,"


    Link said straightforwardly.


    "Alright, alright, I almost forgot that you''re a tycoon yourself, and you''ve even made it onto the Forbes list. Link, you''re amazing. How about we go racing sometime? I haven''t raced with a Forbes-listed mogul before, can you indulge me?"


    Paul Walker laughed.


    "Racing? Last year we bet that the loser wouldn''t touch a steering wheel for three years, and you lost. Are you still racing?"


    "...Haha, of course I haven''t driven. I''ve been filming on set, Link. I''ve got some work over here. Goodbye, we''ll catch up later."


    Click! The phone was hung up by Paul Walker.


    Link shook his head, this guy was also stubborn.


    Ding-a-ling!


    No sooner had the phone call ended than Emma Roberts''s call came in. She said she got the news from her aunt that Harvey was going to blacklist him in Hollywood and asked what happened.


    Link said he wasn''t too clear, it might be a political issue, or it might be something else, he was still investigating, and couldn''t give an accurate explanation at the moment.


    "Link, there''s a rumor it''s because of Jennifer Lawrence, coming from the set of ''Silver Linings Playbook''. Initially, Harvey didn''t want Jennifer to be the lead actress, but you forcefully pushed her into the cast. They say you and Harvey had a conflict over this, is that true?"


    Emma Roberts sounded like she was a spectator, her words filled with gossipy interest.


    From the background noise on the phone, it seemed she wasn''t alone; someone was laughing nearby.


    Link listened resignedly, the spark that ignited the conflict with Harvey was indeed Jennifer, but the main reason was still the use of Harvey''s sexual harassment scandal as a shield last September, along with his own disdain for Harvey.


    "Is that so? I remember now, last year Jennifer went to audition for ''Silver Linings Playbook,'' and Harvey wanted to harass her. I called to warn Harvey to stay away from her, and he apologized on the spot. I thought that would be the end of it, but I didn''t expect he would target me because of that incident."


    Link thought that using this incident as an excuse wasn''t bad.


    First of all, it was true.


    Secondly, Harvey was a repeat offender, which made the story more convincing.


    Last but not least, this was Hollywood, where men fighting over and being jealous of women was commonplace and most intriguing to onlookers.


    "So that''s how it is, then you need to be careful, Harvey is not a good person, and he has strong connections in Hollywood,"


    Emma Roberts said.


    While Emma was speaking, someone nearby was saying, ''Why remind him? Both he and Harvey are scumbags. It''s good for us no matter who gets unlucky¡ªwe just enjoy the show.''


    Upon hearing this, Link''s face darkened, "Emma, I got it, I''ll be careful. And tell that vampire next to you to watch out, people like her are the most likely to attract scumbags'' attention." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Haha, alright, I''ll tell her,"


    Emma Roberts laughed.


    A discontented voice came through the phone from Christine.


    Link smiled lightly, hung up the phone, and received messages from Casey and the others in the chat app.


    Most were persuading him to make peace with Harvey proactively, telling him Harvey''s power in Hollywood was strong. If he wanted to make it in Hollywood, it was best not to clash with Harvey and to try to reach a settlement.


    Link thanked them for their kind advice, but the issue was instigated by Harvey, and not causing trouble doesn''t mean everything would be peaceful.


    And as for apologizing to Harvey, that was out of the question.


    Although Harvey''s power in the United States was great, it wasn''t that there was no way to deal with him.


    Ding-a-ling!


    While messaging, Miss Anna called to inform him that the producers of ''In Time'' stated that negotiation was not an option, with a very firm attitude.


    Miss Anna also mentioned that the production company for ''In Time'' was New Regency Pictures.


    The company''s boss is Arnon Milchan, an Israeli Jew, one of the top ten Hollywood producers, with notable works such as ''Mr. & Mrs. Smith,'' ''Pretty Woman,'' ''Fight Club,'' ''Stealing Fire Line,'' ''Shining Killer,'' and hundreds of others.


    He confessed on television that he had been recruited as a spy since the sixties by the current Israeli President, Shimon Peres, responsible for the Israeli nuclear program''s Bureau of Scientific Relations, and had successfully completed dozens of secret missions, praised by the media as a hero.


    Many movies he was involved in are also considered political, including the famous animated film ''Fantastic Mr. Fox.''


    The movie is about a fox living by stealing, who after going straight buys a tree house between three farms¡ªa chicken farm, a ham shop, and a cider house¡ªto raise his children, but he has to start stealing again, looting chicken, ham, and cider from the three farmers, day and night. After being retaliated against by the farmers, he unites many animal friends to fight back and defeats the ferocious farm owners.


    The movie''s values were quite questionable, but Arnon Milchan made a lot of money by investing in films, with a net worth of 3.8 billion US Dollars, ranking 92nd on this year''s ''Forbes'' list of America''s 400 richest, also a film industry tycoon.


    Harvey had collaborated with Arnon Milchan several times and they were on good terms.


    When Link heard Anna mention the renowned producer Arnon, he realized that the situation was becoming trickier, as Jews had significant power in Hollywood and the media, and if he clashed with them now, the chances of losing were even greater.


    He told Anna to give up on ''In Time'' for the time being.


    To contact the detective named Raymond Carter to investigate sexual assault cases related to Harvey Weinstein; no time limit, and if key evidence could be found, he would reward him handsomely.


    Miss Anna indicated she understood.


    After hanging up the phone, he found that the roast in his plate had long gone cold, and Ivanka, having changed into a long dress, was urging him in the living room to hurry up as the art exhibition at the Getty Art Center was starting.


    Ivanka said his villa was too gaudy with no artistic taste, and she wanted to take him to the art exhibition to pick out some art pieces to decorate the house.


    If they were lucky, they might purchase art from a potential artist that could appreciate in value over time.


    Link didn''t object, and after breakfast, he accompanied Ivanka to the Getty Art Center in Brentwood to see the art exhibition.

 Chapter 486 - 398: The Idea of Acquisition

    As Link viewed the art exhibit, Miss Mandy was at the headquarters of Lionsgate Films on 12th Street in Santa Monica, having coffee with Lionsgate CEO Steven Bicks, discussing the casting of "The Hunger Games."


    She had talked to the producer of "The Hunger Games," Nina Jackson, and director Gary Ross yesterday, and they both supported continuing with Jennifer Lawrence as the female lead.


    But Lionsgate had other ideas and was pressuring the crew.


    If Palm Beach Agency couldn''t change the minds of the higher-ups at Lionsgate, the crew would ultimately have to replace the actor.


    "Apologize?"


    Miss Mandy looked at President Steve Bicks across from her, and sneered, "Mr. Bicks, did I hear you wrong? You said that Link has to apologize to Harvey Weinstein?"


    "Miss Gomez, please don''t misunderstand. This is what the board wants. Some shareholders have been persuaded and are opposed to our decision to employ an actor from Palm Beach Agency. I have to be accountable to the board,"


    explained President Bicks.


    "President Bicks, I''ve spoken with Ms. Nina Jackson and director Gary Ross, and they firmly believe Jennifer is the irreplaceable choice for Katniss. With her in the role, the movie is bound to succeed; with someone else as Katniss, the result would be far inferior to Jennifer''s, that''s what director Gary Ross said.


    President Bicks, I''ve heard that Lionsgate''s performance has been poor these last two years. ''The Hunger Games'' is a major annual project for Lionsgate, with a production cost in the hundreds of millions; if it fails, Lionsgate''s future will be severely affected, even to the point of bankruptcy.


    It can be said that ''The Hunger Games'' is extremely important to Lionsgate, so I hope you will consider carefully before making a final decision to recast."


    Miss Mandy said with a serious expression.


    President Bicks twitched the muscles around his eyes involuntarily when he heard her words.


    Lionsgate''s performance indeed wasn''t as good as in the previous years, but it hadn''t reached the brink of bankruptcy.


    However, in the words of President Mandy Gomez, without Jennifer Lawrence, "The Hunger Games" would 100% make a loss, and if "The Hunger Games" failed, Lionsgate would 100% go bankrupt, as if Jennifer Lawrence was the great savior of Lionsgate.


    He inwardly sighed, having heard that Link Baker''s former agent was a tough character, and now it seemed to be true.


    "Does Mr. Bicks think I am being alarmist?"


    Mrs. Gomez gauged him, a hint of disdainful smile on her round face, "I don''t think my words are exaggerated. I am also a president of a company, and as the helmsman of the company, I believe it''s most important to have independent management rights and not just allow anyone to poke their fingers into the company''s decisions.


    Even if it''s a decision made by the board, we have the right to argue against it when there are mistakes, instead of accepting it without reason. Because we are CEOs, our duty is to find ways to make the company profitable and satisfy investors.


    If the attitude of just any outsider can affect the company''s decisions, I think such a company won''t be far from bankruptcy, wouldn''t you agree?


    President Bicks, as a seasoned predecessor, has more experience in this area than I do. I believe President Bicks understands what I mean."


    President Steven Bicks frowned. He obviously got the meaning of Madam Gomez, and he was also very displeased with the board''s meddling in the company''s specific projects.


    But as a CEO, he was effectively a high-level employee who was accountable to the board and needed their support at work. Faced with proposals from board members, he couldn''t just ignore them.


    The reason he didn''t argue with the board on this matter was also simple.


    This is Hollywood, there are many actors, and no one is indispensable or irreplaceable, except for a few veteran actors and top stars. For ordinary actors before they make a name for themselves, they rely on movies to make their mark, not the other way around.


    Because Jennifer Lawrence was a relatively insignificant character, compared to the attitudes of the board members, he thought the latter was more important, which is why he supported the board on this matter.


    "Mrs. Gomez, I think the crux of this issue lies with Mr. Link Baker. There are already many producers and film companies announcing they won''t work with him, and we are doing this to avoid risk,"


    explained President Steven Bicks.


    "Risk? Harvey Weinstein can be called a risk?"


    Madam Gomez laughed in disdain, stood up, and said, "I''m very disappointed with Lionsgate''s decision. As a publicly-traded company, in Hollywood, Lionsgate has more influence than Weinstein Company.


    Mr. Bicks, as the person at the helm of Lionsgate, also has an influence in the entertainment circle not much less than Harvey Weinstein, but when facing Weinstein, you show fear and weakness, with no trace of independence, which is truly disappointing."


    President Bicks''s face turned extremely ugly upon hearing her words. Mandy saying he was trembling in front of Harvey, retreating in cowardice, was tantamount to pointing at his nose and calling him a worthless CEO and a coward.


    If it had been a man who insulted him, he could have hurled insults back, but now the one uttering these words was a lady with both good image and temperament, which made him all the more embarrassed. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Moreover, President Bicks, I don''t know who you are speaking for, asking Link to apologize to Harvey Weinstein. Now please take my words back as well.


    An apology from Link? Impossible.


    Who is Link? He''s an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, a top world music artist, an idol of the Time, the American Dream, a billionaire, and for two consecutive years, the number one philanthropist in the entertainment industry.


    You want a hero like him to apologize to a scumbag implicated in a rape case?


    Ha, that''s ridiculous, Mr. Bicks, I bet if you have children, and you tell them about this, they''d be ashamed of your behavior right now.


    Goodbye!"


    Ms. Mandy nodded politely, picked up her handbag, and, with her secretary, took her leave.


    "This woman..."


    President Steven Bicks pointed at Ms. Mandy''s retreating figure, his face turning pitch-black with anger. He had only come to pass on a message but ended up being berated without a chance to respond. This woman was too domineering.


    "Mr. Bicks, are you okay?"


    The assistant hurried over to support him and asked.


    President Bicks took several deep breaths and leaned back in his chair to think for a moment.


    He took out his phone and called Jon Femler, Chairman of the Board and the largest shareholder of Lionsgate Films.


    He expressed his support for the decision of "The Hunger Games" production team, stating that Jennifer Lawrence was more suited for the female lead role, and changing the actress could likely cause a certain degree of loss to the project. He had nothing to say if the board was willing to bear the loss.


    Chairman Femler pondered for a moment, said he would continue to discuss with a few shareholders, and asked him to keep an eye on "The Hunger Games" crew. The project was very important to the company, and they must try to avoid any mistakes.


    After hanging up, the words of Ms. Mandy Gomez, still echoed in Steve Bicks'' ears¡ªhow people walk on eggshells, show cowardice, and make concessions. He inwardly cursed the woman''s poisonous tongue and hoped he would never have to see her again.


    He instructed his assistant to say he was not in if anyone from Palm Beach Talent came by again.


    ¡ª


    "Hey, Link, are you busy?"


    After leaving Lionsgate Films, Ms. Mandy made a phone call to Link, inquiring about his whereabouts. Link said he was looking at an exhibition at the Getty Art Center. Ms. Mandy couldn''t help but roll her eyes, as her nephew was relaxed enough to enjoy an exhibition while she ran around tirelessly for the company''s business.


    Well, after all, he''s the boss.


    "Mandy, how did it go with Lionsgate?"


    Link asked over the phone.


    "Not well. I said many pleasant things to President Bicks, but they wouldn''t budge. They even want you to apologize to Harvey Weinstein. I said that was impossible, and then negotiations broke down. Jennifer will need to look for another role," she explained, leaning back in her seat, watching the slowly receding building of Lionsgate Films from the car window.


    "Is that so? Mandy, don''t worry yet. I''m planning to acquire Lionsgate Films; this is far from over."


    "What?"


    Ms. Mandy, who had wanted to relax on the seat, sat upright upon hearing his words, "Link, are you kidding? You want to acquire a film company for a movie role? Even if you like Jennifer that much, isn''t that a bit much? Acquiring Lionsgate will cost several hundred million. If you make a misstep, you could lose it all. Please reconsider, and don''t act impulsively."


    Link laughed over the phone, "I''ve thought about it; currently, Lionsgate Films'' stock price is just $8.90, with a total market value of less than seven hundred million US dollars, including debt. Acquiring Lionsgate isn''t much of a stressor for me.


    Besides, the company specializes in thriller movies and has acquired a couple of distribution companies like TriStar Entertainment and Atison Entertainment in recent years, along with the Debmar-Mercury television production company. Acquiring this company would also boost Palm Beach Films'' promotional and distribution capabilities."


    "Is that so? Do you think you''ll be successful?"


    Ms. Mandy inquired.


    "We''re currently negotiating with the third-largest shareholder of Lionsgate Films; it''s not a big problem."


    Link assured confidently.


    "Alright, I don''t know if I should try to dissuade you, but be careful anyway."


    Ms. Mandy offered a few words of caution and hung up the phone. She turned back to look at the Lionsgate Films logo, wondering if Link would succeed.

 Chapter 487 - 399 Lionsgates Situation (9/10)

    The Getty Art Center, with its limestone walls, was filled with various precious artworks.


    Being one of the wealthiest and most upscale art institutions in the world, the artworks displayed here mostly came from renowned artists across the globe.


    There was no trash here, provided that one had eyes to appreciate it.


    Link was a boxer, his taste in art mirroring that of the average person; to him, the abstract expressionist pieces around him held almost no beauty.


    Some of these paintings and artworks were just random splashes of paint on paper with a few straight lines, some were a chaotic mix of sand, pebbles, nails, and broken glass mixed into the paint on a fiberboard.


    Yet such paintings would fetch tens of millions, even hundreds of millions of US dollars at auctions.


    Among them, Jackson Pollock''s "Number 5, 1948," had sold for 144 million US dollars in 2006, making it the most expensive painting in the world.


    "What do you think after seeing these artworks?"


    Ivanka asked, looping her arm through his.


    "I feel pretty poor."


    Link shrugged. After his net worth had reached a billion, he had thought himself wealthy, but after visiting these art exhibitions, he realized that with his current fortune, he could only afford a few dozen of the artworks here.


    "It''s good that you think this way. Many people become arrogant and self-absorbed after suddenly becoming rich, thinking too highly of themselves. If they saw these artworks, they would realize their wealth is nothing in front of art."


    Ivanka pointed at one of Pollock''s paintings as she spoke.


    Link looked at her beautifully made-up face and laughed, "Did you bring me here to clear my mind of any delusions of grandeur?"


    "Of course not, I wanted you to understand the relationship between money and art. Money is fluid, like water and air, no one can possess it forever, but art is eternal. You''re a musician; your albums are artworks that will belong to you for decades, even centuries.


    Now that you have money, I hope you spend more time on creating music instead of just making more money, which would be a waste of your talent."


    Ivanka spoke earnestly.


    Link nodded, understanding her point.


    But creating art was no easy task; he had been genuinely creating since becoming a singer, not merely copying.


    However, creating was difficult; last year he had written seven songs for his fourth album, but only one was selected.


    The rest were critiqued by Graham and others as being immature or stylistically inappropriate, and could be given to other singers.


    "So you don''t agree with me quitting the music industry?"


    "Of course not, think about it. As a billionaire, how many will remember you in hundreds of years? As an artist, like Beethoven, Van Gogh, Michelangelo, their names will be celebrated for a thousand years, isn''t that cooler than being a billionaire?"


    Ivanka said, looking at the artwork.


    "Yes, you''re right, I will try harder."


    Link put his arm around her waist and walked forward to the next gallery, which featured photographic art. There, they encountered Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban, who were also viewing the exhibition.


    Keith Urban, a renowned country music singer who had won the Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance four times. Link had met Keith Urban in Nashville in 2009 at a Taylor performance and had become acquainted with him, as well as Nicole Kidman.


    After their greeting, Link spoke warmly with the couple, and Keith Urban reciprocated with polite enthusiasm, asking him when his new album was coming out.


    Nicole Kidman appeared somewhat surprised to see him, her expression complex and not as enthusiastic as when they last met at a Weinstein party.


    Link didn''t mind. He chatted with them a bit longer and then continued to explore the exhibition with Ivanka.


    In addition to Nicole Kidman, he had also met couples like Sandra Bullock and Natalie Portman, people who had a good relationship with Harvey. When they met him, they maintained a certain distance, but others didn''t show any change, perhaps because they hadn''t received the news.


    "It''s clear, the entire Hollywood mainstream actor circle is shunning you. What are your thoughts on that?"


    Ivanka said with a smile.


    "Time will prove that they picked the wrong side."


    Link said, unconcerned.


    "Are you sure you want to acquire Lionsgate Films? That might not be an easy task."


    "I''m prepared for that."


    Link shrugged as he spoke.


    Acquiring Lionsgate Films was not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but part of his plan to make inroads into Hollywood.


    Lionsgate Films was founded in 1997 as a new film company formed by the merger of Canadian film company Cinepix Entertainment and American television production company Trimark Pictures.


    It was originally headquartered in Canada and moved to the Santa Monica district of Hollywood in 2000.


    This company mainly produces and releases low-budget films, mostly horror movies, such as the "Saw series," "Hostel," "All Cheerleaders Die," among others.


    They have also made many high-quality art films, like "Requiem for a Dream," "Dancer in the Dark," "Hard Candy," "Girl with a Pearl Earring," "Rabbit Hole," among others.


    In 2004, they co-produced and released "Fahrenheit 9/11" with Miramax Films, which was regarded as a game-changing success for Lionsgate Films, earning them hundreds of millions of US dollars.


    Before 2000, the total box office of movies distributed by Lionsgate Films accounted for less than 0.4% of the total North American box office.


    By 2004, their market share had jumped to 4%, and last year it broke through to 5%.


    Although 5% is not much compared to the more than 10% held by the six major studios, in the independent film field, only a few companies like New Line, Focus, Miramax, and Summit Entertainment could compete.


    Due to good box office results last year, the stock price of Lionsgate Films rose to around 8 US dollars in June of last year, and at one point, the total market value exceeded 700 million US dollars.


    Due to the poor box office performance of two films at the beginning of the year, the current stock price is around 7.4 US dollars, with a total market value of about 630 million US dollars, making it the highest-valued company among independent film production companies.


    After entering the film industry, Link founded Palm Beach Films and also wanted to acquire a movie company with an established distribution division.


    Lionsgate Films, Summit Entertainment, and Miramax Films, which is about to be sold by Disney, were all under consideration.


    Having a distribution company meant that films produced by Palm Beach Films could be released independently without sharing box office revenues with distribution companies.


    For example, "Scandal Plan," released by Warner Bros. Pictures last year, had Warner automatically receive 18% of the North American box office share and 25% of the international box office share, as well as the rights to "Scandal Plan," earning more than Palm Beach Films.


    If distributed independently, this issue could be avoided. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In acquiring a distribution company, he also considered other film companies, with Summit Entertainment, which had recently soared with the "Twilight" saga, initially being the top choice.


    However, in terms of development potential, Lionsgate Films was stronger.


    After successfully distributing films like "The Hunger Games" and acquiring Summit Entertainment in 2012, Lionsgate''s annual total box office share in the North American market exceeded 10%, often surpassing Fox Films and Paramount Pictures, catapulting into the top five in the film industry.


    Currently, the market value of Lionsgate Films is less than 700 million US dollars, but in three to four years, it could surge to over 6 billion US dollars, nearly tenfold.


    Acquiring Lionsgate or obtaining some of its stocks at this stage would be a highly profitable investment.

 Chapter 488 - 400 Shares

    Link and Ivanka had spent over two hours at the Getty Center. They spent $1.6 million to acquire five paintings and sculptures, all chosen by Ivanka.


    Link could hardly see what was so special about these pieces of art, but Ivanka insisted they were perfectly suited for their bay villa, to enhance its artistic flair.


    Once back home and having had the decorations installed by a designer, Link noticed some changes. At the very least, the overall price of the mansion had increased.


    Shortly after returning home, Mrs. Cathy Wood called from Wall Street. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She said that Carl Icahn, the third-largest shareholder of Lionsgate Films and a notable Wall Street investor, had agreed to sell his 14.5% shares but demanded a 20% premium because last year, Lionsgate''s stock price had hit $700 million, not the current $630 million.


    Last year, Carl Icahn had planned a complete takeover of Lionsgate Films, proposing to buy it for $350 million in equity and assuming $180 million in debt, but Lionsgate''s board rejected it. The fallout was unpleasant, prompting Icahn to decide to sell his Lionsgate shares.


    After Link decided to acquire Lionsgate Films, Cathy contacted Carl Icahn through the channels of Vanguard Asset Management Company, aiming to secure his shares.


    After two days of negotiations, they reached an agreement. Link''s team would buy Carl Icahn''s 14.5% share of Lionsgate Films for $108 million.


    However, during the purchase, Mrs. Cathy informed him that Golden Shell Investment didn''t have enough cash on hand and would need to borrow part of it.


    Link realized he had bought quite a few things this year and made less money. After wrapping up these matters, he knew he needed to find a way to make some money.


    Upon successfully acquiring the 14.5% stake, Golden Shell Investment became the third-largest shareholder of Lionsgate Films. In order to have decision-making power on the board, he continued to issue acquisition offers to the first and second largest shareholders.


    The largest shareholder of Lionsgate Films was Jon Feltheimer, a famous producer with works like "Rambo IV" and "The Expendables", and also the current chairman of Lionsgate, holding 28.7% of its stocks.


    The second-largest shareholder was media mogul John Marlon, holding 22.4% of Lionsgate stocks and also a friend of Harvey Weinstein.


    Link also issued acquisition offers to the fourth, fifth, and sixth largest shareholders, proposing a premium of over 15%. His goal was to become the top shareholder of Lionsgate and have decision-making authority in the company.


    However, as news of his decision to acquire Lionsgate Films spread, the second-largest shareholder, John Marlon, also began making acquisition proposals to several minor shareholders. The bidding war that ensued caused the stock prices of Lionsgate to soar rapidly.


    In one day, it rose from $7.4 per share to $8.2 per share, bringing its market value to $704 million.


    The rise in stock price added some difficulty to his acquisition.


    But Link didn''t mind. He sent a message through the media to the public, stating that no matter how much Lionsgate''s stock rose, he would continue his acquisition until he had complete control of Lionsgate Films.


    This news, reported by the "Hollywood Reporter", caused quite a stir in Hollywood.


    Link, a new billionaire, was well-known, and it also came to light that he was having a feud with Hollywood magnate Harvey Weinstein.


    Rumors started because Weinstein wanted to sexually exploit Jennifer Lawrence, the lead actress from "Silver Linings Playbook", and was vehemently cursed out by her rumored boyfriend Link.


    Weinstein, furious and embarrassed, announced he would blacklist Link and his affiliated actors, leading to Link losing the "In Time" and "Friends with Benefits" movie projects.


    Meanwhile, Weinstein used his connections at CAA to snatch the role of the female lead in "The Hunger Games" from Jennifer, even though it was already secured.


    "The Hunger Games" was Lionsgate''s largest investment project of the year.


    Outraged, Link had not hesitated to loan over a hundred million dollars to acquire the 14.5% stake from Lionsgate''s third-largest shareholder and even declared his intent to take full control of Lionsgate Films, all in a bid to secure Jennifer Lawrence the leading role in "The Hunger Games" and get revenge.


    Hearing these rumors, Hollywood''s gossipmongers were buzzing with discussions.


    Some joked that Link, young and impetuous, thought he could conquer the enigmatic Hollywood with his capital, only to lose everything eventually.


    Others mentioned that Weinstein had fouled up with his sexual advances and had angered a formidable adversary.


    Some envied Jennifer for having found such a reliable supporter who was willing to confront Hollywood''s most powerful figures head-on and take over a major independent film company just to retrieve a role for her.


    This move was reminiscent of the 1940s, when billionaire playboy Howard Hughes invested millions to produce movies just to promote actress Jean Harlow.


    Unfortunately, the box office flops nearly bankrupted Hughes.


    More than seventy years later, history seemed to repeat as another playboy undertook a similar venture.


    Many believed that Link would repeat Hughes'' history, possibly facing an even worse outcome since Hughes was then the wealthiest man in America with an airline company, while Link''s fortune was only in the ballpark of two billion dollars.


    In Hollywood, where billions are poured into movie production and promotion annually, two billion dollars isn''t considered a lot of money.


    Many predicted that Link would disastrously exit this game of capital.


    "This kid wants to buy out Lionsgate Films just for a role? Hahaha! Ridiculous, this is the funniest joke I''ve heard this year."


    In the office of the president of Weinstein Company, Harvey, seeing the news in the "Los Angeles Times", grinned with his toad-like mouth and laughed uncontrollably, his belly shaking along.

 Chapter 489 - 400 Shares_2

    ```


    "Harvey, don''t laugh yet, with Link''s net worth, purchasing Lionsgate Films wouldn''t be difficult, and if he succeeds, we''ll have another formidable rival in Hollywood in the future."


    Bob Weinstein persuaded.


    Although it seemed impulsive for Link to announce a full acquisition of Lionsgate Films¡ªlike a young man getting hot-blooded over pride rather than behaving like a superstar billionaire¡ªit was true that with a net worth of over two billion, if Link was determined to buy Lionsgate, the likelihood of success was very high.


    If Link took over Lionsgate, Weinstein Company would have another formidable rival in Hollywood.


    "Ha ha, Link? A formidable rival? Bob, you''re giving him too much credit. He''s a boxer, a singer, he doesn''t understand movies. What''s to fear from Lionsgate led by someone clueless about the film industry? I bet within three years Lionsgate would go bankrupt. He wishes to be our rival?"


    Harvey laughed scornfully.


    Bob stroked his chin, thinking Harvey might have a point.


    People like them, who''ve been deeply rooted in the film industry for over forty years and called modern movie leaders, are extremely cautious and strategic when it comes to managing their company.


    Even so, the Weinstein Company had been losing money year after year. It was easy to predict that someone ignorant about movies taking the reins of Lionsgate¡ªa bigger company than Weinstein Company¡ªwould be a disaster.


    Lionsgate would likely follow MGM''s footsteps to become the next publicly traded film company to go bankrupt.


    "Bob, I remember we still hold some stocks in Lionsgate, right?"


    Harvey asked as he lit a cigar. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, not much, over 200,000 shares. Lionsgate''s stock price is at $8.20 per share, should we sell?"


    "No, Link wants to gain complete control of Lionsgate, right? Then let''s help him. Let''s use our channels to buy more Lionsgate stocks, as much as we can, and see how much Link is willing to pay us for these shares."


    Harvey laughed heartily.


    "If Link fails in the acquisition and announces giving up on Lionsgate, its stock price will definitely fall, and wouldn''t our investment be wasted?"


    "Ha ha, no worries. Hollywood is a battlefield. As long as we can defeat Link, and embarrass him, losing a few hundred thousand is no big deal."


    Harvey said nonchalantly.


    Bob frowned; unlike Harvey, who valued the abstract idea of saving face over defeating Link, he cared more about whether they could make money. He was not willing to engage in a losing business.


    After some thought, Bob said to Harvey,


    If we want to trap Link in the big pit that is Lionsgate, we should find a way to help him take control of it successfully.


    Let him lose a few billion, rather than preventing him from acquiring Lionsgate, which would inadvertently assist him.


    Hearing Bob''s words, Harvey paused, his cigar freezing in his hand, realizing the sense in them.


    If they wanted Link to suffer a small loss, now was the time to stop him. But to make Link incur a massive loss, they should find a way to lure him into the pit.


    Harvey rubbed the cigar between his fingers, falling silent for a moment before saying, "Bob, go meet John Malone in person, see what he thinks. If he plans on selling his Lionsgate shares, tell him to ask for a higher price now, to make a fortune off Link. We can enjoy the drama of Link failing at Lionsgate in a few years. If he has no such plans, Link''s acquisition is doomed to fail, and we''ll step in at this juncture, give Link some embarrassment."


    Bob nodded; as long as it didn''t cost Weinstein Company any money, he was indifferent.


    "Also, find out who''s spreading this news, and make them shut up."


    Harvey suddenly said, frowning and pointing at the "Los Angeles Times" entertainment news section.


    The article reported that, according to insiders, the conflict between Link and him erupted over the casting of Jennifer Lawrence as the lead actress in "Silver Linings Playbook."


    Although the paper didn''t explicitly mention his failed attempt to impose unwritten rules on Jennifer Lawrence, which resulted in Link''s harsh scolding and his subsequent appeasement by voluntarily transferring 50% of the movie rights to Palm Beach Films, the news, combined with online rumors and real-life events, made it appear factual.


    Such issues could affect his reputation, and he would never just stand by and ignore them.


    ```


    Bob hesitated upon hearing his words.


    The reason this rumor is so marketable now is because it holds a lot of truth.


    Harvey''s bad reputation in Hollywood is well-known; everyone is aware of his numerous scandals with women, and the suggestion that he might intend to take advantage of Jennifer Lawrence is within the realm of his capabilities.


    Although Link is a ladies'' man, he has a good reputation among female stars, and scolding Harvey to protect Jennifer is something he might do.


    Moreover, Weinstein Company, despite having full movie rights to "Silver Linings Playbook," voluntarily gave half of the rights to Link¡ªa fact that cannot be denied.


    Given these circumstances, it''s nearly impossible to wash away such rumors that are seventy percent true and thirty percent false.


    Arranging for media PR is also a waste of money.


    Considering Harvey''s hot temper and tendency to smash things, Bob did not say much and took on the task.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    Just as he was about to stand up and leave, Mickey Lox, head of the production department at Weinstein Company, came to the office to report to Harvey, mainly to press for funds.


    Mickey Lox brought news that "Silver Linings Playbook" had finished shooting its main scenes and was moving into post-production. David O. Russell''s team was pushing for the follow-up production funds.


    Mickey asked Harvey for his opinion¡ªwhether to give the money or not.


    "Just stall them; this movie isn''t important to us, but it''s even more crucial for the development of Palm Beach Films. They''ve invested money they can''t recoup, so they''re more anxious than us right now," Harvey said with a cold laugh.


    "Mr. Weinstein, our company has also invested 5 million US dollars in this movie. Continuing to delay could impact our company as well," Mickey said diplomatically.


    Bob glanced at Harvey and said, "I think we should give them the money. I''ve heard that Link''s investment involves not just Palm Beach Films but also Skydance Productions."


    "Skydance? David Ellison''s movie company?"


    Harvey frowned.


    "Yes, I''ve heard Link has a good relationship with him. If we keep dragging this out and it goes to court, our chances of winning against both of them are very slim," Bob advised.


    When it came to producing and distributing films, he did not consider himself to be on par with Harvey, but he disliked Harvey''s tendency to let emotions dictate business decisions, often delaying profits for the sake of pride,


    He believed nothing was more important than making money.


    "Sigh!"


    Harvey exhaled in resignation hearing Bob''s words.


    Realistically, the Ellison family is also Jewish, and theoretically, they should be allies.


    Yet, American Jews are not all of one mind; some support the Democratic Party, some the Republican, frequently becoming rivals in the business world.


    If American Jews could unite, in the financial sphere, there would be the likes of Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Larry Ellison, George Soros, Zuckerberg, Epstein, and others.


    In the entertainment industry, there would be George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg, David Geffen, Woody Allen, and many more. By then, not only Hollywood but the whole world would tremble before them.


    After thinking it through, Harvey instructed Lox to allocate the funds but emphasized that they must keep a tight grip on the editing and distribution rights of the movie.


    He also asked Bob to invite David Ellison to the next film screening and discuss the cooperation between the two companies.


    "Okay!"


    Watching Bob and Lox leave, Harvey, clutching his cigar, let out a cold laugh. Link, this time let''s see how you can win.

 Chapter 490 - 401 Golden Rooster

    After acquiring 14.5% of Lionsgate''s shares, Golden Shell Investment continued to buy more Lionsgate shares from the market and other shareholders, eventually spending $210 million to secure a 26.8% stake in Lionsgate Films.


    Meanwhile, the second-largest shareholder and media mogul, John Malone, also joined in the pursuit to acquire the remaining shares of Lionsgate.


    He spent $80 million subsequently, increasing his holding in Lionsgate Films to 32.2%, surpassing Jon Felth, and becoming the largest shareholder of Lionsgate.


    Due to the competition between the two for Lionsgate Films'' shares, the stock price of Lionsgate on the New York Stock Exchange continuously rose.


    From an initial price of $7.4 to $10.2, the market value of Lionsgate Films successfully broke through $800 million, with a Friday quote by The Wall Street Journal of $850 million, a rise of almost 30%.


    Moving forward, for either Link or John Malone to acquire shares from the other, they would have to pay a price higher than the original.


    Their next major target for acquisition are the 28.7% shares held by the chairman of Lionsgate Films, Jon Felth.


    Whoever secures these shares will ultimately control the Lionsgate Films board of directors and have decision-making power over Lionsgate.


    According to their current net worth, both men are nearly equal.


    John Malone is a shareholder of US media giants Liberty Media and Liberty Global and also holds a substantial amount of shares in Discovery Communications.


    With a net worth around $2 billion, although he is 69 this year, being a veteran investor on Wall Street with deep connections in the US business circle, he does not lack the funds to control Lionsgate Films if he wishes to.


    As for Link, he is currently fighting alone, using his company''s shares as collateral for bank loans when he runs out of cash, not seeking external support to share the risk, which poses a greater risk.


    Just when everyone thought the competition between the two would enter a stalemate, Jon Felth, the chairman of Lionsgate, suddenly announced the sale of his 28.7% shareholding to Golden Shell Investment for a trade of 3.2% Twitter shares.


    This news stirred up a huge sensation on Wall Street and Hollywood, with many saying that Link had lost his mind.


    This year, after completing its third round of funding, Twitter''s stock has entered the fast lane, its market value rising from $42 billion to $58 billion in just over half a month.


    Professional media like The Wall Street Journal and Business Daily predict that Twitter''s market price could exceed $10 billion by the end of the year.


    If listed next year, it could become the next Facebook, potentially reaching a market value of over $100 billion, or even $200 billion.


    Currently, many investment banks on Wall Street are eager to get a piece of Twitter''s shares but don''t have the opportunity. Originally the second-largest shareholder of Twitter, holding 16.5% of its shares, Link was poised to become a billionaire next year, potentially entering the top three of the Forbes list.


    Yet this month, he twice sold off his Twitter shares at a very low price to acquire Nvidia shares and Lionsgate Films, which was in average condition.


    Business Daily, in its latest issue, has a commentary article entitled "Why is Investment Star Link Baker Making Frequent Poor Decisions This Year?"


    The author believes this is due to the negative effects of a sudden spike in net worth.


    At the beginning of the decade, Link''s net worth was less than $400 million, but by the start of this year, it had soared to $2.4 billion, a rapid expansion that made Link underestimate the risks of the stock market and make a series of wrong decisions.


    Translated into plain language, it implies that the newly wealthy Link, having come into money, has lost his senses and is spending irrationally.


    The article also pointed out that if Link does not come to his senses soon, he would eventually pay for his mistakes, potentially dropping from a billionaire to just a multi-millionaire.


    The most anxious person upon seeing this news was Mr. Thomp, Link''s father-in-law, who put down The Wall Street Journal and picked up the telephone on his desk to call Ivanka.


    "Ivanka, do you know what Link is doing?"


    "Dad, what are you talking about?"


    Ivanka asked as she set down her pen and leaned back in her office chair.


    "The thing about Link trading his Twitter shares for Lionsgate''s, 3.2% of Twitter shares by the end of the year would be worth at least $400 million, yet he used it to exchange for Lionsgate shares worth less than $200 million, it''s completely irrational, Ivanka, you should talk to him,"


    Mr. Thomp complained loudly.


    "Dad, this is Link''s personal matter, and I don''t want to interfere."


    "You''re boyfriend-girlfriend, about to get married, and Link''s money will be yours one day,"


    Mr. Thomp exclaimed.


    "Dad, Link''s assets are his own, they have nothing to do with me. I have enough with my stakes in Link Music.


    Besides, it''s only Twitter shares he sold this time. He still holds Tesla and Link Music stocks, so even if this investment fails, it won''t impact much. Link is still young, his road ahead is long, and experiencing a failure might even be beneficial for his growth,"


    Ivanka explained.


    Mr. Thomp smacked his lips helplessly, "Ivanka, when do you plan to marry Link? Last time I spoke with him, he said he''d consider it once he''s finished with his current projects. I hope it''s within this year."


    "Dad, there''s no rush, we...."


    "No rush? You''re already 27, going on 28 next year. Let me tell you, if you don''t marry this year, I''ll accept Kunas''s proposal on your behalf. I mean what I say."


    Click!


    Before Ivanka could say anything more, Mr. Thomp hung up the phone.


    Listening to the busy tone, Ivanka shook her head and wasn''t particularly worried about Mr. Thomp''s words.


    As someone in a wealthy family, what mattered most was securing the inheritance of the family fortune to sustain an upper-class lifestyle and consumption.


    To secure this inheritance rights, heirs in the family often engaged in both overt and covert battles, fearful of defying their elders.


    But she was different. Currently, Link Music was valued at $650 million, and she owned 25% of Link Music stocks, building her net worth over $100 million. With these assets, she could live well without relying on her family, rendering Mr. Thomp''s marriage pressures useless.


    However, Mr. Thomp did have a point; she wasn''t getting any younger, and if she delayed further, she might become a spinster.


    Ivanka blinked her eyelashes, opened Google, and searched for ways to encourage her boyfriend to propose.


    The first search result revealed Amy Adams'' new movie "Leap Year," a story about a woman who hears that proposing to her boyfriend on February 29 of a leap year will guarantee a happy love, and she flies all the way from the United States to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend, only to find her true love on the journey.


    She shook her head and continued searching for other good ideas.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    "President, Supervisor Capal is here, and he has something to report to you. Do you have time now?"


    Secretary Vivian Jones asked from the doorway. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let him in, Vivian, and stay here to organize these files," she instructed pointing towards the bookshelf.


    "Yes, President!"


    Vivian turned around to invite Director George Capal in, then went to the desk to organize documents. This wasn''t her first time doing such tasks; whenever male staff came to report, she was kept in the office to do various chores.


    Initially, it felt strange, but she wisely refrained from asking too many questions.


    "George, how did the talks with Spotify go?"


    Ivanka asked with her hands crossed.


    "Very smoothly. President Daniel Ek welcomed Link Music''s participation in the current round of funding and showed considerable interest in collaborating with Link Music. However, Spotify''s valuation in this financing round is one billion US dollars, and they aren''t accepting investors who offer less than fifty million US dollars. President, should we still pursue this?"


    George Capal explained.


    Spotify is a licensed digital music streaming platform whose revenue primarily comes from ad income from free music and subscription fees from paying users.


    Since launching in Stockholm, Sweden in 2008, it has reached over five million users in Europe and North America, with 1.8 million of them as paid subscribers. The subscription models are either $4.99 per month or $9.99 per month.


    Last year, their total revenue reached 150 million US dollars. Although it falls short of Link Music, it still holds potential in the streaming music platform market.


    Ivanka pondered for a moment and then picked up the phone to discuss the investment stake with Link.


    Her opinion was to first invest fifty million to observe Spotify''s development potential, and if it improved, take part in the next round of funding.


    Link''s plan, however, was to secure no less than 15% of the shares. He also wanted to stipulate in the contract that artists from Link Music, as the earliest musicians to join Spotify in North America, would receive technological and traffic support when releasing songs on the Spotify platform, at least for three years.


    If Spotify agreed, his new songs could debut on the Spotify platform.


    After thinking it over, Ivanka realized that 15% of the shares amounted to around 150 million US dollars, roughly the company''s earnings from the previous year. This decision carried a risk.


    But if Spotify developed smoothly, not only would Link Music''s market value surge, but it would also gain a new distribution platform, increasing revenue generation speed in the future.


    "Then we''ll do as you suggested," Ivanka stated.


    "By the way, releasing songs on streaming media isn''t the same as releasing physical records. Some artists might mind this, so before they join Spotify, you and Graeme should first discuss it with the artists under our label based on their willingness; don''t force anyone," Link reminded.


    He was reminded of a news article related to Taylor.


    Releasing a new album on Spotify synchronously could impact physical record sales and chart rankings.


    If users subscribe on Spotify, they might not buy physical records. Some artists wish for higher physical record sales to showcase impressive accomplishments, leading them to remove their songs from streaming platforms.


    Additionally, producing songs as laser discs and vinyl records appears more artistic and more like art pieces.


    Whereas directly selling on streaming platforms, devoid of physical records as a medium, seems more commercial and vulgar.


    This is why many artists are reluctant to place their songs on streaming media platforms for sale.


    However, Link wasn''t concerned about this; his main goal in singing and releasing records was fame and money. Releasing songs on the Spotify platform would mean monthly earnings, increasing his income speed.


    "Link, how''s the acquisition of Lionsgate going? Last September, The Wall Street Journal called you an investment genius, but now I hear you traded Twitter stocks for Lionsgate shares, and many people think you''re crazy, so are you still sane?" Ivanka asked with a faint smile.


    "Yes, I''m very sane. The potential of Twitter is significant, but it''s like a golden goose that doesn''t lay eggs. Lionsgate Films will become a goose that lays golden eggs in my hands. If you were me, would you choose to own a golden goose or a goose that lays golden eggs? ps. the golden eggs can hatch more golden geese."


    "I don''t know, but I support your decisions, all of them," Ivanka chuckled softly.


    "Thank you! Rest assured, I''m very clear-headed and won''t make a loss-making deal," Link confidently replied.


    "Yes, I''ve always said, I believe in you," Ivanka supported, resting her cheek in her palm, showcasing a captivating smile.


    Inside the office, the secretary Vivian watched her president''s charming smile and marveled inwardly. The president often maintained a stern face, especially serious, but her smile was abundant when speaking with Link, and her voice could be sickeningly sweet.


    "Alright, that settles it, I''ll come over the weekend to accompany you," Ivanka concluded, hanging up the phone, her smile fading as she discussed the Spotify investment with Director Capal. She instructed him to continue negotiations, aiming to obtain the best possible terms.

 Chapter 491 - 402: Strategy (10/10)

    ```


    After obtaining Jon Feltheimer''s shares, Link''s stake in Lionsgate Films grew to 55.5%, surpassing half and thus securing control of Lionsgate Films.


    In order to gain full control over Lionsgate, he extended a takeover offer to the second-ranked shareholder, John Malone.


    The other party quoted $280 million US Dollars.


    Link refused, only agreeing to purchase his 32.2% stake based on the price when Lionsgate Films had a market value of $630 million half a month earlier, around $200 million US Dollars.


    John Malone declined.


    Link didn''t mind; he notified the entire company to convene a board meeting, announcing the acquisition of Palm Beach Films for $150 million US Dollars.


    This decision was immediately opposed by the second-largest shareholder, John Malone.


    Though Palm Beach Films had produced a blockbuster last year and had two movies ready for release, no matter how you calculated it, its market value did not reach $150 million US Dollars¡ªit was at most $50 million.


    But the price offered by Link was also based on a detailed assessment by a Wall Street consulting firm and had been approved by the arbitration committee, making it very appropriate.


    Moreover, he was the major shareholder and chairman of the board of Lionsgate Films, with more than half of the voting rights in his hands.


    That is to say, what he said now at Lionsgate Films counted for everything, and as for the other shareholders, to be accurate, there were now only two shareholders left on the board, he and John Malone, together accounting for 87.7% of the shares.


    The remaining 12.3% rested in the hands of the Lionsgate management and average stockholders, each holding less than 5% and without the right to participate and vote at the joint board meeting.


    "Mr. Baker, I think we need to talk."


    In the large conference room of Lionsgate Films, John Malone looked across the long table and called out to the young man opposite him.


    At this point, both he and Link were dressed in black suits, with Link sporting a meticulously styled haircut and polished appearance, looking serious and orderly while exuding the aura of a billionaire, commanding no small measure of respect.


    "Sure!"


    Link smiled lightly and also looked towards the other man, a 69-year-old yet still sprightly old man.


    Lionsgate Films'' CEO Steven Bicks voluntarily stood up and left the conference room.


    Following him were the Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Michael Burns, Chief Operating Officer Brian Goldsmith, General Counsel Wayne Levin, Chief Financial Officer James Bachi, and Chief International Business Officer Andrew Kramer, as well as other senior leaders of Lionsgate Films.


    After everyone had left, only two men and two assistants remained in the conference room.


    "Mr. Baker, I can sell you the remaining shares, but not for $200 million US Dollars."


    John Marlon spoke in a heavy tone.


    "Mr. Malone, I believe $200 million US Dollars is a very suitable figure. If you don''t believe it, just wait until the media releases the news that Lionsgate Films is acquiring Palm Beach Films for $150 million US Dollars. The stock price and market value of Lionsgate Films will plummet. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Our shares will shrink by more than half, and by then, Mr. Malone, it would be impossible for you to sell your shares for $200 million US Dollars."


    Link spread his hands and laughed.


    John Malone furrowed his graying eyebrows, feeling quite displeased.


    Not long ago, at the request of his old friend Harvey Weinstein, he had intervened in the casting for "The Hunger Games".


    For him, a major shareholder, it was a simple matter of speaking a single sentence, with no difficulty at all.


    But what followed was beyond his expectations.


    No one expected that Link, Jennifer Lawrence''s rumored boyfriend, would go to such lengths over such a trifling matter¡ªresorting to borrowing $200 million and selling popular stocks just to acquire Lionsgate Films.


    This approach was too extreme and completely unexpected.


    To teach Link a lesson, he too bought Lionsgate Films'' stocks to become the largest shareholder.


    He had originally planned to collaborate with Jon Femler on the board to suppress Link, but then came yet another surprise¡ªJon Feltheimer turned around and made a deal with Link, trading all his shares for 3.2% of Twitter stocks.


    After receiving this news, he was disappointed but also understood Fellemay''s choice; at the current moment, Twitter stocks were trending well in the investment circle, more valuable than the fluctuating Lionsgate shares.


    Had he been in the same position, he too would have made the trade.


    Only at the time Link hadn''t proposed such a deal.


    Now with only two remaining on the board and Link holding more than half of the voting rights, he had complete control over the board. If he insisted on making some foolish moves and ran Lionsgate Films into the ground, his own shares would be reduced to worthless paper.


    John Malone looked across at the vibrant and vigorous young man, who at the age of 22 was already worth over two billion, while he himself had only amassed just over one billion after more than forty years in investment banking.


    Compared to Link, John Malone had to admit he was truly getting old; it was now the era of the young.


    "Mr. Baker, $250 million¡ªI''ll sell you all my shares, and henceforth Lionsgate Films will belong to you alone."


    John Malone said.


    "Mr. Malone, have you considered not selling your shares and staying with Lionsgate Films? I''ve looked over your profile; you have considerable influence in the media industry, and you have some insights into running a company and investing in films. If we join forces, I am confident we could expand Lionsgate Films and make it as big as the major studios.


    In time, our shares could increase in value many times over. Mr. Malone, I urge you to give this serious consideration."


    Link said.


    John Malone frowned and studied him, hoping to detect a joking tone in his face, yet found none.


    While Link spoke those words, his expression was deadly serious, as if stating a fact rather than articulating a dream.


    The more sincere he seemed, the more Malone wanted to sell his Lionsgate shares as soon as possible.


    ```

 Chapter 492 - 402 Strategy (10/10)_2

    Everyone knew that Link was a boxer, singer, and movie actor who knew nothing about managing a company. Over the past two years, he had made more than two billion in net worth by relying on luck and guts to bet on the right stocks.


    He personally knew nothing about company management, leaving his companies entirely to professional managers, and he didn''t understand much about movie investments either. Could such a person really expand and strengthen a company?


    It was simply a pipe dream.


    Jumping ship early was definitely a wise choice.


    "Mr. Baker, I am willing to sell all my shares to you for two hundred million US Dollars, but I want the remaining Twitter shares under you and eighty-four million in cash."


    John Marlon said.


    He was also an investor in the media industry, holding shares in many media companies. Holding an additional 2% of Twitter Company shares would add an important piece to his media empire puzzle.


    "Mr. Marlon, your proposal is good, but according to the current market, Twitter''s market value is increasing by one billion US Dollars per month, expected to exceed ten billion by year-end. Meanwhile, Lionsgate Films'' market value has already fallen, even lower than the initial 630 million, making this trade obviously unjust. My proposal is 2% of Twitter shares and twenty-five million in cash."


    "Impossible! The current market value of Twitter is 5.8 billion, and 2% is worth 116 million. We can''t calculate based on the year-end market value; no one knows how much Twitter will be worth by the end of the year. Although the Twitter market trend is rising, it does not lack the risk of falling."


    John Marlon said in a grave tone.


    Link couldn''t help frowning when he heard the refusal.


    After acquiring the initial 26.8% of Lionsgate''s shares, he was already burdened with more than two hundred million in debt. Continuing to borrow would mean tens of millions in annual interest, creating some pressure.


    "Shares plus thirty million in cash, that is my bottom line."


    ¡ª¡ª


    While the two were bargaining in the conference room, in the small meeting room next door, several top executives of Lionsgate Films were frowning and looking solemn.


    In recent years, Lionsgate had acquired TriStar Pictures shares and Atison Entertainment to expand its distribution capabilities.


    In 2006, it spent over sixty million to acquire Trimark and Debmar-Mercury companies to improve its TV series production capabilities.


    In 2009, it spent 220 million to acquire the TV Guide Network.


    Last year, it spent fifty million to acquire MGM Studios Distribution Company.


    The cost of nonstop acquisitions was a severe financial deficit, with the company initially valued at 630 million but having a 180 million fiscal deficit.


    The company was now undergoing tumultuous board changes, with the layman Link becoming the helmsman of the company.


    It was foreseeable that the company would face even more severe crises.


    Every year, several movie companies in Hollywood go bankrupt and close, and top management talent is at saturation. If Lionsgate Films went bankrupt, they would likely find it hard to secure a job better than their current ones in the circle.


    "Ah!"


    Steven Bicks sighed; he had never expected that merely because of a movie role, the company would be bought out and the board restructured.


    These wealthy people really have whims.


    He also remembered President Mandy Gomez''s words, if a company''s operations must be dictated by outsiders, that company isn''t far from bankruptcy.


    Indeed, that was the situation at Lionsgate now.


    Initially, he couldn''t withstand the pressure from the board, did a small favor for Weinstein, which led to the company''s acquisition, and if not managed well, the company would soon go bankrupt, costing him his job.


    Thinking of this, President Bicks deeply regretted that he should have been firmer and resisted the pressure to not change personnel when he heard John Marlon''s instructions, thus avoiding this situation.


    Thump thump thump!


    The door to the small meeting room was knocked upon, and a plump middle-aged lady stood at the door.


    "May I ask if President Bicks is here?"


    The middle-aged lady asked.


    Bicks saw her, and the muscles at the corner of his eyes involuntarily twitched; last time, she had scolded him in person, causing him days of gloom. Now being sought out by her again couldn''t be a good thing.


    But the current situation left him no room to evade.


    President Bicks took a deep breath and forced a stiff smile.


    "President Gomez, nice to see you again."


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Mr. Baker, I have a question, and I wonder if you can clarify it for me."


    Over the coffee table, John Marlon asked.


    "Please ask!"


    "What is your purpose in acquiring Lionsgate? Rumors say it''s to help your scandal-ridden girlfriend reclaim her role, is that true?"


    John Marlon asked.


    Link smiled lightly, "Indeed, I initially promised Jennifer Lawrence to help her secure this role. I keep my promises, no matter the cost."


    John Marlon frowned his graying eyebrows, somewhat in disbelief, asking, "For an actress, at the expense of several hundred million dollars?"


    "I think it''s worth it. I''m a boxer; my favorite thing is to defeat opponents and win matches. To me, helping my woman reclaim her role is like a match.


    To win this match, I will mobilize all resources within my capacity to defeat my opponents. As for how much money I lose, to me, it''s just the fee for a few boxing matches, which I don''t mind. What I care about is winning and losing."


    Link said nonchalantly.


    John Marlon looked at him, stunned by the intense fighting spirit emanating from him.


    This was a man who spared nothing for victory, probably why he had become an undefeated king in the ring and a top-level singer on stage.


    "I heard that if you clash with Harvey Weinstein, you would also use every possible method to defeat this adversary?"


    S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 493 - 402 Strategy (10/10)_3

    ```


    "Harvey?"


    Link curled the corner of his mouth, feigning disdain as he sneered, "Is he even worthy to be my opponent? No, he''s just an insignificant stepping stone on my path to success, one that I can easily step over."


    John Marlon was stunned for a moment, laughed dryly a few times, and suddenly realized he could not read this young man.


    Harvey Weinstein is the current number one power broker in Hollywood, known as the Oscars manufacturing machine, a gold producer, and a bigwig who everyone in the film industry pursues.


    In Link''s eyes, the bigwig Harvey was just an insignificant stepping stone.


    This young man was too arrogant.


    He would eventually pay for his pride and arrogance.


    John Marlon was not Link''s elder or friend, nor did he have the obligation to advise him. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He shook his head, picked up the pen, and signed the letter of intent. He greeted everyone and then left, along with his assistant, from Lionsgate Films.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Link, how did your talk with John Marlon go?"


    Upon seeing Link walk out of the conference room, Mandy approached and asked.


    "It went smoothly, Lionsgate is mine now."


    Link shook the documents in his hand.


    After several rounds of bargaining, he finally spent 2% of Twitter''s shares and 72 million US dollars in cash to acquire John Marlon''s Lionsgate shares.


    Currently, he personally held 87.7% of Lionsgate Films'' shares. Including the 4.7% held by several members of the management team, only 7.6% of shares remained on the open market.


    Seeing that the executives were present, Link announced the continuation of the company meeting, with Mandy in attendance.


    During the meeting, he listened to reports from several executives of Lionsgate Films.


    Lionsgate Films was distributing three movies at the time: "The Expendables," "Sweetheart Spicy Dance 2," and "Miss is Poor," all of which had average box office performances.


    Six film projects were in production, including "The Hunger Games," "The Cabin in the Woods," and "The Evil Invasion."


    Apart from "The Hunger Games," all the other projects were low-budget productions costing less than 15 million each.


    And a TV series, "Mad Men," was in production for its fifth season.


    Besides distributing films produced by its own company, Lionsgate Films also participated in the distribution of movies from companies like Relativity Media and Summit Entertainment, currently having four films in distribution.


    Lionsgate Films was in debt to the tune of 180 million at that stage, with less than 30 million left for investment in film production.


    And the healthy assets of Lionsgate Films primarily consisted of three parts.


    The first part consisted of owning the rights to 12,000 movie and TV series episodes through acquisitions of other production and distribution companies. With royalties and other income, this could generate a stable cash flow of around 80 million US dollars annually, but due to debt, this was temporarily mortgaged to the bank.


    The second component was the shares and distribution channels of three companies: Triangle Entertainment, Atison Entertainment, and MGM Entertainment, with a market value of approximately 150 million US dollars.


    The third part was the Debmar television production department and TV Guide shares, with a market value of about 220 million US dollars.


    These three parts were the main assets of Lionsgate Films. If split and sold, they could pay off the loans and leave less than 400 million US dollars.


    Less than what Link had anticipated.


    But also within expectations, if Lionsgate Films was doing well, the major shareholders would not have agreed to sell their shares.


    Link told the executives in the meeting that there would be no changes to the Lionsgate Films management for the time being, and everyone would continue with their duties. After the meeting concluded, they should continue with their work, trying not to let the company''s changes affect the production of film and television projects.


    The executives sighed with relief upon hearing his words.


    Link''s second item on the agenda was to take Lionsgate Films off the New York Stock Exchange.


    He would continue to invest in the purchase of the remaining shares. Several executives also held Lionsgate shares, and if they were willing to sell, he would buy them at a valuation of 630 million. If they were optimistic about Lionsgate''s future and preferred to keep their shares, they were welcome to do so; it was entirely voluntary.


    Upon hearing his words, the executives had little reaction. With Link holding 87.7% of Lionsgate''s shares, the remaining portion was not substantial. Whether to sell their shares required serious consideration.


    "Everyone, any other questions?"


    Link turned to the eight core executives and asked.


    "Mr. Baker, about the acquisition of Palm Beach Films, if we go for a full acquisition, given the company''s current situation, it seems we''re not capable of bearing it without leveraging more assets," said President Steven Bicks.


    "Then let''s wait, we''ll talk about it when we have the money," Link said.


    Actually, the acquisition of Palm Beach Films was just a tactic used against John Marlon, hoping he would hand over the Lionsgate shares.


    Now that he had the shares, the matter of acquiring Palm Beach could be set aside.


    He intended to let Palm Beach Films operate independently, focusing on producing low-budget films for women. The movies they produced could be distributed by Lionsgate Films, creating a mutually beneficial relationship.


    "Everyone, if there are no further questions, please return to your posts and continue with your duties. What comes next will truly test us," Link stated.


    "Yes, Mr. Baker!"


    CEO Steven Biggs, Vice President Michael Burns, and the others stood up in unison and acknowledged.


    Link waved his hand, declaring the meeting adjourned.


    ```

 Chapter 494 - 403 Withdrawal from the Market

    "Lionsgate Films changes ownership!"


    "Boxing champion Link successfully takes over Lionsgate Films, but how far can Lionsgate''s cinematic journey go?"


    "Harvey Weinstein and several other major film company executives state that Lionsgate Films is entering the countdown to bankruptcy..."


    After Link acquired Lionsgate Films, over a hundred media outlets such as the "Los Angeles Times," "Hollywood Reporter," and "USA Today" made extensive reports on the matter.


    Over ninety percent were pessimistic, with the remaining ten percent just watching the excitement.


    The mainstream media''s view was that Link was a boxer, a singer, and knew nothing about managing a company or investing in film production.


    Letting a layman lead Lionsgate Films was bound to end poorly.


    Many media outlets judged Link''s acquisition of Lionsgate as an extremely wrong decision, which would not only cause his net worth to plummet but also cost Hollywood a film production company with great potential.


    Due to the collective bearish view of the media on Lionsgate Films, its stock price plummeted on the New York Stock Exchange, from a high of $10.2 per share to $6.8, bringing the market capitalization below $600 million US Dollars, a 30% decrease from the previous month.


    Faced with this situation, Lionsgate decided to quite simply throw in the towel and announced that it would delist from the NYSE and restructure.


    Link announced he would purchase the remaining share of Lionsgate Films at $7.2 per share, within one month.


    If this timeframe was exceeded, the company would not offer any more subsidies, and shareholders would have to bear the losses themselves.


    News of Lionsgate''s delisting caught the attention of many in the entertainment industry and on Wall Street.


    The announcement of a publicly-traded company going private has a severe impact on the company, leading to the loss of a stable source of capital. If Lionsgate Films wanted to make movies or acquire other companies again, they couldn''t get financial support from the stock market, and this move also weakened the company''s ability to resist risks.


    The renowned investment assessment institution, Moody''s Corporation, saw its evaluation for Lionsgate Films plummet, with market value falling from $600 million to $520 million US Dollars, just the value of the assets under Lionsgate.


    During Link''s acquisition of Lionsgate, its peak market value reached $850 million.


    After the successful acquisition, it instantly dropped to $520 million, a nearly 40% shrinkage, and after deducting $180 million in debt, the valuable assets were only $340 million.


    Meanwhile, Link had spent over $300 million in cash and 5.2% of Twitter stock to acquire 87.7% of Lionsgate''s stock, with the transaction amount nearing $700 million. To recoup the remaining 12.3% of stocks, he would need to spend about $85 million US Dollars.


    By this calculation, in just over a month, he had lost nearly $300 million on Lionsgate Films.


    And rumors had it that he did this solely to snag a film role for his scandal-ridden girlfriend, Jennifer Lawrence.


    "Lost $300 million? Haha, not much, Link Baker''s worth tens of billions, $300 million is nothing to him," Harvey said, laughing while puffing on his cigar. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Harvey, I heard it was you who caused this, with just a word you made Link lose $300 million. Impressive," Matt Damon said with a laugh.


    "Haha, don''t put it like that, this has nothing to do with me. I just made a small suggestion to ''The Hunger Games'' crew, who knew Link would do such a stupid thing? Hehe, youngsters care too much about face," Harvey said, his toad-mouth grinning with some satisfaction, especially after hearing Matt Damon say his word caused Link to lose $300 million felt fantastic.


    "Harvey, are you going to continue fighting with Link now that he has Lionsgate Films, with production and distribution capabilities not inferior to Weinstein Company? Continuing the fight might be difficult," Ben Affleck said.


    Harvey scoffed, his cigar in hand, "Ben, do you think Link is qualified to fight with me? No, no, I don''t think so."


    Lionsgate Films'' production and distribution capabilities are indeed good, but it depends on who''s in charge. They were alright during Fellemay''s era, but Link? How could a layman like him properly manage Lionsgate Films and develop competitive film projects?


    That''s impossible.


    If just any outsider could come to Hollywood and make a profit, the place would have turned into paradise for capitalists by now.


    But in reality, this place is a graveyard for capitals¡ªonly those who understand the operational rules of cinema can produce successful movies.


    Link certainly doesn''t have that ability," Harvey said waving his arm, brimming with confidence.


    Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and others nodded in agreement; in Hollywood, money alone wasn''t enough¡ªone also needed connections.


    Like Harvey currently had a great script in his hand and could appoint any director or actor he wanted.


    All he needed to do was make a call to the director and actor''s agencies.


    The agencies would immediately coordinate with his work, regardless of how busy the director and actors were, they would help adjust their schedules, and even make concessions on their fees.


    The reason for doing so was simple, because Harvey was an Oscars-making machine.


    In the century-long history of the Oscars, films produced and distributed by Harvey Weinstein have received more than 300 nominations, with four Film Emperors, four Film Empresses, fourteen supporting actor and actress awards, and four best directors.


    Once their artists won Oscars and other film awards, their pay could significantly increase, allowing the agency to profit more from the celebrities.


    The mutual benefits were one of the reasons why the major agencies valued Harvey.


    For instance, Hollywood''s number one agency, CAA, was a close ally with Harvey.


    Meanwhile, Link, who was new to the field, without connections, accomplishments to boast of, couldn''t enjoy such treatment.


    Besides connections, there were other aspects like capital, promotional distribution, media, film critics circles, major film unions, the Motion Picture Association of America, film rating websites, etc., that all played a significant role during the process of film production and promotion.

 Chapter 495 - 403 Withdrawal from the Market_2

    These were advantageous to established filmmakers, but very disadvantageous to newcomers. This was also why many billionaires waved their cash, thinking they could come to Hollywood to pick up girls and make a quick buck, only to end up losing all their investment.


    This was also the reason why many veteran filmmakers were pessimistic upon hearing that Link had taken over Lionsgate Films.


    Because the longer one spent in Hollywood, the more one saw and experienced, the better they understood the inherent risks.


    For Link''s actions, all they could do was sigh at the fearlessness of the novice calf that does not fear the tiger.


    "Catherine, did Link really buy Lionsgate Films?"


    In the Palm Beach Films headquarter, Emma Stone sat on the sofa, flipping through a magazine as she asked.


    "Isn''t it in the newspapers? Why ask me."


    Catherine flipped through a new script, only glancing up upon hearing the question.


    "I heard Link shelled out eight hundred million US dollars to buy Lionsgate Films for Jennifer Lawrence. That''s just outrageous," Emma Stone said incredulously.


    "Not eight hundred million, just over seven hundred million if you count the stocks," Catherine said with a smile.


    "That''s still a lot. The news says Link is an outsider, doesn''t understand films, and Lionsgate Films will definitely go bankrupt after his acquisition. If it goes bankrupt, all the investment will go down the drain. Seven hundred million US dollars, even for Link, would take a very long time to earn back," Emma Stone said, shrugging her shoulders.


    Catherine smiled faintly. Before Link prepared to acquire Lionsgate Films, he had also consulted with her and Mandy, asking Ivanka for their opinions in a meeting.


    Initially, she didn''t agree.


    Link already owned Palm Beach Films. If he wanted to invest in the film sector, he could do it through Palm Beach Films. There was no need to acquire a large company worth six to seven hundred million. Link didn''t have the capacity or the time.


    But Link insisted, so she didn''t say much else.


    Link was only twenty-two this year, with a net worth of over two billion dollars, a fortune he had earned in just three short years.


    Even if he lost seven or eight hundred million on this investment, it wouldn''t matter much.


    He was still young, and failing once could be beneficial for his future development.


    "Is your film finished shooting?"


    Catherine got up and asked. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not yet, I was just passing by the company and came to see you. Are there any new movie roles in the company? I''m not picky, lead or supporting¡ªI have three months free this year and can take on one or two roles," Emma Stone said, batting her green eyes with a smile.


    "You can rest more during your spare time. You''re currently on an upward trend in your career. You should be more cautious when choosing scripts and not take on just any role," Catherine said, calling for her secretary to bring two cups of iced tea while sitting across from Emma Stone on the sofa.


    "I know, but... I think taking on more roles to practice always helps," Emma Stone said.


    Catherine looked at her and smiled, guessing her thoughts.


    She had been the top actress at Palm Beach Agency and shot to popularity last year with "Scandal Plan," threatening the popularity of A-list stars. Now, hearing that Link bought Lionsgate Films for Jennifer Lawrence, she inevitably felt a sense of crisis.


    Catherine understood her thoughts but wouldn''t tell her that Link''s purpose in buying Lionsgate wasn''t to promote Jennifer Lawrence.


    Both Emma and Jennifer were actors under the Palm Beach banner; having more competition among the company''s actors made them work harder. Besides, when the employees competed, it made managing the company a bit easier for the boss.


    "Here is a script. It''s for Joaquin Phoenix''s new movie. They''re short on investment and approached Link. Link didn''t turn them down and left the investment to Palm Beach Films.


    "There are two or three supporting female roles in this script. Take a look and see if you''re interested. Oh, and the director of this movie is Paul Thomas Anderson. He''s quite demanding of his actors. If you want to try, whether you can pass the audition is up to your performance," Catherine said, picking up a script titled "The Master" from her desk¡ªa project with a 23 million dollar investment that had been prepared for shooting in 2010 but almost fell through due to funding issues during pre-production.


    Joaquin Phoenix approached Link, who found the script appealing and thus took over the project.


    "Great, I''ll prepare well," Emma Stone said happily, taking the script. She had only planned to come for a visit and casually inquired about a role, not expecting her luck to turn up such an opportunity.


    After sitting in the office for a while, Emma Stone left with the script in hand.


    Catherine continued to review scripts at her desk.


    These scripts were recommended by the production and writing departments after being sifted through. As long as they passed her review, the next step would be to proceed with the investment and production, making this a crucial step.


    She scrutinized the eight scripts.


    Considering Link positioned Palm Beach Films to produce movies with budgets under 30 million dollars, mainly centered on women''s themes, she picked out a script called "Beasts of the Southern Wild," which told the story of a 6-year-old African American girl named Hushpuppy and her father living by themselves, surviving together.


    Compared to mainstream movies, this script didn''t have much of a selling point, but the storyline was touching enough. Moreover, the investment was low, only 1.2 million dollars.


    With two films currently in production and two more yet to be released, the company''s funds were tight, making it impossible to produce high-budget films for the time being.


    She selected two more scripts with lower costs and picked them up to discuss with the production department to determine which project would be more suitable for the company''s next venture.


    ¡ª


    Emma Stone, with the script in hand, returned to Palm Beach Agency, which wasn''t far from Palm Beach Films. She intended to find her agent to contact "The Master" production team and inquire about the audition, but ran into Jennifer Lawrence in the hallway by chance.

 Chapter 496 - 403 Withdrawal from the Market_3

    Jennifer was dressed in a white tee and denim shorts, her long legs on full display, yet her attire was understated.


    However, in the recent rumblings within the circle, Jennifer''s name had come up far too frequently, drenched in gossip, to the point where even fellow artists at her agency were questioned.


    Just a while ago, Jennifer had been filming "Silver Linings Playbook" and rarely visited the office. She had wanted to confirm some gossip with Jennifer but couldn''t find her, and now that she had finally run into her, she couldn''t let the opportunity slip away.


    "Hey, Jennifer, got a moment? How about a cold drink in my office?"


    Emma Stone waved enthusiastically as she called out.


    "Emma, what''s up? I have to head to the club for archery practice soon."


    Jennifer Lawrence stopped in her tracks and asked.


    "Are you preparing for the lead role in ''The Hunger Games''?"


    Emma had read the novel, where the protagonist, Katniss, was portrayed as strong, brave, skilled in both arts and combat, and a bit cold in her demeanor.


    It wasn''t quite her style, otherwise she would have tried for it too.


    In contrast, Jennifer Lawrence, with her slightly chubby cheeks and stern expression, was more suitable¡ªshe had that soft-on-the-outside but tough-on-the-inside look.


    "Yes, the film starts shooting in June. There''s limited time, and I need to get ready in advance."


    Jennifer said.


    "Congratulations! ''The Hunger Games'' is a fantastic film." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Emma smiled.


    "Thanks!"


    Jennifer managed a weak smile.


    Emma Stone actually wanted to ask about Link''s purchase of Lionsgate Films.


    But seeing Jennifer''s low spirits and lack of desire to chat, and considering their relationship wasn''t close enough to joke around, she had no choice but to curb her curiosity. She waved goodbye to Jennifer Lawrence and headed back to her office to read a new script, hoping to land another role.


    Jennifer breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Emma leave.


    Today, she had come to the company to sign a performing contract, and her biggest fear was being surrounded by colleagues asking about Link buying Lionsgate Films for her.


    Recently, Link''s acquisition of Lionsgate had been Hollywood''s biggest news, even surpassing Schwarzenegger having a child with his housekeeper.


    She had appeared frequently in related news where every mention of Link''s motives for buying Lionsgate included his conflict with Harvey Weinstein, which had started because of her.


    There were reports that Link, in a fit of anger, had splurged eight hundred million US Dollars to buy Lionsgate to defend her.


    It was also said that Link, a playboy, had incurred a loss of eight hundred million US Dollars because of a woman.


    These reports got her a lot of attention and also brought a lot of pressure. Last week, when Link spent the night at her place, she had urged him to be more cautious and not act impulsively.


    Link had told her not to worry, to focus on preparing for her film role, and to ignore everything else.


    Jennifer didn''t know how much of Link''s purchase of Lionsgate was for her sake, but Link standing up for her and not allowing anyone to bully her was certainly true.


    She was deeply touched; Link was gentle, considerate, and trustworthy. She felt very secure with him, and meeting him felt like a stroke of luck.


    "Jennie, why are you coming down so late? Were you caught up with people asking for gossip?"


    At the company front, her cousin and executive agent, Clausen, asked from inside the car.


    "No, I ran into Emma Stone and chatted briefly."


    Jennifer got into the car and blew air conditioning toward herself. By April, Los Angeles was getting warmer, and even a short walk would make one sweat.


    "You should try to appear in public places less frequently, or just keep a cold face like you did just now, showing no desire to talk. If you exhibit even a slight ''feel free to chat'' vibe, those women will drown you with those rumors."


    Clausen started the car and laughed.


    Jennifer shrugged nonchalantly, her plump legs propped up on the seat.


    "If they want to ask, I''ve nothing to hide. Link''s purchase of Lionsgate Films was for me. Even if not entirely, it started because of me, and I''m not embarrassed to admit it."


    "Are you proud of that?"


    Ms. Clausen teased.


    "Of course, I think there will be many women envious and jealous of me in this matter."


    Jennifer smiled faintly, unfolding the script on her lap.


    "Yes, ordinary women would be happy with a gift worth a thousand or two US dollars, while Link spent seven to eight hundred million US Dollars for you, which indeed makes other women jealous."


    However, Link''s actions are still very risky. He''s an outsider who barged into Hollywood to invest in a major film production company. Now, many in the industry discuss when Lionsgate will go bankrupt, eager to laugh at you and Link''s expense," Ms. Clausen said.


    Jennifer mindlessly read the script, pondering her words before responding, "Don''t worry, Link isn''t the type to act rashly. He has his reasons for purchasing Lionsgate. He did well in boxing and music before, so he''s unlikely to perform poorly in films. I trust him."


    Ms. Clausen glanced at her through the rear-view mirror, "Are you falling more and more for Link?"


    Jennifer shrugged, "Yes, I''ve realized that if I can overlook his womanizing, everything else about him is a plus¡ªhe''s handsome, powerful, wealthy, with good character. Now, he''s the chairman of a large independent film company. Whether it''s physically, emotionally, or career-wise, he can support and satisfy me."


    Such a man, I can''t help but be captivated by him. I believe if I were to leave Link now, there would be thousands of women in Hollywood ready to throw themselves at him and take my place."

 Chapter 497 - 403 Withdrawal from the Market_4

    Ms. Clausen heard her words and initially wanted to advise her not to invest too much emotionally in Link, but then she thought better of it and kept silent.


    A man as charming as Link could easily captivate any woman who spent enough time with him.


    For Jennifer, a young woman in her early twenties, it was quite sensible of her not to treat Link like a creed and to speak of him with such rationale.


    Moreover, as Jennifer mentioned, now that Link is the president of Lionsgate Films, staying by his side could bring many benefits; leaving him would not be a wise choice.


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    Jennifer''s phone rang; she looked at it, said it was Link, rolled up the car window, and spoke softly with Link.


    Ms. Clausen also conscientiously turned down the volume of the sound system, letting Adele''s song sound more mellow and melodious.


    Never mind, I''ll find someone like you


    Forget it, I''ll find someone like you


    I wish nothing but the best for you


    My only intention for you is to wish you the best


    Don''t forget me, I beg, I remember you said S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    "Alright, you go practice archery first; I''ll come over later,"


    After hanging up, Link drove back to his bayfront villa, where he discovered an obvious benefit of buying Lionsgate Films was the convenience of commuting.


    Lionsgate Films was located on East 12th Street in Santa Monica, just a fifteen-minute drive from the bayfront residential area, reducing daily travel time significantly.


    Since it was Wednesday and Ivanka was still stationed in New York, Link had no one to talk to when he returned to the villa. After eating lunch prepared by the maid, he went to the study to read books, focusing mainly on bestsellers from the past two years.


    In the past, he read books to pass exams, but now he read them to make money. He needed to identify familiar books with adaptation potential from hundreds of newly published ones.


    After the success of bestselling books like "Harry Potter" and "Twilight," movie adaptations of bestsellers had become a preferred choice for many film companies.


    The adaptation rights to past bestsellers had mostly been purchased by big film companies, so he had to pick from among recently published bestsellers.


    Since many novels changed their titles when adapted into movies, he not only had to read through the "New York Times" bestseller lists but also understand their content and see if they had any impressive plots.


    It was a huge task, but to make money, he had to painstakingly go through the books.


    At one point, his neighbor Scott Stuber, who was walking his dog, came over to talk about a collaboration.


    Stuber was the head of Netflix''s film division and a member of Netflix''s board of directors.


    In recent years, Netflix had been performing well in the film industry. Initially just an online DVD and Blu-ray rental provider, it had transformed into a streaming service platform, beginning to produce its own movies and TV series.


    In 2009, the company''s market value was only 3 billion US dollars, but by this month, it had surged past 14 billion US dollars and was still climbing.


    Lionsgate Films had an existing collaboration with Netflix as a content provider.


    Now that Link had acquired Lionsgate Films, Stuber hoped to continue and even expand their partnership, jointly investing in producing movies and TV series each year, which would first be released in theaters and then streamed on the Netflix site.


    Link understood this meant producing original web series and streaming films.


    Web series and streaming films were common more than a decade later, but in 2011, they were not as prevalent, and the market was relatively small.


    Not many film companies were interested in them, and respected actors disdained participating in streaming films.


    Link was not sure if now was the right time to enter web series production, nor did he fully understand the terms of collaboration; however, he expressed willingness to continue the partnership.


    But given Lionsgate Films'' current financial situation, how to collaborate and on what scale needed to be studied internally before any decision could be made. He would ask CEO Steven Bicks to follow up on this matter.


    After sending Stuber away, he continued to lie on the balcony sunbed, browsing through bestsellers on his tablet.


    By April, "Bridesmaids" was scheduled for release on Friday, May 6, just a month away, and the film distribution company began focusing on promoting the movie.


    Because he hadn''t acquired Lionsgate Films when this movie was completed, Warner Bros. Pictures led its distribution, with Lionsgate Films participating in the promotional efforts.


    However, at the time "Bridesmaids" was scheduled, Weinstein Company also started promoting their new movie "Vengeance for Father."


    The movie, directed by renowned director Paul Sorrenti and starring Sean Penn and Frances McDormand, both Film Emperor and Film Empress, had received several nominations and two awards at the Toronto Film Festival and had a good reputation.


    Its release date was also set for May 8.


    Due to the strained relations between Link and Harvey Weinstein, well-known in Hollywood especially after the Lionsgate acquisition, it was clear to everyone that scheduling their films for simultaneous promotion and release was a direct confrontation.


    "Complete Movie," "Variety," and other film magazines took the opportunity to publicize and hype the feud, claiming that the two were preparing to battle for the May movie box office leaderboard. Whose company''s films would prevail? Everyone was encouraged to wait and see.

 Chapter 498 - 404: The President

    On the surface, the film "Revenge for Father" produced by Weinstein Company boasted a more impressive creative lineup.


    Paolo Sorrentino, a renowned Italian director, had won multiple David di Donatello Awards in Italy and prizes at the Cannes Film Festival, making him a highly capable director.


    Sean Penn and Frances McDormand, the lead actors, were top-tier American actors who both had won Oscars for Best Actor and Actress and had received multiple Oscar nominations, commanding great box office appeal.


    More importantly, the film''s storyline involved a retired pop rock singer who, after facing many difficulties, sought out the Nazi officer who had persecuted his father.


    It was a Jewish story, fitting the mainstream narrative.


    The film "Bridesmaids" produced by Palm Beach Films could be identified from the trailer as a wedding-related comedy.


    It was similar to "The Hangover."


    Beyond the supporting role played by Emma Stone and a minor role by Link, there weren''t many big stars, and the film''s director Paul Feig was more of a second-tier director in Hollywood.


    Also, "Bridesmaids" was competing against three other wedding-themed comedies: "Wedding Battle," "Wedding Emergency," and "Friends at the Wedding," which were all released in late April and early May.


    With so many similar new themes coming out at the same time, even to the point of oversaturation, "Bridesmaids" faced significant difficulties in achieving a good performance.


    Based on the available information, more than seventy percent of the professional media and critics favored Weinstein Company''s "Revenge for Father," and the rest just followed the hype.


    I wanted to see how much "Revenge for Father" would outperform and whether Palm Beach Films would face a huge loss on this film project.


    This feeling was similar to that of boxing fans guessing which boxer would win before a match.


    Also, due to the media hype, both films became two of the most anticipated releases of May without spending much on publicity.


    However, May was the summer blockbuster season, and during the same period, three other films attracted considerable attention.


    The first was "Fast Five," set to release on April 29.


    The second was Marvel''s "Thor," launching on May 8, followed by "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" on May 20.


    All three films, with investments exceeding one hundred million US dollars each, posed significant challenges for "Bridesmaids" to stand out and achieve a good performance amidst such heavy competition.


    "With such fierce competition, is it really the right time to release it?"


    At the dining table, Link asked while flipping through a movie magazine.


    "No worries, the summer is packed with blockbusters, but there''s also a larger movie-going audience. As long as the film is of good quality and well-promoted, its box office results won''t be bad. Last month''s internal screening of ''Bridesmaids'' received an average grade of B- from the representatives of various cinema chains, which is a good rating, and it''s expected to gross forty to fifty million," Catherine said while stirring the pasta sauce.


    "Only forty to fifty million?"


    "I''m talking about the North American box office. The global box office is expected to be seventy to eighty million. With the movie and marketing costs at thirty-two million and fifty thousand, if it makes eighty million worldwide, it will not lose money," Catherine explained. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link raised his eyebrows as he listened. In his memory, "Bridesmaids" had grossed over three hundred million globally, outperforming many other films of the same period, becoming the dark horse of the 2012 summer season and considered the most successful film inspired by "The Hangover."


    The current distribution department''s forecast of only eighty million seemed too low.


    Could it have something to do with him?


    He hadn''t seen this version of "Bridesmaids" and didn''t know how different it was from the original.


    Considering the several major productions and three similar genre films releasing at the same time, it indeed seemed challenging for "Bridesmaids" to break through and hit the hundred million mark at the box office.


    He could only lower his expectations for the "Bridesmaids" box office, to avoid disappointment after its release.


    "Is breakfast ready? I''m hungry," a small round face yawned, emerging from the bedroom, barefoot and in a loose nightgown, with messy hair and blueberry cake stains still on her lips from last night.


    So sloppy.


    Before Link could speak, Selena quickly covered her ears, pouting, and said, "No talking, and don''t nag about me waking up late. I''ve been studying and working on problems every day for a while, almost killing me, and now that the exams are finally over, sleeping in is normal. Otherwise, do you think scoring 1400 on the SAT is easy?"


    Link shook his head helplessly, this girl had strived for 1400 on her SAT, scoring 40 points higher than him in his time, and then she was so thrilled that she spread the news everywhere, even appearing in the news.


    At home, she was even more proud, often bragging about her score as if scoring 1400 on the SAT was prouder than winning a Nobel Prize.


    "What are you so proud of, if not for the hundred practice tests I gave you, could you have scored that high?"


    Link said, taking a sip of his milk.


    "Humph, you''re one to talk. Those hundred practice tests almost killed me. Now, whenever I see a test paper, I feel like throwing up," Selena said, pouting and looking annoyed.


    The plethora of difficult tests Link had brought back forced her to work continuously for over three months, up until the night before the SAT, making her feel that anyone who could finish all those questions could easily ace the SAT.


    "Stop messing around, look at you now, like a homeless woman. Why don''t you go wash your face and comb your hair?"


    Catherine swatted away her hand trying to sneak a bite and pushed her into the bathroom to freshen up.


    Annie also got up, a good half-head taller than last year, wearing a cartoon dress, and with a small round face, she sweetly greeted Link and Catherine good morning, then Catherine also pushed her into the bathroom to wash up with Selena.

 Chapter 499 - 404: The President_2

    While eating, everyone started talking about music. Selena seized the opportunity to ask if he had any new songs, saying she passed the SAT and he should write her a song as a reward.


    Link said, "We don''t talk anymore" is the one, she had already received it in advance, and the next time she wants a song from him, she''ll have to wait until she graduates from college.


    Upon hearing this, Selena poked at her fruit pie with a fork, her striking black and white eyes rolling around before she flashed a crafty smile. "Fickle old brother, do you want to know about Taylor? Write me a song, and I can tell you about her."


    Link smiled lightly, "No need, continuing to write songs for you will make you dependent, which isn''t good for your development. Plus, Taylor is your friend, and by telling me about her, you''d become an unloyal friend, so the deal isn''t necessary."


    "Hmph!"


    Selena puffed up her round little face, sulking as she ate her breakfast.


    "Is Taylor in Los Angeles recently?"


    Catherine asked.


    "Yes, she''s releasing a new album and about to start a tour, so she''s got a lot of work. I''ve only seen her once," Selena said while stuffing bread into her mouth.


    "How''s her recovery?"


    "Very good, it''s as if she wasn''t pregnant early last year. Taylor said this is the result of her consistent training for the past two months," Selena replied.


    "And her emotional state?"


    "Also very good, we chatted and laughed just like we used to," Selena recounted, and realizing it was Link who asked, she huffed softly and stuffed an egg into her mouth, her cheeks puffing up.


    Catherine glanced at Link, wanting to say something, but seeing his mood wasn''t bad, she held back her words.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After breakfast, Link went to oversee Lionsgate Films.


    His main daily work now was reviewing company documents, familiarizing himself with the responsibilities of each department, understanding the operational models, and keeping an eye on the progress of film and TV projects, as well as approving various projects.


    There was a lot to do and it was quite important, so he patiently learned how to handle it.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    "Chairman, Mr. Feltheimer is here," said the secretary brought over from New York at the door.


    "Okay, please have Mr. Feltheimer come in."


    Link put down the file, got up, and went to the door to welcome Jon Feltheimer, the former chairman and major shareholder of Lionsgate, who was coming inside.


    He was 58 years old, a famous Hollywood producer, who had spent 85 million US Dollars in 2005 to buy a large share of stocks from Lionsgate''s founder Franco Gusta and had become the chairman of Lionsgate Films.


    Under his management, Lionsgate Films had acquired several distribution companies and television production companies, step by step growing to its current size.


    The Hollywood Reporter described him as a film company manager with an entrepreneurial spirit and a second-rate producer.


    Some time ago, when Link was acquiring his shares, they had agreed that after taking control of Lionsgate, Link would hire him to continue as a senior executive at Lionsgate. At that time, Jon Feltheimer did not agree, saying he needed to think about it.


    After two weeks without a response, Link thought he wasn''t interested in the promised position, but unexpectedly, the man arrived in person today.


    "Jon, how does it feel to be back at Lionsgate?"


    Link shook hands with him and invited him to sit down in the small reception room.


    "Not bad, everything remains the same."


    Jon Feltheimer, wearing a shirt, with salt-and-pepper short hair and stubble, took a look around the small reception room and laughed.


    "Yes, your office is still reserved for you. If you''re willing to return to Lionsgate, you can continue to work there," Link said directly.


    He knew that since the other party had come to the company in person, he must have that idea, so he didn''t beat around the bush.


    Jon Feltheimer paused for a moment and said, "Link, I''ve been at Lionsgate for over six years, I know the place well and have many unachieved goals I want to continue working on. However, what I want to know is, if I come back, how much autonomy will I have at Lionsgate Films?"


    "Vice Chairman and Chief Strategy Officer, in charge of the next development plans for the company, optimizing the structure of the company. My goal is to elevate Lionsgate Films to rank alongside the major six studios, at the very least on par with DreamWorks. I''m lacking in that area and need someone who can offer suggestions and guidance as Lionsgate grows. Your contributions to Lionsgate over the years have been significant, and you are well-suited for this position. I hope you will seriously consider it," Link explained.


    Jon Feltheimer frowned and thought for a moment, "Making suggestions and planning are fine, but I''m not interested in becoming the Chief Strategy Officer. The workload is too much, and it''s very detailed. I''m older, and I don''t have the energy for that."


    "My original job was as a producer. I hope to remain in the film production department. I don''t need much in terms of salary. With the Twitter shares, I''m not short of money."


    Link was somewhat surprised. He had planned to use the position of Vice Chairman and a substantial annual salary or even stock dividends to retain Feltheimer, asking him to provide advice for the development of Lionsgate Films. However, Feltheimer only wanted to work in the production department.


    Thinking of the "Hollywood Reporter''s" evaluation of him as a second-rate producer, it seemed inappropriate to assign him to the production department.


    Link hesitated for a moment but still agreed.


    He also retained a position for Feltheimer as Vice Chairman to participate in meetings and decision-making at the higher echelons of Lionsgate, serving effectively as an advisor for Lionsgate Films. The temporary annual salary was set at one million, with bonuses from production projects.


    "Haha, Mr. Baker, I''ll be counting on you in the future."


    Jon Feltheimer said, laughing as he stood up.


    "Jon, I hope to receive your guidance as well."


    Link shook hands with him.


    After sending Feltheimer off, Link returned to his office and added Jon Feltheimer''s name to the list of senior executives at Lionsgate Films.


    In addition to Feltheimer and President Bicks among the original six senior executives, there were four management talents that Ivanka had poached from other companies through a headhunting firm.


    Once these four people took office, they would form a new Lionsgate Films management team along with the original executives.


    Ivanka''s point was that maintaining the original structure of the company would lead the existing management to form cliques and unite to resist his orders, or even carry out other more excessive actions.


    Therefore, bringing in new executives was essential, to allow for mutual supervision and competition, which would improve the company''s operational efficiency.


    In two years, once he was familiar with the operations of Lionsgate Films, he would assess the performance of the management and remove those who were unqualified, eventually taking complete control.


    Link felt Ivanka was quite right.


    For he had discovered that among the staff above the Rank of director, five people had previously worked at Miramax Films.


    For example, Andrew Kramer, the Chief Operating Officer of International Business, had previously been a supervisor in the international distribution department of Miramax.


    While this did not prove that they were Harvey''s people¡ªif that were true, they should be working for Weinstein Company at this time¡ªit also did not mean that none of these executives had a good relationship with Harvey.


    Hence, he needed to be cautious with appointments.


    Staying vigilant was the only way to avoid falling into traps.


    Thinking of these issues, Link pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling that he had created a big problem for himself.


    Though spending seven hundred million to acquire Lionsgate Films was a good investment, he was just a Boxer, who had initially managed a record company relying entirely on Ivanka. And now here he was, running a film company. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sitting in the office every day poring over documents, going on like this, his physical condition would slowly deteriorate.


    He got up and walked around, then after some contemplation, he called Ivanka to ask what she was doing.


    Ivanka said she was doing beauty treatments and was going shopping with Georgina shortly.


    Link asked if her work at link music was busy.


    Ivanka said it was not busy at the moment.


    Link asked if she was interested in being the Chairperson of Lionsgate Films.


    "Are you joking? I don''t understand the film business, how could I manage Lionsgate?" Ivanka replied.


    "You didn''t know how to manage a record company either, but you''ve done quite well these past years. Why don''t you take on more responsibility and also become the Chairperson of Lionsgate Films?"


    "No need, I already have plenty of work as it is. I don''t want to take on anything else," said Ivanka.


    "Give it a try; you''re good at managing people. You wouldn''t need to do much if you came here; just sign documents every day. The other tasks can be left to the executives."


    Link tried to persuade her.


    "...If I become the Chairperson, what will you do? Spend more time chasing women?"


    "Of course not. I''ll be your assistant, primarily responsible for developing and investing in film projects. Together we can grow Lionsgate Films, and in the future, maybe merge it with link music to create a major entertainment company that rivals Warner Sony. Then you would be at the helm," Link said earnestly.


    Ivanka hesitated for a moment and said she needed to think about it seriously before giving an answer.

 Chapter 500 - 405 Date

    At Lionsgate Films, Link had considered Catherine and Mandy for the director position,


    but both lacked sufficient experience in managing the company and needed more training, making it more appropriate for them to stay and work at the smaller companies in Palm Beach and Palm Bay.


    Eva, on the other hand, had worked with Mr. Thomp since she was young, graduated from an Ivy League university, and held dual master''s degrees in Economics and Management from Wharton School of Business. In her early twenties, she served as vice president in the Thomps Real Estate Group, valued at tens of billions, and also founded her own namesake jewelry and clothing brand, reaching a market value of hundreds of millions.


    Her recent experience at Link Music had also been recognized by the business community, making the ''Fortune Magazine''s'' ''Top 30 Under 30 CEOs'' list for two consecutive years, and under her management, Link Music''s market value had soared, with breaking the one billion US Dollar mark being just a matter of time. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eva had rich experience in managing companies, so inviting her to manage Lionsgate Films was also a very suitable choice.


    Link offered her a salary of three million a year, plus a 10% company share dividend, and the highest decision-making power over the company''s management and operations.


    After considering it, Eva agreed to take the position at Lionsgate Films, but she declined the three million salary, retaining only the 10% share dividend.


    When he heard that Eva had agreed, Link breathed a sigh of relief. With Eva at the helm of Lionsgate Films, the chances of the higher-ups playing tricks were likely to be deterred.


    At the same time, Eva also mentioned the issue of forming a board for Link Music.


    With the board in place, the company''s operational issues could be directly handed over to George Capar, Bob Harrison, Graham Ogd, and other executives to manage.


    These executives would be accountable to the board.


    Annually, performance that met standards would merit promotion and pay increases, and if not, replacements would be made, which would also improve the company''s internal structure, enhance operational efficiency, and reduce the workload of Eva, the president.


    After consideration, Link agreed, as the current shareholders of Link Music mainly consisted of himself and Eva, who together held 88.5% of the company''s shares, while Scott held about 4.2%.


    Graham and other executives held about 4.1%.


    The four signed platinum singers under them held about 3.2% of the shares, which they mainly acquired through song royalty dividends.


    These individuals would also be the members of the future board.


    All familiar faces, once the board was established, the company''s operations would not change. The only benefit was to free Eva to have more time to manage the work of Lionsgate Films.


    However, there was also a downside.


    That was the increasingly deep bond with Eva.


    It led to him becoming more and more reliant on Eva. Without her, the companies under him could fall into disarray and his net worth could plummet.


    Given this situation, marrying Eva seemed to be the only option.


    "Marry, huh?"


    Link, arms folded, looked out the window at the brilliant sunlight and the bustling Santa Monica Boulevard, shaking his head.


    Marrying Eva wasn''t really an issue, but he had grown accustomed to their current relationship model. What changes would marriage bring, and would it worsen things?


    He couldn''t predict.


    That was where his concern lay, even as a world boxing champion, he had deep apprehensions about marriage before it happened.


    He also suddenly understood why Fatty James would rather risk coming to Los Angeles from New York than get married.


    But growing up meant eventually taking that step, and what he could do now was learn to accept and start preparing.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    "Chairman, here are the box office results for the new movies released at the beginning of the year, along with movies that are in their promotional periods, and the information regarding movies in preparation," said Secretary Amanda, entering the office with the documents.


    "Leave them there, I''ll look at them later," he said.


    After Amanda had left, he poured himself a glass of mineral water and sat down in his office chair to look over the documents.


    Following several acquisitions, Lionsgate Films'' distribution capability was second to none in the independent film sector.


    In addition to distributing its own movies, it was also involved in distributing films from independent production companies like Relativity Media and Blue Sky Film Company, with an average of one movie released every month, adding up to 10 to 18 movies a year, contingent on the previous year''s financial situation, with more movies produced when funds were abundant and fewer when they weren''t.


    During the first three months, the movies released included "Miss Poor," "Sweetheart Spicy Dance 2," "Red State," and "The Lincoln Lawyer."


    The performances of these movies at the box office were fairly mediocre.


    The first three, after about two months in theaters, garnered a cumulative North American box office of less than thirty million, barely breaking even.


    The fourth, "The Lincoln Lawyer," starring Matthew McConaughey, was produced and distributed by Lionsgate Films and released on March 18, achieving an opening week box office of 13.4 million and a three-week cumulative total of 29.07 million US Dollars.


    Compared to the cost of 40 million US Dollars, it was expected to just break even.


    However, the film had a good reputation, with a composite media score of B, an A- from Yahoo audiences, and a 80% freshness rating on Rotten Tomatoes.


    Veteran hunk Matthew McConaughey''s acting was still stellar, and the plot had few points of criticism.


    Media appraisals stated that the film was likely to be nominated for next year''s Oscars.


    Upon seeing Matthew McConaughey, Link recalled a rather famous film, "Dallas Buyers Club," regarded as the original version of "Medicine God," which was well received and helped McConaughey earn an Oscar Best Actor statuette.


    Link did not know whether this film had started shooting or not and jotted down the script''s name, intending to have someone check on it later.


    This month Lionsgate Films was set to release a comedy film, "Madea''s Big Happy Family," a B-movie, with the release date set for April 22.


    Link had not seen this film, nor had he even heard of the name, and given these circumstances, the box office performance was probably not going to be high.

 Chapter 501 - 405 Date_2

    Previously, he could look at box office rankings with detachment and a cool indifference, but not anymore.


    Every film was financed by the company, and by his money; each dollar the box office made, he earned one more. If the box office crashed, he bore the losses too.


    Thinking about these aspects, Link suddenly realized that while acquiring a company was easy, making it thrive and standing firm against competitors was no small feat.


    While reviewing some data, he also glanced at a few upcoming film projects, "The New Good Man", "The Hunger Games", "The Cabin in the Woods", and six other movies, among which was "Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D" that seemed to be the one Alexandra Daddario was involved in.


    After pondering for a moment, he called Daddario and mentioned that Lionsgate Films had several thriller projects in need of young, beautiful actresses and asked if she wanted to try out. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, I''m currently... advancing my studies at drama school."


    Daddario said on the phone.


    "Are you sure? Lionsgate is the largest thriller and suspense film producer in Hollywood; if you don''t act in their films, are you thinking of quitting the industry?"


    Link leaned back in his office chair and chuckled.


    Their relationship had been quite normal, but ever since the news reported that he splurged eight hundred million to acquire Lionsgate Films for Jennifer Lawrence, Daddario seemed to mind. It had been days since she last called him voluntarily.


    "I can play other roles; it doesn''t have to be horror films. I don''t look scary, do I?"


    Daddario said sweetly.


    Listeniing to her, Link''s mind unconsciously pictured her.


    Blinking her blue eyes, rounded cheeks, a perky nose, soft, rosy lips, moving down her graceful swan neck to her delicately sexy, fragrant collarbones, and further down to her plush, soft bosom.


    Indeed, not scary at all.


    "Annie, I miss you. Come to Los Angeles. Whether you act or not, I hope to see you every day."


    Link said.


    "...every day? Aren''t you supposed to be accompanying that eight-hundred-million-dollar Jennifer Lawrence?"


    Daddario asked with a hint of jealousy.


    "Annie, don''t believe those rumors. I acquired Lionsgate Films to have an independent film distribution channel.


    If it were for Jennifer, I would have just needed to buy some of Lionsgate''s shares to get her that role, not all of it. By the way, during the acquisition of Lionsgate, I had also thought about you.


    You told me you were suited for thriller and suspense movies, and Lionsgate Films produces a lot of those every year. If you''re interested, you can choose any movie role; although filming is hard work. If you want to quit acting and do something else, I support you."


    Link said slowly.


    "I like films, and I''ve never thought about quitting, but my parents have asked me to stay away from you; they say you''re too flirtatious."


    "Oh, is that so? What do you think, then?"


    "...I love you, very much so. I don''t mind you being flirtatious; I just want to know whether you love me a little more, or if you love Jennifer more."


    Daddario asked cautiously.


    "Annie, it''s you. It''s hard to describe how important you are to me. I want you to know that the first person I think of when I wake up each day is you, and I think about you when I run too. What I want to do most now is to kiss you; kissing you is one of the most wonderful experiences I''ve ever had."


    "I''ve missed you too. Also... I''m in Los Angeles."


    Daddario said softly.


    "Really? I''ll come right over."


    Link got the address from her, tidied up the documents on his desk, told his secretary a few things, and had Bob drive to an ordinary apartment on Bird Street in West Hollywood.


    ¡ª


    When he arrived, the streets nearby seemed strangely familiar.


    Looking around, he recalled Gal Gadot had lived here for a while, and during that time, he had often stayed over.


    Later, he moved to New York to train and prepare for contests, rarely visiting Los Angeles.


    And as Gal Gadot joined a film crew and got busy, and by 2009 when he entered the music industry and started dating Taylor, his contact with Gal had gradually diminished.


    Eventually, he heard she had married a wealthy businessman in Israel, and they completely lost touch.


    Thinking back on Gal, Link felt he had been very immature emotionally at the time, and too full of concerns in handling matters.


    However, now he would not let go easily of any girl willing to stay by his side.


    Seeing some fresh red roses at a roadside flower shop, he got out of the car wearing a baseball cap and bought a bouquet; he held the flowers and approached Daddario''s apartment door, knocking twice. The door opened in response.


    The gorgeous Alexandra Daddario stood at the doorstep.


    With her long golden-brown hair let down, a touch of light makeup, her round face looking more exquisite, wearing a blue knee-length dress revealing her tall, sexy figure with her curves accentuated and prominent.


    "Link, you''re here!"


    Daddario said with a curved smile.


    Link smiled warmly, looking intently into her eyes. Daddario blinked her large eyes, her pretty cheeks gradually turning red. Link set down the flowers and embraced her.


    He kissed her passionately and possessively on her soft, rosy lips.


    He shut the door with his foot.


    The two kissed in the foyer for over ten minutes, condensing all their unspoken words into that single kiss.


    Link, holding the completely softened Daddario, moved to the sofa and they embraced, chatting about a few things concerning her.


    She had come to Los Angeles the day before yesterday, contacted by her agent for a new movie role audition; she hadn''t planned to tell him so soon, wanting to surprise him.

 Chapter 502 - 405 Date_3

    Dadalio leaned on his shoulder, blinking his sly, beautiful blue eyes and smiled.


    Without waiting for the girl to say anything further, he kissed her eyes and gently pressed her down on the sofa.


    While taking off Dadalio''s wrapped chest, he couldn''t help but remember their first experience of making love.


    It was last December, on Christmas Eve.


    Because Dadalio had to stay at home for Christmas with his family and he had promised to spend Christmas with Catherine and also agreed to spend Christmas Eve with Ivanka.


    So, the two agreed to spend the day before Christmas together in Dadalio''s small apartment.


    That day, they woke up early and went jogging in Central Park against the white snow, and shopped at Walmart.


    After returning to the apartment, they made breakfast together, watched the snow fall over New York from the balcony, and kissed in the snow.


    They cuddled on the sofa watching a comedy movie, kissing on the sofa until the girl collapsed weakly into his arms.


    He also rolled on the sofa with the girl like today, gradually unraveling the constraints on her body.


    It was like a scientist peeling off the outer layer of a nucleus, revealing the explosive interior.


    When he, with a rigorous scientific attitude, used tools to further explore the mysterious interior of the nucleus.


    The wonderful feeling made him shiver all over, his spiritual world was like experiencing a nuclear blast with a huge mushroom cloud rising before his eyes; the world was left with only red, white, and pink colors, and the post-nuclear blast scent filled his nose, indescribably delightful, almost celestial.


    After that, he never let go of the girl until past five in the afternoon when it was about to get dark, and suddenly there was a knock at the door of Dadalio''s apartment.


    At first, both he and Dadalio ignored it, but the knocking got louder, and someone outside yelled, ''Annie, I know you''re in there, I heard your phone ring, hurry up and open the door,'' the voice was rough and serious.


    When Link heard Alexandra say that the person outside was her father, he knew their date had to end sooner than planned.


    "Phew! Annie, there won''t be anyone knocking at the door today, right?"


    Link asked Dadalio with a smile.


    "Not necessarily."


    Dadalio wrapped his arms around his neck and gave him a kiss with a smile.


    "Then we need to concentrate more, let me see where your limits are."


    Link pulled up the blanket over them.


    The space under the blanket became enclosed, the temperature gradually increased, accelerating the blood flow.


    This also caused all sensory stimuli to double.


    When the sunlight of Los Angeles shone from the eastern balcony into the western bedroom window, the battlefield moved from the living room carpet to the bedroom, and this long-lasting fight finally reached its halftime break.


    "Annie, you''re so gorgeous, your eyes and here are big, perfect for a commercial blockbuster''s leading lady; would you consider shifting roles? I can find you several suitable ones."


    Link embraced the girl, his palm resting on his favorite spot.


    "No, being a vase is boring, I prefer roles that are more challenging."


    Dadalio said lazily with her eyes closed.


    Link gently laughed. New actors all have a dream of winning an Oscar thinking it''s easy.


    Once they arrive in Hollywood, and see many actors around them who are more beautiful, better, and superior in acting still being ordinary actors, many of them then come to terms with reality and continuously adjust their goals.


    From an Oscar Best Actor to a movie star, and finally, just landing a role where one can speak and be seen on screen is very good.


    Later, when they realize how hard it is to be a successful actor, some give up and some persevere, with giving up not necessarily meaning failure and persevering not necessarily meaning success.


    Only those who stick to their goals and finally stand on the Oscars stage truly achieve their goals.


    Among Dadalio''s fellow actors, only a few like Emma Stone and Jennifer Lawrence have achieved this, others have merely become stepping stones.


    As Dadalio has only acted in a few films, she is not even considered a second-tier actress in the circuit.


    The road ahead seemed smooth that''s why she thought of taking on challenging roles aiming for the Golden Globe and Oscars, seeking recognition from mainstream cinema.


    According to her original trajectory, after facing setbacks in her career, she would reluctantly choose the path of a vase, starring in many films where her face and figure are the selling points, and also exposing her sexy and hot body in the TV series "True Detective," just like she''s now.


    But now Link has appeared.


    He wouldn''t allow her to continue taking such roles, and it would be best not to have any intimate scenes either.


    For an actress like her, even if she stripped down, got fat, or became ugly, it would still be hard to gain favor from the Oscars, so it''s better not to sacrifice herself and just treat acting as a hobby; take good roles when available, rest when not, focus on beauty and fitness, maintaining beauty is most important.


    "Annie, what do you think?"


    Link asked as he caressed her fluffy long curly hair.


    "No intimate scenes?"


    Dadalio blinked her long eyelashes.


    "Yes, I love you too much and want you to belong only to me; seeing you act in intimate scenes with male actors makes me uncomfortable."


    Link held the girl close, feeling the soft pressure against his chest, and the fragrance from her hair wafting around. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His muscles became even harder and stronger.


    "Darling, you''re really domineering."


    Dadalio wrapped her arms around his waist, her voice soft.


    "Do you really want to win an Oscar? I think being a producer isn''t bad, either. You''ve been in the film industry for over two years, and you understand quite a bit about the industry; why not consider becoming a producer?"

 Chapter 503 - 405 Date_4

    First shooting low-budget art films, thrillers, just think about it, when you turn a piece of text into a movie, it''s accepted by many viewers, recognized by major film awards, and achieves both box office success and critical acclaim, isn''t that sense of accomplishment more fulfilling than acting?


    "As a producer, when you come across a role that suits you, you can also perform. Being a filmmaker who can act and produce, even if you''re beautiful, no one will call you just a pretty face."


    Link whispered to the girl.


    He thought that Dadalio had later become a producer, and trying it now wouldn''t be so bad. Even if he didn''t know how to produce, he could learn from the veteran producers in the company, and over time, practice would make perfect.


    "I''ll listen to you, I won''t shoot love scenes, and I won''t let anyone else kiss me, is it okay for my whole body to belong only to you?"


    Dadalio wrapped her legs around him and spoke intimately.


    "Alright, no backing out."


    Link looked into the girl''s blue eyes, their noses touching as he spoke.


    "I won''t, I can tattoo your name here, tattoo ''I love you'', and all of me belongs to you."


    The girl blinked her large eyes, pointing to her rib cage as she spoke.


    "No need, your body is perfect, don''t let a tattoo ruin it. Tattoo it in your heart, and let me know that you will always love me."


    "I will, since meeting you, every day has been wonderful, time also seems to slow down, not as rushed as before, because my heart has a you that stands still. Link, I like you so much, I can''t imagine what I would do without you, so please don''t leave me, okay?" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course not."


    The two lay under the blanket, exchanging syrupy sweet nothings for dozens of minutes.


    Until the bed was bathed in the sunset, the temperature under the blanket gradually started to rise.


    Nuclear war broke out again.


    The world under the blanket was turned upside down, tremendous and majestic.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Thump thump thump! Thump thump thump!


    The war was still going on, and a clear knocking at the door could be heard. Link and Dadalio were too engrossed to pay attention. The knocking persisted three times before stopping, and a cell phone ringtone emanated from the living room, playing Link''s song "Stay With Me".


    I don''t want you to leave


    I don''t want you to leave


    Will you hold my hand


    Hope you can hold my hand


    Oh, won''t you stay with me


    Oh, you have to stay with me


    ''Cause you''re all I need


    "Could it be your parents?"


    Hearing the ringtone, Link stopped and looked at the girl, her face flushed.


    "Impossible, they are working in New York and wouldn''t come to Los Angeles unexpectedly. It might be my agent, Susan. She said she would come over in the afternoon with a new script."


    As she was speaking, someone outside shouted ''Annie, are you there?'', and Dadalio identified it as the voice of Ms. Susan Waters.


    Susan was a former colleague of her mother, now an agent at the William Morris Agency with many artists under her umbrella, including Dadalio.


    Link released the girl''s waist, and Dadalio slowly got up, wrapped her chest with a blanket, and opened the bedroom door.


    Link lay in bed for two minutes, then heard the sound of a chatter in the living room.


    Susan asked Dadalio whom she was dating, to which Dadalio said no one.


    Susan said it wasn''t necessary to see with eyes or smell with the nose, but just listening to the voice, she could tell there definitely was someone, adding she didn''t want to intrude into her private life, but her mother had instructed her to do so since Annie was too naive and could be easily taken advantage of in Hollywood, so she had to ask a few more questions.


    Link smirked at this, and after a dozen seconds, Dadalio came in with his clothes, saying Susan was there to deliver a script.


    "Guess which script it is?"


    Dadalio asked with twinkling eyes and a smile.


    "Is it a Lionsgate Films movie?"


    "Yes, the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, another horror film. I originally wanted to perform in art films, but Susan says my acting is rather green and needs refining. She wants me to start with thrillers, so she often gets me these kinds of movies," said Dadalio.


    "There''s some sense in that."


    Link walked into the bathroom to shower, and Dadalio, removing the blanket, followed him in. Looking at the girl, he said, "Acting is hard work, your parents are career elites, haven''t they ever advised you to pursue a different job?"


    "Of course, they did some career planning for me when I graduated from high school, wanting me to become a lawyer and even had me practice debating. I said I wanted to be an actor, and they didn''t object, thinking I would know it''s difficult and give up, but I persisted for three years. Now not only I want to be an actor, my sister and brother also want to be actors. Thankfully, my brother is a lawyer; otherwise, our whole family would turn into actors," Dadalio chuckled, helping him lather some shampoo.


    After washing off the bodily secretions, Link put on a t-shirt and pants, and went into the living room first, ready to chat with Dadalio''s agent, Ms. Susan Waters.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Ms. Waters, in her early forties, looked ordinary with a slightly plump figure, wearing casually styled but fashionable dyed red long hair, dressed in casual suit jacket and jeans, looking very trendy and capable.


    "Mr. Link Baker? I''m Susan Waters, it''s very nice to meet you here," Ms. Waters greeted him with a smile after taking a look.


    "Hello Ms. Waters!" Link shook hands with her.


    Although she was just an agent, in the entertainment industry, the last profession to be underestimated is the agent.


    They are considered the lubricant that keeps the giant machine of Hollywood running smoothly, the ''insides'' of the entertainment circle.


    Correspondingly, the actors are the ''face''.


    Sometimes the role of an agent in the entertainment industry is more important than that of an actor.


    This profession is also similar to that of the promoter in a boxing promotion company; the Boxer''s job is to train daily, working hard to improve their Boxing skills.

 Chapter 504 - 405 Date_5

    The job of a boxing promoter involves much more like ceaselessly promoting boxers, helping them find suitable opponents, negotiating appearance fees, match timings, venues, pre-match promotions, and so on, often requiring months or even more time to prepare for a match.


    Once everything is arranged and the boxer competes in the match, whether they win or lose, it all boils down to just a few minutes, in contrast to the promoters who are more active in this industry.


    The role of an actor''s agent is similar¡ªafter signing an actor, the agent needs to package and promote them, help select scripts, find suitable roles, and possess a certain degree of education to know which scripts suit their actors best.


    Sometimes, they even need to know some acting and handle crisis public relations, awards public relations, among other skills that a professional agent should have.


    Compared to actors, they often outclass many actors who haven''t even completed middle school in terms of experience, knowledge, intelligence, and connections, which is also why many agents can keep a firm hold on their artists.


    Within the Hollywood agency circle, there is a hierarchy as well.


    CAA (Creative Artists Agency), WMA (William Morris Endeavor), ICM (International Creative Management), and UTA (United Talent Agency) are considered the ''Big Four'' in the talent agency industry.


    Among the Big Four, Susan Waters'' company WMA, founded in 1898, predates the other three agencies combined and is also considered the mother of Hollywood agencies.


    Before the 1970s, WMA was the most powerful agency in Hollywood.


    In 1975, Michael Ovitz and four other agents left WMA to establish a new agency, CAA, ending WMA''s monopoly and becoming the most powerful agency in Hollywood.


    However, by 1995, with Ovitz and others leaving CAA and with the establishment of new agencies like ICM and UTA, CAA''s power diminished, WMA rejuvenated with shame, and in recent years has been able to compete with CAA in terms of strength.


    At WMA, there''s a notorious ''mailroom'' where all agents must start, and only those who do well in the mailroom can advance to become full-fledged agents.


    The work in WMA''s mailroom is very diverse and challenging primarily involving running errands for stars and veteran agents, dealing with various tasks.


    For example, delivering checks to stars having parties in Beverly Hills hotels, informing them that a script deal is finalized, or delivering scripts to artists flirting on cruise ships, and even stopping by Chinatown to bring a pig''s trotter meal for a veteran agent, assisting actors with scripts, carrying bags, cleaning suits and more, working tirelessly twenty-four hours a day.


    It''s said that those who persevered in the mailroom eventually became very powerful.


    For instance, CAA founder Michael Ovitz, former Disney chairman Michael Eisner, former Paramount president Barry Diller, and DreamWorks president Jeffrey Katzenberg, all Hollywood tycoons, had their training in WMA''s mailroom.


    Since the mailroom produced too many formidable characters, in the 1980s, WMA actively shortened the training period in the mailroom from two years to three months for newcomers.


    Link didn''t know how long Ms. Susan Waters had spent in the mailroom, but from her demeanor, she seemed very capable.


    "Mr. Baker, what a coincidence, I just met Catherine not long ago, and here I see you again,"


    Ms. Susan said with a hearty laugh.


    "You know Catherine?"


    "Yes, more than a decade ago, she came to Hollywood to make her mark, and I had just started in the industry then, we worked together for some time," S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ms. Susan explained with a shrug.


    "Indeed, a coincidence."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    "Oh, I forgot to congratulate Mr. Baker on successfully taking over Lionsgate Films, becoming the youngest person to steer a movie company in Hollywood. Mr. Baker, you have already achieved dazzling success in boxing and the music industry, and you are sure to make remarkable achievements in Hollywood that will amaze everyone,"


    Ms. Susan said with a smile while praising him.


    "Thank you! I hope so,"


    Link replied lightly, glancing at the script on the table, "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Is this the next movie you''ve prepared for Annie?"


    "Yes, coincidentally, it''s a project from your company, Mr. Baker,"


    Ms. Susan stated.


    Link nodded, looking at the script, "Annie should have no issues auditioning, and in the future, Lionsgate Films has any suitable roles that Annie likes, feel free to have her try out. Also, Ms. Waters, Annie is my girlfriend, so please take good care of her at work, and let me know if there are any problems."


    "Sure, Mr. Baker, I get your point. I''m friends with both Annie and her mother, so of course, I should take care of her,"


    Ms. Susan smiled slightly, her gaze towards him showing some surprise.


    Regarding Link and Dadalio, she had read about them in newspapers and heard some details from Dadalio''s mother.


    She initially thought Link was a playboy who loved the ladies and that his relationship with Dadalio was just a casual fling.


    Yet hearing his concerns sounded serious, as if talking about a genuine girlfriend; this surprised her.


    This also made her rethink Dadalio''s career.


    With a powerful figure like Link supporting her, Dadalio shouldn''t settle for her current status; she should have access to more and better opportunities, possibly becoming a top Hollywood actress.

 Chapter 505 - 406: The Bar

    WMA talent agency currently has 150 agents managing the contracts of over five hundred actors, singers, stars, and other celebrities.


    On average, each agent oversees four or five artists.


    Besides Dadalio, Susan Coworth also has three other actors under her wing, all of whom are second or third-tier.


    Among them, the most famous is Jessica Chastain, who initially started as a television actress and entered the big screen in 2006, playing significant roles in movies like "Jolena" and "Murder on the Orient Express," making her mark in Hollywood.


    Link remembered that in the Palm Beach Films production "The Help," Jessica Chastain also appeared to play a minor supporting role. Considering Susan''s acquaintance with Catherine, it made sense why she got the role.


    During the conversation, Ms. Coworth introduced her other artists, likely hoping he would take care of them when convenient.


    For this, Link didn''t mind; Jessica Chastain was a talented actress, and if Lionsgate had suitable roles, looking after her seemed reasonable.


    In Hollywood, networking is crucial. Susan was an established agent at WMA, and perhaps through her, he could establish a good cooperative relationship with WMA.


    After a brief chat, Ms. Coworth took her leave, bag in hand.


    Link escorted her to the door and took the opportunity to pick up the rose he had forgotten earlier on the shelf and placed it in the vase on the windowsill.


    Outside the window, the sunset was splendid, and the glow was wantonly strewn across the streets, making the red roses on the windowsill even more beautiful against the orange-yellow twilight.


    "Where''s Susan?"


    Dadalio walked out from inside the house, wiping her hair and wearing a waist-tied spaghetti strap dress that revealed her full curves, slender waist, and long white legs below the knee.


    "She''s gone!"


    "What were you just talking about?"


    "Of course, we were talking about you."


    Link took the towel from her hand, helping her dry her hair, making the damp locks fluffy, soft, and fragrant.


    "What about me?"


    Dadalio asked with a smile, batting her large eyes.


    "Susan said you''re suited for mystery films and wants to get you more roles in that genre to become the queen of horror movies."


    "Queen of horror movies? That sounds awful; it''s like I look scary, but actually, I don''t like acting in horror films. If there are good movie roles, I also like the beautiful, artistic films. Like Anne Hathaway''s ''The Devil Wears Prada,'' ''Rachel''s Wedding,'' Scarlett Johansson''s ''Lost in Tokyo,'' and several films by Jennifer Garner are also nice, but I''ve never come across such roles," Dadalio said, shrugging her shoulders.


    "Then you can pick any script you like now, and I''ll figure out a way to get you the role," Link said, kissing her tender neck.


    "Don''t, after you acquired Lionsgate Films, there were many reports saying you''d lose eight hundred million US dollars because of Jennie. I don''t want to become Jennie number two and make you lose even more money," Dadalio said, playfully batting her eyes as she combed her hair.


    "Don''t worry, Lionsgate Films won''t go bankrupt. I''ll make it the seventh major studio in Hollywood, or even rival Warner and Universal," Link said, wrapping his arms around her waist. It''s hard to believe someone as tall with such full curves would have such a slender and flexible waist, and even through her dress, he could feel her toned abs.


    "Yes, I believe you can do it; in my heart, you are the most amazing man in the world," Dadalio said, touching his chin with a smile.


    Link smiled lightly and lifted her in his arms.


    Since Dadalio had only recently arrived in Los Angeles, he couldn''t just leave after sleeping with her. He made a phone call to Bob downstairs, telling him he''d be staying here tonight, and also called Ms. Anna to inform her of his whereabouts.


    Dadalio was very happy to hear he was staying the night and pulled him to go shopping together.


    Link agreed to her suggestion, donned a cap, and under the cover of twilight, walked with Dadalio down to West Hollywood''s bar street, also known as West 41st Street of Hollywood Boulevard.


    There were many coffee shops, bars, and restaurants here, as well as a few Broadway-style theaters. At night, it became one of the liveliest districts in West Hollywood, glowing with lights.


    The two of them strolled like a normal couple, holding hands, snacks, and drinks, enjoying nearby street scenes. Link found this arrangement quite pleasant.


    He had been busy with company matters, working from morning till night, and afterwards, he would read bestsellers or practice piano, without much leisure time.


    Now, like this, walking carelessly down the street with a beautiful woman, it seemed a different kind of enjoyment.


    "Do you rarely come out to stroll?" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, I spend most of my days on training and dealing with company matters, and if I get time in the afternoon, I read or practice piano. I don''t often come out for strolls," Link said, watching the passersby.


    He recalled that after coming to America, he hadn''t shopped much.


    When Taylor was around, she sometimes dragged him out to carry her bags. But as his fame grew, appearing in public would attract paparazzi, which was inconvenient, so he preferred to stay at home, avoiding aimless wanderings.


    However, after last year''s cyber uproar, people seemed tired of his scandals, and media coverage about him decreased, along with the number of paparazzi around him.


    Transitioning to Hollywood this year and becoming the boss of Lionsgate, his work took up too much time to start dating someone new, leaving the media with no fresh material to cover him, reducing even further the reports about him.

 Chapter 506 - 406 Bar_2

    It felt pretty good.


    The two of them walked down a street and entered a high-end bar named ''Transform Queen'' as the neon lights came on, a bar famous for its impersonation shows, hosting one or two shows a week mimicking popular stars.


    As they entered the bar, there was a singer on stage dressed like Adele and sounding just like her, performing Adele''s hit song from her new album, "Someone like you."


    Adele''s new album "21" was released in early April, sold 374,000 copies in its first week in the United States, and easily clinched the Billboard album chart championship. In the second week, the sales were 269,000 copies, with a small decline.


    And the lead single "Someone like you" topped the singles chart for two consecutive weeks, becoming a smashing hit in the United States.


    This year, in the world music scene, the only song that can compare with this one is Mars''s "Just the way you are." This song stayed at the top of the singles chart for six consecutive weeks and was highly popular.


    Fans, seeing that he wrote the lyrics and composed the music for this song, and hearing from the news that he wrote it for Ivanka, exclaimed about his profound love despite being a playboy, advising him to date more girlfriends and produce more great songs.


    "Darling, when is your new album coming out?"


    In the booth, Dadalio listened to the song for a while then turned and asked him.


    "Around August or September."


    "Does it include ''Let her go''?"


    "Yes, it''s one of the headline songs," Link said, draping an arm around her shoulders.


    "Ah, the audition failed again."


    "Don''t lose heart, you''re a good actor, you just haven''t found the right role yet."


    "Lami, didn''t you just act in a new movie with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts? Things will slowly get better."


    "That''s not called acting; that was just an extra."


    "Getting a small role in a big production is not bad, many people don''t even get a chance to be on the set."


    Link and Dadalio were whispering when a conversation from the next booth over caught their attention; it seemed like a few young actors chasing dreams in the entertainment industry were chatting.


    "Hollywood is too competitive. Can you believe it? Today at the audition for ''The Hunger Games,'' there were over sixty people competing for a minor male role; it''s just outrageous," said one person, sighing after a failed audition.


    ''The Hunger Games?'' Is that a Lionsgate Films movie?"


    "I also heard about that movie. I heard that when Jennifer Lawrence auditioned for the female lead, Harvey Weinstein blocked her, Link was furious, right there he forked out eight hundred million US dollars to buy Lionsgate Films and reinstated Jennifer Lawrence as the lead, so cool. If I had such a boyfriend, I could walk sideways in Hollywood."


    "Not right there, I heard Link used Twitter stock in the transaction, losing several billion."


    "Link is so rich, a few billion is nothing to him."


    "I met Jennifer Lawrence on the set before, when she was still a minor actress, we even exchanged a few words. Now with Link''s help, she has landed several leading roles in movies, and in a couple of years, we''ll be calling her a superstar."


    "Yes, no matter how good your acting is, it''s not as good as having a supportive boyfriend."


    "The competition in the film industry is getting more intense, singers, models, and internet celebrities all come to Hollywood to act. For us who rely solely on acting, it''s hard to stand out. I also want to find a rich and powerful boyfriend."


    "Hang in there, gold always shines eventually."


    Hearing the discussion of a few actors nearby, Link chuckled softly. Being a superstar for a long time, he was used to seeing other superstars, millionaires, billionaires, talking about album sales, box office, and stock prices every day.


    It seemed like it had been a long time since he had heard anyone talk about the hardships of ordinary people.


    It was quite interesting to hear.


    Seeing that Dadalio was also listening and worrying she might get upset about Jennifer''s story, he asked her if she wanted to go back to rest.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t mind,"


    Dadalio whispered as he gently tugged on her hand.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, I''ve seen Jennifer Lawrence''s movies, her acting is very good. I feel I can''t perform at her level," Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You''re also good, you just lack the experience of big roles,"


    Link pinched her perky nose.


    "Hey, Alex, is that really you?"


    Suddenly, someone greeted them from the aisle.


    Dadalio quickly sat up straight and looked toward the greeter, a woman in her twenties wearing a fisherman hat, a t-shirt, and jeans, dressed very understated.


    But that face was famous, enchanting eyes, fiery red lips, it was none other than one of Hollywood''s famous "vase" actresses, Megan Fox.


    By her side was a middle-aged man, looking like her husband, Brian Austin Green, also an actor, albeit not very famous.


    "Hi, Megan! Are you here to listen to music too?"


    Dadalio stood up and smiled.


    "Yes, I came to sit down after shooting. Is this your boyfriend?"


    Megan Fox''s eyes kept darting over Link, but his seating position was rather dim, making it hard to see his face clearly.


    Dadalio turned back to look at Link, blinked her blue eyes, and asked if he wanted to meet them.


    Link smiled gently, wrapped his arm around Dadalio''s waist, greeted Megan Fox, and shook hands with the couple.


    Back at the premiere of "Transformers 2," he was invited to sing the theme song "give me reason", and met Megan Fox once, so they were not strangers.


    "Link.. Mr. Baker?!"


    When Megan Fox realized it was him, she exclaimed in surprise, her eyes flitting between him and Dadalio, giving Dadalio a cheeky smile.


    As the four of them introduced each other, a man with Egyptian features nearby, his eyes wide in disbelief, sat down and turned to his companions, asking, "Do you know who I just saw?"


    "Megan Fox? I just saw her too,"


    his companion said.


    "No, it''s Link, Mr. Link Baker,"


    "Really?"


    The others also stood up to sneak a peek and indeed, it was the legendary Link Baker, each one showing a look of astonishment. Who would have thought that in a bar, you''d be sitting right next to a billionaire and the big boss of Lionsgate Films?


    "Damn, he was sitting right next to us. Did he hear us talking about him?"


    the young man with Egyptian features asked nervously.


    "Rami, it''s okay, we didn''t say anything bad about him,"


    his companion consoled.


    Recalling their earlier conversation, Rami realized they really hadn''t said anything inappropriate.


    He took a sip of his beer, his ears perked up to the noise next door. Megan Fox left soon after sitting down, and after a few minutes, Link also got up with his companion and left their booth.


    Rami stared intensely at his departing figure, suddenly clenched his fist, took a deep breath, and mustered the courage to walk over to him.

 Chapter 507 - 407: Overbearing Female CEO

    Link never expected that a casual outing would lead him to encounter several celebrities in a row.


    First was Megan Fox, an actress who had risen to fame with "Transformers" and "Jennifer''s Body," becoming one of Hollywood''s more recognized beautiful faces in recent years.


    Megan was also a talent signed with WMA, as was Michael Bay, the director of the "Transformers" series. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When they had initially started filming "Transformers," the production had cast from within WMA.


    Dadalio had auditioned as well but didn''t pass because she was too tall and had a large frame, which made Shia LaBeouf, the male lead, look petite in comparison.


    The second star he ran into was an actor named Rami Malek.


    Seeing the other nervously looking around, Dadalio jokingly asked if he might be a robber planning to rob him, a billionaire?


    When the other came up to greet him and introduce himself, Link didn''t recognize his name, but the man''s distinctly Middle Eastern features made him highly recognizable.


    He stared at him for a moment, then remembered a well-known film, "Bohemian Rhapsody," in which Rami Malek played the lead singer of Queen, ''buck-toothed uncle'' Freddy Mercury.


    For this role, he had won the Oscar for Best Actor, becoming the second post-''80s Oscar Best Actor winner.


    Because of his looks, Rami spent his thirties doing bit parts in various major productions.


    Coming over to greet him along with Rami Malek were a few young actors.


    Among them was Rachel Bilson, who had become popular with "Orange County Boys," and her boyfriend, Hayden Christensen, who had played Anakin Skywalker in the "Star Wars" series.


    There was also Rami Malek''s friend Greta Gerwig, who had recently played a supporting role in the comedy film "Arthur."


    These people had played leading roles in films and television shows, making them more famous than Rami Malek.


    Link chatted with them for a bit, asking about their new projects, then left with Dadalio.


    Encountering five or six celebrities on one outing made him reflect on how many actors lived in West Hollywood.


    It was said that many actors lived in the West Hollywood community before becoming famous. Once they were famous, most moved to richer areas like Beverly Hills, Malibu, and along Santa Monica Bay, which earned West Hollywood the nickname ''the cradle of stars,'' ''the flight deck of an aircraft carrier.''


    "Do you want to keep strolling?"


    Link looked at the girl beside him as the sky began to darken, and the neon lights cast a glow on her fair and delicate cheeks.


    Her long lashes, bright blue sparkling eyes, and ruddy lips made her even more beautiful.


    And beneath her long dress, her full curves were still apparent.


    The desire that had been interrupted earlier by Mrs. Susan Woster started to rise in Link again.


    "Let''s walk a bit more; you''re so busy, I don''t know when we''ll go shopping again," said Dadalio, linking his arm and looking at the dazzling neon-lit street with a wistful expression on her pretty face.


    "I''m in Los Angeles for the time being; just call me whenever you want to shop. As long as there isn''t anything urgent, I''ll come and walk with you. Honestly, I enjoy shopping like this too," Link responded with a shrug.


    Darkness was a fine disguise. By evening, the Hollywood paparazzi were off duty. He walked the streets without needing to wear a hat or sunglasses, feeling quite free.


    He liked it that way.


    Dadalio, looking at his handsome profile, smiled softly and clung tighter to him, her hands resting on fuller parts of her body. She knew which parts of her Link was most enamored with and was happy he liked them.


    "Don''t you need to go shopping with Jennifer Lawrence? If she and I both asked you out at the same time, don''t mind me, just go ahead with her. I won''t mind," Dadalio said lightly, showing a confident and easy-going attitude.


    "Really? Then I''ll go shopping with her now," Link joked.


    Dadalio looked at him with wide eyes and gripped his hands even tighter.


    Link smiled gently and pinched her cute, upturned nose.


    "My relationship with Jennifer isn''t as close as you might think; we''re more like lovers plus business partners. Our dates generally revolve around discussions about films, not casual chats like we have. Jennifer and I have walked the streets of Paris a few times, but during our time in the United States, we never just went shopping, and she doesn''t ask me out for that."


    "Really?"


    "I don''t know what Jennifer thinks, but she seems a bit afraid of me, treating me more like a superior, not a friend. We only discuss work when together, hardly ever talking as intimately or playfully as we do," Link continued, his arm around Dadalio''s shoulders.


    In saying this, Link wasn''t trying to deceive Dadalio; it was the truth.


    Ever since they met last year during the filming of "Midnight in Paris," Jennifer Lawrence had kept her distance.


    Even though they had spent more than ten days living together in a Paris hotel, Jennifer never got too close to him.


    She seldom disturbed him unless he called her, appearing somewhat afraid and always very cautious around him.


    Nevertheless, during their dates, Jennifer was very passionate, indulging his every wish, trying her best to meet all his demands.


    If he hadn''t been sure that Jennifer liked him too, he might have thought she was merely obliging him.


    This was also where Jennifer and Dadalio differed.


    "It sounds a bit... sad for Jennifer, doesn''t it?"

 Chapter 508 - 407: Overbearing Female CEO_2

    Dadalio laughed.


    "Pitiful?"


    "Yes, Jennifer is a minor actress, and you are a big movie company boss. When you''re together, it feels like you, the big boss, are taking advantage of her."


    Dadalio said with a laugh, covering her red lips.


    Link gave a slight smile, thought for a moment, and it did seem somewhat like that.


    They walked the neon-lit streets for a long time, until the sky was full of stars and they sweated profusely, before they finally returned to Dadalio''s apartment.


    Bathing, kissing, making love.


    Doing everything they loved, all over again.


    The next morning, they ran together on the streets of West Hollywood again. After nine o''clock, he drove Dadalio to her company, ending their date, and headed back to take charge at Lionsgate Films.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After returning to the office, he continued reviewing the documents he hadn''t finished the day before, mainly Lionsgate Films'' movie plans for the latter half of the year.


    Originally, Lionsgate had a $180 million external debt. After delisting, they lost a financing platform and money became even tighter.


    He planned to cut a few high-investment projects, focusing funds on producing low-cost horror films, indie films, and developing valuable series like "The Hunger Games."


    By keeping the company''s movie projects to about ten per year, they would save on expenses.


    For this reason, he invited Vice Chairman Jon Fellemay and CEO Steven Bicks for a talk, seeking their opinions.


    After all, before March, the company''s development plan was formulated by Jon and several other executives, and getting their views would help things go more smoothly.


    Jon Fellemay agreed with his suggestion to cut a few movie projects to ensure the company''s stable transition.


    Because the company was now delisted and could no longer finance through the stock market as before - taking profits when earnings were good and sharing the risk when they weren''t.


    Without extra funds, cutting a few projects to maintain the stability of others was a necessity. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But exactly how many to cut, how many to keep, and which movie projects to retain required careful deliberation.


    Link nodded in agreement. He planned to personally visit the production department when he had the time, looking for a few box-office hits he''d heard of to make.


    He definitely wanted to avoid "big pit" movies like "Waterworld," "Shutter Island," and "Windtalkers."


    However, regarding the development of new series, Fellemay had a different point of view.


    Such films required high investment, had a long payback period, and carried higher risks. The existing "The Hunger Games" would keep the production department busy for a few years, and other series could wait until the company''s financial health improved.


    Link thought it over and agreed with his proposal.


    The company was short on funds now, and barely maintaining their existing projects. Starting another would impact the rest.


    But being unable to afford development now didn''t mean they wouldn''t be able to afford it in the future.


    He intended to continue looking at bestsellers, trying to find a few novels with transformational value and buy the rights.


    If they had the funds later, they could develop them. And even if they didn''t have the funds, having the rights in hand was better than letting a competitor make a movie and earn money from it.


    With an annual North American box office total around $10 billion, if a competitor earned an extra billion, Lionsgate Films would earn a billion less, increasing the pressure.


    This was the law of the jungle in Hollywood: when an opportunity arose to create difficulties for a competitor, it was imperative to strike immediately, with no room for leniency.


    While Link was chatting with Jon Fellemay, his secretary came in to report that Ryan Kavanaugh, President of Relativity Media, had come to visit him.


    The headquarters of Relativity Media was also in Santa Monica, on neighboring 102nd Street, not far away.


    This company was founded in 2004, with President Ryan Kavanaugh originating from Wall Street. In ''04, he raised nearly $1 billion from the hedge fund management company Elliott Management to invest in Hollywood movies.


    Initially participating in multiple projects mainly controlled by Universal and Sony, he made quite a profit and became a new aristocrat in the film industry as well as one of the more successful film companies in recent years in the field of independent production.


    Projects like "King of Kung Fu," "Fast & Furious 3," "The Pursuit of Happyness," "The Mummy 3," "Public Enemies," "The Season of the Witch," "The Social Network," and others.


    And the upcoming Bradley Cubo-starring "Limitless," Henry Cavill and Mickey Rourke-starring "War God," directed by Steven Soderbergh "Knockout," are all fairly well-known film projects.


    With a current market value between $180 million and $200 million, it nearly doubled since ''09, earning it the title of Hollywood''s ninth major.


    And because of the good performance last year, Ryan Kavanaugh was named by "Variety" at the beginning of the year as a ''Billion Dollar Producer'' and ''Personality of the Year.''


    However, Link remembered that Relativity Media didn''t stay pleased for long.


    Backed by Wall Street hedge fund companies, with their strong profit-seeking nature and impatience for quick success, and considering that film is an art demanding meticulous attention to detail, Relativity Media, after ''09, financed hundreds of millions annually for film production. They released more film projects than established independent film companies like Lionsgate, New Line, and Weinstein Company.


    By 2015, due to too many invested projects and excessive financing, slow capital return led to a broken capital chain and eventual bankruptcy; it became a classic case of Wall Street capital failing in Hollywood.


    "Ha ha, Mr. Link Baker, I''ve finally met you in person. I''m a fan of yours," said Ryan Kavanaugh.


    Ryan Kavanaugh was a man in his thirties, chubby, with reddish-brown short hair and stubble, dressed in a gray suit, extending his hand from afar.

 Chapter 509 - 407: Overbearing Female CEO_3

    "Mr. Kavanaugh, welcome to Lionsgate."


    Link greeted him in the hallway at the door and shook his hand. Since last year, Lionsgate Films had been responsible for distributing movies produced by Relativity Media, with both sides essentially forming a partnership.


    "Ryan, what brings you here?"


    Jon Feltheimer called out from the side.


    "Haha, Jon, I should be asking you that. You''ve already sold the company, how come you are still here?"


    Ryan Cavano laughed out loud.


    "I''m back at Lionsgate to retire."


    Feltheimer shrugged as he said.


    "Haha, Mr. Baker, inviting Jon back was indeed a wise choice. I had even thought about asking him to be the president of Relativity Media, but unfortunately, I didn''t get the chance."


    Ryan Cavano pointed at Jon and laughed.


    "Yes, having Jon around makes my job much easier."


    Link smiled slightly and invited Kavanaugh into the reception room to sit.


    Ryan Cavano''s main purpose for the visit was to strengthen the relationship with the new head of Lionsgate Films.


    He hoped that the two companies would cooperate more on films, striving to increase the market share of independent movies in North America.


    Kavanaugh also complained about Harvey Weinstein face-to-face, calling Harvey a Hollywood bully who liked to use his resources to exclude outsiders.


    Link smiled slightly, not sure if Kavanaugh genuinely had a grudge against Harvey, but he had heard about the conflict between Ryan Cavano and Harvey.


    At the beginning of the year, at the Oscars, "The Social Network" produced by Relativity Media and Weinstein Company''s "The King''s Speech" became rivals.


    The former received 9 nominations, and the latter received 12 nominations, each having a significant chance of winning major awards like Best Picture and Best Director.


    At the beginning of the awards ceremony, the mainstream media favored "The Social Network," considering it more innovative and creative than "The King''s Speech."


    In polls across major film websites, "The Social Network" vastly surpassed "The King''s Speech" in reputation and popularity and was seen as the best film of 2010.


    But during the award selection period, the media exploded with negative coverage of "The Social Network," blowing its minor flaws out of proportion.


    Meanwhile, the PR department of "The King''s Speech" went into overdrive, inviting many British historical experts to praise the film highly. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    During the jurors'' voting period, Weinstein Company also sent out many DVDs, small gifts, and held viewing parties as tactics to pull many votes from the over 5000 Oscar jurors.


    As one fell, the other rose, ultimately leading to "The King''s Speech" winning the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay.


    "The Social Network" only won less significant awards for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, and Best Editing.


    At the end of last year when the two films were released, their box office performances were not much different.


    But after the Oscars, "The King''s Speech" nearly reached three hundred million US dollars globally, while "The Social Network" had just surpassed one hundred and eighty million.


    If the Oscars were a boxing match,


    Harvey Weinstein would be on the ring using old but effective techniques, leaving Ryan Cavano with a bruised face and no chance to fight back.


    Ryan Cavano openly criticizing Harvey was likely because he had heard about their discord and wanted to use it as leverage for closer cooperation.


    Link had no objection to this.


    Ryan Cavano, backed by Elliott, was not short of funds.


    There were also rumors that Relativity Media''s production department liked to use Wall Street''s pure mathematical methods to study film investments, using "big data" to research if a movie would be profitable, thereby reducing investment risks.


    From the past few films, this algorithm had some utility.


    If there were suitable projects, cooperation could indeed be possible.


    However, considering the company eventually went bankrupt due to excessive financing and too many creditors, it was necessary to be cautious when collaborating to avoid getting dirty if they fell.


    "Link, do you think winning awards or making money is more important when making films?"


    Ryan Cavano suddenly asked with a smile.


    "Making money! Without funds, a company cannot survive."


    Link stated firmly.


    "Indeed, compared to the artistry of films, I am also more concerned about whether a film is profitable. The method our company uses to estimate the profitability of projects with big data is also the most scientific and precise in the film industry and has been validated multiple times over the past few years.


    Link, if you''re interested, we could study and invest together."


    Kavanaugh said.


    "Sounds good, I''ll find time to learn more at Relativity Media."


    Link nodded and said.


    "Haha, welcome, Link. Compared to Harvey and those old guys at the seven major studios, we are the younger generation with more in common in terms of topics and interests. I hope the same goes for films."


    Ryan Cavano said warmly, smiling with a tilt of his mouth.


    After chatting for a while, Kavanaugh proposed to leave. Before leaving, he invited Link to a company party for a new film project, hinting that many actresses would be there and asking for his help in picking a lead actress, praising his good taste.


    Link didn''t outright refuse and after asking about the time, said he would attend if available.


    After Kavanaugh left, companies such as Warner Bros. Pictures, Blue Sky Studios, Focus Features, Summit Entertainment, Anchor Bay Entertainment, and others with whom they had relationships sent representatives to discuss cooperation.


    The Ellison siblings also personally came to Lionsgate Films to tour and discuss potential cooperation.

 Chapter 510 - 407: Overbearing Female CEO_4

    Link was busy for an entire week dealing with these matters, greeting visitors, engaging in scheming, and he felt it was even harder than the match against Aragon in 2008.


    Fortunately, just when he was about to buckle under the pressure, Miss Ivanka finished her work at Link Music, flew from New York to Los Angeles, and began to take over Lionsgate Films.


    "I can take over Lionsgate, but I have one condition."


    Ivanka, dressed in a lady''s business suit and high heels, walked briskly down the corridor of Lionsgate Films.


    Close behind her followed four executives about to take office and four assistants in suits, all looking powerful and impressive.


    "What is it?"


    Link asked.


    "First, let''s be clear about something, Lionsgate Films is a business, not your hunting ground for romances. From now on, you are not allowed to arbitrarily place actresses into productions, nor are you allowed to engage in improper relationships with actresses who have collaborations with Lionsgate Films."


    Ivanka continued without stopping.


    "Are you referring to Jennifer and Alexandra? They were friends I knew before I joined Lionsgate, and it was a coincidence that the company had roles that suited them. It was not a case of casting couch."


    Link explained. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Those two are exceptions. If the company has suitable roles for them, I will arrange it, and you don''t need to interfere.


    What I mean is other actresses. Our work must be focused on the movies, to find the right actors for our films, not just pretty actresses, and certainly not to make someone a star."


    Ivanka suddenly stopped, her blue eyes fixed on him as she spoke.


    "I understand what you mean, and I will never make such a mistake. The purpose of buying Lionsgate Films is to make money with this company, not to pick up girls. I won''t risk the big picture for small gains."


    "I hope you do as you say."


    Ivanka glanced at him and walked into the conference room, leaving behind a charming scent.


    Link watched her leave, shaking his head. This woman''s presence was getting stronger. When talking to her, he often felt overpowered and became extra careful.


    If things continued like this, he might not be able to control her after they got married.


    That was definitely not a good thing.


    Link mused.


    ¡ª¡ª


    On the day Ivanka took office at Lionsgate Films, she announced a call for an extended management meeting.


    Heads of nine departments, including the film production department, television production department, distribution department, brand marketing department, legal department, finance department, public relations department, and international film department, were all required to attend.


    There were 38 people in total.


    At the meeting, Ivanka called out President Steven Bicks, Vice President Michael Burns, and six other senior executives including the former head of production.


    The reason for the criticism was simple: ''The Hunger Games'' was a project independently produced by Lionsgate Films, but during the production process, outsiders were allowed to interfere with the film''s casting and employment of actors.


    The lack of responsibility and ambition expected of a major film company''s management led to the current crisis at Lionsgate Films.


    It also directly affected the work of the production team, with losses amounting to several million US dollars or even more.


    This was a loss caused by the negligence of several executives and could not be fully borne by the company alone.


    Ivanka announced on the spot that President Steven Bicks''s annual performance bonus would be cut by 50%, and the other five executives would receive cuts ranging from 30% to 10%.


    For managers unwilling to accept punishment, they could submit their resignations, and she would sign them on the spot and issue 18 months of salary as severance.


    Upon hearing this, President Steven Bicks and others below wiped sweat from their brows in secret.


    After Link took over Lionsgate, they had thought that incident was behind them, but no one expected Miss Ivanka to emerge halfway through and publicly criticize them at the meeting, suddenly increasing the pressure on them.


    As for submitting their resignations, that was, of course, something they would not do.


    Although there are many film companies in Hollywood, becoming an executive is very difficult. After resigning, unless one is lucky enough to work for one of the Big Six studios, the treatment at a smaller production company would definitely not compare to that at Lionsgate Films.


    Ivanka sat at the head of the conference table, expressionless, her gaze sweeping over the dozens of managers present, her beautiful face becoming cold and stern.


    Seeing no one propose to resign, she continued to announce that, given the company''s current financial situation, by the end of the year, the company would optimize away about 20% of the staff whose performance was poor and work efficiency low.


    Wow!


    At her announcement, a buzz arose in the meeting room.


    The poor operating condition of Lionsgate Films was a fact, with not only $180 million in debt, but also a loss of $37.36 million in the first three months of the year, indeed putting some financial pressure on the company.


    But in 2009, the company had undergone layoffs, where originally the total number of employees in various departments was 425, and now only 312 remained. Further layoffs of 20% would likely leave many positions unstaffed.


    However, upon seeing the four new executives across the conference table, they had to shut their mouths, as President Steven Bicks recognized two of them.


    One was Jeff Jones, 51 years old this year, a former senior manager of Warner Bros. Pictures'' content development department, involved in the development of dozens of film projects such as "Suicide Squad" and "Batman," with vast experience in the film industry.


    The other was Stacy Schneider, who had served as head of distribution at New Line Cinema from 1999 to 2007.


    After New Line was acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2007, she moved to DreamWorks'' marketing department as a leading executive, involved in the production and distribution of films like "The Babymakers" and "We Steal Secrets," a very capable woman.


    The remaining two also looked like sharp, efficient professionals.


    With these experienced individuals, even if Lionsgate Films'' entire staff resigned now, they could recruit the needed employees within a very short time.


    Thinking of this, President Steven Bicks and the others felt even more pressure.


    Ivanka was clearly aiming to rectify Lionsgate''s internal work environment, putting pressure on the existing executives, openly forcing everyone to work hard or face unemployment.


    President Bicks heaved a sigh inwardly, somewhat nostalgic for the days when Link was chairman, when there were no pressures, and work was easy. Unfortunately, with Link stepping down, those days were probably gone forever.


    "Does anyone wish to resign?"


    No one responded.


    Ivanka then proceeded to announce several new appointments, placing Jeff Jones, Stacy Schneider, and four others in charge of key departments within Lionsgate Films.


    "Are there any questions?"


    "No!"


    "President Bicks, please show the four new executives around to get familiar with the work environment at Lionsgate Films."


    "Of course, Chairman!"


    President Steven Bicks rose to his feet to speak.


    "Meeting adjourned!"


    Ivanka glanced around, picked up the notebook computer on the table, and stood up to leave.


    After she left, the others exchanged glances, hastily left the meeting room¡ªmuch faster than when Link had adjourned meetings.

 Chapter 511 - 408 Boxing

    Link didn''t attend the company''s expansion meeting for two main reasons: he was very confident in Eva''s capabilities, and also, he wanted to maintain her absolute authority within the company. His presence would have distracted everyone else.


    However, he heard that during the meeting, she specifically criticized Steven Bicks and other executives, and even announced a 20% staff reduction by the end of the year, which made him secretly anxious for her.


    If the saying ''a new broom sweeps clean'' holds true, Eva had practically used up her sweeps. The first was directed at him, the second at several executives, and the third at all employees who were not putting in the effort, literally burning through Lionsgate Films from top to bottom.


    Afterward, Link also asked Eva what if several executives collectively resigned or went on strike.


    Eva laughed, saying he didn''t understand management or human nature. As a major production company, Lionsgate didn''t need to worry about lack of manpower as long as it had money. As for the executives resigning, all of these executives had families and were above middle-class.


    If they resigned, not finding a better job, they would face a social downgrade, which would be very painful for many, and that''s why during the financial crisis, even millionaires jumped from buildings.


    To keep their jobs, they would need to work diligently and demonstrate outstanding results to prove their value to the company.


    Eva even said she hoped some people would take the initiative to resign, which would reduce a lot of trouble when it came time to cut staff at the end of the year.


    As Link listened to Eva explain these matters in a calm tone, he felt a significant gap in handling corporate affairs compared to her, a gap that knowledge alone could not bridge.


    It also made him feel somewhat helpless, feeling that rather than being a dominant CEO, he was more suited to be a behind-the-scenes player.


    "You''re so capable, Lionsgate is yours then."


    Link said as he picked up his coat.


    "Where are you going?"


    President Eva asked, leaning back in her chair.


    "Boxing!"


    ¡ª


    Bang bang bang! Bang bang bang!


    In the Muscle Beach Boxing training area, Link, bare-chested and wearing hand guards, continuously pounded on a red leather punching bag with his fists flying fast.


    After more than two hours of training, his body was drenched in sweat.


    After stepping down as chairman of Lionsgate Films, he didn''t head straight to the boxing gym; instead, he spent a few days in the scriptwriting department at the production division, selecting two low-budget horror movies from thousands of scripts.


    One was a script called "Mother Invasion" adapted from a Spanish short film of the same name.


    The other was a new script from James Wan, director of the "Saw" series, called "The Conjuring."


    Link saw the first movie, starring the hardworking sister Jessica Chastain.


    It''s about two sisters left in the forest by their father after he kills their mother.


    They were found five years later by their uncle who took them home to live with him, and their mother followed them as well.


    Link couldn''t remember the box office figures, but the film received good reviews, rated a must-watch classic by many horror movie buffs.


    And the follow-up horror series "It" directed and produced by Andr¨¦s Muschietti, also received critical acclaim with the first installment grossing over 700 million US dollars, one of the highest-grossing horror movies in cinematic history.


    After seeing the script in the production division, Link immediately requested to contact this director to acquire the adaptation rights for "Mother Invasion" and prepare for filming.


    One of the producers asked him why.


    No reason, he just liked it.


    Link hadn''t seen the second movie, "The Conjuring," and didn''t know its box office.


    But this horror movie was also turned into a series, spanning four or five installments, which suggests the first one must have done well at the box office.


    Moreover, another classic horror movie, "Annabelle," recognized as an offshoot of "The Conjuring," was produced on a budget of a few million dollars and grossed over two hundred million globally, making it considered a box office dark horse of the year.


    So, after seeing the "The Conjuring" script, he personally contacted director James Wan and brought him back to Lionsgate Films with a significant contract.


    Originally, after James Wan completed "Saw 7" in collaboration with Lionsgate Films last year, the two parted ways due to unaligned plans on new projects.


    Director James Wan received an invitation from FilmDistrict to shoot a movie called "Insidious", which hadn''t been released yet.


    But Link, having seen "Insidious: Chapter 5," could guess this new installment had potential. He planned to buy out the distribution and copyright for this film series after "Insidious" was completed, bringing this series back under Lionsgate Films.


    With these horror series in place, Lionsgate Films could prioritize sequels to these movies when selecting new projects. As long as the quality is maintained, the company would have several stable sources of income.


    After sorting through scripts for a few days in the production division, Link only found these two familiar scripts.


    Once he had organized these two projects, he left the company for Muscle Beach to train, preparing for the upcoming Super Middleweight challenge of the four major organizations.


    He had two opponents.


    The first was the WBA-IBF British Boxing Champion, Rocky Fielding.


    The other was the WBC-WBO North American champion, Andre Ward, an old acquaintance. In the 2009 unification fight of the four major organization titles, Link, having been intoxicated by wine from Selena, was almost defeated by him.


    Now, Andre Ward, after two years of rigorous training, had accumulated a professional record of 26 fights, 25 wins, and 1 loss, and had defeated WBO North American champion Mario Morales in the WBC-WBO Championship Challenger match in February, earning the right to challenge him. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Both opponents were formidable.

 Chapter 512 - 408 Boxing_2

    Link felt a bit of pressure, so after Ivanka took over Lionsgate Films, he quickly returned to the training ground.


    These days, he was training for more than ten hours every day, from dawn to dusk, tirelessly.


    One reason for such high-intensity training was that last year, while filming Captain America, his weight had gone up to 80 kilograms, and the Super Middleweight competition weight limit is 76 kilograms, so he needed to shed four kilograms of muscle.


    But the muscle on his body was all built from the daily training of the past year, without an ounce of extra fat, making it difficult to lose in a short time.


    However, it wouldn''t matter if he didn''t lose the weight before the match, according to professional competition rules. If he was over the weight limit by one kilogram, he''d have to pay a fine of 100,000 US dollars to compensate his opponent. He only needed to pay up to four or five hundred thousand US dollars.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Drenched in sweat, with his tough fists clenched, Link pounded the punching bag again and again.


    The punching bag, filled with sand, sawdust, and grains, showed several visible dents, and the hook was swaying slightly.


    Because of the long practice, a fine sheen of sweat appeared on his bronze skin.


    With his movements, the sweat slid down his solid muscles. His sweat-soaked waistband of his tracksuit clung tightly to his steely waist.


    "Hey, Link, want to spar?"


    Hearing the shout, Link stopped and looked over to the training area corridor with surprise.


    There was De La Hoya, wearing a sports vest and shorts, walking over with boxing gloves on, bumping his fists together with a challenging look on his face.


    "Why aren''t you in a suit today?"


    "Cut the crap, dare you fight me again? Last year in Las Vegas, I was affected by the concert, didn''t perform well. If I''m at my normal level, I can match you, and at my best, I have a good chance of beating you. Do you acknowledge this?"


    Hoyle approached Link and said.


    "Heh, Hoyle, you''ve been losing for half a year now, what''s the point of boasting at this time, hoping to defeat Link with talk?"


    Morales set down his barbell and sat up to retort.


    "Shut up! You''ve been sparring with Link for over two years; I thought you could beat Andre Ward and earn the right to fight Link, but you didn''t make it. You should reflect on yourself, concentrate on your training, and try to win back in the next fight, instead of talking back to me, a former world boxing champion."


    Hoyle glanced at him and said.


    Morales shrugged his shoulders and stopped speaking. Last year, he participated in the WBO qualifying matches, winning all four fights and claiming the WBO North America championship title, ranking third within the organization.


    At the beginning of the year, the Big Four organizations hosted a round-robin tournament, inviting the top three from each organization to participate. The winner would get the chance to fight Link.


    Over three matches, he won the first two, but in the final WBC-WBO championship unifier, he faced Andre Ward. The two fought twelve rounds and Morales was hit multiple times but managed to stay on his feet.


    In the end, he lost to Andre Ward with a considerable score difference of 108:118, 110:117, 109:116.


    And with that, he lost the chance to fight Link.


    If he could have fought Link, his popularity and appearance fee might have doubled, but unfortunately, he didn''t seize the opportunity.


    Hearing Hoyle''s words, Morales didn''t argue, just continued lifting the barbell.


    "Andre Ward is very strong, able to be ranked in the top ten of the P4P list. It''s quite an achievement for Morales to last 12 rounds against him. Maybe he should consider fighting for a title in one of the smaller organizations."


    Link paused and said.


    "How many years are you planning to dominate the Super Middleweight division?"


    Hoyle asked.


    "Wait till I get my hands on the Light Heavyweight Golden Belt, then maybe next year I''ll give up the Super Middleweight and focus on Light Heavyweight fights."


    Link said.


    "That''s good to hear. After you dominated the Super Middleweight, boxers like Andre Dirrell and Jean Pascal have escaped the division, with some moving down to Middleweight and others up to Light Heavyweight. If you''re in Super Middleweight for five years, the boxers in this division will probably be gone, and the place could even become barren."


    Hoyle retorted.


    Link smiled faintly, took a sip of water, put on his boxing gloves, and invited Hoyle to step onto the ring for a bout.


    Hoyle didn''t refuse and joined him in the ring for ten rounds, with Coach Brooks refereeing.


    As the fight began, Hoyle still used his advantage, which was his super fast punching speed. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each time he hit his target, his fists would relentlessly hit the opponent, just like raindrops.


    He was almost unbeatable in the Lightweight and Middleweight divisions due to not only his fast punch speed but also the heaviness of his punches, once creating a record of 31 undefeated fights.


    Later, when he faced Mayweather, Pacquiao, and Hopkins.


    Mayweather and Pacquiao also had a very fast punch speed, possibly even faster than his, so Hoyle couldn''t win against them. Hopkins, with his sturdy build, resilience, and decent speed, was a match Hoyle couldn''t win either.


    Last year, in Las Vegas, he continued to use his quick punches against Link.


    It was said that months before the fight, he even flew to Cuba to seek tactical advice from Felix Savon, a coach of the Cuban national boxing team, trying to surprise Link with a guerilla warfare strategy in the ring.


    During the fight, his quick punches and guerilla tactics indeed caused some troubles for Link.


    But Link''s boxing speed was not inferior, and his reaction speed was even faster, and more critically, Link''s punches were far heavier than his.


    Hoyle''s ten punches did not compare to one punch from Link.


    Ultimately, Link cornered him against the left post in the third round and delivered a rapid succession of punches that ended with a knockout, finishing the match.

 Chapter 513 - 408 Boxing_3

    After the fight, Hoyle reviewed the match and found that Link had boxing techniques and other skills so comprehensive that no matter how he fought, he just couldn''t beat him.


    Feeling disheartened, yet when he saw Link, he was unwilling to admit defeat easily and wanted to fight another round to see if he could find any weakness.


    Meanwhile, Link did not rush to finish the fight against Hoyle. He would often use harassment tactics to lure Hoyle into attacking, then figure out how to defend against all his offense, thus training his own reaction time, defense skills, and parrying techniques.


    After ten rounds, Hoyle still could not find an obvious weakness in Link and was drenched in sweat.


    Link, showing mercy, only landed a few punches on his face and did not knock him out.


    "Link, with you holding concerts every day and seducing women all over the world, now even owning a business in Hollywood, how come your boxing skills and stamina haven''t declined at all?"


    Hoyle, sitting on the rubber floor, gasped for breath and looked at him helplessly.


    "I don''t smoke or do drugs, I have a regular lifestyle, and I persist with physical and boxing training every day. Why would my strength decline?"


    Link said with a towel draped over him, laughing.


    "Humph! You used to mock me, calling me a playboy, saying my reckless private life led to the decline of my boxing prowess, making me one of the most regrettable champions in boxing history. And here you are, with girlfriends in over a dozen countries, way more promiscuous than me. Aren''t you worried about losing your strength like I did?"


    Hoyle teased him.


    "No worries, my back is strong."


    Link shrugged, removed his gloves, rested for a moment in the training ring, and continued practicing boxing.


    Hoyle, sitting on the steps, watched Link''s agile steps, his punches that seemed to come out of nowhere, and his tireless demeanor. He sighed helplessly, feeling a surge of envy and admiration.


    Link was born for boxing, with top-level physical condition, boxing skills, and willpower among boxers.


    What''s even rarer is that he was just twenty-two years old, with potentially another decade or two in his professional career.


    What would he become in the future, would he set multiple records in boxing history? Become the first man in the sport of boxing? S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hoyle thought it was very likely.


    "Link, keep at it. Don''t give up boxing. Let me see how far you can go."


    Hoyle shouted, waving his fists.


    "I will."


    Link waved his fists and struck the punching bag forcefully.


    Mid to late April, Link had two boxing fights, one in Warsaw, Poland, and the other in Singapore.


    The first match was against the WBA-IBF European champion Rocky Fielding.


    The opponent was Joe Calzaghe''s sparring partner and junior, 26 years old this year, initially a middleweight boxer with a professional record of 30 fights, 2 losses, 18 KOs.


    Last year, he moved up to super middleweight and beat Carl Froch in the European division to earn his shot against Link.


    Rocky was quite strong, very fast, proficient with combination punches, and his movements were deceptive.


    His weakness was that since he had just moved up to super middleweight, his punch power couldn''t keep up.


    Link, at 36 seconds into the first round, landed a punch on his forehead, making him lie on the ground for 10 seconds unable to get up, defending his WBA-IBF titles once more.


    The second fight was in Singapore against Andre Ward.


    Originally, this match was scheduled for Hong Kong Island, but the local promoter failed to secure the venue in time and did not handle the promotion well, leading to delays in the fight date.


    After several negotiations, this fight and the next one for the WBA light heavyweight were swapped, with the defense match taking place in Singapore first, while waiting for Hong Kong Island to be ready for the light heavyweight challenge match.


    In Singapore, Andre Ward fought with a desire for revenge.


    From the start of the match, he launched the offensive until the end of the first round, and in the second round, Andre Ward continued his aggressive and tenacious fight.


    Link had no intention of ending the fight early either and used his exquisite boxing skills to spar with Andre Ward for three rounds. At 47 seconds into the third round, he landed a punch that knocked his opponent down and successfully defended his title once again.


    His professional record accumulated to 22 wins, 22 fights, and 22 KOs.


    Afterward, Andre Ward admitted that he was an unbeatable opponent when he met him and planned to move up to light heavyweight, hoping for a rematch in the light heavyweight ring in the future.


    Link agreed.


    Because of his fame and the well-handled pre-match promotion, these two matches attracted many boxing fans via television and the internet, also doing quite well in terms of ticket sales.


    He also earned 78 million US dollars in prize money from the two matches.

 Chapter 514 - 409 Party

    During the competition in Singapore, Chris Liu and Jennifer Shu flew in from Capital City to see him.


    The three of them had originally planned a date in Hong Kong Island, but due to a last-minute change of the competition venue, the date location was also moved to Singapore.


    As a result, he stayed in Singapore for three additional days to take care of some business for the Hong Kong Island-based Golden Shell Investment Company.


    He returned to the United States in late April.


    This international competition brought in a total of 78 million US Dollars.


    It sounds like a lot, but when acquiring Lionsgate Films, he took out loans of 360 million US Dollars on three separate occasions. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Counting the debt of Lionsgate Films, the debt related to him amounted to 540 million US Dollars at this stage, making him a bona fide debtor billionaire.


    However, when borrowing from the bank, he also discovered a benefit: as long as you are bold enough and believe you can repay, you can have a large amount of cash at your disposal.


    After consulting with the investment department of Morgan Bank, based on his current assets and income level, he could borrow more than 1 billion US Dollars.


    Initially, he wanted to borrow a few more billion to buy NVIDIA shares, to increase his holdings in NVIDIA to more than 10%.


    However, when reviewing NVIDIA Corporation''s information, he found that after experiencing two rounds of increases at the beginning of the year, by April, the stock price had fallen continuously.


    From 18.5 US Dollars per share, it dropped to 13.7 US Dollars, and the market capitalization fell from 13.8 billion US Dollars to 10.5 billion, and it was still declining, with a great chance of falling below 10 billion.


    When The Wall Street Journal reported on this, they also mentioned Link, ridiculing him for buying in when NVIDIA''s stock price was at its highest, exchanging hot stocks for garbage stocks, and losing over a hundred million US Dollars in just over one month.


    It even mockingly suggested that if stock traders didn''t know how to trade, they could simply follow Link''s lead.


    Whatever stock Link buys into, they should either steer clear or short sell, and whichever stock Link abandons, they should quickly pick up, buying as much as they can with whatever money they have.


    The reason is simple: Link is an amateur who doesn''t understand the stock market, and doing the opposite of what he does will almost never result in a loss.


    The Wall Street Journal is accustomed to building up and tearing down: when Tesla went public last year, they hyped up Link as an investment genius, but now with NVIDIA''s market value plummeting, they''re treating him like an investment idiot.


    Link was also helpless seeing NVIDIA''s situation.


    He had assumed that after 2010, NVIDIA''s market value would soar, with a yearly increase of 10 billion, and that it would exceed 100 billion in a decade, but he didn''t anticipate so many setbacks and that it might even fall below 10 billion.


    Due to the unclear market conditions at the moment, it was not a good time for him to borrow money to buy into NVIDIA; even if he wanted to, Cathy and others would advise him against it.


    After some thought, he decided to repay the bank with his winnings first.


    After taxes, his income was about 56 million, and his debt to the bank had been reduced from 360 million to 310 million.


    As for borrowing to buy NVIDIA shares, he decided to wait and see. As long as NVIDIA''s market value did not exceed 20 billion, it was a good opportunity to enter.


    "Link, stop playing the stock market. My dad says it''s better to gamble or do drugs than to touch stocks, no matter how much money you have. When you go to Wall Street, they''ll make sure you lose every penny. It''s safest to just focus on making movies, where the worst you can do is lose tens of millions."


    On the deck of the yacht, David Ellison said, holding a champagne glass.


    "You''ve got a point. The stock market is indeed risky; a couple of hundred million can disappear in the blink of an eye."


    Link said with a light laugh.


    This time NVIDIA''s stock indeed cost him a loss of over a hundred million US Dollars, and he was still incurring losses; the market value of his 5.3% holding in NVIDIA had dropped to just over 500 million.


    But this wasn''t entirely a bad thing. The falling share price of NVIDIA also gave him more opportunities to buy in. After making money in the second half of the year, he would be able to purchase additional NVIDIA shares.


    "Link, are you now completely handing over Lionsgate Films to Ivanka to manage?"


    Megan Ellison asked.


    "Yes, she does a better job than I would. If I were managing Lionsgate, it would probably go bankrupt, but I''ll still oversee some of the film investment work. If there''s a suitable project, we can collaborate."


    Link said, swirling his champagne glass.


    "Hey, Link, David, Megan, welcome to my party."


    While they were talking, Ryan Cavano, the CEO of Relativity Media, approached the three with open arms on the deck''s passageway and greeted them with great enthusiasm.


    This was a luxurious three-story yacht on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, with a clear blue sky devoid of any clouds, and the sea was an endless expanse of blue, with only a few protruding reefs in the distance indicating that the Pacific Ocean coast was not far off.


    On the sea surface, a white yacht over fifty meters long was cruising around, and on it was currently being held a celebration party for the movie "The Neverending."


    Produced by Relativity Media with an investment of 23 million, it premiered in mid-March and the current global box office had exceeded 100 million US Dollars, making it a box-office hit.


    Ryan Cavano, the owner of Relativity Media, had a habit of inviting collaborators and industry investors to a party every time one of his films surpassed 100 million USD in box office revenue.


    It served both to court partners,


    and to reassure investors, preparing for the financing of the next project.


    Link and the Ellison siblings were among the invited guests.


    "Ryan, congratulations. Several films from Relativity Media have performed well at the box office this year, and there''s a chance you might even surpass Paramount and 20th Century Fox in annual box office totals."


    David Ellison said with a smile.


    Link and Megan Ellison also congratulated him; at the beginning of the year and the end of the previous year, Relativity Media released six movies, including "The Spy Next Door," "Battle: Los Angeles," "The Season of the Witch," "The Neverending," and so far, four movies had reached a global box office of over a hundred million.-------------

 Chapter 515 - 409 Party_2

    This result is slightly better than that of Paramount Pictures, one of the big six studios in Hollywood, and just manages to catch up with 20th Century Fox.


    It''s better than that of independent production companies like Lionsgate Films, Weinstein, New Line Cinema, Summit Entertainment, etc.


    "Haha, that sounds like good news, but right now our goal is to catch up with Lionsgate. Lionsgate is the big boss in our independent film sector,"


    Ryan Cavano raised his glass to signal to Link.


    "Then I''ll try a bit harder to not let you guys catch up so soon,"


    Link said with a laugh.


    "Haha, Link, it should be Ms. Thomp who tries harder, as she''s now the one steering Lionsgate, but I still prefer dealing with you. I don''t share much common ground with Ms. Thomp,"


    Ryan Kavanaugh shrugged and said.


    "I have too much on my plate, I can''t look after Lionsgate Films as well. Now I can only trouble her with it,"


    Link said.


    "Yes, I almost forgot to congratulate you on defending your title as champion of the four major organizations again, that''s amazing. Earning forty to fifty million US Dollars with one fight, that''s more than what we make with a movie. If I had such a stable cash flow, along with my big data film investment technique, I could definitely make Relativity bigger and stronger,"


    Ryan Cavano praised.


    "Relativity is doing well now anyway, with two consecutive movies breaking a hundred million at the box office, momentum is strong,"


    Link smiled and said.


    "Haha, I always said that investing in movies using big data algorithms is 100% profitable, now do you believe me?"


    Kavanaugh laughed boastingly.


    Link nodded, he had also heard about Kavanaugh''s big data statistical experiment method.


    It is a risk management strategy originating from Wall Street, using data from thousands of movies to predict the box office performance of any particular movie after its release, taking into account parameters like budget, director, actors, release date, and genre.


    Kavanaugh has a famous saying, "Even if I agree to make it, if the data model doesn''t agree, it''s no go," evidencing that he is a data-driven film investor.


    After talking for a bit, Ryan Kavanaugh, with his arm around his female companion, left to greet other guests.


    "Link, what do you think about Kavanaugh''s big data model investment technique? Does it work?"


    David Ellison asked while watching Kavanaugh''s retreating figure.


    "It''s useful, otherwise Relativity Media wouldn''t have the scale it does now. However, the market changes and there is too much uncertainty in the movie industry. Relying entirely on big data definitely won''t work. I think it would be more appropriate to use this method as a reference when investing in movies,"


    Link said thoughtfully.


    "I agree with Link''s view. Even the best technology needs people to implement it, and people are bound to make mistakes, which is inevitable. I think relying on experience to produce movies is somewhat more reliable than big data. Combining the two might yield good results,"


    Megan Ellison said, arms crossed.


    Link nodded in agreement.


    After the party started, the three sat together and talked about new movie projects of their respective companies.


    Link mentioned a good screenplay that Palm Beach Films currently had, "The Master," a new work by the famous editor and director Paul Thomas Anderson.


    Director Anderson is a renowned arthouse film director in Hollywood with works like "Boogie Nights," "There Will Be Blood," and "Mulholland Drive." In 2008, he won the Berlin Film Festival''s Silver Bear Award for Best Director with "There Will Be Blood" and was nominated for best director at the Oscars and Golden Globe Awards.


    His movies are of high quality, but with average box office performance. "The Master" had also been shelved due to investment issues until Joaquin Phoenix brought the screenplay to Link.


    Link didn''t know how much this movie would make at the box office, but decided to take on the movie based on his trust in Director Anderson and his recognition of Joaquin''s acting skills.


    However, the movie''s production cost was as high as 32 million US Dollars, slightly beyond the current investment capability of Palm Beach Films.


    Link inquired whether Megan and David were interested in investing.


    Upon hearing that it was an arthouse film, David Ellison expressed his lack of interest, preferring to invest in high-budget, action-packed movies than in arthouse films.


    Megan showed some interest, saying she needed to first see the screenplay before making a decision. She also proposed a new project she had in hand, "Land of Hope," a tale of three brothers who built up a criminal empire through bootlegging.


    She asked if he was interested in cooperating.


    Link had not heard of this movie and expressed the need to read the screenplay before deciding.


    With Palm Beach Films currently short on funds and Lionsgate Films facing the same problem, any further investments had to be made more cautiously. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, movies produced by Megan''s Annapurna Pictures, including "Zero Dark Thirty," "The Grandmaster," "The Phantom Thread," and Lady Gaga''s "Gucci family," had all received good reviews.


    If company funds were sufficient, deepening cooperation with Megan wouldn''t be a bad idea.


    "Link, I''m getting ready to go pick up girls, want to join?"


    David Ellison said, rising to his feet with a laugh.


    Link scanned the party on the yacht.


    Apart from the film industry people, there were many investors with millions and billions to their names, as well as glamorous male and female stars, scantily clad models, and a total of over two hundred people. Several familiar faces could be seen at a glance.


    There were the lead actor Bradley Cooper and lead actress Abbie Cornish of "The Limitless," several female supporting actresses, actors who had cooperated with Relativity like Nicolas Cage, George Clooney, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Sofia Coppola, Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hathaway, Anna Farrell, Gemma Arterton, Justin Timberlake, and others.

 Chapter 516 - 409 Party_3

    He also spotted Amber Heard in the crowd, along with a few familiar faces from the modeling world.


    "I''m not going, I''m not interested!"


    Link waved his hand and said.


    "Are you kidding me, you''re the world''s most famous playboy, yet you say you''re not interested in all these beautiful women?"


    David Ellison asked. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If you want to go, then go, why drag Link into it."


    Megan Ellison kicked him with her foot, David Ellison laughed heartily, straightened his shirt collar, touched his hair, and walked into the bustling party with a champagne glass in hand.


    Link smiled lightly, leaned back on the couch with his legs crossed, gazing at the blue sky above, the seagulls flying by, and the undulating sea beneath the cruise ship, as a warm sea breeze gently blew past his ears.


    At this moment, this feeling was even more pleasant than holding two beauties in his arms.


    "Link, you really are a strange man."


    Megan Ellison looked at his profile and laughed.


    "What''s strange about me?"


    "Before I met you, I had already heard of your playboy reputation, but seeing you in person, I find that you''re not at all like a playboy."


    "Really? There are many types of playboys."


    "Yes, I''ve seen many playboys, the slick and lecherous, the greedy and perverse, all sorts, no matter how they disguise themselves, they all have a complex aura. Yet, you seem very clean, both in aura and scent, very different from those playboys. How do you do it?"


    Megan Ellison pointed at him and asked with a laugh.


    "You''ve asked the right person, perhaps you''ve discovered a new species of playboy."


    "Haha, sometimes I really envy you guys, you can flirt with girls at will, even four or five at a time, but we girls can''t do the same. Especially women with a bit of fame, once they fall in love with more than two men, they''ll be shamed by the public opinion as sluts."


    Megan Ellison said.


    Link shook his head and looked at Megan, with her short hair, dressed in a casual suit: "You probably didn''t notice how the media and netizens were cursing me last September, calling me scum, playboy, hypocrite. During that time, I received more criticism than an ordinary person would in a hundred lifetimes.


    The media calls a woman who is fickle in love a slut, a bitch, and a man who is fickle in love a jerk, a scumbag. It feels almost the same."


    "It''s very different, when I hear people call a woman who has cheated a slut, it feels like we''ve gone back to the Middle Ages, although in ancient times I doubt anyone would criticize a fickle man as a jerk."


    Megan said with a laugh, holding a glass of wine.


    Link thought for a while and nodded in agreement, in ancient times a rich fickle man was called ''rich guy'', and a poor one was called a lecher.


    "Hey Link, you''re here too."


    Amber Heard came over with a beaming smile, still wearing that not-so-smart smile.


    Besides Amber, Amanda Seyfried, Lindsay Lohan, Anne Hathaway and others also came over to greet him.


    Link stood up to exchange pleasantries. Now as the owner of Hollywood''s seventh or eighth biggest film company, with lots of resources in hand, it was as if he stood on the shore with bait in his hand, becoming the object of pursuit by these entertainment stars.


    That''s the power of influence.


    Nevertheless, he wouldn''t do such a thing; taking advantage of these women required the exchange of corresponding resources.


    A role worth tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or even millions in remuneration, such transactions aren''t worthwhile, and even could be held captive by these shrewd women.


    But when he chatted with them earnestly, without desire or demand, they would show off their beautiful feathers, graceful figures, and unwittingly give him many benefits for free.


    After dealing with everyone, Link broke out in a sweat; well, the sweat was his own, the fragrance belonged to others.


    "Link, how does it feel to be surrounded by a group of women?"


    Megan Ellison watched him return and teasingly asked with a smile.


    "Not bad, they are all very talented actresses."


    Link shrugged his shoulders and laughed.


    Megan laughed loudly, "Ever since last month when you stood up for Jennifer Lawrence and bought Lionsgate Films, there''s not a single actress who doesn''t envy Jennifer and hopes to have a boyfriend like you. You must be the most popular man in Hollywood now.


    If you want to flirt, no woman on this ship, married or not, could resist your charm."


    "That''s an exaggeration, I''m a playboy, but not everyone likes my type."


    Link laughed.


    Megan shook her head, looking at his clean, handsome face, his gentle and scholarly smile, his strong physique that was constantly evident, and considering his wealth, reputation, and power... Such a man was like a drug to the clinger type of female stars in Hollywood, extremely lethal.


    "Hey, Megan, snap out of it, why are you staring at Link? My God, don''t tell me, I only left for a moment and you''ve fallen for Link?"


    As soon as David Ellison finished speaking, Megan kicked him, causing David Ellison to step back, almost falling over, if not for the two models by his side holding him up.


    "I was just joking, was that kick necessary?"


    David Ellison complained, patting his knee.


    "Talking to you, using my foot is most effective."


    Megan said with a pout.


    "Sigh, indeed all sisters are the same, they aren''t fun once they grow up. Do you know what just happened over there?"


    David Ellison sat down, pointing to the center of the deck.


    The main character of the party, Ryan Kavanaugh, was there, with Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Will Smith, and several others nearby, seemingly engrossed in conversation.

 Chapter 517 - 409: Cocktail Party_4

    David Ellison said that Brad Pitt just took out a script and asked Kavanaugh to assess its investment value.


    The script is called "Moneyball," adapted from Michael Lewis''s "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game."


    It tells the story of Oakland Athletics'' general manager Billy Beane, who, through unique management methods, broke all the conventions and successfully built a baseball team with formidable fighting spirit.


    This is a sports movie. In ''09, there was a sports-themed movie "The Blind Side" that grossed over $250 million on a budget of more than $30 million, and the lead actress Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for Best Actress with her performance in the film.


    "The Blind Side" was critically acclaimed and a box office hit, which led to a flood of sports movies in the next two years.


    These include "The Fighter," "Warrior," "Soul Surfer," "Real Steel," and even "Black Swan" could be counted as one.


    "Moneyball" is also an inspirational film, and Brad Pitt found Ryan Kavanaugh to pull in investment.


    Kavanaugh immediately had his people set up a big data model to assess the investment value of the film.


    When he learned that the film''s production cost was over $50 million, Kavanaugh said that although the film had the potential to win some awards, it would not perform well at the box office, might make a loss, and such projects did not meet the investment standards of Relativity Media.


    "Link, this script is good, and Brad Pitt has a decent box office draw. I think we could give it a try. Wanna join?"


    David Ellison said.


    Link thought it over. He had also seen the movie "Moneyball," which was of good quality, had been nominated for Oscars, and he seemed to remember that its box office had exceeded $100 million.


    It seemed like a nice project.


    But the production cost of $50 million was too high; Lionsgate Films and Palm Beach Films couldn''t afford it.


    "How would I know if the movie is good if I haven''t seen the script?"


    "I''ll go get the script."


    David Ellison got up to leave and soon returned with the script and Brad Pitt.


    "Hi, Link!"


    Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie approached together.


    The man was dapper in a suit, ruggedly handsome. The woman in a flowing red dress, her figure enchanting, both were one of Hollywood''s highest-profile couples.


    However, marriages in the entertainment industry often fail to last, and recently there was continuous news about problems in their relationship.


    Link stood up to chat with both of them.


    "Link, I hear you''re going to invest in this movie?"


    Ryan Kavanaugh followed up with a question.


    "I''m considering it. Brad is one of my favorite actors, and I want to work with him. But right now, the company''s production schedule is full, and there''s not much funding left for production. Whether to invest in this movie will depend on seeing the investment amount first and then making a decision," Link said, shrugging his shoulders.


    "Link, this is definitely a film project worth investing in."


    Brad Pitt, holding a wine glass, said with a smile, and explained he had already pulled in $20 million from producer Scott Rudin''s company and was putting his own fees into the project in exchange for 10% of the North American box office after release. There was a remaining investment gap of $25 million.


    Learning that the renowned producer Scott Rudin was part of the movie project, David Ellison no longer hesitated and stated on the spot that Skydance Media could invest $10 million.


    Ryan Kavanaugh said the production cost was still too high, and if it could be kept below $35 million, he would definitely invest.


    Brad Pitt mentioned that the original production cost was $80 million and had already been cut several times; $50 million was the lowest it could go without affecting the quality of the film. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link, what do you think?"


    Angelina Jolie, with her lips pursed in fiery red, leaned toward him with a smile.


    Link flipped through the script but didn''t make any immediate commitment, saying he needed to take it back to the company for the production department to study before replying.


    While they were discussing the film investment, people from the deck surged forward, and more people came up to greet Link.


    Link had to keep up his spirits to deal with them and once again broke out in a sweat.

 Chapter 518 - 410: The Movie Premiere

    Ryan Kavanaugh''s party started off fairly normal, but the later part gradually degenerated into debauchery.


    Fine liquor and drugs, striptease performances, tossing money around on the spot.


    Kavanaugh even personally introduced two actresses to Link, hinting that he could do whatever he wanted on this boat.


    Link declined.


    After dating several girlfriends, his aesthetic standards had been raised considerably; ordinary beautiful actresses held no appeal for him in his eyes, and instead, when he encountered unfamiliar women, he would automatically keep his distance to prevent misunderstandings.


    Link and the Ellison siblings watched the performance for a while, and when the cruise ship neared the wharf, they took the initiative to excuse themselves.


    David Ellison wanted to stay overnight on the boat, but Megan kicked him off the ship.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "How was the party today?"


    "Not bad!"


    By the end of work, Link happened to have time, so he personally drove to pick up President Ivanka from the Lionsgate company building.


    President Ivanka wore a sea-blue blouse tucked into a pencil skirt, revealing her voluptuously sensual curves, which, paired with her cool and intellectual face and demeanor, made Link think she outshone all the women on the cruise with just one glance.


    "Kavanaugh is not a decent person; it''s best you don''t get too close to him."


    Ivanka''s curvy hips pressed against the seat, as she undid her golden hair in front of the mirror, letting it cascade over her fragrant shoulders, filling the air with a trace of the scent of her hair.


    "I know!"


    Link nodded his head; he had seen some gossip about Ryan Kavanaugh in the newspapers.


    Kavanaugh changed girlfriends frequently and was said to often engage in group activities in the office. Just on the cruise, he had offered a bounty of two hundred thousand US dollars for several models and actresses to disrobe, a typical playboy of the entertainment circle.


    Although Link was also prone to lust and admiring beauty, he was not into that kind of play.


    "How''s the company doing?"


    "Not bad, much better than I imagined."


    Ivanka said with a slight smile, beginning to discuss the company''s situation with him.


    After taking office, Ivanka did not interfere too much with the company''s projects, but spent nearly half a month getting to grips with the company''s situation.


    This included the film production department, distribution department, TV series department, international department, as well as the company''s debt, and last quarter''s losses.


    Originally, when Link was in charge, he wanted to figure it all out, but it was a massive workload, and it was both time-consuming and mentally draining, so he handed it over to Ivanka.


    Ivanka said that things were not bad at Lionsgate; since 2000, Lionsgate had acquired several film production and distribution companies and had also bought the rights to films and TV series under the production companies.


    Lionsgate now had more than 12,000 film and TV episode rights in its library, similarly to music company album rights.


    The company could earn over a hundred million dollars in cash flow every year just from these film and TV rights on TV networks and other channels.


    Additionally, Lionsgate Films'' distribution capabilities had greatly improved after acquiring MGM''s distribution channels, not far behind Paramount.


    Lionsgate Films'' TV department continued to shoot "Mad Men" season five, "Nurse Jackie" season three, along with three other TV series, with the first two series performing well in ratings and generating around thirty million dollars annually from TV syndication and advertising revenue. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The film production department was also performing well; last year, it produced 22 movies, with 16 released in cinemas and 6 distributed via DVD.


    Although they were mostly low-budget films with usually modest box office returns, the production capability was among the best in the independent film industry.


    The only problem now was the lack of money.


    This year, Lionsgate''s movies didn''t profit much, carrying a debt of 180 million US dollars, and the monthly interest and salaries were also a large expense.


    The remaining funds available for film and TV production were less than 160 million US dollars, and the production cost of "The Hunger Games" alone was already a staggering 85 million dollars, leaving enough funds for just four to five more low-budget movies.


    Considering the four movies already in production, Lionsgate Films would only release about ten movies next year, significantly less than half of the number of releases in 2010.


    Link thought for a moment that ten movies weren''t bad; as long as they made "The Hunger Games" well, along with "The Conjuring," "The Invader," and others, next year''s box office for Lionsgate Films wouldn''t be poor.


    "If you come across any film projects with potential, don''t let them go; we can continue to get loans if we''re short on money, a debt of 180 million doesn''t put much pressure on me," Link said.


    Ivanka listened and smiled with curved lips, "We are new to the film industry, and there''s a lot we don''t understand. It''s better to be cautious with our initial investments and not overreach in the beginning."


    "You''re right," Link agreed.


    He took her hand and kissed the back of it.


    Ivanka looked at him with a smile and leaned her head on his shoulder.


    Following the "Endless" wrap party, Link accepted Paul Walker''s invitation to attend the "Fast Five" celebration party.


    The film was released on April 29th and earned 82.6 million US dollars at the North American box office during the opening weekend, setting a new record for the period.


    In ten days, it grossed 300 million dollars globally and became the year''s first summer blockbuster to exceed that mark worldwide.


    Paul Walker also gained worldwide fame with this film, reaching the status of a top-tier movie star, with close to ten million dollars in remuneration per commercial film.


    Link was happy for Paul, so he took the opportunity to give him a trouncing on the race track.


    While "Fast Five" was hot in the theaters, "Bridesmaids," "Thor," "Seeking Justice," and other movies started their intense pre-release marketing campaigns.


    Since Link was also featured on the posters with his character''s image, he had no choice but to join the promotional team for a few events.

 Chapter 519 - 410: Movie Release_2

    "Mr. Baker, according to your expectations, how much do you estimate this film will make at the box office?"


    During a television interview, the host asked.


    "I estimate about four to five hundred million!"


    Link thought for a moment and said.


    "Four to five hundred million?!"


    The host was so shocked that her mascara-laden eyes widened a bit.


    The cast members of "Bridesmaids" were also stunned by the figure and looked at him in surprise.


    The film had a production and marketing budget of 32.5 million US dollars, and the distribution department expected a box office of at most 80 million. Everyone felt that 80 million was not bad, but now Link was shouting four to five hundred million US dollars, which was quite frightening.


    "Boss, keep it down a bit,"


    Emma Stone said, her expression unchanging as she moved her mouth.


    "I''ve seen this movie; its quality is no less than ''The Hangover'' series and is one of the best of its kind. Four to five hundred million is a very appropriate number,"


    Link said with a smile.


    "Mr. Baker, I hope you are right. Also, many entertainment news reports say that ''Bridesmaids'' has been in competition with ''Seeking Justice for Father'' since the promotion began. Do you have confidence in this competition?"


    Starz TV movie channel host Rose asked.


    "I''ve also seen the news, but these two films have different themes and target different fan markets, so there''s no competition."


    "I think the real competitors of ''Bridesmaids'' at the same time are ''Fast Five'' and ''Thor''. I hope ''Bridesmaids'' can catch up with them,"


    Link said, spreading his hands.


    Next to him, Emma Stone was looking down, constantly fidgeting with her shoe, feeling too embarrassed.


    "''Fast Five'' and ''Thor'' each had production costs of over 100 million US dollars, expecting global box office returns of several hundred million, and ''Fast Five'' has already been released, which might sell six to seven hundred million US dollars based on current trends. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "''Bridesmaids'' is just a low-budget comedy; how could it possibly catch up with ''Fast Five''? The boss really is a ''loudmouth''."


    After the film promotion interview, Emma Stone, walking beside him, complained that he was too boastful and that it was somewhat embarrassing to conduct interviews with him.


    "This is promotion, you know. The aim of promotion is to create hype; how else can you create buzz without stirring up topics?"


    Link said unconcernedly.


    "But our movie has an estimated box office of only 80 million, and there are so many blockbusters releasing at the same time; achieving 100 million would already be tough, yet you start off by claiming four to five hundred million. Aren''t you embarrassed?"


    Emma Stone asked, blinking her sea green eyes.


    "Not at all, all the embarrassment you feel is because you think too much. I always speak considering the immediate effect, without worrying about whether it will be embarrassing later. Why worry about it now?"


    Link said.


    Emma Stone looked at him helplessly, secretly wishing she had as thick a skin as him.


    Not worried about embarrassment, fearless of social suicide, doing and saying whatever one wants¡ªthat''s just too cool.


    "Boss, a bit of gossip for you. Many say you bought Lionsgate Films for Jennifer. Is that true? I''ve always wanted to ask you in person, but you''ve been too busy to get a chance,"


    Emma Stone asked, catching up to him with a smile.


    Link stopped in front of the car, turned around, and smiled, saying, "Have you heard the rumor that Harvey Weinstein declared not just to blackball me but also other artists from Palm Bay Agency?"


    Emma Stone thought for a moment, nodded her head. She indeed heard the rumor in March and was somewhat anxious about it, until Link bought Lionsgate, and her anxiety suddenly vanished.


    Every time she thought about her boss being the owner of the eighth biggest film company in Hollywood, with an endless list of movies to shoot, she felt like walking sideways.


    Also, after Link bought Lionsgate, her treatment on sets improved, relationships became simpler, and everyone greeted her with a smile.


    Unlike early March when Harvey threatened to blackball Link and his artists, everyone''s attitude towards her was complicated.


    "So me buying Lionsgate was not just for Jennifer, but also for you. Keep it up, Emma, help me bring home three Best Actress Oscars trophies. I believe you can do it,"


    Link said, clenching his fist and smiling.


    "No problem, I''ll definitely do it."


    Emma Stone gave a small smile and bumped her fist with his.


    After the fist bump, she suddenly recalled that Link''s request was for three Best Actress Oscars trophies, and she immediately felt awkward.


    Ordinarily, female actors would be doing well to win one Best Supporting Actress trophy.


    But Link wanted her to win three Best Actress trophies, which was really putting her in a tough spot.


    "Get in the car, don''t dawdle, we have another interview coming up."


    "Alright!"


    Emma Stone rolled her eyes and got into the car.


    After this interview aired, many comments became hot news, making it on Yahoo''s top searches twice.


    These included ''Link declared that "Bridesmaids" is the best comedy film of the summer, predicting a global box office comparable to "The Hangover",'' ''Link said "Seeking Justice for Father" is not "Bridesmaids''" competitor, rather it''s "Fast Five" and "Thor",'' ''Link publicly discussed his reasons for purchasing Lionsgate Films on the show, admitting it''s connected to several rumors in the entertainment industry,''


    ''Link stated he won''t quit acting after becoming the owner of Lionsgate Films and is preparing for a new movie,'' ''Link claimed his fourth album is in production, expected to release in August or September,'' ''Link refuses to publicly discuss anything related to Taylor,'' and more.


    Emma Stone, seeing these headlines on the internet and TV, secretly admired Link''s fame and ability to stir controversy.

 Chapter 520 - 410: Movie Release_3

    Just casually saying a few words could become the hot news on all major media and news websites, even making it onto the trending searches. His one promotional event was worth ten from the entire crew, too impressive.


    Emma asked her executive agent, Ms. Paige, if she could learn Link''s hype method.


    Ms. Paige said it was not possible; Link dared to speak like that because he had a net worth of over two billion, had boldly bought Lionsgate for 800 million, and earned forty to fifty million from a boxing match.


    He estimated the movie box office to be four to five hundred million US Dollars; even if he was wrong, people would think he had such a big picture that he didn''t care about a few tens of millions. Ordinary people couldn''t do this. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After thinking it over, Emma realized that this was indeed the case.


    After more than a month of promotion, on May 8th, Friday, "Bridesmaids" was released in 2520 North American theaters, ranking fifth in the same period in terms of the number of screenings, and earned a box office of 20.37 million US Dollars over the three-day weekend.


    The third place in the same period''s box office ranking was the champion movie "Thor," co-produced by Paramount Pictures and Marvel, which opened in 3644 theaters and grossed 66 million US Dollars in its first week.


    The second place was taken by Universal''s "Fast Five," with a second-week box office of 32.52 million US Dollars and a cumulative box office of 139 million US Dollars; compared to the previous week, the drop was significant. This movie had a production cost of 125 million and had already broken even, fully demonstrating its impressive box office performance.


    Ranked fourth was Columbia''s comedy "The Big Wedding Fight," which was the same genre as "Bridesmaids," with a box office of 13.7 million.


    In fifth place and released for four weeks, the animated film "Rio" earned 8.2 million this week, with a North American cumulative box office of 115 million.


    In sixth place was Weinstein Company''s "Seeking Justice for Father," which achieved a first-week box office of 6.8 million US Dollars; compared to a production cost of 23 million, it was also considered a good result.


    In this week''s top ten box office rankings, there was also one film that caught Link''s attention.


    This film, "The Happy Family of the Crazy Black Lady," produced and distributed by Lionsgate Films, was in its third week of release and earned a box office of 3.9 million, ranking eighth in the same period with a North American cumulative box office of 46.81 million US Dollars, while the production cost was only 15 million.


    It was estimated that the North American box office would exceed 60 million, a return ratio of more than 4:1, and could be considered a hit.


    After seeing the film''s big sale, the production department immediately initiated a sequel plan, which is the common practice for all hit films; it makes sense to make money while the film''s popularity is still hot.


    After this week''s box office ranking was released, "Bridesmaids" also sparked a heated discussion in the media.


    It was just a slightly innovative follow-up film, but it stood out among the many blockbusters in the summer season, ranking third.


    The result was very good.


    It also gave Palm Beach Films, the producer of "Bridesmaids," a big boost.


    This small company had produced "Scandal Plan" last year, which cost less than 10 million US Dollars but made 160 million globally.


    Only half a year later, another comedy film with good box office performance made many peers feel envious.


    And having two films in the top ten related to Link also made many people secretly sigh at Link''s good fortune.


    If "Bridesmaids" was a big seller due to his producer''s keen eye, then "The Happy Family of the Crazy Black Lady" was completely a stroke of luck, as the film had already been completed and ready for distribution before he bought Lionsgate.


    It was as if Link had simply found money.


    Moreover, "Seeking Justice for Father," which was originally meant to compete with "Bridesmaids" in promotion, only made 6.8 million in its first week, which disappointed many onlookers who had expected a fierce battle, but the outcome was clear in the first week, making it a bit underwhelming.


    However, more people wanted to know how Harvey Weinstein felt at this time.


    Harvey, a mogul in the film industry and the number one person on the power list, had previously taken the initiative to provoke Link, wanting to contend with his new film for the box office ranking.


    Now he had been defeated by Link, a newcomer, in the first round, and one wondered whether he would feel embarrassed or become even more hostile towards Link.

 Chapter 521 - 411: Revenge and Audition

    The movie''s box office was poor. Harvey was of course furious, absolutely furious, and in his rage, he smashed two ashtrays and three floor tiles. A piece of debris flew up and cut his forehead, which only made him angrier.


    Harvey sat on the sofa with a gloomy expression, allowing his buxom secretary to bandage his forehead.


    He continued to curse Link until his brother Bob entered, furious about Link''s investment in "Bridesmaids," a low-budget bandwagon film with no big stars to bolster it and no significant advantages over other wedding comedies released around the same time. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, it had garnered $20.37 million at the box office in just three days over the weekend and was set to break even within a month, which was something he couldn''t help but be angry about.


    There was also the Weinstein Company''s "Avenging Father," which he thought would perform well during the summer season because of the drawing power of Film Emperor Sean Penn and Film Empress Frances McDormand.


    Even if it performed poorly, it should have been better than Link''s trashy film.


    But reality was a slap in the face.


    "Betsy, you''re hurting me."


    Harvey forcefully pushed away the secretary who was disinfecting his wound, grabbed a bandage, and slapped it directly on his greasy forehead.


    Bob helped the secretary up and secretly pinched her buttocks, signaling her to leave.


    The secretary limped away, carrying the medicine box.


    Seeing Harvey''s office smashed into a mess, Bob helplessly shook his head. He had disagreed with changing the release date to compete with Link''s new movie before it was launched.


    The reason was simple: "Avenging Father" was an art film, more niche, with an audience mostly consisting of adults over thirty, as well as Sean Penn and Frances McDormand''s fans.


    Whereas "Bridesmaids" was a comedy, appealing to audiences over thirteen, widely accessible, riding the wave of "The Hangover" with higher popularity.


    The two films bore little comparison.


    With Harvey''s years of experience in movie distribution, Bob knew that he must understand this, but he went ahead anyway.


    First, he underestimated Link and the quality of "Bridesmaids."


    Second, blinded by rage, he focused only on embarrassing Link rather than considering the consequences of losing.


    And the embarrassment was on him.


    "Harvey, you don''t need to be upset about this. ''Avenging Father'' had lower screening rates than ''Bridesmaids,'' so it''s normal for it to have a lower initial box office. Plus, comedies generally drop faster in ticket sales while art films have more staying power. We might not have lost yet," Bob consoled.


    Harvey greedily gasped for air, his neck and belly inflating along with his greasy, fat face, making him look more like a swamp frog.


    "I understand that, but the fact that ''Bridesmaids'' won''t lose money is also true. This bastard''s last two films have been hits, his luck is unbelievable.


    That makes it seem like investing in movies is no big challenge, that makes us veteran filmmakers look incompetent, and makes that bastard Link look capable. We''re just his backdrop, you see?" Harvey shouted angrily, his saliva nearly hitting Bob''s face.


    Bob took a step back and nodded.


    He understood Harvey''s frustration. Link practiced boxing and singing every day, simply handed over a sum of money to Catherine for investment, and did nothing else, yet the movies he invested in were one hit after another.


    "Harvey, ''Bridesmaids'' success is mainly due to Catherine Baker and Brod Bent''s efforts, not Link''s, and we''re not just his backdrop," Bob reasoned.


    "Is that Catherine Baker an amateur? Palm Beach Films operations rely mainly on veteran producers like Brod Bent. Can we poach Brod Bent?"


    Harvey asked with a stern face.


    Bob shook his head, not thinking it a good idea.


    Brod Bent was originally the deputy head of Warner Bros. Pictures'' art film production team. His production skills weren''t top-tier, and his abilities and achievements were far inferior to other award-winning producers.


    Poaching him wasn''t just about whether he''d agree; even if they could get him, there''s no guarantee his next film would be a hit.


    Movie production relies on factors such as vision, experience, luck, and the strength of the team, not just on a seasoned producer.


    If having a team of award-winning producers guaranteed every movie''s success, the six major studios would have monopolized the film market long ago.


    "Harvey, you''re a top producer. Even if Brod Bent were more capable, he''s no match for you. Poaching him wouldn''t help," Bob said.


    Harvey furrowed his brows, accidentally tugging at his wound. The sting on his forehead made him hate Link all the more.


    "How is the sabotage going at Palm Beach Films and Lionsgate?"


    "Progress is slow. Palm Beach Films has limited funds and won''t be making higher-cost movies for now.


    Also, insiders report that whatever movie Palm Beach Films decides to make mainly depends on Catherine Baker, not the other producers, and our submitted projects didn''t get past Catherine.


    Lionsgate was similar. Originally, there were 22 movie production plans for the year, but after Link and Ivanka took office, they cut down ten projects, including ours," Bob said with resignation.


    Harvey clenched his teeth in frustration, extremely agitated.


    After decades in Hollywood, it wasn''t that he hadn''t faced rivals.


    On the contrary, it was by defeating several capable opponents and stepping over their shoulders that he had climbed to the throne of Hollywood''s most powerful figure.


    As a veteran of countless battles, he had thought he could easily defeat the newcomer, Link Baker.

 Chapter 522 - 411: Revenge and Audition_2

    As a result of two rounds of confrontation, one tie and one loss, he was very displeased.


    "How are the other plans going? I really, really don''t want to see Link stay in Hollywood any longer,"


    "...not smoothly."


    Bob explained helplessly.


    After clashing with Link in March, he had tried various ways to send women Link''s way, hoping to trap him in a scandal.


    Unfortunately, Link, the playboy, simply didn''t take the bait. Whenever he encountered an unfamiliar beautiful woman, he wouldn''t even spare her a second glance, let alone give anyone a chance to misunderstand anything.


    It was the same with little Epstein and the boastful old man; Link didn''t frequent bars or chaotic parties, so there was no opportunity to drag him down.


    "So you''re saying we have no way of dealing with him?!" Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Harvey''s blood pressure skyrocketed, and he looked at Bob with a gaze reserved for trash.


    "Harvey, we need to be patient with this kind of thing. The more frequently we act, the more vigilant Link becomes and the lower the chances of success. We''ll take our time, spot the right opportunity, and then make our move. As long as Link is in the entertainment industry, there will always be a chance to trap him,"


    Bob recommended.


    "Take our time? Easy for you to say. Do you know how many people are laughing at me right now? As long as Link is in Hollywood a single day, those people will continue mocking me, saying a Hollywood mogul like me can''t handle even a small newcomer like Link. It''s a huge humiliation, a huge humiliation, you understand?"


    Harvey yelled, his face, filled with fleshy folds, turning red.


    Bob''s muscle at the corner of his eye twitched.


    Harvey was dizzy from the media and people around him praising him, thinking of himself as a mogul just because others called him one.


    And Link was no minor character either; he was a multi-billionaire, owner of Lionsgate Films.


    Lionsgate Films ranked as the seventh or eighth largest in the movie industry, sometimes swapping places, with a market value and production capability somewhat stronger than that of Weinstein Company.


    Trying to take down such a person wasn''t going to be easy.


    "Harvey, don''t worry, I''ve been thinking about how to deal with Link and finally found a weakness. If we strike from this angle, we might have a chance to bring him down,"


    Bob suggested, sitting on the sofa, legs crossed elegantly, and lighting a cigarette.


    "Speak!"


    "Ivanka!"


    "Ivanka?"


    "Yes, Ivanka is Link''s weakness. A big part of Link''s current worth and fame can be attributed to her. Without her, the Link Music Company wouldn''t be at its current scale, Lionsgate Films wouldn''t be as stable as it is now, and without her and the Thompson Family''s connections, Link wouldn''t have his current influence and would not withstand attacks from the likes of Kunas,"


    Bob said emphatically, waving his fist.


    As Harvey listened, he stroked his large belly, lost in thought.


    "So my advice is to play on their relationship, try to ruin it. Without Ivanka managing the Link Music and Lionsgate Films, both companies would inevitably fall into chaos. Without the Thompson Family''s connections to shield him, Link would just be a simple billionaire, and it would be easier to deal with him."


    Bob spoke with firmness in his voice.


    Harvey nodded in agreement, patting Bob on the back, and laughed heartily, "Dear Bob, I''ll leave this matter in your hands."


    "No problem, you can trust me to handle it."


    Bob flicked ash from his cigarette nonchalantly.


    "Additionally, the box office for ''Bridesmaids'' is quite high, hire some professional critics to review it, try to bring down its box office numbers. Link predicted this movie would make four to five hundred million, right? I want to turn it into forty to fifty million,"


    Harvey sneered with a toad-like grin.


    Bob thought for a moment and nodded.


    "''Bridesmaids'' made over twenty million in three days over the weekend. We''ll hire people to write negative reviews, pushing the second week''s box office below ten million. In North America, the total would reach at most forty to fifty million. This is not difficult for him to manage."


    ¡ª¡ª


    "How is Rami Malek''s acting?"


    At the Palm Beach Films office building, Link asked as he watched Rami Malek leave the audition office.


    "Not bad, he takes acting very seriously and is a genuine actor," said Joaquin Phoenix.


    Link nodded; they were at the movie ''Master'' auditions scene.


    After reading the script, Megan Ellison thought the story was great and was impressed by the quality of several films previously directed by Paul Anderson, with Joaquin also being a considerably talented actor. After some deliberation, she agreed to invest.


    The movie production cost was thirty-two million US dollars, Palm Beach Films invested twelve million, Lionsgate Films invested ten million, and Annapurna Pictures invested ten million.


    Once the funds were secure, the once-halted crew resumed operations and began the first round of movie auditions to select the other main characters besides the male lead.


    Link had read the script and felt that a supporting male role fit Rami Malek well. Considering his good acting skills, he arranged for the crew to extend him an audition invitation.


    If Rami landed the role, he planned to sign him to Palm Beach Agency to further his training, hoping he would one day win the Oscars for Best Actor.


    Thinking of the Oscars for Best Actor, Link felt somewhat speechless.


    Back when he was still a boxer and singer, the media commented he was too successful in boxing and music, too handsome and too rich, and, out of jealousy and exclusion by those unfamiliar, the thousands of judges at the Academy would almost never vote for him.


    He had almost no chance of taking home one of those little gold men.


    Since he purchased Lionsgate Films and became the owner of the eighth largest film production company, the media deleted the "almost" from their previous articles, republishing them to say he had a 0% chance of winning an Oscar, even if he tried until he was a hundred years old.

 Chapter 523 - 411: Revenge and Audition Part 3

    Comparing himself to Charlie Chaplin, a top star of the silent film era and the founder of United Artists, who made many classic films but never won the Best Actor award at the Oscars.


    It was even less likely for Link.


    Having seen too many similar stories, Link began to doubt whether aiming for the Best Actor Oscar was a bit unrealistic.


    Following his doubts, he remained determined to achieve this goal.


    In the future, he planned to make one or two decent films each year and become a top actor, regardless of whether he could win an award, he would at least give it a try.


    "Link, there''s a supporting role in this movie that suits you. Do you want to give it a try?"


    Joaquin said with a smile as he smoked.


    After some thought, Link declined, mainly because he didn''t have time.


    He currently had three films on his hands: "Rust and Bone", "Buried", and "The Avengers".


    After the release of "Thor" and its first-week success, Miss Anna received a call from Marvel Entertainment. They were preparing for the "Avengers" and had parts for Captain America.


    The extent of his role would depend on the box office results of "Captain America" in July.


    Marvel wanted him to schedule in advance, with shooting expected to start at the end of the year.


    Under the contract he signed with Marvel Studios last year, which included a clause for sequels, he couldn''t turn down this role.


    There was also "The Flowers of War". At the beginning of the year, he was rather busy and shot intermittently for more than ten days, barely completing his scenes.


    Now that production had entered post-production, director Zhang called to say that some scenes needed reshooting and asked if he could take a couple of days to come back; it would only take two or three days.


    There was also "Friends with Benefits". After he purchased Lionsgate Films, Silver Screen Treasures wanted to continue the collaboration, offering him to stay on as the lead actor and proposing a raise. Link declined.


    "Are you still singing nowadays?"


    Link turned to Joaquin and asked. The guy announced he was leaving the acting world to become a rap singer in 2009, tried it for half a year without much success, was infamously late for a performance, got heckled by the audience, and ended up in a shouting match that caused quite a stir.


    "No more. Being a singer is too hard. I really admire you now. To transition from Boxer to singer and become a top music star in just two years, that''s incredible," Joaquin Phoenix kept praising.


    Link smiled lightly. Being a singer indeed wasn''t easy. Without those music reserves, he wouldn''t have the momentum he had now.


    "Hey, Link, and Joaquin, you''re here too?"


    While they were chatting in the caf¨¦, Amy Adams walked in gracefully from the backlight with her small purse.


    Wearing an off-white long dress with her wine-red curls draped over her left shoulder, she revealed a gentle smile on her fair and plump cheeks. As she said ''you''re here too'', her blue eyes met Link''s, and the smile at the corner of her mouth carried a peculiar sweetness.


    "Amy, are you here for the audition too?"


    Link greeted her.


    "Yes, I''ve seen the script. The leading lady''s role suits me very well, so I decided to give it a try," Amy Adams smiled.


    "Good luck! Director Anderson is very strict with actors."


    "I''ll do my best," Amy Adams brushed her hair beside her ear and smiled faintly, turning back toward the audition office.


    Link watched her swaying figure, thinking that she had matured, and become even more appealing than before.


    "I''m going to check out the office."


    Joaquin dropped his cigarette butt and headed to the audition office as well.


    A while later, Ms. Mandy walked into the caf¨¦ and shared that both the casting director and Director Anderson felt Amy Adams was more suitable for the leading lady than Emma Stone.


    Amy''s temperament was closer to that of the character Mary, while Emma Stone was too young and lacked maturity.


    Link said to follow the directors'' preferences; he wouldn''t interfere with the production''s choices.


    After all, his purpose for investing in the making of this film was to make money, not to promote artists under his label.


    ```


    "Mandy, for the artists under Palm Beach, we try to provide them with as many audition opportunities as possible, securing roles for them under the premise of fairness, but don''t spoil them too much. Let them face some challenges; it will help them improve,"


    Now, Palm Beach Agency doesn''t only have Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone; they''ve signed five more actors with fine acting skills.


    There''s Octavia Spencer and Chris O''Dowd, both of them from ''The Help'' ''Bridesmaids'' casts. The former is a Black actress, and the latter is the male lead in ''Bridesmaids''. The remaining three were also signed from the casts of ''Scandal Plan'', ''Bridesmaids'', and ''The Help''.


    These actors are all quite talented and can be cast in supporting roles in movies produced by Lionsgate Films and Palm Beach Films. Once they become famous, they''ll help the company make money.


    "Alright, I''ve recently taken an interest in two young actors with great potential and am considering signing them. What do you think?"


    Ms. Mandy said with a smile.


    "You''re the president of Palm Beach Agency, so it''s your call, but make sure you pay some attention to Selena too, don''t let her turn into a wild child,"


    "I understand,"


    Ms. Mandy replied with a light laugh.


    Link spent half a day at Palm Beach Films, observing the auditions for ''The Master'' and discussing with Catherine the company''s films for this year and the next.


    Aside from ''The Help'', which is being scheduled, there are ''The Silver Linings Playbook'', ''The Master'', and ''Beasts of the Southern Wild''.


    Then there''s ''Land of Hope'', recommended by Megan Ellison, adapted from a novel by the renowned author Matt Bondurant about the legendary tale of a family of three bootlegging liquor, establishing a crime family, and growing powerful after World War I.


    The movie reminded Link of another one he had seen called ''Lawless'', and given its decent quality and the production cost of only 26 million US Dollars, he agreed to cooperate with Megan.


    Palm Beach Films'' total investment share in these four movies amounted to 35.2 million US Dollars, a sum entirely within their budget. After the box office funds from ''Bridesmaids'' come back, with more money on hand, they''ll invest in the latest movie projects.


    Ding dong!


    As he drove home, he received a thank you message from Amy Adams.


    Link replied that there was no need for thanks; she was very suitable for the role of Mary.


    Ding dong!


    Amy Adams suddenly sent over a photo, a snapshot of her and a baby, about one year old, with black hair, twinkling blue eyes, and a chubby, cute little face.


    "This is my son Chris, isn''t he adorable?"


    "What a handsome little guy."


    "Thank you!"


    Link continued to look at the photo, somewhat puzzled about the reason for her sending it.


    Was Amy Adams hinting that this child had something to do with him?


    He had never seen Amy Adams'' husband, didn''t know if he had black hair, and since Amy Adams herself was a descendant of Italian immigrants, with ancestors who had black hair and blue eyes and fair skin.


    Just from the photo, he couldn''t tell if the boy looked like him.


    Moreover, Amy Adams had her child before the Oscars, and calculating the dates, it seemed related to him, but he couldn''t be sure.


    "Amy, when is the child''s birthday?"


    Link thought it over and asked.


    "Do you want to come to Chris'' birthday party? I''ll invite you next time he has one,"


    Amy Adams said. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link replied, ''Okay,'' but didn''t continue to ask further.


    As long as Amy Adams didn''t say the child was his, he would act as if it were not the case to avoid any misunderstanding and adverse impact on her family, while also steering clear of showing undue concern.


    Ding dong dong!


    On his way back to his bayside villa, Ivanka called to say she would be working half an hour late dealing with urgent matters, and told him to go ahead and eat without waiting for her.


    Link asked what the matter was.


    Ivanka said that since yesterday afternoon, there had been a surge of negative reviews for ''Bridesmaids'' in the newspapers and online, leading to a 35% decline in today''s box office performance compared to yesterday, a 60% drop beyond the normal downturn, which was very abnormal.


    Since Lionsgate Films was also involved in distributing the movie, their distribution department was now in contact with Warner''s distribution company, preparing to tackle the problem together.


    ```

 Chapter 524 - 412: Public Opinion Offensive

    "Okay, you get back to work; I''ll wait for you to come back so we can eat together."


    After hanging up the phone, Link flipped through the news on his tablet and saw a flood of negative reviews for "Bridesmaids" on professional film websites like Entertainment Online. Over ten famous film critics had publicly disparaged the movie.


    Some ridiculed the plot as awkward and unfit for normal viewers, others complained about the unlikable protagonist, and some argued that Link was not suited for comedy, which felt jarring.


    Originally, "Bridesmaids" had enjoyed a good rating on professional sites, with a B from media aggregates, an A- from Yahoo audience sites, and a 72% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes, which was not bad compared to "Thor" released in the same period.


    In just one day, the media aggregate score dropped to B-, Yahoo audiences to B, and the Rotten Tomatoes freshness plunged to 63%, with several film rating sites bombarded with negative reviews.


    Many fans tend to check reviews before watching a movie now, and bad word of mouth can directly impact box office receipts.


    Clearly, someone was intentionally smearing the movie and it wasn''t hard to guess who might be behind it.


    Link opened Twitter to take a look and found many film critics also posting negative reviews of "Bridesmaids" there.


    One tweet from a critic named Oscar Holbrook had garnered over four thousand comments.


    This person was a contributor to Entertainment Weekly, known for his sharp critical style, and was unforgiving of bad movies, with 1.02 million followers on his account.


    From yesterday afternoon to this morning, he posted three tweets in a row, starting with, ''Such a terrible comedy; not a single funny moment in the whole film, just awkwardness! Awkwardness! Awkwardness! Watching this movie is a waste of life, absolutely not recommended!''


    These tweets critiqued everything from the movie''s plot and cast to the lead actor''s performance, sparing no aspect from ridicule.


    He even wrote a specific tweet to criticize him and tagged him in it.


    It started by praising his impressive performance in "The Expendables," then the tone changed, critiquing his acting as the film''s biggest flaw, stating his performance wasn''t funny at all; rather, it was awkward¡ªthe largest awkwardness in this already awkward storyline.


    He also suggested Link might be in the running for next year''s Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actor.


    Link shook his head, acknowledging he had some issues with his performance, but it wasn''t that bad.


    Moreover, as the film centered around the lead actress, the director cut his original five-minute role down to just under 100 seconds of screen time for the sake of the plot¡ªhow bad could it really be?


    He scrolled through the critic''s past reviews and discovered that the latter only critiqued the most popular and controversial films each month.


    He would latch onto a single flaw in a movie and trash the rest of it as a pile of dogshit; his critiques were also very unprofessional, with emotive language.


    He didn''t seem like a serious film critic but rather a traffic-chasing internet celebrity.


    After some thought, Link posted, ''Interesting! In ''08 criticized "Twilight" as a bad film, ''09 "The Hangover", ''10 "Sherlock Holmes" and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ¨C Part 1", ''11 first "Fast Five" then "Bridesmaids". I have a feeling "Bridesmaids" will be a big hit.''


    Although he had already sold his Twitter shares and was no longer a shareholder, he remained one of the most followed users on the platform, with a current fan count of 92.15 million, just shy of breaking 100 million.


    After he replied to the critic Oscar Holbrook, it rapidly drew masses of attention, his comment quickly surpassing fifty thousand likes, and the comments soared to a thousand.


    Many were shocked that an A-list superstar would bother to respond to a film critic''s review.


    Some netizens explained on Link''s behalf that since yesterday, a sudden surge of negative reviews for "Bridesmaids" appeared in the media.


    Those reviews, just like this critic''s, were baselessly spewing vitriol.


    Clearly, the situation was not normal.


    It seemed someone was deliberately trashing the movie, and probably Link couldn''t stand by, hence he replied to the comment.


    Shortly after, many netizens who had seen the movie said they had just watched "Bridesmaids" and found it quite good, much better than other films of the same genre released during the same period.


    After a few minutes of discussion, film critic Oscar Holbrook came online and first thanked Link for his reply, claiming that his reviews of "Bridesmaids" were from an impartial, fair, and professional standpoint and weren''t reckless comments.


    Link thought about it and decided not to respond further, as after his reply, the critic''s followers had skyrocketed from 1.02 million to 1.83 million.


    This reminded him of 2008 when he was a small-time boxer and gained a lot of attention by trashing celebrities.


    Now that he was a top influencer, many were copying his old tactics, seeking attention by trashing him¡ªa karmic return indeed.


    When he got back to his villa, he checked the news on his phone again and found that his response to the film critic had become the top trending topic on Twitter.


    The headline was ''Link Publicly Refutes Film Critic''s Criticism of "Bridesmaids"'', hitting 4.87 million in heat, which was 800,000 higher than the news about the "Fast Five" crew attending a racing event in Tokyo, Japan.


    In related news, the critic Oscar Holbrook even gave an interview to Entertainment Online.


    He said that all his past reviews were his genuine feelings after watching the films, including for "Bridesmaids", and his aim was to warn moviegoers.


    The interviewer mentioned the success of "Twilight" in ''08, despite his calling it an epic failure, and his criticism of "The Hangover" in ''09 for looking like it was directed by someone who was drunk, followed by his negative reviews of "Sherlock Holmes" and "Harry Potter" in ''10.


    The interviewer asked if he simply criticized whichever films were popular.


    Oscar the critic replied that it wasn''t the case as "Bridesmaids" wasn''t successful; his critique was solely based on a poor viewing experience.


    When asked how he felt about being singled out by Link, Oscar said it was an honor and suggested that Link should humbly accept the criticism, diligently hone his acting skills, and aim to produce better work next time.


    Besides the interview with the critic, many news websites also circulated this story, increasing the online visibility of "Bridesmaids".


    After browsing for a bit, Link closed the laptop and went to the kitchen to make a few dishes.


    "Link, you might want to let this go. You''re a top star now, and it''s not worth getting involved in such trivial matters."


    Ivanka entered the kitchen in her high heels, before the last dish was out of the pot.


    Dressed in a white suit with pencil pants that complemented her icy demeanor and rose-colored lipstick, she was clearly just home as she had yet to set down her small square shoulder bag.


    "I know, how did your work meeting go, and how are you planning to deal with all this negative press?"


    Link took off his apron and handed the kitchen over to the maid as he asked.


    "We''re going to stick to the usual methods. If someone spends money to criticize ''Bridesmaids,'' we''ll spend money to get even more people to praise the movie. With polarized opinions and even controversy, the exposure for ''Bridesmaids'' in the media will greatly increase. If done right, it can even boost box office sales, but it means we have to put in an extra two or three million in marketing costs."


    Ivanka explained.


    Link nodded, thinking an additional two or three million in marketing costs wasn''t much.


    The only thing that irritated him was knowing that the Weinstein brothers were very likely behind it, and yet there was no way to retaliate.


    In fact, he could also hire people to write bad reviews for ''The Expendables,'' but both Sean Penn and Frances McDormand, the lead actors of the movie, were outstanding performers and not affiliated with Harvey''s party. Accusing the Weinstein Company''s movie would inadvertently harm them.


    This was a dilemma.


    Moreover, using such methods to attack a competitor was rather petty, something not suitable for public confrontation, and he was above that.


    "Let''s have dinner, and stop talking about work after hours," he said.


    Link took her handbag and said.


    "What delicious things did you make today?"


    "Kung Pao Chicken, Twice-cooked Pork, and Vegetable Soup. Do you like it?"


    "Yes, I used to think it was convenient and tasty to have a chef cook at home, but after tasting your cooking, I realized that the most delicious food is what''s cooked at home."


    Ivanka said with a smile, her hand in his.


    Link smiled gently. Since Ivanka had moved in, she had made some adjustments to her living habits, slowly gravitating towards him¡ªa positive sign.


    In the second week since ''Bridesmaids'' release, its screening rate increased by 3.5%, and it grossed 19.58 million US dollars in North America, less than a 10% decrease from the previous week.


    The performance seemed good, but according to the data gathered by the distribution department, had it not been for those negative reviews, this week''s box office could have been higher, potentially around 25 million.


    A difference of over five million.


    Thinking about this number, Link felt the urge to drag Harvey into the boxing ring and KO him with heavy punches a hundred times.


    This week''s box office champion was ''Pirates of the Caribbean 4,'' which premiered in 4,155 theaters across North America with an opening weekend gross of 90.1 million US dollars, setting a record for the highest first-weekend box office in North America of the year.


    The runner-up was ''Thor,'' in its second week of release, which made 48.5 million US dollars, pushing its total past 100 million.


    ''Fast Five'' dropped to fourth place with 16.05 million US dollars, with a North American cumulative box office nearing 160 million and a global gross close to 400 million US dollars.


    And ''The Expendables,'' with a earning of 3.8 million US dollars, fell to ninth place, only 200,000 US dollars ahead of Lionsgate Films'' ''Madea''s Big Happy Family.''


    After two weeks, ''Bridesmaids'' had a cumulative North American box office of nearly 40 million.


    Meanwhile, the overseas box office data also came back to the distribution department. The film premiered simultaneously in 35 countries and regions across Europe, America, Asia, and Oceania, garnering 56.33 million US dollars in ten days, with worldwide box office nearing 100 million.


    A comedy movie breaking 100 million in box office within ten days indeed indicated the film''s quality was quite good.


    Following the release of the overseas box office earnings, ''Bridesmaids'' distributors Warner and Lionsgate took the opportunity to refute many negative reviews in the papers using the overseas box office figures.


    In the third week of ''Bridesmaids'''' release, media projections initially estimated the box office would fall to around 10 million.


    This is because according to movie box office rise and fall patterns, apart from phenomenon-level movies like ''Titanic,'' the fall from the first week to the second for other films typically ranges between 20% and 50%. A drop exceeding 50% is considered significant, while anything below 20% indicates a higher quality movie that may merit an increased screening rate. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This pattern is similar to album releases, with greater drop-offs as time goes on.


    But this week, ''Bridesmaids'' still managed an impressive 16.81 million US dollars, with a drop of less than 15%.


    Afterwards, many media outlets attributed this box office success to Link¡ªhe had released a video that week.


    The video was a recording of James'' wedding scene. Link, along with his band and the main cast of ''Bridesmaids,'' appeared unexpectedly at the wedding party and performed a new song, "Sugar."


    This was a sweet wedding song.


    After the video was posted on YouTube, it surpassed a million views in six hours and garnered 5.5 million views in one day.


    The live recording of the song was also released on Spotify concurrently, achieving 10.2 million streams in 28 hours, becoming the fastest song in North America to break 10 million plays, setting a new Spotify record for song streams in the region.


    After three weeks, ''Bridesmaids'' had a cumulative North American box office of 56.76 million US dollars and a global box office of 148 million US dollars, with projections suggesting it could surpass 200 million globally. The film was also successfully classified among the summer''s top-grossing movies.


    Upon seeing these figures, Harvey was so angered that he cursed vehemently in his office, not only at Link, but also at Bob for being incompetent.


    Bob was also at his wits'' end. Initially, he had arranged for many media outlets to publish negative reviews of ''Bridesmaids,'' but Lionsgate and Warner, the distributors, had fought back hard, investing millions to salvage the film''s reputation.


    To continue pressing down on ''Bridesmaids'' would cost real money.


    Bob was too stingy to spend the cash and stopped after just one round of media attacks.


    He had thought that with that wave of negative publicity, they could keep ''Bridesmaids'''' North American box office under 50 million.


    Nobody expected Link to use the release of a new song to promote the film, which rapidly pushed its North American box office past 50 million to 56 million.


    Bob had to admire Link''s luck and promotional tactics.


    He even considered advising Harvey to reconcile with Link, since there was no significant feud between them, and continuing to fight would lead to greater financial losses.


    But seeing Harvey''s dark expression, he wisely swallowed the words he had been about to say and began contemplating other strategies to deal with Link and Ivanka.

 Chapter 525 - 413: Box Office Fraud and Pregnancy

    "Haha, Link, congratulations, another film you invested in has hit big. What''s the next movie? I want to invest with you."


    At the global box office success party for "Bridesmaids" held by Palm Beach Films, David Ellison put his arm around his shoulder and said affectionately.


    "Penalty Kick to Gold, you invested in that one too, right?"


    Link smiled, hearing David attribute the film''s success to him, he didn''t act modest.


    Having the label of a ''film investor with a good eye'' in Hollywood not only gained respect from colleagues but also made attracting investments for future films easier.


    "Just that one? Bring on a couple more, preferably only our two companies investing."


    "At this stage, investments for various movie projects are already in place, new projects won''t start until next year, there''s nothing suitable at the moment."


    "Alright, just remember to call me for the next movie, if we make money, I''ll treat you to some beautiful ladies."


    David Ellison said, winking.


    Link just smiled and agreed. Among the Ellison siblings, David liked to invest in commercial movies, such as "Mission Impossible 4" and the upcoming "Jack Reacher", focusing more on box office profits, while Megan preferred art films, especially those with strong female leads, targeting major film awards.


    It was good for everyone as newcomers to the film industry to collaborate.


    "Hey, Link!"


    Stallone and Schwarzenegger also came over from the crowd to congratulate him, and they discussed investing in "The Expendables 2" with him.


    "The Expendables 1" had been released for six months, grossing $141 million in North America, $207 million overseas, and $348 million worldwide, ranking 14th in the North American annual box office rankings and 12th in the global annual rating rankings.


    The film, with a production cost of $86 million, had a profit margin of 4:1, which was quite a box office success.


    It also made tens of millions in dividends for the distribution company, Lionsgate Films, and acquired some rights to "The Expendables".


    The box office results were good. Stallone suggested filming "The Expendables 2", inviting Lionsgate Films to invest, with a current investment budget of about $100 million, inviting Lionsgate Films to collaborate.


    After discussions, the production department of Lionsgate Films believed the project had decent reputation and potential for investment and production, and they wanted to try to secure the rights to the film.


    Stallone and Schwarzenegger were not just pulling him in for investment but also hoping he would continue to act in the sequel. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They also mentioned that in the script creation, they would increase his role, tentatively as the male secondary lead, still a handsome, skilled mercenary, adept in strategic tactics, a versatile warrior.


    The only downside was his flirtatious nature. They planned to pair him with a spicy lady with good fighting skills in the movie as his fixed love interest.


    If there was a third part, they planned for him to take over The Expendables, becoming the main character, with other veteran action stars playing supporting roles to him.


    Link liked what he heard and asked about the shooting schedule. He had three films in the second half of the year; if it was planned within this year, he might not have time.


    Stallone said they could adjust it according to his schedule, showing a lot of enthusiasm.


    Schwarzenegger also urged him to participate, mentioning that his action scenes were impressive and he had potential to become a successor in action films.


    Link also understood the reasons the two were holding onto him; after "The Expendables" was released, the approval rating was less than 55%.


    Most of the positive reviews were because of Link.


    Movie fans commented that he was the only highlight of the entire movie.


    Other veteran action actors appeared too slick, whether in style or appearance, as if they had stepped out of a ''90s action movie, not appealing to the younger generation of viewers.


    Only Link''s performance could appeal to this demographic.


    According to surveys by media outlets like "Hollywood Reporter" and "Complete Movie", Link''s contribution to the film''s box office was estimated between 22%-35%, nearly a third of it. Although this figure might be exaggerated, it also partly showed Link''s importance to the film.


    In fact, rather than hardcore action films like "The Expendables", Link would prefer to act in solo action films like the "007 series", "Bourne series", "Mission Impossible series".


    It''s just that these films didn''t lack male leads, and new spy action movie IPs weren''t hot enough to have much potential.


    He hadn''t found a suitable project yet, so he could only continue in the "The Expendables" series, meanwhile building a reputation in the action film circle, becoming a top-tier action star and preparing for future major action movies.


    "Haha, Link, congratulations on the film''s big success."


    After seeing off the two tough guys, Ryan Cavano of Relativity Media came over with his new companion, a young, fit olive-skinned African American model.


    "Thank you!"


    Seeing Cavano, Link took initiative to ask about the method of investing in films using big data models, hoping to learn from him.


    Seeing his interest in this method of film investment, Cavano gladly shared his enthusiasm and began to explain.


    He told him that before using this method, it was necessary to collect a large amount of movie data, analyze reasons for a film''s success or failure, and said the more movie materials collected, the better. He also mentioned that Relativity Media had collected data on more than twenty thousand films, which they used to build models and similar tools.


    Link listened carefully to the explanation, his purpose was simple: use this method as a guise to tell the public how he invested in films, why every investment he made was on a sleeper hit, the reason being the use of Cavano''s ''big data movie investment technique''.

 Chapter 526 - 413 Box Office Fraud and Pregnancy_2

    As to why Kavanaugh was not particularly secretive about his technology for investing in movies and was quite willing to disclose it, there were two reasons. First, the method wasn''t exactly a secret; many on Wall Street used it. Second, the development of Relativity Media was entirely dependent on financing.


    To attract more investment, Kavanaugh needed to constantly promote his technology and assure investors of its utility with somewhat embellished box office data, instilling confidence in them.


    The news attributed the success of Palm Beach Films'' last two hit movies to the producers under its banner and not to Link.


    This provided Kavanaugh with a window of opportunity.


    After sharing this technology with Link, he could claim to the public that Link''s back-to-back hits with dark horses were due to using his system. Kavanaugh, the "teacher," could boast of a superior investment technique compared to his "student" Link, reassuring investors that Relativity Media was a safe place for their money.


    Kavanaugh explained enthusiastically, his voice growing more and more impassioned, resembling someone pitching a multi-level marketing scheme, attracting a lot of attention from the surrounding crowd.


    Link smiled helplessly, recognizing that while he wanted to use Kavanaugh, Kavanaugh was also using him.


    After bidding farewell to the still excited Kavanaugh, Ivanka came over, looping her arm through his. She wore a stylish LV mermaid dress that matched his casual suit perfectly.


    "Do you want to learn from Kavanaugh about investing in movies with big data?"


    "I''m considering it. We are newcomers to the film industry, and learning various investment techniques will be useful as references when investing,"


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Ivanka nodded, looked him over, and chuckled, "You don''t seem very enthusiastic, do you?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can you tell?"


    Link chuckled lightly and shook his head. He indeed had little desire to attend the party.


    The first thing was that he had received a message from Guillaume Canet in the morning; Marion Cotillard was in the delivery room and was expected to have her baby today or tomorrow.


    Secondly, the movie "Bridesmaids" was projected to have a global box office of only 200 million, a lot less than the 300 million he recalled, which made him worry about possible inaccuracies in the box office numbers of other movies. If the discrepancies were too great, he would need to be more cautious with future investments.


    "During its promotion, it was publicly predicted that this movie would make four to five hundred million US dollars, but now it''s only projected to make two hundred million. The gap is too wide,"


    Link said.


    Ivanka hesitated a moment and then told him something she had been investigating; without a firm conclusion yet, she had not shared it with him.


    "What is it?"


    "We suspect that Warner Bros. Pictures might have falsified ''Bridesmaids'' box office data,"


    Ivanka said with a stern face.


    "Box office fraud?"


    Link was taken aback; such things were not uncommon in the film industry.


    Despite the ''Paramount Decree'' of 1948, which enforced a separation of movie production companies from cinema chains to prevent monopolistic practices, and was subject to strict regulation and review by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), the practice of big movie companies colluding with theaters to embezzle box office revenues still existed.


    The ''Big Six'' Hollywood studios falsified box office data to maintain their market share and suppress smaller production companies and producers.


    Behind the ''Big Six'' laid media conglomerates controlling 70% of America''s entertainment media and TV stations, and lawyers and politicians also relied on the entertainment industry.


    Even if later on someone discovered the fraud, no one dared to challenge the authority of the ''Big Six'' for fear of being blacklisted, ultimately having to swallow the bitter pill.


    It was rumored that a significant reason for the bankruptcy of Carlock Pictures was due to ticket sales being stolen by the distributors; the movie "Shutter Island" certainly grossed more than just a few million dollars.


    Common methods of stealing box office revenue include underreporting the number of movie-goers, recording a film with a 90% occupancy rate as 80%.


    The second method is bait-and-switch, attributing the revenue of "Bridesmaids" to another movie playing at the same time, creating a discrepancy between the name of the movie on the ticket and the one shown.


    The third method includes counting the money from movie ticket sales as revenue from concessions like popcorn and soda.


    In an interview in 2008, the chairman of the Motion Picture Association of America, Ted Barr, admitted to fraudulent practices such as box office manipulation by the ''Big Six'' distribution companies. He was immediately criticized by the media and soon forced to resign.


    "According to data from the box office monitoring company Rentrak, "Bridesmaids" reached an 82% occupancy rate in cinemas in Canada and Mexico during the opening weekend. The box office returns from these locations should be around 19 million, not 9.5 million. Also, the box office performances in the sixteen northern states where Warner is in charge are generally lower than those in the states where Lionsgate is responsible,"


    Ivanka said.


    The North American movie market mainly includes the United States, Canada, and Mexico. After Link acquired Lionsgate, he took back a portion of the distribution rights for "Bridesmaids" but still left the robust distribution in Canada, Mexico, and the northern sixteen states to Warner Bros. Pictures.


    "We are currently gathering evidence for our investigation. If Rentrak''s data is accurate, the box office for "Bridesmaids" in North America during the first three weeks should be 114 million US dollars, not just 56 million,"


    Ivanka said.


    "It''s that exaggerated?"


    Gobbling up half the box office in one go; that was truly brazen.


    "Yes, the legal department is currently collecting evidence. Once we obtain solid proof, we will file a lawsuit with the courts and the MPAA, and do our best to make Warner Bros. Pictures cough up the swallowed box office revenue,"


    Ivanka said coldly.


    Link frowned as he listened. He originally thought that both sides had a pleasant collaboration on the "Scandal Plan" project and had a solid foundation for cooperation. He didn''t expect Warner would resort to box office fraud¡ªclearly, he had underestimated the ugly face of capitalists.

 Chapter 527 - 413 Box Office Fraud and Pregnancy_3

    Thinking about this, he couldn''t help but wonder if there might also be issues with scalping or counterfeit tickets related to the "Scandal Plan" release.


    Since the overseas box office for "Scandal Plan" was also higher than in North America, and given the themes of "Scandal Plan," it would be normal for the North American box office to be somewhat higher than overseas.


    After some thought, Link decided to have a brief meeting with Catherine. Regarding the issue of Warner Bros. Pictures swallowing box office earnings, they could not let it go easily. Even if it meant taking out ten million to fight it legally, they needed to recover the lost box office revenue.


    ¡ª¡ª


    His mood hadn''t been great initially, and learning that his money had been stolen only worsened it, until later in the evening when the French media reported that Marion Cotillard had given birth to a child at the affiliated hospital of University of Paris VI, his mood gradually improved.


    Link called Guillaume Canet to ask about the situation.


    Guillaume''s temperament was terrible over the phone, he cursed at him in French, said the child had nothing to do with him, and told him not to call again before rudely hanging up.


    Link was baffled. Guillaume''s mood had been fine when they texted before; why did he become irritable all of a sudden after the child''s birth?


    Suddenly, he thought of a possibility. Could it be that the child looked more like himself? Guillaume might have lost his temper out of jealousy.


    He texted Guillaume, saying if the child was his, he would bring the child to the United States to raise and give the child the best living conditions.


    Guillaume told him it was impossible, the child was not his, and had nothing to do with him.


    Link texted Marion asking how she was doing, asking if she had woken up?


    He sent two messages but received no reply.


    He then texted Monica Bellucci, asking what she was doing.


    Monica replied that she was at the hospital, asking if he wanted to know the child''s gender and whether it resembled him.


    Link said he did.


    Monica told him to come over if he wanted to know. Marion Cotillard had suffered a great deal giving birth, and he, as the father, hadn''t even come to see her once. That didn''t make him just a scumbag, but a despicable father.


    Link felt ashamed and said he planned to come over tomorrow.


    The Cannes Film Festival arrived, with "Midnight in Paris" invited as the opening film for this edition. As the lead actor, he was required to attend the opening event, and it would also give him a chance to see Marion Cotillard.


    Monica replied that this finally made him sound like a man.


    He put down his phone, but he couldn''t help thinking of another child, the one Taylor had given birth to.


    Although he said he wouldn''t arrange for further investigations, to protect the child and not to trouble Taylor,


    knowing the child existed and not visiting for over two months seemed indeed a bit excessive.


    He seriously thought about it and sent a message to Mrs. Andrea asking about the child''s condition, asking if it would be convenient for him to visit the child soon? He would go discreetly without letting Taylor know.


    A few minutes later, Mrs. Andrea replied that it was "inconvenient."


    After a while, she added that Taylor had given the child up for adoption, with adoptive parents in a Swiss household in Europe, even including an address, mentioning he could visit the child there if he wanted.


    Link read the message and clenched his fists in anger. He had thought, given Taylor''s means, that taking out a couple of million would allow the child to have a decent life. But she had sent the child away to be raised by others, suggesting if she didn''t want to raise the child, she could have let him do it.


    Sending the child away to be raised by others, that was utterly heartless.


    He held back for a few seconds, but couldn''t resist and dialed Taylor''s number.


    His number remained blocked, and other contact methods were also blocked.


    "Selena, let me use your phone to call Taylor," he said.


    He glanced at the little round face lying on the sofa, the girl wearing a loose dress, her feet on the sofa, her toenails painted strawberry red and constantly moving, holding a game console, engrossed in something, her big eyes sparkling, her round face flushed, looking like a homebody.


    Seeing no objection from her, Link reached out and took the phone, peeking at the screen where all it showed were words like Anastasia passionately responding to Christian, along with things like whips, handcuffs.


    "Ah!!!"


    Before he could look any longer, Selena leaped up from the sofa in a complicated move and pounced on him, her little face flushed as she cried out, "Jerk, give me back my phone."


    "Hold on, I''m just using it to make a call."


    "No way! Give it back to me now." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Selena grabbed his neck with both hands and shook it, baring her little fangs as if to bite his ear, looking fiercely cute.


    Link shook his head and had no choice but to give back the phone.


    Selena took her phone back, swiped it a few times, and only then breathed a sigh of relief, puffing up her little round face and glaring at him angrily.


    "You jerk, who let you snatch my phone? Don''t you know a mobile phone is personal privacy?"


    "I just asked you if I could borrow your phone, and you didn''t object," he said.


    "But I didn''t agree either, and now I''m telling you explicitly, it''s impossible! Never ever," she declared.


    Selena stuffed her phone into her pocket and pat it down, giving him a charming eye roll.


    "Really? You were reading an erotic novel, should I tell Mandy?" Link teased.


    Selena''s face turned beet red immediately upon hearing this, she glanced towards the kitchen, then, grabbing his shoulder, whispered fiercely, "I was not, that''s not that kind of novel, you better not talk nonsense."


    "Oh, if it''s not an erotic novel, why is your face red?" Link hummed lightly.


    "It''s a bestseller, it''s been on the New York Times bestseller list, not some unhealthy novel, check it out if you don''t believe me," she defended.

 Chapter 528 - 413: Box Office Fraud and Pregnancy_4

    Selena took out her phone again, opened Google, and searched for information about a novel called "Fifty Shades of Grey."


    "Fifty Shades of Grey?"


    Seeing a familiar title, Link wanted to take the phone to have a closer look.


    Selena wouldn''t let him, pointing to a few lines of information and telling him the novel was originally serialized on a fiction website. It was released at the beginning of this month and was available in bookstores and online, with first-week sales of over a hundred thousand copies, definitely a bestseller.


    And it wasn''t some erotic novel, so he shouldn''t slander her innocence; she, Selena, was not that kind of person.


    "Really? Was this novel originally a "Twilight" fanfic that tells the story of a female college student who falls in love with a domineering CEO, engages in a romantic relationship with him, and leads a shameless life?"


    "You''ve read it too?"


    Her little round face looked up in surprise. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And now you still dare to say this novel is healthy?"


    Link said with a smile.


    With her little mouth pouting, the little round face humphed, "You''ve read it too, so if you dare report me, I''ll report you."


    "I''m a guy, and a womanizer at that. What impact does reading this kind of novel have on me?"


    Link laughed lightly.


    Selena blinked her large eyes, as if that really made sense.


    This bad guy had so many girlfriends and had done things more outrageous than what was written in the book. He was like a person covered in black mud, not afraid of being called out for reading such novels at all.


    Thinking of this, Selena felt powerless. It didn''t matter that Link did so many bad things, but she had to secretly read a novel with heavier tastes; it was so unfair.


    "Don''t you have a phone? Why do you need mine?"


    "Give Taylor a call, I have something to ask her," Link said, reaching out his hand.


    "No way, Taylor said she won''t take your calls. If I use my phone, she''ll definitely blame me."


    Selena hid her phone behind her back and blinked her eyes as she spoke.


    "Then send her a message saying I want to have a chat with her, asking her to unblock my number first," Link said helplessly.


    "Fine!"


    Selena sent a message and then looked at him with a strange gaze.


    "How come you''d read ''Fifty Shades of Grey''? That''s a novel from a female perspective, only suitable for us girls to read. Doesn''t a big guy like you feel awkward reading it?"


    "Of course not, I put myself in the male lead''s shoes. I want to learn from the novel how to talk to girls about love, I''m a bit lacking in that area,"


    Link shrugged.


    "Lacking? Christian in the novel only has one girlfriend; your girlfriends are all over the world. He should be learning from you, you big womanizer,"


    Selena rolled her eyes dramatically and suddenly felt that Link was not only more fickle than the male lead but also had a higher net worth, fame by countless times, and even more handsome. She blinked and leaned in curiously, "Do you play with your girlfriends the same way Christian does?"


    "Don''t ask what you shouldn''t,"


    Link pushed her little round face away.


    "Humph! I can guess. You appear decent, but you play dirtier than Christian, freak,"


    Selena hit him with her little fist.


    Ding-dong!


    The phone chimed once, and Selena puffed her cheeks as she read the message. Suddenly her face lit up with a smile, shaking the phone at him, "Taylor said she doesn''t want to talk to you, doesn''t want to hear your name, and said if you dare pressure me, she''ll never deal with you again."


    Link frowned, "Ask her if she remembers the bet we made last year, now that she''s lost, when is she going to fulfill it."


    "A bet? What did you bet with Taylor?"


    Selena asked curiously.


    "Don''t ask what you shouldn''t, send the message,"


    Link nudged her forehead.


    Selena pouted heavily and humphed, throwing the phone to him to send the message himself.


    Link held the phone and texted Taylor, asking if she remembered last year''s bet and when she would fulfill it.


    Last year they bet on the sales of their third albums. If he lost, he''d continue making albums and not leave the music industry; if Taylor lost, she was at his mercy.


    The bet came from Taylor''s initiative. At that time, he didn''t know Taylor was pregnant, so he agreed.


    Now his third album "The Woman I Love" has a cumulative sales of 5.35 million copies in North America.


    After MTV, the American Music Awards, and this year''s Grammy Awards, riding the wave of several awards and promotions, this album sold an extra seven to eight hundred thousand copies in North America.


    Globally, it sold over three million more copies, and its worldwide sales have now reached 28 million copies. Crossing 30 million was just a matter of time.


    And Taylor''s "Last Kiss" just broke through 4 million copies in North America, also boosted by awards and her North American tour, with overseas sales of only 15 million copies.


    "The bet? Tell him I don''t know,"


    Taylor replied to the message.


    "Haha, Taylor said she doesn''t know,"


    Selena chuckled as she leaned on his shoulder.


    Link, feeling helpless, texted back, "Link said he knows you like to play tricks and often don''t keep your word, so he didn''t really want you to fulfill the bet. He just wanted to meet and have a chat, how about it?"


    "No! We have nothing to talk about (hand the phone back to Selena, and if you sneakily use her phone again, I''ll block this number),"


    Taylor instructed.


    "Give me my phone back,"


    Selena reached out to grab her phone back and sent a message to Taylor complaining that Link was bullying her, forcibly taking her phone with physical force, and she was so angry because she couldn''t fight back.


    "Is Taylor in Los Angeles?"


    Link asked.


    "I won''t tell you. Taylor wants me to keep my distance from you,"


    Selena said.

 Chapter 529 - 413 Fake Box Office and Pregnancy_5

    Selena put away her phone, made a funny face at him, and clomped upstairs in her slippers.


    "Dinner''s about ready, what are you going up there for?"


    Catherine came out with a plate of fruit, with Ivanka following her from the kitchen, wearing an apron around her waist.


    "Charging, my phone''s out of battery."


    Selena replied crisply.


    Link smiled slightly, remembering that the novel "Fifty Shades of Grey" was later adapted into a movie, filmed in three installments, with a total global box office exceeding one billion US dollars, a project with significant potential.


    He mentioned this to Ivanka, asking her to arrange for someone to check on the publishing rights of the novel at the publishing house, as it had just been released and the rights should still be with the author.


    They should try to acquire it; this novel had a large market among young female readers, and the box office returns for a movie adaptation would likely be very good.


    Ivanka said she saw the novel in Tiffany''s room and had read a few pages, finding it boring and lacking in literary quality, with unimpressive diction and phrasing.


    "Will it make a good movie?"


    "It should, Tiffany, Selena are reading it, which shows the novel has a market among young female readers."


    The female protagonist of the novel is a Cinderella-like college student, while Ivanka is a princess, hence she understandably didn''t feel much empathy when reading such stories.


    The novel originally started as a more intense version of "Twilight" fan fiction, and its author wasn''t exactly a professional writer, so the writing quality was indeed poor. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After its public release, it was ridiculed by many professional writers, from the plot to the prose, it was heavily criticized. It was akin to internet literature, but despite this, the novel was very popular, with global sales exceeding 150 million copies, 35 million of which were sold in the United States, and it set the record for the fastest-selling paperback in Britain, becoming another phenomenon like "Twilight."


    "Before buying the rights, a market survey could also be conducted to see what female readers think."


    "That''s possible."


    Ivanka smiled faintly, readjusted her hair, and went back to the kitchen to get busy.


    Catherine glanced at Ivanka, then asked Link quietly when he planned to get married, saying that a girl like Ivanka doesn''t come around often.


    Link replied helplessly that it would be as soon as possible.


    Catherine laughed, seemingly satisfied and left.


    Ding-dong!


    A text message came in¡ªit was from Chris Liu, asking if he was available to take a call right now.


    Link stood up and went out to the terrace to call Chris Liu.


    As soon as the call connected, Chris Liu excitedly told him that Jennifer hadn''t had her monthly period, and they had just checked with a pregnancy test, which showed two bars¡ªJennifer was pregnant, and it was very likely she got pregnant during those days in Singapore.


    Link paused, somewhat overwhelmed.


    He had just confirmed through Monica Bellucci that it seemed Marion''s child might be his, there was the one possibly with Amy Adams, Taylor''s child had been given away, and now Jennifer Shu was pregnant as well, several children all at once.


    "Link, do you... do you not like kids?"


    Chris Liu asked softly.


    "No, I love kids, just too excited," he said.


    "As long as you love children, don''t worry, I''ll take good care of Shu."


    Chris Liu said.


    Link gave a slight smile and asked if she had had her period.


    Chris, feeling dejected, said she hadn''t gotten pregnant and asked when he would come to Capital City, saying she also wanted to have his baby.


    Link thought for a moment and said he would be there next month for the WBA Light Heavyweight match.


    Chris said okay, asking him to come over early.


    Link talked with Jennifer for a while, telling her to be careful and not go out to work recently, to take good care of the fetus.


    Jennifer Shu obediently agreed.


    After hanging up, Link looked up into the distance, at the azure sea and sky, the sunlight beaming brilliantly.

 Chapter 530 - 414 Cannes

    ```


    "Damn it! That bastard is trending again."


    In a smoky bar in New York, singer Chris Brown was scrolling through the news on his phone, cursing under his breath.


    "Who? Link? Haven''t seen any news about him for a while, what did he do this time?"


    50 Cent was nursing a beer, his legs propped up on a marble table.


    "See for yourself!"


    Chris Brown thrust the phone in front of 50 Cent, and Lil Wayne, T.I., and Drake also put down their beer bottles and looked over, to see a YouTube video.


    In the spacious and bright Los Angeles International Airport terminal, a guy in a casual suit was sitting at a piano, singing "All of me" while playing, surrounded by a crowd of people.


    The piano player was Link.


    As he played, the terminal was packed with people, all filming with their phones or cameras, and many joined in singing along with him.


    What would I do without your smart mouth


    What would I do without your sweet talk


    Drawing me in, and you kicking me out


    You''re hot then you''re cold


    Got my head spinning, no kidding, I can''t pin you down


    Link''s singing voice was very good, and the crowd''s chorus wasn''t bad either; the atmosphere was great.


    Seeing this video, although T.I. and the others were annoyed by Link, they had to admit the guy could really sing. His live performance was just as good as in the studio, and he didn''t need any sound engineer to tweak his voice.


    This was something many professional singers couldn''t achieve.


    Link''s performance was quite professional.


    "Why is he singing at the airport?"


    50 Cent asked while watching the video.


    "The news said he was heading to France for the Cannes Film Festival. Because of the weather, his flight was delayed for over an hour, so he got bored and started playing the piano in the terminal. Then the passengers gathered around, asking him to sing a song. He performed a few songs on the spot, and for some reason, this crap made it to the trending news,"


    explained Chris Brown.


    "Link still has huge popularity."


    50 Cent said, smacking his lips.


    Compared to last year, when Link made one headline after another from the beginning to the end of the year and the entire American media was following him, this year Link had been much more low-key in the media, hardly doing anything excessively flamboyant.


    But even so, every little thing Link did managed to stir up media coverage, and people loved to read news about him.


    For example, in February, his "The Toman I Love" broke through 5 million sales in the United States, in March he spent a fortune to buy Lionsgate Films, in April while promoting "Bridesmaids," he boasted that the movie''s box office would bring in four or five hundred million, and not long ago his new song "Sugar" also became a hot topic. Now, there was another addition.


    "He was originally a boxer, then after becoming the world champion, he transitioned to a singer, and after becoming a superstar, he crossed over to acting. This guy is quite the troublemaker,"


    commented T.I.


    "Have you guys noticed without Link around, the music scene seems to be missing something?"


    Usher mused, sipping his beer.


    "Missing what?"


    asked Chris Brown.


    "Some controversy, a lot of news, and the amount of attention the music industry gets has significantly decreased. Back in ''09 and ''10 when Link was around, music news was always topping the headlines of all the major media outlets, with one trending topic after another, much more than the film industry.


    Now that Link has turned his focus to Hollywood, there''s been less entertainment news in the music industry, and it seems to have become a bit boring,"


    said Usher.


    Everyone thought about it and agreed that seemed to be the case.


    Back when Link was around, the news would often cover stories of singers vying for the charts, Billboard single rankings, and Link and East Coast rappers taking digs at each other, using various tactics, the hype lasting from the beginning to end of the year.


    These stories were often thrilling, full of ups and downs, and after media interpretation, they became even more exciting than Hollywood blockbusters. They too often made headlines following Link, and although they got ridiculed, looking back, it was quite fun.


    Now that Link had moved to Hollywood, the music scene had become a lot quieter.


    Usually, the news about the music industry on media platforms was about which singer released a new song, the Billboard single rankings, and album sales, all of which seemed a bit dull.


    "The music industry is supposed to be like this. It''s just that after Link came, he spoiled the atmosphere. He''s the industry''s shit-stirrer,"


    sneered Lil Wayne.


    The others nodded in agreement; Link really was a shit-stirrer.


    In boxing, he turned the industry upside down.


    After becoming a singer, the music industry was in turmoil with one big news story after another.


    ```


    Now that Link had become an actor, Hollywood thus became busier.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Mr. Baker, I''m your fan. Could you sign an autograph for me?"


    "No problem!"


    On the United Airlines flight in business class, Link took the autograph book from the female fan''s hand and scribbled his name with a pen. The fan took the autograph book and left excitedly.


    This was the fifteenth fan who had asked him for an autograph since he boarded the plane. He only sighed in relief when Wallace said there were no more fans asking, then undid his collar and cuffs and sat down comfortably in his seat.


    "I heard you''re having a conflict with Harvey?"


    Across him, director Woody Allen took off his headphones and asked.


    "Who said that?"


    Link opened his eyes and smiled.


    "I''m not deaf, a lot of people in the circle are talking about it."


    "Talking about what?"


    "They are saying you and Harvey are having a conflict. Talk to me seriously, don''t beat around the bush with me here."


    Director Allen said discontentedly.


    "I''m not beating around the bush. I just want to know if what you''ve heard is different from what I know. For instance, why am I having a conflict with Harvey, what started it, and what happened and the result of it all."


    Link spread his hands and laughed.


    Director Woody Allen adjusted his glasses, "I heard it''s because of Jennifer?"


    "That''s right, Harvey knew Jennifer was my girlfriend but still dared to harass her during auditions. When he called to continue harassing Jennifer, I scolded him outright.


    I was really angry at the time and might have been a bit harsh, which probably provoked him. He then used his connections to cost me two roles, and he''s been going around the circle threatening to blacklist me. And up to now, I haven''t lifted a finger against him. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So Woody, your question about me having a conflict with Harvey is wrong. It''s Harvey who is having a conflict with me. Looking at the whole situation, I don''t believe I''ve done anything wrong," Link said earnestly.


    As for the matter of me using ''dirt'' to scare Harvey into giving me half of the rights to ''Silver Linings Playbook'', it all started because Harvey was not clean, and I got him by the throat.


    This issue also cost Harvey face, and I believe even if Director Woody Allen asked him, Harvey wouldn''t easily disclose it.


    "It does sound like Harvey''s fault. I''ll have a talk with him when I have the time, see if I can mediate a bit for you guys. Harvey is an old-school producer with deep roots in the circle. If you want to develop in Hollywood, it''s better not to be too stiff with him," Director Allen said.


    Director Woody Allen had collaborated with Harvey a few times, including on films like "Dysfunctional Aphrodisiac" and "Celebrity Polyphony," produced and distributed by Miramax Films, so the two had some rapport.


    "I understand," Link said, expressing his thanks to Director Allen, but he also knew the likelihood of Harvey agreeing to reconcile was slim, and even if Harvey did agree, he wouldn''t.


    If it hadn''t been for Harvey, he wouldn''t have made a move to buy Lionsgate at this time, with over two hundred million US dollars in losses. Later, when ''Bridesmaids'' was released, Harvey played dirty, leading to over six million dollars in box office losses.


    All these were debts owed by Harvey and couldn''t be easily settled.


    "Woody, do you think having offended Harvey will affect my chances of winning the Oscars for Best Actor?" Link asked.


    Because Director Woody Allen was also a member of the jury and had served in positions such as vice chairman and chairman in the Oscars Academy jury, although he hadn''t continued in key positions in recent years, he still had the connections.


    Director Woody Allen was drinking water and paused when he heard this.


    "You want to win the Oscars for Best Actor? When, and on what grounds?"


    "How do you think my performance in ''Midnight in Paris'' was? Do I have a chance at the Oscars for Best Actor with that role?" Link inquired.


    Director Woody Allen rolled his eyes and told him to forget about it, it was impossible. The Oscars Academy would rather give Best Actor to Optimus Prime, Batman, Harry Potter, or even Mickey Mouse, but not him.


    Because he''s too young, too successful, too handsome, too famous, and his value is also too high.


    Among the 5765 members of the Oscars selection committee, 62% are elderly people over the age of 60, and 77% are male.


    Some of them had won the Oscars trophy, some had spent a lifetime making a lot of effort without success. With such resentful people as jurors, how could they possibly vote for him? It was absolutely impossible.


    "Woody, I don''t have even a slight chance?"


    "You don''t! Don''t even think about it," Director Allen said, waving his hand and closing his eyes.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, not disappointed¡ªif he couldn''t get an Oscar, then he would first aim to be Film Emperor at the Cannes, Berlin, and Venice film festivals.

 Chapter 531 - 415 Paris Baby

    Although Link also wanted to become a Film Emperor soon, this trip didn''t present much opportunity.


    "Midnight in Paris" was invited to the Cannes Film Festival due to its theme, to be the opening film, not because Woody Allen actively sought to participate in the Cannes awards.


    For a director, being invited by the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival to screen his work at the opening ceremony is an affirmation and an honor, no less significant than winning the Palme d''Or, and there is no need to participate in subsequent award evaluations.


    For Link, however, it meant one less chance to compete for awards.


    Of course, he had asked Allen why he didn''t just submit to the Cannes Film Festival to win a few awards, which could also help promote the film.


    Allen replied disdainfully that he had already won awards at major film festivals in Europe and America, and now that he was older, he wasn''t very interested in winning more.


    He also wasn''t willing to compete with a bunch of youngsters.


    In the end, Allen grandly stated he wanted to "leave the opportunity for the young people."


    Link felt his words were somewhat forced.


    Allen said he wasn''t very interested in film awards due to his age, but he still participated in the Golden Globe Awards, Oscars, and British Academy Film Awards.


    This meant that it wasn''t that he didn''t want to win at Cannes, but that he couldn''t.


    This had to do with the award selection system at Cannes, which is considered the "youngest," "most open," and "most inclusive" film festival.


    Most of the directors participating in Cannes each year are young and emerging filmmakers from around the world.


    And the Cannes jury isn''t fixed; each year, nine renowned filmmakers from various countries, including representatives of all age groups and both genders, are invited.


    For instance, this year''s jury members included Robert De Niro, Jude Law, Johnnie To, Olivier Assayas, Uma Thurman, Lynn Ullman, Mohammad Saleh Haroun, and Martina Gusman.


    Among these nine jurors, aside from the chairman Robert De Niro who is over sixty, all are under sixty and have less experience in the film industry than Woody Allen, some even having previously collaborated with him.


    Having these people judge Allen''s work would be embarrassing for them, and Woody Allen would feel uncomfortable too, especially if the result wasn''t winning the Palme d''Or.


    Thus in the film industry, many seasoned filmmakers refrain from competing in the main competition section of Cannes after reaching a certain age or level of experience.


    "Link, you''re still young. Don''t always focus on the awards; what you should consider is how to improve your acting. As long as your acting is good enough, those film festival judges will naturally grant you the awards... except the Oscars,"


    Woody Allen said.


    Link nodded. Before his net worth reached one billion, the main goal of being an actor was to become famous and earn more pay. But now, it was more about interest, and winning awards was just icing on the cake. So he was indeed not in a hurry.


    "Good morning, Mr. Baker, Director Allen, I''m delighted to meet you here."


    As the two spoke, a girl in a light green dress came up to greet them.


    She was quite young, in her early twenties, blonde and fair-skinned, tall, and beautifully dressed; only when she looked at Link did her face redden with barely suppressed excitement.


    "Hello, Miss Olsen, are you also going to Paris?"


    "Mr. Baker, you know me?"


    The girl looked at him in surprise. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve seen your films; your acting is quite impressive."


    "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Baker."


    Elizabeth Olsen smiled excitedly.


    Link shook her hand and invited her to sit down for a chat.


    He had just said he had seen her films, not the current ones but future ones. Elizabeth Olsen gained fame for her role as the Scarlet Witch in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and also appeared in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier."


    There were also the currently popular ''Olsen sisters''¡ªher twin sisters¡ªwho became famous for the TV series "Full House," achieving great fame in both the film and music industries, with net worths in the hundreds of millions and even making it onto the Forbes list of "The World''s 100 Wealthiest Women" in 2004.


    Compared to them, Elizabeth Olsen, the younger sister, was much less well-known and still a new actress just starting out.


    After sitting down, Olsen told him and Woody Allen that she was also attending the Cannes Film Festival, as her starring film "Double-sided Martha" had been selected for the main competition section.


    Link congratulated her.


    Olsen excitedly shared that she was a second-year student at the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, his fellow classmate, and had seen him at this year''s school sports meet, even cheering for him.


    Link smiled lightly and greeted her as a classmate.


    Olsen covered her mouth and laughed, asking him when he would return to school since he was the most famous student at NYU, and many classmates wanted to meet him.


    Link said that after finishing his current work, he would return to school for exams and then they could go to the library together.


    Olsen nodded excitedly, and after getting his contact information, she left contentedly.


    "Youth is great. When I was your age, girls often ran over wanting to date me. Sadly back then I was only focused on studying and writing to become a writer; I missed out on many opportunities to experience love,"


    Woody Allen remarked.


    Link glanced at him. The old man was not tall, probably not even 170 cm when he was young, and was slim and unimpressive. Just after World War II ended, during a period when bravery was revered worldwide, how could someone like him have had many girls pursuing him?

 Chapter 532 - 415 Paris Baby_2

    Director Allen was a filmmaker with a keen eye and instantly understood his micro-expressions, saying unhappily, "I''m a talented man, do you understand? I published many articles in the newspaper when I was in college, and those girls were attracted to my talent."


    "Not like some people, picking up girls just by their looks and body, and boasting shamelessly in the media about how strong they are, talking about several hours... If it were me, I wouldn''t be able to say it."


    Link just shrugged his shoulders without objecting because the old man''s words were too full of jealousy, like a pot of sauerkraut that had been fermenting for seventy or eighty years.


    ¡ª


    When the plane landed at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, it was already past six in the evening, and the sky was growing dusk.


    Because it is a basin, Paris in the summer is hotter than its surroundings, like a little furnace. When he and Director Woody Allen walked out of the airport, they were immediately hit by waves of heat that felt even hotter than Los Angeles.


    Traveling from Paris to Cannes required flying to Nice, a coastal city in the south of France, and then taking a car to Cannes. Woody Allen, being of advanced age, couldn''t handle the back-and-forth hassle and decided to rest in Paris for the night, planning to take the train to Cannes the next day.


    Link had no objections, and after sending Director Woody Allen back to the hotel, he changed his clothes, got into the car that Bob had rented, and drove to Marion Cotillard''s small villa located near the Luxembourg Gardens in the 6th arrondissement.


    Outside the small villa, there was a plane tree avenue, a rose garden, a fountain, and many statues of historical figures. The environment was quite pleasant.


    When Link got out of the car, it was already dim. The lights along the plane tree avenue were dim, the mermaid fountain''s lights flickered on and off, and the surroundings were quiet.


    He put on his hat, said a couple of words to Bob and Wallace, and walked to the villa''s entrance, ringing the doorbell.


    A servant who had been waiting at the door opened it for him, politely saying, "Good evening, Mr. Baker."


    Link had been here once in March, so it wasn''t unfamiliar to him. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He followed the maid up to the second-floor bedroom door, thanked her, and then pushed open the bedroom door.


    With only a bedside lamp on, Marion Cotillard was leaning against the headboard, her golden-brown hair cascading down, holding a book in her hand with a glass of red wine on the bedside table.


    Her face was a bit rounder than when he had last seen her, giving her a more gentle and soft appearance, mingling with her natural elegance and sex appeal. She seemed even more enchanting.


    "I just watched a video of you playing the piano at Los Angeles Airport. When you were singing ''All Of Me,'' were you thinking of me?" Marion Cotillard asked with a smile as she put down her book.


    "Yes, you are a woman who fascinates me deeply. Every time I''m about to see you, I''m filled with an eager anticipation. When I was singing, I was also looking forward to the flight arriving early so that I could hold you tight," Link said, looking into her eyes with deep affection.


    "My dear, then what are you waiting for?" Marion reached out her arms with a smile.


    Link bent down and hugged her tightly, smelling the scent of her perfume and the faint disinfectant from her hair.


    Marion eagerly kissed him, and he fervently responded, his lips locking onto her moist, soft ones that had a hint of red wine.


    After a long kiss, Marion leaned into his arms and said she could feel his love from his kisses, that he hadn''t changed his heart.


    Curiously, Link asked her why she thought he might change his heart?


    Marion expressed her worry that the charm of a woman halves after giving birth, concerned that she might not be able to attract him anymore.


    Link stroked her hair and reassured her she was overthinking; after she had the baby, he would only love her more.


    Marion asked what he would think if the child wasn''t his.


    Link said he would feel jealous of that idiot Guillaume but would still love her and the child.


    Marion wrapped her arms around his neck and delivered another passionate kiss.


    Seeing that Marion was a little tired, Link didn''t insist on seeing the child immediately. After a shower, he changed into pajamas that had been prepared earlier, and went to sleep talking with Marion in his arms.


    The next morning, he saw the newborn in the nursery who had been born just two days earlier.


    Curling up in the crib, a tiny bundle, the little one was asleep, eyes closed, breathing softly, with tiny hands occasionally moving about, like a little monkey.


    Link stayed in the nursery for a while until Guillaume, with a dark expression, called him out, telling him not to disturb Cassel''s sleep.


    Cassel was the name Guillaume had picked for the child, as if worried Link might claim him, had registered the child''s name right after birth.


    Link went to chat with Guillaume, asking about his current work situation.


    Guillaume used to be a leading French actor, having co-starred with DiCaprio in "The Beach," with Sophie Marceau in "One Night," with Marion Cotillard in "Love Me If You Dare," and worked with Emmanuelle Beart, Audrey Tautou, Keira Knightley and other stars, enjoying some fame in the international film scene.


    In recent years he switched to directing and producing with moderate success, barely counting as a second-tier director in the French film industry.


    Link asked if he could take good care of Cassel, offering to take the little one to the United States if he couldn''t manage.


    Guillaume irritably replied that he could handle it and didn''t need Link''s interference.


    Link inquired about the film company as he had also invested in Artist Film Business in France, with Guillaume and Marion as shareholders. The three of them were also business partners.


    Reluctantly, Guillaume shared some information about the company.


    Since last year, they had invested in two films, one of which was "The New Button War," starring him and currently finished production, expected to be released in September.

 Chapter 533 - 415 Paris Baby_3

    Another project Link specifically invested in was "The Intouchables," which is currently being filmed with an unknown release date, as well as "Rust and Bone," which is in preparation and will commence once Marion has fully recuperated.


    Link asked how much capital remained in the company''s account, indicating that he could contribute additional investments if necessary, or invest in more low-budget films if there were surplus funds.


    This question could have been directed to the company''s finance department; asking Guillaume was merely a way to gauge his attentiveness to company affairs.


    Guillaume stated that there were over six million euros left, sufficient to invest in another low-budget film.


    Link instructed him to discuss with the company producers and prioritize investing in projects with box office potential, and consider artistic value after making profits.


    Guillaume, with disdain, retorted that he was Jewish and only knew about making money, that he was utterly vulgar and undeserving of Marion''s love.


    Link didn''t argue with him; in the film industry, whether art or profit is more important is like the distinction between two sects of the Huashan Sword School, a debate that could last days and nights without resolution.


    Link simply reminded him that now they had Cassel, it was imperative to find ways to make more money for a richer life for the child. If he continued to make money without saving like before, he would bring the child to live in the United States and not let him suffer in France with him.


    Guillaume, with a dark expression, countered that having less money was not bad, that being too wealthy could corrupt one''s soul, just like him. It would be a pity if Cassel grew up to be like him, always concerned with money, and he should keep his distance from the child to prevent corrupting him with his vulgarity.


    Link shook his head and returned to the bedroom to join Marion for breakfast.


    It was almost noon by the time he boarded the TGV high-speed train to Cannes, urged by Director Woody Allen. Initially, he had wanted Director Allen and the crew to go ahead and he would follow up to arrive just before the opening ceremony.


    Director Allen mentioned that there were interviews and promotional activities before the opening ceremony, and it was necessary to arrive earlier.


    Link had no choice but to leave the youngster behind and set out early with the old man.


    "Marion is already married and has a child; you should be cautious."


    Director Woody Allen said while flipping through a newspaper.


    "It''s an engagement! Besides, Marion, Guillaume, and I are friends. We co-founded a film company, and my visits are to discuss company matters, seeing Marion just happens to be convenient."


    "Just like that?"


    Director Woody Allen adjusted his glasses, his face full of gossip as he stared at him, trying to read his micro-expressions for an answer.


    "Of course!"


    Link shrugged his shoulders, turned his head back to the continuous Alps with its pristine white snow under the clear sunny sky, and the air so fresh he could almost smell the nearby lavender from Provence.


    Passing through this mountain range westward would bring him into Switzerland; he planned to detour there after the Cannes Film Festival to see where that cold-hearted woman had placed the child.


    Whoo Whoo!


    The train sounded its whistle and, amidst the clanking sounds, plunged into a deep tunnel.


    ¡ª


    The Cannes Film Festival was founded in 1946 and takes place annually in mid to late May, lasting two weeks.


    It is currently the most influential and top-tier international film festival in the world, ranked alongside the Berlin International Film Festival and the Venice International Film Festival as one of the world''s three major international film festivals.


    It features different award categories including ''Main Competition,'' ''Directors'' Fortnight,'' ''Un Certain Regard,'' and ''Critics'' Week,'' with the highest prize being the Palme d''Or.


    This year, the festival committee received 3,304 films from over a hundred countries, including 1,715 feature films and 1,589 short films. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the end, 49 films from 33 countries were nominated in various award categories, with Asia contributing only two films from Japan and one from Israel this year.


    With numerous films, including many with commercial potential, this venue has also become a platform for international film distributors to network.


    Not just the Cannes Film Festival, but also Sundance, Toronto, Venice, Berlin, Rotterdam, and other festivals serve as active spots for international dealers hoping to find commercially promising films among the many participants.


    For instance, the films like the Coen brothers'' "Blood Maze," Quentin Tarantino''s "Reservoir Dogs," Soderbergh''s "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," Jiang Wen''s "Devils on the Doorstep," Chen Kaige''s "Farewell My Concubine," and 2007''s surprise hit "Little Miss Sunshine" all emerged from various major film festivals.


    This festival, Lionsgate Films is participating with two films, "The Devil''s Double" and "Warrior," and has also arranged for people to attend screenings, led by the International Operations Officer, Andrew Kramer.


    Link is also prepared to scout for films worth investing in.

 Chapter 534 - 416 Premiere and Super Fan

    ```


    Upon arrival in the small seaside town of Cannes, Link rested briefly at the hotel, then followed Director Allen and other main creators to the main venue of the Cannes Film Festival, the ''Palais des Festivals'', to attend the film''s opening ceremony.


    After his acquisition of Lionsgate Films, media from all around the world had reported on the matter. In his twenties, he became the boss of Hollywood''s eighth largest production company, which dramatically elevated his status in the film industry.


    At the opening ceremony, journalists from various countries surrounded him, throwing one question after another, most of which related to films.


    They inquired whether there would be any changes in the style and genre of Lionsgate''s future films under his leadership, whether he preferred commercial or art films, what his views were on French cinema, and whether there would be further cooperation.


    Gossip journalists also asked if he knew about Marion Cotillard''s childbirth news, if he had plans to visit her, and even mentioned rumors that the child was his, asking for his opinion on this scandal.


    Besides the media journalists, many filmmakers and film distributors from abroad also sought him out, hoping to strengthen communication and collaboration. This included Belgian directors the Dardenne brothers, Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Japanese director Takashi Miike, and Huaxia director Johnnie To, among others.


    Link handled the crowd for a while and, when the film was about to start, returned to the front row audience seats to watch the movie.


    Director Allen''s "Midnight in Paris" generally felt good. The cinematography was beautiful, showing the wonderful aspects of both classical and modern Paris through the film, but the plot was somewhat flat.


    It told the story of a modern man dissatisfied with his current life who accidentally gains the ability to time travel. Through his travels, he discovers both the good and bad of past societies and, after comparison, ultimately chooses to remain in the present.


    Those familiar with Paris''s ''Belle ¨¦poque'' might adore the film, following the protagonist through the historical Paris.


    For those unfamiliar with that period, watching the film might seem boring, with Link''s good looks and acting skills being the only attraction.


    While watching the movie, Link himself was surprised by the image he portrayed on screen, mainly because he was excessively handsome.


    Not just strikingly good-looking, but also radiating a literary, melancholic, and elegant temperament, each movement exuded a unique sense of beauty.


    Actors like Sean Penn, Tony Leung, and Nicholas Tse, who are naturally quite handsome¡ªprobably a seven or eight out of ten¡ªappear on screen as if they have nine or ten points in terms of attractiveness.


    Link, who was already very handsome and well-built, saw his looks and charm double under Director Allen''s lens.


    Amidst the film, gasps of amazement came from the back row seats, mostly from female fans, exclaiming how incredibly cool he was, "So sexy," like the beautiful Adonis from Ancient Greece.


    Gasps and praises abounded, and although Link was quite confident about his appearance, he still felt a bit embarrassed by the overwhelming flattery.


    "Link, you should thank me. Other directors could not have achieved this quality," Director Woody Allen said expressionlessly.


    Link smiled lightly, knowing he should thank Woody Allen for being portrayed so handsomely, but the person he should thank even more was himself. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, the male lead was designed to be shabby, with loose clothes and messy hair, talking to himself incessantly, a character devoid of charm.


    It was Link''s insistence that transformed the character into a handsome and slightly melancholic young man brimming with literary talent¡ªthe image now on screen.


    If the film had been shot according to Director Allen''s original concept, it would not have received so much praise upon release.


    This movie might become one of Link''s signature works on screen.


    "But don''t get too excited yet. You were called a ''vase actor'' in ''Bridesmaids''. After this film is released, you''ll be one step closer to being the quintessential ''vase actor,'' distancing you further from being an Oscar Best Actor. I can almost call you the man furthest from the Oscar Best Actor, without a doubt," Woody Allen lamented.


    Link thought about it and realized he was indeed getting further from the Oscars.


    Firstly, being too handsome, too young, too wealthy, and too famous were all detractions in the Oscars voting process, then playing a superhero cost him more points.


    Thirdly, being the boss of Hollywood''s eighth largest film production company, fourthly, being a cross-industry personality, and fifthly, now being labeled a male ''vase'' actor, like the treatment of young Leonardo DiCaprio.


    It seemed he ticked all the boxes for deductions.


    "No worries, I''m already at the bottom, there''s no further down I can go. From now on, every step I take is forward," Link said with a light laugh.


    Director Allen glanced at him, and the corner of his mouth twitched.


    While others strove for the Oscars by getting closer and trying to earn points, he distanced himself further, stepping into every pitfall along the way. Such a guy, even living for a hundred years, would never get an Oscar statuette.


    "Oh, Link is so charming."


    "Link is very suitable for art films."


    "Yes, an incredibly nuanced performance."


    In the film, the scene showed Link strolling by the Seine River at midnight in Paris, hands in his pockets, with his disheveled yet stylish hair, a sharp profile, and clean, deep eyes, all the while a wisp of melancholic air lingered in his brows.


    This made many female viewers in the audience exclaim ''God of men,'' while film critics on site esteemed Link''s acting and lavishly praised his performance.


    Applause!


    ```

 Chapter 535 - 416 Premiere and Biggest Fan_2

    The film screening ended, and over three thousand spectators stood up and applauded, paying their respects to Director Allen and the creators of the film.


    "Link is so handsome, so wealthy, and even the World Boxing Champion¡ªhow can there be such an outstanding man in the world?"


    In the back rows of the audience in the viewing hall, a Huaxia actress with a round face stood up, clapping excitedly as she spoke.


    "Calm down, don''t act like a lovesick girl."


    Next to her, Emily Yang''s eyes were intently fixed on Link, who stood resplendent in the crowd like the sun, a man whose status, wealth, fame, appearance, and physique were fatally attractive to women, much like a drug.


    At that moment, not only Lilith Zhao beside her, but also many female fans and foreign actresses were infatuatedly staring at Link. Many had prepared pens and movie posters early, hoping for his autograph.


    "Emily, I heard you know Link. Is it true?"


    Lilith Zhao blinked and asked tentatively.


    Emily Yang nodded slightly, not denying it.


    Dolphin Bay Agency''s largest shareholder is the Golden Shell Investment Company from Hong Kong Island, a piece of information available on the official website.


    But only a few high-level executives in the circle knew that Hong Kong Island''s Golden Shell Investment was a subsidiary of the American Golden Shell Investment, whose owner was Link¡ªnot only a billionaire and the owner of Lionsgate Films but also a major shareholder of the Wanda Film Distribution Company.


    They also knew about her partnership with Link, and because of this fact, many film companies provided her some conveniences when collaborating, hoping to build a good rapport.


    "Emily, I want to get Link''s autograph. Do you think there''s a chance?"


    Lilith Zhao took out a poster of Link and said.


    "You can try."


    Emily Yang replied.


    After thinking it over, Lilith Zhao gathered her courage and walked forward.


    As soon as Lilith Zhao left, a curvaceous woman with pale skin approached and smiled at her, "Emily, will you meet Mr. Baker at Cannes this time?"


    Upon seeing this woman, Emily Yang instinctively became alert.


    This woman''s film "Landing Day," which also participated in the Cannes Film Festival, had not been selected for any competition, but she had attracted considerable media attention on the red carpet in her white crane dress.


    This was a very ambitious and formidable woman, with better connections and more extensive experience than herself.


    Upon her mentioning Link, Emily Yang couldn''t help but heighten her guard.


    "Icy sister, what do you need?"


    "Could you help me get an introduction to Mr. Baker, Emily? I heard you are planning a collaboration with Shang Ying. I happen to know Mr. Liu from Shang Ying and could help you connect with him as well," said Miss Eve Fan with a smile.


    Emily Yang considered it for a moment and agreed, stating she needed to ask Link first.


    Miss Fan smiled slightly, said she would wait for her good news, and then left with the "Landing Day" crew.


    Watching her leave, Emily Yang shook her head.


    "Emily, look, I got Link''s autograph!"


    Lilith Zhao squeezed through with the poster and said.


    "With so many people around, how did you manage to get it?"


    Emily looked curiously at Link, who was surrounded by fans, and asked.


    "I was lucky; Link saw me and stopped to give me an autograph. I was the first one to get it," Lilith smiled and said.


    Emily Yang looked at her significantly and nodded.


    Originally, when founding Dolphin Bay Agency, she planned to prioritize her own managerial work and sign new talents in a couple of years,


    but then one day, Link messaged her about Lilith Zhao, mentioning her potential and suggesting signing her.


    She didn''t object.


    Lilith Zhao was a year younger than her, came from humble beginnings, had only played supporting roles in some dramas, and was a second or third-tier actress with average acting skills. Her only advantage was her slim figure and cute round face.


    She felt that Link probably liked Lilith Zhao, prompting him to ask her to sign Lilith, not for her acting skills, which was why she brought Lilith to Cannes to see what Link had in mind.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After the opening ceremony, Andrew Kramer, the International Business Operations Officer, proactively approached Link to report on work.


    This year at the Cannes Film Festival, they not only came to watch films but also brought two Lionsgate films to participate in the festival,


    one starring Dominic Cooper titled "The Devil''s Double" and another starring Tom Hardy titled "Boxing Warrior." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The latter had once invited Link to star, which he had declined, and now the film had come back into his hands.


    Unfortunately, neither film had made it into the competition nor had a chance to win any awards.


    In contrast, two films distributed by Weinstein Company performed well at this festival, "Revenge for My Father" and "The Artist" both entered the competition and were next in line to vie for the Palme d''Or.


    About the screenings, Andrew Kramer mentioned that he was negotiating for two art films and asked Link if he wanted to see them?


    Link said no, that was their job, he wouldn''t interfere, and told them to go ahead.


    Selecting films is a task that tests a distributor''s judgment and aesthetics.


    Some individuals are experienced and astute, able to instantly discern whether a film has the potential to be a big hit.


    For instance, Harvey Weinstein, though many criticize him as a scoundrel and a swindler, his knack for spotting films is undeniable.


    For example, "Sex, Lies, and Videotape," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, attracted the attention of many distributors, but only Harvey dared to offer the highest bid.

 Chapter 536 - 416 Premiere and Biggest Fan_3

    There was also the classic film "Cinema Paradiso," the director''s cut, which ran for 173 minutes at the Berlin Film Festival and received a lukewarm response. After Harvey acquired the rights, he cut forty minutes from the film, which made it hugely popular.


    Other films like "Farewell My Concubine" and "Trainspotting" also had more than ten to twenty minutes cut for their North American releases, earning Harvey the nickname "Big Scissor."


    Harvey''s abilities could be considered a gift.


    Link didn''t expect Andrew Kramer and the others to be on Harvey''s level; he just needed them not to buy box office duds. Lionsgate Films primarily made its money from movies it produced, not those it acquired.


    After sending Andrew and the others away, Link chatted with a few filmmakers who had approached him, and as he was resting, he received a message from Emily Yang, saying she was also at the festival palace and wanted to meet him in person to report on the company''s matters and asked if he had time.


    Link asked where she was?


    Emily Yang responded that she was about three hundred meters to his left front, the one in the white dress.


    Link looked up and spotted Yang Dami in the crowd, then texted her to come over.


    Soon, Emily Yang ran over, dressed in a Saint Laurent dress, her long hair flowing, with bangs like catfish whiskers, her face looking more refined than last year, probably due to some cosmetic procedures.


    Link shook her hand and invited her to a nearby caf¨¦ to talk.


    There were over twenty movie theaters in the festival palace, which showed films continuously day and night during the festival, and each theater had cafes, restaurants, smoking rooms, etc., for visitors to rest.


    However, during the festival, four to five hundred thousand tourists came to watch free films, and the cafes were often fully occupied.


    Link found an empty seat and invited Emily Yang to sit down, asking about her itinerary in Cannes.


    Emily Yang mentioned that a film she starred in, "Isolated Island Fright," was also showcased in Cannes but unfortunately did not enter any award categories. She also discussed the average overseas sales, asking him if he wanted to take a look?


    Link said he didn''t have time but would arrange for someone from Lionsgate Films to check it out later.


    Emily Yang thanked him, sipped her coffee, and reported on the work of Dolphin Bay Agency.


    Currently, Dolphin Bay had thirty staff members with offices in Mainland and Hong Kong Island, three signed actors including Lilith Zhao, and two drama school students arranged to gain experience in various drama crews.


    The rest was Emily Yang''s own work.


    Last year, she had taken on two popular TV dramas, "Palace Lock Heart Jade" and a new version of "Water Margin," participated in the investments, and starred in two films, "Isolated Island Fright" and "Overheard 2."


    She had now become a first-tier star in Mainland, and the company''s profit status was quite good with profits over three million in half a year.


    Emily Yang mentioned that last year, the box office in Huaxia Mainland was 10.1 billion, 5.7 billion from domestic films and 4.4 billion from overseas films. The film and television market was favorable, and increasing investments in the film and television sector could earn more, but there was a lack of funds.


    Link asked how big she wanted to go.


    Emily expressed her desire to match the top-tier film companies and grow her company to a market value of over one hundred million.


    Link smiled slightly and said he would arrange for someone from Golden Shell to check the work of Dolphin Bay Agency. If she was doing well, he would continue to increase investment, as last year''s investment was a test run.


    "Link, I think I''ve done well. The three million profit I mentioned is all real."


    Emily Yang said confidently yet nervously.


    "Don''t overthink it; it''s mainly to check the company''s management. If you want to grow the company, you can''t be sloppy with the initial structure. I''ll arrange for professional managers from the United States to guide your work."


    "Is that so, thank you."


    Emily Yang said with a smile curving at her lips.


    "Hey, Link, you''re here having coffee too?"


    Hollywood actress Christine Dunst approached, carrying a coffee and greeting him.


    "Hi, Christine!"


    Link stood up to greet her. In recent years, Christine Dunst had become famous for the "Spider-Man" series and this year, had appeared completely nude in "Melancholia", successfully being nominated for Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival.


    They chatted briefly, and Dunst left with her coffee.


    Just two minutes later, French actress Melanie Laurent came to greet him; she had starred in Quentin''s film "Inglourious Basterds" in ''09 and was also the host for this Cannes Film Festival''s opening ceremony.


    Soon, Cannes Film Festival jury members Jude Law and Uma Thurman also came over to greet him.


    Emily Yang sat tensely on the sofa, watching one international star after another pass by Link, warmly greeting him, feeling somewhat dejected.


    Although she was also a big star and her looks were no less than theirs, she could never learn the independence, nonchalance, and confidence that they exuded.


    "You should lift your head, you have more fans than they do, and your net worth is probably not less than theirs."


    Link wiped his hands and said.


    Emily Yang''s cheeks flushed as she straightened her back, only then realizing she had unconsciously lowered her head.


    "Every girl has her own beauty, being bold and assertive is one form of beauty, reserved and subtle is another. When you are admiring them, they are admiring you too. You just need to be a little more confident and show your beauty." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you, I will,"


    Emily Yang said with a slight smile.


    "I have something else later. Let''s stop here for today. I might go to the Mainland next month, and we can talk more then,"


    Link said as he got up.


    Emily nodded reluctantly, then thought for a moment before saying, "Lilith is here too. You met her just now. She really admires you... Do you want to meet her? I can bring her to see you later."


    Link paused, looked at her, and said, "Let''s not meet now. Chris Liu mentioned that Lilith is a very promising actress. Arrange more resources for her to help her grow. Also, I will have someone from Lionsgate Films contact you later. You should take them to see ''Isolated Island Fright.'' I will arrange for them to buy the North American distribution rights for the film, but the price will not be high. You should speak with the filmmakers first."


    "Okay, I understand,"


    Emily unwillingly saw him off.


    Watching him walk away, Emily Yang returned to her seat and slumped her shoulders in disappointment. She had hoped to spend more time with him, but he was too busy. Ever since he appeared at the festival palace, people had been greeting him nonstop.


    It was already good that Link had invited her for coffee and had a chat with her. Emily Yang was quite satisfied.


    But before coming to Cannes, she had hoped that this meeting would deepen her relationship with Link, and ideally, something more could happen to give her more security. However, their conversation had been all about work. Link hadn''t shown that kind of interest, and she was too embarrassed to bring it up herself.


    Not achieving her goal was the source of her disappointment.


    "Hi, Mimi!"


    Hearing someone greet her, Emily Yang turned around and saw Ice Van, whom she had just met.


    "Ice, are you here for coffee too?"


    Emily Yang called out.


    "Yes, just got here,"


    Ms. Ice Van brushed her hair away from her face, revealing a slightly unnatural expression. She had wanted to greet Link earlier, take a few photos with him, but was stopped by Link''s bodyguards at the door.


    It wasn''t just her. Outside the caf¨¦, there was a large group of French female fans and international actresses, all hoping to forge a connection with the new Hollywood mogul.


    Unfortunately, none had the chance, while Emily Yang had managed to talk with Link for more than ten minutes here.


    "Mimi, can I ask you something personal, what is your relationship with Link?"


    "Ice, why do you ask that?"


    "We''re all friends, just making conversation,"


    Ms. Ice Van paused and chuckled, "Link is so handsome and strong. Have you guys... slept together?"


    Emily Yang''s face flushed. "Ice, Link and I have a strictly professional relationship. We were just discussing work earlier."


    "Is that so?"


    Ice Van, noting her demeanor, felt genuinely disappointed.


    She had hoped to use Emily''s connection to get to know Link better, step into Hollywood, but Emily and Link were just in a working relationship, which was neither close nor stable, and probably wouldn''t be much help.


    Seeing the enthusiasm fade from her face, Emily Yang guessed her thoughts and felt a bit regretful for speaking that way.


    Everyone knew Link was a playboy; people in the circle thought she was also Link''s girlfriend, which is why her agency at Dolphin Bay had received favorable treatment.


    Now telling Ice Van that she hadn''t slept with Link wasn''t good news to spread.


    She sipped her coffee, glanced at her watch, and mentioned that Link was planning to buy the North American distribution rights for ''Isolated Island Fright.'' She needed to go and talk with the people at Lionsgate Films, and was quite busy, they would catch up another time. She then grabbed her bag and stood up to leave.


    Ice Van watched her leaving, gave a slight smile, and slowly savored her coffee.

 Chapter 537 - 417 Mr. Shu

    Link left the coffee shop and called Andrew Kramer about "Isolated Island Fright".


    He had seen the movie. The production quality was mediocre, far inferior to the horror movies produced under Lionsgate Films.


    The female leads and supporting actresses in swimsuits didn''t compare to Western actresses in terms of physique, nor did they reveal enough to match the expectations. Moreover, the design of several thrilling scenes wasn''t scary enough for American audiences who were used to seeing blood splatter everywhere.


    The only advantage was that it was a Huaxia thriller, quite novel, which might attract some audience interest.


    After purchasing the North American distribution rights, they would first release it in Chinatown cinemas in major cities. If the box office results were poor, they could release a DVD version or sell it to Netflix for free streaming on their platform.


    As long as the asking price for "Isolated Island Fright" wasn''t high, with Lionsgate''s current channels, they basically wouldn''t lose money.


    He wanted Andrew to push the price down to the lowest in the negotiations, not exceeding five hundred thousand US dollars, as the production cost of "Isolated Island Fright" was only about two to three million US dollars.


    "Huh?"


    Just as he hung up, he suddenly noticed an electronic display in the cinema ahead flashing screening information for ''Mr. Tree'', a movie from Huaxia. The supervising director was a Huaxia director, Jia Zhangke, who had been nominated twice at the main competition sector of the Cannes Film Festival. No other information was displayed.


    Link stopped and went inside the venue to look around; not many people were there. Out of over a hundred seats, only about a dozen were occupied, mostly by Huaxia people.


    The movie had been playing for over twenty minutes, currently showing a scene where ''Tree'' goes to the hospital to treat his eyes and flirts with a young nurse.


    The movie only had English subtitles, no English or French dubbing. Foreigners had to focus on the subtitles to follow the movie, but the translations were riddled with errors, making no sense at all, which only confused the viewers.


    Moreover, focusing too much on the subtitles could cause them to miss out on the plot, making it even harder to understand.


    Not even thirty minutes into the movie, almost all the foreigners in the venue had left, leaving only seven or eight Huaxia people in the front row.


    "This movie is quite good. Why isn''t anyone watching it?"


    "As a Huaxia person, even I find the dialogue difficult to follow, let alone a bunch of foreigners."


    "Exactly! Art films are inherently obscure and hard to understand, and with the language barrier, it''s no wonder no one''s watching."


    "Hey, there''s still one person over there. Why are they wearing a hat to watch the movie?"


    Having heard the discussions from those in front, Link chuckled softly, watched for a few minutes, and then stood up to leave.


    Once in the corridor, he called Andrew and asked him to acquire the North American distribution rights for "Mr. Tree".


    This kind of movie had a low production cost and no foreign distributors were interested in buying, so it could basically be purchased for a song. He wasn''t buying this movie to make money but because he liked it.


    "Mr. Weinstein, you haven''t finished watching the movie. Why not watch a little longer?"


    "A waste of time, trash movie," he replied. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as Link hung up, he encountered Harvey coming out from the opposite cinema, flanked by two assistants and followed by a balding middle-aged man. The middle-aged man was doggedly pursuing Harvey, who walked away sternly with a grave expression.


    "Link?"


    Upon seeing him, Harvey immediately stopped, squinting his eyes, his brown under-eye bags twitching.


    "Hi, Harvey, fancy meeting you here!"


    Link said with a smile.


    Harvey snorted lightly and, taking out a cigar, said with a sidelong glance, "Heard your Lionsgate movies are also showing? Any of them nominated?"


    "No!"


    "Ha! I suspected as much. Lionsgate specialises in trash movies, no surprise none was nominated."


    "No worries, my movies perform well at the box office, always bringing surprises."


    Link curled the corners of his mouth and said.


    Harvey''s face turned dark instantly, the fat on his face twitched a few times, and his expression became very ugly. He understood what Link was implying¡ªthis bastard was flaunting the box office success of "Bridesmaids" right to his face.


    "Hmph, you won''t be lucky forever, we''ll see,"


    Harvey glared at him and left with his entourage.


    "Mr. Baker, do you have time to see what my movie is like?"


    The middle-aged man invited warmly.


    Link glanced at his watch; there was still time, so he entered the cinema. It was a French erotic film, shot in a voyeuristic style, with little plot and no artistic value¡ªwatching this kind of film was indeed a waste of time.


    He watched for about four or five minutes before getting up and moving to another venue.


    In just over an hour, he watched segments of more than twenty films but didn''t recognize any. He realized how difficult it was to find one or two good films from thousands that hadn''t been exposed by the media.


    Once a film was delivered to the Cannes Film Festival, film lovers, media reporters, and professional critics from all over the world would move between various cinema venues.


    If a film was of good quality, it would be discovered by the audience at the beginning of its screening, attracting more viewers. Subsequently, the media would report on it, critics would publish reviews, word of mouth would ferment, drawing the attention of the jury, and the good ones would be selected into the main competition section.


    The whole festival process was like picking gold from sand, and the chances of overlooking a good film were extremely slim.


    After 9 p.m., the film festival moved into the midnight show, and various venues began screening some explicit films.


    The festival palace became even livelier, with many movie fans queued in the lobby with their previously obtained tickets, waiting to enter.


    He wasn''t very interested in these types of films and returned early to the seaside hotel to rest, meanwhile, he called Eva to inquire about the progress of the Warner Bros. Pictures'' box office theft investigation.


    Eva said that while arranging for the investigation, Warner Bros. Pictures found out about their actions and sent a marketing president to negotiate, persuading her and Catherine to drop it and offering to compensate some of the box office.


    Eva''s demand was to return all the box office revenue, otherwise, she would continue the investigation and use the law to protect the company''s legitimate interests.


    The Warner Bros. Pictures said they needed to think about it.


    Eva promised to give them time to consider and arranged for people to continue investigating. So far, they had retrieved evidence of some theaters participating in box office fraud. With this evidence, although they might not necessarily win a lawsuit, creating public opinion could still damage Warner Bros. Pictures'' image.


    Link told her to be careful and to bring more bodyguards when going out recently.


    Eva laughed and agreed, asking him how Cannes was and whether he had seduced any beauties.


    Link said no, not one of the women here could compare to a tenth of her.


    After finishing the phone call, he sat on the balcony, drank a glass of red wine, watched the sea view of Cannes for a while, and then slept. He exercised the next morning and casually picked up several French newspapers from the hotel lobby. He found that there were many reviews about "Midnight in Paris."


    Besides praising director Allen''s unfading expertise and stable filmmaking skills, this film still bore the distinct Woody Allen style and could be called a sister piece to "Midnight in Barcelona".


    The rest of the reviews all praised Link''s acting skills, commending his refined and infectious performance style as charming and talented.


    They praised his romantic scenes with Marion Cotillard and Jennifer Lawrence as spectacular, uplifting the entire quality of the film.


    The reviews stated that the trio''s acting skills were no less than those of Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johansson, and Penelope Cruz from "Midnight in Barcelona".


    Finally, "Le Figaro", "Le Francais Soir" and other newspapers published multiple film stills of him in their entertainment sections, all focusing on his close-ups in the film.


    "Le Francais Soir" stated, ''Last night in Cannes, everyone was captivated by Link''s presence on the screen. With his personal charm, he conquered this edition of Cannes,'' and they predicted that upon the film''s release, it would undoubtedly spark a new ''Link craze'' globally, making movie fans worldwide fall for his charm.


    Marion Cotillard also called to praise how handsome he looked in the photos, saying she had looked at them over and over again and planned to cut them out and keep them in her album as a keepsake.


    Link touched his cheek, recalled director Allen''s words that being too handsome could make one be called a male vase and envied by Oscars judges, and felt somewhat helpless at the moment.

 Chapter 538 - 418: Trip to Switzerland

    While having breakfast, Andrew Kramer, the international business operations officer, called to announce that they had secured the North American distribution rights for "Isolated Island Fright" for $250,000.


    Hearing this figure, Link couldn''t help but silently marvel at how cheap it was, practically a giveaway.


    Yet, he also understood the distributor''s mindset behind "Isolated Island Fright."


    Due to language barriers and cultural differences, Huaxia''s thriller movies barely had any market overseas, let alone this being just an average-quality film.


    For the producers, having someone willing to buy the movie''s distribution rights was good news; even the smallest mosquito was still meat.


    And for the movie itself, it could serve a very good promotional purpose. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For instance, following the deal, the movie''s marketing company could announce in the media that the movie rights had been acquired by the distinguished Lionsgate Films in Hollywood, the production company behind the famous horror series, ''Saw.''


    Under the halo effect, many horror movie enthusiasts would think that the movie must be of good quality to be picked by Lionsgate Films; then, out of curiosity, they wouldn''t be able to resist walking into the cinema to check it out.


    There were also considerable benefits for the main actors; having their film released overseas and achieving some box office success would add an ''international star'' halo in the media promotion.


    This was also one of the reasons why Link had bought the movie¡ªto raise Yang Dami''s status.


    Andrew Kramer then mentioned "Mr. Tree," saying that the distributor had left Cannes early, and he was in the process of contacting the film producer, Jia Zhangke.


    Link said he got it.


    During the meal, he also ran into director Allen, who told him that the Cannes Film Festival organizers wanted to invite him as an award presenter and asked if he was interested. If so, the Cannes organizers would send him an invitation letter.


    Link said he didn''t have the time, as he had other matters to deal with and would leave Cannes shortly after.


    "Doing what? Chasing girls?"


    Director Allen dipped a piece of French bread into his thick soup.


    "Yesterday, as I passed by the Alps, I found the scenery there quite beautiful. I plan to take a tour around the mountains to cultivate my sentiments," Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Director Allen stared at him with a chuckle, seemingly not quite believing his words.


    Link didn''t elaborate further and after breakfast, hopped into the Mercedes SUV that Bob and Wallace had purchased in Nice, heading north again, passing through the southeastern region of Provence.


    This area is the homeland of lavender, and in May and June, it is the blooming season of lavender; one could see vast expanses of purple lavender fields along the way, with the air carrying a refreshing fragrance, as well as large vineyards. Although it was not the season for grapes to ripen, the vineyards were lush, with occasional bunches of green grapes, the size of peas.


    The houses by the roadside also bore the local characteristics, with Gothic pointed rooftops and brick structures, almost no modern steel-framed buildings, and houses in vivid colors like peach red, bright orange, and bright yellow¡ªan enchanting landscape.


    Link quite liked the scenery here and planned to inquire about the house prices on his return trip to vacation here with his children in the future.


    He drove through the Provence region for a day and a half before entering Switzerland''s southeastern region, the Canton of Geneva, the following day.


    Switzerland is one of the world''s wealthiest countries, also known as the heart of Europe, the kingdom of watches, and the land of finance. It''s also called ''the mountainous country'' and ''the roof of Europe'' due to most of its territory lying in the Alps.


    Both the southern and northern regions of Switzerland are plateaus and mountains, with only the central part having some lower plains, where famous cities like Geneva, Bern, and Zurich are located.


    However, the city of Interlaken, where Link was headed, was situated on a plateau, encompassed by towering mountains, mostly over a kilometer high, with peaks perennially covered in snow.


    Breathing in the cool breeze coming from the mountains, Link felt once again that Taylor Swift was pretty ruthless; to send a child who was not long born to such a place was to show no concern for the child''s life at all.


    They drove through the Alps for two days and on the third day arrived at the small town of Eilat Bad in Interlaken. Although it was also a tourist city, it was remote and transportation was extremely inconvenient. It took Link two days of driving through the mountains to get to the villa on Les Netterhela Street, number 13, as Mrs. Andrea had said.


    However, after circling the area, he couldn''t find any villa number 13; there was only a tourist hotel, and the hotel''s window had a poster of Taylor Swift''s concert held there in April.


    On the poster, Taylor wore a long white dress with her blonde hair flowing, passionately singing into a microphone, and her right hand making a ''V'' towards the street.


    Link, with a lollipop in his mouth, found a patrolling officer and asked him about the location of the villa at number 13 Les Netterhela Street.


    The policeman said that this street was in a tourist area and had no number 13 villa. Next door, in the La Ronde region, there were more residential villas, including a number 13.


    Link thanked the officer and returned to his car to send a text to Mrs. Andrea, asking if she might have gotten the address wrong?


    He waited a while without a response and then realized that it was still the middle of the night in the United States.


    He, along with Bob and Wallace, could only settle down in the hotel first.


    Hearing from a guide that the snow-capped Jungfrau Peak, a famous Swiss attraction, was not far away, he discussed with Bob and the others a visit to the mountain. They took a few photos in the snow and sent them to his little round-faced friend to make her envious.

 Chapter 539 - 418: Trip to Switzerland_2

    The summit of Xuelang Peak is not high, standing at only 2970 meters, and you can take a cable car to go up and down, making transportation quite convenient. By the time he descended the mountain, it was not dark yet, and his mobile phone had received a reply from Mrs. Andrea, as well as two missed calls.


    Mrs. Andrea asked him what address?


    Link replied, saying he had last asked her if it was convenient to watch the kids, and she had replied that Taylor had given up the kids, at a villa located at 31 Les Netterhla Street in Lauterbrunnen Town, Interlaken, Bern, Switzerland, and even sent her a screenshot of their previous message.


    Mrs. Andrea said no, she had not seen his message before, and had not sent any address, adding that the kids were in Nashville and had not been sent to Switzerland.


    Upon reading this message, Link''s face immediately darkened. If this message wasn''t sent by Mrs. Andrea, then who could it be?


    Click!


    Los Angeles, Beverly Hills villa, Mrs. Andrea pushed open the door to the study and saw Taylor engaged in a video call, endlessly smiling at the screen viewing the child.


    "Mom, is something wrong?"


    Taylor took off his headset and looked at Mrs. Andrea.


    "Did you use my phone to send any messages?"


    Mrs. Andrea asked with a stern expression.


    "No, why would I use your phone to send messages."


    Taylor shook his head.


    Mrs. Andrea handed him the screenshot of the message, "Did you send this?"


    Upon glancing at it, Taylor immediately remembered. She scrunched up her nose, "I sent it. Link went to Switzerland? Ha, he really is so foolish. Switzerland is a Christian country; can''t he even guess they avoid the number 13? I really hope Cynthia and Alexander don''t end up as foolish as him when they grow up."


    Mrs. Andrea looked at her, "You used my phone to send it, of course he believed it. Are you deliberately making things difficult for him?"


    "So what if I am? I suffered for over a year bearing and birthing a child. Just making him make a trip to Switzerland, what of it? And I told him not to keep asking, yet he keeps bothering us. He''s brought this upon himself."


    Taylor snorted dismissively.


    Mrs. Andrea shook her head, "What are you thinking? If you want to break off completely from Link, why did you have children in the first place? If you don''t want to break up, why don''t you find a way to reconcile? I think you and Link are well-suited, even though he''s a bit flirtatious, but he''s still young and more suitable for you than other men."


    "I don''t get what you''re trying to achieve now. Don''t you think about the future? Are you going to continue on this way, as a single mother?"


    "Mom, stop it. I''m happy with my life as it is now, and I don''t want to think about anything else,"


    Taylor said.


    Seeing her stubborn look, Mrs. Andrea didn''t say anything more. Taylor was too opinionated; some things wouldn''t change unless she decided to change her mind herself. Others could talk all they wanted, but it would be of no use.


    Leaving the study, Mrs. Andrea replied back to Link, telling him the children were not in Switzerland and had not been given away. If there were any other questions, he should contact Taylor, as she couldn''t make decisions.


    Link received Mrs. Andrea''s message and tried to send Taylor a message via WhatsApp.


    "Are you there?"


    "What do you want? Just speak up, don''t always ask if I am here, I hate that question."


    Taylor''s reply was intense, the irritation palpable even through the screen.


    "You had blocked me before; I needed to make sure I could send this successfully."


    Link hastily replied.


    "So it''s my fault?!!"


    "No, it''s my fault. Anne told me our children are still with us, and I''m glad, thank you, you''ve had a hard time."


    "Thanks? Why thank you? They are my children; I gave birth to them, they have nothing to do with you, and I don''t need your thanks."


    "Okay, okay, wait, they? Twins? Triplets? Quadruplets?"


    Link asked in surprise.


    "Idiot, have you lost your mind?! Am I an animal to birth quadruplets?! They''re twins; didn''t Anne tell you?"


    "No, Anne just told me the kids are fine, to not worry; she didn''t tell me anything else. So, they are really twins? We have two children? Honey, you are amazing, most women have only one at a time, you had two at once, you are really strong."


    Link unabashedly praised.


    "Shut up! I don''t need your compliments, and Alexander and Cynthia are my children, they have nothing to do with you. You better not let anyone investigate where they are, if you dare to do so, I will send them to Africa."


    Taylor said.


    Link''s mouth twitched.


    "Alexander and Cynthia? A boy and a girl? That''s great, the names are beautiful too. Are they with you? Can I take a few photos to see?"


    "Don''t even think about it! You chose to cheat, so don''t expect the kids to recognize you. There''s no such good deal in the world, that''s the price you pay for your infidelity."


    Taylor said.


    "I know I was wrong, but I feel the kids might need me. Look at the kids around you, the ones with dads are braver and stronger, those without dads are mostly timid, cowardly, and introverted. Considering the future of the children, I need to gain the right to visit them, I hope you can give me that chance."


    "You''re right, I''ll find them a dad as soon as possible."


    "...They are my children, no one will love them more than I do, nor can anyone replace my role. Besides, you are too busy with work, often out and about, and only see the children a few times a month.


    While I am quitting the music industry in the second half of the year, I will have a lot of time at home. I suggest you let me take care of the children. I promise to take very good care of them, and with me looking after them, you can go to work with more peace of mind. What do you say, darling?"


    "Absolutely not! Alexander and Cynthia are my children, I will never hand them over to you, don''t even think about it, you bastard!"


    Taylor said.


    "I read in the news that many nannies, unable to bear children crying at night, secretly add sleeping pills to the formula. Sometimes, when nannies work with emotions, they secretly pinch and stab the children with needles, are you comfortable with leaving the children in the care of a nanny?"


    "Don''t talk nonsense! The nannies I hired are all very kind and ethical, they would never do such things."


    Taylor said.


    "I hope so, but I believe that in the growth process of children, parents are irreplaceable by anyone else. No matter how many professional nannies you hire, I believe that raising children at home is more beneficial for their growth. I hope you can seriously consider it.


    Also, I promise I won''t fight you for the children. You are their mother and more important to them. I just want to see them more often and be with them as they grow up, to make up for my past faults to you and to them. I hope you can give me this chance."


    After a while, Taylor replied:


    "I need to think about it, don''t push me."


    "Okay, take your time to think about it, but can you please not block me? I hope we can communicate like friends, I promise I won''t randomly send you messages to bother you."


    "Alright, it depends on your behavior."


    Taylor said.


    Link breathed a sigh of relief, finally soothing this irritable woman. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How much do the kids weigh now? Do they look like you or me?"


    "Alexander weighs 18.7 pounds, Cynthia weighs 18.4 pounds, very healthy, of course, they all look like me. If they looked like you, there would be no hope."


    "Indeed, being too handsome is indeed not good, can''t win an Oscar, being ordinary like you is quite good."


    "You''re really vain! If Alexander grows up to be like you, I''ll definitely spank him every day."


    Taylor said.


    Link smiled lightly, just about to reply when Taylor sent another text.


    "I thought about it, and I''ve decided to block you."


    Taylor said.


    "Why? I was just joking earlier, you are very beautiful, both your figure and your features are top-notch, and your blonde hair is very charming, it''s best for the kids to look like you."


    "It''s not because of that. You''ve disrupted my life. I was very peacefully reading and writing at home, but your messages messed up my mind. I don''t want this to continue, goodbye, jerk!"


    "Hey, don''t be like that."


    The message had just been sent when the chat interface immediately showed ''Not Friends'', please add friends before sending messages.

 Chapter 540 - 419 Backyard on Fire?

    After returning to the United States from Europe, he drove straight to Taylor''s Beverly Hills villa, hoping to corner Taylor in the villa and have a serious talk with this stubborn woman.


    Unfortunately, he was a step too late. Mrs. Andrea said that Taylor had returned to Nashville.


    Link said he wanted to go to Nashville too and asked Mrs. Andrea for another address.


    Mrs. Andrea told him to ask Taylor first.


    Link said all his contact methods had been blocked by Taylor.


    Mrs. Andrea said there was nothing she could do, as Taylor is a very stubborn person.


    Link could only leave behind some specialities from Europe and a letter with Mrs. Andrea, before driving back to the Santa Monica Bay.


    On the road, he took out his laptop and went through the recent couple of days'' entertainment news in the United States, and was surprised to discover that there was trouble brewing in his own backyard.


    This morning, "Los Angeles Times," "USA Today," "Hollywood Reporter," and other media outlets released a bombshell headline¡ªLink kicked to the curb again, Miss Thompson finds a new love?


    According to the "Los Angeles Times" report, while Link was in France for the Cannes Film Festival, Miss Ivanka Trump was frequently seen with a middle-aged gentleman.


    Investigations revealed that this gentleman is called Pam Abdi, the newly appointed CEO of the Marketing Department at Warner Bros. Pictures, a 39-year-old, successful, and wealthy single man, divorced and single.


    There were also multiple photos of the two chatting in a caf¨¦, and a couple that looked like they were sitting rather close.


    More reports about this incident were found online, where websites speculated they were dating at a Hilton hotel, complete with photos to suggest as such.


    The news headlines were all quite shocking¡ª


    ''Ivanka finds a new love interest, playboy Link suffers a breakup''


    ''Link and Ivanka breakup, what''s the future for Link Music?''


    ''Link and Ivanka fallout, Lionsgate Films may face a new upheaval''


    ''According to sources, without the protection of the Thompson family, Link might lose everything''


    And so on.


    The headlines were all sensationalistic and declared with a tone of certainty, as if Link''s breakup with Ivanka had already become an irreversible fact.


    Also, on social media, the discussion among netizens shifted from the initial breakout of ''Link and Ivanka'' to ''How important is Ivanka to Link,'' and ''Is Link living off Ivanka?''


    Many netizens believed that Ivanka was extremely important to Link, without her, Link Music would never have been so successful, and Lionsgate would never have been taken over smoothly. Without Ivanka, Link was sure to see his value plummet.


    A lot of similarly worded comments appeared in various platform comment sections.


    For example, ''Link lives off Ivanka, without her he''s just a broke nobody,'' ''Link relied on Ivanka to build his career but constantly cheats, he''s a scumbag,'' ''Ivanka dumps Link, and he''s going to return to being that penniless beach bum,'' ''The true nature of scumbag Link revealed.''


    There were also many of Link''s fans leaving messages in his defense, claiming that even before his relationship with Ivanka, Link was already worth over a billion US dollars, an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, and a world-class singer. If even this was considered living off someone, then nobody was worthy of Ivanka.


    This comment received more than fifty thousand likes and over ten thousand agreeing messages.


    Some netizens refuted the fans, saying, putting aside the fact that Link is an Olympic champion and world boxing champion, without Ivanka managing Link Music, Link Music would never have been so successful, nor would Link have gained such fame.


    Without such fame, his albums wouldn''t sell so well, and he wouldn''t have made so much money.


    Without so much money, he wouldn''t have been able to invest in Tesla, Twitter, Nvidia, or gain control over Lionsgate Films.


    So, without Ivanka, there would be no Link today.


    This comment also received over ten thousand likes and three thousand opposing messages. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many of Link''s fans countered below, pointing out that there was an obvious logical error in the above comments. The success of Link Music was completely due to Link''s presence. At the beginning, the company only had one singer which was Link, and he personally wrote the majority of the songs in his albums, with each album selling better than the last. His talent was the fundamental reason he became famous, as well as the key to Link Music''s growth.


    Additionally, several platinum-selling artists under Link Music were discovered by Link, who also personally wrote their debut songs.


    From this perspective, Link is the key to the growth and development of Link Music, as well as the core, while Ivanka is an important factor in the success of Link Music.


    Just like how MJ became an Emperor Superstar due to his own talent, gifts, and hard work¡ªnot by relying on his music company.


    These comments received a lot of support and likes.


    Yet, some netizens said, setting aside the facts, if it weren''t for Ivanka, would Link Music still be as successful with someone else at the helm?


    Furthermore, even though Link''s songs are credited to him as the composer, is that really the truth?


    In the music industry, there are many singers who don''t write songs, they simply take songs purchased by their company, attach their name to them, and pretend to be songwriters¡ªthis is no secret within the industry.


    Link could possibly be one of these singers.


    This comment was like poking a hornet''s nest. Posted at 9:12 pm, by 10:30 pm, it had already received over eight thousand comments, almost all of which were disagreeing.


    Many netizens vehemently stated that all of Link''s hit songs since his debut were personally written by him.


    Including the viral "Despacito," boxing motivation songs "the fighter," "Unstoppable," and the ones he wrote in response to internet gossip in March ''09, "Give Me Reason," along with the songs from the feud with East Coast rap in May and June ''09, "I''m the one," "Lighters," "Believer," and more.

 Chapter 541 - 419 Backyard on Fire?_2

    There''s also the god-tier song "See You Again" composed to commemorate MJ, not to mention the god-tier song "Legends never die" written for the Super Bowl at the end of ''09, and all the songs from the third album were love songs dedicated to Taylor.


    Furthermore, there were his championship singles written for Selena, Wiz Khalifa, Lana Del Rey, and Bruno Mars.


    With Link''s songwriting prowess being so formidable, does he really need someone else''s help to write songs?


    That''s utter nonsense.


    Those skeptics unable to win the argument on this point dragged the debate back to Link''s relationship with Ivanka.


    They claimed that Ivanka was a rich heiress from the Thompson Family, worth billions of US Dollars, with countless connections; without her, Link would never have been this successful, and if Ivanka were to dump him, he''d quickly become penniless.


    Link''s fans countered, saying yes, the penniless guy who makes forty or fifty million in two or three minutes; they also brought up again Link''s label as a "Money Printing Machine." As a money printer, he''s probably only poor in that he has nothing left but money.


    The two sides argued back and forth online, with supporters focusing on facts over fallacies and the skeptics bulldozing without regard for the facts.


    As the debate grew heated, it inadvertently made the trending searches list again.


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    When the car returned to the bay villa, Link received a call from Catherine asking what time he''d arrive in Los Angeles and whether he had seen the news that day, telling him not to believe what the newspapers said.


    That day, Ivanka and representatives from Warner Bros. Pictures were negotiating in a caf¨¦, and Catherine, the producer of "Bridesmaids," and Christine Wiig were also present.


    However, the paparazzi who took the photographs had ulterior motives, deliberately capturing only Ivanka and Pam Abdi, president of Warner''s market department.


    Link said he understood and wouldn''t jump to conclusions; Ivanka was now chairwoman of Lionsgate Films, and if just having coffee with a person of the opposite sex made him overthink, that would show a lack of confidence and trust in Ivanka, which is the most important thing between couples.


    Link then inquired about the negotiation situation with Warner Bros. Pictures.


    Catherine reported that after presenting numerous concrete pieces of evidence, the distribution company of Warner Bros. Pictures had acknowledged the existence of data errors in box office statistics, but there was still some disagreement regarding compensation.


    "Based on data from the box office monitoring company Rentrak, ''Bridesmaids'' currently has a North American box office of $128 million, not $70.5 million. We demand Warner Bros. Pictures return all the misallocated box office revenue, plus cover all the investigation costs of about $2 million US Dollars."


    Warner Bros. Pictures stated that so far, ''Bridesmaids'' only had a North American revenue of $104 million, not the $128 million reported by Rentrak, and they''re only willing to pay $500,000 for the investigation costs.


    After the negotiation failed, we gave Warner Bros. Pictures three days to consider, and tomorrow we will submit all evidence to the MPAA and the Los Angeles courts for review, and this case will be publicly heard.


    We suspect that Warner Group is also involved in this scandal, trying to use it to disrupt our plans.


    I''ve just had a meeting with Ivanka, and we''ve decided to stop negotiating with Warner Bros. Pictures and to directly submit our evidence to the MPAA and the courts. We''ll be asking not only for the return of all misappropriated box office revenue, but also for Warner to pay a certain amount of compensation."


    "Do we have sufficient evidence?"


    Link asked.


    Behind Warner Bros. Pictures stands one of the media giants, Time Warner Group, which owns Time Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Fortune Magazine, Turner Television Network, CNN, HBO, DC Comics, Warner Bros. Pictures, Warner Music, and other subsidiary brands, with a market value of over forty billion.


    If they were to go to court against Warner, without ample evidence, this lawsuit might turn into a protracted battle of attrition. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Catherine explained, "Warner Bros. Pictures'' main method of embezzling box office revenue was through transfer, shifting ''Bridesmaids'' revenue to two movies released by Warner in February, ''Unknown Identity'' and ''Waka''."


    Since their methods were quite covert, obtaining key evidence was difficult, but our existing evidence was sufficient to prove Warner Bros. Pictures'' box office theft.


    The final ruling would depend on the MPAA''s level of concern for the case and Warner Bros. Pictures'' public relations capabilities. Regardless of Warner''s choice, just the exposure of this issue would have a significant impact on them."


    Link pondered a moment and began to understand.


    Warner Bros. Pictures, part of the Time Warner Group, is also a public company.


    Such companies highly value reputation, and once exposed for this type of negative news, the loss in the stock market would be far more than tens of millions. A drop in share price, affecting shareholders'' interests, might force a change in the leadership at Warner Bros. Pictures.


    And Warner''s distribution company, despite knowing the severe consequences, still risked embezzling box office revenue, likely underestimating the strength of Palm Beach Films.


    Before the movie''s distribution, they also didn''t anticipate Lionsgate Film acquiring the rights to distribute in most regions at the last minute.


    If Lionsgate Films hadn''t been involved in distribution, Ivanka and Catherine wouldn''t have been able to spot the discrepancies in box office revenue across states, initiate an investigation into the box office data, and uncover Warner Bros. Pictures'' malpractice.


    Link remembered the "Scandal Plan" and asked Catherine whether this film was involved in any box office theft.


    Catherine said the film had already been pulled from theaters and even if it had been involved in box office theft, it wouldn''t be easy to find out now.


    However, during promotions, they could raise doubts, which might encourage other independent production companies and producers victimized by Warner''s embezzlement to come forward; Palm Beach Films wouldn''t be the sole victim, she believed.

 Chapter 542 - 419 Backyard on Fire?_3

    As long as more peers stood up, Warner Bros. Pictures could not refuse to make concessions.


    Link thought this approach was also good and felt that buying Lionsgate Films was the right move. Without a film distribution company in hand, even if Palm Beach Films produced countless box-office hits, the big six would steal the spotlight.


    This is why independent production companies and investors find it hard to survive in Hollywood.


    Link reminded Catherine to be careful recently and asked if she wanted a bodyguard.


    Catherine smiled and said that as long as he was unharmed, Warner would definitely not dare to do anything to her and Ivanka. Their safety wouldn''t be an issue.


    Link thought about it and realized it was true. The executives at Warner Bros. Pictures were just employees; even if they messed up and caused the company to lose money, the worst that would happen to them was getting fired¡ªnobody would risk everything over such matters.


    The only thing Warner could do now was to use the media''s power to stir the waters.


    Back at his bayside villa, Link found out that Ivanka was still at the office. He called to tell her he had returned but couldn''t get through. Turning on the TV, he saw Ivanka being interviewed by reporters at the Lionsgate Films headquarters.


    A reporter asked Ivanka about her current relationship status with Link using a few popular topics.


    Ivanka said that their relationship was very stable.


    A "Los Angeles Times" reporter noted that entertainment reporters had spotted her and the head of Warner Bros. Pictures'' marketing department, Pam Abdi, frequently meeting and even photographed them having coffee together. He asked what their relationship was.


    Ivanka said that her recent contacts with Warner were mainly business-related.


    A "Hollywood Reporter" journalist followed up with a question, alleging that Warner Bros. Pictures had been involved in under-reporting box office receipts during the release of "Bridesmaids," and that Palm Beach Films and Lionsgate Films had critical evidence. He asked if Ivanka could reveal any information.


    When the "Hollywood Reporter" journalist raised this question, many entertainment journalists in the crowd voiced their surprise.


    Clearly, compared to the personal matters of Ivanka and Link, the news of Warner Bros. Pictures'' box office theft was far more sensational¡ªa news item with tremendous impact.


    The reporters all looked toward Ivanka, hoping she would disclose some information.


    Ivanka stated that it was a matter concerning Palm Beach Films and that they would hold a press conference later to address the journalists'' questions.


    Upon hearing her respond this way, the reporters didn''t press further but continued to inquire about her relationship with Link and other highly debated topics on the internet.


    A "USA Today" reporter mentioned an online opinion that stated Link had risen to prominence thanks to her. Without her, Link wouldn''t be as successful as he was now. The reporter asked Ivanka how much she contributed to Link''s success if his success was quantified as 100%.


    Ivanka plainly said that Link was an Olympic champion, a world boxing champion, a pop music superstar, a billionaire, and a major philanthropist. His success never depended on anyone else.


    If Link''s success was measured at 100%, no one could claim even 1% of it; however, for the success of Enterprises and individuals linked with Link such as Link''s music, Lionsgate Films, and Dynasty promotions, Link absolutely deserved a huge percentage.


    A "Vanity Fair" reporter asked, knowing that Link was a playboy and that she could find a better partner, why she remained steadfast by his side¡ªwas it more about love or about work?


    Ivanka answered that earlier in the year, Link wrote her a song "Just the way you are". She loved the song, and it contained words she wanted to convey to Link. The Link he was now was the best version of him. No matter what the rumors said, she loved him just the way he was.


    The journalists at the scene were showered in their affection.


    Link also smiled when he saw the news on TV.


    The phone rang twice, it was Ivanka calling, asking if he had gotten home.


    Link said he was home and asked when she would get off work.


    Ivanka said she would leave work early today and would be home soon.


    Link said good and that they would have dinner together when she returned.


    S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 543 - 420: Angry Jealousy

    "Haha, dear Bob, you''ve done a great job on this, and I''m very satisfied,"


    In the afternoon, as soon as Bob Weinstein walked into the CEO''s office, he was embraced by his elder brother Harvey who had rushed over to him.


    Harvey''s hug was enthusiastic and he lavished praise on him in his words.


    However, as both men had large bellies and rather short arms, when they embraced, their enormous bellies pressed together, making it awkward and the sour smell of Harvey''s breath was somewhat displeasing to Bob.


    "Harvey, how was the trip to Cannes?"


    After Harvey let go, Bob stepped back and asked.


    "Very good, ''The Artist'' won Best Actor, ''Seeking Justice'' won a Catholic Humanitarianism award, and I picked up two pretty good films at the festival."


    "How are those two films, can they make money?"


    Bob asked excitedly.


    "They''re not bad. If the promotion is done well, making a few million won''t be a problem. Haha, speaking of buying film rights, that bastard Link also bought the distribution rights for two films at the festival."


    "Which films? Can they make money too?"


    Bob asked curiously.


    Harvey sat in the office chair, patted his belly and laughed.


    "At first, I heard that Link requested Lionsgate to buy the rights for two films, and I was curious like you, thinking they must be good films. But when I went to see them, I found they were two Huaxia films.


    One was a thriller with a bland story and full of plot holes, wasting over ten minutes of my time; the other was an art film with decent acting but an obscure theme and language I couldn''t understand. Such movies have no market in the United States.


    I was originally planning to intervene and make Link spend more money, but I worried he would back off if he thought the price was too high, so I didn''t get involved. Haha, but I''m sure, Link is definitely going to lose this time; he simply doesn''t understand movies."


    Harvey laughed heartily.


    Bob nodded; in this aspect, Harvey was the expert, and he trusted Harvey''s judgment.


    "Bob, tell me about Ivanka''s scandal, you handled this one well. Is this news true?"


    Harvey pointed to the Los Angeles Times entertainment section headline ''Ivanka finds new love, Playboy Link painfully dumped.''


    "Fake! I had detectives follow Ivanka for days and discovered she only goes to work and spends most of her time in the bay villa. Even when she goes out, she brings along assistants or secretaries, and hasn''t any male friends.


    According to informants, when Ivanka is at the company, she also doesn''t meet male employees alone, nor are there any unsavory rumors about her.


    After days of investigation without finding anything worth leaking, as a last resort, I had a photo cropped of Ivanka and Pam Abdi meeting and published it in the news,"


    Bob said helplessly.


    "Haha, that works too, even if it''s fake, no problem. Now the newspapers discuss how Link is a gold-digger, not worth a dime without Ivanka and the Thompson family.


    Link, being young and impulsive, seeing this news, will surely be furious and start to doubt Ivanka. Over time, their disagreements will intensify, and I can almost witness their relationship falling apart,"


    Harvey laughed heartily.


    "Harvey, this matter may not be so simple."


    "Oh, what happened?"


    Harvey lit a cigar and asked.


    Bob turned on the TV, switched through a few channels, and played a video clip of an interview with Ivanka.


    In the interview video, Ivanka, dressed in a sleek professional outfit, fully displayed her tall and elegant figure, coupled with her cold yet exquisite face and elegant demeanor, she seemed like she was highlighted by a dazzling halo, making her shine brightly.


    Harvey frowned as he watched, initially unconcerned.


    Although Ivanka''s responses in the interview were clever and reasonable, most netizens are a mob primarily surfing the web to vent emotions and pass time.


    Not many people would listen to reason or care about the actual truth of a matter.


    As for the affairs of Link and Ivanka, as long as they kept stirring things up, it would definitely cause a rift between them.


    However, as he listened, Harvey suddenly heard a reporter from Hollywood Reporter ask about Warner Bros. Pictures'' box office theft, and he immediately sat upright with a look of surprise toward Bob.


    "Is this news real?"


    "It should be real, according to what I''ve learned. ''Bridesmaids'' in the fourth week should have a North American box office of over 120 million, but the current data is 70.5 million, Warner swallowed over fifty million of the box office."


    "Hiss!"


    Harvey couldn''t help but gasp, his greasy forehead furrowing tightly.


    He wasn''t exclaiming about Warner''s severe box office theft but rather astonished that ''Bridesmaids'' real box office in North America was actually over 120 million.


    "What''s the overseas box office of ''Bridesmaids'' now?"


    "158 million US dollars!"


    "That much?! So you''re saying ''Bridesmaids'' global box office has already exceeded two hundred million US dollars? A movie with a 30-million investment, global box office exceeding 200 million, maybe even 300 million?!"


    Harvey shouted angrily.


    Bob shrugged his shoulders, indicating his helplessness.


    ''Bridesmaids'', with an investment of 32.5 million, had a global box office of over 200 million US dollars, possibly even 300 million.


    This profit ratio in the movies released this year, if not the first, was definitely in the top three.


    There was no doubt that Palm Beach Films had backed another dark horse movie, and Link would make another hefty sum in the film market through it.


    And just moments ago, Harvey was mocking Link for not understanding movies.


    Bang!


    Another ashtray shattered.


    "Why, why does this happen? Link, a newcomer who knows nothing, why does he keep succeeding in his investments?"


    Harvey roared, his face darkening.


    "Harvey, don''t be angry; this is the merit of the production department at Palm Beach Films. It has nothing to do with Link; he''s not that great."


    Bob consoled him.


    Harvey clenched his teeth viciously, biting his cigar in half, "Find out who is advising him on investing in movies; this person absolutely cannot stay at Palm Beach Films and we must not let Link make any more money."


    This was not just about making money, but also a struggle for power and prestige.


    If the movies invested by Link continued to sell well, not only would actors flock to him hoping to collaborate, but film companies would also eagerly seek partnerships.


    Should this trend continue, Link''s influence in Hollywood would grow more substantial, and his status would rise even higher.


    Eventually, Link would replace him as the most powerful person in Hollywood, becoming the center of everyone''s attention.


    Women would also be eager to be at his service, crowding at his feet.


    As these thoughts filled his mind, a surge of intense anger overwhelmed Harvey''s heart.


    His face gradually turned ferocious, and his body fat trembled non-stop, like a frenzied Canadian wild boar.


    "Harvey, don''t rush; it''s possible that Palm Beach Films just got lucky with two movies in a row. It''s not possible for all their films to succeed¡ªnobody can achieve that. Maybe their next movie will incur losses." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing his changed expression, Bob hurriedly spoke up to soothe him.


    "No, we can''t rely on luck. Go and find out about the movies Palm Beach Films invested in this year, especially the low-budget ones; we must find a way to take them over."


    Harvey shouted, clenching his fists.


    "I know; Palm Beach Films invested in four movies in the first half of this year, ''The Silver Linings Playbook,'' ''Beasts of the Southern Wild,'' with the remaining two being the arthouse films ''The Master'' and ''Lawless,'' in collaboration with Annapurna Pictures."


    Bob mentioned ''The Master'' and ''Lawless,'' both having budgets around thirty million US dollars.


    Harvey had read the script for ''The Master'' and liked it, but with such a high investment, he felt it was hard to make a profit and after serious consideration, decided to pass.


    Now hearing that Link was investing in this film, with director Paul Anderson, the lead actor Joaquin Phoenix, and the female lead Amy Adams, who had been nominated twice for the Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, and Philippe Seymour Hoffman, the Oscar Best Actor from ''Capote.''


    From the primary creative team, he faintly sensed a potential for a blockbuster.


    "How''s the preparation for this movie going? Is there a chance to take it over?"


    "No chance, ''The Master'' began preparations last year, but was suspended mid-way due to financing issues. Joaquin brought the project to Link, and after reading the script, Link decided to invest and brought Megan Ellison on board. Casting has finished, and they plan to start shooting next month."


    Bob explained.


    Harvey furrowed his brows, stood up, and paced around his office. After a while, he entrusted Bob with a task to talk to Link.


    Using assistance with public relations at the Oscars as leverage, try to secure a portion of the investment in ''The Master'' and ''Beasts of the Southern Wild.''


    If Link dared to refuse, they would use ''The Silver Linings Playbook'' to threaten him by indefinitely delaying the movie''s release date.


    As Weinstein Company was also a producer of the movie, he had the right to demand this.


    "Great! I''ll arrange it later."


    Bob readily agreed.


    Actually, he was pleased that Harvey had this change of heart; rather than causing conflicts and harm with Link, he preferred to cooperate with Link for big profits.


    "Also, don''t stop recommending large productions to Lionsgate Films. We need to find a way to get Lionsgate to invest in big productions to speed up its decline."


    Harvey said.


    Bob nodded, understanding that cooperation is one thing, competition another.


    Since Link took over handling Lionsgate Films, he recommended through Lionsgate''s internal contacts several large productions with investments over eighty million dollars, including ''Battlefield Earth,'' ''Battleship,'' ''After Earth,'' ''Sword of the King,'' hoping Lionsgate would get involved.


    Whether these films would be profitable, Bob didn''t know, but he and Harvey were clear on one thing.


    Independent production companies compared to the ''Big Six'' lacked sufficient funds and marketing capabilities, and once they rashly entered the domain of large productions, the outcomes were often tragic.


    For instance, Carlock Pictures which went bankrupt, New Line Cinema before it was acquired by Warner, the once fifth-largest Hollywood company Orion Pictures, the eighth-largest United Artists, and the seventh-largest MGM Studios¡ªall without exception fell because of large productions.


    Large productions can bring in quick money, but losses come even faster.


    As long as Lionsgate''s upper management got hooked on investing in large productions, even if the first movie sold well, there would inevitably be losses later.


    Unfortunately, both Link and Ivanka were smart; they hadn''t fallen for the trick easily.


    The moves he made had also not yet been effective.


    Leaving Harvey''s office, he arranged for his secretary to contact Link, suggesting a talk. Initially, he thought Link would decline or schedule their meeting several days later.


    However, the secretary told him that Link was available for lunch tomorrow.

 Chapter 544 - 421 Warner Compromises

    "What''s the matter?"


    "Anna called, Bob Weinstein wants to have a talk with me."


    Link put down his phone and laughed.


    "What does he want to talk about?"


    Ivanka poked a piece of strawberry with her fork and asked.


    "That''s what I''m curious about, so I agreed to meet him. I prefer dealing with businessmen like Bob, who are profit-driven, to dealing with arrogant and aggressive guys like Harvey."


    "Catherine said that after ''Scandal Plan,'' ''Bridesmaids'' sold well again. Now many production companies want to work with Palm Beach Films. Maybe the Weinstein side has the same idea."


    Ivanka speculated.


    "Really?"


    Link thought about it, unsure, and decided to put aside his work and focus on dining with Ivanka, but as he looked at her cold yet elegant appearance, with her luscious, alluring lips, he couldn''t help but lift her face and give her a kiss.


    "Stop it, we''re eating."


    Ivanka gave him a chilly and charming glance.


    Link smiled slightly, took out a box from his pocket, and placed it on the table in front of her. It was a rather large box, obviously containing something other than a diamond ring¡ªa wristwatch.


    "Why would you buy such a boring thing?"


    Ivanka looked at it and asked indifferently.


    "I considered giving you a diamond ring, but it didn''t seem solemn and romantic enough for the occasion, so I went with a wristwatch instead. Don''t give me the cold shoulder; after all, I spent a long time in Zurich deciding to buy this for you. Take a look."


    Link explained.


    Ivanka opened it and saw an elegantly vintage golden wristwatch that looked very expensive.


    She put it on her delicate, fair wrist, which made her arm look even more slender and fine, matching her beautiful hands perfectly, much like an artifact from the Palace of Versailles.


    "Your gift-picking skills have improved a bit since last year."


    Ivanka teased, a faint smile on her face.


    "Learning from you!"


    Link clinked his juice glass against hers.


    Ivanka smiled gently, batting her lashes as she looked into his eyes and asked, "I saw in the paper that they say you built your career relying on me. Does that upset you?"


    "Of course not. You are like a princess¡ªgorgeous, intelligent, noble, and generous. There''s nobody else like you in the world. The fact that you can tolerate my flaws and accept me as your boyfriend is an honor for me. From the media and the netizens'' comments, I can feel their intense envy and jealousy. Not only am I not upset, but I also think it''s pretty cool."


    Link shrugged and laughed.


    Ivanka looked at him and smiled faintly, leaning in to give him a kiss.


    Link didn''t feel it was enough, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her deeply, his lips mingling with the sweet, moist taste of strawberries, more intensely delightful than tasting a vintage Lafite.


    But every time she asks me do I look okay


    I say


    When I see your face


    There''s not a thing that I would change


    Cause you''re amazing


    Just the way you are


    While they were kissing passionately, a pleasant musical tone rang from the living room. It was Link''s version of "Just the way you are," which was also Ivanka''s ringtone.


    "Let me go, someone''s calling."


    Ivanka, with a flush on her face, pushed him away and raised her delicate hand to cover his lips to stop him from continuing to kiss her neck.


    Link reluctantly withdrew his hand from her waist, saying, "Maybe don''t worry about it, it''s probably nothing important."


    "We can''t do that; we run the company and control everything. They wouldn''t bother us with trivial matters."


    Ivanka gave him a kiss, straightened her rumpled dress, and got up to go outside to answer the call.


    Watching her graceful, swaying back, Link felt a bit helpless. Having been with over a dozen outstanding women, he considered himself deeply knowledgeable about women and believed his allure was extremely high.


    Most women, when shown a hint of his pheromones, would eagerly pounce, offering themselves up on a platter.


    Very few women could remain calm and rational while being intimate with him, including powerhouses like Marion Cotillard and Beyonce.


    Even though they seemed very strong and mature.


    Taylor was his only real competition before.


    And now he had met another. Once Ivanka experienced any external interruption or if anything touched her bottom line, she would immediately snap out of it and handle everything rationally. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link thought that if he married her, married life would probably be a long-lasting battle.


    "It was Catherine calling, guess what it''s about?"


    Ivanka walked back into the dining room, her smile slightly curling at the lips.


    "It''s good news, right?"


    "Yes!"


    "Let me think, at this time, Catherine should be at the company preparing for a press conference. Is it that other victims have reached out to her, ready to support us?"


    Link asked.


    "It''s related to Warner Bros. Pictures, but it''s not other production companies supporting us. Instead, Warner Bros. Pictures'' president, Toby Emmerich, just called Catherine. He agreed to our previously proposed terms and has rearranged for someone to discuss the compensation matters, hoping we would cancel this press conference," Ivanka said with a light laugh.


    "Indeed, that''s good news."


    If they went to court against Warner Bros. Pictures, the outcome might be harmful to both parties.


    To be precise, Palm Beach Films would suffer a greater loss.


    Warner Bros. Pictures was large enough to withstand the turmoil. After the matter was resolved, they would only need to dismiss a few senior executives involved and use their media outlets for some positive publicity to settle the dispute and restore their reputation.


    Meanwhile, Palm Beach Films would not only lose millions but also gain a formidable adversary. For a new company, it wasn''t good news.

 Chapter 545 - 421 Warner Compromise_2

    Now Warner Bros. Pictures has taken the initiative to propose a settlement, agreeing to compensate for the losses.


    Palm Beach Films can not only recover the loss but also establish an image in the industry as a force not to be messed with.


    Other collaborating companies will think twice before trying to take advantage of Palm Beach Films, weighing whether it would be worth the trouble or not.


    Undoubtedly, the ones who played the biggest role in this matter were Ivanka and Catherine.


    In an era where big production studios and independent production companies coexist, many independent production companies and filmmakers have been shortchanged by the major film studios, having their box office earnings stolen by the Big Six or Seven. A film that should have been profitable ends up requiring them to pay a substantial amount of money back to the majors.


    To take legal action, sufficient evidence is first needed.


    The major chains and the Big Six studios are closely interdependent, and they are not inclined to easily produce hard evidence, for fear of offending the majors and losing films to screen, which would greatly reduce their profits.


    Even with evidence, the legal process can be very costly, potentially even more than the losses swallowed by the Big Six, resulting in a situation where the cost outweighs the benefits, eventually only leaving room for silent resentment.


    However, when Ivanka and Catherine heard about this, they decisively arranged an investigation, not caring about the expenses, demanding only fairness and justice with a very assertive attitude.


    This attitude is probably one of the reasons why Warner Bros. Pictures took the initiative to negotiate a settlement.


    Link thought for a moment and suddenly realized something odd.


    "Earlier, when Catherine and I were analyzing the situation, we noted that a lot of scandalous gossip about you suddenly erupted in the media today. It was probably Warner''s doing, trying to use this method to disrupt our arrangement. Yet, just as things were getting started, Warner proposed a settlement. Their attitude seems to have changed too quickly."


    Ivanka nodded and said, "This morning, when I saw these news articles, I too thought Warner was behind it. But afterwards, I started to feel something was off. Stealing box office revenue is negative news, and Warner would likely try to cover it up rather than exposing the news that both parties are in negotiations, let alone using such an issue to stir up scandalous gossip, escalating the situation.


    Now that I think about it, there must be other forces at play behind this matter, perhaps Warner''s competitors, who want to blow up this issue to damage Warner''s reputation."


    Listening to her analysis, Link felt there was another possibility: the primary focus of this scandal was his relationship with Ivanka, and it seemed that whoever was stirring the pot really wanted to see him and Ivanka fall out, while concurrently tarnishing his reputation.


    From this angle, the biggest suspect would be the love-rival Kunas, since he would benefit the most from a breakup between Link and Ivanka.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Meanwhile, as Ivanka and Link speculated, Pam Abdi, who was in the Palm Beach Films boardroom attending to the wrap-up work, had a different perspective.


    He sat there with a sober expression, his mood somber as he looked across the conference table.


    There, Palm Beach Films President Catherine Baker was closely reading a contract that the Warner legal department had rushed out over two hours ago.


    The contract met all of Palm Beach Films'' demands, filling the $56 million box office shortfall as well as paying $2 million for the cost of the investigation.


    This was the first time Warner Bros. Pictures had issued such a contract, and it would also be a stain on his professional career that couldn''t be erased.


    Originally, they had no intention of compromising with Palm Beach Films. Even if the case went to court and dragged on for three, five, or even ten years, they would never admit to it.


    But Palm Beach Films was too cunning. While negotiations were underway, they managed to secretly take photos and then used a scandal to hype up the situation, turning a minor incident into a matter of national concern.


    While all the media were focusing on the scandal, Ivanka used the "Hollywood Reporter" to break the ''box office theft'' story, drawing more public attention and putting pressure on Warner.


    Although Time Warner is a media giant with dozens of TV stations, newspapers, and magazines, it''s powerless to control the narrative when faced with a hot societal issue. The cost to nullify these negative public opinions would be even higher.


    The top management at Warner Bros. Pictures felt the pressure and did not want to be blamed by the board of directors, so they dispatched him to come for negotiations.


    Thinking this over, he couldn''t help but admire how shrewdly Palm Beach Films had handled the situation, keenly aware of Warner''s reluctance to make a big fuss and instead amplifying the issue to their advantage, without leaving any room for maneuver.


    This kind of reckless approach also made Warner apprehensive.


    But...


    Pam Abdi stroked his chin, eyeing Catherine across from him, along with "Bridesmaids" producer Christine Wiig and three lawyers, speculating who could have come up with this idea.


    Catherine, with an agent background and extensive industry experience, would have known about Warner Bros. Pictures'' influence and likely would have dealt with this matter in a more tactful way.


    As for Christine Wiig, being a second-tier actress in the industry, she wouldn''t have the audacity.


    It wasn''t likely the other Palm Beach Films executives either.


    That left Link or Ivanka as the possible architects. Considering that Link was busy with the Cannes Film Festival recently, his involvement in the company''s affairs wasn''t deep.


    It could only be Ivanka''s doing.


    Thinking of Ivanka, that woman, Pam Abdi narrowed his eyes. Even though he was married and had encountered plenty of beautiful women, he couldn''t help but be secretly impressed when he met Ivanka.


    Ivanka had not only top-tier looks and a stunning figure, but what was truly breath-taking was her elegant speech, her shrewd and efficient manner of handling things, and her cold and dignified aura that seemed untouchable.


    S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 546 - 421 Warner Compromise_3

    These were like drugs to men, possessing a fatal attraction.


    The first few times he negotiated with her, he had to concentrate and avoid staring at her so that he could appear somewhat normal during their conversations.


    Once he focused on her appearance and manner of speaking, he would be deeply drawn in, unknowingly falling into her trap.


    She really was a dangerous and beautiful woman.


    Luckily, she wasn''t here today.


    Pam Abdi thought to himself.


    "President Abudi, I suggest adding a time limit to this compensation agreement. After signing the contract, Warner Bros. Pictures needs to pay the first batch of box office dividends within 15 days after the end of ''Bridesmaids'' screening period and settle the rest of the dividends within six months. Additionally, the two million investigative fees need to be paid immediately upon signing the contract. Do you agree?"


    Catherine put down the contract and said.


    Pam Abdi sighed inwardly and replied with a stern face.


    He wasn''t ashamed of this ''box office fraud incident''¡ªhe just felt helpless.


    It was common practice for big film companies to secretly shift part of the box office revenue when distributing films from independent production companies, but this time, a lot of problems had arisen.


    The first was that ''Bridesmaids'' exceeded box office expectations.


    At the test screening, the distribution side had assessed that the film''s box office potential was an A-, with North American box office expected to break one hundred million.


    When they told Palm Beach Films, they only said seventy to eighty million. The rest was their margin for manipulation.


    Due to ''Bridesmaids'' far exceeding expectations in North America, the theaters went too far in their actions.


    They swallowed nearly half of the box office revenue in the first three weeks¡ªtheir move was too big, the traces too obvious, making it easy to detect.


    The second issue was that there were coordination problems between Warner Bros. Pictures'' distribution and marketing departments.


    Initially, when releasing ''Bridesmaids,'' Warner Bros. Pictures had the full distribution rights for North America. Later, the distribution department transferred the rights for more than twenty states to Lionsgate Films without informing the marketing department.


    During distribution, Lionsgate Films had high box office revenues in their regions, while Warner Bros. Pictures'' regions were generally low, which instantly created a discrepancy.


    If the distribution and marketing departments had acted in sync from the beginning, they wouldn''t have been caught so easily.


    The third issue was that Warner Bros. Pictures had encountered a very tough opponent this time.


    Link lacked neither money nor connections, and together with Ivanka, they weren''t afraid of losing a lawsuit. Moreover, their high profile in the United States meant that even small issues involving them would become major once reported by the media.


    After comprehensive consideration, the higher-ups at Warner Bros. Pictures decided to compromise and deescalate the issue.


    Reflecting on the whole matter, Pam Abdi just felt unlucky. If only they had been more cautious or chosen a different film company, everything could have been different.


    "President Abudi, do you have any questions?"


    Catherine, having signed the contract, looked at the complex expression on Pam Abdi''s face and asked.


    "President Baker, after the contract is signed, we hope that Palm Beach Films will destroy all documentation to prevent any information leak incidents,"


    Pam Abdi said seriously.


    "No problem. Palm Beach Films is a company that values integrity. All terms printed on the contract will be strictly enforced,"


    Catherine said calmly.


    Pam Abdi''s mouth twitched slightly, understanding Catherine''s implication; she was being sarcastic about Warner Bros. Pictures'' failure to honor contractual agreements.


    If Warner had been trustworthy, they would have strictly followed the contract when signing the film distribution agreement, and all film profits would have been distributed according to the stipulated ratio without any occurrence of box office fraud.


    He didn''t want to argue about this matter; after quickly signing the contract, he left Lionsgate Films with his people.


    Catherine also instructed the public relations department to notify all media outlets that the press conference scheduled for three o''clock in the afternoon would be postponed, and the specific time would be announced later.


    Upon receiving the news, the journalists also left the Palm Beach Films office building disappointed.


    The ''box office theft incident'' had the potential to become a hot topic for some time.


    Now that there was a sudden change, the media speculated that Warner Bros. Pictures must have reached some compensation agreement with Palm Beach Films for the latter to cease exposing the matter.


    From this aspect, Warner Bros. Pictures indeed committed box office fraud during the distribution of ''Bridesmaids,'' and was caught red-handed by Palm Beach.


    Many journalists saw the potential for this news to explode and prepared to delve deeper, but under the intervention of the Warner Media Group, the matter eventually fizzled out. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    People within the film industry, however, continued to pay attention to the matter. Their focus was not on Warner Bros. Pictures'' box office theft but on ''Bridesmaids'' and its production company, Palm Beach Films.


    ''Bridesmaids'' had accumulated a global box office of 228 million US dollars a month after its release.


    That was the figure after some of the box office receipts had been stolen.


    Rumors suggested the real box office tally was over 300 million US dollars.


    The film, with a production budget of only 32.5 million, earned two to three hundred million US dollars at the global box office within a month, entering the top 15 in the annual box office rankings.


    Without a doubt, this was another dark horse at the box office, and the second majorly successful film produced and invested in by Palm Beach Films.


    At this point, it wasn''t just the Weinstein Company thinking about collaborating with Palm Beach Films; other film companies were also keen on Palm Beach''s upcoming film projects, hoping to strike it rich together.


    Suddenly, Palm Beach Films became the darling of Hollywood.

 Chapter 547 - 422 Face Issue (1/10)

    "Haha, Link, we meet again."


    In a caf¨¦ on East 7th Street in Santa Monica, not far from the headquarters of Lionsgate Films, Link met Bob Weinstein, the second-in-command of Weinstein Company.


    In terms of physique, both Weinstein brothers had toad-like figures with big heads, thick necks, large bellies¡ªa greedy look about them.


    In terms of appearance, Bob looked more refined than Harvey. Harvey had too much transverse flesh on his face, which was unevenly distributed, making him look uneven as if he didn''t need makeup to play a villain in a film.


    Bob, too, had a plump, round face but not as much lateral flesh. He always had a smile when meeting people, which made him less intimidating. However, his eyes, half-open and shaped like triangles, gave him a somewhat sinister look.


    Neither brother was easy to deal with.


    They had seen each other at a party hosted by Harvey in March, so they weren''t strangers. There was no need for much small talk when they met again, and Link asked Bob straightaway what he wanted.


    "Haha, Link, Paul Anderson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin and I are friends. I''ve heard that your new project ''The Master'' is of very good quality?" Bob asked with a laugh.


    "Yes, the film is cool, and so is director Paul Anderson. That''s why I decided to invest in it as soon as I saw the script."


    Before coming, he wasn''t sure of Bob''s intentions, but hearing him mention ''The Master'' and the creative team, he had some guesses.


    "Link, we had a pleasant collaboration on ''Silver Linings Playbook.'' How about working together again?" Bob stroked his stubbled chin and chuckled. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What kind of collaboration?"


    "I also have high hopes for ''The Master'' and would love the chance to be involved. In exchange, when the film is released, we can help promote it for the Oscars. With our capabilities, as long as Anderson maintains the standard he''s set in his previous films, getting a few nominations won''t be hard, and it might even have a shot at winning an Oscar."


    "With Oscar nominations and awards to boot, the film''s box office performance will inevitably be better. Link, this is a win-win collaboration. I hope you will consider it seriously," Bob said slowly.


    Link raised his eyebrows, amused.


    After the huge success of ''Bridesmaids,'' many film companies in Hollywood called, hoping to get involved with Palm Beach Films'' next film project, including David Ellison, who had previously claimed he wasn''t interested in art films.


    But this year, Palm Beach Films only had three film projects.


    The first was ''Beasts of the Southern Wild,'' chosen by Catherine with a production cost of only 1.2 million US dollars, and the script seemed good.


    The second was ''The Master,'' a shelved project that Joaquin brought to them with the script. He had heard about this film before¡ªit had been nominated for Oscar awards and helped Joaquin earn an Oscar Best Actor nomination, but its box office performance seemed mediocre.


    To establish a good working relationship with Joaquin for future collaborations, he decided to invest in this film.


    The third, ''Lawless,'' was a project brought by Megan Ellison. The film was good and had investment value. Megan''s future investment projects were also promising and suitable for a long-term partnership.


    So, the main purpose of his investment in the last two films was to lay the groundwork for future cooperation.


    He also wanted to use these two quality films to build Palm Beach Films'' reputation within the industry, signaling to everyone that Palm Beach Films'' investments weren''t just profitable but could also win awards.


    Following the ''Scandal Plan'' and the success of ''Bridesmaids,'' insiders began to look favorably on Palm Beach''s films, naturally assuming that ''The Master'' and ''Lawless'' would perform well at the box office.


    Even rivals like the Weinstein brothers seemed to believe this, hence why they set aside their prejudices and proactively sought a partnership, even using the lure of helping with the Oscars campaign.


    After considering, Link was ready to accept.


    First, he wasn''t sure if ''The Master'' would be profitable, so having more people willing to put in money would help share the risk.


    Secondly, his relationship with Harvey had originally been hostile, with Harvey even threatening to blacklist him, a fact well known in the circle, which led to many of Harvey''s close acquaintances isolating both him and Palm Beach Films.


    Now that Palm Beach Films'' investments were making money, Harvey suddenly changed his stance and sought a collaboration.


    This change would make people close to Harvey puzzled.


    Initially, following Harvey''s call to action against Link, and now Harvey, the leader, quietly seeking collaboration with Link, what would those supporting Harvey think?


    With Harvey leading the way, others didn''t need to persist, and they wouldn''t worry about offending Harvey when cooperating with Link.


    Agreeing to collaborate with Weinstein Company could also break down part of Harvey''s power, which would be beneficial for the future development of both Lionsgate Films and Palm Beach Films.


    After all, Harvey had been deeply entrenched in Hollywood for decades, and being isolated by his group could hinder the company''s ability to make money.


    Lastly, he wanted to take advantage of the Weinstein Company''s proactive approach to request something.


    Link took a sip of his coffee, letting the flavor of the cappuccino unfold on his palate.


    "Bob, there''s something I''d like to ask. Is this collaboration your idea, or is it Harvey''s?"


    "Haha, don''t worry, Harvey knows about this matter," Bob said.


    Link nodded, "There''s no problem with the collaboration, but I have a request, or rather a proposal."


    "Please, go ahead!"

 Chapter 548 - 422 Face Issue (1/10)_2

    Bob was delighted to hear that he was willing to cooperate, and his smile became warmer.


    Link had two proposals.


    First, now that "Silver Linings Playbook" had been completed and had entered the post-production phase, he hoped to release the film within the year.


    Second, if Jennifer Lawrence''s performance turned out well after the film was released, he was prepared to help Jennifer campaign for the Best Actress award at the Oscars. In this respect, Weinstein Company was professional, and he hoped they could help with the publicity during this process.


    "The Best Actress award at the Oscars?!"


    Bob was somewhat surprised to hear his words, Jennifer Lawrence was only twenty-one, had been in four movies, a very fresh actress, and even if her acting was first-rate, she wasn''t at the level of winning an Oscar yet.


    Not to mention that the film had not been completed.


    Yet Link was thinking about helping her win the Best Actress award at the Oscars.


    It was like a dream.


    "Link, the movie hasn''t been released yet, do you think it''s too early to talk about this?"


    Bob chuckled.


    "Jennifer is a great actress, she deserves to win the Best Actress award at the Oscars, besides, this is just a proposal. The premise is that her performance in the film is outstanding, if it''s mediocre, then the proposal is off,"


    Link said.


    After thinking it over, Bob agreed, but when negotiating the investment share in "The Master," he hoped Link could transfer more shares.


    After giving it serious thought, Link ''reluctantly'' transferred a 30% investment share from Lionsgate Films to Weinstein Company, with the presenters of "The Master" project becoming Palm Beach Films, Annapurna Pictures, and Weinstein International Films.


    "Haha, Link, a pleasure doing business."


    Bob reached out and said.


    "A pleasure!"


    Link shook his hand and, with a laugh, jiggled his plump palm, "Bob, do you believe it? Although Harvey is a top producer, and very strong in film production and distribution, I hope more to work with you."


    "Oh? Why?"


    Bob said with a smile, squinting his triangular eyes. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve watched your interviews and know a bit about you; you are a rather pure film businessman, and I am also a businessman. Our goal in investing in films is to make money.


    But Mr. Harvey Weinstein is different; he is not just a businessman, he is also a genius producer, with the issues of a genius in the arts¡ªarrogance, obstinacy, emotion. At the same time, he is also considered a savior of modern cinema, sometimes sacrificing box office profit for the sake of film art.


    By comparison, Bob, you are more calm in film investment, making cooperation with you a smaller risk and more likely to be profitable,"


    Link explained.


    Bob chuckled, his eyes narrowed as he listened to Link''s evaluation of Harvey in surprise.


    Link was right; Harvey was a genius in film production, having produced and successfully discovered hundreds of high-quality modern films throughout his career.


    After their release, these films had a significant impact on the entire movie industry and even influenced modern cinema''s style and direction. That''s why the media referred to him as a ''savior of modern cinema.''


    Because of Harvey''s significant achievements in cinema, coupled with the heavy praise he had received in recent years, which surrounded him nonstop, Harvey had grown arrogant and increasingly irritable and stubborn, unwilling to listen to others'' advice.


    This often led to actions that damaged the company''s interests.


    For instance, in 2004, when they were still at Miramax, a subsidiary brand under Disney, Harvey insisted on joining forces with Lionsgate to distribute the political documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11," despite Disney''s opposition. The documentary''s main aim was to criticize the Bush Administration and the Republican Party, clashing with Disney''s interests.


    The consequence was a rupture in cooperation, and the brothers were forced to leave Disney and establish the Weinstein Company.


    Although "Fahrenheit 9/11" later became a best-seller and Harvey thus entered the Democrat camp, gaining favor with the high ranks of the Democratic Party and increasing his power in Hollywood,


    it wasn''t a good thing for Bob. He was originally a shareholder of Miramax and earned quite a bit of money relying on Disney. But due to Harvey''s stubbornness, the breakdown with Disney caused him to lose tens of millions of US dollars.


    Without Disney''s support and protection, the Weinstein Company went through three consecutive years of slump from 2005 to 2009, and only last year did the company start to bounce back.


    In those years, he lost a lot of money following Harvey, and the company is still in debt until now.


    These things made him quite dissatisfied with Harvey but, being a genius in film, without Harvey, he couldn''t operate a film project independently and guarantee a profit. This made him have mixed feelings of love and hatred towards Harvey.


    Now, hearing Link''s evaluation of Harvey, he suddenly felt a sense of camaraderie.


    Buzz, buzz, buzz!


    His cellphone in his pocket began to vibrate, and Bob had to stop his daydreaming. After finalizing the contract with Link, he stood up, said his goodbyes, and left.


    Outside the caf¨¦, he took out his phone and looked at it. It was a call from Harvey.


    "Harvey, what''s up?"


    "Bob, stop negotiating with Link, we can''t work with Link,"


    Harvey shouted over the phone.


    "Why?"


    Bob asked in surprise. It had been Harvey who initially suggested working with Link, and now he was suddenly going back on it, which confused him.


    "Bob, you''re being foolish. We''re in an adversarial relationship with Link; I''ve even publicly threatened to blacklist him. Suddenly working with him now, what would people think of me? So we absolutely can''t work with Link,"

 Chapter 549 - 422 Face Issue (1/10)_3

    "Harvey shouted."


    Bob felt a bit helpless. Harvey''s concerns were considered long ago, but for the sake of making money, they didn''t matter to him.


    He had assumed that Harvey had thought everything through when proposing the collaboration. It was foolish that it took him so long to realize it.


    "Harvey, I don''t think it''s a good time to blackball Link and Palm Beach Films. First, there''s Lionsgate Films and a large amount of cash, as well as a complete film promotion system¡ªthat makes it impossible for us to shut him down."


    "Now, with Palm Beach Films producing hit movies, many people in the circle want to collaborate with them; they''re not short on connections or funds. If we''re the only ones to blackball him, it will only lead to our isolation."


    "Also, you''ve been too busy investing in movies to notice the company''s situation. Despite some box office successes over the last two years, we''re still losing money overall, with over a hundred million in debt yet to be repaid. We need to make money," Bob said calmly.


    Harvey was silent for a long time before he clenched his teeth and said, "No, it can''t be done. I''ve blackballed him before; everyone knows we are enemies. If we now approach Link for a collaboration, it would look like I''m willing to lose face for money. I absolutely cannot allow that to happen."


    "Harvey, have you ever considered something? Lionsgate is the eighth largest in Hollywood and an excellent partner. If we don''t collaborate with them, we''ll have to work with the Big Six, and we should be prepared to be exploited by them."


    "Besides, I don''t think there''s any irreconcilable conflict with Link. Initially, the strife between you and Link started because he deceived you with fabricated negative material, which wasn''t a big loss for us."


    "Later, because we interfered with Lionsgate''s casting process, Link hastily bought out Lionsgate, which cost over two hundred million US dollars. I think that revenge is enough."


    "Now that Link is open to reconciliation and looking at it from an investor''s perspective, we should accept," Bob continued.


    "Even if you''re right, we still can''t collaborate. I''m the number one influential man. If I seek collaboration with Link just because his movies are making money, what will people think of me?" Harvey complained.


    Bob felt helpless. Link was right; Harvey''s obsessiveness and inability to let go of his pride made him ill-suited for business.


    "Harvey, I''ve already persuaded Link and secured a 30% investment share. If this movie does as well as ''Bridesmaids'' or ''Scandal Plan'', we could make tens of millions of dollars in box office revenue. We need such profitable projects," Bob insisted.


    "Damn it, are you sure you want to work with Link?" Harvey asked angrily.


    Seeing Harvey''s anger, Bob didn''t want to be confrontational and thought of a solution.


    They owned not just Weinstein Company but also Empire Pictures, a company that focused on low-budget horror films, like the ''Scream'' series.


    Bob suggested he could represent Empire Pictures in the collaboration with Link. This way, they could make money and save Harvey''s face.


    Besides, establishing a collaborative relationship with Link first would give them the chance to seek revenge later, drawing Link and Lionsgate into the trap of a major production. After all, in war, the knife in the back is the deadliest. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a moment of silence on the phone, Harvey agreed to his proposal.


    However, he demanded that Bob make it clear to outsiders that the collaboration with Link was his own initiative and had nothing to do with him. He would continue to treat Link as an enemy.


    Bob agreed.


    As he got into his car and drove away, he glanced back at the cafe. A woman was sitting across from Link, looking like Christine Stewart.


    He shook his head. Previously, Link claimed to be solely a businessman, but he wasn''t.


    To boost a woman''s career, he was trying to make the twenty-one-year-old Jennifer Lawrence an Academy Award-winning Actress. It was unrealistic and a waste of money.


    From this perspective, Link wasn''t a qualified businessman; he was just a playboy.


    Working with a playboy, Bob had many ways to keep the upper hand.


    Beep beep!

 Chapter 550 - 423: New Song for the Script

    ```


    Honk honk!


    Hearing the sound of a car horn outside the window, Link glanced over and saw Bob''s black Mercedes sedan slowly pulling out of the parking lot.


    Thinking of Bob, he curled his lips into a smirk. Rumors had it that a major reason for Harvey''s rapid downfall and conviction was his own brother, Bob, who had stabbed him in the back by submitting key evidence.


    Link didn''t know whether Bob did this to save his own skin from being tarnished by Harvey''s scandal or if he genuinely had a grievance against Harvey and chose justice over blood.


    It didn''t matter.


    As long as Bob was willing to cooperate, there were plenty of ways to exploit that.


    "You smile like the arch-villain in a movie."


    Suddenly, someone across said.


    Link''s face darkened as he withdrew his gaze to lock onto the girl opposite him, Christine Stewart.


    While chatting with Bob just now, he had sensed someone surreptitiously glancing at him from the side. At first, he thought it was just a fan and didn''t mind, but after Bob left, he realized it was her.


    Christine was dressed in a white T-shirt, denim shorts, and slippers, her golden brown hair cascading down in medium-length waves, her expression still indifferent. With her pale, delicate cheeks, she resembled an emotionless vampire.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "If you can come here for coffee, why can''t I?"


    Christine said, her face expressionless.


    "Where did the guy sitting in front of you go? He looked somewhat familiar. Is he your boyfriend?"


    "Are you, a grown man, that gossipy?"


    Christine propped her cheeks and asked as she looked at him.


    Link smiled faintly, stirring his coffee with a small round spoon, allowing the aroma of the coffee to waft through the air.


    "Why aren''t you talking?"


    Christine flicked a sugar box toward herself.


    "It''s been a while since we''ve seen each other, we''ve both changed a lot. You''re now a worldwide teen idol, and I''m the notorious playboy. I don''t know what kind of impression you have of me now, so I''m not sure how to speak to you without angering you since your temper isn''t too good."


    "Hmph, you''re now a Hollywood mogul, and I''m just a little actress. Even if you were to hit me, I wouldn''t dare get angry at you."


    Christine said, curling her lips.


    "I''m talking to you as a friend right now, not as some Hollywood mogul. If I were talking as a movie company boss, I would use my finger to tip your chin up and tell you to smile sweetly. Could you do that?"


    Link joked.


    Christine pursed her lips, staring at him with ill intent.


    "Is your job at Lionsgate to lift the chins of female actresses and force them to smile at you?"


    "No, I have no job at Lionsgate, nor do I meddle with casting decisions. That kind of behavior would only be for you."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    "Scumbag!"


    Christine shot him a glance and slumped over the coffee table, saying lazily, "The guy sitting here earlier was Bob Weinstein? Rumor has it you guys are archenemies, so how come you''re having coffee together? Okay, I''m just curious, you don''t have to answer."


    "There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. Palm Beach Films is doing well, and the Weinstein brothers want to collaborate with me,"


    Link said.


    "Now I remember, lately everyone in the circle has been talking about Palm Beach Films producing sleeper hits two years in a row, saying you''ve found the right method for investing in movies. Many actors hope to be in your next project. How did you become so formidable?"


    ```


    Christine rested her chin on her arm, looking up at him with bright eyes.


    "Want to know? Give me a smile first,"


    Link said with a smile.


    Christine looked at him expressionlessly, her cheeks cold as ice, just like Director Allen had said, she was suited for disaster films.


    Link smiled lightly, about to discuss the matter of investing in films with her, when a middle-aged man in a polo shirt came down the aisle, looking at him with an intense gaze.


    "Mr. Baker, I''m honored to meet you here. I am a formal screenwriter and director in the Writers Guild, and I have a new script. Could I ask you to take a look?"


    The middle-aged man asked nervously and eagerly.


    "Sure!"


    ----


    More than half an hour later, Link left the caf¨¦, got into the business van, and Christine followed, sitting opposite him, looking at him with a very surprised expression.


    Link handed her a bottle of ice water but said nothing further, leaning back in his seat and flipping through the script in his hand.


    Christine held back for a good while before finally asking:


    "Link, do you really want to shoot this script?"


    "Of course, this story is quite good,"


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    "Is this how you invest in films? Just sitting casually in a caf¨¦, buying any script that someone comes up to sell, and the movies made from these scripts can make money?"


    Christine inquired.


    "They should,"


    Link nodded affirmatively.


    The script in his hand was titled "The Vow," a love story based on a true event.


    It told of a newlywed couple whose happiness came to an abrupt halt after a car accident left the wife in a coma, with the husband caring for her unwaveringly.


    However, when the wife woke up, she had lost five years of memories, including everything about her husband and their marriage. She didn''t know how she had come to love her current husband and married him, nor did she remember what had happened in the past.


    The husband was in pain knowing his wife had lost those memories, but he didn''t want to give up on her. He confessed to her again, trying to slowly win back her heart.


    Link had seen this film; it was one of Rachel McAdams''s signature works, said to be one of the top three highest-grossing films she had starred in.


    Rachel McAdams, a Canadian actress, had starred in "Mean Girls," "The Notebook," and "Sherlock Holmes," with North American box office revenues exceeding one hundred million dollars for each film.


    From this perspective, the box office potential for this film should be quite good as well.


    Additionally, inspired by the story of the script, he remembered an English song, "What Are Words."


    This song became popular during the tenth season of "American Idol" and was a hit, but now that "American Idol" had already reached its eleventh season, he had never heard of the song. After searching on his phone multiple times, he could not find any lyrics that matched.


    This made him wonder if the Butterfly Effect had somehow erased this song from existence.


    "What Are Words" was a piece by American singer Chris Medina. Medina was originally a Starbucks barista. He got engaged to his girlfriend in 2007, but his fianc¨¦e was involved in a car accident in 2009, suffering severe brain damage; after recovering physically, her mental capacity was reduced to that of a two-year-old.


    Medina stayed by his girlfriend''s side through it all. To raise money for her treatment, he auditioned for the tenth season of "American Idol" in 2009 and was eliminated in the top 24. This song, which he performed during the competition, was a momentary sensation.


    But now, there was no news of it. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link hadn''t really thought of it at first, but after seeing "The Vow" script, he suddenly remembered the song and someone editing the movie into a music video for the song, and his memory clarified a bit, prompting his decision to invest.


    Christine, unaware of his thoughts, saw him finish reading the script and immediately called the production department at Lionsgate Films, asking them to come and purchase the adaptation rights to the script.


    From seeing the script to buying it, the time he spent deliberating was less than twenty minutes, which seemed too hasty, so Christine was quite surprised at his approach.


    "Are you that confident? Before, ''Scandal Plan'' and ''Bridesmaids'' had nearly a tenfold difference in box office revenues. Can this one do the same?"


    Christine continued to ask.


    "As long as we can control the cost, there shouldn''t be a problem."


    Link thought for a moment before he replied.


    Christine blinked, feeling utterly incredulous. Was investing in movies really this simple?


    Just randomly meeting someone at a cafe to pitch a script, not asking too much, only looking at a synopsis and then casually buying it, and even planning to invest tens of millions into production.


    Could such a movie make money?


    Christine would never believe it, as making movies was definitely not that simple.


    "Link, I bet this movie will definitely lose money,"


    Christine stated confidently.


    "Oh? What are we betting?"


    Link set down the script, his eyes traveling from her creamy legs up, passing her slightly full chest, to her pale and delicate cheeks, asking with interest.


    Christine knitted her brows in thought for a moment before saying they''d bet a thousand lollipops. Whoever lost would buy the other a thousand Mars lollipops.


    "No problem."


    Link drummed his fingers on the armrest of the chair and said, "While reading the script just now, a song suddenly came to mind. It seems perfect as the theme song for this movie. Do you want to hear it?"


    "Are you serious?"


    Christine asked in surprise.


    Link nodded, picked up his guitar from the back seat, tuned a few strings, and began to play and sing.


    Anywhere you are, I am near


    Anywhere you go, I''ll be there


    Anytime you whisper my name, you''ll see


    How every single promise I keep


    Cause what kind of guy would I be


    If I was to leave when you need me most


    ...


    Christine watched him quietly, her lips slightly parted, feeling utterly astonished.


    The song was very nice, and the lyrics seemed to fit the storyline of the script, as if it was tailor-made for it.


    Did Link really just come up with this?


    Was this guy perhaps a bit too impressive?


    She blinked her eyelashes, sizing up the man opposite her. He had a playboy''s face with a pair of clean, deep blue eyes, and sharply defined cheeks.


    He looked more rugged and masculine than the likes of Leonardo and Orlando Bloom, more manly, and even had a bit more of a literary quality than the recently popular Henry Cavill, appearing more refined and more deceptive.


    Christine didn''t want to keep staring at him, but each time she lowered her gaze, within two seconds, she''d inadvertently return to his face, and his body.


    At the moment, Link was wearing a loose pale blue shirt, ordinary jeans, his physique both muscular and slender. He sat cross-legged, cradling the guitar, playing and singing with a clear and magnetic voice, combined with the touching melody, it felt like tickling her ears.


    Christine shook her head, suddenly understanding why Emma and those foolish women knew Link was a scumbag but still liked him. It was primarily because of his charm; his appearance was very deceptive, which made it easy to forget the fact that he was a playboy when seeing him.


    What are words


    If they''re only for good times


    Then they''re done


    When it''s love


    Pling!


    He stopped singing there, pressing down the guitar strings, not continuing.


    "Why did you stop?"


    Christine blinked in confusion and asked.


    "I haven''t figured out how to sing the rest yet,"


    Link shrugged.


    "Is this a song you just wrote, and you managed to write such a nice song after just one look at the script?"


    Christine questioned.


    "I''m not sure if I wrote it. I just remembered such a song while reading the script. Maybe it''s an old song. Have you heard it?"


    Link spoke.


    "No!"


    "Then I need to properly check and see if there''s a similar old song. If not, I''ll finish it and then sing it to you."


    Link put down the guitar and took a sip of mineral water.


    Christine looked at him. After seeing how hastily Link snapped up ''The Vow'' script and decided to invest in its production, she felt that this film was likely to lose money. But having heard his song, she became somewhat less certain.


    Because Link was a miraculous person.


    He had become an Olympic champion and world boxing champion, achieved top singer status, and in less than two years, became the boss of Lionsgate Films. Just now, he managed to write a very moving song after merely glancing at the script.


    With someone as outstanding as him, if he was confident about making this film a hit, the likelihood of success was also very high.


    "Christine, I''m heading over to Muscle Beach Gym for training. Where are you planning to go?"


    Link asked, looking out the window.


    "I don''t have plans for the afternoon. Can I come to the gym and watch?"


    Christine said, swinging her long, slender legs.


    Link nodded and asked Bob to drive straight to the Muscle Beach training facility.

 Chapter 551 - 424: Negotiating the Competition

    Bang, bang, bang!


    "Morales, speed up the offense! Imagine the person across is Link, you need to be faster, even faster, to knock him down hard,"


    "Jeremiah, watch your defense! You are a heavyweight boxer, I don''t want to see you pushed back by a super middleweight,"


    When Link arrived at the training arena, Morales was sparring on the boxing ring with a black boxer named Jeremiah Johnson, Morales was on the offensive while his opponent was defensive, and the bout was lively and vibrant.


    Hoyle was pointing things out nearby, his voice somewhat noisy.


    Link let Christine roam freely in the training arena, then changed into his sports gear and started his daily routine training.


    Christine sat on the sofa in the resting area with her legs crossed, taking a lollipop from her pocket and putting it in her mouth.


    Watching Link first train with the jump rope for half an hour, he then practiced lifting weights at the barbell rack, the 160+ pounds in his hands seemed weightless, completing 50 reps in less than three minutes.


    His muscles also gradually became firm and taut during the exercise, with clear lines between muscle groups, bulging pectorals, an eight-pack of abs, strong biceps, flexible scapular muscles, each muscle exuding a wild beauty.


    After training for a long time, fine beads of perspiration also emerged from his pores, his bronze skin became glossy and smooth, like steel soaked in oil, extremely hard, seeming as if hitting it with a hand might give off a ''ding ding'' sound.


    Christine pressed her red lips together and also went over to the equipment training area, picking up a pair of small dumbbells to do bicep curls.


    After training for a while, her long hair stuck moistly to her cheeks, her white T-shirt soaked with sweat, clinging to her chest and back, revealing the outline of her black bra.


    And her two fair thighs in hotpants, because of excessive activity, her rounded calves were trembling slightly.


    Link reminded her to warm up first before training to prevent muscle strain, Christine ignored him, moving from one piece of training equipment to another, touching every piece of equipment she could find.


    De La Hoya stood on the boxing ring, looking at the two in the training area and remarked, "Is he here to train or to pick up girls? The media used to criticize me as a womanizer, calling me a friend of women, but compared to real scumbags like Link, I seem as innocent as many high schoolers,"


    "It''s different, Link messes around but never loses, you mess around and you lose matches, your legs go weak, there''s no comparison between you two,"


    breathed Morales.


    "Shut up! Focus on your boxing! Jeremiah, now it''s your turn to attack, he defends, if you see him slacking, pound him hard, absolutely don''t go easy on him,"


    De La Hoya shouted with a dark expression. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The black boxer Jeremiah Johnson swung his fists as big as sandbags toward Morales.


    Luckily, Morales was originally ''iron-skinned'', after accompanying Link in training for two years, his body had become even tougher, fists under 800 pounds barely had an effect unless they hit his head.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Seeing Morales busy dealing with Jeremiah, Hoyle continued, "Don''t think Link is that great, he is only 22 wins in 22 fights, while I had once held a record of 31 wins in 31 fights, give him another couple of years, and he''ll definitely lose, it''s a situation all boxers encounter,"


    "Not necessarily, your 31 wins in 31 fights, because you could only maintain 31 unbeaten fights, Link''s 22 wins in 22 fights, because he has only participated in 22 fights, there''s a big difference,"


    retorted Morales as he stepped back a few paces.


    "Jeremiah, speed up the offense, hit his face,"


    De La Hoya shouted.


    The black boxer roared, repeatedly attacking Morales with his fists.


    Hoyle hummed lightly and turned to look at the training area.


    "When Link brought Emma Roberts before, and now it''s Christine Stewart, I heard Jennifer Lawrence, Alexandra Daddario, and Emma Watson are also his girlfriends, this bastard''s quality of picking up women is way too high, at least ten times higher than mine,"


    "Probably far more, at least ten thousand times,"


    Hoyle''s face fell, just as he was about to rebuke, he turned around and saw Franco Duvall was the speaker.


    Franco was wearing a beach shirt, casual pants, his hair neatly combed, his face looking rounder than the last time he competed in Las Vegas.


    "Link is indeed amazing at picking up women, I can''t match him, but I''m still stronger than someone who has to report to his wife even when staying out overnight,"


    Hoyle snorted coldly.


    Franco immediately restrained the smile on his face, his mouth twitched slightly, "at least I''ve never had my hair pulled out by my wife."


    Hoyle''s face turned instantly dark. Back in the day, when he was keeping a mistress on the side, his pregnant wife caught him red-handed, and during the argument, she pulled out a few of his hairs.


    Somehow, paparazzi captured this and published it in the newspapers, creating a sensation at the time.


    It had been seven or eight years since, and he thought everyone had forgotten, but Franco, the bastard, dared to bring it up to his face.


    "Hoyle, I apologize, I shouldn''t have said that, I take back what I said,"


    Franco said with a face full of regret.


    Hoyle clenched his back teeth, wanting to retort, but lacking the dirt on Franco to do so, holding it in was extremely uncomfortable.


    "What brings you here? Oh, I heard this season''s Golden Gloves boxing championship, you signed two promising newcomers, are any of them a match for Link?"


    "No, Link is a boxing prodigy that comes once in a century, to encounter such a boxer once in a lifetime is lucky enough, let alone repeatedly,"

 Chapter 552 - 424: Negotiating the Competition_2

    ```


    Franco looked at Link, who was training, and he couldn''t help but marvel.


    Ordinary boxers, once they achieve some success, often become complacent and require constant urging from their coaches to train.


    But Link is now the boxer with the strongest overall strength, the highest appearance fees, and the greatest fame, also voted by "Ring Magazine" as the most outstanding representative in the boxing field today.


    Moreover, he''s worth over two billion US dollars, a true tycoon.


    Someone like him doesn''t need to work hard to enjoy a life of glory and wealth.


    However, after achieving all this, Link didn''t just rest on his laurels and become stagnant.


    He still insists on training every day and continuously improving himself, as if he had not become famous.


    This sort of resilience, mentality, perseverance, self-discipline, and pursuit of boxing is worth learning for all boxers and even athletes.


    "Yes, a boxer like Link is really hard to come across, you''re lucky to have found him, Al Haymon and Frank Warren said last time that you are a lucky guy,"


    Hoyle said with a curl of his lip.


    Franco shook his head, he could hear that Hoyle was still angry about the ''hair-pulling'' incident, but he didn''t mind, what Hoyle said was true.


    If he hadn''t signed Link back then, he would indeed have struggled to make any significant achievements in boxing, let alone control a sports company worth hundreds of millions of dollars.


    Also, in Hoyle''s words, he could detect a strong note of bitterness, which was envy, jealousy, and hate.


    In fact, not just Hoyle was envious; since 2009, he had become the object of envy for all boxing promotion company owners, and that envy only grew stronger.


    Because Link''s ability to make money was getting stronger and stronger.


    An appearance fee of thirty to forty million dollars for a match, four to five matches a year, a total income of over two hundred million dollars. Even if the company could only take twenty to thirty percent, that''s still forty to fifty million in revenue. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Forty to fifty million a year, a hundred million in two years. Minus the promotion costs during the event, the net income still exceeds ten million.


    With this speed, the one hundred million dollars Link shouted for on the train as a signing bonus back then was really too cheap.


    He alone made money faster than a promotion company with one hundred professional boxers under its banner.


    Like Hoyle''s Golden Boy Promotions, with over fifty professional boxers, last year''s profits on the books were less than six million, and in reality, they were reportedly in debt by several million.


    Hoyle speaking to him with such a bitter tone, he could totally understand.


    "Let''s not squabble, I''m here to discuss something important with you,"


    Franco said.


    "Is it about the match with Bernard Hopkins? There''s no hurry, let Link fight Belrut Shumenov, Chad Dawson, and Nathan Cleverly first, then talk after he beats all three of them,"


    Hoyle said perfunctorily.


    After being defeated by Link at the beginning of the year, Hoyle announced his retirement and focused on running Golden Boy Promotions.


    He''s now both the boss of the promotion company and a famous promoter in the boxing world, responsible for promoting and operating the matches of his boxers, making money off them.


    The Al Haymon, Frank Warren he mentioned earlier are also gold-standard promoters in the boxing world.


    And so are Bob Arum, Franco Duvall.


    ```


    Now, in the world of boxing, any important matches are orchestrated by a few promoters.


    And Bernard Hopkins, the WBA Light Heavyweight champion, is a boxer under Golden Boy Promotions.


    For Franco to initiate a match between Link and Hopkins, he would need his agreement.


    But under the current circumstances, he couldn''t agree.


    He had fought with Link and knew how strong Link was.


    Hopkins was not Link''s match for the time being; he was arranging for Hopkins to train intensively in Cuba, to first see how Link would fare against the other three Light Heavyweight champions.


    It would be best if Link encountered some setbacks in his first three Light Heavyweight matches, affecting his mindset.


    If Hopkins could then time his move perfectly and defeat Link in one fell swoop, that would be perfect.


    "Bob Arum and Al Haymon said the same thing,"


    Frank said helplessly.


    The IBF Light Heavyweight champion was under Bob Arum, while WBO Light Heavyweight champion Nathan Cleverly was with Al Haymon.


    "They also want to see Link''s matches against the other three champions before they decide. If none of you arrange for your fighters to face him, after Link beats Belrut Shumenov, he will have no matches to fight,"


    "How can there be no matches? You can first arrange for Link to fight the second and third-ranked boxers in each organization, secure his challenger status, then take on the three champions one by one, steadily and solidly, which is better for Link''s development,"


    Hoyle spread his hands.


    "That arrangement is also possible, but Link is currently busy with many things, with limited time. He doesn''t have time to participate in secondary competitions. Besides, what''s the point of you all avoiding a fight? Will a few months'' delay give you a chance to defeat Link?"


    "That''s not necessarily the case."


    Hoyle, with his arms folded, said unyieldingly.


    Franco glanced at him, "Are you sure you want to do that? Don''t forget, Hopkins is 46 this year, he''ll be 47 next year. His condition will only decline. You''re a boxer, you know what age means for a boxer."


    Hoyle frowned upon hearing this; ''The Executioner'' Hopkins truly was advanced in age, the oldest active champion in boxing, which was exactly why he did not want Hopkins to face the exceedingly energetic Link in the ring too soon.


    If Link was to employ a strategy of attrition and drag the match beyond ten rounds, Hopkins would stand no chance at victory.


    "Hoyle, think about it ¨C Hopkins has a title defense match later this year. There are numerous talents in the Light Heavyweight division. If he loses the Golden Belt, he will no longer qualify to fight Link. Why not take advantage of his current champion status to fight Link and earn a few million more in appearance fees?"


    Franco persuaded.


    Upon hearing his suggestion, Hoyle sunk into thought. After a moment, he told Franco that he needed to discuss it with Hopkins first. If Hopkins agreed, he would not object.


    Franco nodded, greeted him, and walked towards the equipment training area.


    Watching Franco''s departing figure, Hoyle pursed his lips in dissatisfaction.


    This lucky guy, born with a good father, met a good wife when he grew up, and now he''s come across someone like Link. This guy''s whole life has been charmed.


    Then there''s that guy Link ¨C if Link were with Golden Boy Promotions, he too could pressure other boxers into fighting like Franco does.


    It''s a shame that he didn''t discover Link earlier.


    If time could be turned back, he would''ve definitely beaten Franco to the punch and signed Link with a hefty contract.

 Chapter 553 - 425 Boxing Ring Match (2/10)

    Seeing Franco approach, Link stopped to chat with him about the upcoming boxing match, the first being the Light Heavyweight challenge in Xiangjiang in June.


    After this match, depending on the responses from the champions of the WBC, IBF, and WBO organizations, they would confirm the time and location of the next match.


    If the three champions continued to avoid a fight, they would need to participate in other organization''s championship challenges to gain challenger qualifications and force the other side to fight.


    It just required participating in a few more matches.


    However, all this was predicated on the fact that he had to defeat Belrut Shumenov and win the WBA Light Heavyweight Golden Belt.


    To ensure nothing went wrong, he would undergo intensified training during the time leading up to the match to further enhance his overall strength.


    After sending Franco off, Link returned to the equipment area and continued his strength training. During the training, he noticed Christine hadn''t appeared for a long time in the training area; thinking she had left, he no longer distracted himself with thoughts of her.


    After completing his strength training, he continued with jumping rope to practice footwork agility and the coordination of his hands and feet.


    In boxing matches, the ability to coordinate hands and feet is extremely important; if footwork can keep up with the speed of the punches and the body''s center of gravity is stable, the punches are more powerful and cause greater damage.


    If footwork can''t keep up with the speed of boxing, the punched are thrown weakly, inflicting minimal damage, and sometimes even causing the boxer to fall.


    This is also why many boxers often punch with a force of over a thousand pounds on punch strength test machines.


    But in actual matches, the power output of punches often is only two to three hundred, three to four hundred pounds, which is greatly related to the coordination ability of hands and feet.


    After more than three hours of training, he was drenched in sweat.


    "Do you want something to eat?"


    Christine walked over from the rest area, holding a sandwich in her hand.


    She was still wearing denim shorts, showing off her pale, creamy thighs; her T-shirt was a bit damp, but the outline of the black lingerie was nowhere to be seen, with two very conspicuous points at the front. He quickly averted his gaze, wrapping the hand wraps as he spoke,


    "Training isn''t over yet, so I can''t eat just now. Did you go out to buy food?"


    "Yes, I just took a walk around the club and found there was a cafeteria, so I bought some food. You''ve been training for over three hours and you''re not done yet. How long do you train every day?" Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Christine asked, eyeing his robust chest and well-defined abs.


    "It''s not certain, three hours a day when it''s busy, and over seven or eight hours when I''m free."


    "Over three hours every day? For the whole year?"


    Christine asked.


    "Yes, I''m a professional boxer. How else could I win matches without training?"


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Christine blinked, very surprised.


    She often saw Link''s scandalous news and thought his daily life involved moving from one woman to another, frolicking with women in villas, living a carefree life.


    Now, seeing him train in person, she realized that was not the case at all.


    He was a boxer who needed to train every day, spending most of his time in the gym, sometimes even having to record music, manage business affairs, or act in films.


    This guy was busier and more fulfilled than anyone else.


    Suddenly, Christine understood why he was so formidable¡ªbecause he was inherently strong, and extremely diligent and hardworking.


    Compared to him, Christine realized she was just a directionless, unambitious woman who idled her days away.


    Thinking this, Christine felt troubled inside, shot Link an annoyed glance, and turned to leave to find something to do.


    "Wait a minute! There are more men here in the training area, and it''s not very convenient for you to be dressed like that. I have T-shirts and a bathroom in my changing room; if you don''t mind, you can change into a T-shirt. It might be big, but it''s more comfortable than wearing a wet shirt."


    Link said.


    Christine looked down at the outlines on her chest and said impassively, "Men can go shirtless, what''s wrong with us not wearing underwear?"


    "Nothing, I''m just making a suggestion, not forcing you,"


    Link spread his hands and stood in front of the punching bag ready to resume his boxing training.


    "Fine, where''s your changing room?"


    Christine asked.


    Link paused to give her directions, then continued practicing boxing.


    After more than half an hour, Christine returned to the training area.


    Her long golden hair was dripping wet, draping over her shoulders, and she only wore a large T-shirt, cinched at the waist with a belt. The T-shirt''s neckline was quite loose, exposing her pale, delicate collarbone and occasionally her shoulder.


    The hem of the T-shirt fell to a position about a foot above her knees, leaving ambiguous whether she wore shorts or not.


    Her legs were very beautiful¡ªpale, straight, and shapely. Although not quite a meter long, they were certainly sexy.


    After Christine appeared, the boxers around who had been immersed in training gradually became distracted, casting stealthy glances in her direction now and then.


    "What are you all looking at! Haven''t you seen a beautiful woman before? Should I find a few bikini models to put here for you to gawk at?"


    De La Hoya shouted down the corridor.


    Most of the people present were boxers promoted by Golden Boy, and hearing him yell, they sheepishly returned their attention to training.


    Hoyle, wearing a serious expression, came over, intending to advise Christine to put on more clothes so as not to distract everyone else from training.


    Since it was her first time here and she was a beautiful, famous star, he hesitated to say anything harsh.


    The advice he was going to give turned into a friendly greeting instead, and he even invited her to come by more often.


    Since scolding Christine wasn''t appropriate, he thought he might as well make a few sarcastic remarks about Link. However, seeing Link immersed in training, completely undistracted by Christine, left him with no outlet for his mockery.


    Hoyle glared at Link discontentedly. This guy was not only immensely strong but also deeply serious during training, uninterested in women.


    Compared to him, the professional boxers under Gold''s promotion all seemed half-hearted and useless.


    Hoyle suddenly realized that agreeing to Link''s initial request to train here was a mistake. He had thought Link was a super champion and that having him train here would allow Gold''s boxers to learn something.


    But things did not go as he had hoped. Link''s negative influence was even greater.


    Link was a fanatic, able to train in the boxing ring for seven to eight hours a day. Some boxers wanted to learn from him, increasing their daily training load in the hope of becoming as strong as he was.


    As a result, very few became stronger, while those injured during training multiplied.


    Because of this, Hoyle had to make it clear that, besides Link, no boxer should train for more than thirty-six hours a week.


    The consequence of this rule was that each day, when the other boxers finished training, Link was still frantically punching the heavy bag on the training ground.


    Seeing a world champion like him train so hard while they rested made the other ordinary boxers feel uneasy during their breaks.


    This situation troubled Hoyle greatly, yet he had no good solution.


    Now a new trouble had emerged, Link was not only training here but also started treating the place as a hunting ground for women, which was totally inappropriate.


    Hoyle felt it was necessary to expedite the renovation of the gym and construct Link''s private training area as soon as possible so that he could practice in seclusion, avoiding impact on others.


    "Link, focus on your training, stop being distracted,"


    Hoyle shouted and walked away without turning back.


    Link didn''t hear Hoyle''s call. His attention was entirely on the heavy bag, punching it repeatedly, sometimes eight or nine hundred times, sometimes over a thousand times, until his arms and wrists were sore. Only then would he stop to rest briefly.


    "Link, do you want to spar with Jeremiah and let me see how you handle a heavyweight boxer?"


    Morales shouted from the boxing ring.


    Link glanced at the burly Jeremiah Johnson, who was 32 years old, 193 cm tall, weighed 122 kg, and had a professional record of 32 fights, 24 wins, 7 losses, and 1 draw. He was an experienced heavyweight boxer.


    Link did not refuse, put on his boxing gloves, and climbed onto the ring for an explosive exchange with Jeremiah.


    He had fought Tyson before and did not lack experience in dealing with heavyweight opponents.


    Heavyweight boxers, often tall and solid with strong muscles, have very heavy punches. The average punch of a continental champion weighs about 1000 pounds, an international champion about 1200 pounds, and a world champion around 1500 pounds.


    In the eighties and nineties, the heavyweight division had many super champions, and their punches tended to be heavier.


    By the 2010s, with more tall heavyweight boxers emerging, the average height of the top fifty fighters in the four major organizations increased from 186.5 cm twenty years ago to 188 cm, which also caused the average punch weight to increase.


    Despite their strong punching power, their speed is relatively slow due to their size, arm length, power accumulation time, and muscle flexibility.


    Lightweight boxers can throw six or seven punches per second, but they can only manage three or four.


    In the heavyweight division, boxers who are fast and heavy-handed are more likely to become champions.


    For example, Tyson, under 180 cm tall, yet not slower than a middleweight boxer, as well as ''Quickfire'' Chris Byrd, ''Lights Out'' James Toney, ''The Quiet Man'' John Ruiz, ''Cannon'' Shannon Briggs, and the Klitschko brothers, are all representatives of this type of boxer.


    Giant Valuev became a champion partly because, in the previous two years, there was no one in the sport but a few old-timers like Hoyle fighting hard, and partly because the Klitschko brothers avoided fighting him.


    At this moment, the power-type boxer Jeremiah Johnson, whom Link faced, was much slower than Tyson in 2008. Link could almost precisely avoid every punch and send his own punches to his face.


    To make the sparring effective, he did not put full force behind each punch, just enough to make a point.


    Christine stood silently by the ring, watching him box.


    When Link climbed onto the ring and saw his opponent was taller and bulkier than he was, she was worried that Link might get hit.


    However, once the fight began and she saw Link skillfully moving and accurately dodging his opponent''s punches while continuously landing on vital spots, the seemingly formidable opponent had no power to fight back.


    Christine suddenly found herself liking the sport of boxing, which she had previously thought was about who had heavier fists, crass and barbaric.


    After seeing Link''s match in person, she realized that the strengths in boxing could not be discerned just by looking.


    Only when both sides stood on the boxing ring, after several bouts of strength, speed, and technical confrontations, could one tell who was more formidable.


    But one thing she could be sure of now was that Link was impressive. Facing an opponent much stronger than he was, he remained unperturbed and composed, expertly using combination punches to make his opponent continuously retreat.


    "Link is an insurmountable boxer. No matter the rank of the boxer he faces, they stand no chance against him. If he moves to the heavyweight division in the future, he could probably win several Golden Belts,"


    Morales said.


    De La Hoya watched Link in the ring with a complex expression.


    Jeremiah, ranked 32nd in the WBC heavyweight class and holder of a continental champion title, was left without a strategy against Link, a super middleweight.


    At Link''s level, if nothing unexpected occurred, his ascent to heavyweight would likely see him winning one or two Golden Belts.


    At that point, Link''s appearance fees would probably be even higher, earning tens to hundreds of millions of US dollars per boxing match.


    Thinking about all this, he could not help but curse Franco for his dumb luck, betting right once and earning a mountain of gold, a literal mountain of gold.


    In the ring, Link and Jeremiah fought ten rounds, with Jeremiah huffing and puffing, drenched in sweat and increasingly unsteady on his feet, a sign of complete depletion.


    Link pulled back his fists, declaring a break.


    "Link, can you teach me to box?"


    Christine approached him after he stepped down from the ring and asked.


    "Why do you want to learn boxing?"


    Link took off his gloves, too hot to wear for long, capable of pouring out sweat if they were removed.


    "I think boxing is cool,"


    Christine said, swinging her delicate fists.


    "No problem!"


    Link smiled gently and arranged for her to hit the punching bag nearby.

 Chapter 554 - 426 Massage and Apply Medicine

    ```


    Training continued until around four or five in the afternoon, and most people had left the gym. Link headed to the locker room to shower and change, calling out a few times for Christine, ready to take her home.


    "Is the training over?"


    Christine woke up from the sofa, lazily stretching her limbs. The hem of her T-shirt had ridden up, revealing her fair thighs and those insufferable safety shorts.


    "Awake? Do you want to take a shower?"


    Link rubbed his hair with a towel and took a shirt out of the closet to put on.


    "Why would I be in the locker room?"


    Christine turned her head to look around. She remembered having eaten something, trained for a while, and then felt waves of sleepiness. Her eyelids couldn''t resist drooping, and in the end, she couldn''t help but fall asleep on the soft bench by the weight rack.


    When she woke up, she found herself lying on the sofa in Link''s locker room. Link had just showered and was still getting dressed, even asking her if she wanted to shower.


    "I saw you sleeping on the floor, so I carried you here to the locker room."


    "Is that so?"


    Christine thought about it; she had no recollection, but trusting him, she believed his words. However, as she tried to stand up from the sofa, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her legs, arms, shoulders, and both sides of her ribs.


    Biting her lower lip, Christine looked palely at Link, "Did you beat me up while I was asleep? Why does my whole body hurt?"


    "Muscle strain! I advised you to warm up before training, but you didn''t care. It''s normal to feel muscle pain now, it''ll be better after a couple of days of rest. Emma went through the same thing last time. If you want to speed up recovery, you can try this medicine."


    Link handed her a bottle of green ointment.


    "How do I use this?"


    Christine asked with a furrowed brow, looking at the bottle.


    "Apply it!"


    Link unscrewed the cap and poured some green ointment into his palm, then took Christine''s arm and evenly spread the ointment on her forearm, gently pinching it a few times.


    "Hiss, that hurts, be gentler."


    "Just bear with it!"


    Link patted her arm and then picked up the bottle to rub some ointment onto her upper arm. Her arm was slender with just a bit of muscle.


    "Oh, it''s kind of cool! It feels much better now."


    Christine moved her medicated arm, finding the stabbing pain had lessened a lot, and she felt a refreshing sensation of being healed from an injury, which was very mesmerizing.


    "Just like that. Apply it yourself when you get home, twice a day, and you should be fine in about three days."


    Link put down the bottle and stood up to say.


    "How can I apply it myself?"


    Christine pointed to the area on her back, "It hurts here too, and I can''t raise my arms."


    "You can ask your assistant to help you; your assistant''s female, right?"


    Link said.


    "But... I''ll have to endure the pain until I get home; can''t you help me apply it?"


    Christine held the bottle and asked.


    Link looked at her, "I''m a guy, you don''t mind me touching your body?"


    "Would you take advantage of me while I''m hurt?"


    Christine quietly asked him.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, took the medicine bottle, and continued to apply it to her arms, calves, and the muscles towards the upper part of her thighs.


    For his convenience, Christine, under his gaze, slowly took off her T-shirt and lay on the sofa hugging her chest.


    Link continued to apply and massage her shoulders and back. When he reached her ribs, Christine couldn''t help squirming, holding his hand and saying it tickled.


    "Don''t move!"


    Link pressed down on her back to stop her from squirming because when she moved, it was inevitable that there would be some bumps and brushes, and it also made his inner fire rise. If Christine weren''t injured, he wouldn''t mind something happening right there.


    Now, with the smell of ointment on Christine, he couldn''t make a move.


    Lying on the sofa, her chin resting on her arms, Christine said, "You look pretty scary when you''re angry."


    Link didn''t say anything, just continued massaging and applying the ointment on her back. Her skin was smooth and delicate, like white marble, and slightly fleshy.


    "Last time Emma got hurt, did you also help her apply ointment like this? Did you take the opportunity to take advantage of her?"


    Christine asked.


    "Last time I took her home, her aunt Julia was there."


    Link''s palms moved from her ribs to her waist, his fingertips lightly grazing the soft spots.


    "Did you sleep with Emma?"


    ```


    "No!"


    "Really? During that time, I saw her sticking to you every day, and she often mentioned you during conversations. You guys never slept together?"


    Christine asked.


    "No! I have no reason to lie to you about this kind of thing."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    Christine didn''t say anything more, she lay on the couch hugging her chest, her hair covering half of her face, making it difficult to discern her expression, while Link continued to apply medicine to her.


    "Link!"


    Christine said softly, her chin resting on her arm, "Before, I thought you were a player, lecherous, fickle scumbag who liked to deceive girls'' feelings with your handsome appearance and strong body, playing with their bodies."


    "So I was that despicable in your eyes before, and now?"


    Link gently kneaded her shoulders and asked.


    "Now I think you''re not that bad. You''re quite talented, hardworking, diligent, interesting, and not as lecherous as I imagined. A bit better than I thought."


    Christine said.


    "Thanks! At least my effort applying the medicine wasn''t in vain."


    Link patted her pert behind.


    Christine turned to give him a look, "You''d better not make me take back what I just said."


    "I''m done applying. Get up and move around to see if there are any other places that need medicine,"


    Link said.


    Christine looked at him and stood up nonchalantly, putting on a shirt in front of him. She moved her limbs around; her muscles still felt some stabbing pain in various places, but it was much less than when she awoke, and the piercing pain in the muscles of her legs when walking had also subsided.


    "It should all be good after applying it a couple more times."


    Link handed the medicine bottle to her and walked into the washroom to wash his hands with his right hand in his pocket.


    Christine looked at his awkward walk, blinking expressionlessly.


    After leaving Muscle Beach Gym, Link drove Christine home first, then drove to Lionsgate Films to pick up Ivanka from work. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the way, they talked about the work at Lionsgate Films. After dealing with ''Warner Bros. Pictures stealing box office revenue,'' the current primary work at Lionsgate Films was centered around six movies and two TV shows they were producing, as well as four movies set to premiere this and next month.


    The box office results of the three movies distributed by Lionsgate Films in April and May were also quite satisfactory.


    "The Lincoln Lawyer" had a production budget of 40 million dollars, the current North America box office was at 53.4 million, and the overseas box office was at 25.33 million, which nearly ensured breaking even. "Madea''s Big Happy Family" had a production cost of 15 million, and its current North America box office had surpassed 50 million, clearly a profitable movie.


    The other four low-budget movies, such as "Poor Miss," "Red State," etc., all had box office took in under ten million, with a total loss of about 30 million, which wasn''t too bad.


    Currently, aside from a debt of 180 million, Lionsgate Films was essentially breaking even.


    The bad news was that in the first half of the year, the total box office of movies independently distributed by Lionsgate Films was less than 200 million US dollars, a figure that not only couldn''t compete with the top six studios but also fell short of those of Summit Entertainment, Weinstein Company, and Relativity Media. Lionsgate had dropped from Hollywood''s seventh to the tenth largest studio last year.


    "Take it slow. At this stage, we just need to keep the company stable and ensure that the work on several projects proceeds normally. Once we gain full control of Lionsgate, things will gradually improve,"


    Link said while holding Ivanka''s hand.


    "There''s another thing. Last week, you bought two movies back from Cannes Film Festival, and after watching them, several heads of the distribution department think the quality is very average and definitely will lose money if released as is. What are you thinking?"


    Ivanka asked, looking at his profile.


    "We''ll hand the thriller over to the production department for re-editing to see if we can improve the movie''s quality. Then, we''ll have a test screening in a cinema near Chinatown to see if it has potential. If the results are poor, we''ll end the screening immediately. For ''Mr. Tree'', I have some ideas for promotion, but I''m not sure if they''ll work. I''ll personally go to the distribution department tomorrow to discuss with them and also take the opportunity to learn more about the film distribution process,"


    "That could work."


    Ivanka nodded slightly, hearing his plans to promote a foreign movie with his past experience promoting albums, she felt the box office results might be surprisingly good.


    "Why do I smell medicine? Are you hurt?"


    Ivanka asked, sniffing her fingers.


    "No! I was applying medicine to someone else."


    "A woman?"


    Ivanka blinked her long eyelashes.


    "How did you guess it was a woman?"


    Link was taken aback by her astuteness.


    "You wouldn''t be willing to apply medicine to a man."


    Ivanka said with a curved lip.


    Link shrugged his shoulders and briefly mentioned Christine practicing boxing and straining a muscle.


    Ivanka hummed through her petite nose and did not pursue the topic further.

 Chapter 555 - 427: Movie Premiere

    According to his wishes, Lionsgate Films'' production department re-edited and produced "Isolated Island Fright," and then released it in four theaters located near Chinatown in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle.


    On the first day of release, it earned $14,700 at the box office, with an average daily income of $3,675 per theater, far below the average level.


    In the first week, it earned $210,000 from twelve theaters, and the general consensus was that the reception was pretty mediocre.


    Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating was 3%, with 12 in favor and 3 against.


    Critics mainly criticized its plot for lacking blood plasma, severed limbs, psychopathic zombies, and terrifying music. The plot was not at all exciting, and watching the movie only made viewers drowsy.


    For Huaxia audiences, the main selling point of the movie was the scantily clad female leads.


    In America, where the culture is more liberal, those who want to see bikini-clad women can go to the beach or a naturist park to see people streaking; there''s no need to buy a movie ticket for that.


    The movie lacked appeal, so naturally, the audience didn''t buy into it.


    Lionsgate Films could only terminate the screenings earlier and released the movie on the online platform CinemaNow.


    CinemaNow is a streaming video website originally founded with investments from Trimark.


    After Lionsgate Films acquired Trimark in 2006 for 60 million US dollars, the website also became one of the assets of Lionsgate Films.


    "Isolated Island Fright" incurred a loss of about 450,000 US dollars, including copyright fees, post-production, dubbing, marketing, labor wages, and other expenses.


    There was also the box office.


    The box office split for Hollywood movie previews is determined based on the occupancy rate of each venue.


    The higher the occupancy rate during the preview period, the more the distribution company earns; if the occupancy rate is too low, the box office revenue goes entirely to the theater as compensation for their loss.


    The movie "Isolated Island Fright" hardly brought any box office revenue to Lionsgate Films.


    It was unknown who leaked the news to the media that Link had bought the movie from Cannes.


    After the movie was pulled from theaters, many media outlets published articles claiming that he had made a misstep, saying that his investments in movies weren''t as infallible as the rumors suggested.


    When Harvey saw this news, he laughed heartily, sweeping away the gloom that "Bridesmaids''" success had cast over him recently.


    With cigar in hand, Harvey told Matt Damon and Ben Affleck that such a movie was obviously not going to have a market in the United States, yet Link insisted on buying it.


    After the movie was brought back to Lionsgate Films, the distribution department told Link that the ratings for the movie were very low, and it was unnecessary to distribute it, but Link still insisted on its release.


    "Haha, when I heard this news, I thought I had misjudged. I also thought Link had a unique vision, seeing something we couldn''t, and that this movie might exceed everyone''s expectations. Haha, but there was no surprise; indeed, it was a terrible movie," Harvey laughed.


    Matt Damon and Ben Affleck hadn''t seen "Isolated Island Fright," so they couldn''t really comment on it, but they didn''t understand why Link insisted on releasing a movie that was known to incur losses.


    "Link is too arrogant. He thinks he understands movies well. He thinks ''Scandal Plan'' and ''Bridesmaids'''' success was due to him, that he is omnipotent and can achieve whatever he wants to do. In reality, he is nothing special."


    Harvey gestured vehemently, venting the frustration inside him, even his saliva spraying as he spoke.


    "This movie''s distribution failure has indeed cooled some people''s enthusiasm towards Link in the industry," Matt Damon said.


    After the success of "Bridesmaids," many film companies wanted to collaborate with Palm Beach Films and Lionsgate Films.


    With the release failure of "Isolated Island Fright," rumors that Link personally decided to acquire it started circulating, and people began to doubt his judgment, becoming much more cautious about cooperating with him.


    Hearing Matt''s words, Harvey suddenly recalled Bob approaching Link a few days ago, requesting to invest in "The Master," and he couldn''t help feeling some regret.


    "The Master" was also a movie that Link decided to invest in personally.


    Would it have the same fate as "Isolated Island Fright"?


    If only he hadn''t agreed to Bob in the first place. Unfortunately, the contract had already been signed, and the ten million dollars for production had been transferred to the film crew''s account; it was too late for regrets.


    "Damn Link! Damn Bob!" Harvey cursed in his mind. That was ten million dollars gone. How could he have been so foolish to believe Link was a maestro of movie investments?


    "Harvey! Hey, Matt, Ben!"


    Bob came in and greeted everyone.


    Harvey glared at him unhappily, "What''s up?"


    "About Lionsgate Films¡ªafter the distribution failure of ''Isolated Island Fright,'' Link went against everyone''s advice and requested the continued distribution of another movie he bought, ''Mr. Tree.'' Did you know about this?" Bob said, holding a document.


    "Mr. Tree?"


    Harvey was stunned for a moment, then broke out laughing, "Is that true? ''Isolated Island Fright'' has already failed, and he still insists on distributing that incomprehensible art film? Has Link gone mad?"


    "Harvey, what are you talking about?" Matt Damon asked curiously.


    Harvey first laughed heartily, then started talking about Link buying two Huaxia films at the Cannes Film Festival.


    The first film had already been declared a loss, but Link refused to accept reality and insisted on releasing a second Chinese-language film, an arthouse film that was incomprehensible to most viewers.


    The second film was rooted in Huaxia''s rural themes and, due to a different background and cultural environment, had no market in America.


    Harvey said if it were up to him to choose a film to distribute, he would rather choose the one with bikini-clad girls in a horror movie than the second "Mr. Tree."


    This film was bound to lose money, and no one could make it a success, no matter who distributed it.


    Knowing the film would lose money but still insisting on distributing it was to disrespect market rules, which would inevitably lead to punishment. That''s why he said Link had gone mad.


    "Why would Link do this?"


    Matt Damon asked, puzzled.


    "Because ''Bridesmaids'' was a huge hit, the media overhyped Link, and he thought he was invincible. He got carried away, and that''s why he did something so incredibly foolish,"


    Harvey said, waving his arms with great satisfaction as he cursed.


    "Ahem! Harvey, things might not be as you think,"


    Bob interjected.


    "Not the same? What''s not the same?"


    Harvey asked with a frown.


    "The box office for this film isn''t as bad as you say; it could even be considered a big hit."


    "How is that possible?! Have you gone mad as well? How could that kind of film be a hit in the United States?"


    Harvey said with a stern face.


    "Five days ago, ''Mr. Tree'' had a limited release in four theaters in North America, with a first-day box office of $13,200, an average revenue per screen of $3,301, and an occupancy rate of about 28%,"


    Bob opened his folder and said. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "An average revenue of three thousand and an occupancy rate of 28%, and you tell me this is a hit?!"


    If rolling his eyes hadn''t damaged his own dignity, he would have wanted to give Bob a big eye roll.


    "On the second day, ''Mr. Tree'' had a cumulative box office of $42,000 US dollars, an average revenue per screen of $7,200, and an occupancy rate of 76%."


    "Hm?"


    Harvey suddenly straightened up and asked with a frown, "That''s not right, how could the occupancy rate suddenly increase so much?"


    "Could it be that the film is good, and word of mouth is driving the box office?"


    Ben Affleck asked.


    "Impossible. Even someone like me who has some understanding of Huaxia cinema can''t understand that film. How could ordinary viewers understand it? Bob, how could the occupancy rate for ''Mr. Tree'' suddenly increase so much? Could it be that Lionsgate Films is faking the box office?"


    Harvey asked in a heavy voice.


    "On the night ''Mr. Tree'' was released, Link posted a new single on YouTube called ''Blinding Lights,'' with the video exceeding 2 million views in 24 hours, and the current play count has surpassed 30 million. Fans think very highly of this song.


    And the ''Blinding Lights'' music video uses footage from this film. It is said that many fans, after seeing the music video, loved the song and went to the theaters to support it.


    This caused a surge in the occupancy rate the next day, and by the third day, the occupancy rate in the four theaters reached 98%, full house! The highest occupancy rate of any film at the same time,"


    Bob said slowly.


    Harvey opened and closed his mouth, feeling the urge to curse.


    When releasing ''Bridesmaids,'' Link used a new song to promote the film, and now he was doing it again. Couldn''t this bastard find a different method?


    Link was not only the boss of Lionsgate Films but also a music king and youth idol, with albums selling over 10 million copies in the United States and tens of millions of fans, having great influence.


    If he was willing to promote a film, even if it were a pile of dog shit, many people would be willing to spend money to support it.


    Harvey clamped his mouth shut and bit down hard.


    "Using this method to promote a film is only useful for the first few days. Once the heat passes, the occupancy rate will definitely drop. What was yesterday''s occupancy rate?"


    "86%! Currently, the film has made a cumulative box office of $180,000 US dollars in four theaters, and it''s said that Lionsgate bought the rights to the film for $150,000 US dollars. It is expected to break even within this week,"


    Bob said.


    "So what, Link is a superstar. To get him to promote a film, it costs millions each time. Including the cost of the song, Lionsgate has invested several million in promotion but only got a little over a hundred thousand at the box office. That certainly can''t be considered a big hit,"


    Harvey said coldly.


    Matt Damon and Ben Affleck nodded, agreeing with Harvey''s words.


    Link was a big star. If he wanted, he could earn hundreds of thousands just for attending a film event, and if he were to write a song specifically for promoting a film, it would cost even more.


    So, ''Mr. Tree'' making $180,000 at the box office in five days wasn''t that much.


    "Hmph, Link just doesn''t want to concede. Let''s just wait and see how much box office this marketless film can get,"


    Harvey said as he pressed his cigar into the ashtray with force.

 Chapter 556 - 428: Good Box Office (3/10)

    After a modest promotion, at the beginning of June, "Mr. Tree" had a limited release in four theaters in the United States.


    A limited release is akin to testing the waters, with the performance used to gauge market direction.


    If the limited release goes well, the number of screenings can be increased the following week; if not, to reduce losses, the distributor might consider ending the screenings early.


    Of course, sometimes, even if the limited release has only mediocre results, if the theaters see potential in the movie, they might extend its run.


    For instance, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" had average results during its limited release, but the theaters believed in its potential, persisted with the screenings, and eventually the film grossed $370 million worldwide on a $5 million budget, becoming the surprise box office hit of 2002.


    "Mr. Tree" earned $230,000 in its first week, with an average occupancy rate of 82%.


    Looking at the occupancy rate rankings, it was in the top three among art-house films of the same period, even slightly higher than the occupancy rate of the box office champion "Cars 2."


    However, considering that the first-week box office was largely buoyed by the popularity of Link''s new music video, the figure was somewhat inflated, leaving theater operators less confident.


    The second week saw an expansion to only 26 theaters.


    This week, video sites such as YouTube saw an uptick in "Mr. Tree" clips and film commentaries.


    There was also a video by a video blogger that edited together scenes of various Hollywood A-list actors smoking in movies.


    The lineup included heavyweight actors like Marlon Brando, Clark Gable, Harry Fortson, Gregory Peck, Brad Pitt, with only one foreign actor in these smoking clips - the male lead of "Mr. Tree."


    Though Mr. Tree''s smoking was cool, placed among a group of Hollywood A-listers, it stood out starkly, even to the point of being jarring, and also made him memorable.


    The video hit over 2 million views in five days.


    Beyond video commentaries, this week''s newspapers also featured some film reviews for "Mr. Tree."


    Most critics described this foreign film in terms of magical realism, calling it a film not easily understood, and one that is worth watching for those who appreciate niche, art-house cinema¡ªif they can get a handle on the plot.


    Variety called it a ''textbook'' film for understanding Huaxia folk culture.


    The Los Angeles Times hailed it as one of the best foreign films of the year with the potential to be a contender for Best International Feature Film at this year''s Oscars.


    The Chicago Tribune equated the film to Huaxia''s version of "Joker." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Isn''t this... a bit exaggerated?"


    Link found it amusing when he saw the newspaper''s promotion.


    Originally, his instructions to the marketing department were to use media to give the film high praise to pique audience curiosity, but the department went straight to promoting it as Oscar-worthy.


    "Mr. Tree" was good, but not Best International Feature Film at the Oscars good.


    "Chairman, this is a basic tactic in movie promotion. To hype up a film, you have to do it to the extreme to provoke curiosity and lead people to watch it. That way, even critics will watch it to criticize, ensuring the film gets attention," said Brian Goldsmith, the Chief Operating Officer at Lionsgate.


    Link nodded, deciding to let the marketing department stick to the plan. Although this type of hype might verge on being awkward, as long as it could drum up the film''s sales and bring in more box office revenue, a bit of embarrassment was acceptable.


    After handing over company matters to Ivanka and other senior managers, he continued his training at Muscle Beach Gym, preparing for his upcoming boxing match.


    In its second week of release, "Mr. Tree" earned $840,000 at 26 theaters, bringing the total box office to $1.07 million.


    In the American film market, over 700 films are released publicly each year, with last year featuring 774, but only about 400 films reached a box office of $1 million.


    "Mr. Tree" sold $1.07 million in two weeks, a better performance than most foreign-language films.


    In light of the decent box office returns the previous week, in the third week, "Mr. Tree" expanded to 204 theaters.


    That week, several veteran actors stepped forward to praise the male lead''s acting in "Mr. Tree."


    For instance, Cliff Robertson, the 41st Oscar Best Actor, and William Holt, the 58th Oscar Best Actor, during an interview with the Hollywood Reporter, lauded Mr. Tree''s performer Stan Wang for his exquisite acting, calling him a ''genius'' actor.


    They said his acting surpassed 99% of the current male actors on screen and that he had a chance to be nominated for Best Actor at this year''s Oscars.


    Although it was later revealed that Cliff Robertson had recently accepted a role with Lionsgate Films, leading to his public endorsement of Stan Wang, the news had initially caused quite a stir in the American film industry.


    Many people, intrigued, went to the theaters to see this niche Huaxia film.


    Some praised it, others cursed it.


    The media consensus rating was 82 out of 100, Rotten Tomatoes website freshness score of 76%, with 42 in favor and 18 against; film critics from Yahoo graded it a B+.


    Public opinion on the film was polarized.


    The professional media generally had a higher opinion of the film, considering it a good movie best enjoyed slowly and with patience.


    Ordinary viewers complained that they couldn''t understand it and didn''t feel it was suited for a theater viewing.


    Both sides stuck to their own views.


    What Link hadn''t expected was that Joaquin Phoenix, during a bout of idleness, went to see "Mr. Tree." Afterward, he heaped praise on Stan Wang''s performance to the media, saying it was truly good, that average actors couldn''t deliver at that level, and that Wang''s performance had given him a lot of inspiration.


    Seeing this news, Link phoned Brian Goldsmith and asked if they had hired Joaquin to endorse the film.

 Chapter 557 - 428: Good Box Office (3/10)_2

    Brian said no, adding that not only Joaquin, but also Film Emperor William Holt, Michael Keaton, and other actors spoke out for "Mr. Tree" without being influenced by their public relations efforts.


    Link asked Brian why this was the case; did these people want to curry favor with Lionsgate Films in this way?


    Brian Goldsmith said it wasn''t necessarily so and shared another piece of news with him.


    Many film critics in the media were praising "Mr. Tree," some of whom were brought in by the company, but a significant portion was not a result of the company''s PR; instead, after watching the film, they genuinely liked it and took the initiative to publish positive reviews.


    "So you''re saying the movie is not bad?"


    Link was somewhat surprised.


    "Yes, in terms of artistry, this movie is considered nearly top-tier at the international level. The only issue is the deep Huaxia backdrop and themes, which make it difficult for many people to understand. Those who do understand tend to appreciate it, finding it explores humanity and society and touches on profound themes, making it a niche gem," Brian explained.


    Link nodded; he seemed to have underestimated the film, as well as the audience''s level of discernment.


    At the time of distribution, he worried about the language barrier and the story''s comprehensibility, so his expectations for the film were not high.


    Yet art knows no borders, and a fine work of art can bridge various divides and resonate with people, just like the Asian films "The Kite Runner," "Children of Heaven," "Rashomon," "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," which received much acclaim upon their release in the United States.


    "Mr. Tree," in its third week, grossed 2.337 million US dollars at the North American box office, ranking 15th for the period and bringing its cumulative earnings to 3.41 million dollars, far exceeding expectations.


    Initially, Link''s goal was 1.5 million, which was ten times the cost of the rights.


    If one doesn''t count his PR expenses, the company had invested around 1.8 million dollars in rights, production, and promotional fees for this movie, and they had now broken even.


    "Damn it, how could this kind of movie possibly have a box office of over two million in a week?"


    Harvey said with a stern face.


    This week, the Weinstein Company also released a Huaxia film, directed by Chen Kaige ¨C "Wuxia," which had been nominated for the ''Midnight Screening'' section at the Cannes Film Festival not long ago.


    Harvey had acquired the North American distribution rights for this film with 650,000 US dollars.


    Having distributed "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," "The Promise," "Kung Fu Hustle," "Shaolin Soccer," and other Huaxia action films since 2003, he had some understanding of this genre and believed "Wuxia" would have potential at the box office.


    The results were very disappointing.


    "Wuxia" screened at eight theaters over the weekend and took in only 107,000 dollars, far below expectations.


    The occupancy rate and average daily box office were nowhere near what Link''s haphazardly purchased "Mr. Tree" achieved.


    Harvey was very dissatisfied with this outcome.


    Both being Huaxia-themed films, the kung fu focused "Wuxia" should logically have had greater potential than the rural themed "Mr. Tree," yet that was not reflected in their box office performances.


    "David, do you have any way to improve the box office of ''Wuxia''?"


    Harvey put down the newspaper and looked towards David Glaser, the company''s Chief Operating Officer.


    "Chairman, I suggest we allocate additional funds for promotion," said David Glaser after some thought.


    To achieve a good box office, you need word of mouth on the one hand and publicity on the other. Being a foreign film, "Wuxia" didn''t have exceptional quality, making it challenging to accumulate high praise and spread by word of mouth, so it would require investment in publicity to get widespread attention.


    Just like Lionsgate Films, "Mr. Tree" was a very niche film and had not been expected to do well upon release.


    Yet, with continuous promotion and operation by Link and Lionsgate Films, it astonishingly sold 3.39 million dollars worth of tickets in three weeks, tripling the budget.


    "Complete Movie" analyzed three reasons for the film''s box office success.


    First was Link.


    Link''s fame drove the initial wave of moviegoers, giving the film decent results in preview screenings.


    Second was promotion; Lionsgate Films had a good publicity strategy and was willing to spend money. Despite the unclear market prospects, Lionsgate gambled over a million dollars on promotion and won.


    Third was the film''s quality, which was good enough to deserve praise.


    "Wuxia," if it wants to emulate "Mr. Tree," must first keep up with promotion, be willing to spend money, and stir up movie hype.


    "Mr. Tree" had Link''s new song to help with promotion, which attracted a lot of attention.


    "Wuxia" didn''t have top-tier celebrities to drive sales, so it would require spending money to hype up the film with critics and find ways to lure audiences into theaters.


    "Spend money?"


    Harvey frowned, thinking that he could also come up with such a method, but spending money presupposes having money, and given the company''s current financial situation, this was not an advisable approach.


    "If I give you a million to spend on promotion, how much can you recoup?"


    "This..."


    David Glaser shrugged his shoulders, "Investing in films is like betting in a casino; no one can be sure of making a profit until the very end. I think Lionsgate Films also took a risk with ''Mr. Tree,'' having little assurance they would recoup their investment."


    Harvey thought deeply, weighing whether to take the gamble. If he won, he could recover the cost; if he lost, he would lose even more.


    "What''s the marketing department''s opinion?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "They think this film has moderate prospects and that even with increased promotion, it''s unlikely to see much at the box office. They suggest ending the screenings early and releasing it on DVD, which might recoup part of the cost," answered David Glaser.


    Harvey thought with a stern face and, finding no better options, decided to accept the marketing department''s suggestion.

 Chapter 558 - 428 Good Box Office (3/10)_3

    If it had been when he first started out, he might have risked a bet, but not now.


    After decades in Hollywood, having seen too many film companies go bankrupt from wrong bets, he knew the risks involved, and for safety''s sake, it was better not to follow them.


    Although he knew it was the right thing to do, thinking about how Link and Lionsgate Films had made the right bet this time and earned millions of US dollars more, he felt very annoyed.


    Harvey thought about finding someone to badmouth the movie, just like they did with "Bridesmaids," but "Mr. Tree" was already a niche film with low visibility; badmouthing it would only increase its exposure, undoubtedly aiding in promoting Link''s movie.


    He would never do such a foolish thing.


    He thought for a while but couldn''t come up with a good way to deal with Link.


    Harvey loosened his tie and sent David Glaser back to work, then picked up the phone to call Bob, asking him to find a way to sabotage Link, as he couldn''t stand the sight of Link right now.


    Bob comforted him, saying "Mr. Tree" had performed well at the box office, proving that Link had a good eye, and that their movie "The Master" might also be a big hit, which could mean good earnings for the company, and that wasn''t necessarily a bad thing.


    Moreover, Link had spent over a million dollars promoting this movie for the sake of prestige, which showed that Link was a big gambler, perhaps something they could exploit in the future to set him up.


    Harvey thought about it and felt there was some merit to it.


    But accepting Bob''s advice meant he would have to endure Link for a much longer time, which made him very uncomfortable.


    Bob continued to advise that he was a top producer skilled in making movies, and he should use this expertise to produce more blockbuster films; as long as their movies were hits, there was no need to envy Link.


    Bob also reminded him that he had been focusing too much on Link lately, wasting a lot of time and energy, which wasn''t good and hoped he would spend more time on film production.


    Harvey snorted coldly and hung up the phone with a scowl.


    After sitting in the office for a while, he realized that Bob was right. To deal with Link, he needed to focus on the movies, and he cursed, "Damn Link," then summoned his secretary and driver saying he wanted to go to the studio and take a look.


    Normally, he would never visit the set in such hot weather.


    Because of Link, he now had to endure all of this.


    ¡ª¡ª S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link, it''s incredible that you wrote a hit single specifically for promoting the movie," said Casey Affleck, sipping beer.


    "Yes, Link, sometimes I feel like you''re an alien, much stronger than the average human," Paul Walker said, patting Link on the shoulder a bit heavily, perhaps out of jealousy.


    Link smiled lightly. A few days ago, to promote "Mr. Tree," he had borrowed a popular song from 2020, "Blinding Lights," which had lyrics somewhat similar to the plot of Mr. Tree. The song''s music video was first released on YouTube, and within a week, views had surpassed 30 million.


    By the second week, the audio version of the song officially hit iTunes, Amazon Music Store, Spotify, and other paid/free music platforms, and even with free resources available, the song still sold 1.45 million copies in the first week on various platforms, becoming a "Billboard" singles chart topper.


    The song''s popularity also increased the exposure of "Mr. Tree," contributing some box office revenue to the movie.


    "This song is from my second album, not written specifically for the movie. Because the styles differed, it wasn''t included in the second or third albums. This time, needing a gimmick for the movie''s promotion, I released this song, though the effect was fairly average," Link explained.


    The song was of excellent quality, but its style leaned towards pop, mixed with soul and had a strong rhythm, which actually didn''t quite fit with the rural movie "Mr. Tree."


    Some joked that the video was like dressing hillbillies in top fashion¡ªit looked flashy but was somewhat mismatched.


    After "Blinding Lights" was released, fans clamored for him to reshoot the MV with a more modern background, which would be cooler.


    But Link was too busy lately to shoot an MV, and a new script for the MV was still in the works.


    "Hey, Joaquin, how do you have the time to come here? Is the movie done?" Casey nudged himself up from the sand.


    This was at Casey Affleck''s Malibu villa beach, with Link invited over for a visit, and present were James Franco, Tobey Maguire, Summer Phoenix, Zac Efron, among others.


    Seeing Joaquin Phoenix coming over, he waved and greeted.


    "Heard you guys were drinking here, I had the afternoon free, so I came to have a drink. Hey, Link, seeing you here is really rare," Joaquin chuckled.


    Link handed him a can of beer, "Joaquin, I haven''t thanked you yet for promoting the movie; your word alone helped pull in millions at the box office."


    "No need to thank me! What I told the reporters was all true; that Huaxia actor''s acting is really good. If it wasn''t for his natural role, based on his acting, he totally could be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor," Joaquin said, leaning against a palm tree, sipping beer.


    Helping Wang Baoqiang campaign for an Oscar Best Actor award?


    Link raised an eyebrow, not to mention that the chances of success were very slim.


    If it really happened, the day of the Oscars ceremony, with Wang Baoqiang sitting among Leonardo, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, and others, that scene would be quite a novelty.

 Chapter 559 - 429: New Movie Project

    "Link, what''s the situation with you and Harvey? I heard back in March you guys had a fallout, Harvey threatened to blackball you, and in April, the news said you were preparing to use a movie to compete for the box office, creating a lot of tension. How come you''re suddenly working together on a film now?"


    Under the palm tree, Joaquin didn''t sit on a chair but simply leaned against the trunk, stretching out his legs as he asked.


    When the others heard Joaquin bring up this topic, they also stopped talking, looking over curiously.


    "The fallout is true, if Harvey hadn''t meddled in the casting of ''The Hunger Games,'' I wouldn''t have spent the money to buy Lionsgate."


    Link lay on the lounge chair, massaging his fingers as he spoke.


    "Link, it''s really crazy that you bought Lionsgate Films for Jennifer Lawrence."


    James Franco exclaimed in admiration.


    "Hey, everyone, please allow me to introduce, this is the world-famous playboy, oh no, I mean the lover, Mr. Link Baker. For his rumored girlfriend, he spent a whopping eight hundred million US dollars to buy Lionsgate Films! He''s truly a romantic. We should all learn from him, get a few more girlfriends."


    Paul Walker patted Link''s shoulder, exclaiming in an exaggerated tone.


    Everyone laughed.


    Link shook his head and continued to Joaquin, "The collaboration is real. Bob took the initiative to approach me, asking to participate in the investment of ''The Master,'' and I didn''t object."


    At first, he thought it was Harvey and Bob''s idea.


    Latter, when signing the contract, Bob invested in the name of Empire Pictures, not Weinstein Company, and Harvey was not involved at all.


    But it didn''t matter. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Weinstein brothers are one and the same, and when Bob requested a collaboration, everyone in the film circle thought he and Harvey had reconciled.


    "Link, it''s better for you to collaborate with the Weinstein brothers than to have conflicts. One''s a rising star and the other''s an established mogul. If you two invest in films together, you''re bound to produce many hits that are praised and profitable," Joaquin Phoenix commented.


    The others nodded in agreement.


    Link was the owner of Lionsgate Films, with a net worth of over two billion, richer than the Weinstein brothers and quite famous.


    The Weinstein brothers had authority in the independent film realm, deep connections, and good production and distribution capabilities; they were the best at pushing for Oscars.


    If these two parties joined forces, it would definitely be the perfect combination, and there was a great chance they could beat the big six studios in movies.


    But Link knew that was impossible.


    Let''s not even talk about political stances.


    He and Harvey were owners of major independent production companies and were in competition. The most important thing was that Harvey had too many issues, and getting too close to him could mean getting caught up in the backlash when the time for accountability came.


    Just like Epstein, after he died, everyone he had contact with was treated as an accomplice without exception.


    Link didn''t mind being labeled a "scumbag" or "playboy," but he didn''t want to be a criminal.


    "Link, actually you don''t need to compete with Harvey. You''re over thirty years younger than him. In ten years he''ll be retiring, and by then all of Hollywood could be yours," James Franco joked.


    "You have a point."


    Link laughed lightly.


    "Hey, Link!"


    While they chatted, Ben Affleck, Casey''s brother, walked over from a path through the coconut grove.


    Dressed in neat casual attire, standing at 192 cm tall and handsome, he made Casey, who was only 174 cm tall with average looks, appear quite ordinary in comparison.


    If it were not for the fact that both of them bore the surname Affleck, it would have been difficult to tell that they were brothers based on their appearance alone.


    Following beside him was a tall woman, his wife Jennifer Garner, with whom Link had worked on "Valentine''s Day".


    After Ben Affleck sat down, he took a few sips of beer and initiated a conversation with Link about movies.


    Ben Affleck mentioned that he had a new script in his hands, which was adapted from the Iran hostage crisis.


    The script was about the crisis in which six American diplomats and civilians were held hostage for 444 days, and during that time, a CIA operative skilled in disguise, Tony Mendez, pretended to be a film director going to Iran to shoot a movie, successfully extracting the hostages stuck in the Iranian embassy from Iran.


    Upon hearing this story, Link recalled that this movie must be "Argo", directed and starred by Ben Affleck himself, which had won the Best Picture at the Oscars.


    Ben Affleck asked him if he was interested in the story and hoped they could collaborate.


    "Ben, isn''t your movie supposed to be in collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures?"


    Joaquin Phoenix asked.


    Ben Affleck shrugged his shoulders and turned to Link, asking, "I heard ''Bridesmaids'' made around one hundred and forty-five million in North America box office, is that true?"


    Others also looked towards Link, curious about such gossip which they had all heard; having finally encountered Link, the involved party, they were not willing to let the opportunity pass easily.


    "Almost, I''m not too clear on the specifics."


    Link said.


    "That''s amazing, if the North American box office reached 150 million US dollars, then globally the movie must have made over 300 million, a tenfold profit."


    Cassie said enviously.


    Ben Affleck nodded his head and continued to explain the preparations for "Argo" to Link.


    The movie had a budget of 45 million, and currently, three production companies were involved: George Clooney''s Smokehouse Pictures, Graham King Films, and Ben Affleck''s own production studio, all three of which had raised 30 million US dollars for production costs.


    Initially, he was planning to continue his collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures; last year''s "The Town" had a satisfactory partnership despite average box office performance, but received good reviews.


    Nevertheless, Affleck hesitated after issues of box office embezzlement surfaced at Warner Bros. Pictures.


    With a production cost of 37 million for "The Town" and a global box office of 121 million US dollars, he had initially thought the figures were decent, but now felt there might be a problem.


    Given the film''s good reception, the box office numbers should have been higher, perhaps around 200 million US dollars.


    The second person Ben Affleck thought of was Harvey.


    Regrettably, The Weinstein Company had limited funds; they had recently invested 10 million into "The Master" and had already allocated their remaining resources, rendering them unable to contribute 15 million dollars for investment at this stage.


    After seeking Harvey out three times and realizing The Weinstein Company genuinely didn''t have the funds, he had no choice but to search for new investors.


    Upon seeing Link there, his wife Jennifer Garner suggested he try his luck; since the Weinstein brothers had invested in "The Master" at Palm Beach, it indicated reconciliation, and there was no need to worry about offending Harvey by partnering with Link.


    Ben Affleck heeded her advice and approached Link for a chat.


    When Accleck approached him for investment, Link neither refused nor immediately agreed.


    Next year, Lionsgate Films was set to produce several movies: "The Hunger Games", "Moneyball", "The Expendables 2", "The Vow", along with eight horror film projects including "The Evil Invasion", "Matriarch", and "Texas Chainsaw 3D", totaling a production budget surpassing three hundred million US dollars.


    Investing in additional movies would exceed the budget, leading to a potential cash flow issue for the company.


    He needed to go back and discuss it with Ivanka and others before deciding.


    "Now that we''ve discussed serious matters, let''s go play some volleyball,"


    Paul Walker called out.

 Chapter 560 - 430: Face to Face with Two Women

    In June, the movies related to Link, besides "Bridesmaids" and "Mr. Tree," included his lead role in "Midnight in Paris."


    This movie was produced and distributed by Sony Pictures and has been showing in limited release since May 20th. In its first week at 8 theaters in the United States, it earned $1.12 million at the box office, with an average occupancy rate of 82% per theater per day¡ªvery impressive data, and the word-of-mouth was also very good.


    The media gave it an average score of 76%, while Rotten Tomatoes rated it fresh with 86%, supported by 32 people and opposed by 12; on Yahoo, film critics gave it an A-.


    The New York Times called the film a love letter to Paris by director Woody Allen, and praised Link''s performance for adding much luster to the movie, not to mention the romantic scenes between Link, Marion Cotillard, and Jennifer Lawrence in the film, which the media thoroughly enjoyed discussing.


    In its second week, "Midnight in Paris" earned $4.74 million at 72 theaters in the United States.


    With its solid early limited release, the number of theaters showing the film expanded to 1,274 in the third week.


    Over the three-day weekend, the box office took in $16.56 million, ranking fourth for the period.


    The box office champion was the science fiction blockbuster "Super 8," with a weekend gross of $35.48 million; the runner-up, in its second week, was "Transformers 3" with $25.81 million; the third place was "X-Men: First Class," with $23.19 million in ten days.


    For a dramatic film like "Midnight in Paris" to break through the summer blockbuster noise, including "Kung Fu Panda 2," "The Hangover Part 3," and "Pirates of the Caribbean 4," and to reach fourth place, the media heralded it as a refreshing change of pace for the summer season.


    This week also marked the fifth week of release for "Bridesmaids," and following the ticket sales controversy, the box office performance of "Bridesmaids" became the focus of much media attention.


    This week, it brought in $14.45 million in the North American region, with cumulative earnings of $85.15 million. What surprised the media even more was that the movie''s weekly box office decline stayed within 20% for five consecutive weeks, indicating the movie''s exceptional quality.


    At the current rate, it is expected that within ten days, North American earnings will break through the $100 million mark.


    Meanwhile, the overseas box office for "Bridesmaids" has already accumulated $182 million.


    The global box office has reached $267 million.


    Also, due to "Bridesmaids" earning significantly more overseas than in North America, the rumor spreading online about Warner Bros. Pictures "stealing box office revenue" has been accepted by many people.


    Many discussions online question how much revenue Warner Bros. Pictures might have stolen, with some guessing it could be close to $100 million, given that the domestic and international revenues were not far apart; others speculate around $60 to $70 million or $40 to $50 million.


    No matter how much was stolen, the actual box office figures for "Bridesmaids" would be higher than they currently are.


    Some people also recalled what Link had said during a promotional interview.


    At the time, Link predicted that the global box office for "Bridesmaids" could reach four to five hundred million U.S. dollars.


    After the show aired, many people mocked him, calling him "Mr. Mouth Cannon," but now it seems reaching over $300 million globally for "Bridesmaids" is just a matter of time, and Hollywood Reporter predicts the total box office to be around $350 million.


    Considering the portion of the revenue that might have been taken, it is highly possible for the film''s global earnings to surpass $400 million.


    "Link Wasn''t All Talk" became the title of an article in Complete Movie magazine.


    The editor of the magazine thoroughly discussed Link''s claim of "four to five hundred million" on the show, the reaction of the many American media outlets, and even featured reports from multiple major media companies.


    At the time, almost all media did not believe that the movie could garner that much in box office earnings and thought that Link was making wild claims to create hype for the movie''s promotion.


    Now, with the movie already reaching $267 million worldwide, it is not too far from $400 million, and it''s not impossible that it may achieve this figure.


    Complete Movie magazine''s editor dubbed Link a box office prophet, as almost every prediction he made came to fruition; if it didn''t, it would be "only a problem with the distribution company," alluding to the rumors of Warner Bros. Pictures stealing box office revenues.


    At the end of the article, the magazine raised a question about the next Marvel blockbuster "Captain America," in which Link stars, which is set to meet the global audience on July 22nd. What was Link''s prediction this time?


    "Captain America?"


    After finishing his workout in the afternoon, Link returned to Lionsgate Films from Muscle Beach and encountered a reporter with a microphone running up to him as he reached the company''s building, asking him to predict the global box office for "Captain America."


    Link smiled slightly and turned to look back at the sweating reporter.


    "Sorry! Up until now, I haven''t seen the finished film of Captain America, so I can''t make a judgment. I think it should at least match the box office of ''Bridesmaids.''"


    "Mr. Baker, do you think ''Captain America'' can break through the $1 billion mark worldwide?" the reporter asked again.


    "I hope so," Link answered.


    Link waved his hand and entered the Lionsgate Films building. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Lionsgate building is located on 12th Street in the Santa Monica district, not far from the famous Santa Monica Square and shopping center.


    The neighborhood houses many film companies, including Relativity Media, the animation division of Sony, the Los Angeles branch of 20th Century Fox, as well as offices from Netflix, Google, and others.


    The building, with five floors above and below ground, covering a total area of 120,000 square feet, was designed by the top US architectural firm Gensler. Originally the headquarters of Trimark Pictures, it became an asset of Lionsgate Films following that company''s acquisition.


    In 2000, Lionsgate Films also relocated its headquarters here from Canada.


    As Link entered the building, he heard that Andrew Kramer, the head of the International Operations department, along with four employees, had been fired¡ªin the wake of the change in ownership, Andrew was the first high-ranking executive to be "optimized" out of the company.


    "Heard Andrew Kramer was let go?" Link asked as he walked into Eva''s office.


    Eva was standing next to a bookshelf, leafing through a film magazine.


    Dressed in a light-colored straight skirt, her silhouette was curvy, with a bottom like a ripe peach. In the office, she preferred to wear flat shoes, but with her height of 181 centimeters and long, shapely legs, she still maintained an appearance of grace and tallness, even in flats.

 Chapter 561 - 430 Two Women Face to Face_2

    Her golden hair was pulled back into a bun at the nape of her neck, revealing her fair, swan-like neck.


    As she read the magazine, a strand of golden hair fell onto the page like a crescent moon dropping from the sky onto a tranquil lake, fishing up lines of poetic text.


    "You''re here."


    Ivanka used her slender fingers to tuck back the strand of hair, walked over to the minibar with the magazine in hand, and poured a glass of iced tea for him.


    "Firing Andrew Kramer was a decision made at the noon meeting, I was planning to tell you in the evening."


    "It''s okay, I was just curious."


    Link pulled her into a seat at the bar.


    After handing over the management of Lionsgate Films to Ivanka, she had the final say in all matters, including personnel, investment, acquisitions, etc.¡ªhe typically only offered personal opinions on film projects.


    Ivanka told him there were three reasons for firing Andrew Kramer and others.


    The main reason was that after more than three years at Lionsgate Films, his performance in handling international business was poor; out of the fifteen films he brought in during that time, half were at a loss, the rest had mediocre box office returns, and his marketing in the international market was also not impressive.


    Simply put, his business skills did not match the high treatment he was currently enjoying.


    The second reason involved rumors in the industry during the release of "Isolated Island Fright" and "Mr. Tree" that Link had personally ordered the purchase of the movie.


    At that time, the box office was not good, and many people used this to mock Link, which greatly affected both his personal reputation and Lionsgate''s interests.


    Afterward, Ivanka had people investigate who leaked the information.


    Although it was not found out, the issue definitely had something to do with the international division because the film rights were acquired by Link directly instructing Andrew Kramer over the phone.


    Whether Andrew personally told the media or first told someone else who then revealed it to the media, the root was with Andrew.


    He couldn''t keep his mouth shut and failed to take responsibility; blaming the box office failure on Link, his boss, was his biggest mistake.


    The third reason was, according to French tabloids, Andrew and others had misconduct in their private lives during the Cannes Film Festival, and not just this year. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In 2009, one of his assistants was taken away for questioning by local police during the Rotterdam Film Festival on suspicion of sexual harassment. Although Andrew managed to smooth things over, incidents like these during their travels damaged the company''s international image and had to be severely punished.


    "That''s good handling, I heard Andrew used to work under Harvey for a few years, and I was never very trusting of him."


    Link commented.


    "Yes, that''s also one of the reasons I fired him. For those I do not trust, even a slight doubt, I must dispose of them as early and as quickly as possible. The higher their position in the company, the greater the harm, and it also affects our work morale," Ivanka said with her leg crossed and speaking indifferently.


    Link looked at her, observed her cold expression, her calm tone, and her decisive way of handling things. Had he not been her boyfriend, but a regular employee, he probably would have been swept out the door by now.


    However, every time he saw her maintaining that fierce and untouchable businesswoman facade, he felt compelled to do something to break her out of that state.


    So he stood up, walked behind Ivanka, and gently kneaded her fragrant shoulders and the soft, perfumed skin.


    "Did you apply medication for Christine today?"


    Ivanka leaned against his chest and chuckled softly.


    "No, the muscle strain wasn''t serious; a couple of days of rest should do it," Link replied.


    After helping Christine apply ointment last time, the next day, just before his training was about to end, she came back, claiming her assistant was absent, and asked him to help with the ointment.


    Link could only agree to do so.


    Before applying the ointment, Christine would ask him if he would take advantage of her injury to bully her. Link said he wouldn''t, and Christine said she believed him and hoped he wouldn''t let her down.


    Link helped her apply the ointment again, just like the first time, only this time his hands moved over a larger area, from her arms to shoulders, from her back to the flanks, along the bottom of the front chest, from her calves to buttocks, and waist.


    While applying the ointment and massaging, he did not speak, and neither did Christine; it was as if they were playing a game of who talks first, loses.


    After applying the ointment, he went to the bathroom to wash his hands with his hands in his pockets. When he came out, Christine had left, and there were some damp patches on the sofa where she had lain.


    Today, Christine came again as though addicted to the ointment application. But then Emma Roberts also came to train, which made it inconvenient to apply the ointment, so Christine stayed in the training area for over an hour and then left with Emma.


    Link had no objections to the two coming to train, but De La Hoya did not look pleased.


    While Emma and Christine were there, he said nothing.


    After the two left, Hoyle approached him with a sour tone, sarcastically saying that Link was living luxuriously, even bringing two beautiful movie starlets to boxing training.


    Link explained that they came of their own accord; he hadn''t invited them.


    Hoyle didn''t believe him and cheekily suggested adding a bed in the changing room for Link''s convenience to rest.


    Link said he would talk to Emma and Christine and ask them not to come to Muscle Beach for training anymore.


    Hoyle immediately objected, saying if the two wanted to train, they should come, and there was no need to stop them; having two beauties around motivated everyone to train harder.


    It was said that a few boxers saw the two as goddesses, and the highlight of their day was catching a glimpse of them in the training area.


    Link asked why he would say such nonsense if he did not oppose Emma and Christine coming there to train?

 Chapter 562 - 430: Two Women Face to Face_3

    Hoyle snorted coldly without speaking.


    Morales, from behind the squat rack, said Hoyle was just jealous because he couldn''t charm big star beauties like Emma and Christine, so he purposely came to pick a quarrel, trying to find some balance by doing so.


    Hoyle, furious, swung his fists and smashed down on Morales.


    Thud, thud, thud!


    "Chairman, Miss Daddario has arrived."


    Ivanka''s executive assistant Vivian Jones stood at the office door and said.


    "I see, please let Miss Daddario in."


    Ivanka slowly stood up.


    Link was stunned for a moment, "Miss Daddario?" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, don''t overthink it, it''s work-related. The production department mentioned that Daddario had attended auditions for two Lionsgate Films movies, performed very well, and passed the screen tests smoothly. Later, for some reason, she turned down both roles. I only invited her over to talk about movies, it won''t cause you any trouble," Ivanka said with a laugh.


    Link raised his eyebrows.


    He knew about Daddario''s auditions for Lionsgate Films; he hadn''t interfered, and Daddario had secured both roles solely based on her own merit.


    But then Daddario told him she wasn''t going to play the parts anymore, claiming that she didn''t get the roles through merit alone, other actresses were more suitable than her, and she didn''t want to take any back doors.


    Link said he hadn''t interfered; she had gotten the parts based on merit.


    Daddario said people at Lionsgate Films knew about their relationship, and she was given special consideration during the auditions. She was concerned it would affect the movie''s performance and felt the pressure was too much.


    After much thought, she decided not to take the roles.


    Unable to persuade her, Link then called Daddario''s agent, Ms. Susan Coworth, asking for her help in finding a few suitable roles for Daddario that could showcase her face and figure but preferably without any intimate scenes, and promised to take good care of her actors.


    Susan Coworth agreed.


    He had thought that was the end of it but hadn''t expected Ivanka to personally invite Daddario to Lionsgate Films for a chat.


    Typically, love rivals try to avoid meeting each other when aware of each other''s existence, to avoid a battleground.


    Yet Ivanka didn''t seem to worry about this at all, having already met Taylor, Jennifer Lawrence, and now Daddario.


    Considering he had come to the office early today, he might not have known about their meeting if he''d arrived later.


    Thinking about this made him suspect Ivanka had met with all the women he was involved with, including Emma Watson, Beyonce, Marion Cotillard, and others.


    "Hey, Eva, Link? Are you here too?"


    Before Link could sort it out, Alexandra Daddario arrived at the office.


    Dressed in a black ladies'' suit with a white lining and knee-length skirt, she showed off her tall figure, the curves of her full bosom, a flat tummy, and her straight, rounded legs, exuding a fresh, healthy sex appeal.


    Her golden-brown long hair cascaded over her shoulders, the tips looking freshly trimmed, neat and textured. On her beautifully made-up cheeks, a pair of blue eyes blinked at her, and her red lips were slightly pursed in a hint of surprise.


    When she stood next to Ivanka, the visual impact they created was as commanding as the curves at their chests.


    "Alex, welcome! Link didn''t know about our appointment; he came earlier today. Link, Alex and I are planning to talk about work, would you like to stay and listen?" Ivanka stood beside Daddario, smiling at him.


    Link forced a smile, not knowing what Ivanka was up to, but things being as they were, he couldn''t stop it.


    He walked over and hugged Daddario gently, kissing her cheek, then embraced Ivanka, stealthily pinching her ample behind.


    This woman had many strengths and not a few faults, the most prominent being she made too many issues of things. Where other rightful wives might turn a blind eye to their husband''s affairs and pretend ignorance, choosing to break up if life became unbearable¡ª


    But not Ivanka; she would actively seek out these women to chat, as if she was treating these matters like part of her job.


    Link didn''t know her intentions and, for now, could only go along with her.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Click!


    Outside the office door, Link glanced back at the closed door, scratched his forehead, and took out a lollipop from his pocket to put in his mouth.

 Chapter 563 - 431: Inside and Outside the Door (4/10)

    "Alex, you look even more beautiful in person than on the screen,"


    In the office, Ivanka examined Alexandra Daddario and praised her.


    "Eva, you are truly beautiful."


    Daddario also sized up Miss Ivanka across from her.


    Both from New York City, she had heard about this Miss of the Thompson Family, reputed not only for her beauty but also as an astute, capable, and well-versed businesswoman.


    Having met her in person, Daddario had a clearer understanding of her: she had an elegantly beautiful appearance, a dignified demeanor, and exuded an elegance and nobility that ordinary girls lacked. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And then there was her figure. Daddario had always been most proud of her own body, tall and sexy, with full breasts and a slender waist.


    Upon seeing Ivanka, she realized Ivanka''s figure was in no way inferior to her own.


    A few inches taller than herself, Ivanka''s curves and contours of her chest and hips were close to perfection; even Daddario, a woman herself, found them very alluring, not to mention men.


    What Daddario admired most about Ivanka was her graceful confidence and unpretentious demeanor, exuding strong femininity from the inside out.


    "Alex, let''s sit down and chat,"


    Ivanka gestured to the chairs beside the coffee table.


    Daddario set down her purse and, smoothing her skirt, sat down opposite, crossing her legs.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Chairman, would you like to sit down first?"


    Outside the office door, hearing Vivian''s shout, Link turned back to glance at the chair, shook his head, crossed his arms, and continued to watch the cars and pedestrians on 12th Street below from the corridor.


    The sunlight outside was strong, and after a day of radiance, the palm leaves by the road were curling slightly, with wisps of heat emanating from the asphalt road. Even through the glass, he could feel the temperature outside.


    Yet at that moment, the temperature inside him was no lower than outside, somewhat burning with anxiety.


    He couldn''t guess what the two of them would talk about, nor what the outcome would be. Regardless of the result, there was no benefit to him. When it came to matters of the heart, he favored the status quo, wishing that nothing would change.


    "Chairman, would you like some water?"


    Vivian approached him with a bottle of mineral water.


    Link said thank you, opened the cap to drink a mouthful, and then continued to look outside the window.


    After returning to her desk, Chief Secretary Vivian sat down; nearby, assistant Xina pointed at Link, imitating his furrowed brow with a light sigh.


    Vivian covered her mouth and chuckled softly.


    "He''s getting what he deserves. With a stunning beauty like our boss, he still messes around with other girls; it''s about right for him to go through this a few more times,"


    Round-faced Xina murmured quietly with her hand covering her mouth.


    "Shush, don''t talk nonsense!"


    Vivian held up her index finger, glanced at Link''s silhouette and, seeing Link''s head turn slightly, she suspected he had heard Xina''s murmur.


    "I''m not talking nonsense. Although Link is very capable, our boss is also super outstanding, so beautiful and competent, and she even puts up with his womanizing. Our boss is definitely the best, best woman in the world,"


    Xina whispered.


    "Shush!"


    Vivian typed a few words on a document, turned the screen towards Xina, and wrote that Link has very good hearing, warning her to be careful not to be overheard and get fired.


    Xina stuck out her tongue and returned to her seat to continue organizing files.


    Link glanced at that round-faced little assistant, probably a post-90s, just like Selena, always talking.


    He couldn''t keep standing in the corridor; he picked up a movie magazine and began to read it while seated.


    "Chairman!"


    While reading a review of "Midnight in Paris," Jon Feltheimer, the head of the production department, came down the aisle with an assistant, stating that he had something to report to Ivanka about a movie.


    Link said that Ivanka was busy and asked about the movie.


    Feltheimer sat down opposite him and reported the discussion status of "Argo."


    Given Ben Affleck''s last movie had a decent box office performance and the screenplay was good as well, with potential market viability, the production department also approved investing 15 million US Dollars to participate in the making of this movie.


    There was just one issue: no money at hand, more accurately, no money left for the year.


    Most of the company''s existing funds were tied up in two major movies, "The Hunger Games" and "The Expendables 2," plus the newly added "The Vow," with an investment of 30 million US Dollars.


    The leftovers were barely enough to shoot a few low-budget horror films; there were no excess funds to invest in new film projects.


    The production department suggested starting the shooting of "Argo" next year, which would ease the company''s financial pressure somewhat.


    After thinking it over, Link proposed borrowing more money from the bank.


    With Lionsgate Films'' healthy assets reaching up to four to five hundred million, and only 180 million in external debt for the moment, borrowing another two to three hundred million wouldn''t be an issue.


    Fellemay was somewhat hesitant, saying the company was currently involved in too many investment projects and also had substantial debt, which greatly reduced its ability to withstand risk.


    If next year''s "The Hunger Games" and "The Expendables 2" didn''t perform well at the box office, the company''s situation would worsen, just like Carlock Pictures, the producer of "Shutter Island," and MGM Studios, the producer of "Windtalkers."


    In fact, the reason MGM went bankrupt wasn''t because "Windtalkers" performed poorly at the box office, but because MGM had already accumulated a debt close to five billion US Dollars before production, while MGM''s market value was only 4.1 billion.


    MGM had hoped that "Windtalkers" would save its reputation, but the dismal box office turned it into the last straw that broke the camel''s back.


    The situation with Carlock Pictures was similar.


    Link understood his concerns; they didn''t have the foresight to know whether movies like "The Hunger Games" would be successful, nor did they know whether the company''s situation would improve next year.


    Implementing these plans was like a group of blindfolded people walking in the dark, needing to cautiously feel their way forward to avoid falling into pits.


    Link knew "The Hunger Games" would be a hit, and other films such as "The Vow," "Gold," and "The Evil Invasion," would perform well at the box office if they followed their original production plans. "The Expendables 2," however, had undergone significant changes, and its success was a coin flip.


    He had some predictive insights into the box office performance of these movies and had a more positive and optimistic attitude. This made his steps larger while walking.


    Fellemay and others didn''t have this advantage, so he would lead them forward.


    He told Fellemay to be bold, and if the box office for these movies fell below expectations, he would consider increasing his investment in Lionsgate to help the company through tough times.


    Fellemay finally felt at ease after hearing his assurance.


    Link then inquired about the recent movie distribution situation.


    In addition to "Bridesmaids" and "Mr. Tree," the company had four more movies lined up for release: "Warrior," "The Devil''s Double," the action movie starring Taylor Lautner and Lily Collins, "No Escape," and Palm Beach Films'' solo production, "The Help."


    The first three films had received mediocre evaluations at internal screenings, and their box office expectations were not high, potentially leading to losses.


    "The Help" had a good response from test screenings, and with its high-quality production touching on racial discrimination, it had real box office potential. The company would also increase its promotional efforts for its release.


    "Eva, it''s settled then. Let''s go shopping together when we have time."


    While they were chatting, the office door opened from the inside. Alexandra Daddario walked out, saying goodbye to Ivanka, carrying a small handbag, and wearing a sweet smile on her rosy cheeks.


    "Okay, Annie."


    Ivanka smiled gently, hugged Daddario, and then looked at Link. "Link, do you have time to see Annie out?"


    Hearing her constantly refer to Alexandra as Annie, Link felt his scalp tighten.


    It was true that Ivanka''s better relationship with Daddario and others meant less trouble for him, but being too intimate among women didn''t seem quite right; it felt as if some unknown risk was lurking.


    "No need, I drove here."


    Daddario said, batting her large eyes.


    "I''ll walk you to the elevator."


    Link took Daddario by the arm and turned into his own office.


    Ivanka saw the backs of the two as they left and gently pursed her lips. She then noticed that Jon Feltheimer was also there. She sat in the seat Link had occupied, took a sip from the water he had left behind, and asked Feltheimer if there was any work.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Annie, what were you just talking about?"


    Click, Link closed the office door and looked at Daddario, who was wearing a lady''s suit and knee-length skirt, her figure alluring.


    "I''m not telling you."


    Daddario said with a slight smile, turning her head to look around the office, commenting on how large it was.


    "A girl''s secret?"


    "No, it''s just a secret between me and Eva. We discussed some personal things, mostly about work," Daddario laughed.


    Link, seeing that the innocent Daddario was starting to play strategic games, worried she might be led astray by Ivanka, felt an urgent need to set things right.


    He walked over and wrapped his arms around Daddario''s slender waist, gazed into her big eyes, and kissed her perky nose.


    "Annie, I don''t mean anything by this, I''m just worried you might be taken advantage of."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not being mistreated. Eva is a great girl, very communicative, and we get along very well," Daddario said, embracing his waist in return.


    Link inwardly exclaimed in dismay. Considering Taylor''s strong-willed and stubborn nature, after speaking with Ivanka, he, too, praised her as a great woman. After Jennifer Lawrence had visited Ivanka''s apartment, she too had said Ivanka was cool and that she wanted to learn from her.


    Now that Daddario had met her, she was also full of praise.


    It didn''t feel like he was the one building a harem; it seemed Ivanka was.


    "Is that so? I''m glad you two had a good chat."


    Link held Daddario at her waist and leaned back against the solid wood desk, lowered his head to capture her red lips, and slid his hand into the lining, gently stroking the girl''s waist and curved behind...

 Chapter 564 - 432: Proposal

    Hum, hum, hum!


    The setting sun slanted across the Pacific Ocean surface, bathing the Santa Monica Bay area in a dream-like golden glow.


    At the junction of the sea and the shore, besides a golden beach, Santa Monica Beach, there was also a broad, straight highway, the Pacific Coast Highway.


    At that moment, a luxury Porsche sedan was driving on Highway 205, speeding along with its large, heavy body and sleek, cool lines, the design exuding a sense of power.


    "Focus on driving, why do you keep looking at me?"


    In the passenger seat, Ivanka put down the manual in her hands and cast him a glance as she spoke.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, his hands gripping the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead.


    This was the road to the bay villa, and there weren''t many cars coming and going, so there was no need to worry about accidents. The only concern was not to gaze at the sea, sunset, or the bikini-clad women on the beach, lest one carelessly drove off the roadbsae.


    "Eva, would you feel wronged being my girlfriend?"


    "Why would you ask that?"


    Ivanka put down the manual for the newly purchased dishwasher again and turned her attention to him.


    "You are an exceptional woman¡ªlooks, talent, identity, status, honor; you lack nothing. With your qualifications, you could find a better boyfriend, whether it''s a billionaire, a royal duke, or a political elite. They would all be delighted to be your choice, yet here I am, just a playboy. Would you feel wronged being the girlfriend of a playboy?"


    Link said.


    Ivanka''s lips slowly curled into a smile upon hearing his words.


    "I do feel somewhat wronged. Since meeting in ''08, I''ve wasted three years on you. How many three-year periods does a woman have? Now, I don''t have the extra time or energy to look for another partner or to build another relationship. It''s like gambling big; I''ve bet all my chips and can''t leave the table now, even if you are a playboy. I''ve got to accept it."


    Was this admitting defeat?


    "... Why would a wise woman like you still bet on me, knowing I''m fickle?"


    "I thought I could change you, but now, the one who has changed is me."


    Ivanka shook the manual in her hand.


    "I''m changing too. I''m growing to love you more and more. Can you feel it?"


    "No! I don''t believe a single letter of ''love'' coming from a playboy."


    Ivanka''s beautiful cheeks were cold, her red lips tightly pursed, her expression somewhat stern. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    More than ten seconds of silence.


    "Dear, how about marrying me?"


    Link suddenly said.


    "Are you proposing? You just propose like this?"


    Ivanka blinked in surprise, looking at him.


    Link pulled over beside the road and turned to look at Ivanka.


    "I''ve been thinking about proposing to you since the beginning of the year, but I''ve never been brave when it comes to matters of the heart. I fear betrayal, dislike the constraints of marriage, and the petty, mundane life depicted in movies after marriage.


    So, in the matter of proposing, even though I''ve asked you thousands, tens of thousands of times in my mind, when the moment actually came, I chose to back down.


    When I came back from Switzerland last time, my left pocket held a watch and my right pocket the Ring. I intended to propose, but in the end, I took out the watch.


    I made excuses for myself, that a proposal has to happen on a romantic day, at a romantic place.


    But I don''t know when that time is, or where that romantic place is, and this has always troubled me.


    Just now, you said love is a big gamble, you''ve placed all your bets on me, and there''s no turning back. This was my fault, and I''m sorry I''ve put you in this situation. I''m also sorry I haven''t given you an answer sooner.


    Now I know I was wrong, and I should be braver, be a real man, and give you a definitive answer. So, dear, I solemnly propose to you here, will you marry me?"


    Link asked, holding Ivanka''s hand.


    Ivanka looked quietly at him as if she hadn''t heard his words, and after a while, she fluttered her curled eyelashes.


    "Sorry, I can''t accept."


    "Why?"


    Link asked, surprised.


    " Link, I love you, there''s no doubt about that. I want to marry you, I''m certain of that too, but I don''t want to force you into marriage, which a loving woman wouldn''t do. You just said you weren''t ready, I''ll give you more time to prepare, one year, two years, three years, I can wait for you.


    Until you''re fully ready and willingly propose to me, then I will nod without hesitation, not now.


    Not now.


    I just told you I''ve sunk all my time and capital to tell you how much I love you, wholeheartedly, not to pressure you. I would never do that, nor do I want to, so I can''t accept."


    Ivanka said slowly.


    "...Eva, this isn''t pressure; you haven''t forced me. I am willingly proposing to you, I''ve been preparing for this for a long time, I just lacked a bit of courage and responsibility.


    Your words ignited my courage, prompting me to propose. This is mutual, definitely not forced, nor am I doing this under pressure, but because I love you.


    You mentioned that in our time together, you''ve invested too much time and energy, making it impossible to turn back, and I feel the same. From the beginning of our relationship, I wasn''t used to your lifestyle.


    Now, I can''t live without you, and my life would be in chaos. I want to establish a stable relationship with you, which is the best choice.


    Eva, do you agree?"


    Link said.


    "I accept your explanation, but it''s still too sudden. Marriage is a lifelong commitment. You didn''t even prepare a Ring, how can I accept?"


    Ivanka looked at him with bright, beautiful eyes.


    "This... is a bit sudden, the Ring is at home. If you agree now, I can drive home in three minutes and put the Ring on your finger. How about that?"


    Link asked.


    "Let''s talk about it after three more minutes. You can propose again then, take it slow, no rush."


    "Will you still say yes then?"


    "You can try."


    Ivanka smiled with her lips curled.


    Link frowned. The reason he had proposed just now was because the moment felt right. After three more minutes, he wasn''t sure if he''d still have the courage to speak, nor was he sure if Ivanka would agree. So it seemed best to strike while the iron was hot and settle the matter in the car.


    Suddenly, he noticed a can of cola on the back seat.


    "You''d better not use that to propose; it''s too cliched, lacks any creativity."


    Ivanka said with a disdainful laugh.


    Link looked towards the dashboard. There really wasn''t anything that could fit on her ring finger.


    "Anything else? If you can come up with a ring, I''ll agree."


    Ivanka said with a somewhat triumphant smile.


    He smiled slightly, grabbed her right hand¡ªher fingers slender, her palm fleshy, her skin pale, tender, and smooth, carrying a faint fragrance. He lifted Ivanka''s delicate ring finger to his mouth and gently bit it.


    "What are you doing?"


    Ivanka asked in surprise.


    "How''s this ring?"


    Link pointed to a clear ring of teeth marks on her finger.


    Ivanka covered her lips, staring at the imprint on her finger, her long eyelashes quivering, her eyes slightly reddened.


    "Looks pretty good. I agree,"


    Ivanka laughed.


    "Really?"


    Link asked.


    Ivanka nodded, her long eyelashes sparkling like tiny diamonds.


    Link smiled faintly, embraced her, and kissed her passionately in the seat. Ivanka wrapped her arms around his neck and responded fervently.


    Drip-drop!


    Vehicles passing by occasionally honked their horns, as if to cheer the couple on.


    "It''s almost gone, bite it again."


    After a while, Ivanka leaned into his arms and stretched out her fair finger, saying.


    "No need, we''ll put on real rings when we get back."


    "I like this ring better. Bite it again, harder this time."


    Ivanka continued.


    Link held her palm, as if he were eating boneless chicken feet, and gently bit the pad of her ring finger again.


    Suddenly, Ivanka pushed his jaw forcefully, and as his front teeth snapped shut suddenly, Link tasted blood. He quickly pulled out his hand, only to see her ring finger bleeding profusely.


    "Have you gone mad?"


    Link quickly pulled out a tissue to stop the bleeding. There was a clear wound on the back of her finger, somewhat marring the overall beauty of her hand.


    "This is better,"


    Ivanka said, holding up her finger with a satisfied smile.


    Then she took his large hand, lifted his ring finger to her pristine teeth, and bit down hard. A sharp pain shot through his finger, which also started to bleed profusely.


    Link looked at her uncertainly. This was harsh.


    The Ivanka of the past was an elegant, noblewoman, rarely prone to disputes, seldom even uttering a swear word. Yet today, after hearing his proposal, she dared to bite through his finger, almost to the bone.


    He suddenly realized Ivanka could be cruel, not as gentle and kind as she seemed on the surface.


    Having such a fianc¨¦e, he didn''t know whether it was a blessing or a curse.


    "How does it feel?"


    Ivanka wiped the blood from her red lips, took his hand, and pressed their injured fingers together¡ªa robust, sturdy one, and a pale, delicate one, crossing in an ''X'' shape, both with clear bite marks deep enough to reach the bone.


    "Be careful of tetanus,"


    Link pulled out two band-aids, placing one on each, covering up the ''rings''.


    But as he drove, Ivanka took out her lipstick and drew a pair of red hearts on both band-aids, giggling joyfully as she did.


    Watching this side of Ivanka, Link realized that beneath her fierce exterior, she also harbored an innocently charming side. She was not as strong, cold, or proud as she appeared on the outside.


    She was a woman hotter inside than her outward appearance suggested.


    When the tools of love pierced through her disguise and cover, she turned into a fiery woman, passionate, spicy, and intense, like a large volcano that had never erupted before.


    The moment of eruption, the searing, boiling magma could melt even iron and shatter bones to dust.


    Bathing in her river of love was warm and comfortable, like the heaven one resides in before birth.


    Yet being immersed in her river of love might also lead to complete annihilation. She was like a woman who wielded control over life and death.

 Chapter 565 - 433 Peach Blossoms and Jealousy

    After the successful proposal, Link and Ivanka slept together as an engaged couple.


    Link also fulfilled his wish to take Ivanka''s virginity.


    Although he had heard from Ivanka that she had no prior experience, and he had speculated about it, he never dared to believe that it was true.


    Not until he saw that color of peach blossoms on the sheets again, along with the familiar tension and pressure.


    Only then was he convinced it was true. Perhaps this was a parallel world, "The Butterfly Effect," regardless of the reason, and he began cherishing Ivanka even more.


    It was only afterward when Ivanka mentioned it that he remembered that day also marked the one-year anniversary of their agreement to be a couple.


    On that day last year, Ivanka had come to Miami Beach, entered a diving shop, and established a relationship agreement with him.


    And on this day of the current year, the two of them became one.


    Somewhat coincidentally yet intriguingly so.


    Slap!


    "Stop touching me, you look so lecherous."


    "Alright, continue resting then, I won''t bother you anymore."


    Link withdrew his hand that had been slapped away, sniffed the lingering scent on his fingertips, and couldn''t help but curl his lips into a smirk.


    ¡ª¡ª


    While he and Ivanka were shamelessly living together in the villa, the dismissal of Andrew Kramer, a former international business operator at Lionsgate Films, stirred quite a bit of gossip in the industry.


    Andrew was an old-timer in Hollywood, starting as a director and moving up to a producer. He joined Miramax in his thirties, becoming Harvey''s right-hand man and worked there for over a decade, achieving commendable performance.


    Later, he was specially recruited by Lionsgate Films and, over four to five years, he worked his way up to head of the international business department. Not long ago, he even helped Lionsgate secure several foreign film rights at the Cannes Film Festival.


    However, no one expected that less than a month after the festival, Andrew and four of his subordinates would be thrown out by Lionsgate.


    This situation also became a hot topic among film industry insiders during their leisure time.


    Everyone was talking about Lionsgate Films, more precisely, about the specific reasons why Link and Ivanka fired Andrew.


    Some people believed that Andrew was dismissed due to his poor performance.


    Since he took over Lionsgate''s international department, the results had not been very good, with not a single foreign blockbuster distributed and Lionsgate''s slow pace of international expansion. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ivanka was not impressed by his performance, and having more suitable candidates under her command, dismissing him seemed reasonable.


    This was one hypothesis, and it was the least accepted guess.


    Because this conjecture seemed too simple, not thrilling or dramatic enough, devoid of any flavor of conspiracy.


    However, those in the film industry, living in a world of dramatics, are psychologically more inclined to believe in complex theories.


    The most accepted speculation was that Lionsgate''s dismissal of Andrew was closely related to Harvey Weinstein.


    Since March, Link''s feud with Harvey Weinstein was no secret in the industry.


    Harvey had sabotaged two of Link''s movies and two lead roles, nearly ruining Jennifer Lawrence''s lead role, and had frequently called for Link''s industry ostracization, which increased the difficulty for Link to land roles.


    Link''s retaliation against Harvey mainly involved spending eight hundred million dollars to buy Lionsgate to prevent Harvey from banning him in Hollywood.


    The second act was giving Harvey a harsh slap at the box office.


    In early April, "Bridesmaids" announced its release date as May 8th. Weinstein Company immediately adjusted the release date of their new movie, "Revenge for Father," to the same day as "Bridesmaids," apparently aiming to suppress it and cause Palm Beach Films to lose money.


    As a result, "Bridesmaids"''s global box office was about to break three hundred million US dollars, while "Revenge for Father" just exceeded thirty million US dollars, nearly a tenfold difference.


    Harvey became a laughingstock.


    Reportedly, because of this incident, Harvey deeply hated Link, cursing whenever he heard Link''s name.


    Their relationship deteriorated even further.


    Until not long ago, Empire Pictures announced an investment in a movie led by Palm Beach Films, called "The Master."


    Everyone thought that their relationship would improve, but it did not.


    The tension eased between Link and Bob Weinstein, while Harvey Weinstein still frequently expressed his disdain for Link and had viciously mocked him in two movie projects, "Isolated Island Fright" and "Mr. Tree," claiming that Link didn''t understand film at all.


    Perhaps as retribution, Link fired Andrew, who had worked under Harvey, as a way to express his disgust for Harvey, an instance of "Hating the house and its crows."


    Beyond the most and least accepted theories, there were several other popular speculations.


    Some said it had to do with "Isolated Island Fright" and "Mr. Tree." Originally, Link wanted Andrew to buy two other films, but Andrew mistakenly bought these two, causing Lionsgate to incur losses.


    Some speculated that Andrew, still at Lionsgate, was actually loyal to Weinstein Company, leaking insider information to Harvey, and Link fired him after finding out.


    Further rumors suggested that during Cannes, Andrew played around with women, causing Link to return to the hotel alone at night, which angered Link enough to dismiss him.


    Various speculations and discussions made this incident a hot topic in Hollywood recently, even covered by "Variety" and "Hollywood Reporter" among other publications and magazines.


    The media also believed that the situation was related to Harvey, because Andrew was the only executive at Lionsgate who hailed from Miramax Films.


    Just from this connection alone, no one believed there was no relation.

 Chapter 566 - 433 Peach Blossoms and Jealousy_2

    Including Harvey.


    Upon hearing that Andrew had been dismissed by Lionsgate Films, Harvey cursed out loud. Everyone knew Andrew was from Miramax Films, one of his former subordinates, and Link was the first to fire Andrew. It was clear that this was a direct insult to him.


    If he didn''t seek revenge, what face would he have left as Hollywood''s top mogul?


    Harvey made a phone call to Bob, who was out of town on business, demanding that he must find a way to take down Link, and it had to be quick and soon.


    Bob listened helplessly, telling him to first put forward 2.8 billion US dollars, and he would definitely help take down Link.


    Harvey exploded in anger, asking why he needed so much money and if he was making things difficult for him on purpose because he didn''t want to do it.


    Bob explained that Link himself had 2.8 billion, as well as Lionsgate Films. Together with Ivanka, in terms of wealth, power, connections, and fame, he was in no way inferior to them brothers. It''s not so easy to deal with such a person.


    Hearing this only made Harvey angrier. He happened to see two crew members laughing on set as if they had encountered something amusing.


    Harvey became very displeased and, pointing at their noses, unleashed a torrent of ugly curses. In the end, he demanded that the director''s team fire them, stating he didn''t want to see them on set for another minute.


    The assistant director in charge of the set couldn''t afford to offend Harvey and could only follow his instructions by kicking the two out of the crew.


    After venting his frustration, Harvey felt much better. He called Bob again to inquire about any progress with Kunas. Why hadn''t they found anything to pin on Link in three or four months?


    Bob said even Kunas had no way of dealing with Link who didn''t evade taxes, break the law, mess around with women, or fly off the handle easily.


    Even those working closely with him couldn''t find fault in him, describing him as someone with a very, very good character. It''s difficult to find a good way to deal with someone who, except for being a bit of a flirt, has no other issues.


    Bob advised Harvey not to entertain wild thoughts. Harvey was a Hollywood mogul, and Hollywood meant the movie business, not other industries. On Wall Street, in the music or sports industries, his influence was far less than Link''s.


    The best solution to deal with Link was in Hollywood, using industry competition to hit him where it hurts and bankrupt Lionsgate Films. Other methods simply won''t work.


    Bob urged Harvey to focus more on film production.


    If Weinstein Company''s movies could crush those of Lionsgate Films at the box office and win several more Golden Globe and Oscar awards, Harvey could mock Link to his face about not understanding movies, leaving Link with nothing to say.


    Defeating Link in this manner would be truly satisfying.


    Harvey thought such a scenario would indeed be very satisfying, but such a thing was not possible for the time being.


    This year, the Weinstein Company''s film with the best box office result was "The King''s Speech," which had won the Oscar for Best Picture at the start of the year. It had a production budget of 15 million and a global box office of 380 million US dollars.


    It seemed quite impressive, but that bastard Link was not doing too bad either.


    Palm Beach Films'' "Bridesmaids" had a current box office close to three hundred million US dollars.


    Though slightly lower in box office performance, it wasn''t by much. Using this to mock Link didn''t seem to have any effect, and the outside world wouldn''t recognize him as more successful in the movie business than Link this year.


    If he couldn''t hit Link this year, he would have to wait until next year. The thought of enduring Link for another year made his eyes bulge, and he scanned the set, eager to lash out at someone again. Unfortunately, the crew avoided him completely upon seeing him there.


    Harvey asked Bob if there were any other solutions.


    Bob said there weren''t any; either endure it or choose to forgive. He and Link didn''t have any deep-seated hatred, and there was no need to keep fixating on Link. A reconciliation was entirely possible.


    Bob even suggested that since Link was a businessman who valued making money, if Harvey chose to reconcile, he could mediate. Link would surely not refuse, and the combined strength of their companies would be comparable to the Big Six film studios.


    Harvey told him to shut up. Link had just fired an old-timer from Miramax Films, and to reconcile with him now, how would others view him as a Hollywood mogul?


    Bob pointed out that Andrew was despicable, enjoyed playing power games behind the scenes, had poor work capacity, often embezzled the company''s money, and they didn''t keep Andrew when they founded the Weinstein Company because of this, instead recommending him to Lionsgate. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now Link and Ivanka saw his issues and kicked him out of the company¡ªit was justified and definitely not a move against Harvey.


    Harvey shouted for him to shut up and to give him Kunas''s contact details; he wanted to personally speak with Kunas and ask why there hadn''t been any action after keeping an eye on Link for half a year. It was incompetence.


    Begrudgingly, Bob gave him Kunas''s contact information and called Kunas in advance to inform him Harvey would inquire about Link, adding that Harvey had high blood pressure and a bad temper, prone to rage. If Harvey suddenly lost his cool, Kunas should forgive him.


    On the other end of the line, Kunas agreed with a grim face.


    Bob''s call came while he was in his New York office, browsing through pictures Ivanka had posted on MySpace from her daily life.


    The first picture showed two injured ring fingers, the second had both ring fingers with bandaids sporting red hearts.


    In the third picture, a finely crafted diamond ring appeared on Ivanka''s pale, delicate ring finger, only the ring was placed near the tip of her finger, which had a bandaid on it.

 Chapter 567 - 433 Peach Blossoms and Jealousy_3

    From these three photos, it can be determined that the two have confirmed their relationship, upgrading from boyfriend and girlfriend to fianc¨¦ and fianc¨¦e.


    In the photo comment section, all the messages are of blessings.


    They say that after dating for a year, the couple has finally come together, hailed as a match of handsome man and beautiful woman, a match made in heaven.


    Some say that Ivanka was originally the sexiest woman in the world, and Link is the sexiest man in the world; together, they are the sexiest and happiest couple on the planet.


    Georgia Bloomberg asks Ivanka when she will get married and when she will have children.


    Ivanka replies that it will be very soon.


    Seeing this, Little Kunas felt a sour, itchy, and painful sensation in his heart, as a sour liquid rushed to his nasal root and eyes. He bit his teeth hard and forcibly held it back.


    He had fallen for her since his early twenties, the first time he met Ivanka. Even though he had a girl by his side, he broke up with her without hesitation to pursue Ivanka.


    Initially, the contact went smoothly.


    It was only that Ivanka was relatively aloof and didn''t like to engage in intimate behavior. She also proposed that they should wait until marriage before having sex.


    Even though he was not pleased inside, seeing Ivanka so beautiful and noble, he still gritted his teeth and agreed.


    Later, when Ivanka found out that he was messing around with other women, she proposed to break up with a very firm attitude.


    He failed to win her back and could only reluctantly accept it.


    But he was not willing to accept defeat. Every time he heard that Ivanka had a new relationship, he would figure out ways to destroy it, exposing the other party''s scandals and doing everything he could to ruin Ivanka''s new romance.


    This situation continued until 2008 when the Thompson family company faced a financial crisis, and many of their industries were at risk of shutting down.


    Little Kunas took the initiative to find Old Thomp and expressed his willingness to extend a helping hand, only hoping to date Ivanka again and promising to marry her right away.


    Old Thomp agreed, expressing his willingness to facilitate the relationship between him and Ivanka.


    But at this time, Link Baker appeared. At that time, Link was just a boxer, a singer, who had some money, but not much, and he also had a girlfriend.


    He did not consider Link a rival, nor did he take him seriously.


    It was only later, when Ivanka appeared at a Thompson family party arm in arm with Link, that he became jealous. But knowing Ivanka''s rule of having to marry before having sex, he was jealous but not disheartened. At that time, Link and Taylor had not broken up, nor had he become "scumbag Link."


    For this, he even contacted Taylor specifically, sending her a few photos to keep her boyfriend in line.


    Later, in a moment of confusion, he bought some dirt on Link from Britain, originally planning to use it to hit Link''s album sales. But after hearing Scott''s explanation, he realized that it wasn''t right, as it could easily break Link and Taylor''s relationship.


    But when he was about to destroy the footage, it accidentally got leaked, causing Link and Taylor''s relationship to fall apart, followed naturally by Link and Ivanka getting together.


    Every time he thought of that video, Little Kunas deeply regretted it.


    Later, as Link and Ivanka became a couple and Link''s scumbag identity was exposed by the media, his reputation tarnished, he also spent a lot of money promoting Link''s affairs, firmly branding Link with the "scumbag" label.


    Back when he was dating Ivanka, just one transgression led to a ruthless breakup. Now, Link has cheated so many times, with numerous women around the world; how could Ivanka possibly tolerate this? It was just unthinkable to him.


    He thought Ivanka would break up with Link, but she didn''t. Instead, she treated Link better than before, always considering him, and even moved out of her palatial luxury apartment to Link''s smaller villa in Los Angeles.


    Upset by the news, Little Kunas called Ivanka to question why she would tolerate this.


    Initially, a single act of infidelity on his part led to a brutal breakup. Now Link, despite his numerous affairs and scandals, why could she still bear with him? He accused her of having double standards.


    Ivanka said it was because he was Link ¨C the best, the most handsome, the most powerful man in the world. Because he was so wonderful, she was willing to tolerate all his flaws and willing to give her all to nurture their relationship.


    Grinding his teeth, Little Kunas said that Link was fickle, prone to the excitement of the new and the boredom of the old, and being with a man like him would never lead to anything good.


    Ivanka said that it was her and Link''s business, and he didn''t need to worry about it. She also mentioned she didn''t want Link to misunderstand, so, regrettably, she was going to block all his contact methods and would not contact him again in the future.


    Furious, Little Kunas smashed the display stand in his office.


    Taylor, a beach boy whose ancestors for three generations had been fishermen and smugglers¡ªhow could such a person be worthy of the beautiful and noble Ivanka?


    For this reason, he again spent a lot of money to get the media to hype up that Taylor was a scumbag, claiming Taylor was preparing to establish a United Nations girlfriend group, and collaborating with Bob to smear Taylor in the newspapers, saying he was nothing without Ivanka.


    He had thought that this method would break up Ivanka and Taylor.


    Unfortunately, no matter how the media hyped it up, no matter how they smeared Taylor, saying he had dozens or hundreds of girlfriends.


    Ivanka seemed to be welded to Taylor; no matter how bad Taylor was, her attitude towards him never changed.


    This situation made Kunas feel desperate.


    He even thought about hiring an assassin to kill Taylor, but considering Ivanka''s obsession with Taylor, even killing Taylor probably wouldn''t win her over, which only deepened his despair.


    Ding Dong!


    On the computer, Ivanka''s MySpace suddenly updated.


    Kunas came back to his senses and looked at the photos Ivanka had reposted, which were several candid shots of herself.


    In the photos, Ivanka was dressed in loose casual wear, with barely any makeup on her face, yet her cheeks were still so beautiful and stunning, her skin cast with a faint blush, beaming with a dewy luminescence, like a blossoming rose, with dewdrops dotting the rose petals.


    There was also her figure; even in loose casual clothes, she still had an exquisite, sexy fullness, as if sexier than before, exuding a lazy sense of relaxation, her complexion and condition much improved from before, like a computer system that had been updated and upgraded.


    Seeing Ivanka in such a state, Kunas had a bad feeling, sensing acutely that something had happened to her.


    After Ivanka posted new photos, the comment section was quickly filled with messages.


    The comments were all compliments on how prettier she had become, her skin moist and smooth, looking more radiant than before, asking what skincare products she used.


    Amanda Hearst said it must be Taylor''s doing, expressing envy for her having such a powerful boyfriend like Taylor.


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    Seeing this, Kunas punched the desk; the suspicion he had just now was confirmed: Ivanka and Taylor had definitely slept together.


    Kunas couldn''t help but roar with rage, feeling a murderous impulse; he wanted to kill Taylor, kill Ivanka, kill everyone.


    "Ivanka! Ivanka! You were supposed to be my woman, my wife! Why did you debase yourself, lying beneath that bastard Taylor?!"


    He clenched his fists tightly, biting down on his teeth, staring at Ivanka''s rosy beautiful cheeks in the photo, his eyes filling with sour tears that he could no longer hold back.


    He really loved Ivanka, truly wanted to marry her as his wife, especially after learning about Ivanka''s principle that they must be married before having sex, which made him lover her even more.


    Being Jewish, he valued Middle Eastern religious beliefs that hold a woman''s chastity in high esteem, sometimes even more than life itself, as do countries like Iran and Afghanistan.


    He also greatly valued the chastity of a partner, feeling that a woman like Ivanka, so beautiful and noble and valuing her first time, was the perfect mate bestowed and arranged by the Lord God for him, a Saint.


    He had thought he and Ivanka were destined for each other, regardless of breakups or adversities, that ultimately they would come together under God''s guidance.


    He believed he would possess Ivanka''s fair, exquisite, chaste body filled with a sense of sacredness.


    He believed in fate, believed in the Lord God, and also believed in Ivanka.


    But now Ivanka had betrayed his trust, she''d slept with Taylor before getting married to him, she had broken her word, she''d become unclean, no longer a Saint, but a woman who had debased herself, a dirty one.


    "God, why has this happened?!"


    "Why are you doing this to me?"


    Kunas looked up at the ceiling and howled.


    Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling!

 Chapter 568 - 434: Impotent Fury (5/10)

    Ding-a-ling! Ding-a-ling!


    On the office desk, the telephone began to ring. Kunas was so immersed in his grief and anguish that he couldn''t bring himself to answer the call.


    But the piercing sound of the telephone kept ringing over and over, from an unfamiliar number.


    Kunas picked up the phone and exploded with curses.


    "Motherfucker, who the hell are you? What the fuck do you want?"


    "....."


    Click! The person on the other end didn''t say anything and hung up.


    Kunas threw down his cell phone, slumped into his office chair, yanked off his tie with force, took several deep breaths, and let off some of his rage.


    It''s just that when he looked up and saw the enlarged photo of Ivanka on his computer screen, Ivanka wearing a silk tee, casual pants that were loose yet felt quality, the full contours of her chest and peach-like curves of her buttocks slightly visible beneath the fabric.


    Golden hair casually spilled over her shoulders, her cool cheeks adorned with a gentle smile, red lips blooming like rose petals.


    Kunas kept staring at her photo, unable to take his eyes off, time and again.


    This beauty should have been his, the life companion gifted to him by the chief god.


    But now she had become Link''s woman, giving the beauty and body bestowed upon her by the chief god to that bastard Link to defile.


    "Ivanka, you''ve disappointed me so much. Handing what should have been mine over to that bastard Link, I will never let you and that son of a bitch off lightly, absolutely not," Kunas thought, clenching his fists tightly, grinding his teeth.


    Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through the back of his hand; he had not noticed when he got a cut, and red liquid dripped onto the floor.


    This was a wound that Ivanka and Link had given him, it was all their fault, and they had to pay it back.


    With a brooding expression, Kunas started plotting his revenge against Link in his mind.


    He was determined to make Link pay for his actions and make Ivanka regret her terrible decision.


    However,


    Link had no ordinary status, a big name, and had never done anything illegal or undisciplined; there was no way to deal with him using legal or administrative measures.


    And ordinary means simply wouldn''t affect someone of his standing.


    What should he do?


    Kunas suddenly wished he lived in the Middle Ages; back then, if you wanted to destroy someone, there were countless ways, all kinds of brutal methods available. But not now; this is a modern civilization that values democracy and the rule of law.


    Although everything seems hypocritical, rich people do enjoy the benefits brought by modern civilization here.


    These benefits also mistakenly protect some of the bad guys, like Link.


    After thinking hard for a while, Kunas couldn''t come up with a good way to ruin Link. He sighed in disappointment and picked up the phone to call his ally Bob in Hollywood.


    Since Link was hanging around in Hollywood, the Weinstein brothers were tycoons, the most powerful figures there, they must have a way to destroy Link.


    After getting through, Kunas talked about Link and asked Bob if he had anything on Link, saying he was willing to pay a high price for it.


    Bob said helplessly that he didn''t, asked what happened and why he was so eager?


    Kunas, looking at Ivanka''s photo on the computer screen, didn''t tell Bob anything, just said he wanted to ruin Link, destroy him, and preferably make Link disappear.


    Bob said no and told Kunas that he was on a business trip, had a lot on his hands at the moment and had no time to keep an eye on Link. He suggested calling Harvey as they would surely have a lot to talk about.


    Kunas reluctantly agreed.


    Ding-dong!


    His cell phone received the contact card for Harvey forwarded by Bob, which included Harvey''s phone number.


    Kunas looked at it once and felt the number looked familiar. He pulled out his phone and saw it was the same number as the harassing call from before.


    Meaning, that call had been from Harvey, and he had unintentionally given Harvey a mouthful.


    Kunas''s face changed color. After some thought, he still decided to call back.


    After two attempts the call didn''t go through, but just as he was about to hang up the second time, the call was answered.


    On the other end, Harvey spoke not a word, only heavy breathing could be heard, creating an oppressive atmosphere.


    "Mr. Weinstein, this is Ryan, and I apologize to you. I just had a very unfortunate incident and was in a terrible mood. Seeing an unfamiliar number, I couldn''t help but curse, without realizing it would be you. I am very sorry. Please forgive me," Kunas said.


    Over the phone, Harvey breathed heavily like a slumbering wild boar. After an awkward silence of two or three seconds, Harvey''s low and suppressed voice finally emerged.


    "It''s alright, I don''t blame you for not knowing," he said. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Weinstein, thank you for your understanding. I am very sorry for the way I spoke just now..."


    "Is there anything else?" Harvey interrupted him.


    Kunas could tell Harvey was still angry, but he could understand it. Harvey was a Hollywood mogul, used to praise and flattery; suddenly getting aggressively scolded must have been quite a blow to his ego. It made sense for him to be upset.


    After a pause, Kunas realized that ending the call like this would only make their relationship even more strained.


    Considering that Harvey also strongly disliked Link, Kunas took the initiative to bring up Ivanka, saying he loved her tremendously, she was his life, his faith, a light in his life.


    But now that light was being monopolized by that bastard Link.


    He ranted about Link on the phone, harsher than he had to Harvey before, hoping to stir up a sense of shared enmity in Harvey, to first forgive him and then join forces against Link.

 Chapter 569 - 434: Impotent Fury (5/10)_2

    On the other end of the phone,


    Harvey sat in the clinic, his arm wrapped with a blood pressure cuff, and upon hearing Kunas'' curses through the phone, he couldn''t help but find it amusing.


    Women, no matter how beautiful, were just tools for making movies and earning money, and instruments for venting in his eyes; he never overvalued them, nor did he ever have any respect for them.


    Yet, unexpectedly, one day in real life, he heard a man say that a woman was his life, his faith, his light.


    It was ludicrous.


    What was even more ludicrous was that the person who said this was a rich second-generation scion from a wealthy family, a member of his own kind.


    Had it not been for considering Kunas'' status and sparing his fragile ego, Harvey really wanted to tell him how young and naive he was.


    Men like him who value women too much, who take love too seriously, are doomed to accomplish little and will never achieve anything significant. In other words, they are "useless."


    And at the moment this "useless" person was cursing Link, calling him scum and the like.


    Listening made Harvey want to laugh even more, as he actually admired Link''s approach with women¡ªromantic and passionate, treating emotions as a seasoning of life, not a life goal or dream. What''s most important for a man is his career.


    Take him as an example; before he became a Hollywood tycoon, no woman ever wanted to date him.


    After he became a Hollywood tycoon, those women touted by the media as goddesses would throw themselves at him like lunatics.


    All he needed to do was pick one or two lucky ones to satisfy his physical and psychological needs.


    Having encountered too many women, women were insignificant in his heart.


    When he heard Kunas repeatedly express the sorrow of being abandoned by a woman, he found it extremely boring and wanted to end the topic soon. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ryan, I understand, Link is detestable. He shamelessly took away the person you deeply love, and he deserves to die ten thousand times. So, what plans do you have for revenge?"


    Harvey interrupted Kunas and asked.


    Kunas said he didn''t have any and asked if he had any, being a Hollywood tycoon, he must have a way to destroy Link.


    Upon hearing Kunas'' flattering words, instead of being pleased, it inflamed Harvey''s temper instantly and the blood pressure monitor began to beep.


    The doctor from the clinic came over, adjusted the blood pressure monitor, gave him a few instructions, and then left.


    With a grim face, Harvey told Kunas, "No way."


    If he had a way, he would not have called Kunas in the first place, nor would he have been needlessly scolded, nor would he have been so upset that his head spun and he had to be taken by his assistant to the clinic for an injection.


    Kunas sighed from the other end, saying if it were possible to bring down Link and make Ivanka regret, he would be willing to spend one million, ten million.


    Harvey smirked secretly; if a few million dollars were enough to destroy that bastard Link, he too would be willing to pay, but it''s not that easy. Link was not so easy to deal with.


    After thinking it over, Harvey told Kunas to discuss more with little Epstein and others, as long as they worked together, they would surely come up with a good plan against Link.


    He also told him that Link was currently seizing Ivanka, and in another two years, the two might marry, have children, have Link''s children. By then, taking action against Link would be useless, so it was best to deal with Link as soon as possible without regard for the means.


    As long as Link was gone, his estate would be Ivanka''s, and Ivanka would be his.


    Harvey gently persuaded, asking Kunas to seriously consider it.


    Kunas acknowledged and also expressed his hope that Harvey would find a way to deal with Link soon. He asked Harvey to remember to contact him if he needed help.


    Humph!


    With a stern face, Harvey hung up the phone, feeling that Kunas, this useless second-generation, was not very reliable.


    He leaned back on the hospital bed and thought for a moment, then phoned Bob.


    He said he was ready to transfer his investment shares in "The Master" to other production companies and continue to blacklist Link in the circle, declaring that anyone who cooperated with Link would lose the opportunity to work with Weinstein Company.


    Harvey asked Bob if this plan was feasible?


    He felt that Bob was more adept at deploying schemes and conspiracies.


    Bob was almost driven mad by Harvey and little Kunas; he couldn''t understand why these two had so much time to plot against Link instead of making money. As long as they had more money and their worth exceeded that of Link, dealing with him later would become simple.


    But they didn''t do that; they spent all day getting angry at Link, cursing him, coming up with useless methods to deal with him, and the result was that Link remained unaffected while they harvested one bad mood after another.


    Bob told Harvey the plan wouldn''t work.


    First of all, now everyone knew their Empire Pictures was investing in "The Master." Suddenly transferring shares was unnecessary and not in the company''s interests.


    Second, to force everyone to choose between Lionsgate Films and Weinstein Company.


    This approach was extremely foolish, Weinstein Company''s biggest advantage over other film companies was in its Oscars public relations, helping actors win awards.


    But not all actors wanted to win Oscars; the younger generation didn''t want to flatter the old men at the Academy; they''d rather become famous and be superstars.


    "In terms of star-making capability, we do not have an advantage over Link. Don''t forget that Link is a global superstar with several top singers under him and company resources. Lionsgate is the seventh largest studio in Hollywood, producing twenty to thirty movies each year, more than Paramount and Sony Pictures.


    We mainly earn money through purchasing and distributing independent productions, and our company only produces a few movies each year. In terms of resources, we are even less than Lionsgate; if those actors had to choose, most of them would pick Lionsgate.


    Only a few old actors who want trophies would consider our company.


    Further, we are only good at public relations for the Oscars, and we don''t monopolize the Oscar awards; other companies also perform well in this award ceremony annually, we are not the only choice, let alone the best compared to the top six film studios.


    Using this method to deal with Link will only drive our company to a dead end, I absolutely do not agree."


    Bob said decisively.


    "Alright, if you think it''s not suitable, then let''s drop it."


    Hearing his words, Harvey also felt that the plan wasn''t practical, but apart from that method, he had no other way to deal with Link and Lionsgate Films.


    "There''s something else, I don''t know if you''ve seen the news, Ben Affleck''s ''Escape from Tehran'' has already received investment from Lionsgate Films, and the partnership is confirmed. If we continue to target Link, many actors we know might choose to remain neutral," Bob reminded.


    "Ben went to Link for investment? Is that true?"


    Harvey was furious.


    "It''s true, it was reported in many morning newspapers, and the media''s intent is also very clear. Everyone knows our relationship with Ben is good, but now that Ben has approached Link on his own, it shows that our connections aren''t as stable as we imagined."


    "Fuck! Fuck! Damn that Link! I will never let him go."


    Harvey exploded in rage.


    Beep beep beep!


    The blood pressure monitor''s alarm began blaring again.


    The nurse outside the medical room rushed in upon hearing it, urging him not to get angry, to breathe deeply, and calm down.


    Harvey pushed the nurse away, and before he could get out of bed, he felt dizzy and almost collapsed on the floor.

 Chapter 570 - 435 Evas Daily Life I

    The morning sun filtered through the dense botanical garden, casting its light upon the villa''s front lawn, as a gentle breeze carried the delicate scent of roses through the air.


    Link had just returned from his run when Ivanka was practicing yoga on the lawn.


    With her golden hair tied back, she was dressed in a form-fitting tee and stretch pants, her bare feet planted on the mat.


    As she moved, the mature and full curves of her breasts, her slender and supple waist, flat belly, and peach-shaped buttocks were accentuated, creating a figure that was both pronounced and graceful, along with two long, straight, and rounded legs, one of which she elegantly lifted like a ballet dancer.


    On a woman of average height, say 170 centimeters, like Kim Kardashian, such proportions might seem too exaggerated and uncoordinated.


    For petite women like Emma Watson or Emma Roberts, this figure would appear too cumbersome and somewhat artificial.


    But on Ivanka, who was 181 centimeters tall, these long legs perfectly supported her figure.


    Her stunning face, fair skin, and elegant composure matched her physique, creating a harmonious and complementary whole.


    "Sweetheart, good morning!"


    "Stop! Don''t come any closer!"


    "What''s wrong?"


    Seeing her full curves and graceful figure, Link couldn''t help but want to hug her and give her a morning kiss, but Ivanka sharply stopped him.


    "Don''t touch me, I have things to do at noon."


    Ivanka said sternly, her beautiful face cold.


    "I didn''t mean anything by it, I just wanted to give you a morning kiss."


    Link replied with a smile. In the past when their relationship wasn''t as close, he would have steered clear upon seeing her cold demeanor, avoiding direct confrontation to not make her angry.


    Now that they were intimate lovers, her iciness intrigued him instead, finding her equally sexy and captivating in such a mood.


    "Don''t try to fool me. You think I don''t know what''s on your mind? Yesterday, you said the same thing about a morning kiss, and then you pulled me upstairs. It''s the same every day. Is that funny to you? Don''t you get tired of it?"


    Ivanka''s lips pursed with vivid color, her long eyelashes fluttering, and her beautiful eyes sparkling. When she mentioned it happening seven or eight times, her cheeks colored to a translucent rosy hue like high-quality red jade.


    "We''re lovers, making love can enhance our relationship¡ªisn''t that a good thing?"


    Link spread his hands, laughing.


    "I understand, but we have to moderate it a bit. You have a competition next week, and you''ll wear yourself out and be in poor condition if you keep wasting energy like this. I don''t want you to lose."


    Ivanka looked at him with concern.


    "Don''t worry, I''m in great shape. I just ran sixteen kilometers and I''ll continue training for another four hours."


    Link said, checking his sports watch.


    Ivanka looked at him helplessly. Ever since they started sleeping together, Link had turned into a guy whose mind was filled with naughty thoughts, constantly in a state of excitement, relentless in his pursuits, which was beginning to trouble her.


    Magazines said that men who indulge too much become weak and even sick.


    But not Link¡ªhis energy was boundless.


    Long runs in the morning, training at noon, and then sneaking over to tease her.


    From dawn to dusk, he seemed never to tire.


    Ivanka had never imagined she would faint on the bed, yet recently it happened more and more often.


    Now, every time she saw Link, her heart would race uncontrollably, her body would weaken, her breathing would hasten, and her thoughts would slow.


    This abnormal state clearly indicated her body''s magnetic field was significantly influenced by Link.


    She felt that if she continued to act foolishly, maybe one day she would lose herself, willing to die at his hands.


    Ivanka wiped the sweat from her forehead and said with a cold face, "No! Absolutely not today. We''ve been at home for three days; I have to go to the office to handle work this afternoon. I need to be in good condition and can''t waste time on this sort of thing."


    "...All right,"


    Link said, albeit reluctantly.


    Ivanka breathed a sigh of relief, propped her right hand against her calf, and struck a flexible pose. Seeing that Link was still staring at her with an intense gaze, she said helplessly,


    "Dear, your condition is not quite normal, it''s very much like an addiction to sex. Should we find you a psychologist?" S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No, I''ve read the information. A sex addiction is when you can''t control your thoughts and body; your mind is constantly thinking about sex, it''s more like a mental disorder. But I only lose control of my thoughts when I see you and want to be close to you. My symptoms are more like being addicted to Ivanka. I think I must be enchanted by you,"


    Link explained.


    "We are husband and wife and will have decades together; can we take it slow, please? Besides, it''s daytime, it''s not good to do that. I''ll be at your disposal at other times,"


    Ivanka asked softly.


    Hearing her say so, Link felt it wouldn''t be right to continue pestering her. He hugged and kissed her for more than ten seconds until Ivanka pinched him hard on the leg. He then reluctantly withdrew his hand from her clothes.


    Watching Link leave, Ivanka let out a sigh of relief. She thought she should ask Paris Hilton for advice¡ªhow to deal with a vigorous partner like Link? How could she satisfy her partner''s needs while maintaining a good physical condition?


    Paris and the others were experienced in this area and hopefully would provide some useful advice.


    In the afternoon, Ivanka went to sit at Lionsgate Films, and Link went to Muscle Beach Club for training. Ivanka was driven by Link and dropped off at the company building. As they were about to part, she was embraced and kissed by Link for a long time.


    She was actually happy about Link''s behavior.


    For a woman, such actions by a partner indicate deep affection, even obsession, and it''s something to be proud and delighted about.


    But she was also worried. Nothing in the world is everlasting, and the same goes for love and desire.


    No matter how wonderful things are, after experiencing them too many times, they will gradually become bland and tasteless.


    She and Link had just started being together, experiencing a certain novelty, but that feeling of freshness would fade. As beauty and a youthful body gradually aged, Link''s infatuation with her might slowly dissipate, possibly causing problems in their relationship.


    This scenario was something she did not want to see.


    She wanted to have a stable relationship with Link, a solid foundation, not a brief, fiery passion.


    For that reason, she hoped even more that Link would appreciate her spirit, character, thoughts, and abilities, not just her body.


    While the body would become thin and dull over time, the soul and wisdom could become richer and more interesting with the passage of time, shining ever brighter.


    This was why she didn''t take it to heart when she heard about Link''s numerous scandals with women; beauty fades, and Link wouldn''t stay with several women who gradually aged over decades.


    The only one who could accompany him to the end would be his wife.


    Other women were just passersby on the journey of life; as the mistress of the house, she naturally wouldn''t bother with a few guests¡ªthat would seem petty.


    Now that she had become Link''s fianc¨¦e, the most important thing to do was find a way to stabilize their relationship and prevent Link from being stolen by someone else or attracted to a better woman.


    If a woman''s partner is taken by another woman, what''s lost is not just a man, but also a woman''s dignity and honor.


    Especially with a man like Link¡ªwealthy, handsome, powerful, world-famous, and surrounded by an aura of many accolades¡ªhe was like the largest and brightest gem on the royal crown. Except for Taylor, that silly woman, there was no woman who wouldn''t want to stand by his side, tightly holding his arm, accompanying him down the longest red carpet of life.


    To secure her relationship with Link, she had taken two actions for the time being.


    The first was to tell Link that she wasn''t young anymore and wanted a child. Link hadn''t objected, and they never used contraception when together.


    As for the second action, she planned to pursue further education to enhance her abilities and cultivation, allowing her soul to shine and become a strong woman inside and out.


    ...

 Chapter 571 - 436 Evas Daily Life II

    After arriving at the office, Ivanka began to tackle the backlog of work.


    For instance, she reviewed the new job report from Jeff Jones, the newly appointed COO of the International Division, and examined the status reports of the original International Division, which were rather troubling.


    There were also project budget review forms from the Production Department, including the budget for "The Vow."


    Additionally, there were financial statements from the finance department; after borrowing another eighty million US dollars, Lionsgate Films'' debt had reached 260 million US dollars, a figure that was quite stressful.


    There was also information on the latest movies distributed by Lionsgate Films.


    "Bridesmaids," after being released for 48 days in North America, had successfully exceeded 100 million US dollars at the box office. Due to the impressive box office performance, with weekly drops still within 30%, there was significant market potential, and theatres suggested extending the film''s showing.


    Just like "The King''s Speech," which was released at the end of last year and, because of its good box office performance, was still being shown in over two hundred art theaters by June.


    Extending the showing period of good movies is also beneficial for theaters.


    In Hollywood, movie box office revenue isn''t simply calculated by multiplying the total box office by a certain percentage to determine the revenue for the producers, distributors, theaters, MPAA, etc.


    Box office revenue is divided by stages, with a typical public showing period of about 45 days.


    This phase relies on promotion to attract viewers; distributors who invest more money get a higher percentage of the revenue. For powerful companies like the Big Six studios, some can take over 90% of the revenue.


    The main reason is that theaters do not have the capacity to produce movies and are quite dependent on the Big Six; without the movies from the Big Six, theaters cannot profit, so they can''t propose high prices when negotiating with the Big Six.


    Meanwhile, the movies from the Big Six are usually big productions that attract large audiences, and theaters can make a substantial profit from peripherals like popcorn and soda.


    For a large independent production company like Lionsgate, although theaters also offer them favorable terms, they are not comparable to the Big Six.


    During the public showing period, the production and distribution companies can take about 80% of the revenue, determined by the contract signed by both parties.


    After the end of the public showing period, theaters willing to extend the showing also receive subsidies on box office revenue sharing. The longer the extension, the higher the percentage of revenue the theaters receive, up to eighty percent. This is also why many theaters are willing to show less popular quality films.


    The box office performance of "Bridesmaids" was good, and several theaters cooperating with Lionsgate proposed an extension plan; the revenue sharing and distribution ratios varied depending on the box office performance and the rate of decrease.


    If Lionsgate does not agree, they can arrange for people to negotiate and discuss a mutually beneficial figure.


    This aspect of the work is handled by the distribution company of Lionsgate.


    Ivanka only needed to be aware of this matter, review the work reports submitted by the distribution department, raise any objections she might have, ask the person in charge of the distribution department, and if there were no objections, sign off on the document and file it.


    Besides "Bridesmaids," there were also two other Lionsgate productions, "The Lincoln Lawyer" and "Tyler Perry''s Madea''s Big Happy Family."


    Because of the good box office performance, both films would also be extended to the end of the year, though the sharing of box office revenue and the number of theaters were somewhat less than for "Bridesmaids."


    Besides, the box office performance of "Mr. Tree," which Link had purchased, was also good.


    In its fourth week, it earned 2.07 million US dollars from 466 theaters, reaching a cumulative box office of 5.48 million US dollars.


    This result surprised Ivanka, even though Link had specifically written a song to help promote the film at the beginning of its distribution, which was quite a short-term effect lasting about one or two weeks.


    Now in its fourth week, the film still managed a 50% attendance rate, indicating it was of good quality.


    When Link had bought the North American distribution rights for this film, he had spent just 150 thousand US dollars, plus 1.8 million on marketing.


    If this film''s North American box office reaches eight million US dollars, the return ratio would be four times, undoubtedly making it a box office hit.


    Ivanka put down her pen, rested her chin on her fingers and thought for a moment, then picked up the phone to call Jeff Jones, the new head of the International Division.


    He was also one of the four junior colleagues Ivanka brought over when she joined Lionsgate, previously serving as the head of the senior content development department under Warner Bros. Pictures, and he had experience in movie distribution, making his background quite deep.


    "Mr. Chairman, what instructions do you have?"


    When the call connected, Jeff Jones asked.


    Ivanka mentioned that the box office results of "Mr. Tree" were good, and recalled that the International Division had a rule that when a film acquired by the division, after distribution, achieves a certain revenue-to-expense ratio, the International Division would grant a bonus to the personnel who acquired the film. What was that ratio?


    "Over three times. The higher the box office, the greater the revenue-to-expense ratio of a film, the bigger the bonus as well, Mr. Chairman. Are you suggesting we issue a bonus to Andrew Kramer?"


    Jeff Jones asked tentatively.


    "To Andrew Kramer?"


    Upon hearing his words, Ivanka immediately turned cold and said indifferently, "The rights for this film were purchased under Link''s instructions. What does it have to do with anyone else? If there''s any bonus to be issued, it should go to Link, not anyone else."


    "...Yes, that''s right. Our department will have a meeting to discuss this later, and we''ll arrange to give Mr. Baker his bonus based on the box office results of ''Mr. Tree.''"


    Jeff Jones quickly added.


    "Hmm!"


    Ivanka nodded in satisfaction.


    Although Link was a major shareholder of Lionsgate, holding a stock ratio of 97.2% after the company went private, it was important to distinguish between personal and professional interests. Link had handled this situation very well and deserved to be commended.


    Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 572 - 436 Evas Daily Life II_2

    Ivanka made another call to Chief Operating Officer Brian Goldsmith, mentioning the box office performance of "Mr. Tree." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Originally, many people thought this film would definitely lose money and laughed at Link''s lack of vision, but now the film''s box office has far exceeded expectations, disappointing many.


    The publicity department should pay attention to this and actively promote Link, letting people know that Link''s vision is indisputable.


    After hearing this, Brian said he understood and would immediately arrange for media promotion.


    After hanging up the phone, Ivanka saw that all the work on her desk was done and couldn''t help but stretch her lazy waist, her ample bust also rose, her waist grew even slimmer, but her hips still sank weightily into the office chair.


    She pressed the intercom button to call her assistant Xina to bring in a cup of tea.


    After giving the order, she moved away from the desk to the window, wrapped her arms around herself, and looked down at the crowded streets, the bustling crowd, and the verdant palm groves in the distance, suddenly feeling very calm.


    This calm was different from before, which was sustained under a strong mental fortitude, a stability that needed constant reconciliation and dismissal of distractions.


    But now, it was a genuine calm, composed and serene, as if nothing was worth her agitation any longer.


    About this change, Ivanka wasn''t perplexed; she was clear when and where it started: it began on the day Link proposed, and he was the source.


    She was twenty-seven this year, six years older than Link.


    In New York''s high society, a twenty-seven-year-old woman not yet married is almost considered a spinster and subjected to inquiries about her marital status, categorized by many as an eligible marriage prospect.


    Concerning marriage, Ivanka previously wasn''t too worried or anxious, but with age, hormonal changes, physical appearance, and external attention and gossip, all these could fuel such anxiety.


    Even with her strong mental fortitude, she sometimes couldn''t help being disturbed by external voices, becoming less calm, and then she needed to work on her thoughts and reconcile with herself.


    Doing this often, undoubtedly, increased spiritual consumption and affected the state of her work.


    But now, it wasn''t necessary.


    Ivanka raised her hand, quietly looking at the diamond ring on her ring finger¡ªa delicate platinum ring. The ring wasn''t big, nor was the diamond, but at this moment, in her eyes, this ring was a thousand times, no, a million times more precious than any jewelry, any gold medal, or even the crown on the Queen''s head.


    After wearing this ring, she had a clearer beacon in life, her heart became extremely calm, and she felt relaxed and composed, both body and mind.


    It was a magic ring too.


    Knock, knock, knock!


    "Come in!"


    Assistant Xina, carrying tea and snacks, came in, her eyes turning to the chairman, Ivanka, standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.


    Clad in light-colored office lady attire, she displayed a tall and graceful figure, an elegant and composed demeanor, seemingly even more beautiful than before.


    Even though Xina saw her silhouette every day, she was still astounded by her anew each time; she must be the most perfect woman in the world. Her only flaw was having taken a playboy as a husband, although that playboy was also extremely excellent, he didn''t seem as perfect as Ivanka.


    This flaw also made Xina perceive Ivanka''s tolerance and magnanimity, making her seem even more beautiful.


    "Xina, your red tea is really wonderful."


    Ivanka said with a light smile, taking the red tea into her hands and inquiring of Xina about the phone appointment. Now she was the chairwoman of Lionsgate Films and also served as chairwoman of Link Music Company. She had so many responsibilities that often she had to rush between both.


    While chatting with Xina, her phone on the desk began to ring.


    Ivanka took a look; it was a call from Wendi Deng.


    Wendi Deng mentioned that she saw a photo of her wearing a ring and asked when she and Link were getting engaged.


    Ivanka, with a smile, thanked her and mentioned that she was still discussing it with Link but it should happen within the year.


    Over the phone, Wendi Deng congratulated her and Link, saying they were the most perfect couple in the world. Now that they had confirmed their relationship, countless women would be envious of her.


    Ivanka thanked her with a laugh.


    In the past few days, she had heard numerous congratulations and compliments. Whether they were sincere or just flattery, she always responded gratefully because the occasion truly was a happy one.


    In the end, Wendi Deng talked about the release of "The Secret Fan of Snowflakes," due to premiere at the end of June in Huaxia and in the United States in early July. She wanted to invite Ivanka in advance to the premiere.


    Ivanka said she would need to check her schedule.


    For such events, Ivanka wasn''t particularly keen on attending. As the chairwoman of Lionsgate Films and Link Music, she wasn''t an entertainment celebrity, didn''t need high levels of media exposure, nor did she need to use news stories to elevate her status.


    Maintaining a sense of mystery in the media actually suited the company''s interests better.


    After hanging up, Ivanka drank a cup of tea and returned to her desk to continue working. But just as she sat down, her phone rang to the tune of Link''s "Just The Way You Are."


    The caller ID was showing Paris Hilton''s number.


    Just in time, she too wanted to ask Paris what to do if she had a boyfriend who thought about ML all day long, how to gain the upper hand in such matters, and how to satisfy her boyfriend to the fullest extent.


    But as soon as the call connected, before she could ask Paris her question, Paris told her that little Kunas was also there and needed to discuss something very important with her, asking if she agreed.


    Ivanka enquired about the matter.


    "Eva, have you slept with Link? How could you do this? You told me before that you couldn''t have relations before marriage, how can it be different now? This isn''t good," Kunas said in a wistful and indignant tone over the phone.


    Ivanka''s face grew cold; she was very displeased with his questioning. What she wished to do was a private matter and what right did Kunas, a stranger, have to complain?


    "I love Link and I am willing to give myself to him, it is none of your business and I don''t need to explain anything to you," she replied.


    "Eva, I love you, love you dearly. I would treasure you as the most precious jewel in the world. We could have been a happy couple. I even dreamt of our wedding, with you in a pristine white dress, as beautiful as an angel. You shouldn''t be with Link; he doesn''t deserve you..."


    Click!


    Ivanka didn''t want to listen to his nonsense, so she hung up directly.


    After about ten seconds, her phone received two messages from Paris who was apologizing for encountering little Kunas at the cocktail party.


    Kunas asked to borrow her phone to call, which she had declined. Then Kunas pleaded with her to make the call because he had something very important to discuss with Ivanka. She had relented only after not being able to refuse, and hoped for Ivanka''s forgiveness.


    Ivanka didn''t blame her, but thought it was inappropriate for Paris to ask that kind of question at a cocktail party, so she didn''t inquire further.


    She turned off her phone, glanced at the photo frame on her desk showing her and Link together, smiled slightly, and continued to work on her tasks.


    ^_^

 Chapter 573 - 437: Links Daily Life (6/10)

    Bang, bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang! Bang, bang, bang!


    In the Muscle Beach Boxing Gym, Link, revealing his sturdy back, waved his thick, powerful arms, clenching his fists and striking the punching bag repeatedly.


    Despite the bag being filled with sand, iron filings, grains, and other materials, making it look very solid and resistant to hits,


    his iron fists were even harder, and under his continuous and intense attack, the punching bag seemed to soften, resembling Ivanka''s supple and full body.


    He didn''t know why, but in the past, when practicing boxing, he would easily get into the zone, with no distractions. Even if someone ran past him naked, he wouldn''t spare a glance.


    But today, while practicing boxing, he found his thoughts drifting to Ivanka from time to time.


    He missed her red lips, her peach-like body, her creamy, smooth, and delicate skin, her cool and dignified beauty, and the fiery, scalding passion hidden beneath her icy exterior.


    He missed every second of tumbling in bed with her.


    She truly was a woman made for love, while he was a man made for boxing.


    When the two of them met and came together, it was like the primitive society suddenly connected to electricity and the internet, and the whole world burst into a riot of colors, dazzling and brilliant.


    Sometimes he felt that having just Ivanka in the world would be enough.


    She could satisfy all his fantasies and needs for a woman.


    Ivanka was too perfect.


    So much so that he was a bit afraid of her, worried that she would completely control him, and he wouldn''t be able to leave her even at the last moment, turning into a hopeless puppy with nothing but her on his mind. That was too terrifying.


    So, he had to try harder, to maintain a dominant position in their relationship.


    "Stop! Stop now!"


    Link, lost in his thoughts while forcefully punching the bag, suddenly heard shouts nearby.


    He held back his fists, looking puzzledly at De La Hoya approaching him, not understanding why he was shouting here.


    "Didn''t you see the bag is broken?


    This is the eighth one you''ve demolished this year."


    Hoyle pointed at the punching bag in front of him, looking distressed.


    Link glanced at the punching bag, having been too engrossed in hitting it; he hadn''t noticed when a tear opened up at the bottom, and grains and sand started to trickle out.


    "It''s just a punching bag. It can be fixed if it''s broken, no need to be so tense."


    Link wiped the sweat from his face, only then noticing his body was covered in shiny sweat.


    His muscles bulged in every part of his body, like soft steel, with clear lines between each muscle group.


    More pliant, refined, and full of a beauty that combined strength and art than even the sculptures of Greek art.


    "We replaced this bag last week, and in just four or five days you''ve smashed it again. You have more destructive power than a grizzly bear."


    Hoyle glanced at him, seeing his body''s muscles so solid and strong, appearing very explosive, he felt both envy and jealousy in his heart.


    If he had a physique as strong as Link''s, he wouldn''t have needed to teach others how to box in the gym, he could go back to the ring and beat Pacquiao, Mayweather, and even Link to the point of wetting themselves.


    But that was no longer possible.


    Boxing is a sport that tests a person''s perseverance and resilience. Once you slack off, relax your training, or lose focus, it''s very hard to return to the peak.


    He was 37 years old this year, and if he had not slacked off or relaxed his training, he could have fought until 47 or 48 years old, like Bernard Hopkins or Evander Holyfield.


    But he hadn''t persisted.


    "Could it be a quality issue? Maybe the club bought some counterfeits."


    Link picked up his water bottle, took a drink, and spat it out on the floor along with some sweat.


    "These bags are custom-made, each one tested with instruments, able to withstand a ton of force, and they usually last more than three years. Yet, you''ve destroyed it in a week. You''re really a freak."


    Hoyle shook his head, signaling the staff to switch in a new punching bag.


    "Maybe you should consider ordering a few bags that can withstand a two-ton beating. That way, I could train for a few more days."


    "Hmph! Don''t be so proud, it might just be a fluke that this bag broke. I don''t believe you could break the next one within a week."


    "Well, I probably won''t be able to; I''m going to Huaxia for a match on Wednesday," Link said, shrugging his shoulders.


    "I heard you''re being paid 35 million US dollars for this match?"


    "About that. In Huaxia, there are fewer pay-per-view viewers for boxing matches, so the fee is a bit lower this time, but it doesn''t matter. The main goal in going to Huaxia is to expand the market and cultivate boxing fans; in the future, more people should come to love boxing."


    "35 million US dollars is low for you? Including the other peripheral income, you''ll get at least 40 million. That''s hardly little for one match!"


    Hoyle clenched his fist, grinding his molars, his face distorted with envy.


    In less than four years since his debut, at the young age of 22, Link earned three to four million dollars per fight and encountering famous opponents could rake in seventy to eighty million. Participating in four matches a year, his income easily exceeded 200 million US dollars.


    Hoyle had battled in professional boxing for twelve years and only at the age of thirty-five did he earn over 40 million from a single match.


    And here was Link, earning that much at twenty-two in almost every fight.


    Comparing oneself with others is truly infuriating. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What''s more, Link wasn''t a boxer under the promotion of Gold Boy; not a dollar of what he earned was shared with the company.


    The feeling was like having a mountain of gold at your doorstep but no matter how much you dig, you can''t get a single piece of gold.


    All that Gold Boy Promotions could do was use the glistening mountain for light, borrowing some of his shine to motivate their boxers.

 Chapter 574 - 437: Link Daily (6/10)_2

    "40 million per match isn''t much, my goal is to earn over a hundred million per match,"


    Link said.


    "A hundred million per match? That''s absolutely impossible,"


    Hoyle rolled his eyes and replied.


    Although Link was terrific, a bit handsomer than himself, a bit stronger, and a bit more famous,


    boxing couldn''t compare to major sports like soccer or football in terms of popularity, with lower limits.


    A hundred million US Dollars for an appearance was not just uncommon; hosting such a match had a greater probability of running at a loss.


    Link shook his head. A hundred million US Dollars in prize money sounded like a lot and was the highest record in the boxing world at the moment.


    But by 2015, Mayweather vs. Pacquiao, the ''Fight of the Century,'' had generated up to a billion US Dollars in prize money and related income.


    In the end, Mayweather emerged victorious with one hundred eighty million in prize money, while Pacquiao took home one hundred twenty million, setting a record not just in boxing, but in all of sports for single-match earnings.


    If Link wanted to set a new income record in boxing and become the top figure in the sport, his first target had to be earning over a hundred million US Dollars per match.


    For this goal, he trained every day to enhance his abilities, and he also persisted in being a singer and actor to boost his fame.


    He also believed this goal would definitely be achieved in the end.


    "Link, the news says you''re preparing to get engaged. Are you really ready to enter the grave of marriage at 22?"


    Hoyle, sitting on a bench and swinging his leg, queried.


    "That''s the plan, but the timing isn''t decided, either this year or next,"


    "Are you serious? You have girlfriends all over the world; I heard about forty or fifty of them. What will happen to them if you get married? Are you willing to give up a forest for one big tree?"


    Hoyle scratched his chin and laughed.


    "Of course not, have you ever seen a great tree growing alone in one place? A real big tree grows amidst a dense forest,"


    "So you mean to keep both the tree and the forest? Would Ivanka agree with that? And why is it, with such a chaotic private life, a hundred times more chaotic than mine, that you''re still so physically strong? It''s not fair,"


    Hoyle exclaimed while looking at his solid back and muscles.


    Link shook his head, uninterested in discussing this topic. As the staff were hanging up the punching bag, he grabbed his fists and continued pounding it.


    It was uncertain if the effect was from this year''s rigorous training, or from an increase in weight, or perhaps Ivanka''s body had a kind of magic.


    After spending three days with Ivanka, he felt stronger and more robust than before; previously, running 15 kilometers with weight made him sweat profusely and left his legs tired, now he only felt this after 18 kilometers.


    Also, in boxing training, his punches had become more ferocious, with greater killing power, allowing him to punch continuously for three to four hours without getting too tired.


    Not only did Hoyle think he was abnormal, but Link also felt somewhat abnormal himself, yet the feeling of strength was very gratifying, and he was deeply enamored with it.


    At the end of the training, he specifically tested his punching strength on a machine.


    His right hand''s maximum punch was 1680 pounds, with an average of 1520 pounds; his left hand''s maximum was 1550 pounds, with an average of 1380 pounds.


    Indeed, there was significant improvement from the beginning of the year. If he could continue progressing at this rate, his right hand''s punching strength might break 1800 pounds in three years, reaching Tyson''s peak level.


    This punching weight coupled with his speed and reaction abilities not slowing down despite the weight gain meant he could also dominate the heavyweight rank in the future.


    ¡ª¡ª


    On the summer solstice, the weather was scorching, and the sun turned the Los Angeles sky a toasted yellow.


    It also made the beauties on the street dress in cool clothes, rows of bare thighs and hot bodies, which were just fleeting glances to Link at this point.


    Having seen the beautiful body of Ivanka, his aesthetic standard had reached a high level, making it hard for ordinary women to provoke his interest.


    In the van, Link withdrew his gaze and flipped through his phone.


    There were five missed calls and sixteen unread messages, all asking about him and Ivanka.


    After the news of his and Ivanka''s engagement preparation spread, the media made heavy promotions, and this became one of the hot news items in the United States recently.


    Relatives and friends called or sent messages one after another to congratulate and inquire about the details.


    Male friends envied him for managing to marry a great beauty like Ivanka, welcomed him to the ''grave of marriage,'' and jokingly said that now when they talk about marriage problems, he wouldn''t have to sit quietly on the side.


    This included people like Paul Walker, Casey Affleck, and Tobey Maguire, all married and fathers.


    Only Leonardo sent a message saying he was crazy, asking why he would marry at twenty-two and assuring him he would regret it.


    Dino Duva called and said because of his engagement news, his family also started asking him about marriage, which annoyed him greatly.


    Female friends teased that he was finally turning back from his ways; the entertainment world would lose a playboy, making it safer for the girls.


    Today''s missed calls and messages also included a few from female friends congratulating him.


    Adele sent a message saying she found it hard to believe such a flirtatious man would engage so soon; it was incredible.


    Link first congratulated her via message that her new album "21" reached sales of 3.5 million in North America and might become the best-selling album of 2011.


    Afterward, he said she had believed the media''s hype and misunderstood him; he had always been a good man, and being a playboy was just convenient for media sensationalism.


    Adele replied that not only fans and media wouldn''t believe him being a good man, but his United Nations-like group of girlfriends wouldn''t buy it either.


    S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 575 - 437: Daily Life of Link (6/10)_3

    He added later that becoming the sales champion was impossible because his album hadn''t been released yet.


    Link felt helpless, Adele''s misunderstanding of him was too deep.


    He exchanged a few messages with Adele and also found time to reply to Lady Gaga''s message.


    Lady Gaga asked in her message if he would become a good man after getting engaged and stop fooling around with other women. She added that this question was from a friend, and everyone was very curious about him.


    Link was also resigned with Lady Gaga''s message; he had always been a good man. Why were so many people misunderstanding him?


    As for fooling around with other women, he never did that.


    He only got involved with girls who were willing to sleep with him and never forced anyone, including Yang Dami. That time at the Hilton hotel restaurant, he raised his hand to stop her before Yang Dami could kneel down, not asking her to do such a thing.


    He just wanted to test Yang Dami''s courage and see how determined she was.


    After testing her, he found she had some courage but not much. When faced with challenges, she just thought about using her own advantages to take shortcuts, lacking the inner strength and independence of strong women like Ivanka, Taylor, and Marion Cotillard.


    Even so, he still agreed to invest because a few million RMB was a small deal for him and it didn''t affect him much.


    He replied to Lady Gaga that he was still his old self, a genuinely good man, married or not.


    Lady Gaga clarified that he would still be a playboy, maybe even more so than before.


    Link didn''t explain; he congratulated her on her "Born This Way" album breaking through 1.5 million monthly sales in the United States, and told her to push hard during promotions to try and catch up with Adele.


    Lady Gaga said the chances were slim. If anyone could surpass Adele''s album sales this year, it would probably be only him.


    Link shook his head; the chances were slim.


    Three months after Adele''s album release, it had sold 3.5 million copies in the United States. The key was that the weekly sales decline was not significant, maintaining a top eight ranking for 22 consecutive weeks in album sales. At this rate, it was expected to break through 5 million copies within the year, not far off from "The Woman I Love".


    For his fourth album "Love Is Gone" to catch up with "21," it would be very difficult.


    He saw a missed call from Chris Liu and called her back to chat.


    After the news of his engagement to Ivanka spread, he took the initiative to call all the women with whom he had maintained a close relationship.


    If they were willing to stay, he would continue the relationship with them. If they minded and had other plans, he wouldn''t oppose.


    Turns out, no one minded, not even Chris Liu, who said she would always be by his side.


    After the call connected, Chris Liu was still asleep, her voice soft as she asked him when he would arrive at Hong Kong Island, planning to go a day early.


    Link told her the time and said that if she was busy, she didn''t need to come.


    After participating in the boxing match, he would go to the mainland to film parts of "The Flowers of War" and also attend the movie promotion for "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," so they would have plenty of time together.


    Chris Liu said she wanted to spend more time with him and try to get pregnant sooner.


    Link didn''t object.


    After hanging up the phone, he replied to a few messages and missed calls, and the car arrived at the underground parking lot of Lionsgate Films.


    Thinking of Ivanka upstairs, Link''s heart warmed up, and he called to ask what time she got off work.


    Miss Ivanka replied that she would come down shortly and said she had invited a guest to have dinner at the villa, asking him to show off his cooking skills later.


    Link wasn''t pleased to hear about the guest.


    For the past few days, to avoid disturbances to his and Ivanka''s time alone, even the servants were given a few days off.


    He also specifically called round-face and told her to focus on recording her album in the studio recently, not to come to the villa causing trouble.


    Round-face asked him for a new song before she agreed, and Link already had a few songs for her upcoming album, which he could give to her in advance, so he agreed to her unreasonable request.


    He had hoped by blocking out outside interference, they could focus on a shameless life together in the villa, but now Ivanka was talking about bringing a guest.


    Man? Woman?


    Before he could ponder more, two people came out of the parking elevator.


    The one in front, of course, was the stunningly gorgeous Ivanka, wearing large sunglasses to cover half of her beautiful face, dressed in a light-colored OL skirt suit, with a graceful figure and irresistibly sexy.


    Beside her followed a girl a little shorter than her, about 175 cm tall.


    Her cheeks were rosy and plump, and though she wasn''t as exquisite as some of the top starlets in Hollywood, she was pleasant to look at, appearing even more beautiful with every glance.


    Her walking was casual and didn''t sway or swing her hips excessively. She had an air of freshness and naturalness, different from city girls.


    Her clothes were also casual: a T-shirt and jeans, with a ponytail and some bangs in front.


    "Hi, Jennie, how''s the movie going?"


    Link greeted the two.


    "It''s still filming, probably won''t finish until August," said Jennifer Lawrence, brushing her hair behind her ear.


    "Is it very hard? You seem to have gotten a bit tanner."


    Link observed her.


    "Tanned?"


    Jennifer hurriedly touched her rosy cheek and peered at him with blinking eyes, appearing a bit anxious.


    "You''re not tanned; that''s a healthy red. He is the one who really got tanned, almost like charcoal."


    Ivanka teased Link while holding Jennifer''s shoulder.


    "It''s normal to get tanned filming ''The Hunger Games'' outdoors. I also got quite a bit of sun while filming ''The Expendables''." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 576 - 437: Links Daily Life (6/10)_4

    After exchanging a few words, Link started Ivanka''s Bentley sedan and drove the two of them away from Lionsgate Films.


    Click!


    A person hiding in the shadows took a couple of photos of the car as it was leaving.


    It wasn''t long before those photos were sent to Kunas''s email in New York.


    When Kunas saw the photos of Ivanka helping Jennifer Lawrence down the stairs and getting into the car with Link, all smiles and laughter, creating a harmonious scene, he was furious, gritting his teeth with eyes blazing red.


    Everyone knew that Jennifer Lawrence was Link''s woman, and it had been revealed in March that Link had spent eight hundred million to acquire Lionsgate Films to support Jennifer Lawrence, indicating that their relationship was far from clean.


    As Link''s fianc¨¦e, Ivanka should have been averse to such matters and tried to prevent Link from continuing to flirt with other women, maintaining their relationship.


    But she didn''t; far from it, she even took the initiative to bring Jennifer Lawrence home to Link.


    What was she doing?


    Was she condoning Link''s scumbag behavior?


    In the past, when they were dating, he cheated just once and was condemned to death by Ivanka.


    Now, that bastard Link was keeping women all around the world, and Ivanka not only didn''t blame him but also helped Link bring women home.


    This was the height of double standards, spoiling Link to the core.


    Why do it?


    Just because Link was more handsome, powerful, and good at making money?


    To these rich second-generation kids, was making money that important?


    Shouldn''t a marital relationship be founded on love? What kind of love could a man like Link offer her?


    Kunas glared at the photo of Ivanka with rage.


    He felt she had changed, become someone he didn''t recognize.


    He even wondered if Link had somehow manipulated Ivanka with some despicable means to make her act this way?


    Sitting in his office chair with a gloomy face, Kunas pondered for a long time before sending the photos to several media outlets he was in partnership with, giving them a big story for free.


    ----


    As Link, Ivanka, and Jennifer Lawrence were dining at the villa, a sensational piece of news was circulating online.


    Rumor had it that after confirming their engagement, Link and Ivanka invited Jennifer Lawrence to their bayside villa as a guest, or to be precise, Jennifer stayed overnight at Link''s bayside villa and didn''t return home.


    Internet users were abuzz with the news.


    Some said Link was still the same scumbag he had always been, without any change.


    Others expressed intense envy of Link, who not only had an unbearably gorgeous and sexy fianc¨¦e like Ivanka but also had a United Nations girlfriend squad, living the high life.


    There were also netizens ridiculing how messy the entertainment industry was.


    However, before the rumors could spread further, Palm Bay Talent issued a clarifying statement.


    It stated that Jennifer, Link, and Ivanka were all friends. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jennifer was invited to dine at the bayside villa yesterday after filming, on the invitation of Miss Thomp.


    Among the attendees were agents and assistants discussing work-related matters, and there was nothing like the messy relationships being circulated online.


    Palm Bay''s legal department also delivered cease and desist letters to several media outlets that first spread the rumors.


    They were ordered to immediately delete the untrue statements and stop their infringing actions or see them in court.


    The media only had photos of the three getting into the car and did not know what they were doing inside the villa.


    To avoid trouble for the news outlets, they deleted the articles that suggested the three had an ambiguous relationship.


    But since the news had already spread, numerous rumors remained online even after the articles were deleted.


    Palm Bay Talent didn''t mind, as Jennifer Lawrence was a celebrity, and some tabloid buzz didn''t have much impact.


    Just like in March, when hackers leaked private photos of over a hundred celebrities online, which embarrassed many female stars, but since the American entertainment industry is so varied and tolerant, as long as you don''t discriminate, it''s usually not a big deal.


    What Palm Bay needed to protect was Jennifer Lawrence''s mainstream image, to prevent it from affecting her movie box office sales.


    ----

 Chapter 577 - 438: Return to Hong Kong Island

    As for the rumors on the internet, Link didn''t care.


    He was now a billionaire, a world-class celebrity, the boss of Lionsgate Films and Link Music. At his level, ordinary gossip had minimal impact on him.


    Additionally, continuing to bear the "Playboy" label also had its benefits, such as receiving more exposure, being admired and envied by more fans, and it made his public image more dynamic and vivid.


    At the same time, he did this as a lesson from MJ, not to be an idol without flaws.


    By giving the media and the public some targets to attack, they wouldn''t go out of their way to generate other scandals to boost traffic and attention.


    So his claims to Adele and Lady Gaga that he was a good man were true.


    Others played the jerk due to a lack of maturity, but his primary purpose was self-protection.


    As a top figure in the entertainment industry, every day dozens of cameras were aimed at him, monitoring his every move, waiting for him to slip up and become the target of media scrutiny.


    As long as he was a bad guy, he didn''t have to constantly think about maintaining a positive image, which was too tiring and not free enough.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Bang Bang Bang!


    While the media continued to hype up his scandal with Jennifer, Link was comfortably training in boxing at Muscle Beach.


    After more than two months of intensive training, his weight had recovered to over eighty kilos, approximately 82.5 kilograms.


    His physique had become more robust, with every muscle seemingly measured scientifically, appearing proportionate and fierce.


    De La Hoya often joked that with a body like his, there was no need to be a Boxer and compete. By hooking up with a few more rich women every year, he could have an annual income of over a billion.


    Link knew he was just jealous, so he didn''t pay any attention to him.


    The WBA Light Heavyweight competition was about to start, and five days before July, he and his boxing training team boarded a flight to Hong Kong Island.


    Coach Brooks, Madame Anna, and Bob Wallace accompanied him, along with three extras,


    Hoyle, Morales and Dino Duva.


    Morales was there to watch the fight and gain experience in big competitions, while Hoyle and Dino Duva were simply there for the excitement.


    "Mr. Baker, thank you, I love you so much!"


    "Not at all, Jack!"


    In the cabin, Link handed a signed poster to a fan named Jack, who happily walked away with it.


    "How many fans is that now?"


    Dino asked Hoyle across from him, yawning.


    "Forty-two or forty-three."


    "There''s only about a hundred and sixty people on board including the crew, and a quarter of them have come to get Link''s autograph. Link is really getting more and more popular."


    "As long as the captain doesn''t come over, it''s fine."


    Hahaha! Everyone laughed.


    "Don''t you find it strange? Link is such a jerk, but why do so many people still like him? Especially with so many young girls here. Why would they like an idol jerky image and not pursue a healthier idol image?


    Hoyle crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat, noticing two more female fans coming over to get Link''s autograph. Meanwhile, he, the former World Champion, the Golden Boy of boxing, had been sitting there for half a day without a single person asking for an autograph.


    He couldn''t help but sigh; boxing was sometimes about looks too, and handsome fighters were indeed more popular with boxing fans.


    "It''s normal to like Link, okay? Link is not just the World Champion in boxing, he''s also a pop superstar, a billionaire, a movie star. So many auras combined, no idol can compare. Just like Anne Hathaway, if she was also a pop music queen, tennis champion, with an amazing body, wouldn''t you like her even more?"


    Dino Duva held a movie magazine with Anne Hathaway in a white dress on the cover.


    "I prefer Jessica Alba." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hoyle shrugged his shoulders.


    "I heard Link has something going on with Jessica Alba."


    "Don''t fucking spread rumors!"


    Link, clearly displeased, interjected. Jessica Alba was a married woman, and a scandal with her would reflect poorly on both parties. It was best to nip such rumors in the bud as soon as they appeared.


    "Yeah, Alba is a decent woman, she wouldn''t fool around with a jerk like Link."


    Hoyle made a snide comment under his breath.


    Link shook his head indifferently, hastily signed another poster, and handed it to a fan.


    "Link, don''t you find it boring to keep signing autographs for fans?"


    Dino asked, yawning.


    "How could it be boring to sign for people who like you? Besides, many boxing fans on this flight are going to Hong Kong Island just to support me. Signing autographs for them is nothing."


    Link shrugged his shoulders.


    "Look! Hoyle, this is the basic quality of being an idol. You should learn from Link."


    Dino pointed at Link and laughed.


    "Hmph, when I wasn''t retired, I treated fans better than Link does. He''s the one who should be learning from me."


    Hoyle said, with his arms crossed.


    "Sure, there were reports on the news, saying how you often slept with your fans and preferred older ones. Is that how you got the title of ladies'' man?"


    "Fuck! Dino, shut the hell up!"


    Hoyle was furious, his face turning red and his arm muscles bulging.


    Pfft~ Hehehe!


    Morales tried hard to cover his thick lips, but he still couldn''t hold back and laughed out loud, the tall man chuckling like a child.


    "Okay, okay, let''s not talk about it. But I''m not framing you. There''s plenty of news like that on Google, just a simple search and you''ll find it. You don''t need to be so angry."

 Chapter 578 - 438: Return to Hong Kong Island_2

    Dino waved his hand and said.


    Hoyle glared at him angrily, his flushed cheeks gradually cooling and turning pitch black, and he said sternly, "I don''t use sleep powder, we only slept together after dating normally. It''s those unethical media stirring things up and throwing dirt on me."


    "You sleep with a fan after just chatting for a few sentences, isn''t that using sleep powder? Don''t tell me you always date a fan for a few months before sleeping together."


    Dino teased.


    "Hoyle, this really is using sleep powder, and you can''t wash it away," Morales advised.


    Hoyle''s bronze cheeks flamed up again, he glanced back at Morales telling him to shut up, his eyes then shifted to Link.


    "Dating fans isn''t unusual for us celebrities and idols. Most of the people who want to go out with us are fans who admire us, should we then not date them just because they''re fans?"


    Don''t believe me? Ask Link, he''s got so many girlfriends around the world, and most of them are his fans. Speaking of using sleep powder, Link is the real expert. Compared to him, I''m really nothing."


    Hoyle seemed to find a shield, his expression and tone relaxing a bit.


    Link chuckled, "You''re trying to shift the focus, no problem, but you''ve picked the wrong person. All my rumored girlfriends are celebrities, not a single ordinary fan, and I met them through work. Strictly speaking, they are colleagues, not fans."


    "Link is right, his girlfriends all have entries on Google, searchable, none of them ordinary people. Link sleeping with them is just mutual admiration, not using his influence to seduce fans. Hoyle, in this matter, you are really different from Link." S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dino smirked.


    "Yes, last year, many media outlets called Link a playboy, but not a single report accused him of using sleep powder. Hoyle, no use arguing, we''re all men here, admitting it won''t make anyone laugh at you."


    Morales said with a broad grin.


    Angered by the two, Hoyle gnashed his teeth, his face turning from red to white. He glared at Dino, kicked Morales in the shin as he stood up, and stormed off to the restroom.


    Dino and Morales laughed loudly, slapping their chairs, and even the coaching staff couldn''t help but burst out laughing.


    Link shook his head, glad he chose to sit outside signing autographs for fans. Sitting inside would just lead to chatting and goofing off, passing an uninteresting flight.


    "Anna, is there anyone else who wants an autograph?"


    Link asked as he sent off a fan.


    Since there were quite a few fans on the plane, they all streamed over for autographs which could create chaos, so Wallace and Bob stood in the aisle of the business class directing fans to come one by one.


    "Boss, not for now, but a Huaxia singer heard you''re here, and he''d like to come over and say hi, do you want to meet him?"


    Anna asked.


    "Sure, have him come over for a chat."


    Link put down his pen, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip of water.


    Soon, Anna led a male singer over, not very tall, about 172 cm, dressed in a hoodie and loose jeans, with a drooping mouth, looking all cool.


    It was the Hongxia superstar Jerry Zhou.


    Last year, when Link toured Asia, he had also extended an invitation to him.


    But Jerry Zhou was busy with his "Super Era World Tour" at the time and couldn''t make it.


    Recently, Jerry was also active in North America.


    In February, he starred in the Hollywood blockbuster "The Green Hornet," which was released in North America with a production budget of 120 million US dollars, a North American box office of 85.74 million US dollars, and a global box office of 223 million. Considering production and marketing costs, the producers and distributors lost about 20 to 30 million.


    However, Jerry starring in a major Hollywood production enhanced his global recognition and influence significantly.


    In March, "Time Magazine" listed him third on their ''Most Influential People of the Year'' ranking.


    In June, he was nominated for Best Newcomer at the MTV Movie & TV Awards for his role as Kato in "The Green Hornet," most likely here in the US for the award ceremony.


    "Hi Mr. Zhou, nice to meet you!"


    Link stood up to shake hands with Zhou and invited him to sit and chat.


    Jerry''s English was quite good, he greeted him and expressed his admiration for both his music and boxing matches, mentioning that he planned to attend one of his boxing events in Hong Kong Island.


    Link thanked him, asked if he had tickets, and offered him two VIP tickets provided by the event sponsors.


    The news reported that all 15,000 tickets for his boxing match were sold out.


    Currently, ordinary tickets on the black market were going for twice the price, VIP tickets five times more, with one ticket costing tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars. It was said that many celebrities and VIPs would attend, making tickets especially hard to get.


    Jerry accepted the tickets without hesitation, and even asked for them to be signed.


    After chatting for a while and taking a photo together, Jerry left satisfied.


    ¡ª


    "Jelun, how was it, did you see Link?"


    In first class, Wensan with a small mustache eagerly approached the returning Jerry.


    "Humph, brother personally took action, how could I not see him? He even gave me two tickets to the match," Jerry said, waving the two tickets.


    "Wow, they''re VIP area tickets, and they even have signatures, Jerry, you''re amazing," Wensan exclaimed excitedly.


    "Only two tickets? But there are three of us, huh."

 Chapter 579 - 438: Return to Hong Kong Island_3

    Another partner, Huang Jun, said.


    "You don''t understand boxing anyway, what are you doing at the scene? This time it''s Jelun and me going, you go home and watch TV."


    Wensan, holding the tickets, chuckled.


    "How can you say that? I want to go to the scene too. Watching Link''s boxing match live feels completely different from watching it on TV. How about we draw lots to decide who goes?"


    Huang Jun grabbed Wensan''s shoulder and exclaimed.


    "No way! These are mine and Jelun''s tickets. If you want to watch, go to the black market and buy one yourself. It costs thousands of Hong Kong dollars, not like you don''t have the money."


    Wensan waved his hand and laughed.


    "Cough, cough!" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jelun coughed twice, took back the two tickets from Wensan''s hand, and looked apologetically at Wensan.


    "Wensan, Jun, I''ve already given one of these tickets away. Why don''t you two buy two tickets in the black market? I''ll pay for them."


    Wensan looked at his empty hands, and the smile that he hadn''t managed to put away instantly stiffened on his face, his small mustache quivering.


    In the past, when he wrote good songs, he would sing them all to Jelun, assuming the two were good brothers and comrades, sharing both troubles and joys. But now, with Jelun holding two tickets to Link''s match, he wouldn''t give him one and was telling him to buy from the black market.


    Wensan felt utterly cold inside.


    "Haha, Wensan, are you dumb? Jelun has two tickets, of course, he keeps one for his girlfriend. What are you competing with her for?"


    Huang Jun roared with laughter.


    "Choosing love over friendship, huh!"


    Wensan glared at Jelun and turned his head to look out the cabin window, arms crossed.


    Jelun touched his nose, somewhat regretting showing off the tickets.


    Now that things turned out like this, he could only promise his two friends that once they flew to Hong Kong Island, he would definitely find a way to get two VIP tickets so that the four of them could enter and watch together.


    Only then did Wensan slightly cool his temper on hearing Jelun''s promise.


    The plane drifted in the sky all night and slowly landed at Hong Kong Island International Airport at a little past ten in the morning.


    Link, along with his coaching team, passed through customs and security and exited from the airport terminal.


    "Link, welcome to Hong Kong Island!"


    When stepping out of the airport, there were a lot of fans and media reporters, a crowded scene with thousands in sight all at once.


    In the middle of the fans, there was a colorful banner that read in English, "Welcome Link to Hong Kong Island for the Match," and hundreds of fans held up his boxing posters and placards, shouting his name loudly.


    Link waved his hand and, escorted by bodyguards and on-site security, moved to the forefront, shook hands with several fans, and even took a few group photos among them.


    "Mr. Baker, this is your second visit to Hong Kong Island. What is your impression of Hong Kong Island?"


    "Global Times" reporter, holding a microphone, asked in fluent English.


    "Very good, Hong Kong Island is a beautiful city, very modern and also very characteristic of the place. I like the environment here, and the food is great too, there''s a dish called sweet and sour pork right? I had it last time, and it felt amazing. This time I am planning to try several more Hong Kong dishes."


    Link praised.


    "Mr. Baker, this match is your first fight as a light heavyweight; your opponent is the WBA World Champion, known as the dark horse from Kazakhstan, Belrut Shumenov. Are you confident about this match?"


    Phoenix Chinese Channel reporter shouted.


    "Yes, when it comes to boxing matches, I never lack confidence. I''ve said this many times and have never let the boxing fans down. Believe me, I will raise the Golden Belt again in Hong Kong Island."


    Link clenched his fist as he spoke.


    "Mr. Baker, according to reports from the United States, at this year''s Cannes Film Festival, you bought the North American rights to two Huaxia films and distributed them in North America, both achieving good box office results.


    It is reported after you took over Lionsgate Films, you plan to increase cooperation with Huaxia films. Is this information true? What plans does Lionsgate Films have in terms of cooperating with Huaxia films, and can you reveal some details?"


    TVB pay-TV station reporter asked.


    TVB was also a partner in this event. During the interview, they should have been considerate, but the question asked was unrelated to the boxing match, and he didn''t really want to answer.


    "Yes, the Huaxia film market has great potential, and Huaxia films are also quite good. We have considered this, but how exactly we will cooperate is still under investigation and study. We might discuss this issue in the future. Today is about the boxing match, so please ask questions related to the match,"


    Link said politely.


    "Mr. Baker, among the Huaxia boxers, who do you think has the potential to become a world champion, and who do you most favor?"


    A reporter shouted.


    Link thought for a moment, said Huaxia boxers were good, but lacked international competition experience, for instance, Zou Shiming, Xiong Chaozhong, etc. Perhaps they would have a good future once they entered the professional boxing world.


    After answering a few questions, Link left the scene with his coaching team and got into the business fleet arranged by the organizers.


    The fans and reporters ran after him for more than ten meters before waving goodbye.


    "Link is too impressive. He has so many fans even on Hong Kong Island."


    In another business car, Wensan leaned against the car window, watching the thousands of Link''s fans on the square and exclaimed in admiration.


    "Brother''s not bad either. If I went down now, I could definitely cause a traffic jam on Airport Boulevard,"


    Jelun adjusted his sunglasses and said.


    "Stop boasting. You posted a selfie with Link on Weibo last night. Link''s fans knew he was on this flight. Your fans should also have known your arrival time at Hong Kong Island. Why were there only Link''s fans at the square to greet him and none of yours?"


    Wensan teased.


    Jelun frowned, just about to retort, when Huang Jun pointed to the side and exclaimed, "Look over there, that group seems to be Jelun''s fans."


    Jelun''s eyes lit up, he pushed up his sunglasses and looked out the window to see a group of about four or five hundred people holding Jelun posters, eagerly watching the airport exit.


    This group was also there just now.


    They were just closer to Link''s group of fans, and when Link came out, they also yelled and asked Link for autographs and to take photos with him, appearing to be Link''s fans.


    Jelun initially thought they were Link''s fans too but turned out they were his own.


    "Jelun, want to go meet them?"


    The agent asked from the front seat.


    "Forget it, I''m tired after the overnight flight,"


    Jelun put on his sunglasses, leaned back in his seat, and pretended to sleep.


    The business car slowly left the Hong Kong International Airport and merged into the bustling crowded streets of Hong Kong Island.

 Chapter 580 - 439 Adventure Date

    Sunshine, blue sky, the ocean, and bustling streets with towering high-rises in the Central District of Hong Kong Island.


    In terms of busyness and population, it''s not much less than Manhattan in New York and is somewhat more prosperous than the Brooklyn and Queens districts.


    As for Los Angeles, most of its districts look like small towns and can''t compare with Hong Kong Island.


    For Dino and Morales, who were visiting Hong Kong Island for the first time, the busy streets and dense crowds were a sight to marvel at.


    They had seen Chinese people and Huaxia-style buildings in Chinatown before, but those were only a small part. Now, seeing the streets full of people with black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin, and shops with Chinese characters, felt like entering another world.


    Hoyle looked at the two with disdain, unimpressed by their inexperienced demeanors.


    "Hoyle, have you been to Hong Kong Island before?"


    Link asked.


    "I''ve been here since the last century."


    Hoyle said with his arms folded.


    "It sounds very much of the era."


    Link said with a smile.


    The car arrived at the InterContinental Hotel on Hong Kong Island, where Franco and Simon, who had arrived earlier, waited for them in the lobby.


    Also present was Eddie Hearn, president of Matchroom Sports, whom they had met in London before. Belrut Shumenov, one of his contracted boxers, was also there.


    Others included Alan King, WBA Asia president; Pinit, WBA Asia Referee Committee chairman; and Lee Dongyi, WBA Huaxia president.


    As well as representatives from the event''s organizers, including the Hotel Association, Kowloon Real Estate Company, Hong Kong Island Sports Bureau, and Culture and Tourism Bureau.


    After chatting with several groups, Link returned to his hotel room to rest. At two in the afternoon, he attended a meeting in the hotel''s conference room to discuss the boxing match, with the entire event being recorded by TVB.


    Following the meeting, the organizers, together with Dynasty Promotion Company and Matchroom Promotion, held a press conference in the hotel lobby to answer questions from various journalists.


    These activities seemed tedious and boring but were also part of boxing promotion. The more media exposure the boxing match got, the more money it would earn, making them an unavoidable part of the process.


    Link stayed busy in the hotel until after four o''clock, had a late lunch, and then went with his coaching team to Hung Hom Stadium.


    This was the venue for the match, the largest indoor stadium on Hong Kong Island with 15,000 seats. Still, it was much smaller compared to Miami''s Hard Rock Stadium, Madison Square Garden, and the O2 Arena.


    That was also why the last match hadn''t taken place there¡ªthe stadium was too small, and ticket sales were too few, causing concern for the organizers about recouping costs. Their plan was to move the match to the bigger Pudian Stadium, which could accommodate thirty-five thousand people.


    However, that venue was outdoor, and due to noise, weather, and other considerations, it wasn''t suitable for indoor matches.


    After discussions and coordination between the parties, the match was still held at Hung Hom, but with higher ticket prices. Fifteen thousand tickets, including standard, VIP, and luxury box seats, sold at an average price of 4,200 Hong Kong dollars each.


    Due to the limited number of tickets and rumors that many celebrities and tycoons would attend, black market prices for the tickets rose daily. Regular tickets now exceeded eight thousand Hong Kong dollars, and VIP and box tickets were even harder to come by.


    The purpose of Link''s visit to the stadium was to view the venue and prepare for the match the following afternoon.


    As he entered the stadium, the boxing ring was already set up.


    HBO and TVB were also setting up their camera positions and adjusting the lighting.


    Many workers were placing advertising boards around the venue, including for British Prudential Insurance, Fullerton Ocean Park Hotel, Adidas, BMW, Snickers, Red Bull, Chopin watches, and Mastercard, with their logos everywhere. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boss, Miss Liu has arrived," Ms. Anna said softly as she approached.


    Link nodded, took a brief tour of the stadium, and then drove back to the hotel. As he entered and left the hotel, at least a hundred paparazzi followed him.


    It was said that the media had offered a reward: fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars for each photo of Link on a date with a woman, with a minimum of one hundred thousand for intimate photos or videos, with no cap on the payment.


    Once the news spread, anyone with a camera or cellphone monitored Link''s movements, hoping to make quick money off him.


    The paparazzi were too numerous. Originally, he had planned to stay at a luxury house in the Mid-Levels for one night and have a date with Chris Liu there, but obviously, that was not feasible.


    As soon as his car left the hotel, it would be completely enveloped by them, and his departure from his hotel room did not go unnoticed.


    Left with no other choice, he had to call Chris Liu to cancel their date and said they would talk when he went to the Mainland.


    Chris Liu mentioned she had anticipated this and had booked a room at the InterContinental Hotel in advance so she could visit him quietly.


    Link''s outing also served to draw away the paparazzi, making it easier for Chris Liu to get into his hotel room.


    For a date, drawing from The Art of War, being a celebrity is quite a challenge.


    "Chris!"


    "Link, you''re back."


    In the hotel room, Link opened the door, and Chris Liu turned around, standing up from the sofa with a smile on her face.


    Dressed in a pink strapless dress, with her long curly hair loose, she displayed her pale, slender arms, her lovely round cheeks adorned with delicate makeup, her bright phoenix eyes, and her rosy lips, looking all dewy and fresh like a fairy.


    "Chris, you look absolutely beautiful, like an angel," Link said, admiring the girl.


    "Pfft, should I also say how handsome you are?"


    Chris covered her mouth with laughter.


    "No need, I''d rather you praise me for being awesome and powerful."


    Link gently embraced her, inhaling the fresh scent of a woman on her body, feeling her slender and soft waist, and couldn''t help but hold her tighter.


    "Yes, you''re awesome, incredibly awesome, the most, most powerful person in the world, and also the man I love the most, most, most."


    Chris Liu whispered in his arms.


    "I love you too!"


    Link smiled gently, looked into her beautiful phoenix eyes, bent down and kissed her lips. In less than a minute, the girl wilted in his arms, weak and boneless.


    But when he carried her into the bedroom, ready for the next move, Chris Liu expressed her concern, saying that he had a match the next day and needed to conserve energy. Engaging in such activities might not be good, suggesting they could wait one night and do it tomorrow instead.


    Link reassured her that she was relatively petite and very sensitive, and dealing with her wouldn''t deplete much of his energy.


    When he and Chris Liu met in the hotel, the paparazzi outside almost went mad.


    Because they received reliable information that not long ago, Chris Liu, Link''s rumored girlfriend in Asia, checked into the InterContinental Hotel discreetly.


    Since last year, thanks to an album, a hit song, three movies, and a TV show, Chris Liu returned to the top tier of Huaxia''s celebrities.


    With her pure and exquisite look that carried a fairy-like aura, she became a top youth idol, amassing hundreds of millions of fans across Hong Kong, Taiwan, and the mainland.


    It was also in August of last year that Chris Liu appeared at Link''s concert, and since then the rumors about them have been endless.


    Some netizens claimed to have seen them along with Shu Chang enter a hotel together.


    Later, when Chris Liu established her own studio with an investment from Golden Shell, and her mother became a representative for Golden Shell Investments on the board of Wanda Film Industry, rumors of their deep connection were once again confirmed.


    But due to the lack of photographs of the two meeting in private, the rumors remained just that, unable to confirm their relationship.


    If photographs of their intimacy could be taken, given Link''s global influence and Chris Liu''s impact in Asia, the news would certainly cause a huge sensation.


    Upon hearing that Chris Liu was also staying at the InterContinental, the media reporters who initially wanted to use paparazzi to tail them couldn''t sit still anymore and rushed to the hotel, trying to break the news first.


    Unfortunately, despite their long efforts, hundreds of journalists and paparazzi couldn''t gain access to the top floor''s presidential suite in the hotel.


    After Link checked into the InterContinental, to prevent an incidence like the one at The Tower Hotel in London, the hotel raised their security to the highest level.


    They also hired more than twenty police officers to be on site at the hotel.


    In addition, before arriving at Hong Kong Island, Link paid 1 million Hong Kong dollars to a local insurance company to ensure three days of peace, free from harassment and ensuring the security of person, property, and privacy.


    Therefore, the insurance company also dispatched over twenty highly capable staff to stay at the hotel and help Link block all harassment.


    While Link and Chris Liu were making love in the hotel''s big bed, reporters and paparazzi outside the hotel launched ''attack'' after ''attack'' on the hotel''s security lines.


    Some disguised themselves as guests to check into the hotel but couldn''t blend into the top floor.


    Some posed as hotel service staff or security guards, and there were even those who knocked out a security guard, donned their clothes, and attempted to infiltrate the top floor of the hotel.


    But without exception, all of them failed.


    The most dangerous attempt was when someone climbed through the ventilation ducts into the elevator shaft and rode it to the top floor, only to be stopped by bodyguards like Bob and Wallace when trying to break into the hotel room.


    "It sounds lively outside."


    On the big bed in the bedroom, Chris Liu lay on his chest.


    Her delicate cheeks were blushing, and her slightly curled hair, damp with sweat, clung to her fair shoulders.


    She traced the outlines of his sturdy chest with her slender jade fingers.


    Her voice had a husky sweetness to it.


    "It''s dark, and there are a lot of bars and dance halls outside."


    Link stroked the girl''s smooth and tender back, looking out of the window, where the sky had already dimmed, and neon lights flickered on buildings in the distance.


    Although the neon lights on the streets were not visible, the sky''s multiple reflections told him that Hong Kong Island had entered the world of night.


    "Shall we go get something to eat?"


    Link looked down at the girl and asked.


    "Can we? There must be a lot of paparazzi outside."


    Chris Liu looked up at him, her bright phoenix eyes blinked.


    "No worries, we''re just going to dine in the hotel restaurant. It doesn''t matter if the paparazzi catch us."


    "Okay!"


    Chris Liu sat up happily, but her movement was too big, pulling at an uncomfortable spot on her body, and she let out a soft cry, her cheeks flushing red.


    Link, seeing she was inconvenienced, suggested they order room service.


    Chris Liu said it was okay and slowly sat up on the bed.


    With his help, she put on a dress, but each time he touched her soft skin, Link felt less inclined to leave the bed.

 Chapter 581 - 440: Celebrity Fans (7/10)

    When the two of them walked into the third-floor Western restaurant hand-in-hand, the diners present were all surprised to look over.


    They were guests of the hotel, familiar with the surrounding circumstances.


    Since noon, there had been a large number of paparazzi staking out the area, all for the purpose of snapping photos of the pair.


    Now here they were, hand-in-hand, with an intimate demeanor in the restaurant, clearly unconcerned about any rumors that might spread.


    But then again, it made sense. Link''s net worth was over twenty billion US dollars, owning a major movie company and a music company valued at seven or eight billion. He was already at the pinnacle of the entertainment industry.


    A bit of tabloid news hardly affected him; it might even boost his influence and fame.


    Chris Liu, with her extremely beautiful appearance and high popularity in the entertainment industry, had numerous fans and many film companies wanting to work with her. With the backing of a tycoon like Link, she was never short of resources. Rumors with Link actually saved her from some hassles in the industry.


    "JJ, did you see? To be a star, you''ve got to be at Link''s level, not afraid of any scandal, unlike you who sneaks around just to date a girlfriend."


    Around the corner of the restaurant, the singer Pan Weibai glanced at Link''s spot and spoke.


    "Link is not just any star; he is the world boxing champion, a billionaire, a tycoon. Of course, he''s not afraid of rumors. We are singers who rely on fans for our income, and making a girlfriend public can affect album sales."


    Lin Junjie cut his food with a fork as he talked.


    "Can''t help it, the situation in China is different from that in the West. Here, stars must first be good people before they can be artists. Western singers can indulge in all sorts of vices, stroll in and out of jail without issue, as long as they don''t break the law or discriminate. Reputations can be made no matter how bad, as expectations aren''t strict in that regard."


    Pan Weibai complained.


    "Have you contacted Jerry? He''s also arrived at Hong Kong Island. He said he''s going to Link''s boxing match, but I don''t know if he got a ticket. I heard even the scalpers are out of them now."


    Lin Junjie spoke up.


    "I''ll ask him."


    Pan Weibai wiped his fingers with a napkin, took out his phone, and texted Jerry to ask where he was and if he had tickets to the match.


    Ding-dong!


    His phone quickly received a message.


    "Tickets? Of course, I have them, two VIP tickets, personally given to me by Link."


    "Really? You know Link?"


    Pan Weibai replied to the message and then passed his phone to Lin Junjie for a look.


    "Should be true, his latest Weibo post is a selfie with Link."


    Lin Junjie said.


    Ding-dong! Pan Weibai''s phone received two images; the first was a photo of two signed tickets, and the second was a selfie of Jerry and Link.


    "You''ve got two signed tickets, how about I trade you one of my VIP tickets for one of them? I''m planning to keep it as a souvenir."


    Pan Weibai sent the message.


    "Already gave them away."


    Jerry followed up with a message, asking if he had any extra VIP tickets because there were four people in his group and only two VIP tickets.


    That afternoon, an agent had tried to buy some from the scalpers, offering as much as fifty thousand Hong Kong dollars per ticket without success.


    Pan Weibai replied that he didn''t have any; he and JJ''s tickets were complimentary ones obtained early on through their record company from the organizers. Only 10000 regular tickets and 500 VIP tickets were publicly sold at the Hung Hom Stadium, and they all sold out in less than three hours on release day.


    The remaining 4000 plus tickets were given out through promotions, impossible for the average person to buy.


    "Why are there so many people on Hong Kong Island who like to watch boxing? I haven''t heard of Hong Kong hosting any boxing matches before."


    Jerry complained.


    "What everyone wants to see is Link. He isn''t just the world boxing champion and a pop superstar, but he''s also a billionaire in Hong Kong dollars. Spending a few thousand Hong Kong dollars for a chance to see him fight in the boxing ring is a bargain.


    The news says that those who come to see his match in person are worth at least a million to start. Now, people are showing off their match tickets online. Jerry, what if I trade you two VIP tickets for one of your signed tickets? JJ and I can use regular tickets to get in and watch."


    Pan Weibai suggested.


    "No need to trade. After the match tomorrow, I''ll take you guys to meet Link. You can ask for his autograph then."


    Jerry said.


    Pan Weibai looked over at Link, who was sitting not too far away, and replied to Jerry, saying it wasn''t necessary now; they were less than a hundred meters away from Link.


    "Should we go over and say hello? I''ve done a commercial with Liu Yifei before," Pan Weibai said.


    "Now?" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Junjie put down his fork and looked over at Link''s table. "They just got their food. Let''s wait a bit before heading over."


    Pan Weibai shrugged his shoulders and did not object.


    But as they were talking, someone had already gotten up and was heading towards Link''s table¡ªit was the Lin Family''s eldest granddaughter, Lin Xin Er, and her best friend.


    At a nearby dining table.


    Link saw off two enthusiastic female fans and sat down to resume his meal.


    "My dear, you''re so popular. It seems like every girl in the world is your fan," Chris Liu said with a smile, her phoenix eyes twinkling.


    "Are you my fan, too?"


    "Of course, I''m your most loyal fan."


    Chris Liu stared at him unblinkingly, her eyes filled with nothing but him at that moment.


    Link smiled lightly and gently touched her smooth and delicate cheek with the back of his finger. Chris Liu was like a woman made of water, with skin that was extremely soft and supple.


    Especially in a few key areas, even more tender than jelly or mutton fat.


    They would slip through your fingers if held in your hand and slowly melt away in your mouth.


    This was also one of the reasons why Link liked her.


    The two chatted while they ate, talking not just sweet nothings but also sharing about their work. After going through a two-year slump, her career had gradually improved since the second half of last year.


    Through her personal studio and Wanda Film Industry, she had become the leading actress in the new productions of "A Chinese Ghost Story," "The Warring States," and "The Legend of the Hongmen Banquet." She was currently filming "The Four Great Detectives," playing the role of the heartless detective goddess.


    Chris Liu explained the backstory of the three films patiently, making sure he understood, appearing very sweet and charming.


    While chatting, people would occasionally come over to greet them. Since those who could dine here were socialites, Link did not stop them from coming over.


    In a short while, he had met many celebrities and received a stack of business cards from business magnates, government officials, bankers, and wealthy second-generation individuals.


    The rich second-gens were the most numerous, both male and female, with female ones in the majority¡ªfrom the Lin, Li, and Guo families. It was said that knowing he was staying here, they had booked rooms in advance, hoping to get a glimpse of the superstar.


    Link did not snub them, and politely dealt with everyone.


    As their meal was coming to an end, more people came over to say hello, including two big stars, Lin Junjie and Pan Weibai, who claimed to be fans of both his music and his boxing, admiring every one of his albums and often watching his boxing matches.


    Their tone was somewhat excited.


    In the end, they even took out two tickets and asked for his autograph.


    Link did not refuse and, upon leaving the restaurant, he invited both of them and Chris Liu to take a group photo together.


    The two stars excitedly agreed and took several photos with their phones.


    "My dear, you''re amazing. Both of them are top-tier singers domestically and very popular, but when they saw you, they turned into little fans," Chris Liu said as they entered the elevator, nestling into his embrace with starry eyes.


    "They are relatively humble," Link said, with an arm around her shoulder, reminiscing about another big star who, in comparison, was a bit more modest and polite.


    "Boss, a paparazzo had sneaked into the top floor a while ago. The hotel staff have caught the person. For safety reasons, we need to do a check first," reported Anna.


    Back in the presidential suite on the top floor, Anna said they''ve completed the check and found no problems.


    Link led Chris back to their room to rest. This time, to conserve energy, he didn''t tease Chris and simply held her as they slept.

 Chapter 582 - 441: Public Opinion Boils Over

    While Link and Chris Liu were asleep in bed, news about both of them staying overnight at the Intercontinental Hotel and appearing in the hotel restaurant for a meal simultaneously spread online.


    There were related video screenshots; although not very clear, they reaffirmed the relationship between the two once again.


    The fans of Heavenly Immortal wailed upon seeing the news.


    They couldn''t understand why their fairy-like, beautiful, pure sister who was adored by so many would roll in the dirt with a scumbag.


    Wouldn''t it be better to date a loyal and good man?


    Some fans of Heavenly Immortal launched an online campaign with the slogan "Drive away the scumbag Link, protect our Heavenly sister."


    Overnight, more than a hundred thousand people liked and left comments.


    There were also many international trolls who criticized Link, saying he had already established a relationship with Miss Ivanka and was still messing around outside, a true sign of his incorrigible bad habits, the scum of scumbags.


    Some people called out to Ivanka, telling her to kick Link to the curb, as there were plenty of good men in the world. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With her credentials, she could pick from billions of men, ranging from presidents and kings to commoners.


    There was no need to waste her youth on a scumbag like Link.


    Boxing fans also expressed their doubts online: Link was to participate in a boxing match the next day, yet he spent the night at the hotel on a date with Heavenly Immortal. Would he lose the match due to weak legs the next day?


    In 1990, Tyson lost to the much weaker James Douglas in Tokyo because of fooling around before the match.


    And this time, Link''s opponent was WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion Belrut Shumenov, known as "The Dark Horse of Kazakhstan."


    His current professional record stood at 12 fights, 11 wins, and 1 loss.


    He''s also the one who won the Light Heavyweight championship in the fewest fights, proving him to be a formidable opponent.


    To dare mess around against such an opponent?


    Moreover, this match was Link''s first bout after moving up from Super Middleweight to Light Heavyweight.


    In the sports world, it''s common knowledge that athletes should conserve energy before a match, not engage in chaos, and ideally avoid women.


    But Link did not do so. Despite hundreds of journalists and paparazzi both inside and outside the hotel stalking him, he still made every effort to arrange dates.


    This behavior showed that he was too arrogant, not afraid of failure at all.


    Basing their speculations on these actions, the media claimed that after 22 consecutive victories, Link became arrogant and complacent, underestimating his opponents to the extent of even failing to observe pre-fight abstinence.


    Mainstream public opinion suggested Link might taste his first career defeat on Hong Kong Island.


    The next morning, these comments were featured on the front pages of several newspapers and in TV news reports.


    The headlines read: Link''s pre-fight rendezvous with a beauty could lead to his first career defeat on Hong Kong Island.


    "Ming Pao" latest report stated that after the news came out, Macau betting centers lowered the odds of Link losing.


    From an original odd of 1:42 for Link losing the fight, it was cut to 1:40.5, and the odds for winning in the first three rounds went up from 1:1.5 to 1:1.57.


    This suggested the betting companies were also worried Link might lose the match and were using this method to avoid risk.


    Following these disclosures, more people rushed to betting centers to place bets, and the number of people betting on Link to lose doubled in no time.


    Because of this publicity and hype, the match between Link and Belrut became the most eye-catching news in Asia that day.


    It stayed the top trending news on all major news search rankings.


    Many media and netizens began discussing the match.


    Debating whether Link would lose to Belrut, whether he could win the match smoothly and become the WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion?


    Would Link''s pre-fight indulgence lead to shaky legs during the match and a taste of defeat?


    According to a survey by East Asian Sports Data Consulting.


    The day before the match, 89.8% of netizens supported Link to win, with 35,000 Asian boxing fans casting votes.


    After such news broke out, the support rate for his victory fell to 74.5%.


    The proportion considering Belrut to win increased to 20.7%.


    The percentage of those supporting a draw rose from 2.3% to 4.8%.


    These data indicated the scandal had a significant impact on Link, causing many boxing fans to lose confidence in his victory.


    It also added a lot of exposure to the match, magnifying its impact in the Asian region.


    It introduced more unpredictability, piquing the curiosity of boxing fans and drawing the attention of the general public to the outcome of the match.


    However, in an attempt to salvage their reputations and protect Chris Liu''s good name, both of their management companies issued clarifications through the internet and media on the day of the incident.


    They stated that Link and Chris Liu were good friends, and upon hearing of Link''s match, Chris Liu especially took time off her busy schedule to fly to Hong Kong Island to cheer Link on.


    Link appreciated Chris Liu''s support and invited her to dine at the Intercontinental Hotel openly, without any secrecy or impropriety, asking netizens not to believe in rumors or spread misinformation.


    They also asked fans of Heavenly Immortal not to believe the online news; most of those reports were fabricated out of thin air, only to attract the attention of netizens, with extremely low credibility.


    In the end, rumors stopped with the wise, and they asked fans of Heavenly Immortal to continue supporting Chris Liu''s new drama and support Link in winning this match.


    During the pre-match press conference, when Link was interviewed by Hong Kong Island media reporters, he also clarified that he and Chris Liu have been close friends for many years and there was no improper relationship as the internet rumors suggested.


    He further stated that he took this match seriously, respected his opponent Belrut, and would pay special attention to his diet and rest before the match, having done nothing to affect it.


    As for the explanations offered by both management companies and Link, some believed them, some did not, leading to another round of debates online among those who did and those who didn''t.

 Chapter 583 - 441: Public Opinion Boils Over_2

    The final result depended on Link''s performance in the match.


    If he panicked and lost, it would suggest that the two were messing around in the hotel.


    If he won, it would indicate that Link was very talented, but their relationship would be questionable.


    "Hahaha, Link, the publicity and hype you guys planned for this time are fantastic."


    In the changing room of the Hung Hom Stadium, Link was getting ready, warming up before the match, when Eddie Hearn, the CEO of the sports company, strode in and showered him with praise.


    Originally, not many people were paying attention to the match, and even if the organizers and the promotion company invested tens of millions in publicity funds, it only received a bit of attention in Asia, becoming a somewhat noteworthy sports event.


    But since Link arrived on Hong Kong Island yesterday, the attention on this event soared.


    Coupled with the rumors that started yesterday, phrases and headlines such as ''Link Hong Kong match,'' ''Link vs Belrut match,'' and ''WBA Light Heavyweight Championship'' became hot search terms in the Asian region.


    On Google, Baidu, Weibo, Yahoo, and other websites, searches for related terms skyrocketed many times over from two days ago.


    There were more than 30,000 related news links and articles on various search sites.


    The trending ''Link Hong Kong match'' reached a staggering 8.5 million views on the Weibo platform, currently still holding a top three spot on the hot search list, with the number one being the scandalous rumor about Link and Chris Liu.


    Because of this publicity, the previously little-known WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Belrut Shumenov also saw a massive increase in fame.


    He gained a significantly higher profile in Asia.


    Now, many people know through the news that Link''s opponent for this match is the boxer Belrut from Kazakhstan.


    In the world of boxing, just like in the entertainment industry, the more famous the boxer, the higher the appearance fee. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because of this publicity stunt, even if Belrut lost the match, his appearance fee for the next match would rise significantly.


    This is also why Eddie Hearn, knowing full well that Link was strong and could possibly take Belrut''s WBA Golden Belt, still facilitated the match.


    "Eddie, this isn''t my publicity plan; you don''t have to flatter me," Link said, wrapping himself in a towel to keep warm and taking a sip of water.


    This date with Chris Liu was not something they intended to exploit for publicity; it was simply a date, unrelated to the promotion of the event.


    He had already received an upfront fee of 35 million for the appearance, equivalent to a buyout for the match, so whether the profit was big or small, it didn''t much concern him; the subsequent earnings might at most be a few million.


    With not much to gain, he didn''t need to exploit such matters for attention.


    As he was aware, the reason this scandal was reported by numerous media in Asia was due to the pushing hands behind the scenes¡ªorganizers and betting companies¡ªas well as the media joining the hype to earn traffic and sell news.


    "Really?" Eddie looked at him with a smile that wasn''t quite a smile, not quite believing this hype had nothing to do with him.


    During the last match in London, Link also used his scandal with Emma Watson to make that match known to all of Britain, and even more than a month after the match ended, the media was still discussing the match and the scandal, keeping its popularity high.


    And for this match in Hong Kong Island, Link once again used the same method to hype the match into a hot news topic in Asia.


    This technique may seem simple and monotonous, but it''s very practical; besides Link, no other boxer could use it because they lack the necessary conditions.


    Firstly, Link is strong, both a World Champion boxer and a pop superstar in the world music scene, with his own base of fans; other boxers can''t stir up such hype.


    Furthermore, Link is handsome and extremely famous, beloved by girls from different countries, and all his rumored girlfriends are stars worldwide; other boxers don''t have such appeal.


    Lastly, Link himself is a playboy, unfazed by gossip or scandal; other boxers would be blasted by the fans as dog poo before even stepping into the ring, let alone have anyone watch their matches.


    But Link has no such worries.


    ```


    Sometimes Eddie Hearn even suspects that Link has become a playboy, dating women from multiple countries also as a means of facilitating hype.


    If it weren''t for this, his international fame definitely wouldn''t be so high, and his appearance fees for overseas matches would not have risen so quickly.


    Understanding these points, Eddie Hearn admired Link even more in his heart.


    As a hype master like Link, even if he didn''t become a boxer, he could achieve great things as a boxing promoter.


    "Hey, Eddie, what are you doing running over here from Beirut? Are you trying to use this method to help Belrut beat Link?"


    Franco joked as he entered from the doorway.


    "I''m not as underhanded as you think, I''m just here to ask Link if he has any plans to join the athletic room promotion, I can give him 50% of the company''s shares plus a signing bonus of one hundred million, Link, want to consider it?"


    Eddie Hearn said with a smile.


    "Eddie, is it really appropriate to poach clients to their face like this?"


    Before Link could answer, Franco shouted in dissatisfaction.


    "I''m not poaching, I''m just considering Link''s future. The American boxing scene has become very impetuous, with a scarcity of talent, leaving only a bunch of old fighters in their thirties and forties brawling. Apart from Link, there are no other outstanding young people.


    And the British boxing scene has continuously produced many powerful and famous boxers from the last century to now, like David Haye, Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua, and so on.


    We, as insiders, also understand one thing: to reach the pinnacle of the industry, a boxer, besides being strong, needs a few formidable rivals.


    Like Hoyle and Pacquiao, Mayweather, Hopkins... they all achieved greatness together.


    What Link is most lacking now are a few formidable opponents. Young boxers like Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are just the right fit, so signing with the athletic room promotion would be more helpful to Link''s future development."


    Eddie Hearn spoke candidly.


    Franco frowned, "Are you actually here to poach? Let''s not even mention your claim that the American boxing scene has no one, which is itself wrong. Deontay Wilder, Andy Ruiz Jr., and Andre Ward are all very promising boxers.


    And another thing, the most important thing, the top ten PPV revenue-drawing boxing matches all took place in the United States. If you want to make money, it''s best to stay in the United States. So don''t disturb Link here, let him prepare in peace."


    "Hmph, American boxing only focuses on PPV revenue, not on discovering and cultivating talented boxers, and you have already gone astray. I bet that in twenty years, the center of boxing will inevitably return to Britain."


    Eddie Hearn declared confidently.


    "We''ll talk about that in twenty years."


    Franco contested.


    Link listened to the conversation between the two without interjecting. With the help of his boxing assistant, he wrapped his hands with protective bandages and put on his boxing gloves.


    "Alright, let''s leave the signing matter aside for now, Link. I also came to deliver a challenge from Belrut. He''s on good terms with Carl, and he says he''s sure to teach you a lesson for Carl in the match, so better not to have weak knees when the time comes."


    Eddie Hearn said jokingly.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t."


    Link clenched his fists in the gloves, his arms'' muscles bulging tight.


    "Go for it, Link! Take down the Light Heavyweight championship and become the number one boxer in the world."


    Morales shouted loudly.


    The coaching staff also cheered for Link unanimously.


    Simon came over to remind them it was time to start the pre-match check. Link and Coach Brooks and others went to the venue for the weigh-in and to check the match equipment.


    ```

 Chapter 584 - 442: The Competition Begins

    "OK! The match is about to start; next, let''s switch the camera to the Hung Hom Sports Hall and see how many familiar faces we have today."


    Chen Nianzu, a TVB presenter, stood in the broadcast room and spoke into the camera microphone.


    Before the camera switched back to the sports hall, reporters and cameramen from the television station captured scenes of tens of thousands of spectators entering the sports hall one after another outside the hall.


    Among these people, there were many celebrities and socialites. In the parking lot of the sports hall, luxury cars were everywhere, some carrying badges that many had heard of but never seen.


    In addition, many foreigners had arrived at the Hong Kong Island airport, docks, stations, and hotels around the Hung Hom Sports Hall today.


    There were tourists from Europe and the United States, people from Southeast Asia, as well as rich merchants and celebrities from Japan, South Korea, and Mainland. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To cater to tourists from abroad and bolster local consumption while combating ticket scalpers, the Culture and Tourism Bureau reserved three thousand tickets in advance to sell to foreign spectators holding train or plane tickets.


    This made the tickets for the match even harder to come by, with the price for ordinary tickets on the black market already surpassing ten thousand Hong Kong dollars each by the morning.


    The TVB presenter mentioned these circumstances during the news broadcast, aiming to inform the television audience about the scale of the match and the level of attention it was receiving.


    At the same time, it could arouse the curiosity of the audience, who may wonder how many celebrities were in the crowd? How would the boxing match go?


    Stirring up the audience''s curiosity in the promotion can enhance revenue from PPV and online broadcasting, highlighting the role of promotion in boxing events.


    After the camera switched back to the sports hall, the TVB cameraman first focused the live broadcast camera on the two boxers.


    Presenter Chen Nianzu then began to introduce Link and Belrut Shumenov.


    "Alright, the camera has switched to the inside of the sports hall, and we see the two boxers are in position, getting ready for the weigh-in.


    The boxer wearing white shorts and white gloves is the current WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Belrut Shumenov, hailing from Central Asia''s Kazakhstan, an Asian champion.


    He is 28 years old, with a height of 188 centimeters and a reach of 188 centimeters, boasting a professional record of 11 wins in 12 battles. He won the Light Heavyweight World Champion title in the fewest number of fights and is known for his left punches and upper hook punches.


    At a boxing match in Berlin, Germany, in 2010, he defeated the former WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Gabriel Campi and claimed the WBA Light Heavyweight throne."


    Standing opposite him was the boxer...."


    "Link! Link!"


    Before the presenter could introduce him, when the live cameras projected Link''s image onto the big screen at the stadium, the audience erupted into cheers.


    There were shouts in Mandarin, Cantonese, English, Korean, Japanese, and other languages, calling out Link''s name.


    Link also looked up and waved his fist at the camera, and the cheers from the audience grew even louder and more tumultuous.


    "Wow, listen! The entire audience is shouting Link''s name. Link is so popular! Yes, Link is not only the most popular boxer in the world right now but also a top singer in the music industry.


    The songs that swept across Hong Kong like ''see you again'', ''legends never die'' were composed and sung by him, as well as hit songs ''all of me'', ''Give me reason'', ''never say never'', ''unstoppable'', ''Everything You Need'', ''Believer''..."


    Presenter Chen Nianzu listed more than twenty song titles in one breath.


    He had intended to mention just a few signature songs but then realized there were too many of Link''s hits.


    More than ten songs from his first three albums had reached the number one position on the Hong Kong Island Pop Music Chart.


    "There are also ''Girls Like You'', ''Here With You'', ''sugar'', and so on; there are just too many, all songs by Link.


    In addition to that, Link is also a Hollywood movie star, having starred in ''Fighter'', ''The Expendables'', ''Scandal Plan'', and the recently very popular ''Midnight in Paris''.


    Also, the Hollywood blockbuster ''Captain America'', now in its promotional period with a production cost of 140 million US dollars produced by Marvel Studios and Paramount Pictures, stars none other than Mr. Link Baker as Captain America..."


    "Is Link that fierce? Being a world champion boxer, a top singer, and a movie star, doesn''t he get tired with all these side hustles?"


    In a luxury apartment in Causeway Bay, actor Chen Xiaochun lay on the couch watching the live broadcast on TV, with a toothpick in his mouth and endlessly rubbing his feet, basking in the perfect sunlight outside the window.


    "Hmph! Do you think everyone is as lazy as you?"


    His wife, Ying Cai''er, glanced back at him,


    "It was mentioned in the news that after becoming the World Champion boxer, a top singer, and a billionaire, Link still insists on training for at least four hours a day. In his spare time, he shoots films, writes music, records albums, and manages several companies each worth hundreds of millions of US dollars.


    He''s so hardworking that the media in the United States call him a role model. You''re both men, why don''t you learn from him a bit? Every day, when you have nothing to do, you just sprawl on the couch rubbing your feet.


    Ugh, put your stinky feet down; it''s disgusting."


    Seeing Ying Cai''er raise her hand, Chen Xiaochun hurriedly put his feet down and changed his posture, saying nonchalantly, "Yeah, I''ll learn from him and become a playboy, maybe?"


    "You dare! When I tell you to learn from Link, it''s to pick up his good traits, not to be a flirt like him. If you dare to mess around with young girls on set, be careful, I''ll beat you up. I''ve learned boxing from Link too."


    Ying Cai''er clenched her fist and said.


    "You learned boxing from Link? When and where?"


    Chen Xiaochun blinked his small eyes nervously and asked.


    "Of course online, what on earth are you always thinking about?"


    Ying Cai''er threw an orange at him.

 Chapter 585 - 442 The Competition Begins_2

    Chen Xiaochun heaved a sigh of relief and sat on the sofa peeling an orange.


    On TV, after the host finished introducing both sides of the match, he switched the camera to the audience.


    "Wow, all the big stars, even more than at the Hong Kong Island Film Awards. Let''s see who''s who, Chen Long, Zhou Xingchi, Liang Caowei, and Liu Jialin, Zhen Zidan, Zhang Xueyou, Princess, Xie Tingfeng, Gu Letian, Huang Rihua, Xu Guanjie, Tan Yongling, wow, even Zhou Runfa who hardly ever goes out is here, just too many...."


    The camera panned around the VIP section and found it was all packed with Hong Kong Island''s top stars.


    Some were dressed up, some casual with hats on, hiding their identities.


    Seeing these people, viewers who didn''t know any better might think this program was a live broadcast of the Film Awards ceremony.


    Besides these stars, in the best visual spots around the boxing ring sat many of Hong Kong Island''s tycoons and their families.


    Family members from the Li, Huo, Lin, Guo families, and more, primarily the younger generations, were almost all present.


    "Wow, even the young master of the Huo family can only sit in the VIP area, then who are those sitting in the luxury boxes?"


    Chen Xiaochun exclaimed in amazement at seeing these famous and wealthy people.


    "Hmph, what does it matter to you who they are, didn''t I tell you to start grabbing tickets last week? Where are the tickets?"


    Ying Cai''er glanced at him angrily, hearing someone ring the doorbell, she threw down the remote control and got up to open the door.


    Chen Xiaochun shrugged, his wife Ying Cai''er was a die-hard fan of Link, not only did she love Link''s songs and movies, but now even his boxing matches - it was getting more and more dangerous.


    Last week he got two VIP tickets from inside TVB.


    Latter, his good friend Huang Guanzhong said he wanted to take his girlfriend Zhu Jun to the match but couldn''t get tickets for the VIP seats, and asked if he had a way.


    Chen Xiaochun gave both tickets to Huang Guanzhong without a second thought.


    Later, when he told Ying Cai''er back home that he hadn''t secured them, Ying Cai''er had her agent try to buy them from scalpers, but unfortunately, they were too late to get VIP tickets.


    And the viewing from the regular seats was average, not as good as watching the HD broadcast at home.


    Because of this, Ying Cai''er had been complaining to him for days, and today she complained the most.


    But Chen Xiaochun didn''t mind, his wife being so fiery and obsessed with Link, it wouldn''t be good if Link noticed her; it was better to be cautious.


    "Chen Xiaochun, stop lying there, hurry and see who''s here."


    Hearing Ying Cai''er shouting from outside the door, Chen Xiaochun looked up and saw his good friend Zheng Yijian and Xie Tianhua, each with their girlfriends, coming over with beers and snacks.


    Chen Xiaochun chuckled and hurriedly got up, hooking his friends'' shoulders as they sat down together to watch the boxing match.


    At the match venue.


    The host introduced a round of celebrity guests in the VIP seats.


    According to incomplete statistics, today at the venue there were over five hundred celebrities from the two straits, three regions, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, etc., all with assets worth over ten million.


    Probably even more celebrities didn''t show up.


    According to an analysis of the guests invited by TVB, the match was so popular among celebrities for several reasons.


    The first reason was that boxing was a niche sport in Huaxia, and previously the four major boxing organizations hadn''t hosted a world-class boxing match on Hong Kong Island.


    This being the first time, everyone was excited and thus came to support it.


    Another reason was Link, Link was also a central topic of this match.


    His fame was too big, with various titles and accolades.


    Previously, many might have seen his matches on TV or online, but never had the chance to watch live.


    Now that Link was on Hong Kong Island organizing a match, it was a rare opportunity, naturally, everyone would support it.


    And there were the third, fourth, fifth reasons.


    Like WBA champion Belrut being an Asian with black hair, black eyes, and yellow skin, the successful promotion by the organizers, and the support from the officials, etc., all these reasons contributed to making this match a spectacular event.


    The match was about to start.


    Link and his opponent Belrut Shumenov successively stepped onto the boxing ring.


    "Wow, Link has an awesome body, so sexy!"


    "Link can sing, act, and especially fight, he''s amazing."


    "I heard Link is worth over a hundred billion Hong Kong dollars, why would he still want to participate in such a dangerous competition?"


    "The news said that Link''s appearance fee for this match is almost three hundred million Hong Kong dollars, it''s exaggerated, one match earns us a lifetime of money."


    As Link entered the ring, the audience both at the venue and in front of TVs were bustling with discussions.


    The men, envying Link''s physique, were also jealous of his money-making ability.


    The female viewers were simpler; they just purely admired Link''s handsome face and explosively strong body.


    For this, Chen Xiaochun even got slapped because he changed the channel just as Link was coming on stage, which led his feisty wife to smack him on the thigh and strip him of the remote control privilege.


    During Link''s entry, a little incident occurred on site, a TVB camera swept across the back of the audience area and spotted a banner.


    It read ''Defeat scumbag Link, win back the Heavenly Immortal sister, Belrut must win''.


    This banner also received support from many Heavenly Immortal fans at the venue, who began to shout ''Belrut must win''.


    Link saw the banner on stage and shrugged indifferently, his gaze turning to his opponent Belrut Shumenov, with common Central Asian features, black hair, and black eyes.


    The most significant achievement of his opponent was in 2008 when he defeated ''Ice Montell'' Griffin.


    Griffin was a former WBC light heavyweight boxing champion, who had beaten boxing legend Roy Jones in March 1997, ending Jones''s 35-match winning streak and handing him his first professional defeat.


    From this perspective, it wasn''t entirely luck that made Belrut Shumenov a WBA champion in 11 matches; he had the strength to become a light heavyweight world boxing champion.


    Ding Ding Ding!


    The match was about to begin, the ring referee started to announce the rules: no elbows, no holds, no strikes to the back of the head, no hits to the groin, and everyone must separate at the referee''s cry of ''break'', among others.


    With limited time, the referee only announced a few main ring rules, without listing them all.


    Once sure both understood, the referee stepped back and raised his hand high with a downward chop.


    "Boxing!"


    The match started, Link and Belrut touched gloves and each took a step back, closely watching each other''s movements.


    At this moment, generally one side would take the initiative to strike, setting the pace of the match.


    Link waited a second, seeing no initiative from the opponent who seemed prepared to take a defensive stance in this match.


    He didn''t hesitate, moved closer aggressively, and swung his fist toward his opponent''s body.


    Thump!


    It was unclear if his opponent was unprepared or had underestimated the power of his punch.


    That punch directly penetrated the opponent''s guard, hitting Belrut''s chin.


    Belrut staggered, saliva flying from the corner of his mouth, stepping rapidly backward twice, his back slamming into the right margin ropes before stabilizing.


    "Wow!" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The audience let out a gasp, none having expected that just five seconds into the match Link could make such a successful punch right on his opponent''s face, truly intense.


    From this, it seemed Link had not messed around the night before.


    "Go Link! Champion Link!"


    "Go Belrut! Beat Link, win back the Heavenly Immortal sister."


    The audience started to make a loud noise.

 Chapter 586 - 443: During the Match (8/10)

    ```


    Thump, thump, thump!


    Link, having landed a punch, didn''t hesitate and followed up by taking advantage of the ropes to unleash two sets of combination punches on his opponent.


    Eight punches were thrown and five landed with precision.


    Beirut''s arms tightly wrapped around his head, bereft of the strength to counter the blows.


    Beirut couldn''t get away from his onslaught and was reduced to a clinching tactic, firmly wrapping his arms around Link''s shoulders.


    "Break!"


    The referee stepped in to separate the two fighters.


    Link took a step back, concluding his first wave of attacks.


    "Too ferocious, Link''s attacking speed is even faster than what''s seen on the tape,"


    In the VIP boxing area, Olympic champion Zou Shiming, wearing glasses, was intently observing Link in the ring.


    When Link executed combination punches, Zou found himself instinctively throwing a few punches in the air too.


    Zou Shiming was the bronze medalist in the 48 kg class at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and the gold medalist in the same category at the 2008 Olympics.


    He was thirty years old this year but was still competing in amateur bouts mainly because professional boxers were not allowed to participate in the Olympic Games.


    For this reason, he needed to wait until after the London Olympics next year before he could go professional.


    Zou Shiming had been following Link''s boxing career since the 2008 Olympics but was too busy with training to fly overseas to watch.


    This time, since Link was holding a boxing competition in Hong Kong Island and he saw the news, he originally planned to take leave to watch the match, realizing that observing on site could offer greater insights.


    Later when the boxing team leaders heard about it, they grandly handed out a stack of tickets, announcing that the top three fighters in all categories could go watch the match live.


    As the number one amateur boxer in China and a representative figure in the sport of boxing, Zou Shiming was also arranged to sit in a position close to the ring.


    Watching Link''s match on site, Zou Shiming was quite shocked.


    Link''s fists were extremely vicious; the initial punch was like a drill, striking with overwhelming ferocity, unreasonably breaking through Beirut''s guard and smashing into his face.


    To the average person, this punch didn''t seem like much, just a fist hitting a face¡ªsomething even quarrelling spouses might manage to do.


    But for these seasoned fighters, they knew how difficult that punch was. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    First, boxing gloves are quite large, not only elastic but also increasing the surface area of the fist¡ªlike using a cotton swab rather than a toothpick to poke through cloth; without a doubt, the former is more difficult.


    Second, those who compete in boxing matches aren''t ordinary people; they are well-trained fighters who often practice offensive and defensive moves, knowing how to defend themselves from being hit.


    A strong defense from the opponent undoubtedly increases the difficulty of landing a hit.


    This is the most apparent difference between a boxing match and an ordinary brawl.


    In a match between top boxers, where skill levels are closely matched, finding a flaw and knocking out an opponent is extremely difficult.


    If a heavyweight world champion boxer were to go all out against an ordinary person, they could probably knock someone out with a single punch.


    In this match, Link''s opponent is the WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion, a top boxer who has gone through numerous major competitions and has considerable strength.


    For Link, who had just moved up to the light heavyweight class, to be able to drive back his opponent with one punch demonstrated overwhelming strength.


    "Indeed very impressive. He made the light heavyweight champion take three steps back with one punch. The weight of the punch must be at least 1200 pounds, too fierce,"


    WBC-IBF Lightweight Continental Champion Xiong Chaozhong also said intently as he watched Link.


    Xiong Chaozhong, 29 years old and 155 cm tall, originally worked as a copper miner.


    He entered professional boxing in 2006, successively winning the WBA/WBC/IBF mini-flyweight Asian regional championship titles, and is currently the most famous professional boxer in the country.


    Next, he will step out of the four major organizations'' Asian divisions to compete for the international championship title and earn the right to challenge for a world champion title.


    Unlike Zou Shiming, who came from a national team background, Xiong acquired his boxing skills mainly through his natural brute strength and self-exploration, with an unorthodox background.


    During his training, he often watched international professional boxing matches to learn the methods of top fighters.


    Because of Link''s huge fame and strong capabilities, consistently topping the "Ring" P4P (Pound for Pound) rankings.


    Link is also one of the fighters Xiong Chaozhong frequently studies and learns from.


    But there''s a drawback to only watching the tapes.


    Due to the extremely fast speed at which boxers punch, the cameras at the venue often fail to keep up with the pace, resulting in blurry footage or less-than-ideal shooting angles, making it hard to learn effectively.


    Seeing Link''s match on site today left him staggered.


    Link''s punching speed was faster than what he had seen on video, and the punches were more forceful. When a punch landed on the opponent''s body, the ripples on Beirut''s skin and muscles were clearly visible even from below the ring.


    Moreover, Link''s combination punches and footwork were seamlessly coordinated. Each of his strikes, each retreat, was worth learning from.


    Xiong Chaozhong felt that Link truly deserved the title ''Grandmaster'' in the sport of boxing.


    "How can this guy Link be so amazing at only 22 years old?"


    Zhang Zhilei, the heavyweight silver medalist from the 2008 Olympics, exclaimed in admiration.


    Zou Shiming and Xiong Chaozhong, both older boxers, were left somewhat speechless, as they were still competing in amateur and continental championships at their ages.


    Yet here was Link, at age 22 already dominating the super middleweight class and now aiming for the light heavyweight world championship, not to mention the tens of millions of US dollars in prize money for each match¡ªa truly astonishing boxer.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    Above the boxing ring, Link continued to launch a fierce assault on his opponent Beirut.


    Left Jab + Right Jab + Straight Punch + Left Jab.


    His fists relentlessly hammered against Beirut''s defensive line.


    ```

 Chapter 587 - 443: During the Competition (8/10)_2

    At the start of the match, Beirut suffered from underestimating Link''s punching power and paid the price for his loose defense.


    In the subsequent rounds, to avoid being hit again, he intensified his defense.


    He tightly guarded his head with both arms and constantly moved his feet to change his position, preventing Link from hitting his ribs and abdomen.


    Even while defending, he was looking for opportunities to counterattack and return the punches he had just taken from Link.


    Unfortunately, Link''s attacking style was a real headache, one set of combination punches followed by another, with relentless force, leaving him no chance to counter.


    Moreover, Link''s attacking rhythm was extremely annoying, if he just hugged his head and defended without considering a counterattack, Link would only target his arms, attacking his defense line.


    If he dared show any hint of counterattacking, Link''s punches would suddenly become vicious.


    Not only attacking the arms and head, sometimes he would unleash liver blow punches and upper hook punches.


    Each move was more dangerous than the last, seemingly warning him not to counter.


    Because Link''s punching speed was so fast, and the power of his punches was also very heavy.


    Every time Link sent out a warning, he had no choice but to suppress his counterattacking moves and defend rigorously.


    This made him fight very frustratedly.


    It felt like Link was in control of the entire match, and he had to follow Link''s rhythm, or he would get beaten up if he didn''t.


    Beirut was unwilling to accept this.


    He was the WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion, having defeated many powerful boxers in his class after countless hardships to obtain this WBA Golden Belt.


    He would not easily give up this honor.


    Now, he was just waiting for one opportunity, a chance when Link was exhausted.


    In boxing, everyone knows one truth, you cannot attack for too long because human stamina is limited, and sustained offense greatly exhausts the body.


    Now that Link had been throwing punches continuously for more than eighty times, the greater the continuation of such attacks, the larger the physical toll and the harder it is to maintain.


    This was his chance, as long as Link''s attacks slowed down even a little, he would spare no mercy, swinging his fists and smashing them fiercely on Link''s face to repay the punch from earlier.


    At the same time, Link was currently the most popular and influential boxer in the world, and one of the boxers with the highest appearance fees.


    As long as he could defeat him, he could become an overnight sensation, a world-famous boxer, and his match prize money could increase many times over.


    Just like James Douglas, before defeating Tyson, he was just an unremarkable boxer in the heavyweight division, earning hundreds of thousands per match.


    After defeating Tyson, although he ultimately lost to Evander Holyfield, he still took home a prize of 25 million US dollars.


    If he could defeat Link in this match, money, beautiful women, mansions, luxury cars, everything would follow.


    Now, all he needed was to defeat Link.


    Through the gap between his fists, Beirut glared fiercely at Link across from him.


    At this moment, his resolve was incredibly firm, believing that defeating Link would realize all his dreams.


    If he didn''t give his all at this time, he would surely regret it for the rest of his life.


    "Ula!"


    Sensing that Link''s offensive rhythm was slowing down, Beirut didn''t waste the opportunity and yelled "Kill" in Russian, swinging his fists hard at Link.


    Bang!


    Link''s right arm caught Beirut''s punch, and involuntarily, he stepped backwards.


    Beirut truly lived up to his title as Light Heavyweight Champion, his strength indeed far surpassed that of many overhyped champions.


    The power emitted in that single punch just now was at least 1200 pounds, not inferior to a heavyweight continental champion.


    If he had opted to take that punch without stepping back, he could have withstood it steadily, without retreating a step, but doing so was unnecessary and would have been a waste of energy, a very foolish tactic.


    By stepping back, he effortlessly defused the opponent''s punch and also made the opponent waste energy.


    However, to the ordinary audience, this step was not that simple.


    The situation just now was Beirut suddenly counterattacking, his punch forcing Link to step back, almost bumping into the ropes, the situation was extremely intense. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone thought Beirut was ready to use his secret move to recover the disadvantage of the earlier rounds.


    "Come on, Beirut!"


    "Beirut! Ula!"


    Many of Link''s detractors in the audience shouted loudly.


    These people included fans of Heavenly Immortal, as well as fans from Japan like Sasaki Nozomi and Yui, fans from South Korea of Jun Ji-hyun, and Girls'' Generation fans.


    Link didn''t know where he had offended the fans of Girls'' Generation.


    Hundreds of boys, holding up support signs for the nine idols of Girls'' Generation, cheered loudly for Beirut, hoping he could defeat Link on their behalf.


    Bang bang bang!


    On the boxing ring, Beirut, biting his mouthguard and with eyes blazing with anger, swung his fists, one after another, toward Link, fully exhibiting the ferocity of Russian boxing and a tank-like offensive approach.


    "Too early! The counterattack is too early!"


    In the VIP area of the ring, Hoyle slapped his thigh and shouted.


    "When should he counterattack if not now?"


    Eddie Hearn turned to ask.


    "It would be best after three rounds. Link has too much stamina now. If you want to knock him down, it would be better to exhaust his stamina as much as possible in the earlier rounds and look for a chance to counter after the third round," Hoyle said, gripping his fist.


    "Are you joking? At the start of the match, Link''s punch made Beirut retreat three steps. You could see how powerful his strength was. If he waits three rounds to counterattack, he might get beaten to death.


    Counterattacking in the first three rounds, fighting him punch for punch is the best strategy," Eddie Hearn argued.


    Ever since Carl Froch lost to Link last time, Matchroom Sport began treating Link as their number one enemy, frequently inviting famous British fighters and gold medal coaches to symposiums to discuss how to defeat Link.

 Chapter 588 - 443: During the Competition (8/10)_3

    But because Link had no weak points regarding punch weight, speed, stamina, skill, reactive capability, tactics, and so on.


    Everyone discussed many times, and the ultimate conclusion was to engage in close-quarters combat.


    Because Link had not encountered tough opponents nor undergone the trial of underground boxing competitions, his style was relatively gentle and refined, lacking a sense of ruthlessness and the flavor of iron-blooded combat.


    So the best method was to use the most ferocious and barbaric fighting style to disrupt Link''s rhythm, affecting his mental state during the match. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the fight, there was no need to abide by the rules, nor worry about making mistakes; as long as it led to defeating him, all means were permissible.


    "Very tough!"


    Hoyle shook his head and said, "In boxing matches, the tactic of close combat is mainly used against boxers of equal strength, to secure some chance for victory, but for this match, Beirut, though exceptional in punch weight and resistance to hits, is clearly inferior to Link in other aspects. Engaging in close-quarters combat with Link, he is simply not qualified."


    "Don''t believe me? Just wait and see, Beirut will not lose the match easily."


    Eddie Hearn declared, waving his fist.


    Bang!


    While they spoke, Beirut on the stage, while using a clinch to restrain Link, suddenly head-butted Link''s nose bridge against the rules. Link, unprepared, was hit on the chin while trying to dodge and a noticeable cut appeared at the corner of his mouth.


    Link, in return, threw a sneaky punch at Beirut''s left rib, and Beirut groaned, clutching his arms tightly around him.


    "Wow!"


    A surge of astonishment rippled through the crowd.


    The audience cheered loudly, even though the exchanges of punches between the two had been lively thus far.


    But for an audience from Hong Kong Island accustomed to action movies, they preferred a more thrilling hand-to-hand combat.


    Seeing Beirut employ foul tactics in the match, even managing to cut Link''s mouth - a sight seldom seen as Link was known for being hard to injure, nicknamed "Impenetrable Gold Link" - was too exciting.


    Link''s detractors in the crowd began to shout, "Go, Beirut, our divine sister is with us," "Down with Link, long live the Girl Generation," suddenly heating up the atmosphere at the venue.


    "Break!"


    The ring referee intervened to separate the two, issuing a severe warning to Beirut.


    In boxing, using illegal tactics is a taboo, punishable according to the severity of the foul action and the opponent''s injury.


    Like Tyson biting Holyfield''s ear in ''95, even drawing blood, was a major offense, resulting directly in a loss.


    Holyfield also employed illegal tactics multiple times in matches, like the commonly seen headbutt, using his head to keep hitting Tyson''s eyebrow during clinches, or grazing Tyson''s face with his head during subsequent clinches to enlarge the cuts.


    Since Holyfield''s moves were more covert, the referee didn''t stop the fight, forcing Tyson into an act of desperation, biting outright.


    Holyfield wasn''t new to using headbutts in boxing; in his ''02 fight against "Rock" Hashim Rahman, he even caused a swelling the size of an apple on Hashim''s forehead, ultimately winning the match.


    Because Holyfield is bald and frequently used headbutts in matches, boxing fans jokingly claimed he practiced "Iron Head Skill" and called him "Shaolin Monk."


    This time, Beirut too used foul tactics against him in the match. His moves being more obvious, the referee issued him a severe warning.


    A severe warning is equivalent to one knockdown. Two to three more such warnings, and the referee has the right to declare a loss.


    A headbutt woke Link up. In previous matches, he had behaved more civilly with his opponents, at most resorting to verbal attacks and rarely using illegal tactics.


    Over time, this led to a serious drop in his vigilance, almost forgetting the blood and violence he had experienced in the underground boxing scene.


    With the headbutt as a reminder, he remembered he was now the most popular and influential person in the boxing world, many aiming to climb the ranks by defeating him, making him the target of many adversaries in the ring.


    If he became too relaxed and forgot the darker aspects of boxing, he might inadvertently become a stepping-stone for others.


    So, to advance further in boxing, he would have to remain fully alert in future matches, never letting his guard down and not giving opponents the chance to exploit any weakness.


    Link clenched his fists, quietly watching Beirut on the opposite side.


    When Beirut looked up and met his deep eyes, he suddenly felt a chill down his spine.


    "Boxing!"


    The referee moved to the center and waved his hand, announcing the start of the match once again.

 Chapter 589 - 444: Iron Blood Tactics

    Bang bang!


    As soon as the match started, Link ignored the straight punch thrown by Beirut and clenched his fist to strike back faster, landing a solid blow to Beirut''s left ribs.


    Although the sponge in the boxing glove provided some cushioning, the massive weight of the punch sent shock waves that made Beirut stagger. A muffled grunt came from his mouth, his attack malformed, and his fist passed by Link''s left shoulder, resting almost against it.


    Link did not give his opponent a chance to react after the successful hit and followed with a rapid right upper hook punch, ascending from below through Beirut''s guard and striking his jaw.


    Beirut''s body shot upward and his jaw clicked. Although the mouthguard protected his teeth and tongue, the fierce collision caused his lower jaw to slam hard against his upper jaw, his neck bending backward with a crisp sound.


    Beirut couldn''t help but see stars and tasted blood in his mouth.


    Too close for comfort, he instinctively stepped back in an attempt to evade Link''s onslaught.


    But at that moment, Link suddenly increased the frequency of attacks, pummeling fist after fist into his face, left ribs, and right abdomen.


    He let loose over a dozen punches in one breath, a fierce torrent of moves sealing off any opening.


    The barrage of attacks was extremely difficult for Beirut to endure.


    Just as the symptoms of tooth pain and dizziness did not subside, he felt pain in his liver, stomach, and nose as his head was struck repeatedly, disorienting him even further.


    He completely lost track of where he was and what he was doing.


    At that moment, Beirut felt like he did as a child bathing in the river when he accidentally got caught in a whirlpool. No matter how he struggled, he couldn''t break free from the grip of the water''s flow.


    A strong sense of suffocation closed off his mouth and nose, leaving him gasping for air and his mind blank.


    "Wow, that''s fast!"


    "Link is going to win."


    "Come on, Beirut! Protect the fairy sister!"


    From the stands, everyone saw Link unleashing punches in rapid succession, each strike landing like a hammer on Beirut''s head and upper body.


    With each hit, Beirut''s body kept retreating backward, his chin and corner of his mouth dripping with blood, his appearance growing more and more pitiful.


    Seeing Link fight like this, the audience''s eyes widened, tensely focused on the match on the stage.


    They gasped in sync with Link''s movements, involuntarily letting out exclamations, like puppets captivated by the match.


    "Hit him, hit him! That''s it, Link is too fast."


    Below the stage, Zou Shiming was too excited and instinctively stood up, mirroring Link''s movements by swinging his fists and punching the air.


    The TVB cameraman captured him, ready to use the footage as behind-the-scenes material.


    Next to him, Xiong Chaozhong stared at the match on the stage, his fists clenched tightly, his biceps bulging and his expression ferocious as if he were channeling Link''s role and exerting force with him.


    "Break!"


    The ring referee saw Beirut subdued by Link''s relentless hits against the ropes, his body limp and defenseless.


    To prevent any accidents, he stepped in to intervene, halting Link''s assault.


    Link pulled back his fist, took a step back, and shook off the sweat and blood from his gloves.


    Beirut''s body collapsed, leaning against the ropes and sliding down to the canvas.


    The referee knelt down to check Beirut''s condition but didn''t get a chance to ask anything before the bell rang.


    Ding ding ding!


    The bell signified the end of the first round, and Beirut''s coaching team immediately supported him, retreating to the corner of the ring to treat his wounds.


    It was only then that the audience, both at ringside and in front of the TVs, exhaled a sigh of relief.


    With their attention freed, they looked back and forth between the treated Beirut and Link sitting and resting on a stool.


    Their mouths too regained freedom, buzzing with discussions and debates about the match with the people around them.


    "Eddie, looking at Beirut''s state, do you still think your strategy is effective?"


    Hoyle turned to Eddie Hearn, who had stood up, with a meaningful smile on his face.


    With a frown, Eddie Hearn looked solemn.


    In the past, watching Link''s boxing matches, he found Link''s fighting style to be gentle. He usually just knocked out his opponents without too much bloodshed, and the chance of getting injured was very small.


    Everyone thought Link was a flower raised in a greenhouse, unequipped to handle truly harsh conditions.


    But unexpectedly, once Link got fierce, he became terrifying. His punches were relentless, and he could beat his opponents to death, not appearing easy to provoke at all.


    "Eddie, Link''s gentle fighting style in the past was because he never met strong opponents and never applied his full strength. If you really think you can take advantage of his mild temper, then you are underestimating Link," said Franco, standing and clapping his hands in support of Link.


    Eddie Hearn tightened his frown and watched Link closely, realizing that indeed, he may have misjudged him.


    Having talked to Link a few times before, Eddie found him to be a humorous person, often with a sunny, cheerful smile on his face and a very approachable manner without any pretense. Everyone thought he was benevolent and gentle.


    But they never envisioned him showing such an ironclad, ruthless side when provoked.


    "Link like this is indeed scary. However, when he is angered, the rhythm of the match is disrupted, and his attacks are not as tight and orderly as before. I still believe this method is the best way to deal with Link. If Beirut were a bit taller, with a stronger ability to take hits, it''s not certain that Link''s approach could beat him," Eddie Hearn said.


    Hoyle thought about it for a while and had to admit that Eddie Hearn had a point.


    If Holyfield and Tyson were younger and used illegal tactics against Link, it wouldn''t be easy for Link to defeat them.


    Moreover, at 186 centimeters, Link''s height was decent below the light heavyweight division.


    In the heavyweight division, where the average height is over 190 centimeters and without the advantages of height and arm reach, winning a match would likely be even more challenging.


    Maybe they could adopt the competitive room promotion company''s tactics and use such a brutal fighting style against Link.


    ```


    Employing this strategy could break Link''s fighting rhythm, preventing him from controlling the pace of the match.


    Moreover, using this style would undoubtedly enhance the entertainment value and generate more buzz, leading to increased PPV revenue.


    Hoyle nodded to himself, deciding to research it as soon as he returned.


    "What are you two thinking about? You don''t seriously believe that this will be enough to beat Link, do you?"


    Franco frowned at them, noting that all three of them were in their thirties or forties, which was young compared to figures like Lou Duvall, Don King, and Bob Arum.


    In the realm of boxing promotion, he was part of the younger generation, speaking more casually and not like those old timers who would lay three traps in a single sentence and had more tricks up their alley than a fishing net had holes.


    "Whether it''s possible or not, we''ll know once we try,"


    Eddie Hearn said with a smile.


    Hoyle was also ready to give it a try, and as for the risk of boxers getting injured? There was no need to worry about that at all.


    Boxing has been a dangerous sport since its inception, with protective gear required in the amateur stages to safeguard the boxer''s life.


    In professional boxing, injuries and deaths are all too common occurrences.


    Originally, boxing matches lasted 15 rounds. In 1982, during the WBA Lightweight title defense match, American champion Ray Mancini vs. Korean challenger Duk Koo Kim.


    Outmatched, Kim persevered until the 14th round but died from injuries sustained during the match. The tragic outcome led to his mother committing suicide from grief, and the referee of the match took his own life out of guilt. Mancini retired early due to the remorse he felt.


    This match claimed three lives and forced the four major organizations to revise the rules, reducing the number of rounds from 15 to 12, and for the rookie professional boxers'' ranking matches, even to fewer than 10 rounds.


    Additionally, referees in boxing matches are granted more authority, allowing them to stop a fight promptly if there''s a significant skill gap between the fighters.


    Although boxing rules have become more humane, injuries are still an inevitable part of the sport. Almost every professional fight involves bloodshed, and nearly every boxer has earned their Golden Belt at the cost of injury.


    This is part of the charm that sets professional boxing apart from amateur boxing.


    Among the current boxers, Link and Mayweather have the least injuries.


    Mayweather, after a match with a clean face devoid of cuts, is nicknamed ''Pretty Boy.''


    And Link, known for his meticulous defense, rarely gets injured, earning titles such as ''The Man with the Unblemished Body'' and ''Superman Link.''


    But if all the boxers were prepared to play rough against him, it would be very difficult for him to maintain the reputation of having an unblemished body.


    "Wow, I never knew watching a boxing match live could be so thrilling,"


    Said Pan Weibai from beneath the boxing ring, wiping his forehead. Unknowingly, he had worked up a sweat, caught up in the tense rhythm of the match.


    "It''s indeed very different from watching it on TV; the sweat, blood, and physical collisions are so exhilarating,"


    Lin Junjie breathed in deeply, relaxing his tensed muscles.


    Just now, when he saw Link pummeling Beirut, influenced by the live atmosphere, his muscles had involuntarily tightened. Relaxing them now, his arm muscles ached slightly, as if he had just gone through an intense workout.


    "Jelun, what do you think?"


    Pan Weibai shouted across a few seats to Jelun.


    Jelun gave a nonchalant nod with his mouth slightly drooping and arms folded, "Not bad at all!"


    "Link is so cool, so good-looking, and so powerful. Link, I love you,"


    Just as Jelun was about to talk to Pan Weibai, he suddenly heard an excited shout near him.


    His face fell as he involuntarily looked at his eighteen-year-old girlfriend, Kun Ling, who was acting like a little fan with her cheeks flushed, eyes glued to Link on the boxing ring, endlessly praising how great and amazing Link was, and declaring her love for him.


    Jelun''s mouth twisted slightly, "I''m also pretty awesome; I''ve played basketball with Kobe."


    "Yes, you''re very awesome, and so is Link,"


    Responded Kun Ling, without taking her eyes off Link.


    Jelun felt annoyed. How could his girlfriend praise another man right in front of him? If he had known, he would have given his ticket to Wensan and not brought Kun Ling to watch the match live.


    Across from Jelun, in a different seating area, the fairy-like Chris Liu was also present.


    She wore a duckbill hat, a simple T-shirt, and jeans, with only half her delicate cheek exposed. Her hands were clenched into fists resting against her chest as her beautiful phoenix eyes stared unblinkingly at the corner of the ring.


    She was not far from the referee''s seat, enjoying a clearer view and could see everything on the boxing ring distinctly.


    Having never seen a professional boxing match live, she had never found them as intense and thrilling on television as they felt today watching Link fight, witnessing him both land and receive punches.


    Every time Link got hit, her heart pounded with fear, causing her breathing to become labored as if she, too, was taking the blows. It was an unbearably uncomfortable feeling.


    "Mom, is Link okay?"


    "Don''t worry, he''s so capable, nothing can happen to him,"


    Liu Li patted her shoulder in reassurance.


    "He''s hurt his mouth corner,"


    Chris Liu noted as she saw the doctor attending to Link''s mouth with a cotton swab. She touched her own lip corner gently, feeling a semblance of pain.


    "A little wound is nothing; his opponent''s condition is much worse,"


    Said Liu Li, trying to comfort her.


    "Feifei, don''t worry, Link is fine. He''s so powerful, nobody can beat him,"


    Someone leaned in and whispered softly, the voice smooth with a hint of amusement.


    Chris nodded and simply said thank you to Sister Bingbing, continuing to watch Link with her unwavering gaze. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ding, ding, ding!


    The bell for the second round rang.


    ```

 Chapter 590 - 445: Super Boxer King

    Ding ding ding!


    Rest for a minute, the second round continues.


    Before this round began, the referee asked Beirut if he wanted to continue the match, and Beirut, spitting out blood-stained sputum, indicated he would continue.


    At the start of the match, Link walked to the center of the ring with his fists raised.


    Beirut also staggered over, his face in bad shape, with his left eyebrow bone swollen high as if stung by a wasp, blood was flowing from his right nostril, and there were visible wounds on his lower lip and chin.


    The doctor smeared a layer of Vaseline, used for lubrication, on his face, making it look greasy and reflective.


    Despite Beirut''s bad condition, Link did not take it lightly. In the match, as long as the opponent hadn''t fallen, one could never let one''s guard down.


    "Boxing!"


    The second round began, and Link, having the upper hand, naturally chose to continue the offense.


    Beirut, with his arms on either side of his head, clearly was on full defense, looking to delay the game.


    In boxing matches, the longer one holds on, the greater the exposure, like actors in TV dramas. The more they are seen, the more they become star actors, especially in such high viewership matches.


    But Link did not plan to give his opponent that chance. He rushed forward and landed a straight punch on his opponent''s right arm. As Beirut moved to the left to evade, Link nimbly moved his feet. Following up closely, a punch struck his opponent''s left rib.


    Strike the high, hit the low.


    As the opponent''s left arm moved down, he seized the opportunity, swinging a Swing Punch across his opponent''s right arm, sending him staggering, with clear breaches in his defensive arms.


    Great opportunity!


    Following that, a straight punch passed through the opponent''s arms and solidly smashed onto his left face.


    Boom!


    A powerful Heavy Punch hit Beirut''s side of the face.


    The formidable force formed clear shock waves near Beirut''s cheekbone, like a meteor striking the surface of the sea.


    Beirut''s head involuntarily tilted backwards, and the sweat in his short hair flung out in a swoop, clearly visible under the lights.


    The nosebleed that had just been clogged spurted out again, coupled with saliva thrown from his mouth, forming clear parabolic arcs.


    The camera suddenly sped up.


    After being punched, the strong inertia made Beirut''s body involuntarily fall backward, his footsteps staggering back two steps, and then, with a thud, he fell flat on his back on the boxing ring.


    "Wow!"


    As Beirut fell, over ten thousand spectators suddenly stood up.


    Their eyes glued to the ring, watching both the suddenly fallen Beirut and Link, who still stood like a pillar wearing red boxing gloves.


    Brilliant lights shone on both of them. Beirut struggled on the ring, trying to get up, but failed!


    Link, with his fists raised, kept a close watch on his opponent.


    His arm muscles ferociously swelled, his upper body''s bronze skin and iron-crafted muscles, covered in sweat, became solid and more defined. His strong pectoral muscles and clearly segmented chocolate abs shone with a glossy finish under the lights, looking extremely fierce and formidable.


    Many female spectators in the venue and in front of the TV stared at his body, unable to blink, some even making gulping motions.


    Slap!


    Chen Xiaochun was slapped again for he suddenly reached out to cover Ying Cai''er''s eyes.


    "Are you trying to kill me?"


    Ying Cai''er turned and scolded.


    "I think it''s really inappropriate for boxers to fight shirtless, Alan King, Lee Dongyi, what do you think?"


    Chen Xiaochun, rubbing the thigh that had been slapped, looked at his two companions.


    "Indeed, it''s inappropriate."


    His buddy Xie Tianhua laughed heartily.


    Zheng Yijian smiled bashfully, saying nothing.


    "Nerves! You guys always stare at girls'' legs when shopping, what''s wrong with us looking at Link''s muscles? You''re all so petty!"


    Ying Cai''er gave them both a disdainful glance, then turned back but saw the camera had shifted away from Link, and she glared at Chen Xiaochun, dissatisfied.


    Back at the fight venue.


    After Beirut had fallen, the boxing ring referee crouched beside and began to count down.


    "...8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"


    The referee counted down from ten, and Beirut struggled several times but failed to stand up smoothly. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under the gaze of all the spectators, the referee walked over to Link, lifted his right fist high up.


    "Yay!"


    "Link has won!"


    "Long live Link!"


    "Link has become the Light Heavyweight World Boxing Champion."


    All of a sudden, thousands of spectators in the venue started shouting, including those few hundred of Link''s critics who were conquered by his fierce fighting power. In the stands, they waved posters of divas and Girls'' Generation, as if they were ready to offer their idols to him.


    At this moment, everyone was a fan of Link''s boxing.


    Just then, a familiar song suddenly played in the venue.


    Legends never die


    Legends never extinguish


    When the world is calling you


    When the world is calling you


    Can you hear them screaming out your name


    Can you hear them calling your name


    "Legends never die! They become a part of you, every time you bleed for reaching greatness..."


    The audience at the venue sang along loudly.


    Link smiled gently, wiped the sweat from his face, and waved his fists toward the audience.


    He bowed politely to the audience in all directions.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!


    A wave of enthusiastic applause erupted at the venue.


    "Yeah! Link won!"


    Below the stage, Zou Shiming, Xiong Chaozhong, Pan Weibai, Lin Junjie, Chris Liu, Kun Ling, and the reluctant-looking Jerry, as well as Tan Yongling, Huang Rihua, Chen Long, Zhou Xingchi, Xie Tingfeng, Wu Yanzu, Huang Guanzhong, and a whole bunch of celebrities stood up and clapped vigorously and cheered.


    Under the TVB cameras, the scene resembled the start of the Oscar ceremony when the best actor award was being presented.


    At this moment, Alan King, the WBA Asia chairman, Pinit, the WBA Asia Referee Committee chairman, Lee Dongyi, the WBA Huaxia chairman, and the head of the Hong Kong Island Culture and Tourism Bureau walked into the boxing ring following a person.


    When that person appeared, a wave of enthusiastic applause and cheering swept through the venue.


    Link also smiled and shook hands with him, politely greeted the leader, and took the gleaming Golden Belt from his hand, raising it high again.


    In addition to the WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Golden Belt, there was also a WBA Super Champion Golden Belt.


    This kind of Golden Belt is mainly used to honor boxers who have excelled in WBA boxing events, such as holding two rank champion belts and defending the WBA world champion title multiple times.


    Ali, Tyson, Holyfield, Hoyle, Lennox Lewis, the Klitschkos, and others had received this title.


    Differently, Link had obtained the WBA organization''s Super Champion title at just 22, setting a new record for the organization.


    "King Link! King Link!"


    Seeing him raise the two Golden Belts, tens of thousands of spectators in the venue shouted loudly, some even beating drums.


    "Incredible, 128 seconds to become the Light Heavyweight champion, Link will definitely become a legendary figure in boxing."


    "Damn! 128 seconds to earn three hundred million Hong Kong dollars, that''s quicker than robbing a bank."


    "If only I could be as fierce as Link, earning three hundred million Hong Kong dollars in one match, I''d never need to go fishing at sea every day."


    Viewers in front of the TV watching Link holding the Golden Belts discussed among themselves; some envied, some admired.


    "Link is so fierce, isn''t he, Feifei?"


    Down by the ring, Miss Ice Van looked at the radiant Link on the stage and whispered to Chris Liu who was beside her.


    Chris Liu was clapping excitedly. Hearing Miss Van''s question, she nodded repeatedly, her eyes full of Link.


    "Feifei, the Western media say that Link is very robust and often takes two to three hours to handle matters; is that true?"


    Ice Van chuckled softly.


    Chris Liu was about to nod when she suddenly realized the inappropriateness of the question. She quickly came to her senses, her fair crystal cheeks turning a bright red instantly, her phoenix eyes blinked as she said helplessly,


    "Ice Ice, why talk about that?"


    "We''re all adults here, just chatting for fun. Feifei, is it true? Link''s body is so strong, and yours is somewhat frail; you definitely can''t match him. Sister has experience in this aspect; do you want me to teach you?"


    Ice Van''s voice was coquettishly soft.


    Chris Liu''s face turned even redder, and she shook her head while pursing her lips. Although Link was strong, he was also gentle and very caring. Every time she could not bear it, Link would slow down, kiss her, and not let her get hurt.


    Thinking of this, she looked at Link on the ring, her expression becoming even more tender and sweet.


    Ice Van saw her blushing beauty and sparkling eyes that almost seemed to twinkle, instantly understanding that she likely had real feelings for Link, unlike Yang Dami, who was primarily work-focused.


    Ice Van smiled slightly, turning her head to look at Link on the ring, her gaze also becoming fervent.


    Link was not only a world champion boxer who could earn three hundred million Hong Kong dollars from one match but also a multi-billionaire worth 20 to 30 billion US dollars, the owner of the eighth largest Hollywood production company, and a super handsome guy.


    If she could get on his good side, hmm!


    Legends never die!


    Legends never perish


    They become a part of you


    You too are part of the legend


    Every time you bleed for reaching greatness


    Blooding in the battlefield for a glorious victory


    Legends never die


    Amidst the generous and inspiring singing, the WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship challenge concluded.


    Link attended an award ceremony, took group photos with several main leaders, and was interviewed by multiple media outlets at the venue.


    The reporters'' questions were very standard, such as how he felt about winning, whether he had thought he would win, and what the match felt like, without any sharp topics.


    Link also ran into Zou Shiming and Xiong Chaozhong, who came over to greet him, and he took the initiative to chat with them for a while. Chaozhong was Huaxia''s first world champion, and Shiming was the second, though others fell a bit short in terms of influence.


    However, both had greatly diminished in strength after getting married and had not achieved much success in boxing afterward, so old Liu saying that women are the great enemies of boxers was not wrong.


    Link invited them for a photo, and they were so excited that their faces flushed red, standing erect and staring intently at the camera.


    Click!


    Beyond his fellow professionals, Link also shook hands and took photos with celebrities like Chen Long, Zhou Xingchi, Zhen Zidan, and Ice Van who came to greet him. He then returned to the backstage locker room, where he tightly embraced Chris Liu, kissing her almost breathlessly from the doorway to the bathroom.


    They become a part of you


    Turning the story into a song


    Every time you bleed for reaching greatness


    Fighting against adversity to write greatness, blood coloring the clothing, wounds no one will mention


    Legends never die


    The song echoed in the gymnasium as another battle reignited in the locker room.

 Chapter 591 - 446 Birth Control Pills? (9/10)

    The WBA Light Heavyweight World Championship challenge had ended.


    Challenger Link knocked out the former champion, Belrut Shumenov, in 128 seconds, becoming the new WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion.


    Link also successfully moved up from Super Middleweight to Light Heavyweight.


    After the match, Link announced at the press conference that he was relinquishing his four Super Middleweight World Champion belts and would focus on Light Heavyweight matches in the future, aiming to acquire all the belts in that rank.


    Upon hearing the news, all the professional boxers in the Super Middleweight class were overjoyed to tears.


    Since Link entered the professional Super Middleweight boxing scene in 2008, he had dominated by snatching all the organization''s belts, ruling the Super Middleweight division for over two years.


    During his reign, he had so overwhelmed everyone that no matter who faced him on the stage, no one could last more than three rounds against him.


    The top-tier experts in the field, including Mikkel Kessler, Carl Froch, Andre Ward, and Jermain Taylor, had all failed against him more than once, and no one had any solution to him.


    Now Link had finally left.


    The dark clouds overhead had dispersed, and the sun had come out.


    Everyone was eagerly rubbing their hands together, preparing to contend for the vacated titles of the four major organizations.


    And the boxers in the Light Heavyweight division, having watched the live broadcast of Link vs. Belrut Shumenov, all grimaced in pain.


    Link''s boxing was too perfect.


    His offense and defense were nearly flawless, and whether it was punch power, speed, technique, or tactics, there were no apparent weaknesses.


    Also, his style of fighting¡ªacting like a gentleman when it was gentle and treating someone like a punching bag when it was ruthless¡ªmade it completely unclear how to fight him.


    The professional boxers in the Light Heavyweight division all looked to the champions of the WBC, IBF, and WBO organizations, Bernard Hopkins, Chad Dawson, and Nathan Cleverly, to see how they would deal with him.


    Actually, everyone secretly hoped that the three champions could halt Link''s advance and prevent him from dominating the Light Heavyweight division.


    Hopkins and the other two champions admitted they were under tremendous pressure.


    Particularly after receiving the new tactics arranged by the promotion company, their pressure had only increased.


    Fighting Link as a gentleman would at most get them knocked out by Link.


    With these new tactics against Link, would they become the next Belrut?


    Just thinking about it was enough to make their teeth ache.


    Hot reports on this match, besides Link relinquishing the Super Middleweight belts, also include the PPV sales of this match in Asia.


    A total of 1.42 million units were sold, with 870,000 in high-definition live and 550,000 in standard-definition live, setting a new record for PPV income from a boxing match in Asia.


    Including the yet uncounted PPV sales in Europe and the United States, the total PPV sales of this match are expected to surpass 3 million units, placing it in the top three of all-time PPV sales, with income approximately 75 million US dollars.


    The reason for the high PPV sales but not very high total revenue is that the price of cable television subscriptions in Asia is cheaper than in Europe and America, with high-definition live broadcasting at about 38 US dollars per unit and standard-definition at 28 US dollars.


    However, during the boxing match, the hotels around Hung Hom Stadium were fully booked, with prices three times higher than usual.


    In terms of ticket sales at the stadium, the revenue was approximately one hundred million Hong Kong dollars, with advertising sponsorships around three hundred million Hong Kong dollars, and additional revenue from other sources of two to three hundred million Hong Kong dollars.


    Based on preliminary post-match statistics, this match brought about 1.2 billion Hong Kong dollars in GDP value to Hong Kong Island, an effect not inferior to the six concerts Link held last year at Hung Hom.


    This match also showcased the potential of the Asian boxing market and Link''s strong drawing power in the global boxing market.


    "Boxing Arena" magazine commented that Link had become a global entertainment, culture, and sports superstar¡ªno matter on which continent he fought, there was no way to lose money if Link participated.


    And Link''s earnings for this match were roughly 48 million US dollars.


    After becoming the Light Heavyweight champion, according to his contract with Dynasty Promotions, his bonus income ratio was increased from seventy-thirty to eighty-twenty, making his actual income from this match 38.4 million US dollars.


    Although it was less than the first two matches, achieving this figure in a match in Southeast Asia had never been done before on the boxing scene.


    Including the 1975 "Thrilla in Manila" in the Philippines between Ali and Frazier, the third fight between the two, the combined prize money at the time was 7 million US dollars.


    And the Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, whose high-earning matches were mainly held in Las Vegas, United States, typically had moderate income performances in other regions.


    After this match, Link''s fame and influence rose to a new level in Huaxia and Southeast Asia.


    People''s impression of him went from a top singer with great vocals to a world champion who was not only an excellent singer but also incredibly skilled at boxing.


    Link''s albums and photo collections once again climbed into the top ten bestsellers in various countries across Asia.


    "Link is really awesome!"


    In the airplane''s first-class cabin, Chris Liu muttered to herself while flipping through the "Hong Kong Island Business News" front-page photo of Link.


    "Feifei, here, drink some water."


    Mom Liu passed a cup of warm water and said.


    Chris Liu quietly looked at the transparent cup, which emitted wisps of white steam from the mouth, yet the bottom had some powdery granules.


    "Feifei, drink some warm water, your face color looks a bit off."


    Mom Liu looked at her delicate cheeks, which appeared rather pale and even more translucent and charming. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chris Liu blinked her beautiful phoenix eyes and gazed quietly at Mom Liu, asking softly, "What did you add to the water?"

 Chapter 592 - 446 Birth Control Pills? (9/10)_2

    "...just added a little vitamin, I''m your mom, why would I harm you?"


    Mom Liu glared at her angrily.


    Chris Liu brushed her hair aside and lowered her head to say softly, "It was birth control pills, wasn''t it? I''ve known for a long time. My body is very healthy, Link''s body is healthy too. Every time Link and I... it wouldn''t have been possible for me to get pregnant, and I didn''t get pregnant."


    Later, I thought about it¡ªevery time I came back from a date with Link, you would pour me water to drink. Those waters had birth control pills in them, didn''t they?"


    Mom Liu''s face changed. Although she had long known that her daughter was not as naive and ignorant as she appeared, seeing her daughter suddenly become shrewd and speak in such a calm tone still left her a bit at a loss.


    "Feifei, your mother didn''t mean to harm you. I did this for your future. Link is excellent, but he''s also a playboy. There''s no future for the two of you together. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It''s fine just dating now, but if you really got pregnant with his child, you would have far fewer choices in life," Mom Liu advised softly.


    "Mom, I understand what you mean, and I know you want the best for me. In fact, I guessed it a while ago, and I didn''t refuse your approach before because I had some worries and hesitations.


    But during these two days I spent with Link on Hong Kong Island, I figured out a lot of things.


    I am a celebrity idol, and my love life is bound to be different from ordinary women.


    If I don''t plan to quit the entertainment industry early, I need to maintain my current idol status.


    This means I can''t date, marry, and live like ordinary people do, and even if I want to find a suitable man to date, with my fame and status, it probably won''t be that easy.


    Those men will first think of my halo, have too high expectations of me, and probably it will not be pleasant after getting to know each other.


    And among my peers, aside from those rich second generations and celebrity actors, who else is suitable for me?


    But none of them in my age group comes close to a fraction, a thousandth of what Link is.


    I was lucky enough to meet Link in the vast crowd, to know and love him, that''s our fate, and I don''t want to miss it for nothing," Chris Liu said, placing her palm on her flat belly, a stunning blush blooming on her pale cheeks.


    In her mind, the passionate collision backstage after the match appeared. At that time, Link was very excited, she was also very thrilled, and at the end... her cheeks redder, and her full thighs tightly pressed together.


    Seeing her daughter''s infatuated state, Mom Liu, with a serious tone, put her arms around her shoulders and said, "Feifei, calm down. Link is a playboy, he has more than one girlfriend, and you''re not the most special one. It''s fine for you two to be together now, but have you thought about the future?


    What if he abandons you after you get pregnant? Men mostly love the new and loathe the old, are fickle and unreliable. Do you want to end up like a pitiful single mother like me?"


    Hearing her mother''s words, Chris Liu reined in her thoughts, her rosy, pretty face becoming clear and transparent again, and touching.


    "Mom, I understand your worries, and these were my fears too, but having known Link for almost four years, I understand him well. Although he''s a bit of a flirt, he''s definitely not the type of playboy who likes to play with women''s feelings, he''s very special."


    "Nonsense! Every silly woman thinks the scum man she meets is special, but after being abandoned, they realize they''re all of the same breed of animals, lustful, fickle, superficial, ugly, and irresponsible. Even if Link is a bit better, he would never escape being a scumbag," Mom Liu retorted angrily.


    "Mom, Link is really different, and which scumbag would be willing to let a woman have children, arrange her career and life in advance? Which scumbag would introduce me as his girlfriend in front of many celebrities, utterly unconcerned about others'' opinions?" Chris Liu countered.


    Last time at the Intercontinental Hotel when people came to network with Link, he confidently introduced her to everyone as his girlfriend.


    Also at the boxing match celebration, she appeared arm in arm with Link.


    She could also converse with the female guests like a hostess. That felt great.


    "But don''t you think such a Link is even more terrifying? Other scumbags still try to hide it, but he doesn''t even bother to do so, which shows his thick skin is thicker than any scumbag''s, more reckless, with even lower moral standards. You dare to stake your life on such a man?" Mom Liu questioned.


    Chris Liu shook her head, "Mom, Link is not as bad as you think, nor is he a reckless person. He specifically acknowledged our relationship publicly, considering my situation, thinking of me, not without concerns. He is a world superstar, a global youth idol, reputation is equally important to him."


    Mom Liu felt helpless, as Feifei was clearly intoxicated by Link, deeply poisoned, and still so delusionally treasuring the scumbag Link as a gem.


    "Mom, have you ever thought..."


    Chris Liu gently touched the newspaper photo of Link on her knee, "If I leave Link, what kind of person should I date? Wang Sicong? Lang Lang? Wang Lihong? Hu Ge? Among them, not only are some also playboys, but do you really know what the others are like behind their faithful exteriors?"

 Chapter 593 - 446 Birth Control Pills? (9/10)_3

    Could he also be scum? A pervert? The lowest of the low? I know them all, and not one of them holds a candle to Link, not in taste, thought, interests, talent, insight, conversation skills, abilities, nothing.


    If I must choose a man, why shouldn''t I choose the best, the most excellent? Don''t my qualifications deserve the best?"


    "...."


    Mom Liu was at a loss for words; after going in circles, the conversation returned to square one.


    She thought Link was a playboy and not worth investing too much in, let alone having children with him.


    But Feifei''s view was that aside from being a bit of a playboy, Link excelled in other areas far more than his peers, making his philandering somewhat acceptable.


    Mom Liu even admitted that Link was indeed exceptional, and next to him, no one of his age could compare.


    Even the newly minted billionaire Mark Zuckerberg, aside from being rich, didn''t seem to have much charm.


    And Link was certainly not short of money.


    Then there''s the piano master Lang Lang, who, aside from his spirited piano performances, seemed pretty average at other times.


    Link also played the piano quite well and had composed many globally best-selling piano accompaniment songs.


    In piano performances, Link might not rival Lang Lang, but in musical talent, nobody would think he was inferior to anyone.


    Not to mention, Lang Lang had a nagging father.


    Mom Liu thought, if she couldn''t prove the point that "Link is unreliable," just calling him a playboy wouldn''t convince the infatuated Feifei.


    "Also, mom, you just said you hoped I wouldn''t end up a single mom like you. Have you considered that my lack of expectations for married life might also be influenced by you?"


    Chris Liu said this while batting her bright phoenix eyes at Mom Liu across from her.


    Mom Liu''s mouth twitched, her hand raised to slap her, but mid-swing, it turned into an index finger pointing right at her delicate nose, angrily questioning,


    "Unfilial daughter, have you really decided to entrust your life to a playboy?"


    Chris Liu looked at Link''s photo for two seconds, then firmly nodded her head.


    "Link can give me everything I desire, both emotionally and physically, in my career, aesthetics, reputation, sense of security, ambitions, and most importantly...I love him, and that outweighs everything."


    "Sigh!"


    Mom Liu sighed helplessly and resignedly said, "Have it your way. If Link abandons you later and you end up raising a child alone, turning into an old hag, don''t blame me for not warning you."


    "Mom, don''t worry, I''m not blindly in love; I know what I''m doing and what I want. I will never end up a loser in life."


    Chris Liu blinked her beautiful phoenix eyes and suddenly reached for the water glass on the table, gulping down half of it in one go.


    "You?"


    Mom Liu was confused by her action; despite her urging to drink water previously, she had not succeeded and was instead persuaded by her.


    She was ready to become a grandmother, but then Feifei suddenly drank the water.


    "Mom, you forgot, I''m in my safe period these past few days, so it doesn''t matter whether I take birth control or not."


    Chris Liu said with a wink and a smile.


    Mom Liu raised her hand in frustration, shooting her a displeased look, "How can you be so thick-skinned now, talking about these things without even blushing? I think you''ve picked up some bad habits from Link."


    Chris Liu just shrugged and didn''t argue back.


    Since dating Link, she realized she had indeed changed a lot¡ªshe was no longer as timid and shy, nor did she fuss over trivial matters like before.


    Having Link as her backbone, she spoke and acted with more confidence and ease, unconcerned with others'' opinions, no longer inhibited in her actions.


    Now, she only cared about Link''s opinion.


    She felt this change was positive; she was better than before.


    The plane cut through the clouds as Chris Liu lay back in her seat, continuing to read articles about Link in the newspaper.


    After the boxing match, she had to return to the film crew to continue shooting.


    Meanwhile, Link still had some post-match work to take care of on Hong Kong Island and was going to attend the premiere of "The Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," as well as reshoot some scenes for "The Flowers of War." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link was busy, and her staying there was pointless.


    But after finishing his work, Link would return to Capital City to visit the pregnant Shu Chang, and then the three of them could spend a few days together again.

 Chapter 594 - 447: Movie Premiere

    Hong Kong Island.


    After saying goodbye to Chris Liu, Link began to get busy with other work.


    This included participating in the Phoenix Chinese Channel''s program to discuss boxing, Hollywood films, and Huaxia films, as well as attending a boxing exchange event organized by the Hong Kong Island Culture and Tourism Bureau. He went on stage with Morales to exchange and discuss boxing with the Huaxia boxers.


    There were also Miss Hong Kong judging and charity dinners for "Purple Bauhinia" magazine, among other events.


    These activities seemed rather dull, but he couldn''t refuse them.


    Promoting boxing wasn''t just about fighting in the ring; the off-ring publicity was equally important.


    To attract more boxing fans in Asia and win more prize money in the next match, it was necessary to participate in these promotional activities.


    After he finished with boxing, he turned his attention to films.


    On June 24, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" was released in the Mainland, and the premiere was held in Dahai City.


    At that time, Link was busy preparing for a boxing match and did not attend.


    The film earned 20.77 million in box office revenue at Huaxia''s major cinemas over the first three days of the weekend, which was about 3 million US Dollars. For a production cost of 8 million US Dollars, the performance was rather decent.


    At the end of June, Wendi Deng brought the "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" crew to Hong Kong Island for promotion. Link, just having finished his match, attended the premiere ceremony at the Presidential Theatre in Causeway Bay.


    Outside the cinema on the red carpet, Link met up with Wendi Deng and others.


    "Hi, Link, congratulations on becoming the super champion boxer. You''re getting more charming. I often hear girls talking about you at gatherings back home. In Huaxia terms, now you''re really a ''heartthrob''."


    Wendi Deng showered him with compliments after meeting him, and ever since she had followed Link''s advice and made a fortune from Tesla stocks, their relationship had grown closer, though it was not romantic but based on trust.


    ''Heartthrob''? I like that title, Wendi. I read the reports, ''Snow Flower and the Secret Fan'' topped the Mainland box office this weekend. Congratulations, you''ve invested in a decent movie," Link said with a light laugh.


    Wendi Deng, hearing his words, shook her head, looking not too pleased.


    Link asked her what happened.


    Wendi Deng reluctantly told him that while the film''s first-week box office performance was good, the public reception was rather mediocre.


    Firstly, the theme¡ªLGBT movies have a narrow market in the Mainland and not a broad audience. Additionally, the plot was problematic¡ªcomplex and hard to understand.


    Moreover, during the movie''s promotion, the promoters, seeing Link''s fame, placed him between Alice Lee and Jun Ji-hyun on the movie poster, leading people to believe he was the main character in a love triangle-themed romance, which drove them to support the movie at theaters.


    However, after watching it, viewers realized it was an LGBT-themed film with Link appearing for less than ten minutes, nearly a cameo.


    The movie poster was accused of deceiving the audience, drawing considerable criticism in the media.


    It was foreseeable that the movie would not perform well in the box office next week.


    What disappointed Wendi Deng the most was 20th Century Fox, the distributor of "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," had a very average review of the movie at an internal screening and decided to do a limited screening in a few cinemas to see the performance before deciding on a general release.


    Wendi Deng had hoped to use this film to make a splash at the Oscars and make a name for herself in the entertainment industry.


    But with average box office takings and poor reviews, the attempt was a dud.


    Wendi Deng had been involved in this film for two to three years, only to see this result¡ªit was impossible not to be disappointed.


    Link consoled her, advising her not to take it too hard.


    The entertainment industry is a highly competitive deep-water zone where many filmmakers experience multiple failures and even bankruptcy before achieving success.


    For Wendi Deng''s first time as a producer, ensuring that the box office didn''t lose money was already commendable. It would be difficult to produce a film that was both a critical and commercial success on the first try.


    Wendi Deng pointed at him, enviously mentioning that Palm Beach Films had invested in two movies.


    The first movie had a production cost of 8 million and grossed close to 170 million US Dollars worldwide¡ªa return on investment over twenty times. The second had a production budget of over 30 million and has already broken 300 million US Dollars globally, a return many times over.


    Not only were these movies box office hits, but they also received great reviews. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The key here is that these two films were the first and second projects of a film company.


    This success rate was extraordinarily high.


    Not only was Wendi Deng envious, but everyone in the circle was jealous of Palm Beach Films.


    Link humbly smiled and said that the success of the films was due to Catherine and the production team''s efforts and that he didn''t have much to do with it.


    "Hey, Link, long time no see."


    Alice Lee, also present, was wearing a stylish, fitted Prada summer dress, showing off her fair arms. She stood beside Wendi Deng, greeting him cheerfully with a bright gaze. At thirty-eight years old, she still blushed while greeting, which was quite charming.


    "Hi, Alice, your dress is lovely."


    Link smiled lightly, briefly chatting with her and others nearby, including the director Wang Ying, supporting actress Wu Junmei, supporting actor Jiang Wu, and minus Jun Ji-hyun, who was busy in South Korea. Most of the main creative team was present.


    After a short talk, the group went into the theater for the premiere ceremony.


    Aside from the crew, the distributor Media Asia Films had also invited over twenty actors from Hong Kong Island, including couples Leung Chiuwai and Chen Xiaochun, Ada Choi, Gu Letian, Chen Weiting, Ah Sa, Zheng Xiuguan, and others.

 Chapter 595 - 447: Movie Premiere_2

    After Link entered, he had a chat with Film Emperor Leung Chiuwai and mentioned that he liked the latter''s movies.


    During the conversation, many stars took the initiative to come over and greet him.


    Some said they were fans of his music, others said they were fans of boxing, Ying Cai''er directly admitted she was his hardcore fan, excitedly talking nonstop, asking for his autograph and a photo together.


    Link did not refuse, fulfilling all her requests, but while talking to Ying Cai''er, he noticed Chen Xiaochun constantly tugging at her dress with a strained smile on his face, and Cai''er stealthily kicked him.


    Link did not understand what was going on with this couple, but he chatted with Chen Xiaochun as well. The latter was the lead actor in the film "Isolated Island Fright" that Lionsgate had distributed last time, so the two also had some work-related connections.


    After exchanging a few words with the couple, Link was invited to go to the front and give a speech.


    "Phew!"


    Seeing Link walking away, Chen Xiaochun let out a breath and relaxed completely.


    "Are you trying to kill me? What were you pulling on me for while I was talking to Link? It''s embarrassing if people see," Cai''er said, annoyed, pinching him. She had finally met her idol Link, and before she could speak much, Chen Xiaochun was tugging at her, as though she was going to run away.


    "Wife, it''s not my fault. When you were looking at Link, your eyes were shining, and you were practically going to throw yourself at him. I''m your husband, of course I have to hold you back," Chen Xiaochun explained, rubbing his arms and curling his lips.


    "I told you, Link is my idol. What''s wrong with being a little excited to see my idol? Can''t you, a grown man, stop being so petty?"


    "Heh heh, wife, my bad, guaranteed it won''t happen again," Chen Xiaochun said with a laugh, raising his hands apologetically.


    Ying Cai''er glared at him and pulled out her camera to browse the photos she had just taken with Link, a happy smile spreading across her face.


    Seeing that she was no longer angry, Chen Xiaochun also breathed a sigh of relief and turned his attention to Link, who was currently being interviewed on the front stage, cursing inwardly that the guy was just too handsome.


    Link, dressed in a suit on stage, stood tall and fit, his face chiseled, looking even more masculine and handsome than Leonardo or Keanu Reeves.


    He was all charm and wit onstage, exuding a strong presence that made him look even better than he did on TV.


    Link was too outstanding, even making him, a man, feel that Link was incredibly handsome, let alone his somewhat fangirl-like wife.


    This was also why Chen Xiaochun, upon seeing Link in person, clung to Ying Cai''er without letting go.


    Link answered a few film-related questions on stage and then returned to his seat in the front row to watch the movie.


    "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" tells a love story between women in both the late Qing dynasty and modern times.


    In the modern story, the names of the two female leads are Sophia (played by Jun Ji-hyun) and Nina (played by Alice Lee), who are best friends.


    Sophia learns of a story from her aunt about a women''s script used in the Jiangyong region of Hunan Province, a secret tool among local women for communication, mainly involving writing messages on a fan to be exchanged, also known as a secret fan.


    In the love story of the late Qing dynasty, the female leads named Snowflake and Lily became sworn to secrecy as young friends, sharing heartfelt exchanges through the women''s script. As they grew older, they married and had children, with Lily marrying into a wealthy family while Snowflake, due to her family''s decline, married a local butcher.


    With their different circumstances, a rift had formed in their friendship, no longer the innocent camaraderie of their youth.


    After a series of events, they resolved misunderstandings, and before Snowflake''s death, Lily understood her affection and the true meaning behind the women''s script she received.


    Link''s part took place in the modern era, as a foreign businessman investing in Huaxia, running multiple bars and hotels in Dahai City. He falls in love with Sophia at first sight, proposes to her at a party, and later helplessly discovers she is a lesbian who doesn''t love him but loves Nina instead.


    The film starts with the modern story, flashes back to the late Qing dynasty in the middle, and returns to the modern story in the latter half.


    After watching once, Link found to his surprise that he had not understood the film. The beginning and ending parts felt severely disconnected; the ancient tale seemed like a forced flashback segment from a TV drama, and the lengthy duration of several minutes also felt too long.


    Moreover, the love story between Sophia Snowflake and Nina Lily was not very moving; instead, it even felt a bit nonsensical.


    At the time of release, this film was touted as the Huaxia version of "Brokeback Mountain."


    In reality, from the plot structure to character design to the story''s depth, it fell short of "Brokeback Mountain."


    The only redeeming feature was that Director Wang Ying, like Woody Allen, had a knack for capturing characters.


    Both lead actresses looked very beautiful in the film, and Link was filmed handsomely, with grace and charm, especially in the segment where he sang in the bar to woo his love¡ªvery textured, like a performance at the Oscars.


    "Link, how do you feel?"


    Wendi Deng asked, turning to him.


    Link nodded and said that overall, it was good.


    "After the movie was released, many fans online said that the plot is not realistic. If Sophia really had a boyfriend as handsome and wealthy as you, who can sing and dance and is understanding, even a lesbian would be charmed by you and fall in love with you,"


    Deng laughed.


    Link smiled lightly, agreeing that the fans were right; he too could not understand the relationship between Sophia and Nina.


    "Link, the Western media say you''re good at predicting box office returns. Can you predict how much this movie will make worldwide?"


    Alice Lee also turned and asked softly.


    Link looked at her and asked, "How much do you hope it will make?"


    "Of course, the more, the better,"


    Alice Lee said with a twinkle in her eye and a smile.


    "I''ll double whatever number you''re hoping for,"


    Link stated.


    Alice Lee paused, covered her mouth, giggled lightly, and said softly, "You''re sly."


    Wendi Deng, with a meaningful glance, looked at the two of them and came over to ask if Link was free in the afternoon. She mentioned knowing a good seafood restaurant nearby where the abalone and sea cucumber were authentic and invited him to taste them together.


    After some thought, Link nodded and agreed.


    Having been busy in Hong Kong Island for three days, he had nearly finished his work and was set to fly to Nanjing the next day to shoot a film. He hadn''t had the chance to explore or try any local delicacies during his days in Hong Kong Island.


    Tasting the specialty seafood of Hong Kong Island before leaving wasn''t a bad idea.


    Applause broke out!


    As the film ended, many audiences stood up and applauded, congratulating Link and others, and praising the movie as really good.


    When he was a new actor, Link could not distinguish between enthusiastic applause and mere excitement.


    After attending more than a dozen premiere ceremonies, he gradually learned to discern the audience''s impression of the film by the intensity of the applause.


    If the applause was sparse, intermittent, loose, and scattered, it was clear the movie was average;


    Warm and clamorous applause, accompanied by cheering, meant the movie was not bad;


    When there was silence for a few seconds after the movie before a sudden roar, erupting in thunderous clapping, whistling, and cheers that lasted a long time, it indicated the movie was excellent.


    Also, after the film, looking at the faces of his peers¡ªif they were envious, it meant the movie was good; if they offered perfunctory congratulations, it was average; if they heavily praised, it meant it was bad.


    For this movie, the applause seemed somewhat strained, more akin to clapping out of politeness.


    However, after the screening, Cannes Film Emperor Leung Chiuwai came over with a shy smile, commended his performance in the movie as being of high caliber, and voiced that he particularly loved his performance in "Midnight in Paris," saying he portrayed the character with depth.


    Considering that the other party had social anxiety and didn''t enjoy pointless socializing,


    His praise was likely sincere.


    Link smiled, thanked him, and discussed his new movie "The Grandmaster."


    Initially, he thought the movie had not started shooting. Only after talking did he realize that it had begun the previous year, but director Wong Jiawai was rather slow, taking two years without wrapping up.


    Link quite liked the film, feeling its quality was not inferior to "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." If the production company''s licensing fee was not too high, he planned to secure the North American distribution rights for the movie once it was completed.


    Making money was irrelevant; the main point was his affection for it and to promote Huaxia Kung Fu and Boxing techniques in passing.


    S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 596 - 448 A Deal

    ```


    After the film premiere ended, Link made a round at the reception arranged by the organizers before he, accompanied by Wendi Deng and Alice Lee, went to a treasure seafood boat in Victoria Harbour to taste the local seafood.


    Spicy stir-fried crab, Hong Kong-style hot and sour shrimp soup, South Australian abalone soup, curry soft-shell crab, and more¡ªthe flavors were all quite good.


    However, no matter how well the seafood is prepared, it''s not as good as using quality raw materials. Having tasted countless seafood dishes, he still felt that the seafood meal he had in his Woolworth Building apartment was the most authentic.


    In the evening, he returned to the hotel to rest. Wendi Deng called him to say she was sending him a gift, a specialty of Hong Kong Island, and had Alice Lee specially bring it over, asking for his room number.


    The gift-giving was a ruse, the real intention was to deliver a woman.


    Link did not refuse. He generally understood Wendi Deng''s thoughts of trying to win his favor through this means, wanting to establish a deeper relationship. He also understood Alice Lee''s intentions, as mainland actresses vied to make a name for themselves in Hollywood.


    First there were Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, followed by Zhou Xun, Ice Van, Jing Tian, Alice Lee, Li Xiaolu, Zhang Jingchu, Huang Shengyi, and others¡ªexcept for the first two, the rest were extras in Hollywood movies.


    Alice Lee too harbored ambitions to venture into Hollywood.


    And now he was the owner of the eighth largest film company in Hollywood, holding countless film and television resources, and becoming the target of many actresses'' pursuit.


    He sat on the sofa watching the blushing Alice Lee, took out a checkbook, and said he could accept this gift, but it had to be compensated for, hoping she could suggest a number.


    Alice Lee''s face reddened even more visibly, her expression growing more restrained.


    Link didn''t want to embarrass her, clearly stating her thoughts, but he couldn''t guarantee that he would provide some resources for her in the future. To avoid trouble, it would be best to complete the transaction by check. If she didn''t agree, she could choose to leave.


    Alice Lee hesitated for a long time, her feet shuffled several times, and finally, she uttered a low figure.


    Link added a zero to this number and tore off the check to give to her.


    Seeing the pallor on her face and the tears in her eyes, he couldn''t help but feel that his own romantic history was too rich, making him incapable of giving any more affection to other women, especially after being with Ivanka, where he was even more stingy in this respect.


    If he were to talk about feelings with Alice Lee, it would seem too insincere.


    He couldn''t possibly harbor any real affection for a woman in her late thirties; his only desire was provoked by the seafood.


    The other party voluntarily came to ''deliver a gift'' not out of love, but more for the resources in his hands, and perhaps for his charm.


    He stripped away the mask of tender affections, revealing both sides'' true faces, cold and unsightly, yet this reduced much trouble and burden.


    After handing her the check, he stroked her freshly washed black hair and bent down to kiss her lips and ears. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He waited for the woman''s complexion to become rosy again and her body to shift from stiff to gradually pliable.


    He took the woman to the dining table, lifted the hem of her skirt, and gently pressed down on her.


    This time, he took safety precautions.


    The next day when Alice Lee awoke, the sunlight outside was splendid, even the thick curtains couldn''t block the golden light scattering on the carpet.


    There was only her on the bed, but there were the scents of two people.


    Remembering the wildness of the previous night, she lifted the blanket to check and gradually her face turned crimson and her eyes softened...


    Before she could inspect carefully, the bedside mobile phone started to ring.


    She reached for it, only to find a check and a note pressed under the phone.


    Seeing the number on the check, she tightened her fingers, tempted to tear it to shreds.


    But thinking about what she experienced last night, she had almost given everything to Link¡ªit would be in vain if he was unwilling to help her develop a career in Hollywood in the future.


    She couldn''t just let him benefit for nothing.


    Alice Lee collected the check and examined the note, which carried two lines of English.


    The first line stated that Link''s plane was at eight and he was unable to say goodbye in person, which was very discourteous, and asked for her forgiveness.


    The second line mentioned that her English was too poor, and to carry an important role in an English-language film, she needed to practice her spoken dialogue more.


    Alice Lee looked at the note repeatedly, carefully putting it away.


    Ring-ring!


    The phone was still ringing. She picked it up to see six missed calls¡ªWendi Deng had made one, her sister and agent Li Shuang three, and her good friend Ren Quan two.


    This call was from Wendi Deng.


    She hesitated for two seconds before answering.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After flying to the Nan Du Li Shui Shi Qiao film and television base, Link immediately joined the crew of "The Golden Lotus" to shoot some scenes that needed revising.


    In the movie, he played a down-and-out foreigner who was greedy and lustful and served as the choir''s pianist in a church.


    When the war broke out in Nan Du, in order to save the students in the church, he stayed behind pretending to be a priest and also sheltered the ''Golden Lotus'' from the banks of the Qinhuai River.


    The film''s plot mainly revolves around the golden lotuses, with Link''s character merely observing these women dislocated by the chaos of war from the sidelines. Though he played the male lead, he didn''t have many scenes.


    "John, I need your help to get us out of Nan Du."


    On set, Ni Ni, who played Yu Mo, wearing a beautiful cheongsam, pushed open the door and approached him.


    ```


    Link took a sip from the bottle of alcohol and slowly raised his head to look at her, "How to leave?"


    "I don''t know, but your face is a pass, the Japanese don''t want to mess with Westerners."


    Yu Mo said seductively.


    "The outside is a battlefield, leaving here is impossible!"


    Link shook his head, his eyes shifted to her pocket, where there were a few bills, then back to her pretty cheeks, "Do you have enough money? Or are you planning to pay in another way?"


    Yu Mo took a sip from her glass and walked out, her supple waist twisting.


    "Hey, wait! Are you joking? We can negotiate some more."


    Link, holding the bottle, chased after her.


    "Cut!"


    Director Zhang Dacheng stroked his chin and, after a look, called Ni Ni over to give her a few instructions.


    Actually, the main issues with the scenes that needed to be reshot were on Ni Ni''s part.


    Ni Ni had been completely new to the crew before joining, a college student, with mediocre acting skills.


    However, her acting had improved rapidly during the filming period with the crew, which led to inconsistencies in her performance from start to finish.


    To elevate the quality of the film, Director Zhang chose to reshoot several key scenes, which included shots of Link, so Link had no choice but to come back and fry up old rice, coordinating with Ni Ni''s performance.


    Fortunately, his scenes weren''t many, and after five days of shooting with the crew and reshooting over thirty scenes, Link''s part was successfully wrapped up.


    On the day his scenes wrapped, Director Zhang invited him to a dinner and brought up the issue of the movie''s distribution, asking him if he was interested in the North American distribution rights for the film.


    Link was somewhat surprised. At the beginning of the year, during filming, he had heard that the North American distribution rights were bought by Row one Entertainment. How did it come to Lionsgate Films?


    Director Zhang said that because of the subject matter, the distribution rights in North America hadn''t been settled, and the production company was still looking for an appropriate international distributor for the movie.


    Director Zhang praised him for the very successful distribution of "Mr. Tree."


    The North American box office of "Mr. Tree" had already surpassed that of movies like "Sorghum" and "Raise the Red Lantern" among the Chinese-language films released in North America. It had entered the top twenty, which was quite remarkable.


    Director Zhang expressed that he would prefer to work with him and Lionsgate Films over other distribution companies.


    Link understood his intentions and didn''t refuse.


    Director Zhang''s few movies had performed quite ordinarily at the international box office, or even flopped.


    But he was a big director from Mainland with wide connections. Establishing a cooperative relationship with him could be beneficial to the long-term development of Lionsgate Films.


    Moreover, Link had Chris Liu''s studio and Dolphin Bay Agency under him, which could invest in and cooperate with any good projects Director Zhang might have in the future.


    Link said that after the movie was completed, he would arrange for someone from Lionsgate to screen it and then discuss the specifics of the rights and pricing.


    Director Zhang happily agreed and even wanted Ni Ni to accompany him for a few more drinks.


    Link looked helplessly at the baijiu. Every time he came back to the country for business, the most difficult part was dealing with the drinking culture.


    Since he couldn''t hold his liquor, drinking two glasses would make him drunk, and not drinking would seem too cold, so eventually, he could only make an excuse about having matters to attend to and ended up drinking a bottle of beer with Director Zhang.


    After leaving Nandu, he first went to Dahai City to visit the Dolphin Bay Agency and see how Yang Dami was managing the company.


    During his time filming, Ms. Anna had gone ahead to Dolphin Bay Company to oversee the work.


    Accompanying her were two management personnel hired on Hong Kong Island, both talented individuals in entertainment agency management and finance, chiefly meant to assist Yang Dami in managing the company properly and avoid tax evasion issues.


    Ms. Anna reported that there were some irregularities in Dolphin Bay''s personnel and finances, with no legal advisors and no public relations department, but other issues weren''t significant. Financially, the company was doing quite well with a surplus of about six million.


    Link met with Yang Dami and chatted, promising to add an investment of thirty million for film and television investment. If it went well, he would continue to invest more.


    Yang Dami was exhilarated upon hearing of the additional thirty million investment and agreed, calling over Lilith Zhao to accompany him for hot pot.


    After taking care of Dolphin Bay Company''s matters, Link discreetly visited Capital City to see Jenny Shu, who was pregnant.


    She was just two months pregnant, and it wasn''t obvious, but to avoid any accidents, she had stopped working early and was resting at home.


    Link stayed at the courtyard house for three days with Jenny and Chris, and took the opportunity to discuss Wanda Film Industry''s business with Liu Li.


    Backed by Wanda Real Estate, Wanda Film Industry was doing quite well. Through expansion and mergers, it had become the third-largest cinema chain in the country. The gross income for the first quarter was 340 million, and the total income for the year was expected to surpass 1 billion.


    He invested another 22 million US Dollars for a 4.2% share in Wanda Film Industry, making Golden Shell Investment approximately an 11.6% shareholder, the second-largest individual shareholder of Wanda Film Industry.


    The rest of the prize money, over ten million US Dollars, he didn''t take with him but instead used Golden Shell Investment to buy shares of Alibaba, Maotai, JD, and BYD, which had just been listed in June, a few hundred thousand shares of each.


    His main goal was to earn some pocket money for Chris Liu, Jenny Shu, and the children.


    After finishing these tasks, Link took a flight back to the United States to start the promotional work for "Captain America" and "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."


    Captain America was completed at the end of last year and, after a half-year of post-production, even reshooting the ending, was finally done in May and scheduled for release on July 22.


    The main movies releasing around the same time were "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ¨C Part 2," "The Smurfs," "Horrible Bosses," "Cowboys & Aliens," and aside from Harry Potter, the other movies weren''t significant competition.


    "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" was scheduled for a limited release in 24 theaters in North America on July 7. The actual wide release date would be determined based on the box office performance.

 Chapter 597 - 449: The Perfect Woman

    "God! No more letting Link take scripts at random."


    This is the title written on the cover of "Complete Movie Magazine," which also chose him as their July cover person.


    The main reason is his significant influence in the film industry this June.


    First, the global blockbuster "Bridesmaids," in which he starred and invested,


    accumulated $128 million at the North American box office and $207 million overseas, with a total box office of $335 million¡ªover ten times the production cost¡ªmaking it the most profitable film in the North American film market in May.


    Rumors say if the film''s box office hadn''t been stolen, the global box office would have already broken $400 million, entering the top eight of the annual box office rankings.


    Then there was "Midnight in Paris," in which Link starred and which had a limited release in North America on May 20, followed by a wide release on June 10.


    After more than a month, the cumulative North American box office reached $50.89 million, with the current overseas box office at approximately $84.57 million.


    These numbers may not seem high, but they mark the zenith of director Woody Allen''s career earnings.


    Since the 1960s, Allen has directed 43 movies, one per year on average, including "Annie Hall," "Play It Again, Sam," "The Purple Rose of Cairo," "Match Point," "Midnight in Barcelona," and others.


    They received positive reviews, but their box office results were average, mostly below $100 million globally. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, "Midnight in Paris," in less than a month after its release, broke $50 million in the North American box office, and its overseas earnings were soon to hit $100 million.


    Compared to the production cost of $18 million, this film was undoubtedly a success at the box office.


    "Complete Movie" magazine, comparing this film to Allen''s previous ones, analyzed that the reason for the better box office was the choice of actors.


    Previously, when Allen made movies, he usually directed and starred in them himself, and if a role wasn''t suitable for him, he''d pick someone to play it for him, leading to uncharismatic male characters in his films that were much less appealing than the female roles.


    In "Midnight in Paris," however, he took a risk by bringing world boxing champion Link into the crew as the male lead, portraying a writer, a screenwriter¡ªa daring and innovative decision that proved successful.


    Link is a global superstar with high recognition worldwide and substantial box office appeal, helping to open global markets for the film.


    Add to that the fact that Allen is also a director with strong abilities and well-liked by audiences in Europe and America.


    Plus the heavy-hitting support of France''s number one actress Marion Cotillard and the powerhouse of a new generation, Jennifer Lawrence.


    These three factors combined were keypoints in the success of the movie''s sales.


    "Complete Movie" also added at the end of the review that Link''s face alone contributed at least 30% to the global box office.


    After discussing "Midnight in Paris," "Complete Movie Magazine" continued to introduce three other films related to Link: "Mr. Tree," the newly previewed "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," and "Captain America," which was set to release at the end of the month in North America.


    Currently, "Mr. Tree" has accumulated $7.82 million at the North American box office.


    Compared to the $150,000 rights fee and $1.8 million in marketing costs, the nearly fourfold box office return and the film''s good reputation,


    it performed even better than "The Tree of Life," which won the Palme d''Or at this year''s Cannes Film Festival.


    Without a doubt, Link picked up a gem at the Cannes Film Festival.


    However, "Complete Movie" also stated,


    Had it not been for Link, "Mr. Tree" would almost certainly not have been released in the North American region.


    Had it not been for Link aggressively marketing the film with his championship hit song, "Mr. Tree" would not have made it past the preview phase and secured the chance to be shown in more theaters.


    Thus, its success in the North American market was a low-probability event, unreplicable by others.


    The phrase ''God! No more letting Link take scripts at random'' on the cover was mainly in reference to the comments on "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."


    In the article, the editor of "Complete Movie" magazine unusually criticized Link''s choice of scripts.


    They believed he couldn''t choose scripts at all, from "Deep Sea Quest 2" to "Valentine''s Day," "Scandal Plan," "Bridesmaids," and this "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."


    Although his performances in these films were good, he wasn''t suited for these supporting roles, and playing them would only push him further down the path of a male pinup.


    The editor didn''t even approve of his performance in "Midnight in Paris," considering that in that film, his looks trumped his acting, and the role that suited him best was the skilled mercenary in "The Expendables," hoping he would do more action movies in the future.


    "Complete Movie" magazine''s editor expressed strong anticipation for his new film "Captain America" at the end of the article.


    They said that in this movie, one could see the strong physique that Link showed in "Fighter," the top-notch looks he had in "Midnight in Paris," and the clean, crisp fighting moves from "The Expendables."


    "Complete Movie Magazine" Editor-in-Chief Perry Muller wrote in conclusion:


    "This movie is unquestionably the best work that fully combines and showcases Link''s advantages and talents... Letting ''Superman Link,'' ''Super Boxer Link'' play ''Captain America'' is absolutely the most anticipated film role of 2011, without a doubt."


    Reading this far, Link could basically determine that the article was a promotional piece written by someone arranged by the distributors of "Captain America," to help with the movie''s publicity while simultaneously taking a shot at the just-released "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan."


    From the reader''s perspective, the article was both praiseworthy and critical, quite objective and neutral.


    From the perspective of the distributing company of "Captain America," it certainly spoke well for the movie.


    "Fighter," "Midnight in Paris," and "The Expendables" can be called Link''s signature works, each grossing over $100 million worldwide, with "The Expendables" grossing over $300 million.

 Chapter 598 - 449 Perfect Woman_2

    He had looks, acting skills, and strength in three films and performed excellently.


    Fans of these three movies, upon reading this article, would probably be unable to resist heading to the cinema to see how "Captain America" with all the combined merits of the three films turned out. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link didn''t mind this fact, as he had signed a performance contract with Marvel Studios that guaranteed him a base pay of 10.5 million US dollars plus 3.5% of the global box office revenue. The higher the box office, the higher his pay.


    If "Captain America" grossed over three hundred million US dollars worldwide, he would have a chance to join the Hollywood twenty-million-dollar salary club and become a top-tier actor.


    Putting down the "Complete Movie" magazine, Link picked up other newspapers and magazines to read.


    Having been away from the United States for half a month, busy with competitions and work, he had seldom paid attention to these matters. Now that he had some free time, he intended to catch up on industry news and close any information gaps.


    After browsing through them, there wasn''t anything fresh, only two entertainment news pieces caught his extra attention.


    At the end of June, the American Country Music Video Awards took place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.


    Taylor Swift won the ''Video of the Year'' award with her hit song "Blank Space," marking her third time receiving this award, truly making her a darling of country music.


    There were two interesting occurrences at this edition of the Country Music Video Awards.


    The first was that country music legend Shania Twain accidentally fell during the award presentation and Lady Gaga also fell while performing on stage, both of which became recent hot topics. The related videos were highly viewed on YouTube.


    Link thought for a moment, took out his phone, and sent a message to Taylor congratulating her on the award. Not having received a reply, he also messaged Lady Gaga asking if she had gotten hurt after seeing the video and apologizing for laughing a bit.


    Lady Gaga told him not to bring it up as the bruise on her butt had healed, but it hurt again when he mentioned it.


    Link said he had a medicine, specifically for treating sprains and injuries, which worked really well, and he could send her a bottle if she needed it.


    Lady Gaga said she would only fall this one time and it would not happen again, but still decided to accept his medicine just in case.


    After chatting with Miss Gaga for a few minutes and still not receiving a reply from Taylor, he didn''t bother further and sent a message congratulating Beyonce.


    On July 1, Beyonce''s fourth solo studio album "4" was released for sale, selling 310,000 copies in its first week and achieving number one on the album charts in both the UK and the US, marking Beyonce''s fourth consecutive album to achieve this feat on the Billboard album chart.


    The album had been hacked before its release, leading to a leak of the music, and it was considered quite an achievement to sell that many copies in the first week.


    Beyonce thanked him and asked when his new album would be released.


    Link said it was tentatively scheduled for August 5.


    Beyonce advised him to be careful of hackers since they had been quite rampant this year, causing several major incidents.


    Link acknowledged her advice.


    This year, indeed, hackers had been quite rampant.


    In January, French leader Sarkozy''s Facebook account was hacked, and the hacker used his account to post a message declaring he would not seek re-election.


    In March, the Twitter account of Thailand''s Prime Minister Yingluck was hacked, with the hacker posting eight messages criticizing her, the first one read, "If she can''t even protect her own Twitter account, how can she defend the country? Think about it."


    In March and April, intimate photos of over a hundred Hollywood male and female stars were leaked by hackers.


    Included were Vanessa Hudgens, Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Alba, Christina Aguilera, Christine Dunst among other popular female stars, revealing many secrets and causing several to deviate from their pure image.


    In April, a hacker group stole the information of 77 million customers from Sony''s PlayStation online site, including credit card numbers, causing a major uproar.


    In June, Citibank also announced it had been hacked, leading to the leaking of personal information of 210,000 customers in North America.


    And, this Wednesday, Fox News''s Twitter account was hijacked by hackers who posted multiple fake news items, including one about the US President Obama being assassinated and Link announcing he would release a new album next week, as well as singer Marilyn Manson announcing a gender transition.


    Compared to these major incidents, the leak of Beyonce''s new album seemed not so significant.


    However, Beyonce''s reminder was still very necessary.


    Link made calls to Capal, the CEO of Link Music, Bob Harrison, the COO, and Graham Goodall, the content director, urging them to pay attention to enhancing the company''s firewall construction and not let hackers exploit any loopholes.


    CEO Capal said that the company had already hired a cybersecurity company to upgrade its firewall system and physically isolate the internal network from the internet to prevent important information in the music library from being leaked.


    Link Music was doing well in protecting the copyright and security of its music library.


    Link trusted Capal and others'' capabilities and also asked them to communicate through several artists'' agents to warn the artists to be cautious about their personal privacy security and avoid storing private photos in personal spaces, especially for two female artists.


    CEO Capal said he understood.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Honey, any interesting news? You''ve been reading the newspaper there for half an hour."


    Hearing the call, Link looked up to see Ivanka carrying a basket of fruit and holding a book, walking through the villa''s long corridor.


    With her gold-brown wavy long curly hair, dressed in a silk printed dress with a midi length showing her fair, slender arms, and rounded sexy legs, and paired with her voluptuous tall figure and rosy lips, she looked mature, sexy, elegant, and charming.

 Chapter 599 - 449 Perfect Woman_3

    This was just her usual attire at home.


    But for someone with a good figure, attractive looks, and a high aesthetic sense, any outfit and any makeup would seem classy and would reveal her beauty across different states of life.


    Link put down the magazine and watched the great beauty walk through the sunny little garden, his heart involuntarily skipped a few beats. Though he had been with many women, he still found Ivanka stunning, and his body felt an uncontrollable primal urge.


    He suddenly understood why some women could cause the downfall of states and cities; Ivanka was that type of woman. If Ivanka didn''t mind, he would hold her and sleep until noon every day.


    "Hey, Miss Ivanka, you''re truly beautiful!"


    Under the poolside sunshade, Link whistled and called out.


    "Thank you! Mr. Baker, you are very handsome too."


    Ivanka chuckled.


    "Haha, my dear, this is home, just the two of us, why not wear a bikini?"


    Link was only wearing boxer shorts.


    "No, I don''t want to get up only to be pulled into your mischief."


    Ivanka glanced at him, put down the fruit basket in her hand, her voice was cool yet teasing, like Haagen-Dazs ice cream mixed with Maotai.


    Link smiled lightly, took her hand, and was about to kiss her, but Ivanka pushed a strawberry into his mouth instead.


    "My dear, have you seen the latest statement from Ryan Cavano?"


    Ivanka picked up her skirt and lay alongside him on the lounge chair, her slender legs gently touching.


    "Ryan''s speech at the International Film Forum?"


    "Yes, should we respond?"


    "Forget it, Lionsgate Films is not a publicly listed company, doesn''t need to stoke investment through publicity, let him keep those empty honors."


    Link said as he ate the fruit.


    Last week in Seattle, the International Film Forum event was held. President of Relativity Media, Ryan Cavano, was invited to attend and shared his thoughts on movie investment with the audience.


    During his speech, Cavano mentioned Link multiple times. The first was about his attitude towards films: profit always outweighs art, and he cited three movies as examples.


    The first was the 2007 film starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, "The Death of Jesse James," which had a production budget of 15 million US dollars, a US box office of 3.9 million, and was nominated for the Best Picture at the 2008 Oscars.


    The second was the 2009 comedy "Mall Cop," produced jointly by Sony Pictures and Relativity Media, with an investment of 26 million US dollars and a global box office of 180 million US dollars.


    The third was last year''s Palm Beach Films production "Scandal Plan," with a production budget of 8 million US dollars and a global box office of 170 million US dollars.


    Cavano waved his hand to the audience below, saying he would always invest in movies like "Mall Cop" and "Scandal Plan," and never in Oscars'' favorites, indicating that Link shared the same view.


    Later, while promoting the big data model for movie investment, Cavano claimed that Link had proactively learned this method from him privately and had achieved amazing returns in the box office market.


    Subsequently, his speech was reported by several media outlets, and now, there were many opinions within the industry that Palm Beach Films was able to continually bet on dark horses because Link had mastered Cavano''s big data theory on film investment.


    Pretending that "Scandal Plan" and "Bridesmaids" were major hits because of that investment theory.


    Regarding this, Link did not plan to make any explanations.


    The funding for movie productions at Lionsgate Music and Palm Beach Films mainly came from his own grants and film investment returns. He didn''t need these empty titles to attract investments; he preferred to make a fortune quietly.


    Moreover, having Cavano say this also helped explain why his film investments always sold well, which wasn''t particularly harmful to him.


    "Relativity Media has performed very well at the box office this year, which also made Cavano''s method quite marketable in Hollywood. Now, many in the film industry are learning this method. My dear, what do you think of his theory?"


    Ivanka asked while holding a bright red cherry.


    The best performing film of Relativity Media this year was "Endless," released in March, starring Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Anna Farrell, with a production budget of 27 million US dollars and a global box office of 160 million US dollars.


    If not for Palm Beach Films'' "Bridesmaids" and Weinstein Company''s "The King''s Speech," it would be considered the best-performing movie of the first half of 2011 by an independent production company.


    Palm Beach Films had also collaborated with Universal, Sony, and other movie studios on several commercial films that performed well at the box office.


    This led to a significant increase in Palm Beach Films'' influence in the independent filmmaking arena, and this year it hoped to surpass Lionsgate and Weinstein Company to become an old-timer in the independent film sector.


    "If it''s something good, Kavanaugh won''t openly display it; his methods can serve as a reference, but you can''t rely solely on those methods.


    To grow and strengthen, Lionsgate Films should learn from industry leaders like Disney, Universal, and Warner by continuously expanding and merging to become an industry trust¡ªother theories are just minor skirmishing, even if they win temporarily, they won''t win forever."


    Link said.


    Ivanka nodded slightly.


    Ding Dong!


    The cellphone received a WhatsApp message.


    Link picked it up and glanced at it; it was a reply from Taylor; the first message showed ''This message was revoked,'' and the second message was ''Thank you''.


    Link sighed quietly, shook his head, and continued to read the magazine.


    "Is something wrong?"


    Ivanka put down the professional book in her hands and looked at him to ask. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Nothing!"


    Link hesitated for a moment, then said,"I just read in the newspaper that Taylor won the Country Music Video of the Year award, so I sent a message congratulating her; there was no other intention."


    "You don''t have to explain; I wouldn''t misunderstand anything."


    Ivanka said.


    "Alright then."


    A total playboy, Ivanka really had nothing to misunderstand because the truth was evident.


    One thing he was currently worried about was whether he should tell Ivanka about the fact that he and Taylor''s child was still alive?


    If he didn''t tell her, would it affect their relationship after they got married?


    But if he directly told her, how would Ivanka react?


    And Taylor wanted to keep the existence of the child a secret; if he revealed this to more people, would she get angry if she found out?


    These were all tricky issues; even being worth billions of dollars didn''t make them easier to handle.


    "Darling, the news is right; you could have found a better man than a playboy like me."


    Link said.


    Ivanka put down her book and smiled slightly.


    "There are also news articles saying you could find a better woman than one who is a few years older than you; do you think that''s correct?"


    "Of course not; you are the best and most perfect partner in the world, the end of the world, no one else but you."


    Link said, looking at Ivanka''s beautiful face.


    "Dear, you are also the best and most perfect partner in the world, the only choice in my life, no one else but you."


    Ivanka said gently as she hooked her fingers with his.


    Link looked into her eyes, reached out to hold her soft waist, and leaned down to kiss her rosy lips.


    Ivanka also put down her book, wrapped her arms around his neck, and passionately kissed him back.


    Outside the canopy, hundreds of flowers were in full bloom, and the sunlight was brilliant.

 Chapter 600 - 450: A Huge Secret

    Ding-a-ling!


    New York, Manhattan Building No. 222, the headquarters of the Kunis family real estate company.


    Visible smoke wafted around the vice president''s office, where young Kunas lay on the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling with two half-dressed call girls lying beside him, leisurely enjoying marijuana.


    The piercing ring of his cellphone sounded several times before Kunas slowly came to his senses and gestured towards the phone on the table.


    A voluptuous call girl stood up to pick up the phone for him.


    Kunas took it and saw it was a call from New York private detective Jack Scard.


    "Jack, my money isn''t that easy to make, I hope this time you have some useful information for me, not those scandals even paparazzi can get."


    "Heh, Ryan, this time it''s definitely very, very valuable information, I guarantee you will burst into laughter when you hear it,"


    "Speak!"


    Kunas said impatiently. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After Eva slept with Link in June, he had thought about accepting reality, following his family''s wishes, and marrying another woman.


    But every time he saw Eva''s photos in newspapers and magazines, her beautiful and captivating face, her full and graceful figure, her cool and noble temperament, and the many titles she carried, "Business Week" named ''World''s Most Beautiful Female CEO,'' "Vogue" North America''s ''Most Stylish and Elegant Woman of the Year,'' "People''s" ''Sexiest Person of the Year,'' and so on.


    Kunas found he couldn''t let go, nor could he look at Eva and Link''s relationship with a calm heart.


    He decided to do something, even if he couldn''t have Eva, he wouldn''t let her and Link get off easy.


    Jack Scard was the private detective he hired to dig up dirt on Link.


    This man came from a New York detective family, with his grandfather being Matthew Scard, the top detective in New York, who had cracked more than eighty tough cases in over forty years, cases even the FBI couldn''t solve, not to mention countless unnamed ones. His deeds had been adapted into several movies, including "Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death" and "Sting of Darkness."


    After old Scard passed away, Jack Scard decided to drop out of college and take over his grandfather''s detective agency.


    In over ten years of work, he made some achievements and became somewhat renowned in the industry.


    In mid-June, young Kunas hired little Scard to investigate Link''s dark secrets, with the highest goal of ruining Link''s reputation and the lowest goal of breaking Link and Eva up. The rewards ranged from 100,000 to 2 million US dollars.


    After getting the job, little Scard immediately started investigating Link, even following him to Hong Kong Island. However, while he successfully infiltrated the Intercontinental Hotel and was about to install surveillance in Link''s room, he was caught by security personnel.


    He didn''t get any dirt on Link and was even fined 3,000 US dollars by the Hong Kong police for being taken as a paparazzo and was deported.


    Back in America, little Scard, fueled by a sense of shame and eagerness, used his grandfather''s network to thoroughly investigate Link, eventually uncovering a huge secret that could definitely ruin Link''s reputation.


    "Ryan, do you know Taylor, Miss Taylor Swift?"


    Little Scard chuckled.


    "Of course!"


    "Heh, then do you know about Miss Swift''s pregnancy?"


    "Crap! The whole world knows about that, Jack. If you irritate me with another pointless question like that, you damn fool..."


    "Ryan, don''t get mad, be patient. Let me ask you, do you know where Miss Swift''s child is?"


    "....."


    Kunas didn''t answer this silly question because the media had reported that during a pre-birth accident in February, Taylor Swift had unfortunately lost the baby after slipping and falling.


    That day also happened to be the day of the Grammy Awards ceremony.


    Link won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance with his hit album "The Women I Love" and several hit singles.


    Normally, the media should have reported the next day about Link becoming the biggest winner of this Grammy, crowning him as the Emperor Superstar of the Western music scene.


    But on that day, explosive news came from Nashville.


    Country music star Taylor Swift had an accident in the maternity ward of a private hospital, and the baby did not survive.


    Once the news got out, the media expressed their regrets.


    Both for Taylor and for Link because both were very talented young people, and their child, if alive, would surely have become an outstanding individual as well.


    However, after the news broke, Kunas and many in the music industry who were hostile to Link quickly paid to manipulate public opinion, putting the blame for the incident on Link.


    They cursed Link as a heartbreaker and womanizer, saying if it weren''t for his philandering and womanizing, Taylor wouldn''t have broken up with him.


    If they hadn''t broken up, this would not have happened.


    They criticized him for caring more about receiving awards than about the lives of Taylor and the child, calling him the worst man in the world.


    In February, Link''s reputation in the industry hit rock bottom, worse than in the previous October when he experienced an online smear campaign, to the point of being odious.


    During that time Link was also forced to shoot a movie in Huaxia.


    Later, after Taylor recovered, she publicly defended Link, saying she found out about the pregnancy after they broke up and that Link had not known initially. When the media exposed it in September, he learned the truth and offered to take care of her, which she firmly rejected.


    In January, during the New Year''s time, Link came to take care of her for a while but was later sent away by her.

 Chapter 601 - 450: A Huge Secret_2

    Taylor said that Link had done nothing wrong in this matter and should not be criticized.


    It was because of Taylor''s explanation that the situation slowly began to improve.


    By March or April, the Hollywood nude photo scandal exploded, and everyone had plenty of fresh gossip to indulge in, gradually putting this matter aside.


    Link also lay low in Miami for half a month before he made his return to the entertainment industry, followed by news of his spending a fortune to acquire Lionsgate Films for Jennifer Lawrence, shifting his work focus from the music scene to Hollywood.


    Netizens and the media, seeing he was still the same, could only express their helplessness.


    "Ryan, let me tell it to you straight, I got word that the accident in February was fake, Link and Taylor''s child is still around."


    Little Skard said.


    "Link''s child is still around?"


    Little Kunas jumped up excitedly, his eyes sparkling, "Where did that news come from, is it reliable?"


    "I saw it in a tabloid, the tabloid claimed that Taylor had been frequently traveling back and forth to Nashville in the first half of the year, and even stayed in Nashville for two weeks in June. The tabloid suspects Taylor has a new love interest.


    After seeing the news, I found out that Taylor wasn''t dating anyone, but from the detective agency''s channels, I got a little clue. There''s word that Taylor''s miscarriage from an accident in February is false, and the child might be being kept in Nashville.


    After getting the news, I immediately arranged for someone to investigate in Nashville and found out the facts were indeed so. After Taylor Swift returned to Nashville, she didn''t go to her villa but drove to a private estate in the suburbs.


    Upon investigation, that estate was a property Taylor bought at the end of last year, the people residing there include three nannies and two maids, along with two bodyguards. An informant followed the maids for a while and discovered they would regularly go out to buy baby supplies.


    Combining all these clues, hmm hmm, I''ve come to an important conclusion, Taylor gave birth and covertly kept the child at the estate, trying to pull the wool over everyone''s eyes.


    A country music queen secretly raising a child, hehe, Ryan, wouldn''t you say that is some pretty important news?"


    Little Skard said with a laugh.


    Little Kunas was initially quite excited, but after listening to the rambling, gradually calmed down.


    "If this gets out, the one who would be most affected is Taylor, not Link. What I want is dirt on Link, not on Taylor."


    "Ryan, calm down and think about it, does Link know about this? I believe he does. Does Miss Ivanka know? She probably doesn''t. If Miss Ivanka knew about this, would she still stay with Link?"


    Little Skard said with a sly laugh.


    Little Kunas''s eyes lit up. Ivanka could accept a philandering Link, but would she accept a man with a child?


    If Ivanka kicked Link to the curb and became single again, then his chance would come.


    Little Kunas excitedly closed his eyes, revisiting that scene he once dreamed of. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the verdant grass, Ivanka held a bouquet of roses, dressed in a pristine wedding gown, slowly walking towards him.


    She was so beautiful and noble, like a princess, no, a saint, enveloped in a halo of pure white, holy and beautiful, her skin snowy and radiant, even her hair seemed to gleam. When she opened her eyes and looked his way, the whole world brightened.


    Little Kunas reached out his hand, then suddenly cursed, "Fuck."


    Because, just as he reached out wanting to take hold of Ivanka, a handsome man approached from the side and grabbed Ivanka''s delicate hand.


    That damned bastard had Link''s face.


    Little Kunas ground his teeth with rage, not only did that bastard Link compete with him for Ivanka in reality but even in his fantasies, he had to interfere. If he didn''t get rid of him, even his dreams of Ivanka would be haunted by him.


    "Jack, I''ll give you one hundred thousand US dollars, no, two hundred thousand, to find out the exact news about Taylor and Link''s child. This time, I will not let Link off the hook."


    After hanging up the phone, Little Kunas glanced at the two call girls still lounging on the sofa, puffing smoke into the air, and pulled out some bills to send them away.


    From now on, he decided to pull himself together and win back Ivanka.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Is this what''s been bothering you?"


    Under the sunshade, Ivanka looked at him and asked.


    "Yes, will you forgive me?"


    Link had just thought it through seriously and decided to tell Ivanka about the child.


    The child was a reality that couldn''t be ignored.


    No matter what Taylor thought, Link would find a way to take the child back, or fulfill his responsibilities as a father in some other way. He wouldn''t let the child be secretly raised by Taylor somewhere, becoming a person with a name but no official identity.


    If he was to do this, he must have Ivanka''s support.


    It was better to speak up early. To wait until things blew up would show a lack of respect for her.


    "You didn''t do anything wrong in this matter, nor is there a need for my forgiveness,"


    Ivanka said gently.


    Link shook his head. If he told Ivanka that he had planned for Taylor to get pregnant just to keep her around, Ivanka probably wouldn''t think that he was innocent in this matter.


    Sometimes when Link thought back on his past actions, he realized he had indeed been impulsive and somewhat despicable.


    But if he had to do it all over again, he would make the same choices, because Alexander and Cynthia were innocent.


    "I had suspicions about this in February. It seemed too coincidental. With the current medical standards and Taylor''s status, this kind of medical accident with such low probability shouldn''t have happened,"


    Ivanka said.


    "I don''t understand what Taylor was thinking, using such a foolish method to hide the kids. After all, there are two of them, and she couldn''t bear to give them away. Raising them like this, she definitely won''t be able to keep it secret for long,"


    Link said helplessly.


    "You can''t blame Taylor either, she''s too young. Even if she''s a musical genius, she can''t be expected to be proficient in everything. The way she''s handling things probably has its reasons,"


    Ivanka explained.


    Link nodded. Talking it over, his own mistake was the biggest; he could be considered the main culprit. Whatever faults Taylor might have had later, they were based on his initial wrongdoings.


    "My dear, if you trust me, leave this matter to me to handle,"


    Ivanka said with furrowed brows after a moment''s thought.


    "You handle it? I''m afraid that won''t work. Taylor is very stubborn and capricious. Mrs. Andrea and I have tried to persuade her, but she listens to no one,"


    Link shook his head, remembering how Taylor, on the verge of giving birth, loudly insisted on eating ice cream in the dead of winter and wanted to go out shopping, and no one could persuade her otherwise.


    "Darling, you better not get involved in this. There''s a lot of work at the company that needs your attention, and you don''t have the time to be distracted by other things. I''ll slowly discuss this with Taylor and see what she really wants to do,"


    Link said, holding Ivanka''s hand.


    Ivanka shook her head slightly and said, "The matters of women are best handled by women. Don''t forget that I''ve been in contact with Taylor, just not very frequently.


    I''ll find time to ask her tactfully. Taylor is a smart woman; she might make a mistake occasionally, but she won''t continue making them.


    I''ll talk to her first and ask about her thoughts. If she needs help, we can then discuss how to proceed better. What do you think?"


    After thinking about it, Link felt that this arrangement might not be bad, but having Ivanka clean up his mess made him feel somewhat guilty.


    "Stop harassing me now, I''ve been sitting here for an hour without having gotten through a single page of my book. You''re the obstacle to my pursuit of progress,"


    Ivanka gave him a glance, pushed his hand away, and picked up her book to continue reading.


    Link smiled gently, since Ivanka didn''t like that approach, he would have to find another way to please her.

 Chapter 602 - 451: Still Waters Run Deep

    Beverly Hills, a hillside villa.


    Taylor sat on the balcony, staring blankly at the bustling Los Angeles city below, her delicate, pale cheeks revealing unmistakable fatigue.


    Since March, she had been busy with tours, promoting her third album, performing in over thirty concerts around the world until she finally got a break in early June. These past few days, apart from looking after her children, she had spent all her time in the recording studio.


    Since her breakup with Link, she had hit a creative peak, capturing new inspiration almost daily.


    Last year, she composed 173 songs, with 35 of them being rated as A-level songs by the production department of Big Machine Company. A-level songs are of high quality and have the potential to enter the Billboard Top 100 upon release.


    After giving birth this year, her creative inspiration became even richer. Besides themes of love, life, breakups, work, and family, she also wrote many children''s songs themed around ''children'' and ''motherly love''.


    Big Machine Company''s production department rated 43 of her songs as A-level.


    Receiving acknowledgment from the production department''s musicians thrilled Taylor, and she felt that breaking up with Link was the right decision.


    When she was with Link, she struggled to write even a single song in ten or fifteen days, which often distressed her. By contrast, that bastard Link effortlessly produced an amazing song every now and then, often flaunting it in her face, which was infuriating to think about.


    Sometimes she suspected that Link had secretly stolen her inspiration.


    The year since their breakup, though occasionally uncomfortable with bouts of sadness or loneliness, all turned into creative inspiration for her.


    Overall, things were not too bad, especially after the births of Alexander and Cynthia. Seeing her chubby little ones each day felt amazing, her heart nearly melted.


    But in recent days, an annoying issue arose. According to Michelle, the bodyguard at her Nashville estate, there had been several unfamiliar faces lingering around the estate since last week, some even taking photos from a distance.


    The maid, Rachel, also mentioned that she had been spied on and followed while shopping recently.


    These individuals had become more active in the past two days, with some even attempting to disguise themselves as cleaning staff to infiltrate the estate.


    Based on this information, it was almost certain that the children had been exposed, drawing the paparazzi to investigate.


    Taylor had anticipated such incidents but hadn''t expected them to occur so quickly.


    "Taylor, what are you planning to do? It might be difficult to keep the children a secret much longer,"


    Mrs. Andrea asked from the car as she looked up at Taylor on the balcony.


    She had been busy at work but rushed over immediately after receiving Taylor''s call.


    "I don''t know."


    Taylor shrugged her shoulders in distress.


    "You don''t know? We all advised you against it, saying you''re a star and this could never be kept secret for long. In fact, the media started speculating in February already, but you insisted on hiding the children this way. I thought you had prepared for this situation, now you tell me you don''t know how to handle it? Why did you even do it if you didn''t know what to do?" Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mrs. Andrea said sternly, her face full of frustration.


    She had always found Taylor to be smart and assertive, unsure of how she could be so foolish about this matter and completely ignore advice.


    "Mom, stop yelling, now''s not the time to argue right or wrong, we need to think about how to deal with this,"


    Taylor looked towards Mrs. Andrea and then to the Executive Agent, Ms. Emily, who had come along.


    "What else can we do, of course, go to Link. He is the father of the children, he can''t ignore this,"


    Mrs. Andrea spoke coldly.


    Emily nodded her head in agreement with Andrea''s perspective.


    Link being significantly influential, had a better capacity for risk management and problem solving. Involving Link was appropriate, moreover, he still harbored lingering feelings for Taylor and the children, and wouldn''t refuse to help knowing the situation.


    "No, we can''t go to Link!"


    "Why not?"


    Upon hearing Taylor''s rejection, Mrs. Andrea asked bewildered.


    With brows furrowed, Taylor spread her hands and said, "I chose to hide the children initially to avoid Link using them as an excuse to harass me. If I ask for his help, he will have a legitimate reason to see the children, interfere in my life, and I would lose."


    Mrs. Andrea stared at her grimly, "Your initial decision to hide the children was just to avoid harassment from Link?"


    "Yes, Mom, you don''t understand how annoying Link is. If I give him the chance to see the children, he''ll control me again, even drag me to his bed. Don''t think it''s impossible, Link is more despicable and shameless than you know, his desire for control is pathological,"


    Taylor spoke, her fists clenched white.


    Mrs. Andrea felt even more annoyed, thinking that Taylor''s intention to hide the children was to protect her innocent celebrity image. After discussing with Scott Borchetta, the CEO, she had agreed to Taylor''s request.


    Yet, Taylor was actually just acting stubbornly against Link.


    "Do you know that Link has already exchanged rings with Ivanka and is planning to marry her next? He won''t bother you anymore, nor control you. Both of you are strangers now, there won''t be any more complications, do you understand?"


    Mrs. Andrea shouted.


    Taylor''s eyes suddenly reddened, "Impossible! He just texted me, congratulating me on winning the Country Music Album of the Year Award. He would never let me go; I know him. Don''t think he and Ivanka are sweet, in reality, I am the one he loves most, definitely."

 Chapter 603 - 451 Still Waters Run Deep_2

    To prove her point, Taylor even took out her phone to show Mrs. Andrea the message.


    Seeing her like this, Mrs. Andrea felt both heartache and helplessness. How could such an outstanding and smart girl like Taylor treat a toxic relationship as an inseparable treasure, and take the love of a Playboy seriously?


    If she had known Taylor would be like this, she would never have let her go diving at the seaside in 2008.


    "Taylor, I know Link still loves you, and you still love him, right? Then why did you break up with him initially, not listening to any persuasion, and not even agreeing when Link repeatedly sought to reconcile? Later, when Link got together with Ivanka, you didn''t care. What exactly do you want?"


    Mrs. Andrea asked in a softer tone. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Being with Link felt great, but it was so good that I always worried I would get lost in that kind of life, content to be just an ordinary singer, a housewife trapped at home, gradually losing my creative inspiration and the drive to pursue my dreams, and eventually even the passion for life would slowly fade.


    That future, where I could see the end of my life with just one look, made me panic, even suffocate, so I had to leave him, leave my comfort zone, to chase after my dreams, to pursue my own life, which is fine now... I won''t regret it."


    Taylor looked up at the clear blue sky, a tear quietly slid from the corner of her eye, disappearing under the brilliant sunshine of Los Angeles before it reached her temples.


    Mrs. Andrea sighed softly, unable to fully understand Taylor''s thoughts, yet she could comprehend some of her feelings.


    Mrs. Andrea put her arms around her shoulders and said, "I understand you. Before I married your father, I felt the same way, but life after marriage is not as boring and flat as imagined. I didn''t end up as just a housewife in the suburbs of Nashville.


    Your birth and Austin''s were the biggest surprises in my life. I followed you from Nashville to New York, to Los Angeles, got a satisfying job, a complicated social circle, watched you and Austin grow famous, and I often felt a lot of honor and satisfaction.


    These things were not something I could have imagined when getting married, and likewise, at twenty, you can''t predict what will come next or see the end because each of us is like an ocean, with deep, quiet currents!"


    Mrs. Andrea gazed towards the calm Pacific Ocean Bay and sighed lightly.


    From afar, the ocean looks like a mirror, a fixed blue gem, but from the bottom, you would know how many hidden waves lie beneath its calm surface.


    Even a trivial whirlpool can terrify, and even an inconspicuous piece of coral can steer one''s life in unforeseeable directions, just like life itself.


    "Mom, what should I do now? Actually, from the moment I saw Alexander and Cynthia, I regretted it.


    They are so beautiful, like little angels, and should not just quietly exist in this world. This is mine and Link''s problem; they should not have to bear the mistake, it''s not fair to them and it''s cruel.


    I have thought about going public, admitting my fault to the public, but I never had the courage to do it.


    When I heard from Michelle that the media might find out about the kids, I was very nervous at first, now I feel quite relieved. With the kids exposed, I wouldn''t need to hide anymore, worried about what to do if the media finds out, they can now live openly in the world, letting everyone know about them.


    I have decided, to hold a press conference, to apologize to the public."


    Taylor suddenly stood up and said.


    "Don''t be impulsive, take it slow on this matter, first hold a meeting to discuss a solid strategy, and then gradually implement it. You''re a public figure, handling this poorly can have a huge negative impact on you and the company.


    Don''t tell me you do not care, you do not care about making money, or about music? Don''t care about those fans who have always liked and supported you?


    Don''t worry, this is just a normal PR crisis, as long as it''s handled properly, the negative impact can be minimized."


    Mrs. Andrea advised.


    Taylor thought for a moment, nodded her chin.


    She was not alone now, she was the pillar of Big Machine, surrounded by a whole group of people busy with her matters, mishandling this wouldn''t only affect her career but also their work, income, and even their families.


    And musically, she had written so many beautiful songs in the past two years that she hadn''t yet shared with her fans; it would be a pity if she couldn''t release a new album due to this issue.


    Ding dong!


    Her phone pinged once, but Taylor ignored it, telling Mrs. Andrea to quickly think of a solution, Michelle''s side could only stall for a week at most, admitting it after being exposed by the media for too long would have worse effects.


    Mrs. Andrea nodded, reluctantly agreeing, quite helpless indeed.


    Because she was not just Taylor''s mother, but also Taylor''s general manager, and a shareholder of Big Machine.


    Two years ago, following Link''s advice, she spent a million US dollars to buy an 8% share in Big Machine, and counting the 5% semi-gifted by Big Machine in 2006, she held a 13% stake in Big Machine.


    Now, with Taylor as the mainstay of Big Machine, her own rise and fall was closely related to the company, also affecting whether her investment would go down the drain.


    She also had to take extra responsibility on this issue.

 Chapter 604 - 451: Still Waters Run Deep_3

    "If you get a message and have time to reply, try your best to respond so you don''t come off as arrogant and difficult to deal with,"


    Madam Andrea advised before she left.


    "Got it."


    Taylor kissed Madam Andrea on the cheek, picked up the phone, and sat back down to check it, only to find that it was a message from Link.


    Now, just seeing this jerk''s name filled her with anger¡ªif it hadn''t been for what he did when she was overly excited and not yet sober, she wouldn''t be as troubled as she was now.


    But


    If there were no Link, there would be no Alexander and Cynthia.


    Thinking this, Taylor helplessly curled her lip and turned on her iPhone to take a look.


    Link had messaged asking, "Where are you? Are Alexander and Cynthia okay?"


    "What does it have to do with you? Alexander and Cynthia are my children."


    After writing that, Taylor reviewed it and then deleted it, rewriting instead: They''re fine, you don''t need to worry about them.


    Sent.


    Ding-dong!


    She quickly received a reply from Link.


    Taylor cocked her lip in satisfaction and opened the message.


    Link said, "It doesn''t seem right to hide the children like this. You are a public figure, constantly watched by paparazzi. Over time, the children''s situation is bound to be exposed, which will have an even greater impact on you."


    Moreover, the children will grow up. When they do, and find out that they essentially don''t exist, it may affect their mental health, and they might hate us.


    "This isn''t good. We should recognize our mistake and correct it as soon as possible while things can still be salvaged. What is your opinion?"


    At the mention of "the children will hate us," Taylor''s eyes involuntarily reddened, and she typed out: This is all your fault, it''s because of you, you jerk, you''re the most despicable man in the world.


    "Yes, it''s my fault. I now want to correct it. Can you give me a chance?"


    Link asked.


    Taylor angrily wiped away her tears.


    She didn''t know why, but since having children, she found herself crying easily.


    She snorted coldly and sent a message: "Do you know something? Are those people outside the manor your doing? You jerk, if I don''t let you see the children, will you just take them?"


    "Kidnapping? When did this happen? Are the children okay?"


    Link asked.


    "Aren''t those people arranged by you?"


    "No, I heard in February that you were in an accident, and the kids were gone. I didn''t believe it. Afterwards, I had detectives investigate the situation and received a bit of news confirming the children were fine."


    Knowing they were safe, I stopped having them followed to avoid disturbing the kids.


    Then I messaged Anne, who was forced to tell me that the children were okay and to not worry. Later, when I asked Anne if I could see the children, I was deceived and sent to Switzerland.


    "What do you mean by kidnapping? Has someone come for Alexander and Cynthia?"


    Link asked.


    Upon hearing that she had tricked him into going to Switzerland, Taylor couldn''t help but wrinkle her nose¡ªit was his stupidity, not her deceit, that was exposed by the glaring loophole in villa number 13.


    "No one kidnapped the children. It''s just that Michelle, the bodyguard at the manor, said that there have been some strangers around the manor recently, watching closely. The children''s nanny was followed when she went out too. I think the children''s situation has been exposed."


    Taylor said.


    "What do you plan to do? Shall we talk in person?"


    "No way!"


    Taylor erased "No way", replaced it with "It''s not convenient", and continued drafting the message: "Let''s talk like this. I''ve decided to go public with the existence of Alexander and Cynthia. Anne has already made arrangements."


    ```


    "Won''t this affect your career?"


    Link said.


    "I don''t care!"


    Taylor tapped out the sentence and sent it off.


    "Is there anything I can do? Don''t worry, although I would also love to personally take care of Alexander and Cynthia, I know they''re more important to you. I won''t fight you for them, I just hope to help in some way."


    Link said.


    "Hmph! Aren''t you afraid ''big butt'' will find out?"


    Taylor deleted ''big butt'', replaced it with ''your fianc¨¦e'', then changed it to ''Ivanka'' and sent it.


    "Actually, Ivanka already knows about this, and she thinks I should do something. She also said you''re relatively young, and it''s hard for one person to manage such a situation alone; it would be better if one more person takes responsibility."


    Link said.


    "Yeah, Ivanka is really nice, so understanding. Congratulations on finding yourself a good woman."


    After writing it, he intended to delete and change it to ''I don''t need your help,'' but his ring finger accidentally hit send, and the message was sent successfully.


    Taylor slapped his forehead and fringes, then immediately clicked to block Link''s account, not wanting to hear any more of his prattle.


    But after a few minutes, the phone rang with a ''ding-a-ling''.


    Taylor picked up the phone and saw it was Ivanka''s number, blinking her blue eyes,


    "What do you want?"


    "Taylor, I think we need to talk,"


    came Ivanka''s seductive yet stern voice from the phone.


    Although it wasn''t the first time he''d heard it, each time, Taylor was still astonished by how a woman could blend a seductive voice with a serious tone.


    Such a voice could allure not only men like Link, but even a woman like herself.


    "Talk about what? You took Link and now you want to take my kids? I''m telling you, it''s impossible!"


    Taylor said with a voice no weaker than Ivanka''s.


    A light chuckle came from the phone, "The kids, I can have them, three, four, five, I don''t need to take yours. Taylor, we''re not enemies, we never have been, because we both love Link, we should be friends."


    "I don''t love him!"


    Taylor said.


    "Regardless, you must admit one thing.


    If you''re planning to acknowledge the existence of the two children publicly, you will face a lot of pressure and difficulties in the coming time.


    If you want your career to be unaffected and the kids'' growth to be undisturbed by the outside world, at this time it would be best to have more allies.


    Link and I are natural allies for you and the kids. Let''s talk together, find a way to deal with this matter, make things simpler, and minimize the impact on the kids. What do you think?"


    Ivanka said slowly. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s your angle? As far as I know, you''re not the kind to dish out kindness without reason. Everything you do is calculated; what do you hope to gain from this?"


    Taylor asked coolly.


    Ivanka sighed leisurely over the phone,


    "Taylor, how about we discuss this in person? The phone is actually the biggest barrier to effective communication between us. Some things are clearer when said face to face, and you''ll understand better too. We don''t need to doubt each other across miles."


    "Fine!"


    Taylor agreed, followed by receiving an address from Ivanka: a high-end coffee shop located near Rodeo Drive, which she had visited a few times.


    Taylor thought for a moment, then texted to say, don''t bring Link, I get annoyed just seeing him.


    Ivanka replied ''OK, he''s bothering me too''.


    ```

 Chapter 605 - 452: Two Women Chatting Face to Face

    "Link, the next boxing match is scheduled,"


    Just as Link put down his phone, Francois Duval called him to inform him about the next match.


    After the Hong Kong Island WBA Light Heavyweight challenge, Francois Duval began discussions with the agencies behind the other three world champions from the four major organizations


    to propose a world champion title unification bout.


    Start with a two-on-two fight, and the winners from these fights will face each other in the final bout, with the ultimate victor becoming the new dominator of the Light Heavyweight division?


    This proposal was rejected by the three other agencies; though a unification fight sounds cool, it is actually brutal.


    Since they are all world champions, their abilities aren''t much different from one another, more precisely, only a few punches apart.


    No one had complete confidence in defeating the other.


    Those who were confident had already issued challenges to their rivals, trying to defeat them and take all the Golden Belts to become the dominator of the division.


    They didn''t need to wait for Link to make a proposal.


    Because of this lack of confidence, there was a mutual non-aggression pact among the world champions, maintaining peace.


    Each year, they would train peacefully and participate in one or two title defenses. If they could defend their titles successfully for several years, they could become boxing stars and make money comfortably.


    The last thing the boxing world wanted was to face a boxer like Link, ambitious and powerful, with a ferocity that could annihilate anything in his path.


    He was like the mid to late ''80s Tyson, the ''90s Roy Jones, and the 2000s Mayweather.


    Facing such boxers, one had to either accept the challenge or choose to dodge; nobody wanted to be someone else''s stepping stone.


    Dodging meant giving up the Golden Belt and vacating the champion spot, letting others compete for it. While this might seem disgraceful, it was effective,


    because boxing heavily tests a boxer''s mental toughness. A boxer who has never been defeated or knocked out has a good mentality and full of confidence in a match.


    But a defeated boxer will carry that shadow in the ring.


    Avoiding fights is also considered a tactic in the boxing world.


    For example, in early 1992, Lennox Lewis successfully knocked out ''Razor'' Ruddock in a championship challenger match, obtaining the mandatory challenger status for the WBC Heavyweight Champion.


    The reigning WBC Champion Riddick Bowe, to avoid facing Lennox Lewis, voluntarily relinquished his WBC Golden Belt.


    During ''95/''96, WBC Champion Lewis faced Tyson''s sparring partner McCall and was defeated by ''Atomic Bull'' McCall. Later, McCall lost the belt to Britain''s ''King Kong'' Frank Bruno, who was then knocked out by Tyson. Tyson reclaimed the WBC Heavyweight title in ''96.


    Lewis once again gained the challenger status in the championship matches, which was mandatory.


    At that time, Tyson, planning to fight WBA Champion Bruce Seldon in a unification bout first, chose to pay $4 million to avoid Lewis and postponed the fight.


    After Tyson overcame his opponent in the unification bout and won the WBA Heavyweight belt, he faced the challenge from Lewis again and opted to relinquish the WBC Golden Belt to vacate the position.


    Lewis, after defeating his old rival McCall once more, became the WBC Heavyweight champion again.


    The fight between Lewis and Tyson occurred in 2002, with Lewis knocking out Tyson in the eighth round.


    Now, the three light heavyweight champions faced the same situation as Tyson and Riddick Bowe when dealing with Lennox Lewis, possibly even worse than facing Lewis.


    Because Link had never been defeated before, not only had he not lost, but he had also finished all but one of his past 23 professional fights within the first three rounds, except for the fight with Tyson.


    Fighting Link meant getting beaten and becoming a stepping stone for Link.


    But avoiding a fight with Link also meant giving up the World Champion title and losing a hefty sum of fight purses.


    To fight or not to fight was the dilemma facing the current three champions and their agencies.


    After several discussions among the agencies, Golden Boy Promotions'' WBC Champion Bernard Hopkins agreed to accept the challenge under the condition that the prize money be split 70-30, with the larger share going to the winner and even the loser taking a 30% share.


    The date was set for October 15, and the location was Seoul, South Korea.


    The agencies of the other two champions had yet to respond, so Francois suggested that Link participate in the WBO Light Heavyweight championship challenge in September to secure mandatory match status. The IBF challenge had already taken place and would need to wait until next year.


    Counting these two fights, Link had five matches to attend this year, so there was no need to rush.


    Link accepted Francois'' proposal.


    However, Francois warned him to be cautious. According to his intelligence, a saying in the boxing world suggested that to defeat Link, one must resort to any means necessary during the fight, preferably by using foul tactics to provoke him and disrupt his rhythm for a chance to turn defeat into victory.


    An even more aggressive view was that against Link, one should fight fire with fire, tooth for a tooth, using the most ruthless means to engage him. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From these rumors, one could sense everyone''s fear of him but also foresee that his opponents would become increasingly crazy, and the fights even more brutal. Link''s journey to continue winning would also become tougher.


    "Alright, I understand,"


    Link responded and hung up the phone, ready to change into his gear and head to the gym for training, just as he saw Ivanka coming out with a small handbag.


    Dressed in a sleeveless, round-neck paneled dress that fell to her knees, wearing flesh-colored stockings and matching champagne-colored high heels, her body was curvaceously fitting the outfit. Her beautiful face was delicately made-up, adorned with a platinum necklace, and she smelled wonderfully.

 Chapter 606 - 452 Two Women Chatting_2

    Link remembered she had only changed her clothes two hours ago.


    "Dear, where are you going?"


    "On a date!"


    Ivanka put on her sunglasses, the corners of her mouth slightly upturned.


    "Taylor agreed to meet?"


    "Mhm!"


    "How about I take you there?"


    "No need, Taylor said he''s annoyed by you, and I feel the same."


    Ivanka brushed off his hand, kissed him on the face, and drove off in the red Ferrari F60, roaring away from the villa.


    Link touched his chin, stood by the driveway for a while, then went back to the villa''s training room to exercise.


    He could have gone to the Muscle Beach Club to work out, but it was the weekend, and he wanted to stay at home with Ivanka, so he set up the training area in the villa.


    The villa''s gym also had barbells, pears, sandbags, which made training very convenient, lacking only the atmosphere and sparring partners of a training field.


    Moreover, training at home gave the club boxers a break, reducing some of their mental stress.


    In the past, those guys had followed him in training for over six hours a day, and after a month, one suffered serious muscle damage due to overtraining, six had minor injuries, and a bunch developed a psychological shadow, despising boxing training.


    Because of this, Hoyle suggested building him a separate training area, to isolate his training space.


    Link agreed.


    The separate training area would probably be finished by next week, and he would be able to train there from then on.


    For this, he had invested a million in Muscle Beach, becoming one of the shareholders of the club.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Hey, didn''t you guys invite Link?"


    On Rodeo Drive, at the Alfred''s Coffee, Leonardo walked in, looked at the few buddies sitting there¡ªTobey Maguire, Woody Harrelson, James Franco, Tom Hardy, and their female companions.


    This was Leonardo''s first time joining friends for a gathering after finishing filming "Django Unchained" and returning to Los Angeles. Along with him was his new girlfriend, Emma Miller.


    "No, he just came back from Huaxia, and I think he''ll be staying at home these days, so I didn''t bother him,"


    said Tobey Maguire with a smile.


    "You''re really considerate of him, I just saw him in gossip news this morning on a date with Miss Dadalio. A playboy like him, how could he need rest."


    Leonardo took out his phone and sent a message to Link, but got no response.


    The group began to play cards, Texas Hold''em, not for high stakes, just for a few tens of US dollars. Playing cards for gambling was also one of the most common networking methods among Hollywood stars.


    According to a survey report by the Los Angeles Times last year, there are thirty-two well-known poker clubs in the Hollywood entertainment circle.


    The entry qualifications for the clubs vary; some require introduction letters from more than two official members, others have annual fees of over ten thousand US dollars.


    Besides poker clubs, there are also wine clubs, cigar clubs, golf clubs, cannabis clubs, horse racing clubs, and even more secretive ones such as gay clubs and swingers clubs, to name a few.


    These clubs are not only for leisure and entertainment but also platforms for exchanging information and resources. Some people who couldn''t get roles in casting offices have been able to secure them here.


    Tobey Maguire, Leonardo, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Matthew Perry, and others are all poker experts.


    Ben Affleck won against over ninety experts in the 2004 California Poker Championship, taking home a prize of $356,000, and was banned for life from Las Vegas''s Hard Rock Casino in 2007 for alleged card counting.


    Tobey Maguire is also a veteran gambler, participating in the Poker Championship in 2004, but losing to Ben Affleck. Earlier this year, he won over $300,000 in chips in a private poker game in Hollywood, only to be later sued by a group of investors because the money was ill-gotten.


    The other clubs, too, had their unique ways to play, and almost all Hollywood stars were members of these clubs.


    Leonardo was a member of over fifty clubs, so many that he could hardly keep track, but today''s card game had nothing to do with club activities; it was just a few men who were bored after shooting films and sat down to play cards and chat.


    "Has Link joined any clubs?"


    Leonardo suddenly asked while checking his cards.


    "Muscle Beach Club, I heard he often trains there,"


    said James Franco.


    "Is it a fitness club?"


    "It''s a professional boxing training field; I''ve trained there,"


    Tom Hardy commented. He had trained there for a month last year while filming "Warrior," but Link was on tour in Asia at that time, so they hadn''t met.


    "Link doesn''t smoke, drink, or play cards; it seems that other than boxing, he doesn''t have any other hobbies."


    James Franco laughed.


    "A beautiful woman, that''s definitely his favorite,"


    Leonardo interjected.


    The crowd burst into laughter. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Leonardo, you could introduce Link to your model club, he would probably like it there,"


    said Tobey Maguire with a chuckle.


    The model club is an establishment that introduces female companions to Hollywood stars, and Leonardo is a seasoned member, with two companionships formed through the club''s channels.


    "I''ll try,"


    Leonardo said nonchalantly, although in reality, he didn''t plan to introduce Link to the club because the guy was just too competitive. Inviting him in meant that the good girls in the club would all be charmed away by Link, which was something Leonardo did not want to see happen.


    "Oh!"


    Tobey Maguire looked toward the middle aisle of the coffee shop, somewhat surprised, and said, "It''s Miss Thomp, does Link also come here for coffee?"

 Chapter 607 - 452 Chatting with Two Women_3

    "Tobey! Don''t think you can bluff me, I''m not turning back."


    Leonardo glanced at his hand of cards, then looked up and stared intently at Tobey Maguire across the table.


    When Tobey Maguire spoke, everyone else at the booth turned to look, nodding in agreement that indeed, it was Miss Thomp who was talking. They spoke softly, careful not to say anything excessive or judge Ivanka openly.


    On the one hand, it was due to a good relationship with Link, making it inappropriate to speak recklessly.


    On the other, Ivanka was the Chairman of Lionsgate Films, a powerful figure in the movie industry. She was said to be a hundred times harder to deal with than Link. It was more fitting to show some respect to such people in public settings.


    Leonardo saw that everyone''s expressions grew solemn as they looked toward the outside seating of the caf¨¦. He resisted the urge but ultimately couldn''t help turning his head to see Miss Ivanka walk in with an assistant, sitting at a quiet booth on the outside.


    She wore sunglasses and didn''t remove them even after sitting down, her fair cheeks wore a cold expression, exuding an air of keeping everyone at an arm''s length.


    After her arrival, the volume of conversations in the caf¨¦ dropped by more than ten decibels, and what was a lively caf¨¦ suddenly seemed a bit desolate.


    "Okay, it really is Ivanka, without Link."


    Leonardo shrugged his shoulders and tapped the table, "Tobey, come on, show your cards!"


    This round, everyone else at the table had folded, leaving only Tobey Maguire and Leonardo; the five community cards were the spade K, diamond 4, spade 3, heart Q, and heart J.


    Tobey turned over his two hidden cards, the spade A and the heart 10.


    The highest hand possible with the community cards was a straight A,K,Q,J,10


    "Impossible! How could you just happen to have a straight?"


    Leonardo grimly flipped over his cards; his hidden cards were two Qs, making his best hand three of a kind with two random cards, smaller than a straight. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Leon, I''m just lucky, no need to be jealous."


    Tobey Maguire chuckled heartily, stretching out his hand to pull the cash from the pot, not much, but the feeling of winning was delightful.


    Leonardo annoyingly threw his cards into the pot, his pair of Qs unable to win, his luck was truly bad.


    James Franco''s model girlfriend reshuffled and dealt the cards, distributing them for the second round, Tobey Maguire looked towards the door and suddenly muttered.


    "Miss Taylor Swift? What is she doing here?"


    "...."


    Leonardo looked up and glanced at him, this time no matter who it was, he wouldn''t turn around.


    The others at the table stopped checking their cards, curious, and indeed it was Taylor Swift; she entered the caf¨¦ alone without an assistant.


    Wearing a Zuhair Murad floral dress, styled with a golden ponytail, fresh bangs, and light makeup. She was dressed freshly and beautifully, also embodying the artistic temperament of a country singer, her steps quick and naturally carefree as she walked.


    When the few saw Taylor head straight toward Ivanka''s spot, they couldn''t help but exclaim in surprise.


    Many knew that Taylor''s third album contained a song "Devil in Love" which was said to be written for Ivanka, and news had it that the real reason behind the breakup between Link and Taylor wasn''t the private video, but Ivanka stealing Link''s affections.


    Now, the two of them were sitting together having coffee.


    This was juicy gossip.


    "What are you all looking at?"


    Leonardo asked annoyed.


    "Link''s current girlfriend and ex-girlfriend are having a meeting."


    Tobey Maguire whispered, eyes still on the cards.


    Leonardo scratched his chin, yet couldn''t resist but turned back for a glance.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Sorry, I''m late."


    In the booth next door, Taylor was holding a small bag, speaking to Ivanka in the aisle.


    "It''s fine, I just arrived too."


    Ivanka set down the magazine she was holding, looked up at the delicately made-up Taylor, smiled slightly, and gestured for her to sit down.


    Taylor sat opposite her, knees together, facing Ivanka.


    Ivanka wasn''t wearing much makeup either, and she didn''t have many accessories on. Her golden medium-length hair simply draped over her shoulders, giving off a casual look. However, her strikingly cold beauty, along with her ample bust, large buttocks, and long, beautiful legs, gave a rather seductive impression.


    Taylor wrinkled her nose, feeling that Ivanka paid too much attention to appealing to the male gaze, beautiful though not naturally so, not free-spirited, but from a man''s perspective, indeed very beautiful.


    "Why meet here?"


    Taylor looked around and was surprised to see a few familiar faces.


    "There are more people here than usual today, if you find it inconvenient, we can find another place to talk."


    Ivanka said nonchalantly.


    "It''s fine, this place is nice too."


    Taylor said.


    Ivanka stirred her coffee with a silver spoon and asked, "Have you thought about how to handle the child''s situation?"


    Taylor blinked her blue fox-like eyes, remembering the answer she hadn''t received over the phone, and reiterated her question. Ivanka''s intent, why she volunteered to help, Taylor didn''t think Ivanka would offer her kindness out of boredom.


    Ivanka shook her head slightly and said, "I only have one goal, for Link. He''s too busy with work, boxing training, promoting movies, recording and writing songs, preparing for new roles, and managing several companies'' affairs. He''s really busy.


    In February after that incident, he was attacked by the media for half a month. If this matter isn''t handled well, the criticism will fall on him again. After being labeled a scoundrel, he actually doesn''t care about his reputation. Just now in our conversation, he was also willing to take all the responsibility, as long as you and the child are safe."


    Although he could do that and had reasons to face the consequences, I couldn''t stand to watch him suffer these inexplicable stigmas and let his reputation be damaged again.


    I want to do something, to do something together. It''s to help both you and the child, as well as to help Link and ourselves; do you understand what I mean?"


    "And yourself, would you do something that doesn''t benefit you at all?"


    Taylor asked indifferently.


    Ivanka also looked at her and smiled, "Taylor, we are two different types of women. You dare to fight, you''re talented and courageous, a woman who doesn''t pale in comparison to men. I really admire women like you.


    I, on the other hand, am all woman inside and out. A woman like me needs to find a man to accompany and help him succeed. When he succeeds, that means I succeed too. Helping Link is also helping myself; what''s good for Link is good for me."


    Taylor blinked, surprised by her frankness.


    "You''re too modest. Everyone knows you''re a business genius, the backbone of Link Music, and the real helmsman at Lionsgate Films. Many think Link became famous because of you, and without you, Link wouldn''t be as successful as he is now. Yet you say you owe your success to Link, which seems too humble."


    "That''s the truth. Without Link, I wouldn''t have entered the music industry, and without his resolution to acquire Lionsgate, I wouldn''t have entered Hollywood.


    In both music and film, it was he who first paved the way; only after that did I enter these industries and handle some of the miscellaneous affairs for him.


    If he hadn''t been able to establish himself in the music and film industries, I also couldn''t have made an impact in these fields. Hence, whether it''s Link Music or Lionsgate Films, the true soul of both is always him."


    Ivanka said solemnly.


    Taylor thought for a moment, realizing it indeed was as Ivanka described. In both music and films, it was Link leading the charge, with Ivanka following behind to clean up the messes, their teamwork resembling the cooperation between a warrior and a mage in a game.


    "Ivanka, is it worth it? The news stated it well; with your capabilities, looks, and family background, you could have chosen a better, more promising man. Why settle for Link, the playboy?"


    Ivanka, with a slight curve in her lips, gently said, "Is there a better man than Link in the world? If Link was just some despicable playboy, you wouldn''t still be in love with him."


    "I''m not."


    Taylor snorted.


    Ivanka didn''t argue further and offered her the coffee to taste the Brazilian Arabica coffee here. Although it had a slightly tangy initial taste, it was richly flavored and had a long aftertaste, well worth savoring.


    Taylor didn''t refuse, took a sip, all she could taste was sourness and a distinct bitterness; she didn''t like it much.

 Chapter 608 - 453: Discussing Countermeasures

    Alfred''s Caf¨¦ is one of the upscale coffee houses in Beverly Hills, decorated in a high-end classic style, filled with an artistic atmosphere.


    The caf¨¦ boasts all of the world''s top coffee beans as well as exquisite hand-crafted coffee-making skills, deeply adored by many celebrities in Beverly Hills.


    In the afternoon''s brilliant Los Angeles sunshine, the caf¨¦''s display windows were so clear that they sparkled, the air thick with the rich aroma of coffee, and even without drinking any, sitting in the caf¨¦ one could experience the taste of various premium coffees.


    Taylor rested her chin on her hands, watching Ivanka across from her elegantly stirring her coffee, adding a little coconut milk, then gracefully taking a sip with her delicate fingers, savouring the drink with beautifully poised rose-tinted lips, her movements natural and fluid, her demeanor calm and content, unhurried.


    Her gestures, combined with her looks and temperament, made it so that even if she were drinking plain water, it would seem delicious, irresistibly prompting others to order the same to try for themselves.


    Suddenly, Taylor felt that losing to her in Link''s eyes was not unjust in the slightest.


    Such a woman embodied nearly all the virtues of the feminine, not to mention that a womanizer like Link would be captivated, even she, another woman, couldn''t help but take several more glances and even longed to be close to her. It was a very peculiar feeling.


    "Taylor, do you have any more questions for me?"


    Ivanka set down her coffee cup, her long eyelashes fluttering as she looked across at Taylor.


    "There are many, but right now what I want to know is, do you have any way to minimize the negative impact of this situation?"


    "What''s the plan?"


    "The company''s PR department is having a meeting, preparing to come up with a strategy to mitigate the impact of the incident, but after giving it much thought, aside from coming clean to the media and publicly admitting the mistake, there''s not much of a good approach since to the public, this is a severe breach of trust," Taylor said.


    Ivanka nodded slightly, thought for a moment, and offered three suggestions.


    First, to leak the news of the child''s existence before the media does, bringing the child back into the public eye.


    Then she would make a public apology, sparking widespread debate, and guide the public discourse to shift attention. After the public vents their negative emotions, the fervor would gradually subside.


    This is a method commonly used by celebrities in handling crisis events, often effective because it''s regularly employed.


    The advantage is that one can copy the solution and avoid major mistakes.


    The drawback is its unpredictability.


    Currently, she is very popular in the entertainment industry; even a change of hairstyle can be discussed by the media for days, let alone hiding a child.


    If handled this way, the matter is bound to become the most explosive news in the entertainment circle of 2011, and the outcome may exceed expectations, with potential setbacks also possibly being larger than anticipated.


    The second suggestion is to stall. Again, due to her high popularity and influence, a more tempered approach to deal with the issue would be to delay.


    If Taylor is willing, before the exposure of the child, she could entrust the child to someone else for care. In response to media inquiries, adopt a denial stance, and the matter would become trivial gossip, not affecting her career.


    After a few years, when her career stabilizes, she could then admit her mistakes publicly, and the impact would be less significant. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This suggestion was rejected by Taylor; hiding the child initially was due to her lack of careful consideration, and now that she recognized her mistake, she did not want to continue it.


    She also loved Alexander and Cynthia too much to let someone else raise them.


    "Taylor, you''re only 22 this year, single and unmarried, yet with two children and a busy career. With your current situation, it''s not suitable to raise the children yourself.


    Now, while the children are young, they can be looked after by nannies and servants. But as they grow, start walking and talking, calling daddy and mommy, you will face more issues to consider.


    What if a future boyfriend doesn''t accept the children, or if the parent-teacher meeting at school coincides with your concert, which will you choose? As far as I understand, you''re someone with a strong career drive," Ivanka spoke slowly.


    Taylor furrowed her light brows in thought, then resolutely stuck to her decision, refusing to let anyone else raise her children.


    "Eva, your speculations are correct, but they''re also just predictions. My mother says life isn''t as simple as we think; every day is actually full of grandeur, and as long as we get used to the storms, we''ll grow stronger and have enough confidence to face every unknown challenge. I''m not afraid of challenges."


    "You''re right, what I mean is, Link and I could raise Alexander and Cynthia. Link is a gentle and meticulous man, his care for the children won''t be any less than yours.


    Although I''m not sure if I can be a qualified mother, I''ll do my best. With us taking care of the children, you can focus on work, date freely.


    Visit the children when you have time; you''re still their mother, and I won''t fight with you over them.


    And regarding this incident, it will be Link and I who take responsibility. Link and I are not entirely part of the entertainment industry; such an affair will have less impact on us," Ivanka explained.


    Taylor looked at her strangely, pursing her thin lips, "Eva, have you really come to help me solve the problem, not just to help Link take the children?"


    Ivanka shook her head slightly, her hand on her abdomen, her radiant face showing a different kind of tenderness.


    "I can feel a life growing inside me, and maybe soon, I too will have a child. I don''t need to take yours, and because of this, I will be thinking more about the children''s matters recently."

 Chapter 609 - 453 Discussing Countermeasures_2

    Taylor, raising a child like you do isn''t suitable. Hand them over to us. The children will receive extra love. What do you say?"


    Taylor bowed her head, thinking seriously about Ivanka''s words. Ivanka was making sense; having Link take care of the children seemed appropriate.


    However, this would also mean losing the children, and Link would get two beautiful little angels without doing anything. More importantly, handing the children over to Link meant she would lose the game. In the future, to see the children, she would need Link''s permission.


    Taylor shook her head firmly, "Ivanka, you''ve got one thing wrong. In your scenario, the children would become a burden in my life, causing inconvenience to my work and personal life. But in my plan, the children are part of my beautiful life. I have already included them in my blueprint for the future. They are not trouble to me, and I don''t want to be separated from them."


    Ivanka nodded, then suddenly tilted her lips into a smile, "Link says you''re a very, very stubborn person; no one can persuade you, and to this, I agree."


    Taylor''s delicate cheeks flushed red, and she huffed lightly. She was very dissatisfied with Link for speaking ill of her behind her back. If that bastard were here, she would definitely punch him a few times.


    "I just insist on doing what I think is right."


    "Yes, you are a very brave and opinionated woman. It''s admirable. Now that you have your own plans, are you ready to go public with the news, to offer a public apology?"


    Ivanka inquired.


    Taylor nodded silently. This sort of thing sounded simple, but the mere thought of the media and fans'' reactions once the news broke was enough for her to feel a wave of public pressure bearing down on her.


    "Taylor, while the news hasn''t broke yet, we have enough time to discuss strategies. If needed, Link Music and Lionsgate Films'' PR departments can coordinate with your side. Also, at the Nashville mansion, we can arrange for someone to investigate which media reporters are lurking around, what they know, and if they don''t know much, we can send someone to handle the media, buying more time."


    Ivanka stated methodically.


    Taylor nodded in agreement, feeling increasingly calm.


    Ever since learning of the news from her bodyguard, Mitchell, she had been tense and anxious, thinking all day about the public reaction once the news exploded and how to resolve the situation.


    But she hadn''t thought of investigating the identities of those outside the mansion, of dealing with these people first and then slowly finding a way to solve the children''s issue, keeping the initiative in her hands, thereby buying herself a bit more time.


    Reflecting on this, she couldn''t help but look at Ivanka, who had long held roles as CEO and Chairman. The way she viewed problems was different, and her approach to dealing with issues was more comprehensive.


    "Ivanka, thank you!"


    Taylor said, raising her coffee cup.


    "You''re welcome!"


    Ivanka smiled slightly, clinking cups with her.


    The two continued discussing specific plans.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Not far away, at a booth, Leonardo turned his head to look at the poker table and asked how many were still betting. James Franco said it was just down to him and Tobey Maguire.


    "Showdown!"


    Leonardo tapped the table with his finger.


    Tobey Maguire revealed a dimpled smile, turning over two hearts, Jack and 8, combined with a queen, 10, and 9 of hearts from the five community cards, he formed the largest possible hand: a straight flush, queen high.


    "Impossible! I just saw the Jack of hearts in James''s hand. How did it end up with you?"


    Leonardo asked, frowning.


    "Mine is the Jack of diamonds."


    James Franco laughed, leaning back in his chair.


    Tobey Maguire shrugged and smiled, "Leonardo, let''s see your hole cards."


    "No need, you''ve won."


    Leonardo threw his two hole cards into the deck in annoyance. He had a king of hearts and a jack of spades, the largest possible hand being a straight: king high. It was far inferior to Maguire''s hand.


    While he didn''t lose much on any single hand, the constant losses were irksome, and he swore that today he would win back some from Tobey.


    "Hey!"


    "Shut up! No making weird noises while we''re playing cards."


    Not long into the new round, Tobey Maguire suddenly exclaimed again while looking at his cards, also glancing up behind Leonardo with a surprised expression. The rest of the players turned to look in the same direction, curious.


    Eva and Taylor walked out of the cafe shoulder to shoulder, both wearing smiles, looking very harmonious.


    Additionally, both women were over 180 centimeters tall with stunning appearances.


    One a cold and domineering CEO, the other a fresh and artistic goddess.


    As they walked together, they instantly drew the attention of everyone in the room, and nearly all the men saluted them with their gazes.


    Once the women left, the caf¨¦ erupted with chatter, with many beginning to discuss their relationship and adding in Playboy Link, the topic became even juicier.


    "What''s going on, why has it suddenly become so lively? I heard someone mention Link, did Link also come?"


    Leonardo asked curiously.


    "It''s nothing, let''s keep playing cards."


    Tobey Maguire laughed.


    "It can''t be nothing, Tom, what happened?"


    Leonardo looked toward Tom Hardy, who was sitting diagonally across from him ¨C the two had worked together in "Inception."


    "Miss Thomp and Miss Taylor have left together."


    "The two of them, together?"


    Leonardo frowned slightly but couldn''t resist glancing back, only to find that the two women had already walked far away.


    "Eva and Taylor were chatting as they walked; their relationship seems much better than the rumors."


    James Franco said.


    "Yes, maybe there was some misunderstanding before, but now it''s been cleared up."


    Woody Harrelson added, having played important roles in movies such as "Rampart," "Indecent Proposal," "No Country for Old Men," "Messenger," and also being one of the card players.


    "Link isn''t really cut out to be a playboy. To be a playboy, you need to take it slow, one per year. The way he finds several at once, and with the likes of Eva, Taylor, and Marion Cotillard ¨C trust me, he''s eventually going to crash and burn."


    Leonardo said confidently.


    "Probably not, Link and Eva have already exchanged rings, and I heard they''re planning to get engaged."


    Tobey Maguire said. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Even married couples can divorce, let alone two people who aren''t even engaged yet. Alright, enough talk, let''s deal the cards; I''m sure to win this time."


    Leonardo knocked on the table.


    James Franco''s girlfriend dealt the fourth community card, which was the ten of clubs.


    Ding-dong!


    Leonardo''s phone, which was on the table, rang. He picked it up and saw a message from Link, asking if he needed anything.


    Leonardo asked him if he had time to come play Texas Hold''em.


    Link replied that he did not know how to play as he was working out in the training room.


    Leonardo shook his head and asked why he was still training since he was already a champion boxer.


    Link replied, "The path to strength is endless."


    Leonardo twisted his mouth, feeling the guy was putting on airs.


    He initially wanted to tease him about his ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend dating, but then thought better of it. Maybe the guy already knew, so he simply texted back about hanging out together sometime to pick up girls, offering to introduce him to some very pretty models.


    Link replied with an ''okay.''


    Leonardo put down his phone and told the others that Link was training at home and didn''t have time to come play cards.


    Everyone marveled at how diligent Link was ¨C so accomplished yet still so hardworking. Compared to him, they all felt like slackers.


    Inspired by Link, the mood for playing cards among the group was greatly affected, and they ended the game early after a couple more rounds.

 Chapter 610 - 454 Public Opinion Explosion

    Bang bang bang!


    Inside the villa, Link put down his phone, took a sip of water, and continued punching the speed bag.


    While he was training, the matter Taylor and Ivanka were consulting about was also progressing in an orderly manner.


    The bodyguards at the mansion had set a trap and caught a guy who had been secretly following the servants. They pried open his mouth with two thousand US dollars and learned that someone had paid them to spy for information here.


    It was said that the mansion hid the children of country music star Taylor Swift, and the employer hoped they could capture photos of Taylor showing up at the mansion, preferably photos of Taylor with the kids, each worth thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.


    But with surveillance and armed bodyguards in the mansion, it was difficult for them to force their way in, as risking their lives or going to jail for a few thousand dollars wasn''t worth it.


    Taylor breathed a sigh of relief after receiving the news, but the existence of the children had already been exposed. Continuing to hide them was no longer realistic.


    The PR teams began to discuss how to gradually solve the problem.


    Before they fully prepared, on July 12th, the "New York Observer" published a blockbuster story on its front page: The miscarriage incident of country music queen Taylor Swift in early February was suspected to be fake. It was an event fabricated by Taylor Swift to maintain her pure and sweet idol image, and her children were fine.


    The report stated that Taylor''s children were being hidden in a mansion near the Great Smoky Mountains in Nashville, less than five kilometers from Elvis Presley''s former residence "Graceland." The mansion, which Taylor bought at the end of last year for 2.2 million US dollars, was over two hectares in size.


    Six nannies and servants were taking care of the children within the mansion, guarded by numerous bodyguards, making it inaccessible to outsiders.


    The article mentioned eyewitnesses who claimed that Taylor had frequently visited Nashville in the first half of the year and even stayed in the mansion for a while.


    Additionally, the report included several exterior photos of the mansion, a timetable of Taylor''s travels to Nashville in the first half of the year, and notably, a photo of Taylor shopping in a Los Angeles baby products store that perfectly corroborated the veracity of the news.


    The "New York Observer" is one of the industries under the Kunis Group, a weekend newspaper.


    It is mainly distributed in the Manhattan area of New York, with a circulation of about 30,000 copies per issue. The newspaper primarily reports on recent political, economic, and cultural news, with an interview with a heavyweight celebrity featured in each issue. It is essential reading for socialites, the literary world, and politicians, with significant influence in the Manhattan area.


    News of Taylor hiding her children, once exposed, caused a huge sensation in the United States, leading numerous major media outlets to scramble to report on it.


    That very day, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox Television Network, and other major media urgently replaced their headline news to focus on this story. News websites also prominently featured the news in the most eye-catching position.


    Many news websites'' headlines read, "Link and Taylor''s children did not die young," simple and crude, highlighted in large red letters for emphasis.


    This news also topped the search lists of websites and social platforms such as Yahoo, Google, Twitter, and Facebook within an hour.


    The public opinion wave came too quickly and ferociously, exceeding the expectations of Link and Taylor''s side. Everyone underestimated how high the media and public''s interest in this matter would be and the enormous impact of the news Link and Taylor had created jointly.


    Given the current state of public opinion, unless there was a war, natural disaster, or catastrophe, no other news could affect the heat of this story.


    After all the major opinions had reported on this matter, the media and the public first wanted to clarify one thing: whether the "New York Observer" report was true or false, and whether Taylor and Link''s children were indeed still alive. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To this end, hundreds of media reporters surrounded the headquarters of Big Machine Records that day, demanding an interview with Taylor.


    Dozens of reporters took a different approach and rushed to Lionsgate Films to block Link, trying to dig up some information from him.


    Many others went to that mansion in Nashville to investigate the matter on the spot.


    Both Taylor''s and Link''s sides temporarily remained silent, with no one coming forward to explain, and silence often speaks volumes.


    That day, the mainstream American public opinion''s discussion of the matter gradually shifted from speculation to confirmation.


    Many media outlets revisited the news reports from February. At that time, many newscasts questioned the veracity of the incident, arguing that with Taylor''s situation and conditions, the chances of an accident occurring with the children were slim.


    Without solid evidence, the media dropped the discussion after a while and moved on to other targets.


    Looking back now, the initial speculation was absolutely correct.


    The public began to hold their breath, brewing emotions, eager to know the purpose behind Taylor''s actions.


    After the media and the public deemed the news confirmed, Taylor''s side held a press conference in front of the Nashville branch of Big Machine Records at two o''clock the next afternoon.


    Over thirty media reporters were invited. The press conference was hosted by Taylor''s Executive Agent, Ms. Emily, and country music star Taylor Swift made an appearance and answered questions from the reporters.


    At the press conference, Taylor personally admitted that the children were indeed still alive, very well and healthy, and that no accidents had happened. She also told reporters that they were a pair of adorable twins.


    At the same time, Taylor''s Facebook account also featured photos of the children¡ªa boy and a girl, one with short black hair, and the other with two tufts of light golden hair. The little ones were chubby and rosy-cheeked, very lovely, along with several casual photos of Taylor with the children in her daily life.

 Chapter 611 - 454 Public Opinion Explosion_2

    The scene was extremely warm and loving.


    Seeing how adorable the children were, and how gentle and sweet Taylor appeared, even those who originally wanted to hurl insults found themselves at a loss for words.


    Many netizens, when leaving comments, switched from cursing to "so cute", "so beautiful", "little angels", "twins, how lucky", and "what are their names?"


    Of course, there were also many netizens with aggressive attitudes who unleashed a torrent of abuse.


    They thought that Taylor shouldn''t have done this, deceiving the media, the public, and her fans, that she wasn''t a good mother, and even less of a good idol, and they strongly demanded that Taylor leave the entertainment industry and go home to take care of her children.


    At the press conference, reporters also asked Taylor why she had looked for excuses to hide her children, what her purpose was, and whether it was, as the internet suggested, to maintain a pure image.


    Taylor denied this, claiming she was too young back then, unprepared for motherhood, and it was only in a moment of confusion that she had done such a thing,


    Later, seeing her children grow day by day, she felt immense regret. She shouldn''t have hidden her children, nor should she have deceived the public or her fans about this matter. She also felt she owed an apology to her children and was very sorry.


    The netizens, seeing Taylor publicly apologize and the images of her crying, had much of their negative emotions soothed.


    Regarding the online claim that Taylor did this to maintain a pure image, hardly anyone supported it, because Taylor had hidden the existence of her children, not the fact that she was pregnant.


    Her pure image was more or less gone after she appeared pregnant at the MTV Video Music Awards in September the previous year, and people''s perception of her shifted from single girl to single mother.


    So, her mistake was mainly deceiving the media and the public, a lack of honesty.


    People were angry because they felt fooled.


    The reporters continued to ask Taylor about her plans for raising her children and what she intended to do next.


    Taylor said she would temporarily leave the music industry to take care of her children and would consider her music career after they were a bit older.


    Hearing this, many netizens felt their negative sentiments dissolve further.


    Only Taylor''s fans expressed regret, as her temporary departure from the industry meant they wouldn''t hear new songs from her for a while.


    Many fans asked Taylor not to stay away too long, suggesting she take only a few weeks or months off.


    Despite making a reasonable explanation and a sincere apology at the press conference, and indicating her acknowledgment of the wrongdoing by temporarily stepping back from her career,


    the media, which relies on sensationalizing news for profit, wouldn''t easily let go of such a highly topical, controversial big story.


    Letting go of such news didn''t align with the interests of the media.


    After the press conference ended, many major media outlets stepped forward to discuss the matter.


    The mainstream opinion on the incident was "deeply disappointed", "denouncing", and "cannot be easily forgiven".


    Even the most serious New York Times commented that Taylor had made a serious mistake in this matter.


    She had, to a certain extent, violated her children''s human rights, as well as the legal rights of American citizens, because the two children, born in America, were legal citizens from birth, with all the basic rights provided for "constitutionally".


    Taylor''s actions were not a private matter but also an illegal act that could not be settled with just an apology. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Nashville District Attorney''s Office filed a lawsuit against Taylor, and the court and the civil affairs bureau had to reconsider whether Taylor was qualified to continue raising the two children.


    But this is America, where many things can be solved with money, so Taylor spent over four hundred thousand US dollars in bail to settle this matter.


    Just as the media were focusing their criticism on Taylor, a theory circulating on the internet began to gain a lot of support.


    The theory suggested that in this matter, Taylor was also a victim, and the real culprit should be Link.


    If it hadn''t been for his infidelity and breaking up with Taylor, she wouldn''t have had to face the predicament of raising two children alone and wouldn''t have made the impulsive decision to hide the children.


    Now that Taylor was under scrutiny, Link couldn''t remain uninvolved.


    This theory also received support from many media outlets, with many starting to direct their criticism at Link, branding him a scumbag and deadbeat dad, and demanding that he also step forward and publicly apologize.


    At this juncture, Link''s representative lawyer, Aaron Hornak, stepped forward, publicly stating that he would fight for custody of the children, intending to raise them himself.


    "Link, is this really a good idea? You''re probably going to be lambasted by the media for this."


    Catherine asked worriedly in the Palm Beach Films office.


    "I expect that, but no matter what, I can''t just watch and do nothing about Taylor and the kids."


    Link pinched the bridge of his nose; the impact of this incident was far greater than he, Taylor, and Ivanka had anticipated, much bigger than the wave of negative publicity from last September, with Taylor undoubtedly being the most affected.


    Under the relentless pummeling by the media, similar to the past criticism of MJ and Britney Spears, Taylor was practically the second-most maligned singer in the music industry at the moment, with the first, of course, being him, the Playboy.


    But since his own reputation was so poor, and his ability to withstand criticism so strong, he didn''t mind using this method to help Taylor share the burden of the backlash.


    "Ah, how could Taylor have done such a thing at the beginning of the year, it was far too inconsiderate."


    Catherine sighed.


    Link smiled helplessly. He also couldn''t understand what Taylor was thinking at the time, coming up with such a thoughtless plan to keep him from seeing the children. This woman''s desire to win was even stronger than his own.

 Chapter 612 - 454 Public Opinion Explosion_3

    "Does Eva know you''re doing this?"


    Catherine suddenly asked.


    "We talked, and she agreed."


    "Eva is really a good woman, perfect for you. Don''t miss out on her,"


    Catherine said.


    "I understand."


    Link nodded.


    Ding-a-ling!


    The cell phone on the table started ringing noisily, and he glanced at it. It was a call from a round-faced person.


    "Aren''t you in Nashville looking after the kids? How do you have time to call me?"


    After the exposure of the kids, Selena found Taylor furiously, questioning why she hid her niece and nephew and lied about it.


    Then, getting the right to see the kids, Selena, thrilled after meeting the two children, excitedly made a call, endlessly praising how beautiful the children were, even sending him many photos of them.


    "Link, how could you do this? Taylor has been trashed by the media, and here you are, fighting her for the kids at this time. You''re awful, a mega jerk, no, now a jerk dad, and I am totally on Taylor''s side in this,"


    Selena shouted over the phone.


    Link laughed, "Don''t you like Alexander and Cynthia? If I snatch the kids and keep them with me, you can see them any time."


    "No way! The kids should be with their mom. You''re a man, how can you take care of children? And Taylor can''t lose Alexander and Cynthia. Can you drop the lawsuit, please?"


    Selena asked.


    "No way! The children are mine too, and I have the right to fight for their custody."


    "You... you are infuriating, I''m going to rally my fans to support Taylor and defeat you, the big villain."


    Click! Selena hung up the phone angrily and yelled at Taylor, who was reading a magazine, "Link won''t drop the lawsuit; it''s too much, Taylor, but don''t worry, you gave birth to them, that villain Link can''t beat you."


    Taylor shook her head, saying, "Stop blaming Link. He''s actually helping me."


    "Helping you?"


    Selena frowned, puzzlement in her wide eyes.


    "Yes, currently, the mainstream media is criticizing me, and public opinion is also largely against me, putting me in a very bad spot. Now, when Link strongly argues for custody, I become the underdog, the struggling widow.


    Humans naturally sympathize with the underdog, and it''s politically correct to side with them on social issues. Continuing to criticize me becomes a mistake, whereas criticizing Link becomes politically correct. He''s doing this to help share the pressure and draw media fire."


    Taylor explained slowly.


    "Ah? He... he''s that kind-hearted?"


    Selena blinked her round eyes, finding it hard to grasp how deliberately mean Link, always seen as causing trouble, could be doing a good deed?


    "Do you see Link as a bad guy in your heart?"


    Taylor asked with a light laugh,


    "Not really, although he''s flirty, often bullies me, forcing me to read and solve problems, doesn''t allow me to casually visit nightclubs, hang out with messy people, or drink and stay up late. He also doesn''t let me drive too fast, sometimes drags me up early to exercise, and won''t let me eat junk food. He even fights with me over food..."


    "That''s enough, Link is definitely a bad guy."


    Hearing her say this, Taylor thought if she had such a controlling brother, she would probably go insane.


    Selena smiled sweetly, pouting slightly, "Not really, I can feel that he cares about me a lot, always considering my well-being, hoping I have good habits and a healthy lifestyle, ensuring a safe social circle.


    He also hopes I grow through learning into a better person, a social elite. Most importantly, he often writes me many beautiful songs. Having such a brother is simply great; countless people envy me."


    Taylor smiled faintly, recalling how Link had also been overly controlling in the past¡ª not allowing her to be too thin, wear revealing clothes, drink too much at bars, or get too close to other men. Was he also doing it for her own good?


    Taylor shook her head, not believing that was the case.


    "Link is so good, and you still talk about rallying fans to defeat him, the big villain?"


    Taylor asked, resting a hand on the round-faced person''s shoulder.


    "It''s not that; I was really angry, feeling he was doing the wrong thing. I hoped he''d realize his mistake, but I didn''t think he was doing this to help you share the stress." Selena scratched her face, looking at Taylor weakly, "Should I apologize to him?"


    "No need, he won''t be mad at you,"


    Taylor said with a smile.


    Selena thought for a moment, nodding in agreement. She had said too many harsh words to Link before and even played pranks on him; he never got mad at her. Surely, he wouldn''t this time either.


    "Taylor, I have a question. Link is not bad, except maybe being a bit flirty. What made you break up with him last year?"


    Selena asked.


    Taylor was silent for a few seconds, then shook her head and said, "Isn''t Ivanka good? She''s even more suitable for Link."


    "She''s also nice, but Ivanka is a bit severe. I get nervous and feel constrained talking to her, and we can''t really have fun together,"


    Selena said, shrugging her shoulders.


    Taylor smiled faintly, thinking about the stern and authoritative boss Ivanka, and the spirited Selena. Sitting together, they were almost like a teacher and her student.


    Selena was completely overshadowed by Ivanka''s presence. It would be odd if she could be lively.


    "Taylor, the direction of public opinion has changed,"


    Manager Emily said as she walked in with a stack of newspapers. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 613 - 454 Public Opinion Explosion_4

    ¡ª¡ª


    "Boss, the direction of public opinion has shifted," said Anna as she hurried into the office, holding a stack of newspapers that she placed on the desk.


    On top was the "Los Angeles Times," with the front-page headline announcing that Link was prepared to battle Taylor for custody of their child, vowing to spend whatever it took to win the case and take the child from Taylor.


    The front-page story was accompanied by several photos.


    On the left was a photo of Taylor tearfully apologizing to the media.


    On the right was a screenshot from a video of Link in a boxing ring, punching the former WBA Light Heavyweight champion Belrut Shumenov off his feet.


    His bare upper body exposed, his muscles were fierce and powerful, and he looked somewhat ferocious as he swung his punch with force.


    Belrut, with his body sideways, fell down, and in the photo, it looked as if he was punched and thrown into the air by Link, his face severely deformed, with fresh blood and sweat spraying out.


    In between the photos of him and Taylor were pictures of two cute children with a golden "VS" written above them.


    This set of contrasting images was striking, offering a powerful visual impact that allowed viewers to immediately sense who was strong and who was weak.


    Clearly, Taylor was at a disadvantage.


    The "Los Angeles Times" posed a question to the public through its report, in such a situation, whom would people choose to support? The underdog or the powerful one?


    Given the circumstances, most people would choose to support the underdog.


    One reason is that supporting the underdog allows one to easily claim the moral high ground and receive more approval when expressing opinions, as 95% of people in the world are or consider themselves to be in a weaker position.


    Another reason is that there''s no fear of losing when supporting the underdog; if the kind-hearted weak lose, it''s a decay of social morals, but if the despicable strong lose, it''s the triumph of justice.


    Supporting the underdog in winning the case also brings more participation and satisfaction.


    Besides the Los Angeles Times, "USA Today," "American Express," "New York Post," "The Washington Post," "Hollywood Reporter," and other major media outlets all covered the story, maintaining an ostensibly objective and impartial stance.


    However, in describing the situation of both parties, they exaggerated Link''s strengths, sensationalizing his current advantages.


    They also focused on painting Taylor''s current plight and disadvantages, speculating that it was highly likely that Taylor would lose.


    The media had a simple reason for doing this.


    To stir up public controversy; the more the controversy, the louder the arguments, the more people paid attention, the greater the reader retention, and the more the media''s news products sold¡ªsuch is one of the common tactics media use to manipulate public opinion.


    And since 95% of the public are easily swayed, this provides the media with the conditions necessary for successful opinion manipulation.


    After mainstream media like the "Los Angeles Times" reported the news, the direction of public debate began to gradually shift at the societal level in the United States of America.


    As many were still engrossed in the bombshell news of ''Taylor''s possible incarceration or child concealment,'' a media "waiter" served up another steaming story with the headline ''Link boldly steps in to fight for child custody, Taylor fears another blow after career setback - potential loss of beloved son and daughter.''


    The previous story had only involved country music queen Taylor, but this one enveloped world superstar and billionaire Link as well as Taylor, turning into a family drama that guaranteed a ripe, sweet story with even more exciting plot twists than the last.


    Human curiosity can never be satisfied, and even if many are stuffed, some even vomiting as they eat, they will still reach for the next piece.


    In the face of this controversial issue, before starting to "feast" on the news, the crowd will first choose sides.


    Choosing the right side means enjoying more and eating with greater relish and peace of mind.


    Because the mainstream media portrayed Taylor as the underdog through their provocative reporting,


    and because people can empathize, many easily chose to stand with Taylor, support the weaker side, resist the powerful Link, unite, and show the strength of the underdog to the powerful.


    This situation led to a rapid shift in the direction of public opinion.


    Many netizens who had been criticizing Taylor for disrespecting human rights were within minutes rallying behind her, swearing to help her keep her children.


    Especially among various women''s organizations.


    Just the day before, they were criticizing Taylor for acting improperly, but the next second, they stood from Taylor''s perspective, discussing the issue of the ownership of a child born to a girlfriend after a breakup; they believed women should have more rights and that both the judiciary and public opinion should support Taylor winning the case.


    Because this issue was not only related to Taylor but also closely linked to their own rights and interests.


    After the public opinion had shifted, the criticisms against Taylor rapidly decreased, and the pressure Taylor faced greatly diminished.


    Meanwhile, the media''s voices criticizing Link began to grow louder, calling him a scumbag for his philandering and being dumped by Taylor, and now that Taylor had gone through the hardship of pregnancy and childbirth, he had done nothing, yet he was trying to snatch the child away, which was too much.


    There were also comments that Taylor was facing enormous media pressure and career crisis, and instead of helping her, her ex-boyfriend, not only didn''t lend a hand but also kicked her while she was down by trying to take the child away at this moment, which was despicable.


    Those who were hostile to him took this opportunity to attack, arranging media coverage of his past misdeeds, calling on the public to boycott him, and to resist his albums and movies, never giving him a chance to make a comeback.


    The criticisms against him reached a new height.


    Ding-a-ling!


    That afternoon, while Link was swimming in the pool, he received a call from Taylor.


    "Thanks!"


    Taylor said simply and directly over the phone.


    This was the first phone conversation between them since the breakup.


    "Thanks for what?"


    "...I know your purpose for doing this, thank you for sharing the pressure with me," Taylor said in a soft voice.


    Link smiled, "Taylor, you''ve got it all wrong. The reason I''m doing this is that I think you''re not a competent mother, and it''s not appropriate for Alexander and Cynthia to stay with you. I''m going to get custody of the kids and raise them myself. Be prepared."


    "Hmph! You wish, I will never let you succeed," Taylor said angrily before hanging up the phone.


    Link let out a light laugh and also put down the phone.


    But then he suddenly remembered that he seemed to have forgotten something important.


    ----


    "Fuck! Fuck! What the hell is Link doing, coming out with this right now?" Frank Abramov, the president of global distribution and marketing at Paramount Pictures, cursed angrily.


    With "Captain America" about to be released, the lead actor Link suddenly was embroiled in this scandal; would the fans still go to the theatres to support him?


    Would people still accept him as the virtuous Captain America, considering his real life character?


    This movie had a $140 million investment, and any mishap could deal a huge blow to Paramount Pictures.


    This was too much of a setback.


    "Get in touch with Link''s people right away, tell him to drop the lawsuit, and stop making a mess," he ordered. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Also, contact the media under ViacomCBS, stop badmouthing Link, promote his positive news more. This movie is very crucial, it must be handled with care," Frank Abramov commanded, waving his arms at several subordinates in front of his desk.


    "Yes!"


    The team hurriedly got to work, looking for all possible ways to preserve Link''s reputation.


    While Paramount was in a state of panic, good news came from Dahai City, quickly turning the situation around, making everything not so bad after all.

 Chapter 614 - 455 Harvey, Stop It

    "Stir it up! Give him hell, Link must not turn this around."


    In the president''s office of Weinstein Company, Bob, with his belly pushed out, opened the door to see Harvey shouting loudly into the phone behind his large desk, his greasy cheeks flushed, looking extremely agitated.


    Bob knew what was exciting Harvey.


    Ever since his feud with Link had started, Harvey was constantly thinking about how to ruin Link and get revenge.


    But Link was too cunning, always careful and observant, usually living quietly except for spending time with a few girlfriends, practicing boxing, swimming, and barely attending public events, hardly behaving like a billionaire.


    Harvey and people like Kunas had no opportunity to set him up.


    Not only were they unable to entrap him, but good news about Link also kept coming in.


    "Bridesmaids" reached a global box office of 330 million US Dollars.


    Link forcefully seized the WBA Light Heavyweight World Champion title, and the WBA Board confirmed him as the "Super Champion," the youngest in boxing history.


    The "Mr. Tree" that Link spent 150,000 on earned nearly 8 million US Dollars in box office receipts in North America.


    Link and Ivanka successfully took over Lionsgate, and with several new movies released, the market value of Lionsgate Films was restored to 700 million US Dollars, becoming the seventh largest production company in Hollywood.


    There were also fluctuations in Tesla''s stocks, and Link''s net worth broke through 3 billion US Dollars, among other things.


    These messages were cause for celebrating with champagne for Link and those who supported him.


    But for those who loathed Link, they were like a poison striking at the heart.


    Whenever Harvey saw these news items, he couldn''t help but curse loudly, causing his blood pressure to soar.


    What annoyed Bob was that Harvey actually enjoyed watching Link''s news and would read every word of news articles that mentioned Link''s name.


    After reading, he would curse!


    In recent days, something had changed; Harvey often laughed heartily while reading the news, squinting his eyes and revealing his stained molars, which put him in a great mood.


    The main reason was that Link was facing misfortune.


    The newspapers were full of articles criticizing and blaming Link, which for Harvey, felt like the sweetest revenge, as if the global media had become his spokesperson, helping him curse Link.


    "Haha, Bob, you''re here," S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Harvey put down the phone and took a puff of his cigar, saying with a laugh, "Don''t you think Link is an idiot for jutting out at this time trying to fight for custody of his child? The media are right to bash him, this guy is nothing but a sleazebag, no, he''s scum, a disgrace, and should be completely blacklisted."


    "Are you contacting the media to continue oppressing Link?"


    Bob pulled up a chair and sat down opposite.


    "Exactly, this time I want Link''s reputation to stink, I want no one to see his movies, buy his albums, or watch his boxing matches. It would be even better if it could affect the box office of Lionsgate Films'' movies,"


    Harvey said, patting his belly.


    "Harvey, that''s not realistic,"


    Bob reminded him helplessly, "Link is not a minor star, he''s a global superstar. His influence is even greater worldwide than Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Tom Cruise, and other superstars.


    The mistake he made this time isn''t a major one. Upon learning he still had a child, he announced the fight for custody rights. Although it seems a bit hasty, it''s perfectly legitimate and reasonable, and it could even help him establish a good father figure. If he had ignored the child upon finding out, that would have been irresponsible.


    Moreover, Link isn''t just an entertainment star, he''s the boss of an entertainment company, owning Lionsgate Films, Link Music, and Dynasty Promotions. Those are significant companies in their respective fields. Plus, his net worth is over three billion, ranking him among the top six hundred wealthiest globally.


    Such negative press wouldn''t affect him, let alone a second-tier star.


    The reason the media is buzzing now is simply because Link is so famous and newsworthy; the media hyping his news gains them attention.


    It''s all just froth.


    Once this is over, Link will still be Link, a global superstar, and his fame might even climb higher because of this incident.


    Don''t forget that icons like Elvis Presley, MJ, and Britney Spears also became globally renowned due to an abundance of negative news and their considerable influence.


    Link, the bastard, is a master of manipulation; knowing he''d be criticized yet still doing this, is he truly foolish, or is it self-propaganda?


    I''m inclined to think the latter is more likely; his purpose is simple, to hype his new movie "Captain America" and his fourth album.


    Us spending money to bash him at this time won''t just fail to impact him, but he might even utilize it to promote himself.


    Harvey, it''s time to let it go."


    Bob sighed earnestly.


    Hearing Bob''s analysis, Harvey''s expression grew increasingly grim.


    He was a genius in movie production and distribution, definitely top-tier in the industry and also superb in managing the Oscars, very knowledgeable about these matters, but he couldn''t understand how something that seemed so bad for Link, upon being dissected and analyzed by Bob, could actually turn out to be a boon.


    What was more infuriating was that Bob''s analysis made a lot of sense.


    "Are you sure? You''re certain this is one of Link''s schemes?"


    Look at these newspapers, they say it''s only a week until Link''s new movie "Captain America" is released, and with such negative news breaking at this time, the box office of "Captain America" will inevitably be greatly affected, possibly suffering huge losses.


    Are you sure it''s hype, would someone do reverse hype? Has he gone mad?"


    Harvey picked up a huge stack of newspapers from the table and threw them heavily in front of Bob.


    "Harvey, I don''t need to read the newspapers to guess what they''re saying. My thought is, while this wave of negative news affects the box office of "Captain America," it isn''t as big as the media makes it out to be.


    For those who like Captain America, who like Link, they wouldn''t avoid the movie just because of a little negative news in the papers.


    Not to mention that whether on a legal or a moral level, Link hasn''t done anything wrong, he''s just a father who wants to see his child sooner. Is he to blame?


    The public''s current sympathy for Taylor is completely the media''s doing. They sensationalize it, undoubtedly making it a hotter topic.


    Moreover, Link often has a habit of following up negative news with positive news.


    Just like the year before last when he competed with the East Coast rap scene and faced hostility from Black fans, he turned around and wrote the hit tribute to MJ, "see you again".


    Last year, after facing an online backlash, he immediately made headlines as an investment genius, worth over two billion.


    Now he hasn''t made his move yet, and it''s a bit too early for us to be popping champagne at this time."


    Bob said, spreading his hands.


    Listening to him, Harvey''s expression grew even sourer.


    In recent months, he had been severely annoyed by Link, and had hoped to joyfully revel in Link''s beating during this wave of negative press, but after hearing Bob''s analysis, he realized there wasn''t much to celebrate.


    If he couldn''t take pleasure in Link being trashed by the media, then when could he celebrate, when the media praises Link?


    "Harvey, even if Link doesn''t have a backup this time, this public relations crisis might not mean much to him. He is the owner of Lionsgate Films, worth over thirty billion, a strong capital player. Acting and singing are just hobbies to him, not the core careers that sustain his social status.


    So I still believe that we must target Link through movies, using films that are both critically acclaimed and box office hits to defeat Lionsgate, to defeat Link, and make him lose terribly in this field, and he''d best slink away from Hollywood in defeat.


    This is what we''re good at, and the only area where we can beat Link. We''re truly no match in other fields,"


    Bob persuaded.


    Harvey''s expression turned grim.


    He knew all this, but the operation cycle of a movie is long, measured in years. A movie often takes more than a year from project initiation to completion, from scheduling to release, through its run, and pushing for Golden Globes and Oscars - also more than a year.


    Meaning, if he wanted to defeat Link in movies, he had to be patient, quietly waiting one or two years or even longer to possibly complete his revenge against Link.


    But he was too impatient to see Link falter now; waiting two or three years to settle this grudge might suffocate him.


    Harvey glared at Bob.


    "Why do you always speak for Link? I heard you had a good collaboration with him on the ''Master'' project, do you admire him?"


    "No, I just feel that with our current valuation, it''s nearly impossible for us to compete against Link. Clashing with him doesn''t favor the company''s interests,"


    Bob replied.


    "Interests, interests! All you think about is making money, didn''t you notice that Link is preparing to climb over our reputation? Don''t forget how Jay-Z and his people were taken down by Link,"


    Harvey said angrily.


    Bob frowned, starting to wonder if Link had intentionally provoked a conflict with Harvey as a premeditated plan, wanting to employ the same tactics he used against the East Coast rap crew to continue combatting them?


    If that were true, Link''s scheming was too deep.


    But then he shook his head, reflecting on the conflicts that had arisen between Link and Harvey. The direction of their disputes had always been controlled by Harvey.


    It was Harvey who provoked a scandal with Link''s girlfriend, Jennifer Lawrence, at first. Later, the two briefly reconciled when Link attended Harvey''s party, and then suddenly Harvey turned his back, proclaiming a Hollywood blacklisting of Link and sabotaging Jennifer''s movie roles.


    Then came the movie competition, where Harvey criticized the films released by Link like "Isolated Island Fright" and so forth; it was always Harvey taking the initiative.


    During this period, not only did Link not overreact, but he even agreed to co-produce "Master."


    From these events, Link seemed quite gentle and rational, not a difficult person to deal with, whereas Harvey''s extremities were despairingly aggressive.


    "Also, we still have allies, little Kunas, little Epstein, Bluff Daddy, Jay-Z; their net worth isn''t much less than Link''s. We''re not as weak as you think, nor is Link as powerful as you believe. As long as we keep an eye on Link, we''ll definitely have a chance to break him,"


    Harvey slowly said, smoking a cigar as if to boost his own morale.


    Bob felt helpless; Harvey was too proud and stubborn, like a tyrannical dictator, often unable to hear others'' advice.


    He thought for a moment, then proposed a bet with Harvey.


    If the current situation with Link being criticized turns around and Link has a backup, Harvey should stop thinking about how to deal with him this year and focus more time and energy on movie production.


    If there''s no turnaround, he would come up with a good idea to counter Link.


    Harvey pondered with a greasy frown, then stubbed out his cigar and agreed.

 Chapter 615 - 456: The Wind Has Shifted Again

    "Very well! Write it like that, continue to attack Link, and try to guide public opinion toward the direction of his character corruption."


    In the high-level office of Building No. 222, Little Kunas put down the phone, smiled slightly, and picked up the newspaper to continue reading the articles criticizing Link.


    These reports also included his and his partners'' contributions, although not many, but they were the most sharply worded articles, the sharpest spearheads aimed at Link.


    This time, they must make Link bleed.


    Little Kunas drummed his fingers on the desk, thought for a moment, then picked up the phone to call Mr. Thomp, Ivanka''s father. The phone buzzed a few times and was picked up by Mr. Thomp''s secretary, then passed onto Mr. Thomp''s desk.


    "Ha ha, Ryan, what''s up?"


    Over the phone, Mr. Thomp''s high and resounding voice came through, and he seemed in a very good mood.


    "Uncle Thomp, it''s been a while since I joined you for golf. Whenever you play, remember to invite me. I would like to learn a few tricks from you."


    Little Kunas spoke with a warm tone and a laugh.


    "Ha ha, Ryan, that''s good of you, knowing to proactively learn golf, unlike Link. I''ve invited him to come to New York to learn golf with me when he''s free, but he always says he doesn''t have time. I don''t know what a young guy like him is busy with all day."


    Mr. Thomp said with a tone of dissatisfaction.


    Little Kunas smiled faintly and said, "Uncle Thomp, have you seen the news these past few days? The news said that Link..."


    "Ha ha, yes, I saw it, ''The Wall Street Journal'' said that Link''s net worth has exceeded 3 billion US dollars and he still has a lot of room to grow.


    The old buddies at the club all say he''s impressive, only 22 years old and already worth 3 billion US dollars, and in another ten years, he might increase to 100 billion, even 300 billion, making more money than us old guys.


    Ha ha, Ryan, you''ve seen the news too, what do you think of Link?"


    Mr. Thomp asked cheerfully.


    Little Kunas''s eyes twitched. That wasn''t what he wanted to ask, nor did he want to hear old Thomp praising how impressive Link was.


    "Ahem, I saw it too, Link indeed has some luck in investments, Uncle Thomp, I was saying..."


    "Luck? It''s not just luck, Ryan. Link owns assets like Lionsgate Films and Link Music, these two companies alone are worth a total of 1.4 billion US dollars, not to mention he also holds shares in Dynasty Promotion Company and that... Golden Shell Investment Management Company. Yes, that''s the one, supposedly valued almost at 20 billion.


    He and Eva together managed to create two companies worth over 700 million in the past few years out of nothing. This can''t be done just by luck, it requires more skill and vision.


    Ryan, you''re also a promising young man, when you have time, talk more with Link and Eva, try setting up a business together, maybe in the future you could create several companies with a market value of over a hundred million. Old Kunas would probably laugh out loud if he knew."


    Mr. Thomp laughed heartily.


    Little Kunas covered his forehead, gritting his molars as he said, "Uncle Thomp, I meant about the news in the media criticizing Link for using his wealth and power to try to take away Taylor''s child, do you think it''s good for Link to do this?"


    "It''s good, Link''s net worth is over thirty billion, it''s good for the child to be with him. What the media says is all nonsense; we know what''s really going on, just treat it as entertainment, ha ha, Ryan, I have another call coming in, let''s talk another time."


    Click, Mr. Thomp hung up the phone.


    Damn it!


    Little Kunas angrily put down the phone.


    He hadn''t expected old Thomp to be so lacking in integrity, just because Link was worth over three billion, even the atrocious thing he did doesn''t matter. It was infuriating.


    Little Kunas took several deep breaths, grabbed the phone and called Ivanka''s office, hearing from informants that Ivanka was dealing with work at Link Music these few days.


    The call was picked up by Ivanka''s assistant, Little Kunas gave his name and said it was important business with Ivanka.


    The assistant said the chairman was currently very busy and would only be free later, and scheduled an appointment for an hour later.


    Little Kunas waited in the office for an hour and a half, finally hearing Ivanka''s charming yet stern voice through the handset.


    "Ryan, what is it, I have a minute to listen to you talk."


    Ivanka''s speech was fast, efficient, and she didn''t beat around the bush.


    "Eva, you know about the news of Link and Taylor having two illegitimate children, and he''s even planning to take back the custody of the children. If he really succeeds, you will end up being those children''s stepmother. Do you want to have two children before even marrying him?"


    Little Kunas knew Ivanka''s ways; she really meant just one minute, so he had to speed up his speech to finish in one go, lest there be no chance.


    "What''s that to you?"


    Ivanka asked calmly, without a hint of emotion, not even a sign of anger or dissatisfaction.


    "Eva, we are friends, and I really care about you. Link is a playboy; he has many lovers outside, not to mention who knows how many illegitimate children. He doesn''t deserve you; you deserve a better man."


    "Like?"


    "Like??" S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Little Kunas turned red-faced, wracking his brain for a few seconds, but couldn''t think of a suitable candidate. He wanted to mention himself, yet he couldn''t speak up.


    "My Link is the best man in the world. I love him, and I will try to love his illegitimate children too, even accept his lovers outside. Ryan, don''t call about this kind of thing again."


    Click! The phone was hung up, and the timer showed exactly one minute.

 Chapter 616 - 456: The Wind Has Shifted Again_2

    Little Kunas listened to the droning response on the phone, his expression twisted and fearsome with rage.


    He had not expected Ivanka to be like this now, not only not blaming Link for having illegitimate children outside, but even accepting that bastard keeping a mistress. This was just too hypocritical.


    Moreover, the adoration, love, pride, attachment, sweetness, and silent warmth that seeped through Ivanka''s tone when she mentioned "my Link" were gentler than the softest currents in the world.


    If that tenderness were directed at him, he''d feel blissfully happy, even to the point where his bones would melt in the sound of that voice.


    But it wasn''t.


    It was "my Link" that Ivanka spoke about. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn Link, all of this should have been mine, mine!"


    Little Kunas angrily knocked over the laptop, telephone, folders, and stacks of newspapers on the table... There was a loud clatter as a heap of items scattered across the floor.


    After venting furiously, Little Kunas adjusted his tie, took several deep breaths, and gradually calmed down. He picked up the phone to call his assistant, telling them to keep contacting the media.


    This time he wasn''t just going to criticize Link; he would also berate Ivanka.


    Saying she was after Link''s three billion, if Link were a penniless nobody, she would definitely not fall for him; she was nothing but a materialistic, snobbish, superficial, bad woman.


    Little Kunas ranted into the phone.


    "Boss, the direction of public opinion has shifted."


    Suddenly the assistant reminded him.


    "The direction has shifted? How so? Which way? Do you think we''re sailing here, that the wind changes just like that?"


    Little Kunas shouted, annoyed.


    "Boss, the direction really has shifted. You can open the Yahoo website and see. Many of the news stories have been pulled, replaced with news that''s favorable to Link."


    The assistant said.


    Little Kunas frowned, picked up the nearly smashed laptop from the floor, connected the network cable, and checked.


    Upon opening the Yahoo website, the first thing he saw was a bold headline, "Link defeats Phelps to sweep four golds at the championships," followed by a flashing "hot" label.


    Opening the news article, it was a dispatch from an Associated Press reporter sent from Huaxia.


    The 14th World Swimming Championships were held from July 16th to 31st, 2011 in Dahai City, Huaxia.


    Link, Phelps, Ryan Lochte, and other famous swimmers represented the United States team in various swimming events at the championships.


    In yesterday''s and today''s finals, Link successively defeated Brazilian star Cielo, French star Bernal, South Korean star Park Hwan-tae, and others in the 50/100/200 freestyle events, securing gold medals in three categories.


    Also, in the 4x100 freestyle relay, he worked with Phelps and other teammates to achieve another gold medal.


    In the first three days of the World Swimming Championships, Link had already obtained four gold medals, broken three world records, and advanced to the semifinals and finals in six more events.


    The Associated Press predicts that Link is expected to win over seven gold medals at this World Championships and break more than five world records.


    He will also become the seed swimmer of the U.S. swimming team and the first to qualify for the swimming events of next year''s London Olympics.


    "Fuck!"


    Little Kunas couldn''t help but curse aloud as he read the news; he had forgotten about the World Swimming Championships and that Link was still an official member of the national swimming team.


    He closed the Associated Press news page and continued to browse other news sections on the Yahoo website.


    He found that many news programs criticising Link in the morning had, by now, swapped half their content for reports of Link''s stunning collection of four gold medals at the World Championships.


    They discussed how amazing Link was at swimming, why he was so good, any connection between boxing and swimming, and provided numerous video links to the competitions¡ªall extremely popular.


    He then looked at Google, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and other social and news platforms, and noticed the trending topics had changed as well.


    News of Link beating renowned swimmers like Phelps and leading the medal rankings at the Championships skyrocketed, overtaking several stories that criticised him and Taylor for fighting over their child, becoming the number one trend on most search lists.


    The speed with which these online media changed their tune was faster than flipping through a book.


    "Why is this happening?"


    "It''s just four gold medals from the World Championships, not the Olympics, so why such high popularity?"


    Kunas paused for a moment, then made a call to his assistant, asking them to investigate the reason for this shift in public sentiment.


    Even if the news of Link securing four gold medals at the World Championships was sensational, it couldn''t reverse the narrative within half a day.


    He didn''t have that kind of influence, so it must have been Link''s music team spending a lot of money on public relations, intentionally exaggerating the news, trying to turn around his reputation before the release of Link''s new album.


    It would be ideal to find evidence to see how much money Link''s music team had spent, and it wouldn''t be too bad if it could make Link spend some more.


    But the assistant informed him that they had already communicated with the media and it was "Captain America" that exerted its force.


    Captain America was a movie produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures.


    And Paramount''s parent company was ViacomCBS, which also owns MTV, with Lei Shidong exerting significant influence in the entertainment and media industry.


    The assistant also mentioned that news outlets under the News Corporation were focusing on reporting this news.


    And some media under the Hearst Corporation as well.


    As a result of the combined effort of these three large media conglomerates, the internet and television news media were the first to make adjustments.


    This led to a strange phenomenon: while the American newspapers and magazines were still discussing the legal and moral issues of Link and Taylor fighting over their child, the internet and television news had already switched to reporting Link''s gold medal victories at the World Championships.


    This situation also demonstrated the serious delay of print media in reporting news.


    Other media, seeing the shift in focus, quickly adjusted their reporting priorities to attract audiences and be the first to sell their news products.


    If this trend continued, it was foreseeable that, starting tomorrow, most media would drop the old news about Link and switch to his latest developments.


    Some media might choose to cover both stories, simultaneously praising Link and criticising him.


    This would also make Link even more controversial.


    Yet, this kind of mixed public opinion, half good and half bad, wasn''t necessarily a bad thing for a public figure, and it might actually further enhance his influence.


    "Boss, should we still pay to have press releases written that criticise Link?"


    The assistant asked.


    Kunas''s lips trembled, but he couldn''t make a sound.


    Paying well-known commentators to continue vilifying Link had been his strategy, and it was quite effective in creating immense public pressure on Link when the mainstream media was criticising him.


    But now that the tide had turned, it was no use continuing to criticise him.


    "Wait for now, there might still be an opportunity."


    Kunas reluctantly hung up the phone.

 Chapter 617 - 457: Captain America Released (10/10)

    Just one day later, there was more good news coming from Huaxia.


    In the men''s 400 meter freestyle event, Link beat the United States team''s Hansen, South Africa''s Vanderberg, Australia''s Sprungel, and other famous swimmers, with an astonishing time of 3 minutes 28.16 seconds, once again breaking the world record for the event.


    On the fifth day of the competition, Link had already won five gold medals, broken four world records, and qualified for the finals in all five remaining events.


    After the news spread, the American media rushed to cover it, all expressing amazement at Link''s achievements at the World Swimming Championships, praising him as the ''Sea King,'' ''Torpedo,'' and ''Nuclear Submarine.''


    This also led to many media outlets, which had been criticizing Link just a day before, saying he bullied Taylor and was a total jerk, to change their tune and start praising him as the strongest and most outstanding man in the world.


    This rapid shift wasn''t due to the media practitioners'' change of heart, nor was it the result of public relations by Paramount Music and Link''s team, but because the public enjoyed this kind of news, and reporting it garnered more acclaim.


    At the moment, with Link representing the United States team in competition, everyone was delighted with his achievements.


    If the mainstream media went against public sentiment at this time and continued to stab Link in the back, that would be wrong.


    Not only would the general public not accept it, but the financiers would not either.


    Those who claimed to represent the people, the legislators, wouldn''t accept it either. They would use their influence to rebuke the media and speak up for Link, garnering goodwill and scooping up some votes in front of the public.


    In this situation, the media had no choice but to abandon their previous critical articles, quickly switch positions, and start speaking well of Link to please their reader base.


    "Haha, fantastic, fantastic, Link is really a magical guy, I have always said that having him play Captain America would bring us lots of surprises."


    Look, all the newspapers are filled with praise for Link, saying he''s Superman, the swim team''s Captain America, a nuclear-powered submarine.


    Haha, they''re all articles extolling Link, saving our company a fortune in promotional expenses.


    Dear Link is truly incredible, partnering with him was the best decision."


    At the headquarters of Paramount Pictures, Frank Abramov, President of Global Distribution and Marketing, holding a stack of newspapers, kept talking non-stop to a few subordinates at his desk, the smile never fading from his face.


    "....."


    The management of the distribution department exchanged glances and secretly smirked.


    Just a few days earlier, in this very office, Abramov was fuming, cursing Link as a bastard, a huge liability, and berating the production company and Marvel Studios for not knowing how to pick actors, saying that choosing Link as Captain America was asking for trouble.


    He even said that Link would bankrupt Paramount Pictures.


    Within just a few days, President Abramov too had swiftly changed his stance, lavishing praise on Link and shamelessly claiming that choosing Link to play Captain America had been his idea, and now he even dared to use terms of endearment like ''dear,'' which was just too cheeky.


    "Tom, I''m allocating another five million to your department to continue hyping up Link''s championship wins at the World Championships, the more buzz the better."


    "This idea of the swim team''s Captain America is great, we can focus on that. Our goal is to make Link the true Captain America."


    "Also, with Captain America soon to premiere and Link unable to attend the premiere or other promotional events due to the competition, we have to explain the situation to the fans, encourage them to support Link''s movie at the theater, which is also a way to support Link in winning more gold medals."


    "Our box office won''t disappoint Link, and Link''s performance in the competition won''t disappoint us either," President Abramov energetically stated.


    "Alright, Mr. President," the head of the promotions department, Tom, nodded in agreement.


    Abramov continued to delegate tasks to the other managers.


    Now that the mainstream media was helping with the promotion of Link, it was as if the movie Captain America was riding a wave of public opinion. If they didn''t take advantage of this momentum, it would be foolish.


    For seasoned experts in promotion and hype, this was a rookie mistake they wouldn''t make. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under the drive of the Paramount Pictures distribution and marketing division, more and more media outlets joined in the promotion and praise of Link and Captain America.


    This type of promotion wasn''t limited to inside the United States but was happening worldwide, including in Britain, France, Japan, Germany, and other countries and regions where Captain America was simultaneously released.


    This resulted in many foreigners who didn''t know Link was a competitive swimmer being utterly confused.


    World boxing champion, music megastar, movie star, billionaire, playboy Link was also a swimming champion?


    And he won five gold medals at the World Championships?


    For real?


    ----


    After an intensive period of promotion, on July 22, the seventh day of the World Championships, Captain America premiered in 4,115 theaters across North America, with a weekend box office of 70.82 million US dollars, nearly 18,000 US dollars per theater, and it topped the box office chart for the week.


    Although the 70.82 million US dollar opening was not as high as the 169 million US dollars from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 released on July 15, or as high as The Dark Knight, Transformers 2, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man''s Chest, Spider-Man 3, or The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, it performed better than the opening box office of other movies of the same genre released that year.


    Before Captain America, Thor released in June had a 65.70 million US dollar premiere, Green Lantern had 53.20 million US dollars, and X-Men: First Class had a 55.10 million US dollar opening weekend.

 Chapter 618 - 457: Captain America Released (10/10) _2

    "Captain America" had a budget of $140 million, including the 3D version, which was lower compared to "Thor''s" $150 million, "X-Men''s" $160 million, and "Green Lantern''s" $200 million budgets.


    Looking at these figures, Captain America''s box office was successful.


    And the reviews were relatively good as well.


    34 US media outlets gave the film an average rating of 71, including "Complete Movie," "Box Office Magazine," and "Chicago Reader," 9 of which rated it above 80.


    "Hollywood Reporter," "Time," and "The Washington Post" among 12 media outlets gave it scores above 70.


    "Rolling Stone," "Variety," "The Wall Street Journal," and "Village Voice," which are relatively strict, all gave it scores above 40.


    On Rotten Tomatoes, it had a freshness rating of 75%, with 84 people supporting and 28 opposing; on Yahoo, the audience rating was a B.


    The reception was much better than the flop "Green Lantern," a bit better than "Thor," and on par with "X-Men."


    The media was also relatively positive when reviewing the male lead, Link.


    "Chicago Tribune" commented that "Captain America" is this year''s most stylish superhero blockbuster... Link is undoubtedly the perfect Captain America, and in the future, almost no one could surpass him because Link himself is a living Captain America.


    "The Washington Post" thinks that "Captain America" is undoubtedly a credible movie.


    It allowed superheroes to save the world, and its box office success also salvaged some dignity for the increasingly bleak superhero movies... Link is also a reliable Captain America.


    In the ongoing swimming competition at the World Championships in Dahai City, with key players like Phelps, Hansen, and Vandekay having missteps for the US team, Link single-handedly turned the tide, securing six gold medals in six events, breaking four world records, and firmly keeping the US team''s gold medal count in the first place.


    Just based on this, Link''s performance as Captain America is beyond reproach.


    "Village Voice" magazine''s review was rather harsh, stating that spending over two hours on a pretentious, stale film was unnecessary.


    While Link was the only highlight of the film, the director did not utilize Link''s artistic face and delicate, gentle acting style as perfectly as Woody Allen did in "Midnight in Paris."


    Nor did it showcase Link''s bravery and strength, family and brotherly values from "Fighter" and "The Expendables," leaving Link''s performance in a very exaggerated state.


    The charm of Link + Captain America


    ¡ª


    "Go Link! Go Link!"


    As "Captain America" was hotly shown in over twenty countries worldwide, the 14th Swimming World Championships were also being held vigorously.


    The World Swimming Championships, organized by the International Swimming Federation, is the highest level international swimming event.


    It started in 1973 and has been held every two years, and in March 2007, after beating Doha, Dahai City in Huaxia successfully won the right to host the 14th Swimming World Championships in 2011, also marking the first time Huaxia hosted the swimming world championships.


    Including swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, water polo, open water, totaling five major categories and 68 sub-categories. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The main venue of the competition was the Dahai City East Sports Center.


    On the ninth day of the competition, the men''s 1500-meter freestyle event was taking place in the swimming hall.


    In the third lane was Link, wearing a blue sharkskin suit.


    Compared to the other eight lanes of competitors, his speed was significantly faster.


    After the third turn, his speed increased further, distancing the second place Canadian competitor Corondo by one third of a lane, leaving even more distance from the other competitors.


    "This freak!"


    In the spectator zone, ''Flying Fish'' Phelps clenched his fist, his expression twisted as he cursed.


    "Don''t be envious! Don''t be envious, Link is not a normal person, he is Captain America."


    Teammate Ryan Lochte consoled him.


    "How can I not be envious, this freak is a boxer, trains his muscles in the gym every day, why can he also swim so fast in the water, and besides, he shoots movies, sings, dates all year round, hardly trains seriously, why does he swim faster and faster? It''s unfair."


    Phelps said with a face full of envy and resentment.


    Compared to Link''s dominance in the freestyle events, what upset him more was that during Link''s first participation in a mixed swimming event, he unexpectedly took second place in the 400m individual medley, beating him to third place.


    Initially, Link wasn''t good at this event, and Phelps wasn''t his competitor back in the 2009 World Championships.


    Yet in the past two years, Link managed to beat him, rising from world rank seven to second, only 1.5 seconds slower than the first place, with such growth rate, he had a great chance to win the championship at next year''s Olympics.


    And would leave him even further behind.


    What made Phelps even more jealous was that Link only participated in intramural sports swimming competitions in the last two years, never attending other major events and usually training only in his home pool, rarely going to swimming halls.


    And still able to swim faster than him.


    Besides calling him a freak, Phelps found no other words.


    "Ryan, Link said training boxing could also improve swimming speed, should we try incorporating boxing into our training as well?"


    Phelps pondered, stroking his chin.


    "This..."


    Ryan Lochte was unsure how to respond.


    From a sports science perspective, it felt far-fetched, as boxing training increases upper limb strength and coordination between hands and feet, whereas swimming training is more comprehensive, requiring the cooperation of muscles all over the body.

 Chapter 619 - 457: Captain America Premiere (10/10) _3

    The muscles trained by the two types of sports are different, focusing on different areas.


    The content of boxing training probably wouldn''t do much to improve swimming speed.


    However, the person advocating for boxing training as a way to improve swimming techniques is the swimming legend Link, whose personal practice and competition data seem quite persuasive.


    "You should ask Coach Bob Bowman about this, he should be able to give you better guidance,"


    Lochte said.


    Phelps nodded.


    Drip!


    A beep sounded from the pool, as Link in lane three was the first to reach the end.


    "What''s the time?"


    The American team members, including Phelps, all stood up to look at the display of the controller.


    When they saw the time was 14 minutes 22.17 seconds, everyone cheered.


    The previous world record for this event was set by the German swimmer Biedermann at the ''08 Olympics, with a time of 14 minutes 37 seconds, a record that had stood for three years.


    This time, Link had improved the record by 15 seconds.


    "That''s freakish."


    Phelps was lost for words.


    On the pool deck, Link sat on the edge, and after more than ten seconds, the second-place Canadian swimmer Corondo and third-place Tunisian swimmer Maluli finally reached the end, with times of 14 minutes 39 seconds and 14 minutes 41 seconds respectively.


    Both looked at Link with speechless expressions, muttering about facing the freak again.


    Since Link had won six events in a row, he had become the big bad of this World Championships, causing competitors in every event to groan about their impending doom upon facing him.


    Facing an opponent like Link, everyone was at a loss for what to do.


    "Hello, Mr. Baker, may I interview you?"


    As Link left the pool, a CCTV5 reporter approached with a microphone.


    "Of course, you may ask anything, beautiful journalist miss,"


    Link said, wiping the water from his face with a towel.


    "Mr. Baker, congratulations on winning the 1500-meter freestyle and setting a new world record. How are you feeling right now?"


    The journalist asked.


    "Fantastic! I love competing here, I''m talking about Dahai City. This is my second time here this year, and it feels just like home. Yes, my mood is quite good,"


    Link said with a smile, draped in a towel and facing the camera.


    "Mr. Baker, what do you think of the strengths of your competitors in this race?"


    The journalist continued.


    "Are you asking about Corondo and Maluli? They''re all good, but it''s just unfortunate for them that they had to compete against me. I''m just a bit stronger than they are,"


    "Do you know about Sun Yang from Huaxia, what do you think about his strength?"


    The journalist asked.


    "Sun Yang? He didn''t participate in the 1500-meter event."


    Link looked towards the lanes, where only one Huaxia swimmer, Zhang Lin, was positioned in seventh place, some distance from the top three.


    "Yes, Sun Yang is competing in butterfly and breaststroke events. He defeated Phelps yesterday and won the 200-meter butterfly,"


    The journalist said.


    "Yes, I saw yesterday''s competition. Sun Yang''s ability to defeat Phelps in that event shows his incredible strength. I consider him one of the brightest stars of these World Championships, and I would very much like to learn his butterfly technique if he''s willing,"


    Not far off, Sun Yang initially wanted to come over to greet Link but quickly circled around a pillar to leave upon hearing that Link wanted to learn butterfly technique.


    Everybody knew that Link was freakishly good in freestyle events.


    His performance in events requiring more technical skills like butterfly, backstroke, and breaststroke was average, yet he still possessed top-ten-in-the-world ability. If he acquired those techniques, it would mean one more formidable competitor in future races.


    Helping a rival gain such an advantage was not an option.


    "Mr. Baker, thank you for the interview and we wish you more records in this World Championships,"


    "Thank you, I will,"


    Link waved at the camera, put on his headphones, and left the scene. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Link! Link!"


    As Link exited, many fans in the stands cheered him on, including Lilith Zhao and Yang Dami.


    Link waved his hand, willingly signing autographs for the fans in the front row and taking photos with a few athletes who were fans.


    "Sister Mi, the boss is too incredible, right? World boxing champion, top singer, billionaire, and now also champion in seven swimming events at the World Championships. Is he Superman?"


    In the stands, Lilith Zhao looked toward Link in the center of the pool, her round face full of admiration and affection.


    "Of course, what else can you expect from our boss,"


    Yang Dami replied smugly, patting Lilith Zhao on the shoulder, calling her to join in welcoming the boss off work.


    ¡ª


    The 14th World Swimming Championships came to a successful close on July 31 at the Oriental Sports Center in Dahai City.


    Link, who had entered ten events, finished as the individual with the most gold medals and total medals, with 7 golds, 2 silvers, and 1 bronze.


    The gold-medal events included 50-meter, 100-meter, 200-meter, 400-meter, and 1500-meter freestyles, as well as the men''s 4¡Á100-meter freestyle relay and the men''s 4¡Á200-meter freestyle relay.


    The two silver medals came from the 400-meter individual medley and the men''s 4¡Á100-meter medley relay.


    The bronze was from the 200-meter individual medley.


    Furthermore, Link and the United States swimming team broke world records in six events; Link personally secured Olympic entry tickets for ten events.


    "Link, what if I also trained in boxing with you?"


    On the plane back to the United States, Phelps approached Link to ask.


    "No problem. I train at Muscle Beach Club in Los Angeles. If you are interested in boxing, you can come and find me anytime,"

 Chapter 620 - 457: Captain America Released (10/10) _4

    Link, wearing a pair of headphones, flipped through the newspapers from the United States and said.


    "I''m not interested in boxing, but what fascinates me is your training method. How do you train, and why do you keep swimming faster?"


    Phelps frowned and sized him up before asking. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link smiled lightly, folded the Los Angeles Times in his hands, and said, "It''s because I''m more diligent in my training. I train for over fifty hours a week and my physical fitness has greatly improved."


    "Over fifty hours a week?"


    Phelps thought about it for a moment and shook his head. No one could do that. Practicing so much every day would wear out the body; it would be a waste of effort.


    "Link, would you like to learn breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke? I can teach you."


    "Oh, and now you''re willing to teach me?"


    In the past, when he had planned to go to Boston to learn these three techniques from Phelps, Phelps always had excuses about not having time, only sending him some video materials without teaching him any core techniques.


    "Don''t ask too many questions. I''m currently ramping up my training at the swimming gym. Remember to come over when you have time, and we can train together," Phelps said.


    "OK!"


    Link nodded in agreement and continued to read the newspaper in his hands, mainly the movie news.


    "Captain America" had grossed $118 million in North America and $102 million overseas in just seven days after its release, breaking even in its first week at the box office, which looked very good, performing much better than other films of its genre this year.


    In the top ten box office rankings, there was also a movie starring Link, "Midnight in Paris," which after being released on June 10th, stayed in the top thirteen for seven consecutive weeks.


    Its revenue slightly increased this week due to the influence of "Captain America."


    With $1.89 million, it ranked tenth, accumulating $60.69 million in North America and approximately $114 thousand overseas, with the global box office expected to be close to $180 million.


    Then there was "Bridesmaids" which had been delayed and ranked fourteenth at the weekly box office, earning $1.28 million.


    With a cumulative North American box office of $137 million and overseas earnings of $208 million, after nearly three months of screening, its potential seemed exhausted, with a projected global box office of around $350 million.


    Based on a $350 million global box office, Palm Beach Films, as one of the producers, received an income of approximately $75 million. Lionsgate Films, the distributor, made around $21 million, plus about $12 million in compensation from Warner Bros. Pictures.


    The total revenue was about $108 million. After deducting the $20 million investment and about $7.5 million for marketing and distribution, the net income was close to $80 million US dollars.


    Making $80 million in a little over two years, from an investment perspective, was a high-return investment.


    For Link personally, it was rather ordinary.


    Link flipped through other newspapers, intending to see how much negative news there was about him. After looking through, he couldn''t find a single piece of negative coverage.


    At most, film critics stated that his performance in "Captain America" was slightly below par compared to "Midnight in Paris."


    Contrarily, there was plenty of flattering news.


    USA Today praised his continued miraculous performance at the World Championships, first winning five gold medals in individual events, and then helping the US team win two more in relays, describing him as a deserving Captain America.


    Variety magazine remarked that he performed well in "Captain America," naming him the best Captain America, and a highlight of the otherwise unremarkable film, contributing over 45% to the movie''s box office success.


    After going through them, Link indeed didn''t find any negative articles about himself, nor any criticizing Taylor.


    The incident involving him and Taylor a while back seemed to have never occurred.


    Link smiled lightly and breathed a sigh of relief; that issue was finally behind him. The next time he went to see his child, he could do so with his head held high, without fear of Taylor''s reactions.


    Buzz buzz buzz!


    They had arrived in Los Angeles; the plane gently landed at Los Angeles International Airport.


    Upon exiting the airport, Link and the swimming team members received VIP treatment.


    Hundreds of media reporters and over a thousand fans waited outside the airport to greet them, with reporters clamoring to interview Link and excited fans calling his name, seeking autographs and photos.


    Link obliged them all and spent half an hour at the airport before saying goodbye to his teammates and getting into a car.


    "Finally some peace and quiet,"


    Link sighed as he closed the car door.


    "Darling, welcome home,"


    Hearing the voice, he turned his head and saw Ivanka approaching with a bunch of fresh flowers, her smile beaming.


    With her blonde hair cascading down, she was dressed in the blouse and skirt ensemble she wore for work. Her cool and elegant face had a slight smile with uplifted red lips, lighting up the entire car. The air was filled with a peach-like fragrance.


    Link smiled gently, couldn''t help but reach out to embrace her, and lowered his head to kiss her rosy lips. Ivanka tenderly responded.


    Mrs. Anna smiled and turned her head to look out the window at the sparkling sea.

 Chapter 621 - 458: New Album Leak

    Bang bang bang!


    When Link returned to the villa, he thought he heard someone shout, "Link is back."


    As he stepped into the hall, a series of blast sounds suddenly erupted around him, making him feel as if he had walked into an ambush by enemy gunmen upon entering; he instinctively pulled Ivanka, who was beside him, into his arms.


    Suddenly, a shower of cool hops rained down like a torrential downpour, along with streamers and confetti pouring down from above, drenching both him and Ivanka in his arms.


    "Surprise!"


    Little round-faced Selena jumped out from behind the door with a big bottle of Ace of Spades champagne, shouting surprise and spraying it at him, her rosy little cheeks bearing an excited, mischievous grin.


    "Link, surprise!"


    "Link, congratulations on your triumphant return! You''re so awesome!"


    "Link, I''m proud of you!"


    There were also Catherine, Ms. Mandy, little sister Anne, Emma Stone, Paul Walker, Casey Affleck, Tobey Maguire, Jennifer Lawrence, Alexandra Daddario, Emma Roberts, Christine, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Kesha, Lana Del Rey, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Morales, brother Mars, Ariana Grande, Wiz Khalifa, Snoopy Dogg, Michelle Rodriguez, James Franco, Mario, Francois Duval, De La Hoya, Simon, and many others.


    Also there were Link''s sister Tiffany, brother Taylor Austin, the neighboring couple Scott Stuber, Elon Musk and his wife, Megan Ellison, David Ellison, and over a hundred more people.


    Many friends from inside and outside the circles were there.


    "That startled me, haha, what a huge surprise."


    "Thank you, anyone who wants an autograph from their idol better come forward fast."


    Link laughed, glanced at Ivanka in his arms, knew that this must have been her arrangement, and embraced her as he walked into the crowd to receive everyone''s congratulations.


    He immediately took out three gold medals, letting everyone draw lots and try their luck at winning a medal to add excitement to the party. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hearing him say this, everyone cheered excitedly, and the party became even livelier and boisterous, especially during the wine bottle spinning and gold medal grab, the shouting almost shattered the glass windows of the hall.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After the party, the place was in total disarray.


    While Link was tidying up the bookshelf, Selena walked over unsteadily, holding half a bottle of fruit wine, her little round face flushed and staggering with every three steps she took, like a little drunk kitten.


    "Link!"


    Selena tugged at his clothes.


    "What, if you are drunk go to bed, don''t stagger around here."


    Link took the wine bottle from her hand, grabbed a cold wet towel, and wiped her dirty face to help her sober up.


    "Annoying!"


    Selena pushed his hand away, pouting her lips, "I didn''t get a gold medal, I didn''t spin it."


    "That''s your bad luck, why tell me."


    Link continued to tidy up the mess of vinyl record collection boxes.


    "Can you give me one, pretty please?"


    Selena pulled on his belt and called out, her voice sweet and not at all like her angry screeching.


    "Tell me what good things you''ve done lately, if I''m satisfied, I might consider giving you one."


    "Me?"


    Selena tilted her little round face and thought for a moment, then said excitedly, "I''ve been recording songs recently and wrote two new ones, Taylor said they''re pretty good. I also enrolled at UCLA, starting to be a college student from now on, hehe. I went to Nashville to see Alexander and Cynthia; they''re both so adorable, just like when I was a kid, definitely going to be beloved big stars when they grow up... Is that okay?"


    "Think, did you miss anything?"


    Link tapped her forehead.


    Selena blinked her blurry eyes, shook her head, "No!"


    "No? Did you forget about last time you called me the big devil, intending to rally all fans to siege me? You forgot?"


    "Ah! I was just kidding to scare you, I didn''t really tell the fans to scold you, you still remember that after so long? You''re such a petty man, Taylor even said you''re very generous, which is not at all, hmph! Cheapskate!"


    Selena crossed her arms and turned to look away, her lips turned up high.


    Link smiled faintly, picked up a gold medal, and a silver medal.


    "The pouting little girl, here''s a gold medal, a silver medal, which one do you want?"


    Selena quickly turned back, her round eyes fixated on the glittering gold medal and the shining silver medal, her pupils turned one gold, one silver.


    "I want both!"


    "Dream on."


    Link hung a gold medal around her neck, patted her shoulder, and sent her off to play.


    Selena looked at the gold medal, bit it gently with her little tiger teeth, and walked away contentedly.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After returning to America, Link didn''t even have time to rest before joining the promotion for "Captain America."


    <p

 Chapter 622 - 458: New Album Leak_2

    Resulting in overseas gross box office that still falls short of North America, during the same period, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ¨C Part 2" achieved $380 million in North America''s box office but nearly $1 billion overseas, while "Thor" earned $180 million in North America and $260 million overseas.


    Nevertheless, the "Captain America" box office figures still exceeded the expectations of Paramount Pictures and several professional media.


    Originally, Paramount''s marketing department had predicted that this movie''s global box office would be around $360 million.


    Currently, the total box office has surpassed $300 million in just ten days, with expectations to reach approximately $480 million, a high likelihood of breaking $500 million, which is over $100 million more than originally anticipated.


    "Complete Movie" believes the main reason for this difference lies in Link.


    In the half-month leading up to the film''s release, Link was a name mentioned daily in the US media and was also a highly controversial and topical figure.


    This exposure also brought extremely high popularity to "Captain America."


    Initially, Paramount Pictures was unsure whether this popularity was good or bad. At first, they dared not mention Link''s name in promoting the film and replaced it on movie posters with masked stills of Link as Captain America or with images from the Captain America comics.


    The purpose was to prevent Link''s negative news from dragging down the movie''s box office performance.


    Paramount Pictures hadn''t even started to replace posters on a large scale yet.


    The news that Link had won several championships at the 14th World Swimming Championships soon followed.


    The mainstream American media was also forced to adjust their promotional strategies, shifting from criticizing Link to praising him.


    After a scare, Paramount Pictures hurriedly joined the mainstream media in promoting both Link and the world championships, causing Link and Captain America''s fame to skyrocket instantaneously.


    As Link secured his fifth gold medal, nearly all mainstream American media reported on it, highly praising Link as the miraculous Link, the incredible Link, the strongest and fastest man in the world.


    "Captain America" was released amid this harmonious atmosphere, with its premiere box office exceeding expectations, the first week''s box office exceeding expectations, and the ten-day global box office also exceeding expectations.


    This outperformance also demonstrated that the key to "Captain America"''s box office success lay in Link, not Paramount Pictures.


    In this climate of public opinion, Link''s box office draw was greatly magnified.


    Nominated by media such as the "Hollywood Reporter" as the 2011 actor with the strongest box-office appeal from the ''80s generation and also the most cost-effective actor, investing one US dollar in him could yield a return of 23 US dollars.


    Even "Midnight in Paris," "Bridesmaids," and the moderately successful "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," benefitted from his participation and recent exposure, achieving better than expected box office results.


    This also led to a significant increase in Link''s film offers, mostly as the leading man in major commercial films, and his fees also reaching over $20 million.


    However, he still had "Avengers" and "The Expendables 2" on hand, and with limited time, he had not yet decided which new project to take on.


    "Why not take a break before getting busy again? You haven''t had a proper rest since the beginning of the year."


    In the office, Ivanka came over and gently massaged his shoulders, the air filled with her fragrance.


    "You haven''t had a rest either. Don''t you feel tired?"


    Link chuckled lightly, holding a signing pen, flamboyantly signed on deluxe album covers.


    "I just sit in the office reviewing documents all day. When I''m tired, I go shopping or to beauty treatments. But you, every day you''re either training hard at the training field or flying around the world busy with work and competitions. Aren''t you wearing yourself out?"


    Ivanka said worriedly.


    "Don''t worry, I''m in good shape. Tonight, at least one hour, you''re not allowed to play dead."


    Link touched the jade hand on his shoulder.


    "I wouldn''t dare."


    Ivanka fluttered her lashes coquettishly at him, her plump lips slightly curling up, "After we''re done with the movie and album, how about we go on vacation to Hawaii? We can go somewhere else too, you pick the place, I''ll be with you."


    "That''s possible, but after the album, I still have to shoot a film in France, participate in two boxing matches, and the company is releasing three new films, you''ll be busy too."


    "We won''t have many days to play. Let''s just find somewhere close for a short break, and at the end of the year, we''ll drop everything and have a whole month of fun in Hawaii or wherever."


    "Alright, it''s settled then."


    Ivanka wrapped her arms around his neck from behind, her soft lips kissing his cheek.


    As he reached out to carry her, Ivanka lightly laughed, sidestepped his reach with her long legs, agilely avoiding his grasp, and continued working behind the desk.


    ¡ª¡ª


    There''s a girl but I let her get away


    The girl I once loved just passed me by


    It''s all my fault cause pride got in the way


    Pride to blame, it''s all my fault


    And I''d be lying if I said I was ok


    During the second week after "Captain America" was released, promotional work began before the launch of Link''s fourth album "Love Is Gone."


    The first promotional single "That Girl" was also released globally on August 1. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It sold 3.88 million copies in its first week, easily claiming the top spot on America''s "Billboard" singles chart and number one in 21 other countries including Britain, Belgium, Spain, Norway, Japan, and South Korea.


    With its high quality and Link''s emotional rendition, the song was pleasant to the ear, influential, and had a high sing-along rate; almost as soon as it was released, it began playing in several shopping centers in the Santa Monica area.


    Many artists also promoted the song online; Selena even declared it her favorite song of the year and asked Link to write another song of the same type for her.

 Chapter 623 - 458 New Album Leak_3

    Link shrugged his shoulders, indicating he was powerless.


    Link''s music video "That Girl" released on YouTube had reached 120 million views within a week.


    The music video, in which Link himself starred alongside supermodel Eileen Hesterton, quickly went viral on major video platforms around the world.


    There was also a "Captain America" version of "That Girl" whose views were no less than the original.


    This official video released by the Captain America account mainly features a love story between Captain America and Agent Carter, and the plot was even more touching than the original music video.


    It garnered over 100 million views in just ten days.


    Apart from the initial success in sales and high viewer counts of the music video, the song also received high praise from the media. Professional outlets such as Rolling Stone, Village Voice, and Billboard, among thirty others, rated it above 85, with other media giving scores above 70, resulting in a combined score of 81.


    Rolling Stone magazine awarded it an impressive 92 points, making it the sixth song this year to score over 90 points by the magazine.


    The song was described as the freshest among all of Link''s songs thus far, with a tone that was melancholic but not sad, like a young man experiencing the bittersweetness of first love.


    It was noted that for a playboy like Link to write and perform a song with such a fresh and natural flavor was highly commendable and could easily make one doubt his public scandals if they weren''t known to be true.


    Due to the strong performance and reception of the first promotional single, media predicted a significant chance for Link''s fourth album to surpass the third in North American sales and even possibly match Adele''s "21," with annual sales exceeding five million copies and continuing as the chart-topping album of the year.


    The situation looked very promising.


    However, at that time, something bad happened.


    Just three days before the formal release of the fourth album, the digital album was leaked.


    All twenty songs from the album were published by a hacker group called Swagsec on iTunes'' free download channel.


    After releasing the tracks, the group also hacked Britney Spears'' Twitter account, posting a tweet that said, "Sounds great, all good songs, I regret doing this, hhh," and included a link to download the songs for free.


    After receiving the news, Link Music immediately contacted Twitter and the iTunes music store, requesting the immediate removal of the links and free tracks.


    Although both platforms acted swiftly, it was revealed that between 11:24 PM and 12:12 AM, the album was downloaded for free a total of 358,000 times.


    Calculated at the price of $19.9 per digital album, the loss for Link and Link Music amounted to over seven million US dollars.


    "Why did this happen? I told you to pay attention to the security of the album''s sources, how could this still occur?!" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the chairman''s office of Link Music, Ivanka sat behind her desk with a cold expression, angrily glaring at several company executives.


    "Chairman, after the hacking incident earlier this year, we immediately strengthened the security of our online music library, completely isolated the internet from the intranet, and the network at the recording studio was not connected to the company''s network; there isn''t even internet access there. I consulted cybersecurity firms, and under these circumstances, it''s impossible for hackers to penetrate our music library," explained George Capal, president of Link Music, wiping his sweat.


    "But the tracks have been leaked. If it wasn''t for hackers breaking into our music library, how else would the tracks get out?" Ivanka asked icily.


    George Capal, Bob Harrison, Graham Goodall, Scott, and other executives of Link Music frowned and remained silent. Several executives, under Ivanka''s scrutinous gaze, began to sweat on their foreheads.


    Link, standing to the side, watched for a moment before saying to Ivanka, "Let''s leave the hacker matter to the cybersecurity firm to investigate, and right now, we need to think about how to recoup the losses and minimize them as much as possible."


    On hearing his words, Ivanka''s expression gradually softened, and she coldly assigned tasks to the heads of each department.


    The publicity department carried on with the original plans to promote the new album.


    The legal department contacted the police and the FBI to investigate the leak, and based on the findings, they would determine the liability of the involved parties.


    They also monitored various music platforms and websites, pursuing legal action against those who spread or sold the free digital album without authorization.


    "Alright, Chairman!"


    Relieved by Ivanka''s deployment of tasks, all executives rapidly accepted their assignments and hurriedly left the office.

 Chapter 624 - 459: First Week Album Sales

    Link''s fourth album was leaked by hackers before its official release, resulting in a loss of nearly ten million US Dollars.


    After the news was reported by many American media outlets, it sparked heated discussions across the United States and even the world.


    Before August, there had already been several incidents of hackers stealing bank customer data and hijacking celebrity accounts to post random messages, drawing the attention of nations worldwide.


    Two of these hacking incidents were related to the music industry.


    At the beginning of July, pop diva Beyonce''s new album "4" was also leaked before its release.


    At the end of July, Lady Gaga''s fan website in Britain was hacked, and over one hundred thousand fan records were stolen.


    This week, music superstar Link''s new album was once again leaked by hackers, also causing millions in losses.


    A series of major events combined to create panic and anger among the public.


    If hacking groups steal bank customer data for profit, hijack politicians'' social media accounts to vent their dissatisfaction, and hijack celebrity social media accounts to post messages for fun.


    Then their theft of artists'' albums and premature leaks to the internet, aside from creating turmoil, serve no purpose other than to dampen the artists'' creative enthusiasm.


    From the American President and Congressional members to ordinary citizens, everyone felt frustrated with the hacker community.


    New York State Senator Julia Salazar said in a public event that day that the internet should not be a lawless space, proposed equating hacker groups with terrorist organizations, and demanded that legislative bodies create specific laws to restrain these individuals, to prevent them from continuing their reckless behavior.


    The proposal garnered widespread support from netizens, and within three days, 125,000 people petitioned on the White House''s official website, demanding that the Department of Justice severely punish hacker organizations like Swagsec.


    In response, White House spokesperson Sally Sanders stated at that day''s press conference:


    After receiving a report from Link Music, the Manhattan police department has started to track down the Swagsec hacker organization. It is understood that this is a hacker group active in the Cambodia area, and the CIA has also started actions to conduct a cross-border investigation of the organization.


    Link Music posted a tweet on their official account asking users who participated in downloading the free album to refrain from spreading the album''s audio source after listening to the songs, to avoid causing greater losses to musicians, and the company would hold accountable those who profited from the free audio source.


    The official iTunes Music Store account also posted a tweet supporting Link Music''s decision and stated that they would cooperate with the relevant investigation.


    Pop superstar Britney also retweeted, apologising to Link and Link''s fans, promising to take better care of her personal account and wishing Link''s new album great sales success.


    In this chaotic situation, Link''s fourth album "Love Is Gone" was simultaneously released in 48 countries and regions including the United States, Canada, Britain, Japan, Australia.


    First-week sales in the United States were 1.537 million copies.


    Number one on the Billboard album charts.


    A bit less than the third album "The Woman I Love" with its first-week sales of 1.747 million copies, but still the first album this year in the United States to exceed 1.5 million copies in its first week, and since Nielsen began tracking US album sales in 1991, it''s the 19th album to break one million sales in its first week.


    It also surpassed Eminem''s fourth album "The Eminem Show" from 2002, which sold 1.322 million copies, ranking seventh in the all-time weekly album sales chart.


    Taylor''s third album "Last Kiss" ranked sixth with 1.59 million copies, and Link''s "The Woman I Love" ranked fourth.


    All 20 songs from the album made it onto the "Billboard" Hot 100 singles chart in the first week.


    What excited Link''s fans even more was that nine of the top 10 songs on the Billboard singles chart came from this album.


    "That Girl" remained the singles chart champion, followed closely by Link and Taylor Swift''s collaboration "Say Something", "Love is gone", "Let her go", "Sorry", "Let Me Down Slowly", "Late night melancholy", "No promises", "Remember Me", and other songs followed in succession.


    Link thus became the first artist in music history to have nine songs in the Billboard singles chart top 10 at the same time, breaking The Beatles'' record of holding the top five in 1964, as Link took over the top eight spots. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The ninth-ranked song was the single "Somebody That I Used To Know" by Australian singer Gotye and New Zealand singer Kimbra.


    Released on July 10, it was the singles chart champion for three consecutive weeks and sold 4.5 million copies in the United States in its first month, also a fantastic love song.


    From the album "Love Is Gone," out of the remaining eleven songs, ten ranked within the top 50, with only one song written by Link himself ranking at 94, which he found quite embarrassing.


    Internationally, "Love Is Gone" also topped the album sales charts in 23 countries, including Canada, Britain, Australia, Belgium, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, with first-week overseas sales totaling 3.72 million copies.


    Total first-week sales were 5.263 million copies.


    Becoming the second album this year to exceed five million sales in its first week.


    The first was Lady Gaga''s "Born This Way," released in May, which sold an astounding 1.108 million physical and digital copies in the United States in its first week, with a global first-week sales of 5.72 million copies.


    "Born This Way" achieved massive first-week sales because each digital album was priced at just 0.99 US Dollars, a crazy firesale.


    As a result, Nielsen''s official website had to change the rules, stating that albums priced below 3.99 US Dollars would not be included in the sales count.


    The digital album "Love Is Gone" was priced at 19.9 US Dollars each, nearly twenty times that of "Born This Way," and the physical album at 29.9 US Dollars, also becoming the most expensive album globally this year.


    Many media outlets once again complained that Link was really treating his albums as luxury goods.


    In terms of international singles charts, his collaboration with Taylor, "Say Something," topped the charts in 12 countries and regions.

 Chapter 625 - 459 First Week Album Sales_2

    "Love is gone" topped the singles charts in 10 countries and regions, "That Girl" triumphed in the charts of 5 countries and regions.


    The remaining "Let her go," "Sorry," "Let Me Down Slowly," "Late night melancholy" also reached number one in at least one country''s singles chart.


    From these rankings, it can be seen that all the songs from this album are very competitive.


    Besides, media reviews of this album were very positive.


    The Guardian from Britain commented that Link, since the release of his first album in January 2009, had delivered four consecutive high-quality albums, and that the fourth album showed a clear progress in style, artistry, and performance compared to the previous three, indicating that Link was a singer who continued to grow.


    The New York Times rated this album 90 points, commenting that the songs in the album were all sincere creations.


    Last April''s breakup between Link and Taylor Swift became publicly notorious and was considered one of the news highlights of 2010.


    It''s said that Link started working on the songs for his fourth album since then, with "Let her go" and "Sorry" being written within a month after the breakup.


    Remarkably, after becoming a ''Playboy,'' Link managed to continue his original style and maintain his prolific passion for songwriting, crafting more than a dozen breakup songs, which are all masterpieces among the love song genre, an impressive feat.


    In the final remark, the writer clarified that the ten points were deducted not for the album''s songs but because Link truly was a ''Playboy,'' and the deduction was personalized for him. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Billboard" magazine described the album as ''stunning,'' rewarding it with a high score of 92 points.


    Steven Kopp, the editor-in-chief of the magazine, asserted that among albums released between 2001 and 2011, this album could rank in the top three in terms of quality, even surpassing the quality of Link''s third album, mentioning that all 20 songs from this album entered the top 100 singles charts, making the album worth ten.


    Steven Kopp concluded with a teasing tone.


    After Link''s breakup with Taylor last April, there were rumors in the industry that Link would write a heartbreak-style album, which many looked forward to. However, Link was quickly embroiled in a scandal, transforming into ''Playboy'' Link, with a tangled emotional history.


    This led many to doubt whether he could fulfill his promise to produce a heartbreak-themed album. Having a playboy write breakup songs seemed like asking an adult to act young.


    This suspicion persisted until the album''s release when the promotional singles "That Girl" came out. Having listened to this song, many were reassured; it was indeed a heartbreak song¡ªrefreshing in style, genuine in emotion, and not at all juvenile.


    Latterly, upon the new album''s release, all 20 songs entered the top 100 singles chart, earning the widespread support and love of the fans.


    Link succeeded and kept his promise.


    It also showed that Playboy Link hadn''t lost himself amidst his complex romantic experiences but managed to keep his original aspirations, which was commendable. Here''s hoping that Link can maintain this.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The album had impressive first-week sales and received good reviews, further confirming the success of Link''s new album.


    The only regret for the fans was that "Love is gone" didn''t break the sales record set by "The Woman I Love" in its first week.


    The media also felt that the first-week sales of "Love is gone," with 1.53 million copies, were not too successful for Link.


    Firstly, with all 20 songs from the album entering the top 100 of the singles chart and performing slightly better than the third album, it showed that this album''s quality and popularity were not inferior to the third.


    Secondly, Link''s influence had grown since last year, and his pulling power should also be stronger, especially with recent news of him bagging 7 gold medals at the World Championships, and him starring in "Captain America," which remained the box office champion of the week.


    In such circumstances, "Love is gone" should have had higher first-week sales than the third album, with expected sales surpassing 1.8 million copies; the reality was only 1.53 million copies.


    The media believed that the hacker''s early leak of the album was the main reason for the ''downfall'' in sales.


    Adding in the leaked 358,000 digital albums, the tally nearly reached 1.9 million copies.


    A second reason was Link shifting his focus to Hollywood, reducing his activities in the music scene, which lessened his influence on the fans.


    Furthermore, the promotional strategies were noticeably fewer compared to last year.


    The media thought that for "Love is gone" to exceed the nationwide sales of "The Woman I Love" was going to be a real challenge.


    "Cheers!"


    "Cheers!"


    In a club in New York, little Kunas, Puff Daddy, and Jay-Z clinked their champagne glasses.


    "Sean, Ryan, were those hackers hired by you?" Jay-Z asked, sipping his champagne.


    "Ha ha, no, it''s got nothing to do with me," Puff Daddy laughed and said with a grin, "No matter who did it, as long as it affects the sales of Link''s new album, it''s something to celebrate, isn''t it?"


    "Absolutely! Link''s album sales downturn is the best news I''ve heard this year and well worth celebrating," Kunas said happily.


    Jay-Z nodded, his wife Beyonce''s new album also having been leaked by hackers, putting him among the victims. Yet, hearing that Link''s first-week album sales hadn''t met expectations certainly felt like good news to him.


    Ever since Link ventured into rap in 2009, causing embarrassment for East Coast rappers, he hadn''t spent a day without wishing for Link''s misfortune.


    This leak resulting in a loss of tens of millions for Link''s camp was joyous news, indeed a breath of fresh air for them.


    "Jess, when do you and Kanye plan to release your new album?" Kunas inquired.

 Chapter 626 - 459 First Week Album Sales_3

    ```


    "September 12th."


    Jay-Z said.


    He and Kanye West''s collaborative new album "Watch The Throne" was also entering its promotional period.


    This album had been completed in May, and was originally intended for release in early August, but then they heard that Link''s new album was also planned for release at that time.


    Considering Link''s enormous popularity, the distribution department under him suggested they delay or advance the release date.


    If they went ahead in July, they would clash with Beyonce''s album; left with no good options, they unhappily chose to delay.


    However, because of Link, the delay of the new album from the two rap legends, Kanye and himself, was a significant insult to them both. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He also thought about not delaying, sticking to August, and going for an album chart showdown with Link.


    But considering Link''s third album annual sales in North America reached 5.5 million, with global sales amounting to 36 million, following that momentum, the fourth album''s first week sales wouldn''t be less than 1 million.


    Jay-Z, Kanye, and their company didn''t have much confidence in achieving a million in first week sales.


    After much deliberation, they ultimately gave up on the risk and postponed the release to September.


    After "Love is gone" first week sales were released, he also secretly felt relieved that they didn''t risk adjusting; if they had really gone up against it, the possibility of failure was extremely high.


    "Jess, with you and Kanye teaming up, is there any hope of competing with Link for the top spot in the annual sales chart?"


    Kunas asked.


    Jay-Z shook his head, "It''s difficult."


    The company estimated the album''s sales in the United States wouldn''t surpass "The Blueprint 3," around 1.3 million, which was also their expectation.


    And Link''s new album sold 1.53 million in the first week.


    There was simply no comparison.


    "Link has too many titles, his influence is greater in the United States, plus he''s good at publicity stunts, and has the ''Captain America'' boost, given the current situation, his album has a great chance to break 4 million in North American sales, and that number... is very difficult to surpass."


    Jay-Z bared his teeth in envy and frustration.


    "How can this bastard be so formidable."


    Kunas slammed the table angrily.


    Not only is Link a music industry titan, but he had also recently won the WBA Super World Champion Golden Belt.


    His new movie "Captain America" had nearly four hundred million US dollars in the global box office, the media claimed his payment for this film was more than 20 million US dollars, and his company made nearly one hundred million US dollars on the "Bridesmaids" project.


    What pissed them off even more was the bastard was also playing the stock market, with a net worth of over three billion.


    The previously somewhat critical Thomp was now just hoping Link and Ivanka would get married soon and have a chubby baby.


    Shit!


    Thinking of all this, Kunas was green with jealousy; he abruptly turned to Puff Daddy, "You guys have been sending women to Link since last year, trying to frame him with this tactic why is there still no movement?"


    "Ah! Little Epstein and I have tried sending them many times to no avail. One, Link is very cautious; he wouldn''t give a second glance to any unfamiliar girl, no matter how pretty.


    Second, there are too many beauties around him. It''s hard to find someone good enough to send to him¡ªthe key point is, we found Link is only interested in female celebrities. The bigger the fame, the more his interest. He shows little interest in ordinary beauties."


    Puff Daddy said helplessly.


    ```


    "Only likes famous women? The more famous, the better?"


    Little Kunas thought about Link''s girlfriends, be they from Britain, the United States, France, Japan, South Korea, it seemed they were indeed quite famous actresses.


    "Damn, this jerk is too picky."


    "Exactly, with him being like this, are we supposed to find a big star to throw at him for fun? It''s not very realistic, Link''s status in the entertainment circle is too high, the average actress won''t agree to help us entrap Link."


    Jay-Z sighed.


    Little Kunas frowned, "This matter is indeed difficult, but don''t give up too early. We can slowly find the right person; if necessary, we can offer a higher price. Maybe some popular actresses would be willing to help us deal with Link."


    Jay-Z and Diddy nodded, feeling this idea wasn''t bad. Although it was a difficult task, it was still better than having no plan at all.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Following the release of "Love is gone," Link, as usual, spent the first week flying to major cities across the United States, holding signing events, signing over 8,000 copies per day.


    During the second week, he continued to fly to major cities in Canada, Mexico, Britain, France, Belgium, and other places for signing events, signing more than 5,000 times per day, with scenes still explosive.


    This week also brought some good news.


    Previously, the digital tracks of the album were leaked by hackers, resulting in 358,000 free downloads on the iTunes platform.


    With the media''s recent criticism of the hacker group and the widespread public backlash and anger, some of those who participated in the free digital album on iTunes have recently taken the initiative to delete the original resources and chose to re-purchase them online.


    These individuals also posted videos online showing them deleting the free tracks and re-purchasing the official digital album, calling on others to do the same to respect and protect the artist''s creation, uniting to boycott the hacker group, refusing to be accomplices to hackers.


    This act garnered the support of many fans and praise from numerous media outlets.


    According to data from the iTunes Music Store, 28% of users who downloaded the free tracks chose to re-purchase them in the first week after the official release of "Love is gone," and this percentage increased to 56% this week.


    Which meant that out of 358,000 who downloaded the free tracks, nearly 180,000 chose to pay for the purchase.


    Indeed, this was good news.


    In response, Link and Link Music announced another donation of 18 million US dollars to the International Red Cross Association, the Link Charity Foundation, and the Recording Industry Association of America''s anti-piracy organization.


    The song "see you again" used to generate millions of US dollars in charity donations each year, and now with an additional donation of ten million, this move also earned praise from fans and the media.


    This decision was made after consultation between Link and Ivanka; he was young, with a net worth of billions, a global idol. Having the title of a charity star was also a good thing for him.


    Link spent a busy week, and the second-week sales figures were released.


    "Love is gone" sold 1.035 million copies in the United States in its second week, a 30% drop from the first week, yet it was the first personal album in Western music to sell over a million copies for two consecutive weeks, setting a new record.


    The overseas sales were also good at 3.857 million copies, with a slight increase from the previous week.


    The main reason was that the number of countries and regions where the album was released overseas expanded from 48 to 102 this week.


    This also included the Huaxia region, where in the mainland, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, the album sold 516,000 copies in its first week, making it the best-selling English album in the first week for nearly a decade.


    To thank Huaxia fans, Link specially flew to the Huaxia region to hold several signing events.


    While promoting the album, he also took time to participate in the promotional activities for "Captain America," using the movie to drive album sales.


    The film was released on July 22nd and by the end of August, the North American box office reached 241 million US dollars, with a global box office of 210 million. The global box office smoothly broke through 450 million, surpassing "Thor," becoming the highest-grossing film of its genre for the year.


    With the album and movie both being big hits, Link became the hottest public figure in the world entertainment circle for a time.

 Chapter 627 - 460: What kind of woman do you want?

    Link''s new album "Love is gone" hit over a million US sales for the second week in a row, leaving countless singers in Europe and America shocked, envious, and resentful.


    Since Nielsen began tracking album sales in 1991, only 19 albums have sold over a million copies in the US in a single week. For an American music industry that releases eight to nine hundred, even a thousand albums and EPs each year, weekly sales breaking a million is almost mythical.


    And Link owns two of them.


    What''s more enviable is that his new album has hit sales of over a million for two consecutive weeks, a legend amongst legends. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What drives his peers nuts is,


    He priced both of his consecutive albums at 29 US dollars, which is two to three times the price of other artists'' albums.


    At that price, the albums still managed to break a million sales for two consecutive weeks.


    Even the "Los Angeles Times" couldn''t help but poke fun at it, joking that Link''s fans must all be tycoons. Other artists struggle to sell their albums for a few US dollars each, yet Link''s albums, priced at 29 dollars a pop, racked up sales of 2.56 million in just two weeks¡ªit''s outrageous.


    Reportedly, the deluxe edition of "Love is gone" was priced at 39.9 US dollars each and sold thirty thousand copies within two weeks. Additionally, a vinyl record priced at 65 US Dollars also sold over fifty thousand copies worldwide.


    All of these figures unequivocally prove that Link''s fans are indeed wealthy, and his albums truly belong to the category of luxury consumption.


    The "Los Angeles Times" analyzed that there are mainly two reasons why Link''s albums can command high prices yet continue to sell well.


    Firstly, Link''s fame is simply too vast, and he is adorned with too many honors: world boxing champion, world''s youngest billionaire, Emperor Superstar of the music world, hotshot movie star, swimming legend, youth idol, Playboy, and so on.


    Any one of these titles could turn an average person into a superstar overnight, let alone having them all.


    This has resulted in a massive number of worshippers around the globe who, out of adoration, are willing to spend money on his products. Not to mention that buying albums falls within the realm of art consumption, and spending a bit more feels meaningful.


    The second reason, of course, is that the songs in his albums are all of very high quality.


    For other albums, if one out of ten songs makes it into the top 100 on the Billboard singles chart, that''s considered a decent album.


    His last two albums had every song break into the top 100 on the Billboard singles chart. The new album even had nine songs in the top 10, competing against each other, queuing up to claim the singles chart''s number one spot¡ªthe quality is just too outstanding to compare with other albums.


    Even the New York distributor''s general agent publicly told the media that the pricing of these two Link albums was the result of discussions between the publisher and various local distributors.


    Although the prices are quite high, there''s a reason for it.


    If you were to price such quality albums as common ones for a few US dollars, that would be an insult to the albums and to the art of music, and good art is priceless.


    "Bullshit!"


    "Only fools would buy at such a price."


    In the Black Metal Club, Lil Wayne couldn''t help but bare his teeth and tongue, letting out an irritated curse while looking at the news on the newspaper.


    "Huh? What are you talking about?"


    50 Cent took off his headphones, looking at him with confusion.


    At that moment, Link''s new song "Let Me Down Slowly" was playing through his headphones,


    If you wanna go then I''ll be so lonely,


    Your departure will plunge me into solitude,


    If you''re leaving baby let me down slowly,


    Baby, if you must leave, could you not disappoint me so thoroughly?


    Let me down, down,


    I''m hopelessly addicted to you,


    Let me down, down,


    "Goddamnit! You''re listening to Link''s music? Even you bought his album?"


    Lil Wayne exclaimed, glaring.


    "Yeah, I bought it. The album is really good, 19 dollars for the digital album, it''s quite worth it,"


    50 Cent shrugged his shoulders.


    "Shit! Listen to what you''re saying, spending 19 dollars on Link''s album and you think it''s a good deal?"


    Lil Wayne spoke discontentedly.


    "It really is a good deal."


    Usher chimed in, "I got Link''s deluxe edition of the album, which includes Link''s autograph, two posters, a set of Link-branded headphones, a little metal shield of Captain America, plus two additional songs not available in the standard album. I feel like I scored big time."


    "What? You bought Link''s deluxe edition? You paid 39 dollars for it?"


    Lil Wayne looked at Usher in disbelief, his voice distorted with irritation.


    "Lil, stop shouting. Haven''t we spent a ton of money on Link''s stuff over the past year?


    Three boxing matches broadcasts, over two hundred US dollars, ''Bridesmaids,'' ''Captain America'' movie tickets, over fifty US dollars, as well as several horror films under Lionsgate, and albums from artists under the Link music label¡ªthose also cost us.


    To be more specific, we''ve also consumed from the ads Link endorses. We''ve spent several hundred US dollars on Link in just a year, so what''s a few more bucks?"


    50 Cent said, kicking back with his legs crossed.


    Lil Wayne paused, realizing that 50 Cent was right.


    Despite disliking Link and not wanting to support him, he had unwittingly spent two to three hundred US dollars on Link''s ventures, including boxing matches and "Captain America," mainly because his family wanted to watch, and he couldn''t resist spending the money.


    With this realization, Lil Wayne felt an unwilling resignation. Link''s side businesses were just too numerous, and despite all precautions, he still ended up contributing some money to Link''s coffers.


    "Even so, we shouldn''t actively go out and buy his album. Don''t you guys know that Jay-Z and Kanye really dislike Link? We should be supporting them,"


    Lil Wayne said.


    "Don''t even start. Kanye was the first to buy Link''s new album once it came out, saying he wanted to see what Link''s album was like. If it wasn''t any good, he was ready to lambast him to death."

 Chapter 628 - 460: What Kind of Woman Do You Want? Part 2

    "Did Kanye hire someone to slander him?"


    "Kanye said he wants to learn, to use Link''s tactics to beat Link."


    50 Cent shrugged his shoulders.


    "Kanye''s approach is correct,"


    Boxer Redick said while drinking beer, "Link''s album in the style of heartbreak is indeed a classic, even after many decades there are many albums of the same type, but in my opinion, the quality of this one can still make it into the top five, or even top three in history. Learning from it can also greatly help our own creative work."


    "That''s right, Link has had three consecutive best-selling albums, and this one has a great chance of catching up to ''21,'' to remain the champion in the United States album sales rankings. It shows he really understands the fans'' preferences. We''re all singers, learning from a chart-topping album will save us from taking detours,"


    Chris Brown said.


    Lil Wayne grinned helplessly.


    In 2009, as long as he spoke ill of Link, it would cause everyone''s support, everyone was excited and eager to mob Link.


    But now when he criticized Link, he was contradicted by everyone, and he became the minority in this group, which left a very unpleasant taste of isolation.


    Seeing no one was talking anymore and were listening to Link''s new songs, he gritted his teeth and also took out his music player to listen to Link''s album. In fact, he had also bought the digital album "Love is gone," but considering everyone''s dislike for Link, he hadn''t brought it out at the gathering.


    Now that everyone was listening, he simply didn''t pretend anymore and joined in the sordid affair.


    Well you only need the light when it''s burning low


    You only realize the brightness of lights when it gets dim


    Only miss the sun when it starts to snow


    You only long for the warmth of the sun in the midst of snow


    Only know you love her when you let her go


    You only recognize true love after you''ve let her go


    Only know you''ve been high when you''re feeling low


    After listening to "let her go," Lil Wayne sighed helplessly, thinking that Link''s songs were indeed good.


    Each one deserved careful listening, repeated listening, not one out of twenty songs could be skipped while listening.


    Such a level is too rare and too enviable. Link was just a boxer, why did he have to be so handsome, so good at fighting, and also able to write so many good songs?


    Lil Wayne almost gritted his molars each time he listened through Link''s album.


    While everyone was listening to the music, Rihanna slowly came downstairs from the stairs, her expression a bit strange.


    "Rihanna, what did boss Jess talk to you about?"


    Lil Wayne asked, removing his headphones.


    Rihanna frowned and shook her head, she couldn''t talk about it ¨C others wouldn''t believe it if she did.


    Just now, Jay-Z had approached her, asking her what she thought about Link and even suggesting that she should have more contact with Link.


    Although Jay-Z spoke euphemistically, she could tell that Jay-Z wanted her to seduce Link, to become Link''s lover.


    At that moment she was a bit stunned; everyone knew Jay-Z and Link had a bad relationship, yet now Jay-Z was suggesting she throw herself at Link.


    She asked Jay-Z why he wanted her to do that.


    Jay-Z didn''t answer, but continued to ask if she was interested in Link.


    Rihanna was certainly interested; even though Link wasn''t black, his appearance also fit the aesthetic preferences of black girls, as well as his build, his sexual capabilities, his fame, his wealth, power, and talent.


    These things are irresistible to women ¨C regardless of what kind of woman: beauty-loving, money-loving, power-loving, vain, promiscuous, artistic women, etc., they can all find something they like about him.


    This kind of man is an exceptional man.


    Almost no woman could resist his charm.


    But being interested was one thing, seducing was another.


    Link''s rumored girlfriends almost all looked like Taylor Ivaca with blonde hair, fair skin, long legs, or petite girls like Emma Watson and Emma Roberts.


    So far, there hadn''t been a single rumor about a dark-skinned girlfriend, which also suggested he wasn''t interested in dark-skinned women.


    To know that Link wasn''t interested in dark-skinned girls and still try to seduce him would be humiliating.


    And at 23, she was one of the current top female singers in the music industry ¨C second only to older singers like Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Beyonce, and Jennifer Lopez among dark-skinned female singers, she was the new No. 1 black female singer. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had her dignity; she naturally wouldn''t go seduce Link.


    She didn''t wait for Jay-Z to say more and took her leave proactively. Although she was signed to Jay-Z''s record company, she wasn''t his slave, and she didn''t agree to such a thing Jay-Z couldn''t do anything about it.


    However, she was still very curious about the reason Jay-Z wanted her to seduce Link.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Did Rihanna agree?"


    In the upstairs office, Beyonce walked in from the door with her brown curly hair spread out, dressed in a hip-hugging, knee-length dress. Her coffee-colored long dress was nearly the same hue as her skin, complemented by her round, firm buttocks, and the full, lush curves of her breasts, making her look voluptuous and tall.


    "Rihanna isn''t suitable, she''s too fiery,"


    Jay-Z was sitting on the sofa, smoking a cigar, staring blankly at the smoke drifting in the air.


    Beyonce''s lips curled with a cold smile, "Should we try Alicia, Rachel Roy, and a few others? They''re softer in character, very obedient to you, understand your difficulties and will definitely agree to help."


    Cough!


    Jay-Z put down the cigar and waved his hand, "I have no personal relationship with them, it''s just business. Don''t get the wrong idea."


    "I''m serious, they''re also considered beauties in the eyes of whites, and they have some fame too. Having them seduce Link might work, I suggest you try it,"


    Beyonce said with a half-smile.

 Chapter 629 - 460: What Kind of Woman Do You Want? Part 3

    "Stop talking about it; that''s Sean''s idea. Sean and young Kunas know more white female celebrities. Let them figure it out."


    "What do you think about me trying to seduce Link?"


    Beyonce asked suddenly with a smile, holding a glass of red wine.


    "You? Are you kidding me."


    Jay-Z said with a stern face.


    "First of all, I hate Link, really hate him. Sometimes I wish I could devour him. Besides, I''m very sexy, and I''m regarded as such by white people too. Dealing with a young guy like Link, I''m 100 percent confident. Do you want to think about it?"


    Beyonce said, smiling.


    Jay-Z frowned at her.


    Beyonce, thirty years old this year, debuted in the nineties with Destiny''s Child, becoming a top girl group in the music scene, and after going solo in 2005, became a pop diva. She was very famous, beautiful, and sexy, considered a goddess by many. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even Kanye and Lil Wayne admired her, often sneaking glances at her.


    He knew all this but didn''t care; instead, he thought it was cool.


    If Beyonce were to do it, the chances of success were indeed very high.


    Jay-Z hesitated for a moment, then suddenly shook his head and said with a stern face, "Shut up! You''re my wife. How could I let you do something like this? Don''t ever talk about this again."


    Beyonce smiled enigmatically and, without saying anything further, left the room, swaying her voluptuous hips.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Ding-dong!


    During a break at his book signing event in the Shibuya District of Tokyo, Link received a message from Beyonce.


    Beyonce asked him when he was going back to his country and also inquired which actress he liked. Young Kunas, Puff Daddy, and Jay-Z were planning to offer him a few actresses to play with, preferably dark-skinned ones. If he had any preferences, he should tell her so she could suggest them to Jay-Z and the others.


    Link was puzzled. Kunas and the others disliked him enough as it was, so why would they send him actresses?


    He asked Beyonce what she meant.


    Beyonce told him that Puff Daddy and little Epstein had been sending women his way for some time, but he hadn''t accepted any of them.


    "After several failed attempts, they discovered an astonishing secret: you''re only interested in beautiful actresses, haha. Learning from their past failures, they decided to select a few beautiful actresses to send to you."


    "Once you''ve had relations with the actresses, they''ll ask the women to come forward and accuse you of rape. By framing you like this, they plan to ruin your reputation. Are you scared?"


    Beyonce spoke amusingly, and Link found the whole situation quite interesting. Kunas and his group really went to great lengths to deal with him.


    However, their chances of succeeding with such a method against him weren''t very high.


    First of all, with his current taste and status, ordinary actresses couldn''t get close to him.


    Secondly, he was very good to his girlfriends. If an actress managed to succeed in getting into his bed, the benefits they would gain would certainly be much more than what they could get from Kunas and the rest, so they had no reason to go through with it.


    He also had his principles with women: do not initiate or force, and would never go against their will to have relations. He would keep an audio or video record for any actress who took the initiative to come to his door.


    He didn''t need to worry too much about being framed this way.


    Nevertheless, Beyonce''s warning was helpful. His rise had been too fast, and his methods a bit rough. In the process, he was bound to offend some people and face retaliation from enemies.


    He should be more cautious in the future, especially with women.


    Link asked Beyonce what was up with the Braggart Daddy, as he had no conflicts of interest with him, wondering why he was hanging out with little Kunas and a few others.


    Beyonce said that Braggart Daddy used to be the former boss of an East Coast rap gang, but in recent years, he wasn''t successful in his singing career and business, and wanted to ride on the coattails of his former underling Jay-Z, but was too embarrassed to ask.


    When he heard that Jay-Z, little Kunas, little Epstein, and Peter Peltz were plotting against him, he volunteered to get involved, offering his help and advice.


    He tried many times to send women to Link''s side, but all attempts failed, which made him lose face. Originally, he didn''t have much resentment against Link, but now his resentment grew even stronger.


    Beyonce joked that, with Link''s current age, wealth, identity, status, and reputation, any man would be envious and would want to see him unlucky, so there was no need for any resentment to oppose him.


    Link was speechless; this was simply the trouble that comes with being prominent.


    Beyonce continued to ask him who his favorite dark-skinned actress was, saying she could help recommend and send one over all wrapped up.


    Link joked back, asking how about the big star, Beyonce herself.


    Beyonce said no problem, guaranteeing delivery.


    After a few more words, Link returned to the front desk to continue the autograph signing.


    "Kon''nichiwa! Link-san, I''m your fan, could you please sign for me?"


    While he was engrossed in signing, a familiar voice appeared in front of the long table, fresh and sweet, lively and brisk.


    He looked up to see Yui-chan, with her round face, air bangs, and a sweet smile that revealed eight white teeth whenever she laughed, making you feel the weather was great just by looking at her.


    She was also wearing a pretty ladies'' blazer and a plaid skirt, reminiscent of the school uniform from a middle school in Tokyo, with her long hair draped over, looking beautiful.


    "Kon''nichiwa! Yui-chan, did you finish filming the movie? Nozomi-chan said you were shooting a movie in the studio."


    Link took the record from her hand.


    "Hi! Not yet, but I heard that Link-san was holding an autograph session in Shibuya, so I specifically came to get an autograph from Link-san."


    Yui-chan said sweetly with a smile.


    Link smiled softly, thanking Yui-chan.


    Now, Yui-chan was one of the most popular actresses in Japan, known as the "national wife". Her personal visit to the autograph session would definitely make the news tomorrow, and it might even be a scandal, giving Link another chance to ignite the flames of jealousy among Japanese otaku.


    He asked Yui-chan if she was free, as Nozomi-chan had bought lots of delicious food today and was planning to make a big Japanese meal at home. He invited Yui-chan to his place in the Port District.


    Yui-chan asked if it would be too much of a disturbance?


    Link said it wouldn''t be.


    Yui-chan happily accepted the invitation.


    After sending Yui-chan off, Link continued to sign autographs for other fans.


    Because there were many fans from Japan, their desire to obtain autographs was stronger than in other regions.


    During the two days of the autograph session in Japan, tens of thousands of fans came to line up for signatures each day.


    The event started at nine in the morning and lasted until six in the afternoon, with so many albums to sign that he couldn''t finish.


    At the earnest request of the Japanese distributor, he had no choice but to extend the session to three and a half days, but even so, he couldn''t meet the needs of all fans.


    During these three days, Yui-chan frequently visited the Baker villa in the Port District, sometimes coming over to help Nozomi Sasaki cook dinner. Once, when he and Nozomi were soaking in the hot springs, Nozomi invited Yui-chan to join, and after looking at him, Yui-chan bashfully agreed.


    Link was also fortunate to experience the intricacies of Japanese bathing culture.

 Chapter 630 - 461 Making Money to Pay Off Debt

    A month after the album release, Link held twenty-six signing events in over ten countries and regions around the world.


    The schedule was so packed he practically circled the globe three times, with workdays often exceeding eight hours.


    Fortunately, his hard work was not in vain.


    The album "Love is gone" officially broke through the 10 million sales mark globally on the 13th day and 10th hour of its release, becoming the fastest-selling record to break the 10 million mark in the last decade, six days ahead of Lady Gaga''s "Born this way" released in May.


    In the third week, "Love is gone" sold 627,000 units in the United States, with a cumulative total of 3.192 million, setting a new record for the fastest album to break through three million sales, beating the record set by "The Woman I Love" last year by 19 days and 15 hours.


    However, Link knew this record wouldn''t last a few years, with Adele''s next album "25" launching with first-week U.S. sales of 3.37 million, sweeping all records in the Euro-American music scene.


    Taylor''s subsequent albums also set several records, each breaking a million sales in the first week, with Billboard''s top 10 being all her songs. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They were blessed by fortune.


    Link felt that even with many good songs of his own, in another three to four years, he probably wouldn''t be able to compete with Adele and Taylor.


    A graceful retirement could also leave a legend of being undefeated.


    However, during the album promotion, the distributor did not market the record as his last work.


    The reason was that over the past two years, he had released many hot singles that were not included in the albums.


    For instance, "See you again," "Legends never die," "Sugar," "We don''t talk anymore," "Blinding Lights," "Lighters," "Good Time," "Listen," "Just the way you are," and so on.


    Some of these songs were performed by others, some were not yet, along with good songs excluded from production in the previous two albums, enough to form a compilation album that wouldn''t be inferior in quality to the previous ones.


    Upon hearing this, Link did not object.


    Releasing such an album required no new songwriting, not even stepping into the recording studio again, production and distribution wouldn''t interfere with his time, and he would earn an extra profit¡ªthere was no reason to refuse.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After wrapping up the album promotion, Link returned to the Bay Mansion to rest.


    During this period, just as Ivanka said, he flew back and forth every day with hardly any time to rest.


    Now that the first round of album promotions had ended, there was a week left until the IBF Light Heavyweight challenge match at the end of September.


    He could also take a few days to rest while training.


    But just as he had arrived back in America, bad news came from Nashville.


    In July, the legal team filed a lawsuit with the Nashville district court, hoping to gain custody of Alexander and Cynthia.


    After over a month of proceedings, the Nashville court dismissed his request, citing the lack of a marital relationship with Taylor and no legal kinship with the two children.


    However, considering he was the biological father of the children, and as Taylor''s side gave leeway, he was granted the right to visit the children regularly.


    When Link received this news, the media also got wind of it.


    Mainstream media outlets promptly reported that Link had failed to win the child custody battle with Taylor.


    To everyone''s surprise, after the report went out, neither traditional nor new media showed much interest in the story.


    The topic didn''t see much discussion online either, with its highest ranking on Twitter''s trending list being ninth.


    Because of the lack of heat for this news, an article from the "Hollywood Reporter" questioning the low level of interest actually surged to the top of the trending list.


    The "Hollywood Reporter" official account''s headline read, ''Link and Taylor''s reputations have collapsed.''


    The article noted that with Link and Taylor''s popularity, any news related to either of them typically attracted a lot of interest, doubling when both were mentioned together.


    Now, the news of their legal battle for the children''s custody was getting little traction.


    Thus, the paper speculated that due to the events of July and August, Link and Taylor''s reputations online had collapsed.


    Netizens and fans were no longer idolizing them, which was a major reason for the decline in news heat concerning the two.


    After the news was published, it received 12,000 shares, 68,000 comments, and 320,000 likes in less than half a day.


    In the comments section, netizens joked that the "Hollywood Reporter" really knew how to leverage buzz, linking Link Taylor to ''collapse'' to create a stark contrast, and rode that wave to the number one trend spot in one breath.


    Regarding the "Hollywood Reporter" questioning whether Link and Taylor''s reputations had collapsed,


    one user humorously posted, saying while it''s uncertain how Taylor''s reputation stood without new work, it couldn''t be predicted, but Link''s was certainly not in ruins.


    His new album had been at the top of the sales charts for four straight weeks, his new movie "Captain America" was nearing 500 million US dollars in global box office, and his boxing matches in September and October were among the most-followed sporting events.


    If that was considered a collapse, then all celebrities in the world were amid a collapse.


    Other commentators mentioned the lack of interest in the custody news between Link and Taylor mainly because they both had too many stories online in the past few months, so many that they were headache-inducing.


    First came the June revelation of Taylor hiding her children, which set the internet ablaze, boiling public opinion, and topping trending searches for two weeks in a row.


    In July, Link transformed into a deadbeat dad by boldly seeking to snatch the children''s custody, stirring public opinion once more as both took turns on the top three trending searches.


    Then, at the end of July, news of Link winning gold medals at the World Championships remained on trending searches daily, from the first to the seventh medal, the swimming god.


    And with "Captain America" releasing on the 22nd, Link and Captain America alternated on the trending searches.


    Even in August, with Link releasing new songs and albums, the continuous trend was unbroken and also included hot searches for the Captain America box office.

 Chapter 631 - 461 Earning Money to Pay Debt_2

    This situation continued until September, with Link and Taylor''s names still appearing intermittently on the trending search list.


    Over these three months, everyone had seen their names and related news articles countless times, almost to the point of nausea.


    Now, a sudden headline about Link''s failure to win custody appeared on the trending search list.


    Having seen too much, people were desensitized, and when they saw this kind of news again, they had no interest in clicking to read more, so it naturally did not trend highly.


    That user also suggested that Twitter should feature fewer trending searches about Link and Taylor in the upcoming months, as people were truly tired of them now.


    This comment garnered 53 thousand likes. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another user also expressed their thoughts under this news piece, questioning how far Link was from a complete downfall.


    They mentioned that Link had once blasted Obama outside the Grammy Awards, angering many black celebrities and fans, nearly getting blacklisted.


    During his relationship with Taylor, he had cheated, transforming into a scoundrel.


    In the latter half of last year during a global tour, he was exposed for womanizing worldwide, boasting a United Nations group of girlfriends, and had ascended to being the world''s number one playboy.


    Recently, despite the backlash, he had audaciously attempted to wrestle custody of the child from Taylor, earning the title of terrible dad.


    Such numerous ''stains'' would have ruined any other celebrity multiple times over.


    Yet


    Link was still a world-class superstar, a top celebrity in the entertainment industry, a youth idol, and was named the year''s most influential pop culture idol by People magazine.


    That user finally posed a question, pondering how to make Link''s reputation collapse.


    This comment received 35 thousand likes and 18 thousand replies within three hours of posting.


    Users replied that bringing Link down was very difficult.


    Link was no longer just a celebrity; he was worth over thirty billion, an owner of Lionsgate Films, and the proprietor of America''s largest independent music label, Link Music, making him a capitalist.


    To see him fall would require bankruptcy or a criminal case.


    Other users commented on Link juggling too many jobs, regardless of whether as a boxer, singer, actor, investor, entrepreneur, or athlete, he excelled in all these industries, possessing exceptional strength.


    This kind of person was like a monster walking on over ten stout legs; as long as he did not act recklessly, there was almost no chance of him failing.


    In the end, users called Link one of the thickest-skinned stars in the entertainment industry, and some even dubbed him the Voldemort of the entertainment world.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "Not easy, this matter has finally passed."


    Inside the villa, Link put down his tablet and sighed.


    "It really wasn''t easy. This public opinion crisis almost ruined Taylor''s reputation, but you effortlessly blocked it. Many people in the circle find it unbelievable, and I''ve heard behind the scenes that some praise you as the best ex-boyfriend."


    Catherine said with a smile, holding her coffee cup.


    Link smiled lightly, feeling undeserving of the title of best ex-boyfriend.


    He had acted as he did also to make it up to Taylor; no matter what, the initial fault was his own, which had caused her to make mistakes and had drawn her into a public opinion crisis.


    At that time, if he had stood by and ignored her plight, he would have had no face to see their two nursing children.


    "When do you plan to visit the kids in Nashville?"


    "I was planning to go in the next few days, but Taylor called this morning and said she would bring the kids to Los Angeles in a couple of days. It''s more convenient for her to take care of them here, so I don''t need to travel all the way to Nashville."


    "That''s good too."


    Catherine nodded slightly.


    "How is the company doing? Now that we have money, we can produce several more films."


    By the end of August, global box office revenue from "Bridesmaids" had come in, totaling about 85 million US dollars. With such low-budget films, they could invest in four or five, or even more.


    "We are still looking for suitable scripts. Currently, the company has three projects, ''The Master,'' ''Southern Wild,'' and ''Lawless'' in production," "The Help" and "Silver Linings Playbook" are queued up for release. The company doesn''t have many employees, and we cannot handle too much work this year."


    Catherine said.


    Link nodded, having forgotten that Palm Beach Films was just a three-year-old film company because "Scandal Plan" and "Bridesmaids" had done well.


    This year, they had already invested in producing five film projects, and all the departments were operating over capacity. Producing a few more would likely be too much to handle.


    "Link, I heard you still have three hundred million in loans at the bank. Why don''t you use this money to pay off the debt first? ''The Help'' and ''Silver Linings Playbook'' have received good reviews in internal screenings, and they should generate some profit at the box office, enough for next year''s film productions. Keeping this money in the company''s account is pointless right now."


    Catherine suggested.


    Link thought for a moment, then agreed.


    Last year, "Scandal Plan" had a major success, earning about 50 million US dollars in box office share and subsequent royalty income. This money, together with his investment of twenty million, was used to produce this year''s films, and the company had no external debt.


    The remaining two films this year, "The Help" and "Silver Linings Playbook," were blockbuster films, each expected to gross over one hundred million in North America.


    Once these two films were released, Palm Beach Films would again receive a large share, certainly not lacking production funds.


    "You all continue to select scripts at the company, not too many, just two or three mid to low budget film projects per year. Also, Palm Beach Films currently has a good reputation, both films are quality productions. Going forward in selecting film projects, be a bit more cautious, better to have a shortage than mediocrity."


    Link said thoughtfully.


    Catherine nodded and said with a laugh that it was somewhat difficult.


    Palm Beach Films set the bar high with their first two films, the first having a return on investment of twenty times and the second grossing over three hundred million globally.


    In terms of profit, Palm Beach Films'' performance this year could rank within the top twelve among independent producers, not far behind Relativity.


    The rapid progress also led to challenges in Palm Beach''s subsequent development.


    Catherine laughed, saying she felt some anxiety while preparing new projects.


    Link also felt that Palm Beach Films had developed too fast, but at this point, they only could find ways to continue progressing.


    For this, he also planned to take the time to review more scripts and find more box-office-hit film projects for Palm Beach Films.


    As for Lionsgate Films, with Ivanka there, it demanded less of his attention for the time being.


    Lionsgate Films initially started with low-quality horror films focusing solely on profit, unconcerned with reputation.


    Just like after the big success of "Crazy Black Lady''s Happy Family," the production department immediately came up with three sequel plans: "Crazy Black Lady''s Witness Protection Program," "Crazy Black Lady''s Marriage Counselor," "Crazy Black Lady''s These People of Ours."


    All these projects had production costs under fifteen million and were successively approved by the production department.


    Ivanka mentioned them, and Link wouldn''t say much. Such film sequels had box-office potential, and the production costs were low. To reject investing due to reputation concerns would be too rigid.


    These sequels, along with several horror film series, "The Hunger Games" series, "The Expendables" series, "Moneyball," "The Vow," "Escape from Tehran," and other Oscar contenders, as well as the undeveloped yet bought rights to "Fifty Shades of Grey," ensured that Lionsgate Films would not lack film projects for the next few years.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After talking with Catherine, Link pulled 75 million US dollars from Palm Beach Films, plus the first share of royalties from his fourth album, the first-half royalties from his third album, and some film salaries, totaling about 55 million US dollars.


    With these two amounts totaling 130 million, he used them to pay off loans, instantly reducing his debt level to 170 million, with the expectation of paying it off within the year.

 Chapter 632 - 462: Foolish Man, Resentful Woman

    In March, to acquire Lionsgate, Link borrowed four hundred million US dollars from Morgan City Investment Bank. After half a year, he repaid 230 million and still had 170 million left.


    With more than half of the foreign debt reduced, he felt a lot lighter. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taking advantage of his good mood, he flew to Nashville, ready to personally pick up his two children and bring them back to Los Angeles.


    "I said I would bring them back to Los Angeles in a few days, why did you suddenly come here?"


    In the estate on the outskirts of Nashville, Taylor showed no sign of being moved by his gallant assistance in July when she saw him. Instead, she looked cold and unimpressed.


    Having slept with her for more than a year, Link knew her personality and didn''t make a big deal out of it.


    "Cut the crap! Take me to see my little princess and prince."


    Link gestured firmly with his hand.


    If he hadn''t helped the children''s mother with a big problem in July, he wouldn''t have the nerve to act so tough.


    But now he felt awesome, and the decision to take a risk for Taylor in July was the right one.


    "Hmph, don''t get cocky!"


    Taylor snorted with her nose wrinkled, unwillingly heading into the estate, her blond hair lifting in the breeze.


    The estate is very large, about 2.3 hectares, that is 23,000 square meters, way too big, one can''t see the other side of the courtyard wall at a glance.


    There are three villas in the estate, a 5,600-square-feet main house, a 2,000-square-feet servant building, a 2,000-square-feet guesthouse, and a thirty-plus meter high spire tower for viewing, it takes nearly ten minutes just to walk from one end to the other at the villa''s entrance.


    The main buildings are made of grey and white Greek marble, with four columns engraved with art sculptures in front of the main house entrance, and both gabled and spired structures, all with distinct Greek architectural style.


    This estate is also known as the Greek Revival Manor.


    There are vast lawns and gardens inside the estate, and in the warm Southern weather of September, the lawns are lush, and the flowers in the garden are still blooming brightly, with red irises, blue bellflowers, cherry blossom trees, and large patches of climbing roses, colorful, with butterflies and bees fluttering about.


    Passing by, the scent of flowers is overwhelming.


    Just behind the main house is a fenced sports field with rubber flooring, suitable for playing tennis, basketball, and volleyball. Taylor clearly isn''t a sporty person; the running track around the sports field is overgrown with some weeds, looking somewhat neglected.


    There''s also a big swimming pool in the estate, the clear, blue water sparkling under the sun, tempting one to dive in.


    "This place is really nice."


    Link admired the layout of the estate.


    Taylor walked ahead briskly in a plain T-shirt, blue jeans, and flat shoes, her golden ponytail swaying, her arms crossed in front of her chest, not intending to acknowledge him.


    "Before, asking you to live in that small villa was an insult to you."


    Link remarked reflectively.


    After becoming famous, Taylor turned into a well-known real estate queen in the entertainment circle, currently owning two properties in Nashville, two in New York, and two in Los Angeles, all worth millions or even tens of millions, all more grandiose in both decoration and size than the Bay Villa.


    From this, it can be seen that Taylor is someone who enjoys luxury.


    "Shut up! Don''t mention the past."


    Taylor said coldly.


    "After I take the children to Los Angeles, this estate will be idle. You might want to consider selling it to me, we can negotiate the price."


    Link suggested.


    Taylor resumed her silence, not responding to him, but she let down her arms and casually picked up a round pebble from the steps in front of the main house and flipped it in her hand before hiding the stone behind her back.


    "Ahem, have you seen this week''s singles chart? ''Say Something'' overtook ''That Girl'' this week, becoming the second number-one single from the new album. Some fans even said on Spotify that you sing it better than me, that your voice is more emotive. Ridiculous, fans'' sense of music is declining."


    Link mused.


    Taylor''s hand clenched the pebble tightly, her nails turning pink from the pressure.


    "Billboard predicts that my album has a great chance to surpass my third one in US sales this year, reaching six million copies. They say no one could break this record in the next ten years, not Lady Gaga, not Adele, not even Taylor Swift. Ah, it''s lonely at the top."


    Link sighed with his hands behind his back.


    Taylor suddenly stopped, swung her fist at him, and threw the pebble heavily onto the grass next to him before turning and walking into the main house without looking back.


    Link smiled faintly at her retreating figure and followed her up to the nursery on the second floor of the main house.


    In the warmly decorated room, he saw his long-missed Alexander and Cynthia, soft and cute, with delicate pinkish tints.


    At his arrival, Alexander was sleeping, eyes closed, suckling a pacifier, his little fists clenched beside his chubby face, occasionally moving.


    "Look, Alexander has the makings of a boxer from a young age. When he''s four or five, I''ll teach him boxing so he can take over my Golden Belt when he grows up."


    "Shut up! Who wants to practice boxing with you?"


    Taylor said disdainfully.


    Cynthia wasn''t asleep, her bright blue eyes open, clear as two pure blue crystals, her pink mouth dribbling saliva, her golden hair tied up in fine pigtails, her little face so exquisitely cute it outshone those on TV commercials.


    "Giggle~"

 Chapter 633 - 462: The Obsessed Man and the Resentful Woman_2

    Cynthia was not at all shy and started giggling with her little mouth wide open when she saw him, waving her little hand too.


    "Cynthia, don''t smile at him, he''s a bad man,"


    Taylor scolded with a crinkle of her nose.


    "What kind of nonsense are you teaching, keep talking like that, and I''ll ask for the custody of the children again,"


    Link said with dissatisfaction, gently lifting the little darling in his arms, her weight of over ten pounds felt almost nonexistent in his hands.


    "Be gentle, your hands are so heavy, be careful not to hurt Cynthia,"


    Taylor cautioned from the side.


    Link couldn''t be bothered with her and carried the little darling around the house.


    The little darling also liked him a lot, lying in his arms with her big blue eyes staring at him intently without blinking, her mouth revealing a sweet smile that could melt hearts.


    Taylor, watching from the side, was extremely jealous, continually asking him to put Cynthia down, and saying that children so young shouldn''t be held too often.


    After Link had held her for a while, Alexander woke up, so he took one in each arm, strolling around the villa leisurely.


    Taylor followed them around, warning him not to go to the garden, not to go near the pool, not to go to the little pasture, not to sunbathe, nor to feed them anything. She advised him to put the little ones down soon, like a police officer trying to persuade robbers to release hostages.


    After Taylor nagged for a while and arranged for a nanny to follow with a stroller, she left to take care of other matters.


    ¡ª¡ª


    When Taylor got back from the recording studio in the afternoon, she asked where the children were as soon as she entered the door, and the servant said they were sleeping in the baby''s bedroom. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taylor asked where Link was, and the servant said Mr. Baker was also sleeping.


    After changing her clothes, Taylor went upstairs to the nursery and saw the two little ones lying in their soft beds, fast asleep, with their little eyes, little noses, and little mouths looking exceptionally delicate and adorable. Every time she saw the children, her eyes would unconsciously soften and the corners of her mouth would naturally reveal a smile.


    But when she looked at the big guy sleeping next to the bed, her expression cooled again. She shook her clenched fist in front of his face, and in the end, she poked his forehead with her index finger, telling him to wake up and not to sleep like a lazy bear.


    "My dear, you''re back,"


    Link opened his eyes and stretched. He had been so busy lately and had said he needed to rest after returning, but there was too much to do and no time to rest. Just seeing the little ones asleep made him lie down beside them and fall asleep too.


    "My dear? Whom are you calling?"


    "Sorry, it''s just a habit,"


    Link quickly apologized.


    "Come outside with me,"


    "For what?"


    "Just come out!"


    Taylor stood at the doorway, her arms crossed.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, washed his face in the restroom, and went to the small living room on the second floor.


    The small living room faced west, and beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, there was a stretch of forest, and farther away, a clear blue lake, as well as the densely vegetated foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.


    By September, the red maples and sequoias on the mountain looked like red flames, slowly kindling the entire forest.


    Link broached the subject of buying her estate again, or at least a 50% right of residence. He thought it would be nice to vacation here and even go hunting in the Great Smoky Mountains when he had time.


    Taylor scoffed at him and asked when he was going back.


    Link, lying on a chaise longue, took a bite of an apple and said there was no rush. He had been too busy lately without any time to rest.


    Since the place was nice, he was planning to stay for a few days and hoped she wouldn''t mind the intrusion.


    Taylor clenched her teeth in anger. This jerk had the thickest skin. After breaking up, he acted as if he were still at home - eating when he pleased and lying down when he wanted, without any sense of being a guest.


    "You can''t stay here. Aren''t you worried about Ivanka misunderstanding?"


    "Not worried at all. Before coming, Eva told me I had been too tired lately and suggested I stay a few more days here. She also mentioned you were quite lonely here with the kids and the events of July and August had taken a toll on you, advising me to stay and talk with you more,"


    Link explained.


    Taylor blinked her blue eyes, "Is that really what Ivanka said? I have Ivanka''s number. Don''t believe me? I''ll ask her right now."


    Link shrugged nonchalantly, as if to say she could do as she wished, and picked up a bunch of freshly washed grapes, popping them in his mouth one after another without spitting out the skins.


    Once again, Taylor''s fists clenched tighter, and her eyes fell on the fruit knife. She wished she could control the knife with her mind and stab him twice.


    "Do you really think Ivanka is testing you? To see what you''ll really think. You walked right into her trap by listening to her. She''s not a simple woman,"


    "It doesn''t matter. I never guess women''s thoughts, nor do I act according to them. If I''m staying for a couple of days, it''s because I like it here,"


    Link said.


    "Hmph, you''re just causing trouble for me and the children. Since you arrived, the paparazzi have been here too. I just stepped out earlier, and my car was almost surrounded by paparazzi. Now there are lots of news articles online about you running to Nashville to see the children, and there are even trending searches. The longer you stay, the bigger the problem will become,"


    "I don''t care,"


    Taylor was on the verge of exploding; after all her talking, all Link could muster was a three-word response.


    "If you can''t stay in a guest room, I can sleep in the nursery, accompanying Alexander and Cynthia through the night,"


    Link proposed.


    Taylor rolled her eyes. She didn''t even want to accommodate him in a guest room, so why would she let him sleep in the baby''s room? But seeing his ''I don''t care how thick my skin is; there''s nothing you can do'' attitude, her eyes again fell on the fruit knife.


    Suddenly, her eyes lit up with an idea. She picked up a dragon fruit, sliced it open with the knife, and said, "Have you noticed that Alexander''s hair is black and Cynthia''s hair is gold? They don''t look very alike either."

 Chapter 634 - 462 Obsessive Men and Resentful Women_3

    "Alexander looks like me, Cynthia looks like you,"


    Link said.


    "Not necessarily. Isn''t there a possibility that neither child is yours but were actually fathered by me with another man? I hid their birth to prevent you from seeing them, because I didn''t want you to discover the truth. I''m revealing this now because I no longer want to deceive you. Understand?"


    "...."


    Link stared at Taylor, his eyes twitching uncontrollably as his face turned darker.


    "Do you understand now, Alexander and Cynthia aren''t your children. You don''t need to care too much about them, be careful not to care about the wrong people, or you''ll regret it too late."


    Taylor tore open the pitahaya skin, her fingers stained with red juice, a cruel smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.


    "I don''t believe it."


    Link picked up an apple and left.


    Taylor watched his retreating figure, suddenly lifting the corner of her lips, smiling triumphantly.


    "You''re angry, aren''t you? Does it infuriate you? Think back to the beginning of the year when you put aside your work to care for me in the hospital, a big star acting like a servant, later taking flak over the children. In May, I tricked you into going to Switzerland, and in July, to help me and the children, you faced another internet backlash, damaging your reputation significantly.


    You did so much for me and the children, all because you believed they were yours. If they aren''t yours, everything you did was in vain. Now you know the truth, are you furious, do you feel like hitting someone?"


    Taylor laughed heartily, covering her mouth.


    "....You really are insane."


    Link pointed at her as he spoke.


    "Hahaha, no need to say goodbye when you leave, I don''t have time to see you out."


    "No need!"


    Link waved his hand and left.


    Taylor slowly retracted her smile, put down the pitahaya, and quietly looked towards the lake outside the window. The juice from the fruit skin dried on her fingertips, turning into a mesmerizing purple.


    After sitting in the living room for a while, a maid came in to inform her that lunch was ready and asked when she would like to eat.


    Taylor snapped back to reality, asking when Mr. Baker left.


    The maid said he didn''t leave; he was in the nursery watching the children.


    Taylor blinked and hurried to the nursery, just to see Link sitting by the bed, holding her ukulele while playing and singing.


    Soft kitty, warm kitty


    Soft little kitty, warm little kitty


    Little ball of fur


    Just like a little furball


    Happy kitty, sleepy kitty


    Happy little kitty, sleepy little kitty


    Purr, purr, purr S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chuckle~


    The little ones were lying on the bed, looking at him with bright eyes, unable to stop smiling as he sang and made funny faces, their little arms and legs moving as if keeping the rhythm.


    The scene was too heartwarming.


    Taylor stood at the door and watched for a while, reluctant to interrupt.


    It was only when the nanny came to feed the little ones milk.


    That she drew Link, reluctant to leave, to the door, looking at him questioningly with her blue eyes.


    "Didn''t I tell you, they''re not your children, they''re not your children, so what are you doing staying here? Aren''t you afraid that all your efforts will be wasted?"


    Link looked at her helplessly, this woman was just too annoying.


    "Miss Taylor Swift, how come I find you more talkative after you had children?


    I''ve told you, I like children, simply because I like them. It doesn''t matter whose they are.


    Even if they aren''t mine, they are still beautiful and innocent, children worthy of love. Do I need another reason to like them?"


    "Hmph, I don''t believe it. You''re not that magnanimous. When we were together, you wouldn''t let me wear overly sexy clothes, go to bars or dance halls, get too close to other men, or even have too flirtatious actions on stage.


    Now you hear these children aren''t yours, and you can be this magnanimous? I absolutely don''t believe it."


    Taylor stared at him intensely.


    "After we broke up, I''ve also been reflecting and correcting my own mistakes, striving not to repeat the same errors. I''m not the same person I was before. You should view me with new eyes."


    Link shrugged his shoulders and left.


    Taylor watched his retreating figure and suddenly asked coldly, "Did you secretly arrange for someone to do a DNA test?"


    Link paused in his steps, "What are you talking about?"


    "You haven''t changed at all. I can see that from the way Ivanka dresses. Before, Ivanka''s dresses were more form-fitting and showcased her figure well.


    In the past six months, her clothing has become more conservative, her skirts looser, and she hasn''t been involved in any rumors with other men. Even when she goes out with me, she brings a female assistant along.


    Any men who come to greet her are also blocked, so you not only haven''t changed, you''ve become more perverse.


    If this is the case, you couldn''t possibly be this magnanimous without being certain the children are yours.


    So, you bastard, did you really secretly have someone test Alexander and Cynthia''s DNA, didn''t you?"


    Taylor said angrily,


    "Would you stop being unreasonable?"


    Link said helplessly, "Ivanka dresses more conservatively because she''s now the chairman of Lionsgate Films, it''s necessary for work, and she also wears sexy dresses occasionally, alright?


    Does wearing revealing clothes only defines being fashion-forward in your eyes? She doesn''t engage in rumors because I am good enough. When interacting with the opposite sex, she also maintains a social distance, showing her consideration for me. Must Ivanka engage in rumors for me to seem magnanimous? I am not that perverse."


    "Do you think I would believe that?"


    Taylor crossed her arms and hummed softly.


    "Do I need you to believe? You''re just an ex-girlfriend who I can overlook. It''s not important. The children are my treasures, so please don''t waste my precious time with them. Let us have some quiet father-son time, alright?"


    "Link Baker, you''re truly despicable."


    Taylor said angrily.


    Link shrugged his shoulders, went back inside to be with the children, ignoring the crazy woman.

 Chapter 635 - 463: Accompaniment and Comprehension

    During the meal, Taylor didn''t call Link over; instead, she picked out a few dishes that Link liked and had the servants deliver them to the small living room. She also specifically instructed the servants to tell him to eat quietly and not feed the children anything haphazardly.


    She knew all too well how rough these men could be when it came to taking care of children.


    After dinner, Taylor returned to the music room to polish some scores and lyrics until it was almost dark when she suddenly remembered that she hadn''t instructed the servants to arrange a room for Link.


    When she reached the second floor, she asked where Link was.


    The servant said that Mr. Baker had left; after he finished eating, he had played with Alexander and Cynthia in the nursery for a while before leaving to work out.


    "Work out?"


    Taylor frowned and stood on the villa''s main building terrace for a while.


    As it was getting dark, she saw a figure running back from the lawn outside, followed by a car that restarted and headed towards downtown Nashville after he entered the estate.


    The lights in front of the villa illuminated the figure ¡ª it was Link, wearing a drenched T-shirt with his hair also wet, his white Nike shoes caked with mud, and carrying two grass carp, looking like a fisherman.


    Taylor blinked rapidly, leaning on the railing and asked, "What were you doing?"


    "I was training at a boxing gym in the city. On the way back, I told Bob Wallace that it would probably be beautiful by the lake in the evening. We decided to check it out, so we ran around Lenoir Lake. After finishing the run, I noticed there were fish in the lake, so I jumped in and caught two. Do you want to have a late-night snack?"


    Link asked, lifting up the fish.


    Taylor''s lips trembled, and she turned around, covering her mouth as she walked back inside.


    That night, Link cooked a dish of sweet and sour braised carp, a plate of pickled cucumbers, a pizza, and opened a can of beer, sitting in the small living room enjoying the delicious food.


    Cynthia was asleep, but Alexander hadn''t fallen asleep; he lay in the small living room''s rocking crib, staring at him eating the late-night snack with big drooling eyes.


    Unable to bear it, Link asked the nanny Rachel if the little guy could eat fish at seven months old?


    Nanny Rachel explained that a baby''s digestive system isn''t fully developed yet. They could have some light fish soup, but should avoid greasy, heavily flavored food, especially before sleep as it might cause indigestion.


    While Rachel was explaining this, Taylor happened to come by and asked Rachel what she was saying, to which Rachel reported truthfully.


    Annoyed, Taylor gave him a glance, asking Rachel to take Alexander back to his room to sleep and not let him drool here.


    "Want some?"


    "Humph!"


    "Got it, you''re on a diet."


    Link shrugged his shoulders, not insisting, and continued picking at the fish.


    This fish had many tiny, fine bones, requiring careful eating, but its flavor was much more delicious than sea fish ¡ª tender and smooth, melting in the mouth.


    He planned to catch another two the next day, make fish soup for the little ones, and let them experience a bit of fatherly love.


    "Did you catch these in the lake?"


    A fork suddenly extended from the opposite side.


    "Be careful, it''s quite bony. Eat this piece; it has no bones."


    Link picked out a whole piece of fish and placed it on her plate.


    "This is a landscape lake; fishing is forbidden."


    "I caught them with my hands."


    "Isn''t catching fish still fishing?"


    "No, fishing involves nets, traps, and other tools on a large scale. Catching by hand is different. When I entered the water, there were seven or eight fishermen night fishing on the opposite shore. Compared to them, me jumping in the water to catch two fish is reasonable." Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You, a big celebrity jumping into the lake to catch fish to eat, aren''t afraid of being photographed by paparazzi and becoming a hot search topic?"


    "Not afraid, I''m a descendant of fishermen; it''s quite reasonable for me to catch fish."


    Link said nonchalantly.


    Taylor helplessly rolled her eyes at him, this guy definitely had the thickest skin in the entertainment industry, never worried about facing criticism no matter what he did.


    "Lenoir Lake has a lot of silt; don''t recklessly dive into the water. If you want fish, I''ll have the servants buy some tomorrow. There''s a place nearby that sells them."


    "I''ll listen to you."


    Link said as he ate the fish.


    Taylor watched him, his hands busy, focused on the fish, eating with relish, his handsome cheeks also carrying a satisfied expression.


    This scene inadvertently reminded her of the times before they broke up; every meal Link was the same, focused and enjoying himself. She would talk, and he would listen earnestly, occasionally responding with a brief sentence.


    Every time she urged him to do something, he would say ''I''ll listen to you.''


    Slam!


    Taylor suddenly slammed her fork on the table, her pale, delicate cheeks cold, and said mockingly, "Listen to me? You always say you''ll listen to me, but when have you ever followed through?


    I told you not to mess around outside, yet you messed around everywhere. Did you listen to me?


    I told you to keep your distance from Ivanka, yet you ran to her house instead. I told you to take music seriously, but after making four albums, you wanted to quit. When have you ever listened to me?


    Since you can''t do it, why still say you will listen to me? You only make me feel like you''re a jerk."


    Link used a napkin to wipe the oil stains splattered on his shirt, looking at her helplessly.


    Having spent half a day together, he realized that Taylor was not quite herself, more easily agitated than before, fluctuating between joy and anger, and no longer as lively and straightforward as before, with a hint of melancholy in her eyes.


    Link sighed inwardly; he had heard that women could easily encounter psychological problems during and after pregnancy.


    Taylor was probably in this situation.


    Taylor had always been very concerned about public opinion. She would never do anything the media criticized, and she would immediately correct any flaws the media pointed out. Compared to the avant-garde and bold Lady Gaga, she was almost a goody-two-shoes.

 Chapter 636 - 463 Accompaniment and Comprehension_2

    Last year, Taylor became pregnant before marriage, and during her pregnancy, she had to endure not only the hardships brought by the pregnancy itself but also persist in releasing a new album and endure the pointing fingers and questioning from the outside world and her fans.


    The pressure she was under at that time was unimaginable.


    After giving birth, she adopted an unwise strategy to deal with her child''s issue. Though it brought her temporary peace, during that time she was surely tormented by a lot of negative emotions: depression, worry, self-blame.


    Some time ago when the child''s issue erupted, she found herself caught in a media storm, again faced with a lot of criticisms, accusations, and abuse.


    Having experienced these things himself in the past, Link knew the taste of being criticized by the entire society''s public opinion, and Taylor, with her thin skin, who cared more about others'' evaluations, would find such unpleasant experiences even more deep and unbearable.


    Although he stepped in midway to deflect some of the criticisms, Taylor''s reputation still suffered considerable damage.


    This kind of damage is irreversible, like being slashed by a knife; even if the wound can heal, it hurts when injured and ugly scars remain afterward.


    For a public figure, it''s a stain that cannot be removed. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    How hard it was for Taylor back then, and how she endured it, he wasn''t there and knew nothing about it, but putting himself in her shoes, it must have been very difficult.


    Looking at the woman still angry across from him, Link regretted his past actions for the first time.


    Last April when they broke up, he should have let go decisively instead of clinging on to take care of his own feelings, bringing endless trouble to Taylor. After all, Taylor is a living person, not an NPC in a game.


    "I''m sorry, I was wrong."


    "You were wrong? Every time I blame you, you say you were wrong, but when have you ever changed? If you can''t correct your mistakes, why didn''t you say so earlier? Why did you deceive me? Do you think I''m stupid and easy to fool?"


    As Taylor spoke, tears suddenly cascaded down, like ceaseless rain, instantly making her pale cheeks damp, her delicate jawline turning into a dripping eave.


    Link, holding a tissue, sat beside her, wanting to help her wipe her tears, but Taylor forcefully pushed him away.


    He persisted, and suddenly Taylor grabbed his arm and bit down hard on his wrist, biting fiercely, her tears quickly wetting his arm. With his wrist in her mouth, Taylor let out a low weeping sound.


    Link reached out to embrace her shoulders, stroking her back gently as he used to do.


    Taylor cried in his arms for three or four minutes before gradually calming down, then suddenly pushed him away and quickly left the living room, covering her face.


    Link looked at his wet shirt and the clear bite mark on his wrist stained with traces of blood, fell silent for two seconds, and returned to eating fish at the dining table.


    He decided to return to Los Angeles the next day, and from then on, aside from visiting the child, to keep his distance from Taylor as much as possible and not to disturb her.


    No matter how many boyfriends she had, he would no longer interfere, letting her live as indulgently and unrestrained as she did in her past life, considering her a once-loved stranger.


    More than ten minutes later, as he was about to clear the plates, Taylor suddenly reappeared in the living room, her golden hair re-styled and cascading over her shoulders, her cheeks touched up with powder, lips freshly glossed, once again looking exquisite and pretty.


    Only the undeniable reddened rims of her eyes, the moist blue irises, proved that what had happened before was not an illusion.


    "Put it down, I haven''t finished eating yet."


    Taylor said.


    "It''s cold."


    "I don''t care."


    Taylor sat down again, ready to eat fish, while Link took the plate back to the kitchen to reheat the fish and pizza, bringing them back to the dining table.


    When he returned to the living room, Taylor was drinking beer, a one-liter can of German dark beer, her cheeks flushed from how much she had drunk.


    "Here, this is yours."


    Taylor pushed an opened can of dark beer towards him.


    Link took a sip and, looking at Taylor eating pizza, said, "It was my fault before. I shouldn''t have clung to you because I couldn''t let go, getting you pregnant, causing you so much trouble. I won''t come to bother you anymore, nor will I add new troubles and disturbances to your life. Will this make you feel better?"


    "...You are such an incredibly foolish man, drink up!"


    Taylor picked up the beer and said.


    Link clinked cans with her.


    ¡ª¡ª


    The next day when he woke up, it was already bright outside, the sunlight from the east piercing through the milky fog between the primeval forests of the Great Smoky Mountains, skimming over the lake''s surface like a blue gemstone, casting a gentle light onto the glass at the foot of the bed, lighting up the room.


    Suddenly, he saw a tall figure with a blanket wrapped around the lower body, carrying shoes and a dress, undergarments in hand, tiptoeing out of the room.


    "Darling, where are you going?"


    Link rubbed his forehead and called out.


    The sleek figure paused, slowly turned around, lifted the blanket a bit higher to cover the delicate area tinged with pink, revealing that the woman was indeed Taylor.


    Her bangs were a chaotic mess, her fair, delicate cheeks were rosier and more translucent than the day before, and her eyes were brightly springing with life, albeit mixed with a bit of embarrassment.


    "Cough! You''re awake. We both got drunk last night and accidentally slept on the same bed, but nothing happened, don''t misunderstand."


    Taylor blinked and said.


    Link gave her a helpless look, "We''ve slept together so many times, is there a need to be this embarrassed?"


    "It''s different, we broke up, and we only slept on the same bed last night, nothing else happened, don''t make things up."


    Taylor shouted, her face flushed.


    Link nodded and pointed to the underwear in her hand, "That''s mine, yours should be in... the living room."

 Chapter 637 - 463 Accompaniment and Comprehension_3

    Taylor hurriedly dropped the boxer briefs in his hand, glaring at him irritably, "You weren''t drunk last night? You were pretending to be drunk the whole time to trick me into bed?"


    Link shook his head, "I was drunk, not amnesiac. It''s impossible not to remember anything. If I try hard to think about it, I can still recall some fragments... I remember it was you who made the move, saying you hadn''t done it for a long time."


    "Shut up! You''d better forget what happened last night, nothing happened between us."


    Taylor snorted softly, walking barefoot on the white cashmere carpet, storming out. Just as he was about to pull open the bedroom door, he stopped, turned around, and with an unfriendly look in his eyes, said, "Get out! This is my bedroom."


    Link shrugged his shoulders, got up to put on his shorts, shirt, and under Taylor''s urging, left her bedroom.


    When he reached the hallway, he suddenly remembered something, pushed the bedroom door open again, and saw Taylor lying on the bed, punching the mattress with her fists, her long legs swinging non-stop.


    Hearing the door open, Taylor jerked her head up and asked with annoyance, "What else do you want?"


    "Nothing, just don''t be nervous. I remember we didn''t take any precautions last night. Are you on your safe days? If not, remember to take the morning-after pill,"


    Link said.


    "Get out!"


    Taylor threw a pillow at the door.


    Link shook his head and closed the door.


    When he returned from his morning workout, he pushed the two little cuties around the estate in their stroller.


    After a day of interaction, the two little ones seemed to recognize him. They were especially well-behaved in his arms and made babbling sounds. It looked like they would be able to speak in another two or three months.


    It would be best for them to learn to call him daddy first, to make Taylor fiercely jealous.


    "Stop wandering outside; bring them back in for the meal,"


    Taylor called and said.


    Link brought the two little ones back to the villa. Today Taylor looked much better, walking more briskly and appearing cheerier, occasionally humming a tune. Link thought to himself it was miraculous, so making love could also cure illnesses.


    "Eat! Why are you always staring at me?"


    Taylor glanced at him, stirring her vegetable salad with a fork.


    "I''m not that hungry,"


    Link said, eating his sandwich.


    "Have you eaten outside?"


    "No! I remember we drank beer last night, but when I brushed my teeth this morning, there was a sour milk taste in my mouth. Did we drink milk last night?"


    Link said, puzzled.


    Taylor froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered something, her fair cheeks turning crimson. She covered her now fuller chest and threw a piece of bread at him. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn pervert, shut up! If you talk nonsense again, you can eat outside."


    Link just shrugged his shoulders and slowly ate the bread he picked up.


    Throughout the meal, Taylor glared at him several times, her face turning red each time.


    "I think you should leave early. Alexander, Cynthia, and I all hate you,"


    "Okay, I''ll leave tomorrow. There''s a match over the weekend, and I need to practice a bit more. When are you taking Alexander and Cynthia back to Los Angeles?"


    Link asked.


    "I''m not sure."


    "What do you mean? You said you''d take them to Los Angeles to live in a few days. I came here to personally escort the kids to Los Angeles, so why is it not certain anymore?"


    "The villa in Beverly Hills is too small, not enough room for me, the babies, and Rachel and Michelle. I bought a bigger villa at Holbein Mountain at the beginning of the month, but the renovations are not finished yet. I''ll take them to Los Angeles either towards the end of this year or next year,"


    Taylor said as he ate.


    "Later is also okay, Nashville has a good environment. Living here is more comfortable than in Los Angeles. But were you lying to me on the phone two days ago when you said you''d take the kids back to Los Angeles this week? If I hadn''t come to Nashville, I wouldn''t be able to see the kids?"


    "Are you blaming me?"


    Taylor asked dissatisfied.


    "No!"


    Link shrugged his shoulders and tactfully shut his mouth.


    With a snort, Taylor said, "Last time I met Ivanka, she held her belly and said she was about to have a child too. Is she pregnant now?"


    "Just found out, it''s just over a month old,"


    Link thought for a moment before speaking.


    "Ivanka is already pregnant and you are still running around? Don''t you know pregnant women need the most care? You really are a damn asshole,"


    Taylor suddenly cursed in anger.


    Link felt somewhat trashy too. He apologized again to Taylor; last year, when she was pregnant, he wasn''t there for her, leaving her to deal with so much alone.


    Taylor, with a cold face, did not accept it. She said the pregnancy was her personal decision, which had nothing to do with him. He didn''t need to feel guilty or make up for anything; it was all unrelated to him.


    Link said nothing more.


    Actually, he had always been surprised by Taylor''s decision to go through with the pregnancy after finding out.


    Taylor cared a lot about public opinion and, to her, having a child out of wedlock was a serious matter.


    He wanted to ask about Taylor''s thoughts at the time, but their relationship had only just returned to normal, and the timing wasn''t right to speak his mind.


    "Ivanka is really a good woman, capable of managing your company and bearing your children, and she doesn''t mind your affairs outside. You must be very satisfied, huh?"


    Taylor suddenly said.


    "Indeed, she''s good. I''ve never had an argument with Eva, let alone a fight,"


    Link said.


    "Then why do you keep bothering me?"


    Taylor asked.


    Link didn''t respond, continued to take care of the kids after the meal, and listened to Taylor''s nagging.


    He stayed in Nashville for three days before returning to Los Angeles to prepare for a boxing match and also planned to spend quality time with Ivanka.


    This was something he figured out while accompanying Taylor and the kids.


    Last year, he hadn''t been there for Taylor during her pregnancy, affecting her emotionally.


    Now that Eva was pregnant, she needed care and attention.


    If he missed being there for her again due to other matters or accidentally hurt her,


    It would be an added mistake, one he couldn''t even forgive himself for.


    Apart from Eva, when he has the time, he also plans to visit Huaxia more to keep Shu Chang company, trying to ensure she feels emotionally stable and happy during her pregnancy.

 Chapter 638 - 464: Romance and Acquisition Plans

    Taylor''s next boxing match was scheduled for September 10, Teacher''s Day, in Las Vegas. His opponent was the former IBF Light Heavyweight champion, Clinton Woods, a Briton.


    Woods had knocked out the former champion Rick Hoye in five rounds in 2005, winning the IBF Light Heavyweight Golden Belt. In 2006, he defeated ''Bulldozer'' Green Johnson and faced the challenge of ''Thunder'' Tavaris Cloud in 2009, losing his championship title.


    This time, Clinton Woods was making a comeback, ready to compete for the IBF Golden Belt once again.


    After being matched by their respective management companies, he would fight Link, with the winner earning a shot at the championship title.


    The opponent was a 36-year-old veteran, a technical boxer, not particularly challenging to handle.


    However, considering recent rumors in the boxing world, some claimed he had never faced a gruesome fight, and his mental toughness was questionable. The only way to defeat him was through ''bloodshed'', employing relentless and rule-free tactics, ideally brawling with him on the ring, wounding him repeatedly until he broke.


    Link did not know how many believed this rumor, but he couldn''t disregard it.


    After returning from training at Muscle Beach Gym, Link entered his villa and saw Ivanka cooking in the kitchen.


    She was tall and fair-skinned, wearing a sleeveless silk dress that came down to her knees, revealing her long, rounded legs, and flat shoes, along with the graceful curves that the dress could not conceal.


    Link realized Taylor was right; Ivanka had indeed become more conservative in her attire over the past six months.


    Her clothing had become more dignified, no longer clinging to show off her voluptuous figure, and she hardly wore heavy makeup anymore, opting for a more natural, elegant look.


    This discovery surprised him.


    During his relationship with Taylor, they had argued several times over clothing choices, and Taylor had accused him of being too controlling.


    To avoid repeating the past, he had never commented on Ivanka''s attire after they started dating.


    Also, because Ivanka had such a flair for fashion, praised by top magazines like "Vogue" and "ELLE," he refrained from speaking out on the subject.


    Although he hadn''t said anything, Ivanka''s fashion sense had gradually shifted from sexy to mature and dignified, portraying a tough, commanding presence at work and the charm of a mature lady at home.


    Link had not paid much attention to this change before.


    Now that he noticed, he was somewhat puzzled, unsure of the reason behind Ivanka''s fashion choices and whether it related to him.


    "Darling, I''m home."


    Link called out as he entered the kitchen.


    "Just wait a moment, dinner will be ready soon."


    Ivanka looked back at him and said.


    "You''re pregnant, you should rest more, why don''t you let Elena cook whatever you want?"


    Link took a knife from her hand, swiftly chopped the fruit into pieces.


    Elena was the villa''s chef and nutritionist, who had a nutritionist certification and had been hired by Ivanka last year. She was proficient in French and Italian cuisine.


    "Elena was cooking; I just came to the kitchen to cut some fruits for a cold dish, but now you''ve chopped them all, we can only make juice."


    Ivanka playfully glared at him, pushed him aside, and took the knife to start cutting other fruits.


    "Your fingers are too delicate; you should keep away from water and sharp objects. It''s not good if you get hurt."


    Link held her waist from behind, his palm gently caressing her flat, soft abdomen.


    "Stop teasing me, or I will really cut my fingers."


    Ivanka gently said.


    Link stopped his actions but still gently held her, inhaling the enchanting scent of her hair as he said, "Your clothes seem to be getting looser."


    "Being pregnant, of course, I need to wear looser clothes."


    Ivanka said nonchalantly.


    "That makes sense. In terms of dress, as long as you think it''s beautiful and looks good, you don''t need to care too much about others'' opinions, and you don''t need to care about mine either. I don''t understand fashion, and I don''t know what looks better, so my opinions aren''t a good reference."


    Link said softly.


    Ivanka turned her forehead to rub it against his chin, "Why are you suddenly talking about this, are the fashion magazines saying that my recent style has changed drastically, from urban beauty to corporate woman, somewhat stern and rigid, lacking variation, and you want to console me?"


    "...Yes!"


    Link didn''t know about such discussions in fashion magazines, but it sounded about right.


    "No need. Previously, I followed a sexy fashion style because I was a young woman in need of attention from peers, and I also needed feedback from the outside to standardize my dress and behavior to become seen as a socialite in others'' eyes.


    Now, there''s no need. I''m your fianc¨¦e; I only need to care about your opinion, your view. Do you think I look good this way?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course, every day you are incredibly charming. Every time I see you, I can''t look at any other scenery, and every time I hold you, I just want to melt you into my body, so I can keep you forever and not worry about ever losing you. Every time we make love, this thought intensifies.... Am I somewhat perverted, or perhaps too controlling?"


    Link reflected.


    "Hold me tighter."


    Ivanka suddenly said.


    "Why?"


    Link wrapped his arms tighter around her chest and abdomen from beneath her arms.


    Ivanka suddenly pulled out a long dinner knife from the knife holder, pointing it at her chest, saying, "I feel the same way. When I see you, I can''t look at anyone else, not even wanting to look at the sky or the ocean, no matter how beautiful they are. When you hold me, I just want to plunge this dinner knife right here, stab it into your chest so that we could be together forever, and no one can take you away from me."

 Chapter 639 - 464: Love Talks and Acquisition Plan_2

    Link saw her really pressing the knife tip against her chest and quickly grabbed the handle, placing it back on the knife rack.


    "Stop it, you''re pregnant, be more careful, don''t mess with knives," he said urgently.


    "Do you think I''m being too extreme?"


    Ivanka said with a smile, curling a fallen golden strand of hair behind her ear.


    "Yes! Both of us need a psychiatrist," Link said helplessly.


    Ivanka smiled faintly and said that these were her truest thoughts, not some mental illness, and he didn''t need to worry too much.


    "I understand, but the magazines say that pregnant women can have psychological problems due to hormonal changes and such, so I think it''s necessary to see a psychiatrist regularly," Link suggested.


    "Don''t worry, I just want to tell you how much I love you. This is an emotional issue, not a psychological one," Ivanka turned back and touched his lips with hers, picking up the fruit plate and motioning for him to come eat some fruit.


    Watching her mature and charming figure from behind, Link felt a twinge of helplessness. He found that the women close to him were like ticking time bombs when scrutinized too closely.


    Taylor often cursed him out, brandishing knives and lashing out with punches and kicks.


    Ivanka, with her seemingly gentle and demure exterior and mature, steady way of dealing with the world, would sometimes come up with crazy ideas that sent shivers down his spine.


    Then there was Emma Watson, who would slash her wrists with a knife whenever he hinted at separation.


    And there were the likes of Dadalio, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Liu, and Sasaki Nozomi.


    Although there had been many physical exchanges, there was not much true spiritual connection, and for now, he hadn''t noticed any major issues with them. He hoped it would remain that way, as if they all turned out to be like Ivanka, Taylor, or Emma, he felt he might go insane.


    ---- S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While eating fruit in the living room, Link brought up the topic of buying a larger property with Eva.


    The villa they were in was a standalone with not a small perimeter, but the living space wasn''t large. It was sufficient for the two of them, but once their child was born, the nanny and the staff would need to live there too. Owning a larger villa would be more convenient in terms of privacy and security.


    Additionally, he considered that women had a natural taste for luxury and beauty; both Taylor and Ivanka were like that.


    Ivanka, who came from a wealthy family accustomed to living in large villas and riding in luxury cars, perhaps had even higher standards than Taylor in this respect.


    In the past they didn''t mind following his lead, not minding living in a smaller villa for simplicity''s sake.


    But after seeing Taylor''s grand estate, he realized that he should consult them more about their living preferences.


    It was best to follow their desires, whatever they may be.


    With his current net worth, no luxury residence posed a problem, except for the White House, of course.


    Ivanka said living here was very nice, with a good environment, not as crowded and noisy as Beverly Hills, also closer to the company making the commute easier. However, the place would be a bit small once the baby arrived. If they were considering purchasing real estate, they could look at buying a larger villa in the vicinity.


    The bay villa area also had luxurious estates, which they could inquire about through a real estate agent.


    Link agreed with her suggestion and decided to get in touch with a real estate agent soon to see if there were any suitable large villas nearby.


    During the meal, Ivanka brought up company matters.


    In August and September, Lionsgate Films had three movie releases.


    The first one, "The Devil''s Double," was a biographical adaptation based on the life of Saddam''s eldest son, Uday Hussein''s body double, depicting the plight of an innocent man, life''s upheavals, and the struggle within hearts, leaning towards the artsy side.


    To penetrate the market, since the beginning of the year, the Lionsgate distribution department had taken the movie to more than ten film festivals, hoping to make a sale and ideally win a few motion picture awards before release, but with little success.


    On July 29th, the movie had a limited release in North America and due to low attendance, theaters ended screenings early, with a box office tally of 1.36 million, while overseas the performance was also mediocre. Since the beginning of the year, it''s taken in 4.6 million US Dollars from over ten countries.


    The current total box office stood at 5.96 million, while the movie budget was 19.1 million US Dollars, essentially a near-total loss.


    The second film, "Boxing Warrior," starred Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, with a plot highly similar to "The Fighter," also about a pair of boxing brothers confronting conflicts in the ring, only changing the ''third party'' from the mother to the father, and replacing Amy Adams''s role with a female doctor, ending with a more satisfying conclusion.


    Due to its relatable plot, the movie was deemed a sibling piece to "The Fighter" after its release.


    The movie premiered on August 9th, with current box office earnings of 13.12 million in North America and about 8.5 million overseas.


    The movie''s production cost was 25 million and to turn a profit, the global box office would have to exceed 50 million, which clearly seemed impossible for this film.


    However, the company could still gain some income through the distribution of the movie DVD, streaming media rights, and cable television royalties.


    The expected loss was estimated to be around 8 million.


    This movie had a better reputation than "Madea''s Big Happy Family," but fans were not buying it, and no matter how good the reputation was, it didn''t help sales.


    The third film, "No Escape," starred the popular actor Taylor Lautner and British starlet Lily Collins. It told the story of a young man investigating his origins and the series of crises he faces and the truths he uncovers.


    The movie was released in North America on September 2nd, earning 10.92 million US Dollars at the box office during the first weekend, with about 25 million overseas.

 Chapter 640 - 464: Romance and Acquisition Plan_3

    The film''s production cost was 35 million US Dollars.


    Considering Taylor Lautner and Lily Collins have a bigger following overseas, the overall box office should see some profit, with an estimated seventy to eighty million US Dollars.


    It could barely make up for the losses caused by the previous two films.


    In the past two months, Lionsgate Films also helped Relativity Media release two films, "Shark Night" and "Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer"; the former barely broke even, while the latter lost over ten million US Dollars.


    By September, the Hollywood summer season came to an end, and the media released some statistics: this year''s North American summer box office sold 543 million tickets, with total revenues of 4.4 billion US Dollars.


    The number of moviegoers was the lowest since 1997, with the peak in 2002 when 653 million movie tickets were sold.


    However, due to the influence of 3D films, the total box office revenue of 4.4 billion US Dollars set a new record.


    During the summer season, Paramount, with films like "Transformers 3," "Captain America," "Thor," "Super 8," and others, took in about 1.5 billion US Dollars at the North American box office, while Warner Bros. Pictures, with "Harry Potter 7," "Hangover 2," "Green Lantern," "Horrible Bosses," "Bridesmaids," and others, earned around 1.3 billion US Dollars.


    Disney, Universal, and Sony were closely matched, each earning around five to six hundred million US Dollars.


    20th Century Fox was at the bottom.


    Lionsgate, with 210 million US Dollars, ranked tenth for the time being.


    This 4.4 billion was a big pie, but unfortunately, with Lionsgate''s current scale, it could only take a small slice.


    "Today at the company meeting, President Burns raised a topic, the acquisition of Summit Entertainment to form a powerful alliance. This was a plan before Lionsgate was acquired; it was interrupted due to the change of ownership. Now President Burns has proposed it again. Should we continue with this plan?"


    At the dinner table, Ivanka asked while eating.


    Michael Burns is the Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Lionsgate Films, leading the planning and acquisition of its business expansion.


    The target of the company''s acquisition is Summit Entertainment, established in 1993 and also headquartered in the Santa Monica area, which has produced many popular films, including the "Twilight" series, "Step Up" series, and the 2009 Oscars Best Picture "The Hurt Locker," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," "Vanilla Sky," "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels," and others.


    In recent years, Summit Entertainment also became the lead among independent film production companies at the box office due to the "Twilight" series.


    If Lionsgate could acquire Summit Entertainment, they would obtain the film rights to these movies, but since Summit holds the "Twilight" series, the price will certainly not be low.


    "What is Summit''s asking price?"


    "Around 420 million. There''s room for negotiation, and the acquisition can also be achieved through stock considerations," Ivanka said.


    430 million is a very reasonable number, as a film company making money from its movies does not necessarily mean the company itself is valuable.


    A film company is like a hen that lays eggs; every year, shareholders take away most of the profits, leaving only a portion for production funds.


    For a film company, the valuable assets are the movie rights income and the rights to adapt popular films, distribution channels, production departments, and so on.


    Compared to Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment has no experience with being public, limited funds, only producing two to three films a year, no television department or channels, video websites or a large catalog of films, and has weaker distribution capabilities.


    This is also why Summit Entertainment, despite owning the "Twilight" series that has garnered over two billion in global box office, is not actually as valuable as Lionsgate Films.


    As for whether to acquire the company, Link needs to give it some serious thought.


    The benefit of the acquisition is to expand Lionsgate Films'' catalog. Originally, Lionsgate had over 12,000 movie and television titles rights, mostly acquired through the purchase of other film production and distribution companies.


    With these entertainment rights, Lionsgate Films makes about eighty million US Dollars annually in licensing fees.


    After acquiring Summit Entertainment, it could expand the company''s catalog and extend its entertainment IP portfolio. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Also, Summit Entertainment has decent capabilities in film production and distribution, which could play a strengthening role.


    Originally, Lionsgate was able to move from the eighth spot in Hollywood to the seventh or sixth and even surpass Fox, Sony, and Paramount to enter the top five, thanks in part to the acquisition of Summit Entertainment in 2012.


    This is the advantage.


    The disadvantage is that it''s somewhat expensive.


    From the perspective of investment returns, if one had US\\$430 million on hand, investing it in other sectors, such as the volatile Nvidia, could increase its value by 100 times over the next decade; investing in other areas could also earn more than tenfold.


    To sell it to Summit Entertainment is not a reasonable investment.


    Additionally, the reason Lionsgate Films originally acquired Summit Entertainment was that Lionsgate is a listed company. The most direct way for a listed company to grow bigger and stronger is through acquisitions and mergers.


    Now that the company is privately owned, the sources of capital are limited, the ability to withstand risks is reduced, and continuing on the same path will inevitably lead to problems over time.


    Thinking of this, Link put down his juice glass and looked at Ivanka across from him.


    "Dear, what do you think about this? I''d like to hear your opinion for reference," he said.


    "My thought is that it''s not suitable to acquire Summit Entertainment for the time being," she stated.


    Ivanka set down her knife and fork and shared her reasons.


    First of all, both of them were new to the film industry and didn''t fully understand it. Having acquired the large company Lionsgate Films, quickly going on to purchase Summit Entertainment was a step too fast.


    Secondly, they had only completed the acquisition of Lionsgate Films in May and were not fully aware of the internal situation nor had 100% control. Acquiring another company of a size not much smaller than Lionsgate at this time could lead to management issues.


    It also wouldn''t allow for the full utilization of the strengths of Lionsgate + Summit, leading to a waste of funds.


    Finally, Lionsgate Films currently had a debt of US\\$180 million. The box office performance this year was average, and Link didn''t have sufficient funds on hand. Continuing to acquire through debt would bring a heavy burden to both him personally and the company.


    "My opinion is that we can acquire, but not in the next two years. In a few years, if Lionsgate Films is doing well and has the strength to acquire other companies, we can consider buying Summit or other companies. That would be a more prudent approach," she said evenly.


    "You''re right, it is a bit fast. Let''s do as you suggest and see how things go in a few years," Link said.


    "Good!"


    Ivanka nodded and continued to eat.


    Link looked at her. "Dear, won''t it seem too serious to discuss work while we''re eating?"


    "No, we can flirt in the kitchen, read in the study, and talk business at the dining table. It shows that we are like-minded and in harmony in all aspects. I like it this way," Ivanka said, her lips formed into a tantalizing curve, her eyes growing brighter.


    "Yes, it does sound like that," Link remarked with a smile. "There''s also the fact that we''re very in sync in bed. It''s a pity you''re pregnant now, and I''ll have to wait until next year to touch you. Every time I think about this, I feel a bit regretful, even though I''m looking forward to the child."


    Ivanka smiled slightly, her cool and elegant demeanor suddenly taking on a seductive charm.


    "Who said you have to wait a year? After three months of pregnancy, we can make love again. As long as we''re careful, there shouldn''t be any problems," she said.


    "Is that true?"


    Link was somewhat surprised; as a rough man, he didn''t know this piece of knowledge.


    Ivanka blinked her captivating eyes and issued a soft ''mm-hmm'' through her delicate nose, responding to him in this manner.


    Yet her murmur was too enticing, making Link''s heart tremble, so he couldn''t help but lean in and kiss her red lips before she could eat the strawberry.


    For Link, Ivanka''s red lips were always the most delicious delicacy at the table.

 Chapter 641 - 465: Boxing Match Begins

    After several days of training, the IBF challenger qualifier began, and Link, accompanied by his logistics team, went to the Las Vegas competition, while Ivanka took the helm at Lionsgate Films.


    Like Taylor, Ivanka also disliked attending the boxing matches in person, even though Link had never failed and always won cleanly and swiftly, saying she couldn''t find any fun in being there.


    After arriving at the company, Ivanka called several members of the management to a meeting.


    President Steven Bicks, Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Michael Burns, Chief Operating Officer Brian Goldsmith, Vice President and Head of Marketing Stacy Schneider, among others, arrived one after another.


    The agenda of the meeting was to put the acquisition plan of Summit Entertainment on hold and to consider acquisition opportunities in the future.


    Ivanka stated several reasons why it was not suitable to proceed with the acquisition and then asked for everyone''s opinions.


    President Steven Bicks expressed his support, agreeing that with the company''s current financial status, it was indeed not a suitable time for an acquisition.


    Ms. Stacy Schneider thought that the development plan Lionsgate Films was executing, established in May, didn''t include the acquisition of Summit Entertainment, so it wasn''t suitable for the time being.


    Chief Operating Officer Goldsmith also nodded in agreement.


    Only Chief Strategy Officer Burns raised a question: whether to abandon the acquisition entirely or just delay it.


    Ivanka stated it was a delay, and they would consider the plan to merge with other companies once the company was on a stable development track.


    At that time, the targets for acquisition would not be limited to just Summit Entertainment.


    Michael Burns said that delaying the acquisition of Summit was acceptable. However, as Lionsgate Films is the largest independent production company in Hollywood, the most effective way to grow and expand at the current stage is through acquisitions.


    If they didn''t consider domestic film production companies, they could think about international ones to strengthen Lionsgate Films'' distribution capabilities in overseas regions.


    After thinking it over, Ivanka found the suggestion appealing. The overseas film market was a big opportunity, and if they had the chance to get involved, it would greatly benefit the development of Lionsgate Films.


    She asked Vice President Burns to discuss with the Chief Operating Officer of International Business, Jamie Jones, and produce an overseas market expansion plan along with a detailed acquisition proposal to bring to the board for discussion.


    After the meeting ended, Ivanka returned to the President''s office, where her assistant Xina reported that Miss Tiffany had arrived, winking and pointing under the desk.


    Just as she said this, with an "Ah!" a round-faced female zombie jumped out from under the desk, with deep black eye circles, pale white eyeballs, blood-drenched lips and chin, and many open wounds on her skin.


    The female zombie leapt towards Ivanka, clawing and baring her teeth.


    "What are you doing?"


    Ivanka frowned and asked Tiffany.


    Seeing she hadn''t scared her, Tiffany unenthusiastically withdrew her hands and said, "I just got back from the set, your Lionsgate Films'' set, where I was playing a zombie. Do you think I look the part?"


    "You don''t, go wash your face."


    Ivanka pointed to the washroom nearby.


    "Okay then!"


    Tiffany shrugged her shoulders and walked away but then suddenly jumped up, flopped onto Xina''s desk, and clawed at Xina, who was startled and quickly grabbed a folder to smack Tiffany''s hands, screaming for the zombie to get away.


    Seeing Xina resist, Tiffany got even more excited and pretended to bite her neck.


    "Stop messing around."


    Ivanka shouted, holding her forehead.


    Having satisfied her mischievous urge, Tiffany laughed heartily, let go of Xina, and went to wash and remove her makeup. When she returned to the office, she had reverted to her plump, round-faced self.


    "I checked, and you''re supposed to be at Ms. Alice''s place for piano lessons right now."


    From behind the desk, Ivanka looked up and said.


    At the mention of piano lessons, Tiffany''s round face wrinkled into a frown, regretting coming over to play since Ivanka was no fun at all.


    "Yes, but that was last month''s schedule. I''ve started school now, and the piano lessons went from two a week to once a week, I can adjust them anytime."


    Tiffany said, rotating her eyes.


    "You''d better not be lying to me."


    Ivanka glanced at her and continued to read emails, mainly weekly work reports from various company departments, which helped her stay up-to-date with the latest company developments.


    "I''m not, I''ve been very good, why would I lie to you?"


    Tiffany smiled sweetly, pulled over an office chair, and lay across the desk, playing with a crystal ball on the desk and looking at the photo frame with Link''s and Ivanka''s photos. The man was tall and handsome, the woman was beautiful and alluring ¨C a perfect match.


    "Why didn''t Link come? Is he at the club training?"


    Tiffany turned her head and asked.


    "Today he''s participating in a boxing match in Las Vegas."


    Ivanka replied.


    "Oh, I remember now. The last time I talked with Selena, she said Link''s boxing matches are boring, he always wins, and very quickly at that, like he''s bullying the others."


    Tiffany said with a mischievous smile, asking Ivanka for a computer to watch the live stream.


    Ivanka handed her an Apple laptop.


    The match was being held at the MGM Grand Hotel, scheduled for 3 PM, and it was now 2:30 PM, with the match about to start.


    The current segment was the media interview, with Link, sporting his strong torso and wearing boxing shorts, donning golden gloves, taking questions from media reporters below the stage.


    The host from HBO, Steve Mandanda, asked Link if he was confident about the match.


    Link said yes and mentioned it had been a while since he saw Mandanda, inquiring how his work had been lately. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mandanda replied that it was going great and thanked him for his concern.

 Chapter 642 - 465: Boxing Match Begins_2

    Continuing to question Link about the rumor in the boxing world of using ruthless tactics against him, trading blow for blow, how does he view this method, and is he worried?


    Link said he wasn''t worried, no matter what tactics or methods, they all require strength to back them up. In his view, currently in the Light Heavyweight division, there''s hardly anyone worth fighting.


    Wow!


    As Link''s voice and image were simultaneously broadcast on the four big screens at the venue, a gasp rose from the audience.


    Wow!


    Tiffany couldn''t help but cover her mouth; she didn''t know which boxers were in the Light Heavyweight division, but hearing Link talk like that, she always felt he was very domineering.


    When Link made that comment, the cameraman intentionally aimed the camera at Bernard Hopkins in the front row of the audience. He was Link''s next opponent, and sitting next to him were De La Hoya and "Lights Out" James Toney.


    Also present was Chad Dawson, the current IBF Light Heavyweight champion, and Nathan Cleverly, the current WBO champion, who were both watching the match.


    Upon hearing what Link said, several champions showed signs of displeasure.


    "These people are so ugly, compared to Link, they all look like monsters,"


    Tiffany commented.


    "Indeed, no one can compare to Link."


    Eva nodded in agreement.


    Tiffany secretly rolled her eyes; Eva was too immodest.


    HBO host Steve Mandanda continued to ask Link if he wasn''t worried about infuriating the other champions?


    Link said he wasn''t worried. If their anger made them fight harder in the match, he would be even happier.


    "Wow, so domineering, brother-in-law, go for it!"


    Tiffany exclaimed.


    "What did Link say?"


    "Look!"


    Tiffany moved next to Eva, asking her to watch the live broadcast together.


    ¡ª


    Las Vegas match venue.


    "Boxing" magazine reporter interviewed Link about rumors that after becoming the WBA world champion, he wanted to unify the title with Chad Dawson and Nathan Cleverly but was rejected by both champions, asking if the rumor was true?


    Link replied that this was consistent with the information he had received from his agency.


    "American Express" reporter asked him if he faced both champions in a match, whether he was confident he could end the fight within two rounds, like when he defeated Belrut Shumenov.


    Link said it might take even less time.


    "Wow! Champion Link!"


    "Link is the most powerful champion in the world."


    "Go Link!"


    Cheers erupted from the audience.


    "This jerk is too arrogant."


    Chad Dawson and Nathan Cleverly, with scowling faces, glared at Link. His fair skin was already unpopular in the boxing world, but him being handsome and arrogant made him even less popular.


    "It looks like Link might be angry,"


    De La Hoya said, stroking his chin while looking at the big screen.


    "Angry? What does he have to be angry about?"


    Bernard Hopkins asked.


    "Originally Link planned to dominate the Light Heavyweight division in four matches or less. Because Chad Dawson and Nathan avoided the fights, now he has to fight an extra match. Of course, he would be angry,"


    Hoyle stated.


    "Four matches to dominate the Light Heavyweight division? Does this jerk think we''re dead?"


    Hopkins snarled, showing his white teeth on his dark face, clearly displeased. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then you should put more effort into the fight, hit hard, and if you can defeat Link, I''ll reward you with ten million,"


    Hoyle said, raising a finger, very generously.


    Hopkins gave him a dismissive look; if he could beat Link smoothly, a mere ten million was nothing. He was sure he could get forty to fifty million in appearance fees in a rematch against Link, maybe even more.


    After all, Link was currently the most popular and influential boxer in the world, known as ''The Undefeated Champion,'' ''The Invincible Champion,'' ''Captain America,'' almost a legendary man, just like Tyson before the 1990s.


    If he could defeat him, the impact would be no less than when Douglas shockingly defeated Tyson.


    "Bernard, how''s your training going?"


    James Toney asked.


    "Very good! I feel stronger than ever,"


    Hopkins confidently stated.


    "That''s great, I have videos of Link''s daily training and sparring, watch them when you have time, try to figure out his moves to defeat him in the next match,"


    Hoyle said, patting his shoulder.


    Hopkins nodded, and he also requested to borrow Morales for a few days to, through sparring with Morales, further understand Link''s strength.


    Hoyle agreed, saying he would instruct Morales to fully cooperate, and even asked if he wanted to have a private match with Link first, which he could arrange.


    Hopkins decisively refused.


    Winning in private was unlikely, and losing could affect his mentality during the official match, so it was best not to confront Link before the match and save all his strength and tricks for the official fight.


    Ding ding ding!


    The event outside had ended, and the match was about to begin.


    Link and his opponent, Clinton Woods, stood on the boxing ring, as the referee began to read the rules of the match, and then firmly signaled with his hand to start the match.


    "Go Link!"


    As this was in the United States, and his opponent was a British boxer, Link easily gained home advantage in this match. The over ten thousand spectators in the venue almost unanimously cheered for him.


    Hopkins muttered to himself, feeling lucky. Fortunately, the venue for their match was set in Seoul, South Korea. If it had been within the United States, he would have lost to Link in terms of morale from the outset.

 Chapter 643 - 465: Boxing Match Begins_3

    Bang bang bang!


    The boxing match on the stage had begun. After touching gloves with Link, Clinton Woods immediately retreated a step, raised both hands to guard his head, and stared intently at Link, readying himself in a defensive posture.


    Seeing his opponent on the defense, Link no longer hesitated. He raised his fists and advanced toward his opponent, constantly using feints to confuse him.


    As his opponent retreated, a swift jab struck his shoulder, disrupting his rhythm. Then Link followed up with a flurry of combination punches: left straight punch + right jab + left jab + right straight punch.


    Bang bang bang!


    His fists landed on his opponent''s body without pause.


    Since Clinton Woods was focusing his arm defense on his head, Link''s punches landed heavily on his chest and ribs. Although these strikes might not result in a KO, they could dismantle the opponent''s defensive system.


    "Come on Clinton! Take out Link!"


    Hopkins stood up, pumping his fist and shouting.


    Light heavyweight boxers like Chad Dawson and Nathan were also clenching their fists, silently rooting for Clinton Woods, hoping he could create a miracle, beat Link, or at least leave him injured.


    "Go Link!"


    "Smash his head, KO him!"


    The fans in the stands also cheered loudly.


    Thud thud thud!


    Clinton Woods, who had once won the IBF world championship and even beaten veteran boxer Green Johnson, was indeed skilled at defense.


    He defended expertly, often sneaking in counterattacks rather than just guarding passively.


    Clinton''s fighting style was quite good, and his technique was even more exquisite than that of super middleweights like Carl Froch and Mikkel Kessler, and not far off from Andre Ward''s.


    Unfortunately for him, he was up against Link, whose boxing speed far exceeded that of several light heavyweight champions, and was not inferior to those in the lightweight class. The weight of his punches was on par with heavyweight champions.


    When combined, his jabs often caught his opponents unexpectedly on their soft spots.


    His punches were fast and fierce, and the angles difficult, causing Clinton Woods to frequently misjudge his defense, giving rise to more and more open vulnerabilities.


    Thud thud thud!


    Striking high and low with relentless force.


    Link threw over sixty punches in one minute, nearly turning Clinton''s defense into a sieve.


    Seeing that his opponent had nothing substantial left to counter with, Link seized the moment. His fist, fast as a drill bit, pierced through the opponent''s guard, striking Clinton Woods'' side of the face directly.


    Thud! Clinton Woods staggered, retreating two steps and crashing into the ropes before rebounding onto the canvas.


    "Wow!" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The crowd let out another gasp, many standing up to watch.


    This knockdown had a significant impact on Clinton Woods. Barely getting up, he was in even worse condition. Each time he was too slow to defend, he frantically adopted the clinch strategy, propping up his arms with his shoulders and even using his forehead to butt his opponent''s ear.


    Attempting to drag out the fight.


    This tactic was not bad; if he could just make it to the end of the first round and get a one-minute break, there was a chance he could regroup and continue the battle.


    But Link did not want to give him that chance. He launched a flurry of punches, and with 12 seconds left in the round, he landed another blow on his opponent''s lower jaw.


    Crack!


    This punch was vicious. After catching a blow to the chin, Clinton Woods'' jaw shifted out of place, his mouthguard flew out with the spray of saliva, and his body involuntarily skewed and stumbled to the right, crashing heavily to the floor.


    The astonishment rose again from the stands, with ringside reporters aiming their cameras closely at the action, capturing the moment Link threw his punches and the close-up of Clinton being sent flying.


    Some reporters even got splashed on their camera lenses from the flying saliva because they were too close.


    After the punch, Clinton couldn''t get up immediately. He grabbed at the ropes, struggling for a few seconds before resigning himself to lying on the boxing ring.


    The referee counted down from ten, but Clinton was still unable to stand.


    Subsequently, the referee stood in the middle of the ring, lifted Link''s arm high, and declared him the winner of the match.


    The IBF organization officially announced that he had earned the mandatory qualification to challenge for the IBF light heavyweight championship.


    This qualification was compulsory; unless Chad Dawson gave up the IBF championship golden belt, a showdown with him was inevitable.


    "That bastard is too brutal, Clinton couldn''t even last one round against him," said WBO champion Nathan Cleverly, feeling helpless.


    "Link has got some moves, but beating me won''t be so easy!" bellowed the current IBF champion Chad Dawson, clenching his fists.


    "That bastard''s technique is flawless; fighting him, we have to risk it all," Hopkins said forcefully, gripping his fist, his dark arms bulging fiercely as he glared at Link on the stage, his face looking ferocious.


    Hoyle nodded in satisfaction at his expression, feeling the match was worth attending.


    Hopkins, a veteran of the boxing world, once held the middleweight belts of all four major organizations. In middleweight, super middleweight, and light heavyweight bouts, he had defeated many famous boxers, including Hoyle himself, Trinidad, Jean Pascal, and the younger Roy Jones, earning the nickname "Executioner."


    If he was willing to go all out, it wouldn''t be easy for Link to win.

 Chapter 644 - 466: One King, Four Queens

    ```


    "Wow, Link''s punch was so fierce, it almost knocked off Clinton''s chin."


    In the office, Tiffany held her little fist and bumped her own chin, then with an "ahh," her jaw slanted, turning her into a lopsided-mouth girl.


    "Alright, go play on the side, I still have work to do."


    Seeing that Link had won without getting hurt, Ivanka pushed away her computer and continued to browse her emails.


    "Okay!"


    Tiffany hugged her computer, leaning on the couch playing online games, chirping and shouting disorderly.


    "Tiffany, do you like acting that much?"


    Ivanka yelled.


    "What?"


    Tiffany looked up and over.


    "If you like making movies, you could start by taking classes at a drama school; becoming an actress could be nice for you in the future."


    Ivanka suggested.


    "No! I play a zombie in the crew because it''s fun, but if I were to take acting classes, that would be too painful. I don''t want to make trouble for myself."


    Tiffany shook her head repeatedly.


    Ivanka glanced at her, shook her head helplessly, and said no more.


    After a while, Tiffany received a phone call saying a crew needed new zombies, offering 20 US dollars an hour, asking if she wanted to come. Tiffany immediately jumped up, put down her computer, and rushed out after a hasty greeting.


    Ivanka rubbed her forehead and continued with her work.


    ¡ª


    The boxing match ended, and Link smoothly secured the IBF Light Heavyweight contender title. His next match would be a direct confrontation with the IBF champion Chad Dawson.


    Professional record: 24 fights, 24 wins, 24 KOs. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Originally, the championship contender match was a secondary event, not as attention-grabbing as a championship match, but because the participant was Link, the match also drew the attention of many boxing fans.


    The North American PPV sales reached 1.24 million, totaling about 93 million US dollars, with approximately 42 million from online broadcasting. Adding ticket, hotel, casino, advertising sponsorships, and other associated revenues, the match grossed a total of 180 million US dollars.


    Link''s personal income from this match was about 56 million US dollars, which is 40 percent more than his last match against Belrut Shumenov on Hong Kong Island, and not bad compared to the match against Hoyle at the end of last year.


    By income, his influence in the boxing arena had undoubtedly grown larger.


    In the past, when he was not famous, his fights heavily relied on the promotional company spending money on publicity and creating hype, often costing tens of millions of US dollars.


    Now, he was a world superstar, a global public figure.


    As soon as his matches were scheduled, the mainstream media in the United States would cover the news actively and help with publicity because the matches themselves were valuable big news events, appealing to a paying audience.


    That''s the advantage of being a top boxer. Once at the top level, media worldwide would promote them for free.


    This kind of treatment was once received by greats like Ali and Tyson, who were chased by media around the globe and became legends in boxing.


    In the 90s, top boxers Roy Jones and Mayweather emerged. In terms of ability and record, they were no less than Ali and Tyson.


    However, due to changes in international situations, after the 2000s, America''s influence internationally declined and boxing was no longer as globally celebrated.


    International media lost interest in such news and boxing stars.


    They didn''t enjoy the free promotional resources foreign media offer, and their global fame was far less than that of Tyson and Ali.


    With Link, he was a top star, a Playboy with much to talk about, with significant global influence. The media found it profitable to report news about him, and were willing to cover his boxing matches.


    The increase in free media resources also led to Link''s influence growing bigger and bigger in the United States and even internationally, like a snowball effect.


    Correspondingly, his income from matches would also get higher and higher.


    There was another reason.


    Since last year, many of his matches took place abroad, with only one against Hoyle in the United States.


    Having fewer domestic matches increased audience interest; this approach also belonged to a kind of hunger marketing.


    If all four matches for the year were held in the United States, with expenses for tickets, PPV and others reaching thousands of dollars, even hardcore boxing fans couldn''t afford it.


    This was one of the reasons why, even if the prize money wasn''t much, he often competed overseas.


    "Link, Nike''s marketing department has sent a partnership agreement. Firstly, they invite you to be a spokesperson, with an initial negotiation of 150 million for a 5-year endorsement. Additionally, they have submitted a cooperation plan to create a new sports brand using your name. Once the new brand launches, you can earn 5% dividends from annual sales."


    In the office, Franco handed over a document.


    Link flipped through the contract, which was similar to the partnership that Nike had with Jordan to create the Jordan Brand and Adidas with Kanye West for Yeezy, leveraging a star''s fame to sell merchandise.


    The more the brand''s products sell, the more the celebrity earns.


    The 5% sales dividend offered by Nike was decent, too, almost the same as what Jordan earned annually from the Jordan Brand.


    But there was a condition in the contract: once he partnered with Nike, he couldn''t endorse any other clothing brands.


    This condition wouldn''t work.


    He had an endorsement deal for Dior menswear, had just signed one for CK underwear at the beginning of the year, and a GUESS jeans endorsement. The annual earnings from these three brands combined were nearly thirty to forty million.


    Partnering with Nike would mean giving up those endorsements, which wasn''t worthwhile.


    The contract Nike offered wasn''t for a lifetime endorsement.


    ```

 Chapter 645 - 466: One King, Four Queens_2

    In the collaboration, the brand side also held a dominant position, always able to terminate the partnership.


    Just like when Kanye West had an incident, Adidas immediately announced the discontinuation of the partnership and the cessation of Yeezy product manufacturing, causing Kanye''s net worth to drop from over a billion to several hundred million.


    Link thought for a bit, then told Franco that abandoning other apparel brand endorsements was not feasible.


    If Nike was sincere about the collaboration, they either had to amend the contract or increase the endorsement fee and sales revenue sharing, otherwise, it wouldn''t matter, as he did not lack the endorsement income.


    Franco said he understood and would continue to negotiate with Nike.


    ¡ª


    After the competition, Link also welcomed a period of rest; he and Ivanka returned to their Miami garden villa to stay temporarily and take a short vacation.


    He did not need to worry about boxing matches, movie box office numbers, or weekly new album sales.


    Each day, he and Ivanka would cozy up in the villa, play with cats, walk dogs, sunbathe in the garden, go fishing off the deck, practice shooting at the range, play golf at the Thomp International and watch the Heat''s ''Big Three'' lose to Novitski on their home ground.


    After a few days, Ivanka had to return to Los Angeles to deal with work. Link made a trip to Nashville halfway through, hung out with Alexander and Cynthia for a day, bought a lot of gifts Taylor thought were useless, and then also returned to work in Los Angeles.


    The MTV Video Music Awards kicked off in late September, with him invited as a presenting guest to award Katy Perry with the Video of the Year.


    An artist under Link Music, Mars, won the Best Male Video for "Just the way you are," and Justin Bieber won the Best Music Video Information Award for "U smile."


    Lana Del Rey and Wiz Khalifa, along with other rising stars, were invited to the award ceremony but did not win any awards; Ariana Grande and Charlie Puth, as this year''s new musical talents, were invited to perform on the MTV stage.


    After MTV, Link continued to promote his new album "Love is gone."


    In its fifth week of release, it sold 183,000 copies in the United States, ranking second on the Billboard album chart.


    The champion was Jay-Z and Kanye West''s newly released rap album "Watch the Throne," which sold 395,000 copies in its first week.


    "Watch the Throne" stole the champion''s throne from "Love is gone," sparking a lot of media attention, and Billboard jokingly claimed Jay-Z and Kanye took their revenge with the new album.


    Although "Watch the Throne" had good sales this week, its leading single, "Otis," ranked highest at sixth on the singles chart, with the previous spots all taken by songs from Link''s new album.


    On streaming platforms, the songs from "Watch the Throne" couldn''t compete with "Love is gone" in terms of popularity.


    The best-performing "Otis" had a weekly play count on iTunes comparable only to the twelfth ranked song from "Love is gone," "Remember Me."


    After comparison, the media also had to admit that Link was impressive.


    Back when he debuted in ''09, he was overshadowed by Lil Wayne, 50 Cent, and others; his first Grammy attendance ended with him leaving in protest, and back then, Kanye even refused to talk about Link publicly, fearing being overshadowed by Link''s popularity.


    In just over two years, Link had risen to a remarkably high position in the music industry.


    Now, even the hit songs from Jay-Z and Kanye West''s collaborative album couldn''t match the top ten songs from Link''s new album in terms of popularity.


    In addition to the high quality of Link''s new album songs, his fame was also a contributing factor.


    The New York Post in a commentary article, called Link the ''successor to MJ'' and mentioned that MJ had invited Link to perform concerts before his death in ''09, the same year Link debuted; after MJ''s death, Link also produced a ''divine song'' in his honor, and both Link and MJ are global pop culture icons.


    The newspaper felt that it was appropriate to dub Link as MJ''s successor, considering him the leading figure in today''s Western pop music scene.


    However, other media had differing opinions.


    The Chicago Tribune acknowledged Link''s current influence is significant, deserving the title of the leading figure in Western pop music, but not yet on MJ''s level. Considering he debuted less than three years ago, in a few more years his global influence may not be less than MJ''s.


    This was something worth acknowledging.


    The counter-argument made by the newspaper was that MJ was purely a singer and musician, famous for his influence in music.


    Whereas, Link''s fame was more diverse ¨C music, boxing, movies, sports, internet celebrity, etc.; without any of these aspects, Link could not have achieved his current fame.


    Therefore, dubbing Link as ''MJ''s successor'' was not suitable; Link is Link, a new ''pop culture icon'' born in the modern era.


    Entertainment Weekly also recognized Link as the leading figure in today''s Western music scene and grouped him with Lady Gaga, Adele, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry as ''the king and four queens,'' which could also be referred to as ''one king and four queens'' of the music scene.


    Hong Kong Island''s Apple Daily ranked Link and Lady Gaga as ''the king and the queen,'' while Adele, Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift were called ''the four great songstresses.''


    The Guardian from Britain appraised Link and Adele as the leading male and female singers in today''s Western music scenes.


    Regarding these accolades, whether good or bad, Link would not be overly concerned; being too mindful of external praise might make him proud and complacent.


    Focusing too much on negative feedback could hinder his actions.


    "Love is gone," in its fifth week of release in the United States, had a cumulative sale of 3.62 million copies, also becoming the fastest solo album to break through 3.5 million copies in the United States.


    Internationally, within five weeks it had reached cumulative sales of 10.617 million copies, becoming Link''s fourth diamond-certified record. His debut album "The Fighter," after being on the market for over two years, had also surpassed the 10 million sales mark in August. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 646 - 466: One King, Four Queens_3

    Link also became the first male solo artist of the new generation to have four consecutive diamond records.


    In order to sell more albums, after returning to Los Angeles, Link participated in a number of album promotion events to increase the album''s visibility.


    Universal Records once again proposed a world tour plan to promote his fourth album.


    The appearance fee for each concert was raised to 1.8 million US dollars, an increase of 600,000 compared to the first tour.


    A hundred concerts could almost earn him two hundred million, and with other income and album promotion revenue, reaching three hundred million would not be a problem.


    Link did not agree, as organizing a tour was too troublesome, and he had a lot of work next year with no time to travel everywhere. Moreover, Ivanka was pregnant, and his family needed him.


    But he did not refuse either, as a tour could earn several hundred million US dollars, expand his own influence, increase movie box office appeal, and also raise the prize money for boxing matches. There were many benefits.


    He delayed his decision, considering a second world tour after the release of his fifth album.


    Universal agreed to this arrangement. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The album promotion work kept him busy until late September.


    Meanwhile, his starring role in "Captain America" ended its screenings in North America and many other countries overseas. The North American box office reached 252 million US dollars, the foreign box office 245 million, and the worldwide box office was only a little over thirty million shy of half a billion, expected to enter the top ten in North American annual box office rankings.


    In the end, Link received a total remuneration of 28 million US dollars, comfortably entering the ranks of Hollywood''s twenty-million-dollar paychecks.


    The other movie he starred in, "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," after a two-month limited release, earned 6.33 million US dollars at the North American box office and about 11.5 million overseas.


    The film, with an investment of 8 million, garnered about 18 million in the global box office, barely breaking even.


    However, the reception was mediocre, with many media comments suggesting that even with the presence of a super-popular actor like Link, it only managed to achieve over ten million in box office, indicating inherent problems with the project itself.


    In the last few days of September, Link also shot a movie, the script for which he had been holding on to for more than three years: "Buried."


    The movie tells the story of an American truck driver in Iraq who, after being attacked, wakes up to find himself buried alive in a coffin and must use the limited tools at his disposal to desperately try escaping from the predicament.


    Originally scheduled for shooting last year, but Link was too busy and had no time, thus the delay until now.


    The film''s selected director was the original, Rodrigo Cortez, also a horror film director who had participated in several Lionsgate Films projects, a director with a mature style.


    "Buried" has a simple plot, requiring no extra props and sets, just the actor. All shooting took place inside a few narrow wooden boxes, not a large workload, with a modest investment.


    The only challenge was the acting, with the entire plot depending on one actor, a cellphone, a lighter, a flashlight, glow sticks, a small knife, a hip flask, and a pen, a few simple tools.


    Making a good film would be difficult.


    In order to deliver a better performance, Link lay in a tightly sealed wooden box for three days, not communicating with the outside world, to experience the suffocation, despair, and fear of being buried alive, and tried to magnify these emotions in his acting.


    During filming, he also asked the director to use a high-pressure mode and immediately halt the shoot if the performance did not meet standards, striving for perfection without easily lowering the bar.


    Rodrigo Cortez was a very serious director as well and did not treat him like a big star on the set.


    He would repeatedly interrupt Link''s performance at the start, sometimes a hundred times, sometimes two or three hundred times, until Link was numb and utterly exhausted, before officially beginning to shoot and telling him that a buried person should not be too energetic.


    The film took six days to shoot and preliminarily completed the main body of filming with a production budget of 2 million US dollars, including Link''s one million dollar fee.


    The original "Buried" had a 3 million dollar investment and a global box office of over twenty million.


    Link was uncertain how much box office the new "Buried" could pull in, but having finally completed the project after dragging it out for three years, he felt very accomplished and quite pleased.

 Chapter 647 - 467: Preparing for the Boxing Match

    Bang Bang Bang!


    With the arrival of October, the WBA-WBC Light Heavyweight Boxing Championship was about to begin.


    Currently, the promotional team had already headed to Seoul to carry out pre-match promotional activities, and after a few days of rest, Link returned to training at Muscle Beach Gym.


    In the private training area, Link clad in a sporty t-shirt, continuously punched the heavy bag with his fists wrapped in white protective bandages, his muscular frame flexing and contracting under his tee.


    As he moved, his muscles gradually swelled, and the sweat oozing from his body soaked through his shirt.


    Morales wandered around his training area during his session, seemingly having something to say.


    Wobbling around, it seemed a bit annoying.


    "Mario, you wanted to talk?"


    Link paused, grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat off his body.


    "Link, you know I haven''t been around the gym lately, guess where I went?"


    Morales flashed a white smile and winked.


    "Chasing girls?"


    "Of course not, my relationship with Debbie is stable, why would I go after other women, I''m not that kind of scum... alright, I went to Hopkins'' training camp, Hoyle sent me, and told me I couldn''t refuse. Guess what Hoyle wanted me to do?"


    "He wanted you to help Hopkins train?"


    "Exactly, and to imitate your fighting style, your punching techniques, your frequent combination punches, footwork, and tactics for attacking high and low, everything was to be mimicked by me.


    I said I couldn''t do it, nobody could match your speed and punching power, but they wanted me to demonstrate as much as I could.


    Hoyle even brought in three boxers similar to your style, to spar with Hopkins, and we trained with him for half a month, watching your fight videos intensively as if conducting research, it was extremely serious.


    Originally, Hoyle didn''t want me to tell you, but after thinking it over, I figured it''s better to let you know. I sense Hoyle is serious this time, he really wants Hopkins to beat you, you better be careful,"


    Morales said.


    Link nodded; studying the opponent''s techniques and weaknesses before a match was basic homework for a boxer.


    Since his amateur matches, he and his coaching team would always analyze the opponent''s data before a fight, finding the quickest way to win, which was one of the reasons the coaching team existed.


    Before his last match with Clinton Woods, he studied the opponent''s techniques and weaknesses, and had also been studying Hopkins recently.


    Hearing that Hopkins was also studying him, even going as far as to bring in Morales and others for specialized training, didn''t surprise him or seem problematic.


    There had even been rumors that Hopkins had gone to a Cuban boxing camp for special training to face him.


    Link felt that both Hoyle and Hopkins were being too tense, which was not the right mindset.


    From a promotional perspective, such rumors also added to Hopkins'' hype, attempting to level the ''power'' balance with him and piquing fans'' curiosity: Would Hopkins'' efforts be effective? Who would win between the two?


    Curiosity led to greater attention and could bring in more PPV revenue.


    Actually, Link didn''t mind the media circulating more rumors, including the ''iron-blood'' approach, trading blows for blows, or using a honey trap on him.


    In fact, these were also methods of promoting a boxing match, marketing gimmicks released by the promotion company and betting companies to provide the media with material for stories, increase the topic''s heat, and give fans something new to talk about.


    In short, hype.


    Link didn''t know whether Hoyle asking Morales to help train Hopkins was for creating buzz or truly an attempt to beat him with this method.


    Whichever method it was, he didn''t care. As long as he was strong enough, he needn''t worry about others'' schemes.


    "Mario, why are you here not training?"


    As they were talking, Hoyle walked in with a frown and glared at Morales.


    "I told Link about helping Hopkins train. I think what you''re doing is useless, Hopkins is too old, even if he were twenty years younger, he wouldn''t be a match for Link. If I were you, I would tell Hopkins to give up the Golden Belt and leave Light Heavyweight for Link to dominate. After all, in a couple of years he''ll move up to Cruiserweight and Heavyweight, there''s no sense in stubbornly holding on like this,"


    Morales said.


    "Stop the nonsense, get out, and don''t disturb Link''s training."


    Hoyle, with a stern face, pointed towards the door.


    Morales shrugged his shoulders and walked away.


    Hoyle shook his head and said to Link, "Mario made a good point. You are so strong; Bernard is no match for you. I even tried to convince Bernard to give up the Golden Belt, but he refused and insisted on fighting you. He''s overestimating himself. Link, I congratulate you in advance. You''ll win and become the new sovereign of the light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions."


    Link glanced at him. If Hopkins hadn''t been a boxer under Gold Boy Promotions, he might have believed Hoyle''s words.


    Now, Gold Boy Promotions had also invested a lot of promotional funds in this match.


    For boxers, the match is a competition.


    For both agencies, it''s a bet of capital; if Hopkins won, not only would Gold Boy Promotions receive seventy percent of the income from the game, but their influence in the boxing world would also rise to a new level.


    After leaving the boxing world, Hoyle gradually became a businessman, focusing more on profits.


    His words naturally couldn''t be completely trusted.


    "Hoyle, has the prize money been determined yet? I haven''t received any message from Franco," Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link, not wanting to waste time on small talk, turned to the matter at hand.


    "Yes, the prize money is 80 million US dollars; you and Bernard will split it sixty to forty. The winner takes the larger share, of course. You''re a world-class superstar, you''ll also get a cut of the regional PPV earnings, ticket revenues, and merchandising... Link, if you win this fight, it''s very possible that your earnings will exceed one hundred million US dollars."


    At first, Hoyle could keep his calm while talking about the prize money, but then he realized that if Link easily won the match, he would not only become the champion of the two major organizations in the light heavyweight category but also earn over a hundred million US dollars.


    That was extravagant.


    Earning a hundred million US dollars from one match was more than he made at the peak of his career, whereas Link was only 22 years old.


    Hoyle clenched his molars and felt a surge of intense envy.


    "A hundred million US dollars? Not bad."


    Link nodded.


    A hundred million sounded like a lot, but it was nothing compared to the prize Mayweather and Pacquiao received for their ''Fight of the Century''. He had a goal to one day participate in a bout that would generate over a billion US dollars in total revenue, setting a new record that The Descendants could not reach.


    "Just ''not bad''?"


    Hoyle frowned, displeased with his indifferent tone.


    "Yes, considering the factor of inflation, a hundred million in today''s money is equivalent to thirty to forty million in the nineties. It''s a decline. I hope the prize for the next fight could reach two hundred million."


    "Two hundred million?"


    Hoyle didn''t think Link could achieve that. The current highest prize money record was set last year by Link in Las Vegas, achieving seventy-two million in one match, a feat that shocked the boxing world.


    The possibility of Link earning a hundred million this match would set a new historical record, a difficult one to replicate. To break this record, achieving two hundred million in single-match prize money would require the inflation rate to double from its current basis.


    However, considering that Link had been setting new records since his debut,


    Now arguing would easily get him embarrassed.


    Hoyle laughed, "Go for it, Link. Maybe you are on the verge of creating a miracle."


    "I will."


    Link nodded, returned to the punching bag and resumed his vigorous training.


    Seeing his expression, Hoyle felt very helpless, unable to comprehend what drove Link to train so hard every day.


    In the boxing world, many boxers inevitably become lax after becoming famous and earning money, relaxing their training and indulging in luxury; this included Tyson, Roy Jones, Mayweather, and even himself.


    Yet, now Link, worth billions, ranked first in strength, popularity, and earnings in the boxing world, more successful than anyone else.


    Still, he maintained his training regime without any slack.


    Such perseverance and self-discipline were monstrous.


    ''If I had had such determination back in the day...''


    Hoyle sighed quietly to himself and solemnly left the training area, leaving Link to train alone.

 Chapter 648 - 468: The Embryo of a Business Empire

    The training session ended in the afternoon, and Link drove back to his bay villa.


    Last time, he had discussed with Ivanka about buying another large manor-style villa.


    Currently, the villa had been decided on, located on the hillside of Santa Monica, by the mountains and the sea, with a good environment and security.


    The villa was built in the early seventies, initially one of the properties owned by the world''s richest family in the sixties, the Paul Getty family, not far from the Getty Art Center, and also a famous mansion in Los Angeles.


    The total land area is about 1.6 hectares, with over 6800 square feet of living space, and the selling price is 48 million US dollars.


    Currently, the villa is under renovation and is expected to move into the new home next year.


    When he arrived home, Ivanka was sitting on the sofa looking at documents, needing rest due to her pregnancy; she usually doesn''t stay long at the company, and many tasks are taken home.


    "Look at fewer documents! Leave the work to Steven Bicks and others or you can find me; you need to rest more because of your pregnancy," S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link put down his training bag and leaned over from behind the sofa to kiss her cheek.


    "I''m just looking at the company''s weekly report, I''m not doing anything strenuous, you''re just worrying too much,"


    Ivanka said.


    "What''s the work at the company this week?"


    Link sat down beside her and took a bite of a green apple.


    "A lot, ''The Hunger Games'' has finished shooting, entering post-production, expected to be released during the summer, ''No Escape'' has a North American box office this week of 380,000 US dollars, cumulative 27.23 million US dollars, overseas box office about 1.42 million US dollars, cumulative about 48 million, this movie has almost made a profit of twenty million.


    Also, ''The Vow'' has started casting, and the production department thinks you are suited for the lead role, are you interested?"


    Ivanka put down the folder and asked.


    "No, I have a high salary, which would increase the cost. Plus, I am known as a playboy, and playing such a passionate role would make the audience feel disconnected,"


    Link said, sitting back on the sofa with his legs crossed.


    Ivanka gave a slight smile, not persuading him to take the role.


    From Link''s current status and influence, such a role wouldn''t add much to his fame and would be a waste of time; for Link, every second is valuable.


    "Another thing, after we gave up acquiring Summit Entertainment, Ryan Kavanaugh is planning to acquire Summit, reportedly fundraising now. The media''s take on this is that if Relativity Media and Summit Entertainment merge successfully, their market value could surpass that of Lionsgate Films, making it Hollywood''s eighth largest, potentially creating a three-strong alliance in the independent production sector alongside Lionsgate and Weinstein Company,"


    Ivanka said.


    In Hollywood, the six major studios are Disney, Warner, Universal, Paramount, Fox, and Sony, including Sony''s Columbia Pictures that makes seven major production companies.


    Lionsgate Films, once surpassing 1 billion in market value after going public, was also considered Hollywood''s eighth major.


    Now, with Lionsgate Films delisted, its market value has decreased, its influence in the movie industry diminished, and its position as the eighth major is precarious.


    If the two to three hundred million value of Relativity and the over four hundred million value of Summit Entertainment merge, indeed, their market value would not be inferior to Lionsgate''s, and their production capabilities would also increase, truly threatening Lionsgate Films'' position in the independent production sector.


    But Link is not worried; for a film company, regardless of size, the most important thing is to produce profitable films annually.


    With more profits, there would be more funds to produce better movies and continue to make big money. It''s a production chain; once movies stop bringing in profits, even the biggest companies will be at a disadvantage in market competition.


    This year, several movies invested by Lionsgate Films weren''t bad, and unless something unexpected happens, the company''s profits next year won''t be meager.


    Unlike Lionsgate, Relativity Media is a much younger film company, valued at two to three hundred million, producing about ten films a year, not even half of Lionsgate''s.


    Even though recently performing well, the company lacks the heritage and doesn''t have the strong film library like Lionsgate Films, depending on Kavanaugh''s boastful tactics to pull in investments, resulting in increasingly more creditors for Relativity Media.


    Reportedly, Relativity Media now has four to five hundred creditors; too many creditors and the inability to fulfill promised dividends timely are also reasons for Relativity Media''s potential financial issues.


    For Relativity to acquire Summit Entertainment, which is larger, it would need to amass more funds and gather more creditors, creating a huge debt for Relativity Media.


    This situation is akin to a debt-ridden poor man borrowing money to marry.


    Not to mention whether the shareholders behind Summit Entertainment would agree; even if they did, the collaboration between the two would not go smoothly.


    It would take at least two to three years, or perhaps longer, for the two companies to get through the integration phase and enter a stable developmental period.


    By then, Lionsgate Films would likely have already entered a period of rapid growth, and there would be no concern about the two companies joining forces.


    In fact, Lionsgate Films'' ongoing targets and rivals were the six majors; in the independent production domain, including Weinstein Company, Summit Entertainment, and Legendary Pictures, they are not the competitors to be worried about for now.


    "Let''s not worry about Summit Entertainment and Relativity for now; for the next five years, the work focus of Lionsgate Films will be on developing its existing movie projects, making more money, accumulating significant capital. With enough money, our acquisition targets would not be limited to small film companies like Summit Entertainment; we could potentially reverse acquire one of the six majors and become the industry leader,"

 Chapter 649 - 468: The Embryo of a Business Empire_2

    Link munched on an apple and said,


    Ivanka curled the corners of her lips, looking at him affectionately and adoringly, "Is our goal really that ambitious?"


    "Setting lofty goals gives us the drive to move forward and prevents complacency. From this aspect, we should take a page from Mr. Thomp''s book; he is indeed a commendable role model,"


    Link said.


    Ivanka smiled lightly, leaned in, and gave him a kiss.


    She continued to read the company''s weekly report to him while holding the documents.


    It included the latest progress on various film projects under the production department, what stage a few films had reached, the situation with TV show shootings, reports from the distribution department on box office performance of films already released, and an analysis of box office data and trends.


    There was also an international department''s report and analysis on overseas box office, as well as reports from the finance department, development planning department, and the content development department, among others.


    "Wait a minute! The previous point, the development planning department is proposing to acquire shares in Netflix? The same Netflix where Scott Stuber works?"


    Link asked with puzzlement.


    "Yes, this is a new proposal by Vice President Michael Burns. In July, Netflix started charging video website users a subscription fee of 10 US dollars per month, which directly caused over 1.2 million steady users to abandon Netflix for other free movie and video websites.


    Netflix''s stock also fell from a high of 54 dollars in July to 8 dollars, and their market capitalization plummeted from a high of 16.3 billion US dollars at the beginning of the year to approximately 3.2 billion US dollars.


    Vice President Burns believes that charging for video content is the future trend for video websites. Even though Netflix stepping out with this move has led to the loss of many customers in the short term, in the long run, it is the right step.


    Moreover, Netflix Technology Company has a wealth of film and television resources under its belt, richer content than other video websites, which is an advantage of Netflix. For those who love movies, the cost of Netflix is unlikely to deter them, and those users who left may return to Netflix once other video websites start charging fees.


    Vice President Burns thinks that the current stock price of Netflix is far lower than its asset value, making it a good time to buy. If Lionsgate Films could secure Netflix or a portion of its shares, it would be beneficial to the development of Lionsgate Films and could compensate for Lionsgate''s shortcomings in distribution capabilities.


    However, Burns'' plan is quite bold and carries significant risk. Also, given the company''s current situation, it is not supported, so this plan did not pass at the work meeting,"


    Ivanka said.


    After listening, Link was somewhat surprised; he hadn''t expected there to be someone as visionary as Burns in the company''s higher ranks. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Burns was right, charging fees on video websites is a trend, and for video websites to profit, they can''t always be free.


    In a few years, free video websites would almost vanish, as subscription-based sites begin to rapidly capitalize, initially offering VIP access to all videos on the site, later requiring Super VIP or even higher levels for full access.


    It was because of such future developments that short videos, apps like TikTok and Kuaishou, live streams, and short dramas, could become explosively popular.


    If netizens could watch higher quality TV and movies online for free, there would undoubtedly be less interest in short videos and other free content.


    And now, in 2011, as Netflix took the first step, upon its success, other video websites would surely follow suit.


    Link had previously followed Netflix Technology Company, buying many tech stocks including Netflix, through Ms. Cathy Wood when he invested in Twitter shares in 2009.


    At that time, Netflix''s market value was over 10 billion, and although he wanted to buy more, he didn''t have enough funds and only bought slightly over a hundred thousand shares, valued at over 10 million.


    He hadn''t completely abandoned the plan to invest in Netflix afterwards.


    He remembered that at Netflix''s peak, the market value reached over 300 billion US dollars, making it the leading company in the movie and video website industry; any point at which the market value was between 20 and 30 billion was a good opportunity to invest.


    Yet, he hadn''t expected Netflix to experience such a significant downturn this year, with its market value falling to just over 3 billion.


    After discussing with Ivanka, he immediately called Michael Burns, expressing interest in acquiring Netflix. He asked to see the planning document and also requested that related materials about the acquisition of Netflix be sent over.


    Michael Burns, not one to delay, personally drove over to explain the benefits of acquiring Netflix, details of the acquisition process, and the potential return on investment.


    After listening to his presentation, Link agreed with his acquisition plan.


    He did not quite agree with Burns'' suggested 5% stake, finding it too little.


    He suggested acquiring at least over 10% stake to give Lionsgate Films more say on Netflix''s board of directors, making future cooperation between the two companies more convenient.


    "Boss, given Netflix''s current stock price, a 10% stake would cost over 350 million, and the company doesn''t have that much money,"


    Michael Burns said, scratching his head.


    Michael Burns, 45 years old this year, graduated from Harvard University with a major in Political Science. After graduation, he worked in the city hall of a small town in Utah for a few years before finding the job unfulfilling and resigning to switch careers.


    In 1999, he joined the newly established Lionsgate Films, working his way up from middle management to the executive level to become one of Lionsgate''s vice presidents, responsible for the company''s development planning and business strategy. He was considered one of Lionsgate''s old guard.


    His work capability was quite good. He was involved with Lionsgate''s IPO and also participated in acquisitions of companies like Artisan Entertainment, Trimark, Debmar-Mercury, TV Guide Network, and the distribution arm of MGM Studios in 2009, making him quite the acquisition enthusiast.


    Under Link''s leadership at Lionsgate Films, he had put forth several acquisition plans, but due to the company''s current financial conditions, none were approved.

 Chapter 650 - 468: The Embryo of a Business Empire_3

    Link had heard of him before, but the man had a rather ordinary appearance, standing unnoticed among the executives, so Link hadn''t paid much attention to him until their first one-on-one conversation today.


    "Mike, you don''t need to worry about the funds, what you need to do is get as many Netflix shares as possible with the least amount of capital. I, like you, also see great value in Netflix," Link said.


    Mike Burns thought for a moment and then proposed a way to acquire more Netflix shares while reducing debt.


    Lionsgate Films already owned a video streaming website, CinemaNow, initially part of the Trimark Distribution Company.


    In 2006, after Lionsgate Films spent 60 million US dollars to acquire Trimark Distribution Company, the website became one of Lionsgate Films'' assets, holding broadcasting rights to many movies and shows under Lionsgate, with over 1.2 million registered members, most of whom were horror movie enthusiasts. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Its current market value was 180 million US dollars, generating tens of millions in revenue for the company each year.


    Netflix had previously approached Lionsgate with an acquisition offer, but the parties had not agreed on a price.


    Burns suggested using the CinemaNow website''s resources to exchange for a portion of Netflix''s shares. Although CinemaNow was profitable annually, it was not very competitive in the video streaming industry.


    Using this website to gain a position on Netflix''s board of directors was a worthwhile trade.


    Link thought about it and agreed, considering the future of the video streaming industry was heading towards fee-based services and mergers, where competition was fierce, and the bigger players devoured the smaller ones.


    Given CinemaNow''s scale, surviving in the fierce competition would be difficult, and Lionsgate Films was a content creator, not a video streaming platform.


    Taking advantage of its current value to exchange for shares in the industry leader, Netflix, was indeed worth considering.


    Link approved Burns'' proposal and asked him to draft a plan for next week''s work meeting, which he and Ivanka would work to pass.


    "Alright, boss!"


    Michael Burns did not bother with small talk and promptly got up to leave.


    As Link was seeing him out of the villa, he saw Scott Stuber and his wife taking a lively walk with a large group of dogs in front of the neighbor''s house.


    Link greeted them and casually inquired about Netflix''s situation.


    Stuber, the head of Netflix''s film division and a minor shareholder, held about 2.3% of Netflix''s shares.


    When asked about Netflix, Stuber''s face stiffened, indicating things were not optimistic.


    After Netflix announced its fees, it faced obstacles from several major short sellers in the stock market, causing its stock price to plummet. However, Stuber believed that Netflix''s current difficulties were temporary and that as long as people enjoyed watching movies, Netflix would not go under.


    He advised Link not to believe the rumors in the newspapers that Netflix was about to go bankrupt; those were false flags raised by the short sellers to trick shareholders into selling their Netflix shares and depress its stock value.


    Link nodded in agreement and proposed his plan to invest in Netflix, asking for Stuber''s opinion.


    "What? You want to invest in Netflix? And you''re planning to buy more shares?"


    Hearing this, Scott Stuber''s face suddenly changed.


    "Yes, is there a problem?" Link asked in confusion. With Netflix''s stock price plummeting, his investment as a billionaire should be helping Netflix, but Stuber seemed to think otherwise.


    "Link, why would you want to invest in Netflix? Think about it again, this might not be a good idea," Stuber said, his brow furrowed.


    No wonder he was worried, especially since Link''s reputation in the investment circle had become increasingly bad.


    The issue started when he exchanged 16.5% of his Twitter shares for 5.3% of NVIDIA and some Lionsgate Films shares between March and April.


    Now, with Twitter''s market value surpassing $10 billion, 16% of Twitter''s shares amounted to more than $1.6 billion.


    Since then, NVIDIA''s stock price had taken a severe hit, plunging from around $14.8 billion to approximately $8.5 billion. The 5.3% NVIDIA shares were now worth less than five hundred million, and after Lionsgate Films went off the market, the value of those shares dropped even more, only worth three to four hundred million.


    The Wall Street Journal estimated that if Link hadn''t sold his Twitter shares between March and April, his net worth would have comfortably exceeded four billion US dollars.


    Because of his erroneous decision, he lost nearly a billion dollars. With Twitter''s stock price continuing to rise, the losses on this investment were growing, potentially amounting to tens or even hundreds of billions.


    Because of this, Link went from being last year''s investment genius to "Blind Link" and "Boxing Link."


    Rumors claimed that any company or stock Link favored would spiral downwards like NVIDIA did. Tesla was still doing well, but that was not expected to last.


    Now, with Link suddenly saying he wanted to invest in Netflix, Stuber was a bit panicked. Netflix was already in a challenging situation, its value having shrunk by seventy percent. Being favored by Link could only make matters worse.


    But he couldn''t refuse.


    Given Netflix''s poor situation, with shareholders and investors rapidly dumping shares, the market was flooded with Netflix shares urgently needing transactions.


    As a capitalist, Link was impossible to refuse. Additionally, his proposal to use the CinemaNow streaming site to swap shares was very beneficial for increasing Netflix''s stock price, so the board would not refuse either.


    "Ha ha, Link, although I don''t approve of your investment judgment, I think you''ve made a very sound decision in investing in Netflix. On behalf of Netflix, I welcome you as an investor," Stuber said with a forced smile.


    He couldn''t be unwelcome; according to Link''s plan, investing in Netflix could potentially make him a major shareholder.

 Chapter 651 - 468 Business Empire Embryo_4

    He would need Link''s support to continue in his position as the head of the film department.


    In this regard, Link''s shareholding in Netflix wasn''t bad either.


    "Thank you!"


    Link didn''t understand the reason for the other party''s change of face and didn''t inquire further. After a brief chat, he prepared to go home to discuss matters with Ivanka but felt a sensation under his foot as though he had stepped in dog shit just as he lifted it.


    Woof woof woof!


    A cheerful barking came from the distance.


    ¡ª¡ª


    After deciding to invest in Netflix, Lionsgate Films immediately began negotiations with Netflix, led by Ivanka, with Michael Burns and his team personally executing the deal. Following several rounds of discussions, both parties ultimately reached an agreement.


    Lionsgate Films invested CinemaNow and 160 million US dollars to acquire 11.37% of Netflix''s shares, becoming the third-largest shareholder on Netflix''s board, following Vanguard Investment Management Group''s 18.58% and BlackRock Investment''s about 16.84%.


    To further increase Lionsgate Films'' influence in Netflix, he continued to buy approximately 5.14% of Netflix''s shares through Golden Shell Investment.


    These two transactions also led to an increase in Lionsgate Films'' debt to 340 million US dollars, and Link''s personal debt grew from 170 million to 320 million again.


    Since both Netflix and Lionsgate are large companies, the news of their partnership became a hot topic in Hollywood and investment circles in October.


    After the relevant news was reported, Wall Street expressed skepticism about the partnership.


    They believed that Link''s move to take over Lionsgate and then invest in the heavily indebted Netflix Technology was undoubtedly bold. If Netflix''s stock price continued to decline, Lionsgate Films would face the risk of bankruptcy, and Link would end up with a career of boxing to pay off debt. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The "Los Angeles Times" urged Link to focus on boxing and his music career, "Don''t dance steps you''re not good at during the ball; it''s easy to trip and fall."


    To this, Link responded unflustered.


    Netflix Technology Company was the industry leader in streaming service, with its market value surpassing 100 billion US dollars in 2018, becoming the first in the industry. By 2020, due to the XG problem, its value exceeded 300 billion, surpassing Disney to become the highest valued entertainment company in the world.


    As a major shareholder of Netflix, he could influence or even control the company through the board, facilitating further cooperation between the two companies.


    Netflix was the world''s largest online movie rental service, with tens of millions of members worldwide. Its weakness was its insufficient production capability for film and television content, requiring hefty copyright fees to other production companies each year, leading to reduced profits.


    Meanwhile, Lionsgate Films was the eighth-largest content producer in Hollywood, and their partnership constituted a powerful alliance. Such cooperation could also further increase Lionsgate Films'' authority in the film and television industry and Link''s power in Hollywood.


    However, when it came to the topic of debt repayment, Eva reminded him not to forget that Link Music still had tens of millions of loans.


    At the beginning of the year, Link Music spent 150 million US dollars to acquire 16.8% of Spotify, becoming the second-largest corporate shareholder of the music streaming company.


    At the time, they had taken out a loan of 100 million US dollars, and after two repayments, about 30 million in debt remained.


    Link wasn''t concerned after hearing this; even with the additional 30 million debts, his and his company''s total liabilities were still less than 700 million US dollars.


    Currently, Golden Shell Investment owned 6.2% of Nvidia and 16.8% of Tesla, 5.14% of Netflix shares, a small number of Amazon shares, and other company shares, Lionsgate Films owned 11.3% of Netflix shares, and Link Music Company held 16.8% of Spotify shares, valued at over three billion.


    In five years at a minimum, their value would increase by tenfold, and in ten years at least by a hundredfold, with a worth of 400 to 500 billion.


    Taking on the pressure of 700 million in debt was worth it for now.


    However, he also understood Eva''s point. This year he had made numerous investments and frequently incurred debt to purchase stocks, and Ivanka was worried that rapid development might entail risks.


    Link felt he might have become somewhat addicted to borrowing money after experiencing its allure.


    To prevent Eva from worrying, he stated he wouldn''t make any risky moves or other investments until he repaid the external debt of 700 million.


    Seeing that he heeded her advice, Eva was relieved, allowing him to rest his head on her thigh while she massaged his head.

 Chapter 652 - 469: Setting up the Oscars

    Hearing that Link had once again borrowed to invest in Netflix, both Harvey Weinstein and little Kunas expressed their delight.


    Since the beginning of the year, when Link had taken out loans to acquire Lionsgate Films, his debt had been mounting, from an initial one or two hundred million US Dollars to now, where Link and Lionsgate held liabilities of six to seven hundred million.


    With a net worth of over three billion, six to seven hundred million in liabilities might not seem significant, but his borrowing frequency was increasing, and the amounts were getting larger; this was a good sign.


    According to The Wall Street Journal, after betting on Tesla, Link had become blindly confident, persistently going it alone in investments and ignoring professional advice, such that it wouldn''t be impossible for investment failures or even bankruptcy to occur.


    "Haha, dear Bob, take a look at this news, now even The Wall Street Journal thinks Link will fail in his investments, even face bankruptcy; trouble is brewing for Link soon." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the president''s office, Harvey laughed heartily, passing the newspaper to Bob across the desk, pointing at the article, urging Bob Weinstein to read and share in the joy.


    Bob took one look and lost interest.


    "Harvey, the current market value of Lionsgate Films is about seven to eight hundred million, with 330 million in foreign debt. This financial situation is healthy. On the contrary, Weinstein Company''s market value is less than three hundred million yet holds 250 million in debt.


    We think what we need to consider now is how to grow and strengthen our company, produce more box-office hits, and repay the loans earlier, rather than focusing on Link, which is useless."


    Upon hearing his words, Harvey''s heavy eye bags trembled, and his face fell.


    Since August, the news was all good news about Link,such as his album and new film selling well, reconciling with Taylor, winning a boxing match and earning fifty million in two minutes, Ivanka being pregnant, and signing multi-hundred million dollar endorsement deals with Nike, among other things.


    All damn good news.


    It made him feel nauseous.


    After waiting more than two months, they finally came across a negative report about Link; he hadn''t even had time to rejoice when whoosh¡ªBob threw a bucket of cold water on him, drenching him completely.


    Harvey glared at Bob, his expression turning very ugly.


    "Harvey, we talked about this last time. If Link had a backup after that incident, we agreed not to focus on him this year, and just concentrate on filmmaking. Turns out I guessed right, Link indeed had a backup, and that negative news didn''t even affect him."


    Seeing Harvey about to explode, Bob hurriedly reminded him.


    "Damn! Of course, I remember that, I don''t need your reminder."


    Harvey said, annoyed.


    Last time, due to a custody issue, Link was criticized by mainstream media, nearly bringing his reputation to the streets.


    In that situation, he''d hoped Link''s career would be hit, even a slight hit would''ve been good, but damn it, no one anticipated Link would turn the tides with just a few broken championship gold medals, and achieve even greater global influence.


    Every time he thought of that incident, he couldn''t help but let his blood pressure soar. Yet here was Bob, bringing up old wounds, rubbing salt in them.


    "Harvey, as long as you remember, that''s good. Let me get back to the previous topic, which is Palm Beach Films'' proposal to release ''Silver Linings Playbook'' at the end of November. What do you think?"


    Bob asked.


    "Why release it this year? I remember the company''s distribution department already has a full schedule for this year."


    Harvey said sternly.


    "This is Link''s request. Last time, when discussing investing in ''The Master'', he brought this up, hoping to release ''Silver Linings Playbook'' within the year, mentioning that if Jennifer Lawrence performs well, he wants us to help with the public relations for the Oscars Best Actress award?"


    "What?! He wants Jennifer Lawrence to become an Academy Award-winning actress, a ''90s actress? Has he lost his mind?"


    Harvey asked, incredulously staring.


    "Yes, I objected at that time too. Jennifer Lawrence is too young; the Oscars'' judges wouldn''t possibly cast their votes for an actress in her early twenties, but Link was adamant about it."


    Bob said, shrugging.


    Harvey squinted his eyes, then suddenly burst out laughing, sticking out his belly.


    "I see his plan; he thinks because he has some smelly money and is a global superstar, he can do whatever he wants, making the Oscars'' judges follow his arrangements?"


    "Haha, it''s truly ridiculous, he thinks the Oscars are too simple, this is Hollywood, winning an Oscar isn''t just about having money. If money could buy the Oscars, the Big Six would have monopolized them long ago."


    "Should we agree to his terms?"


    Bob asked.


    Harvey frowned and thought for a moment, "No, our Oscar push for Best Actress this year is for ''The Iron Lady,'' not ''Silver Linings Playbook.'' Campaigning for both would create a conflict."


    "Then let''s reject him, tell Link the chances for an Oscar would be greater next year, I believe Link will understand."


    Bob said.


    "Wait!"


    Harvey frowned, thought for a moment, and told Bob to hold off on rejecting the proposal for now. At the moment, Link felt triumphant, believing he could succeed in anything, including Oscar PR.


    Let him try.


    The condition is that Weinstein Company would take an additional 10% of the North America box office revenue on top of the existing contract, if Link agrees then we''ll agree to release ''Silver Linings Playbook'' early and help him campaign for the Best Actress Oscar."


    "Really help him? I''ve seen Jennifer Lawrence''s performance in ''Silver Linings Playbook,'' and she indeed deserves a nomination."


    Bob asked.


    "Of course not, our focus is on ''The Iron Lady,'' to help Meryl win another Best Actress Oscar, not to boost Link''s girlfriend. Damn it, only fools would promote other people''s love interests.


    The reason I said this, is to trick Link into confidently investing more money in the award campaign, then watch him crash and burn during the Oscars ceremony.


    "Haha, won''t his expression be priceless then? Haha, that''s settled then, I can hardly wait now."


    Harvey became more agitated as he spoke, unable to help patting the table.


    Bob frowned, "Harvey, is this really appropriate? Don''t forget, we''re also producers of ''Silver Linings Playbook.'' If the movie wins an Oscar, the box office will increase, and we''ll profit. But failing to secure an award also means less revenue. I don''t think this is a good idea."


    "Idiot! Did you think I haven''t considered that? I just mentioned that if Link yields an extra 10% of the North American box office, we''ll agree to release the movie early and help with the campaign.


    You just said that Jennifer Lawrence is worthy of an Oscar nomination. When the time comes, we''ll just help her get nominated, the rest is up to Link.


    With the nomination itself, even if she doesn''t win Best Actress, the box office loss won''t be significant.


    And with that 10% revenue share, it''ll more than offset our losses. Meanwhile, Link will have spent a substantial amount on PR for his girlfriend, who won''t secured the award, and won''t profit much from the movie either, tripling his losses.


    "Haha, what a brilliant plan, Bob, go tell Link we agree."


    Harvey pounded the desk, his face flushed with excitement.


    Bob frowned, "Harvey, what if Link succeeds?"


    Bang!


    Upon hearing this, Harvey, like an enraged lion, stood up and glared at Bob furiously.


    "Damn it, what are you talking about? Link and I are both campaigning for Best Actress at the Oscars. Do you think he can beat me in this field? Do you think Link can defeat me in my own domain? Are you insulting me?"


    Bob thought for a moment and realized there was no need to worry too much.


    Harvey was an Oscar-making machine, combined with veteran actor Meryl Streep and the movie''s theme, no matter what, they were stronger than Link and Jennifer Lawrence, two youngsters just over twenty.


    "Alright, I''ll liaise with Link, hoping this time you get your vengeance."


    Bob adjusted his waistband, his belly sticking out as he left the office.


    Harvey stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking Hollywood Boulevard below the company''s building, and sneered coldly, "Link, welcome to Hollywood. You''re about to learn that not just anyone can mess with the Oscars."

 Chapter 653 - 470 Seoul Competition

    Link received a call from Bob as he was preparing to head to Seoul for the competition.


    Weinstein Company agreed to have "The Line of Happiness" distributed by Lionsgate Films and also agreed to help with the Oscars campaign, on the condition that they receive an additional 10% of the North American box office on top of the original terms.


    Link did not agree.


    The production cost for "The Line of Happiness" was 22 million, with Palm Beach Films and Weinstein Company each originally investing 11 million.


    According to the original contract, after the movie''s release, the North American box office proceeds would be split equally between the production parties, while for the international box office, Weinstein Company would take an additional 10%. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To give another 10% of the North American box office to Weinstein Company, with "The Line of Happiness" breaking 100 million in North America, that 10% could amount to several million or even tens of millions of US dollars.


    Link bargained down to 5%, or three million US dollars in cash, to secure the North American distribution rights for "The Line of Happiness" and have Weinstein Company assist with the Oscars PR after the film''s release.


    He originally thought Bob would refuse, but after more than ten minutes, Bob agreed.


    This came as a surprise to him.


    As far as he knew, Weinstein Company''s film distribution was led by Harvey, and Bob''s agreement meant Harvey''s as well. Knowing Harvey''s personality, how could he readily agree to compromise?


    Not understanding it and not bothering to dwell on it, he called Catherine and Goldsmith and Ms. Stacy Schneider from Lionsgate Films, responsible for the movie''s distribution, instructing them to get in touch with Weinstein Company to prepare for taking over the distribution of "The Line of Happiness".


    ¡ª¡ª


    After more than ten days of training, the WBA-WBC Light Heavyweight Championship match approached.


    Link led his logistics team to South Korea''s Seoul for the competition. This was not his first time in Seoul; he had been there twice last year for a world tour and once for a signing event in August, so he was fairly familiar with the place.


    The championship match was held at Jamsil Arena, with all of the approximately 38,000 seats filled on the day of the event.


    According to a pre-match report by KBS Television, all the tickets were sold out within three hours of going on sale.


    A portion of the fans who couldn''t buy tickets went to the Ministry of Culture and Sports official website to petition, requesting that the arena increase seating.


    Considering safety issues, the ministry did not agree, stating that on the day of the match, the event would be broadcast live on a large screen at Seoul Square, and the public was welcomed to watch it there.


    The popularity of this match wasn''t solely due to Link''s reputation and the numerous fans he had in South Korea, but also because of the effective promotion and pre-match hype.


    In promoting the match, the organizers focused on publicizing the personal backgrounds of Link and Hopkins.


    Firstly, in terms of life experiences, the two shared many similarities.


    Hopkins was born in the slums of Philadelphia, losing his father at a young age, getting into fights and muggings on the streets of Philadelphia in his teens, and being stabbed in the back twice, once missing his heart by just a few centimeters. Hopkins spent over two months in the hospital before he recovered.


    Link''s background was quite similar, coming from the streets of Miami, getting into fights, and once being stabbed in the back, nearly dying.


    Hopkins served five years in Pennsylvania prisons for his crimes.


    Link also served nearly a year in Miami detention centers and prisons.


    The South Korean media hinted that both were "thugs".


    Secondly, in terms of professional achievements, Hopkins became the IBF Middleweight World Champion in 1994, holding that title for ten years.


    In 2004, he successfully challenged champions from the other three major organizations, becoming the Middleweight supreme champion, and dominated the Middleweight rank from 2004 to 2006, before moving up to Super Middleweight and Light Heavyweight.


    He defeated world champions like Trinidad, Hoyle, Roy Jones Jr., Antonio Tarver, and Glenn Johnson.


    Meanwhile, Link was the 2008 Olympic champion, and since then, he has been the WBA Super Middleweight champion, and from 2009, he sequentially claimed the WBA-WBC-IBF-WBO World Boxing Golden Belts, dominating the Super Middleweight rank for more than two years.


    In the more than three years since he entered the professional boxing ring, he had defeated numerous world champions, including Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., Hoyle, Mikkel Kessler, Andre Ward, Carl Froch, Arthur Abraham, Belrut Shumenov, and many others.


    He had become the undisputed king of the Super Middleweight division, as not a single challenger could stand against him. He frightened all his opponents, and for two consecutive years, he topped the Pound for Pound (P4P) combined strength rankings published by "Boxing Ring" magazine, earning the nickname King of P4P.


    The former Middleweight champion vs. the former Super Middleweight champion.


    The KBS broadcasting network described this match as the most thrilling, the most attention-grabbing, and the highest-level boxing event of the past decade, comparable to last year''s match between Link and Roy Jones Jr. in Miami.


    Who would win and who would lose, that would be decided today at the Jamsil Arena boxing ring.


    "Is that even a question? Of course, Link oppa is the strongest. He''s definitely going to win."


    "Bernard Hopkins looks pretty fierce too. Yoona, who do you think will win?"


    "Link oppa! I will always support Link oppa."


    "There goes Yoona, swooning again."


    "Can''t I? Link oppa is so handsome, he sings so well, and his acting is amazing too. He''s the perfect man in my eyes. Go Link oppa!"


    In the VIP seats of Section B, nine girls sat in a row, all wearing masks and baseball caps. They were the members of South Korea''s hottest female pop group, Girls'' Generation, and they were also among Link''s acquaintances in South Korea.


    Last year, when Link held a concert in Seoul, he had collaborated with Girls'' Generation''s leader Kim Taeyeon, even visiting their dormitory at their invitation, which sparked quite a scandal.


    "Yoona, Link oppa is a playboy; he''s not faithful in love. He can''t be considered the perfect man because of that."


    The maknae of Girls'' Generation, Seohyun, spoke up seriously.


    "Yes, our Seohyun''s idol is Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. In Seohyun''s eyes, the Secretary-General is the most perfect man in the world, right, Seohyun?"


    Sunny Lee Soon-kyu teased Seohyun while wrapping an arm around her shoulder.


    Seohyun nodded and then shook her head repeatedly, looking puzzled about how to respond to the question.


    "Seohyun, you yourself said it''s just a rumor about being his girlfriend. Rumors aren''t necessarily true. The newspapers say that Jun Ji-hyun is also a rumored girlfriend of Link oppa. Do you think that''s possible? They have a more than ten-year age difference."


    Yoona said.


    Seohyun blinked thoughtfully for a while. Almost all the media labeled Link oppa as a playboy, which probably meant it was true, but seeing as she had never personally witnessed Link dating many girls, dubbing him a playboy without solid evidence didn''t seem entirely fair.


    "Jessica unnie, are the rumors about Link in the newspaper true?"


    Seohyun turned to Jessica Jung, the group''s oldest member and the only one with American nationality.


    "They are true, but for someone as exceptional as Link oppa, having a few girlfriends is quite normal."


    Jessica shrugged nonchalantly.


    "Having a few girlfriends is quite normal?"


    Seohyun looked at her fellow members in disbelief, feeling her values shaken.


    "Seohyun, stop thinking about it. We are here to watch the boxing match, not to worry about how many girlfriends Link oppa has."


    Leader Kim Taeyeon advised.


    Seohyun thought for a moment but couldn''t figure it out, so she took Taeyeon''s advice, putting those thoughts aside to focus solely on the match on the boxing stage.

 Chapter 654 - 471: Strike with Anger

    On the ring, the KBS TV host was introducing the various statistics of Link and Hopkins, including height, arm length, weight, and professional records.


    Hopkins, with a height of 184 cm and an arm length of 196 cm, was a lanky fighter with a professional record of 60 fights, 5 losses, 2 draws, and 32 KO victories, making him one of the most experienced boxers currently in the professional boxing scene.


    As for Link, 24 fights, 24 wins, and 24 KOs. This was a dream achievement, highly sought after by many obsessive-compulsive boxing fans, who hoped Link could keep this going, preferably winning all matches by KO.


    "Mr. Baker, do you have the confidence to defeat Mr. Hopkins and win this match?"


    KBS host, Choi Hee, passed the microphone and asked.


    Several cameras below the ring immediately turned towards Link for filming, and his image appeared on the big screen.


    "Yes, if you ask me who could win this match, there''s no doubt, it could only be me."


    Link said with a smile to the camera.


    "Go Link oppa!"


    "Link oppa Fighting!"


    After he spoke, excited cheers and screams, mostly from girls, erupted in the venue.


    Phew!


    Across the ring, Hopkins disdainfully curled his lip.


    "Mr. Baker, based on strength assessment, where would you rank Mr. Hopkins among all the opponents you''ve faced?"


    The host asked.


    "Top five, I think. Precise data, I think it''s better to tell you after the match."


    Link said.


    "As we know, except for Tyson, none of the boxers you''ve defeated lasted more than three rounds against you. Do you also aim to finish the match within three rounds against Mr. Hopkins?"


    The host pressed further.


    "Yes, finishing the match within three rounds was the minimum target I set before the match, but I hope Bernard can last a bit longer."


    Link responded.


    He could tell that the host''s questions were meant to stir up the atmosphere, so he became more provocative in his responses, and indeed, his words stirred the boxing fans in the stands.


    Fuck!


    Across, Hopkins, face darkened, glared maliciously at Link. Last month, while watching Link and Clinton Woods in Las Vegas, he saw the audience cheering vigorously for Link, easily giving him home-ground advantage.


    He had thought that in Seoul, South Korea, Link''s fans would be fewer. Yet, upon arriving, he found the streets plastered with posters of Link, ranging from boxing matches, new albums, to Captain America movie posters.


    The situation almost made him think he was still in the United States ¡ª everyone seemed to be a fan of Link.


    What irked him even more was that the Jamsil Arena was worse than outside. The stands were crammed with Link''s fans, with posters and support items densely packed everywhere.


    Competing here felt like falling into Link''s stronghold, fighting Link in front of tens of thousands of his fans.


    This situation put great pressure on him, but at the same time, his fighting spirit intensified. Defeating Link in front of his tens of thousands of fans and turning Link into a bruised mess would be really cool.


    Hopkins stared coldly at Link and smirked.


    "Mr. Hopkins, Mr. Baker said he plans to defeat you within three rounds. Do you have the confidence to last longer or even turn defeat into victory?"


    The host passed the microphone to Hopkins and asked.


    "Of course! I''ll not just defeat him, but I''ll use him as a punching bag, showing him what I''m capable of."


    Hopkins bared his teeth at Link and waved his fists at him.


    Link just smiled lightly, undisturbed.


    Ding ding ding!


    The match was about to start; bystanders left the ring. Hopkins looked displeased at the KBS host. He asked Link several questions, but only one for him?


    Fucking hell!


    Also, those fans in the stands were so unimpressive. Although his reply was more domineering than Link''s, after he finished, only a few fans shouted, the rest seemed as if they had forgotten to bring their mouths, giving no reaction at all.


    "Hey, Link, look at the stands, all your female fans. Guess what, if I turn your pretty face into a pigheaded mess, think they''ll be upset?"


    Hopkins maliciously smiled.


    "It should, after all, I am really handsome¡ªmy face getting injured would be a tragedy. On the other hand, if I make your face look like a pig''s, everyone should cheer, ''Good hits, hit hard,'' because that''s comedy."


    "You''re too kind! Damn it, man, you better pray to God I don''t catch your flaws, because if I do, I''ll knock you flat."


    Hopkins clenched his fists and cursed viciously.


    "Wake up! Stop dreaming, it''s time for the match."


    Link said with an unconcerned smile.


    The ring referee came over to announce the rules of the match, and both men stopped their banter, waiting for the referee to signal the start of the match.


    "Hoyle, guess how many rounds Bernard can last against Link?"


    From the coach''s corner, Franco said with his arms crossed.


    "Why not how few rounds Link can last against Bernard?"


    Hoyle asked dissatisfied.


    "That''s impossible, we all know that,"


    Franco laughed.


    "I guess three rounds."


    The gym''s owner, Eddie Hearn, said while stroking his chin stubble.


    Hoyle glanced at him disapprovingly, "Eddie, this match has nothing to do with you. What are you doing here in South Korea?"


    "I heard you and Bernard did a lot of work to deal with Link before the match, and I wanted to see what tricks you''ve got, see if they''re worth learning from."


    Eddie Hearn laughed.


    "Hmph! Don''t worry, I guarantee you won''t be disappointed."


    Hoyle said, crossing his arms.


    Franco frowned and stared at him, "Really playing tricks? You know Link, he hates those tricks, and he won''t hesitate to hit hard against those who use them. I advise you not to anger him in the match, it won''t be good for you."


    Hoyle shrugged his shoulders, about to say something, when the referee''s voice came from the ring.


    "Boxing!"


    The ring referee swung down his arm, and Link, wearing red gloves, touched gloves with Hopkins, wearing black gloves, stepped back half a step, and then stared fiercely at each other.


    Bang!


    Hopkins initiated the attack, making full use of his arm length to smash a straight punch toward Link''s face.


    Link reacted quickly, seeing the oncoming attack, raised his arms to block, and solidly caught Hopkins''s punch, then immediately returned a punch to Hopkins''s face.


    Hopkins raised his fists to shield himself and leaned back, stepping backward half a step.


    The reason was Hoyle had repeatedly warned him before the match that Link''s punches were very powerful, not inferior to those of a heavyweight champion, and taking them head-on would be a setback.


    He hadn''t believed it before, but after being hit in the arm by Link, he knew it was true. Link''s punches were indeed terrifying, and he understood why so many excellent boxers fell one after another in the ring against Link.


    The reason lay in the power of the punch.


    A guy like Link, who has both the speed of a lightweight champion and the punch weight of a heavyweight champion, is really hard to deal with.


    Hopkins clenched his teeth secretly, raised his guard to the extreme, and stayed fully focused on dealing with Link''s attacks while also looking for opportunities to hit Link, because he noticed that sometimes Link would intentionally reveal flaws to let him attack.


    Hopkins scoffed at such flaws.


    Because Hoyle had advised him that to enhance the spectacle of the match, Link sometimes went easy during his attacks, allowing his opponent to attack him at will. Then, he could show off his super-fast reaction speed and high defensive skills, causing the audience to cheer for him.


    Hoyle also said that Link usually didn''t hit hard against boxers who played along, but would be more ruthless during a KO against those who didn''t. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After hearing this, Hopkins just wanted to curse.


    Link, that bastard, wasn''t just boxing, he was training dogs, and any boxer with a bit of spirit wouldn''t cooperate with him on this.


    Hopkins certainly wouldn''t. He took advantage of Link selling a flaw, closed in tight, and fired a straight punch followed by several jabs, brutally hitting Link.


    One punch hit Link''s chest, another grazed his shoulder, nearly smashing his chin, causing a gasp from the crowd, and many shouted, ''Careful, Oppa.''


    He thought Link would explode, unleashing his Torrential Rain Punch, but Link did not. Instead, he kept swinging his fists up and down, straight punch + jab, and his pace was steady, his expression calm, showing no intent to end the match within the first three rounds.


    Hopkins secretly wondered, had Link changed his tactics?

 Chapter 655 - 472: Consecutive Knockdowns

    Link, of course, didn''t change his strategy; his mood often dictated how he fought.


    When his emotions fluctuated, his pace was fast, his blows were fierce, and his rush to win was driven by a need to vent; he also wanted to end the match quickly.


    When he was in a stable mood, his moves were steadier. He liked to treat his opponent as a sparring partner, scrutinizing how much the opponent had to offer, and if there was anything worth learning. This also allowed him to showcase his skills to the audience and stir their emotions.


    Before he became famous in 2009, he was eager to gain fame and make money, fighting more heavily and often defeating opponents within a hundred seconds, which caused a sensation in the boxing community.


    After becoming the Super Middleweight champion, he was no longer in a hurry to make a name for himself. He fought more steadily, learning from his opponents, which is one of the reasons his boxing skills significantly improved.


    Now facing the former Middleweight champion Hopkins, who had battled in over 60 matches and defeated many strong boxers, was a great package of experience. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This match, he planned to play it safe, hoping to force out all of his opponent''s tricks.


    Moreover, he heard that Hopkins prepared some dubious tricks to win the match.


    He had to be cautious.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    Facing an endless barrage of heavy punches from Hopkins, Link responded with composure, taking more than twenty punches in a moment. Amidst the gasps of the crowd, he cleverly dodged three sneak punches.


    Sneak punches are unexpected killer moves in a match, often successfully surprising the opponent. Link often used the rear hook punch, which counted as a Sneak Punch.


    Hopkins'' Sneak Punches primarily involved hidden upper hook punches and swing punches among his combinations. His arms were long, his punches heavy and deceptive, making his sneak punches particularly difficult to anticipate.


    According to statistics, among the fifty-plus opponents he had defeated, eighteen were hit by his hook punches. Some were knocked out, and others injured; he was merciless.


    Unfortunately, this time he faced Link, who was meticulous, highly skilled, and extremely quick in his reactions. When Hopkins employed sneak punches, Link could react in the shortest time possible, either blocking or dodging successfully.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    With his mouthguard clenched, Hopkins continued his aggressive punching.


    After throwing over fifty punches, including three special moves, he hadn''t managed to injure Link at all.


    This was both frustrating and infuriating for him. Link was too cunning, slippery like an eel on the ring¡ªit was impossible to grab him or land a hit. No matter how much force he used, or how fast he was, Link would skilfully dodge, making all his efforts seem in vain.


    Hopkins had fought professional boxing for over twenty years and had never encountered such a tough opponent like Link.


    "Bernard, hang in there!"


    Voices of encouragement came from the coaches below the ring.


    Hopkins, of course, would hang in there. With over twenty years in the boxing world, facing all sorts of experts, and experiencing numerous defeats, he had never quit a match, and his mentality during matches was better than anyone else''s.


    He swung his fists again, furiously smashing toward Link''s face. Based on previous encounters, faced with such an attack, Link would raise his right arm to block and launch a swing punch from the left, forcing himself to dodge, and rendering the punch ineffective.


    Hopkins gritted his mouthguard, deciding that this time, even if Link struck him, he wouldn''t defend. He would follow up with the second and third punches, exchanging blow for blow with Link, employing a fierce fighting style.


    He believed that with his rich experience and strong resistance to punching, he could definitely leave some scars on Link''s face, or even knock him down.


    Unfortunately, he miscalculated. As he threw his fist toward Link''s face, Link suddenly ducked and stepped forward with his left foot, closing the distance. A jab hit Hopkins in the left ribs.


    Hopkins groaned, involuntarily bending down to guard himself, and as he bent, he suddenly remembered Link''s fighting style¡ªhit high when going low, hit low when going high. When Link actively punched an opponent''s ribs, the next move was usually attacking the head.


    With this in mind, Hopkins was just about to raise his arms to defend.


    Bang!


    Link''s fist, faster than expected, coupled with a swing punch, struck in quick succession. Hopkins blocked the upper hook punch but got hit hard by the swing punch on the left cheek.


    Splash!


    Struck on the face, Hopkins'' head was involuntarily whipped to the right, his facial sweat and saliva flying out, his body reeling two steps to the right, dizzy and seeing stars.


    Hopkins roared internally ''Stay on your feet! Never go down,'' but Link''s punch was too strong, and under the immense momentum, his body involuntarily crashed hard onto the ring, his shoulder scraping the floor as he slid forward half a foot.


    "Wow!"


    "Look, the Black guy went down."


    "Link Oppa is awesome! Link Oppa must win!"


    Amidst the exclamations from the stands, many people stood up to watch the stage.


    Link''s fans, seeing him knock down Hopkins in the first round, immediately started cheering loudly; many girls shouted encouragingly, "Link Oppa Fighting!"


    "Fuck! Damn you, Link. I''m going to kill you."


    Without waiting for the referee to check the situation, Hopkins quickly sprung up from the ground and furiously rushed at Link, his fists hammering down one after another at Link.


    He couldn''t help being angry; previously, Link had always countered in that manner.

 Chapter 656 - 472: Consecutive Knockdowns_2

    But just as he had adjusted to Link''s pace, Link suddenly changed his approach, causing him to suffer greatly.


    As he was going down, Hopkins suddenly remembered Hoyle''s advice before the match:


    "Link likes to strategize opponents during the match, letting them get used to his style and then suddenly changing his tactics at a crucial moment to catch them off guard. That''s Link''s trick, or rather, his rhythm, his tactic."


    In the past more than twenty matches, Link had won at least eight using this method. Although it was less than half, it was a highly lethal tactic that one could not ignore.


    While studying Link''s matches, Hopkins had also realized this and had secretly warned himself not to fall for Link''s tricks.


    Despite all precautions, a moment of distraction had still led him into Link''s trap.


    This filled Hopkins with fury, he swung his fists, unleashing his maximum power and speed, sparing no effort in his attack on Link.


    Facing Hopkins'' barrage of attacks, Link raised his arms continuously to block while also throwing punches at Hopkins.


    Link threw a total of 36 punches, 3 hitting Hopkins'' head and 8 hitting his torso.


    Hopkins threw 54 punches, sweeping Link''s chin once, and hitting Link''s shoulders, chest, and abdomen six times.


    "Go for it!"


    "Link oppa, fighting!"


    Seeing the two tangled up, exchanging blows, the punches landing heavily, making it hard to determine a clear winner.


    The live audience began shouting excitedly.


    "Fight! Fight!"


    Hopkins tended to talk trash while boxing, cursing or making offensive gestures as if it gave more power to his punches.


    No matter how his opponent fought, Link continued at his own pace, steady and methodical.


    With just over ten seconds left in the first round, he quickly dodged Hopkins'' upper hook punch, landing a swift jab to Hopkins'' left ribs.


    This punch was much more powerful than the previous ones, and as his opponent''s center of gravity sank, he followed it with a powerful right swing punch, forcefully breaking through Hopkins'' guarding arms and smashing right into Hopkins'' face.


    Bang!


    Sweat from his arm muscles also vibrated with the impact of the punch, scattering behind him.


    With Hopkins punched in the right side of his face, his dark skin rippled into wrinkles, his hair and sweat flinging upward, sparkling under the lights. His eyelids involuntarily narrowed from the punch, making his whole black face appear distorted.


    Before Link could follow up with another heavy punch, Hopkins crashed into the rear ropes, stumbled forward a step, and fell to the ground again.


    Boom!


    Seeing Link knock down his opponent again, many in the audience began to chant excitedly, shouting "Champion! Champion!" for him.


    "Stop!"


    The referee rushed over to push Link away and knelt next to Hopkins to start the count.


    "8, 7, 6, 5, 4..."


    Nearby, Link exhaled, shook the sweat off his arms, and quietly watched his opponent.


    He had thought that this fierce punch would crush Hopkins and end the match, but something unexpected happened.


    When the referee counted down to 3, Hopkins, supporting himself with his fists on the ring, shakily stood up, shook his head, and glared at Link with even fiercer eyes, like a wild beast.


    Link looked at him somewhat surprised. That punch had been solid, weighing at least 1,500 pounds¡ªno opponent he had faced before could have withstood such a hit, not even Tyson in ''09.


    But unexpectedly, Hopkins had taken the punch and managed to stand again within ten seconds.


    No wonder he was once the middleweight champion. At 46, his ability to take punches still made him one of the best in the boxing world.


    Link looked at his opponent with a sense of admiration, while Hopkins, seeing the look of admiration on his face, felt insulted and his look towards Link was murderous.


    Ding ding ding!


    Before they could start fighting, the bell for the end of the first round rang, and Link and Hopkins each went back to their corners to rest and heal.


    ¡ª¡ª


    "He''s so strong, Mr. Baker is incredible!"


    "Ji-hyun, how does it feel to have such a formidable boyfriend like Mr. Baker?" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the VIP section, renowned actress Song Hye-kyo looked at Link in the boxing ring, noting his strong muscles, and nudged Jun Ji-hyun next to her asking.


    Jun Ji-hyun brushed her long straight hair behind her ear, her cheeks blushing as she shyly said: "Link oppa is great."


    "Great? In what way?"


    Song Hye-kyo teased.


    "Everything is great, Link oppa is really caring."


    Jun Ji-hyun said with a bashful blink.


    Song Hye-kyo watched her, feeling somewhat envious and jealous.


    She and Jun Ji-hyun were both signed under SidusHQ agency and entered the company around the same time, initially as models.


    She became a sensational star across Asia with her TV show "Endless Love" in 2000, while Jun Ji-hyun exploded into fame with the film "My Sassy Girl" in 2001.


    One took the path of a TV drama actress, the other a film actress, but there was also some competition between them internally; a few years ago, they even competed for the title of top actress in their company.


    In recent years, she gained fame with TV dramas like "Full House" and "Hwang Jini," becoming a top star in South Korea.


    Jun Ji-hyun also maintained high popularity in South Korea with movies like "My Savage Senior Sister" and "Daisy."


    However, Jun Ji-hyun''s career had been declining in the last three years, her popularity waning, and last year she even parted ways with the SidusHQ agency.


    It was expected that Jun Ji-hyun''s career would suffer significant damage after leaving the agency, possibly even dropping her to a second-tier star, but unexpectedly, she snagged a huge investment from the superstar and tycoon Link Baker while working on the "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" film set. Together they founded the J&Baker Entertainment Company.

 Chapter 657 - 472: Consecutive Knockdowns_3

    Everyone knows that Link is not only a global superstar but also the big boss of Lionsgate Films, and a wealthy tycoon ranked within the top 500 on the Forbes global rich list.


    Thanks to Link''s connections, Jun Ji-hyun has secured considerable film and television resources in the South Korean entertainment industry. Her popularity has not declined this year; in fact, it''s grown even higher.


    Jun Ji-hyun also invested in several popular film and television dramas through J&Baker Entertainment Company, transforming from a pure actress into a film and television company''s boss, envied by many in the industry.


    Song Hye-kyo was envious too, not having to be exploited by an agency, not competing with other actresses in the company for resources, with autonomous independence and financial freedom, she had reached the upper echelon of the circle.


    Unfortunately, without a backer like Link, she could only look on enviously for the time being.


    "Ji-hyun, you should be careful. I''ve heard that Mr. Baker has gotten pretty close to a few members of Girls'' Generation."


    Song Hye-kyo said with a meaningful look as she glanced at several young girls not too far away.


    "It''s fine, they''re just normal friends with Link Oppa."


    Jun Ji-hyun shrugged her shoulders indifferently. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But when she looked at Link in the boxing ring, a hint of worry flashed in her eyes.


    In reality, she and Link were just friends and had not slept together.


    However, the waters of the South Korean entertainment industry run deep. As a female actress wanting to establish herself and further develop her career, she had to have a strong backer. Otherwise, she would be devoured by the capital as a fat lamb.


    After establishing J&Baker Entertainment, to rid herself of unnecessary trouble and harassment, whenever asked about the rumors with Link, she would shyly deny them, insisting they were just good friends.


    When chatting with her ''friends,'' she would admit to having a somewhat intimate relationship with Link, and through these friends, the nature of her relationship with Link would be spread.


    This led the South Korean media to repeatedly report the romance between her and Link, asserting with certainty that they were intimately involved and calling her Link''s South Korean lover.


    This also kept those coveting her at bay due to their wariness of Link, not daring to harm her.


    She also leveraged her connection with Link to secure many film and television resources, and J&Baker Entertainment solidified its footing in South Korea and made some money.


    That was the good side.


    What worried her was that her relationship with Link was still just at the friendship level.


    If Link found out about this or if Link simply referred to her as a normal friend when others asked about their relationship, and her lie was exposed, she would face more trouble and might not even be able to remain friends with Link.


    Jun Ji-hyun stared absently at Link in the boxing ring, considering whether to come clean to Link or perhaps, while Link Oppa was in South Korea, take their relationship further?


    Ding ding ding!


    A minute''s rest passed, and the second round of the match began.


    Link walked to the center of the ring with his fists raised, quietly observing his opponent Hopkins, who''d taken a couple of punches, one cheekbone swollen and shiny with petroleum jelly, the left corner of his mouth and brow bone also reddened and swollen, and a scrape on the shoulder, indicating he wasn''t lightly hurt.


    But the fact that Hopkins was able to endure it into the second round had already exceeded his expectations, so in the following match, he would not hold back anymore and would try to end the match as soon as possible.


    "Hmph!"


    Hopkins also glared back fiercely, knocking his fist against his bald head as a show of defiance.


    "Boxing!"


    The ring referee waved to signal the start of the second round.


    Link didn''t care whether Hopkins would go on the offense or defense this round; as soon as the referee announced the start, he charged at Hopkins with punches, combining Straight Punches + Left Swing Punches + Right Swing Punches + Right Straight Punches with super-fast speed and powerful force.


    He threw 20 punches within 8 seconds, two of which solidly hit Hopkins''s head.


    Seeing him rush over, Hopkins managed to exchange a few hard blows at first. But after taking a couple of hits, his head felt like it was smashed by a hammer, his mind going mushy, leaving him dazed, seeing double of everything.


    "Bernard, guard up!"


    Someone shouted from below. Hopkins didn''t dare to exchange blows any longer and kept his arms tightly around his head to prevent Link from striking again.


    But it was too late. As he prepared to defend, Link delivered a ferocious Upper Hook Punch from below, slamming hard into Hopkins''s chin.


    Crack!


    Struck in the chin, Hopkins shot upwards, then his brain jolted, his vision went pitch black, and before he could react, his knees gave in and he knelt on the canvas, his head plunging forward and hitting the surface with a thud.


    "Stop!"


    The referee rushed over to push Link away, preventing him from throwing any additional punches.


    Link had no intention of throwing more punches either, as he stepped back two paces and watched Hopkins intently.


    The cheers of the audience rose from below.


    "8,7,6,5,4..."


    This time, counting down to four, Hopkins propped himself up on the canvas and stood once more, his body swaying.


    The referee asked him if he could continue the fight.


    Hopkins glared at Link with fierce eyes and through his mouthguard said he could.


    "Boxing!"


    The referee announced that the fight would continue.


    Link didn''t plan to give his opponent a chance to recover. While the other was still dizzy, he charged forward, with left hook punches and right hook punches, left swing punches and right swing punches, smashing punch after punch against Hopkins''s defensive arms.


    After being knocked down three times, Hopkins was nowhere near his former condition; his footwork was sloppy and his defense full of holes.


    Link needed only five punches to break his opponent''s defense, and the sixth punch, a swing punch, landed heavily on Hopkins''s right cheek.


    Bam!


    Hopkins hit the canvas again.


    "Well done!"


    Below the ring, Franco stood up abruptly, clapping forcefully.


    "This jerk, he''s too brutal!"


    Hoyle, with a dark expression, looked towards Link. He had thought that after special training, Hopkins would last several more rounds with Link, but the fight had barely reached the second round and Hopkins had already been knocked down four times, each time worse than the last.


    In other words, all the preparation they did before the match was for nothing, completely wasted effort.


    "Hoyle, where''s that surefire tactic you prepared for Hopkins? Don''t tell me that''s it."


    Eddie Hearn said with disappointment.


    Hoyle didn''t respond. Before the match, the coaching team had prepared many sneaky tricks for Hopkins to use against Link.


    Just now, Hopkins had attempted a few dirty tricks, but Link''s reaction speed was too fast, and he handled them adeptly. No matter what Hopkins tried, he couldn''t injure him.


    This left Hoyle feeling helpless; Link was too strong. Whether fighting fairly or underhandedly, he thoroughly overpowered Hopkins.


    Coming up against such an opponent was simply despairing.


    "Wow!"


    Suddenly, there came a deafening shout from the stands. Hoyle''s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked up at the ring, where he saw Hopkins leaning on Link''s shoulder, winding up and fiercely slamming his fist down on Link''s head.


    "Is this your masterstroke? Isn''t this a bit too much?"


    Eddie Hearn exclaimed in surprise.


    "Damn it, you can''t fight like that, this is boxing, not mixed martial arts!"


    Franco exclaimed angrily.


    Hoyle too looked puzzledly towards the ring, completely at a loss as to why Hopkins would resort to such blatant foul play, when suddenly a thought struck him and he realized Hopkins''s intention.

 Chapter 658 - 473 A Beauty Has an Appointment

    Time rewound to six seconds earlier.


    After being knocked down, Hopkins once again, relying on his tough fighting ability, struggled to stand. Once the referee declared the start, Hopkins, protecting his head and retreating while fighting, moved back near the ropes.


    As Link was about to continue his assault, Hopkins suddenly leapt up, pressing down on Link''s body as if a monkey was clinging to his neck, preparing to strike down on Link''s head from above.


    When Link saw Hopkins jump up, he didn''t quite react in time and instinctively wanted to protect himself by grabbing Hopkins'' waist, intending to fiercely slam the damned black monkey off the boxing ring.


    Just as he was about to execute the slam, he suddenly remembered a more notorious fight in Hopkins''s career.


    It was during the battle on October 15, 2011, with IBF champion Charlie Dawson, when Hopkins, seeing no hope for victory, jumped on Charlie Dawson''s back in the second round, only to be violently thrown out of the ring by Charlie Dawson.


    Hopkins excused himself from continuing the fight due to a shoulder injury.


    Afterwards, the WBC governing committee declared the match as No Contest, and Hopkins continued to hold onto the WBC Golden Belt.


    If Link did the same, he would have to fight another championship bout with Hopkins, which would be too troublesome.


    He could accept Hopkins'' challenge but did not want to fight another title match since it would affect the subsequent fights.


    Having realized this, he threw a punch at Hopkins'' left rib, pushing away Hopkins'' restraint with force. Hopkins, wearing boxing gloves, couldn''t hold on to him tightly.


    Link easily shook off Hopkins off his shoulder, but the opponent''s fist also hit his forehead, causing a sudden dizzy spell and awakening his anger.


    Without waiting for the referee to come over or for Hopkins to regain his balance, he pursued with a jab that pierced the opponent''s defense and landed hard on the bridge of his nose. As the opponent crashed into the ropes, he followed up with a vicious straight punch.


    Bam! Bang bang!


    As Hopkins was struck in the nose, a gush of blood sprayed out, his eyes rolled back, his mind muddled, nearly losing consciousness. But Link still didn''t intend to let him off and quickly followed up with left swing punches and upper hook punches from both sides.


    "Stop!"


    The referee hurried over, pulling on Link''s arm, asking him to stop.


    Link lowered his fists and took two polite steps back.


    After tottering left and right, Hopkins collapsed to his knees with a clang and then fell face forward onto the canvas.


    Boom!


    Once the two were separated, the audience erupted as if the volume had been suddenly turned up, with noise instantly filling the space.


    What had just happened occurred in the blink of an eye; the spectators saw the fighters exchanging blows when Hopkins suddenly leapt onto Link''s shoulder and clung to his neck with his arm, a clear violation of the rules not allowed in official matches.


    Just when everyone thought Link would respond with a slam, he merely ''gently'' pushed Hopkins away with his fist.


    And just as everyone thought the match would continue, Link went on the attack with several heavy punches, like a storm, knocking Hopkins to the ground.


    It was brutal.


    "So this is your strategy? Doesn''t seem very effective."


    Below the ring, Eddie Hearn glanced at Hoyle and said.


    "It''s not the strategy that''s bad, it''s that Link, the bastard, is too tough to handle, nothing works on him,"


    Hoyle said through gritted teeth.


    Originally, he thought Link, being young and hot-blooded with less match experience, would definitely go for a slam in such a situation and might even kick Hopkins a couple of times.


    But Link didn''t; he still fought steadily and calmly, not arrogant or rash, denying Hopkins any chance to play dirty.


    Against such a cautious and wary opponent, even the top boxers of the sixties and seventies would be helpless.


    "To deal with Link, you''ve got Hopkins learning combat sports? Haha, how ridiculous. Just to win, you guys at Golden Boy don''t care about losing face, and you''re a former world champion at that," Franco sneered.


    Hoyle''s face changed colors; truthfully, this tactic wasn''t his plan, it was Hopkins improvised in the heat of the moment, but now under these circumstances, no matter how he explained it, Franco probably wouldn''t listen.


    "...5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"


    On the ring, the referee counted out loud to ten, and Hopkins didn''t get up.


    Subsequently, Hopkins'' team''s doctor escorted him off the stage, and the ring referee grabbed Link''s arm, walking him to the center of the ring. When the main judge declared Link the winner by knockout, the ring referee raised Link''s arm.


    "Yeah!"


    "Link won! Link Oppa is the champion!"


    The crowd cheered loudly, the fans energetically waved Link''s posters, and Link''s "Unstoppable" started playing through the stadium''s speakers.


    The place turned into a sea of joy.


    "Yeah! Link Oppa won, that''s amazing, I want to get Link Oppa''s autograph."


    At the Girls'' Generation side, Yoona looked at Link and said excitedly.


    "Me too, let''s go together."


    Lee Soon-kyu and Huang Miyeong echoed excitedly.


    "Wait a minute! There are too many Link Oppa fans on the scene right now. If we go over at this time, it will be troublesome if the fans recognize us,"


    Taeyeon, the leader, held them back and said.


    "What can we do? I want to get Link oppa''s autograph."


    "Me too! I declare Link is my only idol, my lifetime idol."


    "Taeyeon, you and Link oppa have the best relationship, so how about you invite him again? Let''s treat Link oppa to Korean barbecue, how does that sound?"


    Jessica Jung suggested.


    "That''s a brilliant idea, I agree."


    Yoona voiced her support first.


    "I agree too."


    The rest, including the youngest, Seohyun, also raised their hands.


    "Seohyun, didn''t you say that Link oppa is a playboy, and that you don''t like him? Why do you want to invite him to barbecue as well?"


    Lee Soon-kyu teased with a smile.


    Seohyun shook her head, "I, I don''t dislike Link oppa. Although he''s a bit of a playboy, something he should correct, he also has many excellent qualities worth learning from. For example, he sings very well, he''s super good at songwriting, his movies are classics, and he''s an Olympic champion with the best swimming skills in the world..."


    "Okay, we believe you''re a fan of Link oppa too. Taeyeon, what do you think?"


    The members all looked at Kim Taeyeon.


    Taeyeon blinked her eyes, feeling a bit troubled. She and Link indeed had a certain relationship.


    After that concert, they would also send messages about life and music. She was always excited when chatting with Link. After a few conversations, they seemed to hit it off well and could talk about anything, even intimate topics.


    But chatting over the phone was very different from meeting in person. Behind the screen, she could say anything.


    When she met Link in person, she would become nervous and restrained.


    Link was so handsome and a world-class superstar, a super-rich tycoon, with a net worth that, in Korean Won, amounted to over thirty trillion¡ªintimidating to say the least.


    And she was just an ordinary girl, with at most a bit of fame in South Korea, totally incomparable to Link.


    Now, to take the initiative to ask Link out, on the one hand, she worried that Link might be too busy and refuse, which would disappoint her, and on the other hand, she worried about what would happen if Link agreed. What would she talk to him about?


    The more she thought about it, the more nervous she became.


    "Taeyeon, what are you thinking about? Last time Link oppa agreed to visit our dorm, it shows he considers you a good friend. Now that he''s in South Korea for a match, it''s only polite for us to host a dinner for him," Jessica Jung said.


    "Taeyeon, don''t hesitate, call Link oppa quickly."


    "Yes, Taeyeon, if you don''t call, we''ll go directly to Link oppa for an autograph," the Girls'' Generation members urged.


    "Alright, alright!"


    Under everyone''s encouragement, Taeyeon sent a message to Link, saying that her teammates wanted to invite him for Korean barbecue and asking if he had time?


    After everyone dispersed, Taeyeon took out her phone and added another message, saying if he was too busy and didn''t have time, he shouldn''t force himself, everything depends on oppa''s schedule.


    After sending it, she felt it wasn''t enthusiastic enough, so she sent another message, saying if oppa could come, that would be great. They would definitely prepare the most delicious Korean beef to treat him and looked forward to his reply.


    ----


    After the match, Link, with two Golden Belts, was interviewed by numerous media outlets. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Facing questions from reporters from various countries, he shared some thoughts on the match, praised Hopkins, and spoke highly of South Korean boxing fans.


    Praising the opponent was actually a way of praising himself, and of course, the fans were the loveliest people in the world. Having many fans cheering for him at the match made him fight even harder.


    At the venue, he also took the initiative to sign autographs for some boxing fans and took many photos with them.


    After being busy at the front for over an hour, he returned to the dressing room to pack up. While checking his phone, he saw a few messages. The first one was from Jun Ji-hyun, congratulating him on his victory, saying he fought well, and asking if he had time today to go out for Korean cuisine, or if not today, another day would do.


    The second, third, and fourth messages were from Kim Taeyeon.


    He read them over, smiled lightly, and replied that he could make it, but he had some work to attend to today and wouldn''t have time to come out. Tomorrow afternoon would be possible, and he asked where in Seoul the best Korean barbecue was, hoping to experience it with her.


    Taeyeon quickly replied that tomorrow would be great, and she said the location was a secret but guaranteed it would be top-grade Korean beef.


    Link responded by asking if it could be just the two of them, as too many people could lead to exposure and could potentially start rumors affecting their reputations.


    After more than ten seconds, Taeyeon replied that she was discussing the location with her teammates and ensured utmost secrecy, and suggested they could have a private chat after the gathering.


    Link agreed.


    There were also congratulatory messages on his phone from Bang Si-hyuk, CEO of Big Hit Entertainment, and leaders of the boy group 2AM and the newly formed BTS, representing the members congratulating him, as well as messages from a few Korean actresses he had collaborated with.


    Link picked a few messages to respond to. Aside from Bang Si-hyuk, the other replies were more simple and formulaic.


    After doing this, he called Jun Ji-hyun to say he had two promotional events and a cocktail party to attend later, and would probably be available around six in the evening. He asked where she intended to treat him.


    Jun Ji-hyun said that dining out would attract paparazzi harassment. She wanted to host him at home and asked if that was convenient for him.


    Link said that would be fine.

 Chapter 659 - 474: Date and Dishes

    ```


    After attending two post-match promotional events, at about six in the evening, Link drove to Jun Ji-hyun''s residence in the Cheongdam-dong neighborhood of the Gangnam District, a high-rise apartment adjacent to Mugunghwa Park.


    Cheongdam-dong is one of Seoul''s famous affluent neighborhoods and is a well-known commercial center, with numerous fashion shopping centers, bars, caf¨¦s, art galleries, and entertainment companies. Real estate prices here are around 30 million Korean Won per pyeong, with each apartment valued at several billion Won.


    Most of the residents here are wealthy tycoons, businessmen, and film and television stars, a symbol of wealth and status, akin to Beverly Hills in Los Angeles.


    Link also owned a detached villa in the Gangnam District, adjacent to the Han River, with an even better location than Jun Ji-hyun''s. He bought it temporarily for his tour last year and had stayed there for a few days during his two visits to South Korea.


    Beep beep!


    When the car reached the underground parking garage of the apartment, Jun Ji-hyun''s assistant opened the door and politely reminded him they had arrived.


    Link hadn''t stepped out of the car when he saw Jun Ji-hyun standing by the driveway, looking at him with a radiant smile and calling him "oppa."


    Jun Ji-hyun was dressed in a rose-colored strapless red dress, revealing her fair and delicate collarbones. Her long black curled hair draped over her shoulders, and her slender swan-like neck was adorned with a diamond necklace, which set off her snow-white, smooth and fine skin. The cleavage on her chest seemed even more profound and soft, as if carved out of ivory and jade.


    She was tall and slender, and the figure-hugging dress accentuated her curves. At 30 years old, she was at an age that brought out the best flavors in a woman¡ªshe possessed the youthfulness and beauty of a young girl and the mature sexiness of a young wife, combining the two perfectly.


    "Haha, Ji-hyun, we''re friends now, you didn''t have to come down to meet me, you''re too polite."


    Link called out.


    "Oppa, my apartment is hard to find, and I was worried you might get lost,"


    Jun Ji-hyun replied with a smile.


    "It seems so. The buildings here are quite different from New York,"


    Link said with a light smile, as he took out a bouquet of red roses he had bought at the street corner to give her as a gift.


    Jun Ji-hyun happily accepted the flowers and after instructing her assistant to take good care of the driver, Bob, she invited Link to enter the elevator.


    With Link standing at 186 centimeters and Jun Ji-hyun at 173 centimeters, she appeared petite and delicate next to his sturdy build.


    Jun Ji-hyun lived on the 16th floor. As the elevator ascended, she took the initiative to talk to him about the boxing match, asking if he was hurt and if he had received treatment.


    Link rubbed his forehead and said it was nothing serious; the injury didn''t affect him anymore.


    Jun Ji-hyun praised his strength, saying it was amazing how he could knock his opponent flying with a single punch.


    She also mentioned his charm was overwhelming, as all the spectators were cheering for him during the match, and many celebrities were present, too. According to media reports, over forty stars made appearances, and there were probably hundreds more who didn''t.


    Listening to her compliments, Link let out a light chuckle.


    When the elevator reached the 16th floor, he followed Jun Ji-hyun into her apartment, a tastefully decorated duplex with a mezzanine. The spacious living room had sophisticated decor, and its floor-to-ceiling windows offered a direct view of the commercial street in Cheongdam-dong.


    As the sky turned darker after six, the neon lights on the street lit up, and the flow of pedestrians started to thicken.


    In the small dining room next door, Jun Ji-hyun had prepared a table of Korean cuisine including barbecue beef, spicy stir-fried rice cakes, cold noodles, ginseng chicken soup, and grilled eel with lemon.


    Knowing his fondness for seafood, she also prepared several seafood dishes. The colorful array of dishes¡ªred, white, black, green, and yellow¡ªlooked rather appetizing. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The table also boasted several bottles of fruit juice, barley tea, and four cans of beer.


    It was a lavish meal.


    Link praised the spread before sitting down to eat and chat. They started with a discussion about the work at J&Baker Entertainment. Jun Ji-hyun had taken on a movie in the first half of the year, "The Thieves," with an investment of 15 billion Korean Won, around 10 million US Dollars.


    J&B Entertainment invested approximately 3.5 million US Dollars, ranking second among the co-producing companies.


    The filming had been completed for the movie, which was now in post-production, with plans for a release next year.


    There were also two other low-budget art films they were investing in, currently in the process of being shot and produced.


    Link wasn''t very interested in these matters.


    When he established J&B Entertainment last year, he only invested 3 million US Dollars.


    ```


    If Jun Ji-hyun performs well, he would consider increasing his investment next time he encounters a good project.


    If she performs moderately, J&B company would simply regard it as Jun Ji-hyun''s management agency, earning some drama fees and advertising revenue sharing each year.


    The treatment is the same as that of Yang Dami.


    "Oppa, in September, MBC TV station selected the most famous foreign celebrity in South Korea, and Oppa, you ranked first."


    Jun Ji-hyun said while eating.


    "Sounds great, is there a trophy?"


    Link asked while eating grilled fish.


    "No, this kind of ranking is mainly about popularity in South Korea and commercial value, MBC TV''s selection is very credible."


    Jun Ji-hyun said.


    Link nodded. These past few days, when he came to South Korea for the match, Ms. Anna helped him land three Korean advertisements: one for a Korean commercial bank, one for men''s skincare products, and a sports drink. Each brand paid an endorsement fee of over 15 million US dollars a year.


    That South Korean companies were willing to hire him as an endorser was definitely related to his increased influence in the region.


    "Oppa, do you want some beer?"


    Jun Ji-hyun asked, picking up a can of CASS beer.


    "Won''t I get drunk? Ji-hyun, you know I can''t hold my liquor."


    Link asked as he took the beer.


    "No, this is light beer. You won''t get drunk even if you drink ten cans."


    Jun Ji-hyun smiled slightly, opened a can of beer, and reached out to clink glasses with him.


    Link touched glasses with her and took a sip. The beer was about four or five degrees; drinking several cans could still make him drunk.


    However, when the two were alone, drinking was the best catalyst for the atmosphere. Initially, Jun Ji-hyun was somewhat reserved, but after drinking, her face turned red, and she took the initiative to talk about their scandal, saying that because of it, no one dared to pursue her to this day, and she said he should take responsibility.


    Link joked that he was willing to take responsibility all the way.


    Jun Ji-hyun also mentioned that she had pulled in quite a few resources in the film industry using his name and asked if he would be upset?


    Link didn''t mind.


    J&B was a company founded by their joint investment. Jun Ji-hyun was responsible for managing and investing, and he was willing to provide some support in terms of finance and influence, to back up Jun Ji-hyun. If the quality of the movies invested by the company in the future was good, he could also help to get them distributed in North America.


    "Thank you, Oppa! With Oppa''s help, I promise to do well with J&B Entertainment."


    Jun Ji-hyun said confidently.


    Link smiled slightly and touched glasses with her.


    After drinking a can of beer, Jun Ji-hyun''s cheeks were red, and she looked irresistibly attractive with her drunken eyes and lips moistened by the beer.


    Link asked her if she wanted to dance?


    Jun Ji-hyun nodded, turned on the sound system, and played a lively rhythm song.


    Link reached out to take her hand, wrapped his arms around her waist, and started to dance a ballroom dance in the living room.


    With the movements of the dance, their bodies pressed together closely, and they could clearly feel each other''s body temperature rising and their skin heating up with the friction.


    Jun Ji-hyun''s cheeks became even rosier, her body was exuding a mature scent, and she could clearly feel his muscles getting firmer and harder, while her body became softer and warmer.


    As a dance was about to end, Link kissed the girl''s ears and neck, and Jun Ji-hyun wrapped her arms around his neck too, eagerly lifting her head to offer her lips.


    Link was not about to be polite, and after kissing for over ten minutes, he directly picked up Jun Ji-hyun, sat her on the dining table, tore open her outer layer, and began to taste the main dish of the day, a Korean cuisine named Jun Ji-hyun.

 Chapter 660 - 475: Girls Generation

    After spending a pleasant night at Jun Ji-hyun''s apartment, the next day Link got up early for his routine exercise, visited Hopkins in the hospital, and then went to KBS television station for a celebrity interview, attending an exchange event and cocktail party hosted by the organizers and the South Korean Boxing Association. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the afternoon, he drove to a Korean barbecue restaurant in Gangnam District''s Apgujeong to accept an invitation from Girls'' Generation.


    "Annyeonghaseyo! Link oppa!"


    When he arrived at the restaurant, all nine members of Girls'' Generation stood in a row outside the private room to greet him, bending over in unison, their voices synchronized and clear, like waitresses at a high-end club.


    "Annyeonghaseyo!"


    Link responded with a smile and a polite bow, greeting the nine of them.


    Besides the nine, there was a middle-aged, portly man in a suit standing in the hallway; Kim Taeyeon introduced him as Kim Young-min, the vice president of SM Entertainment. He had come especially to say hello after hearing that Link was there.


    Link shook hands with him, apologizing for the intrusion.


    Mr. Kim politely greeted him, congratulating him on his boxing victory without saying much more, and after exchanging pleasantries, he graciously left.


    Phew!


    When Mr. Kim left, several members of Girls'' Generation visibly relaxed, their expressions becoming more lively.


    "Are you all afraid of Mr. Kim?"


    Link asked Taeyeon and the others.


    "Yes, Mr. Kim is very serious and good at scolding, everyone in the company is afraid of him."


    Yoona quickly came over to stand on his left side and said.


    "Today Mr. Kim seemed very gentle, probably because Link oppa is too impressive, he was afraid of getting beaten if he was too stern, so he put on a smile."


    Lee Soon-kyu squeezed next to Taeyeon, staring at him as she spoke.


    "Link oppa, you''re so amazing, you can send people flying with a punch."


    Kim Hyo-yeon shook her fist and laughed.


    The rest chattered away, praising him for his boxing skills, saying his singing was the most pleasant to listen to, and some even held up posters asking for his autograph.


    When a group of women talks all at once, it really can be deafening.


    "Stop!"


    Taeyeon clapped her hands and said, "STOP talking, everyone, spread out a bit. Let''s have Link oppa come in first."


    "Oppa, please come in!"


    The members of Girls'' Generation quickly stepped aside, gesturing him into the private room.


    Link smiled and, taking Taeyeon''s hand, walked into the private room. The others followed in, and the nine girls plus him, the big boy, filled the long table just right.


    The members of Girls'' Generation were all born in ''89, ''90, and ''91, around twenty years old this year, and he was around the same age as everyone else.


    Once seated, they talked about music, tasted the beef barbecue from this restaurant, with Yoona and a few others asking for his autograph and to take photos with him, like a fan meeting was taking place.


    Link didn''t decline, fulfilling all their requests, posing for over a dozen photos. Eventually, all ten of them took a big group photo.


    "Link oppa, Seohyun has a question to ask you, is that okay?"


    Yoona called out, draping an arm around Seohyun''s shoulder.


    "What question?"


    "No, I don''t,"


    Seohyun blushed, shaking her head repeatedly.


    "Yoona, stop teasing Seohyun."


    Kim Taeyeon said.


    "I''m not teasing her. Seohyun was just saying how Link oppa is our age, but so amazing. She wants to learn from you, Link oppa."


    Yoona said with a laugh.


    "You''re all amazing too; I can hear your songs in the United States. The song ''Gee gee gee gee baby'' is very nice to listen to."


    "Link oppa, you listen to our songs too?"


    Lee Soon-kyu asked, surprised.


    "Of course, I listen to any good songs, no matter the language."


    "Yes, I heard oppa knows more than ten languages, that''s so impressive."


    "Link oppa must be Superman."


    Yoona and a few others looked up to him with admiration.


    Link smiled and said he wasn''t that proficient, only fluent in eight languages.


    But everyone still found it very impressive.


    During the meal, Kim Taeyeon didn''t talk much, just sat beside him with flushed cheeks, piling grilled meat and other dishes onto his plate.


    With Link''s hand secretly holding hers under the table, she did not object, only her cheeks turned a deeper red.


    After the meal was over, Link took his leave.


    A short while later, back in his villa in Itaewon, Gangnam District, he took a bath, changed into some loose clothes, and upon hearing the honk of a car outside the villa, Link looked at the monitor and opened the wrought-iron gate in front of the villa, allowing a yellow Mini Cooper to drive in.


    As Link walked to the front steps, he saw Taeyeon with her cheeks flushed, getting out of the car. Unlike the T-shirt and jeans she wore earlier, she had changed into a black spaghetti-strap dress and high heels, appearing taller and her skin even more pale and delicate.


    "Taeyeon, welcome to my place."


    Link said with a smile.


    At dinner, Link had asked her if she wanted to go out together. Worried about the other members gossiping, she had asked him to leave first and said she would come to find him later.


    Link had told her the location of his villa and had her drive straight there.


    "Oppa, is this your home?"


    Taeyeon looked around and asked in surprise.


    "Yes, I bought it last year and have only stayed a few times. The lawn and the green belt haven''t been trimmed for a long time, does it look a bit messy?"


    "No, not at all. It''s beautiful, very beautiful."


    Taeyeon admired the villa''s beautiful lawn, lush green belts, and the secure-feeling walls. But these were secondary.


    The key point was that the villa itself looked stunning. It was two and a half stories tall, with white marble walls, a black A-frame roof, and wide French windows. It appeared modern and artistically aesthetic.


    This villa was located in Itaewon, the most expensive area in Seoul, in a neighborhood of the wealthy. The property was over 400 pyeong in size and priced at over 100 billion Korean Won.


    Taeyeon had dreamed of living in such a villa. But having debuted just over three years ago, she hadn''t yet saved enough money to buy one.


    "Let''s go, take a look inside."


    Link took the girl''s hand and led her into the villa. Initially, Taeyeon was a bit stiff, but she gradually relaxed and began to tour the villa, constantly praising the decor.


    At last, she saw a Steinway piano by the second-floor French windows and excitedly asked if she could play it.


    Link told her to make herself at home and treat the place as if it were her own.


    Taeyeon happily sat down at the piano and first played her new song "The Boys." The song was a work by the famous American musician Teddy Riley, who had produced songs for MJ and Usher.


    After she finished playing, Link clapped his hands.


    Taeyeon glanced at him with a blush on her face, then began to play his new song, "That Girl."


    Link smiled slightly and sat down too, joining in to play the song with her.


    When Taeyeon saw him sit down, her cheeks turned even redder, and she repeatedly hit a few wrong notes.


    But watching Link play so intently, she too calmed down after a while and began to play along. She was surprised to find that his piano-playing skills were very high, professional level. He was amazing.


    Link saw the girl''s cheeks were cherry-red and translucent, looking very cute. While playing the piano, he leaned over to give her a kiss, then sat upright and continued playing, transitioning from "That Girl" to "All of Me."


    Taeyeon turned and blinked at him, and seeing him seriously playing the piano, she continued playing with a flushed face.


    After a while, Link leaned over and kissed her again.


    Taeyeon turned to look at him, her fingers absently pressing the piano keys. When Link leaned in once more, she suddenly turned her head, and their lips met.


    Link kissed her with his head bent down, one hand cradling the girl''s neck, the other continuing to play the piano. Taeyeon returned the kiss with flushed cheeks, but her technique was too unrefined, and within seconds, she was left gasping for breath, her face turning even redder.


    ¡ª


    After the match, Link stayed in Seoul for five days. In addition to post-match publicity and promotion, he also filmed two advertisements.


    The rest of the time, he would sometimes visit Jun Ji-hyun in Cheongdam-dong to discuss investment in scripts. After their intimate relationship began, Link naturally treated her differently.


    Apart from adding five million US dollars to the J&B account, he also helped her select a few good scripts from an international film market perspective.


    Sometimes, he would also meet Taeyeon in the Itaewon villa and entrusted her with managing the property, which would also serve as their dating spot in the future.


    After Taeyeon received the keys, she kissed him happily. Since their intimate relationship, the girl had become clingier.


    After spending a pleasant five days in South Korea, Link took a flight back to the United States.


    By the time he was returning, the boxing match statistics had been released and published in the newspaper, which recorded that the match''s viewership had hit new highs in South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong Island, and other regions.


    In North America, 1.64 million PPV units were sold, surpassing the revenue from his last fight with Clinton Woods, and over 1.8 million units were sold in Europe, Oceania, and other regions, with global PPV sales nearing 4 million units.


    Although the PPV price varied by region, the total PPV revenue reached 145 million US Dollars, higher than the 136 million US Dollars from the May 2007 fight between Hoyle and Mayweather, and also higher than Link''s 125 million from last year''s match with Hoyle in Las Vegas, ranking first in the latest list published by "Boxing Time" magazine.


    This match had brought him a total income of 85 million US Dollars, a figure after sharing proceeds with Dynasty Promotions, while his opponent Hopkins and Golden Boy Promotions made about 32 million US Dollars, which wasn''t a wasted trip either.


    "Hmph!"


    In business class, Link was flipping through the newspaper when a deep grunt came from the seat next to him, conveying a sense of thick bitterness and silent resentment.


    Link glanced at the neighboring seat and saw Hopkins, who was returning to the United States with him. The guy''s nose was wrapped in gauze, but he was still capable of grunting, which meant his injuries were not that serious.


    "How''s your injury? Why didn''t you stay in the hospital a few more days?"


    Link asked.


    "Link, don''t get cocky; next time, I will KO you," Hopkins said, puffing up his arm muscles and glaring at him with indignation.


    "I don''t think you can, but the fact that you dare to challenge me after I beat you like that shows you have a good attitude," Link praised.


    "I don''t need your compliments, Link. A few days ago, I was careless and fell for your trick, which is why you hurt me. It definitely won''t happen in the next match," Hopkins said.


    Link shook his head. "You don''t believe that yourself, do you? In terms of power, speed, technique, strategy, mentality, you are not on my level in any aspect. Even your foul moves didn''t give you any advantage. You are clueless against me, and if we fight again, you''ll only lose worse."


    Hopkins clenched his teeth in anger. Even though what Link said was harsh, he had to admit that the bastard was right, and he would still be no match for Link in another fight.


    The feeling of wanting revenge but being powerless nearly drove him mad.


    What made him even crazier was that, while he was in the hospital, Link was out eating, drinking, and surrounded by women.


    South Korean media had been filled with Link''s scandals with South Korean actresses, like Jun Ji-hyun, Song Hye-kyo, Son Ye-jin, and even Girls'' Generation. They were all top celebrities and a famous girl group.


    Compared to Link, Hopkins was not only physically hurt by Link, but the emotional injury was even greater.


    "Link, even if you are great at light heavyweight, I don''t think you''ll keep winning after moving up to heavyweight. One day, you''ll get beaten badly, ha ha, and I''m looking forward to that day coming sooner. If that day comes, I''ll fly over to your bedside to personally witness your miserable condition," Hopkins said with a twisted smile.


    "Thanks! But that day will never come," Link responded, shrugging his shoulders and continuing to read his newspaper.


    After returning to the United States, Link first went to New York and used his prize money plus the thirty-some million in endorsement fees, totaling 120 million US Dollars, to pay back the bank.


    His debt at the bank was reduced from 320 million back to 200 million US Dollars again, which felt like a bit of a relief.

 Chapter 661 - 476: New Movie Release

    Los Angeles, the sunshine was nice, and Link got up early to run almost twenty kilometers along the Santa Monica Bay highway, working up a steaming sweat.


    When he returned home, Ivanka had just gotten up, dressed in a sports tank top and leggings, sitting cross-legged on the lawn practicing simple yoga poses.


    Link didn''t disturb her, and made a simple breakfast in the kitchen. After he finished, he called out for Ivanka to eat; she came in with rosy cheeks, a slightly sweaty forehead, and even more voluptuous and luscious curves.


    "Do you have plans today, dear?"


    At the breakfast table, Ivanka asked while eating a vegetable roll.


    "Nothing much, just training,"


    Link thought and responded.


    The competition had ended, the new album had been released, and "The Avengers" wouldn''t start shooting until next month; aside from filming music videos for a few hit singles from the fourth album, he had no other plans during this period.


    "''The Help'' is releasing today, how about we go watch the movie together?"


    "That sounds like a great idea."


    Link nodded in agreement. He trained for four hours in the gym in the morning and then took a nap with Ivanka at noon. Ivanka had been more sleepy than usual since she became pregnant; she needed to sleep for more than half an hour every day, and she looked very lazy and charming during her nap; Link often held her and didn''t want to let go.


    After waking up from the nap at around 2 pm, the two drove to the shopping center cinema in the Santa Monica area to watch "The Help," which was released that day.


    The film was exclusively produced by Palm Beach Films with a production cost of 25 million US dollars, and it was distributed by Lionsgate Films with a publicity budget of 8 million US dollars.


    The movie starred Emma Stone, Viola Davis, and Jessica Chastain.


    It tells the story of a college girl in Mississippi in the 1960s, named Skeeter (played by Emma Stone) who, disliking the unfair treatment of black maids in American society, decides to write a book to help these women escape from adversity. She faces many obstacles during the writing process, but with the support of the black maids, she completes her book, which causes a significant impact upon publication.


    The plot aligns with the mainstream values of American society and is a very positive and uplifting narrative film.


    After watching it, Link and Ivanka felt it was pretty good.


    "Dear, the media say you are good at predicting box office revenues; how much do you think this film will earn?"


    After the theater let out, Ivanka asked while linking arms with him.


    "I only guessed right once, the ''Bridesmaids'' incident doesn''t count as a correct guess; why does everyone say I can predict box office revenues?"


    Link said helplessly.


    "Just give it a try, I guess it will make over a hundred million worldwide; what''s your guess?"


    "Around a hundred million then, I guess $101 million."


    "You''re guessing nearly the same as me, you''re just playing along!"


    Ivanka glared at him playfully.


    Link looked at her as if she were coquettishly joking, found it very amusing, and laughed, "This is called unity of minds."


    Ivanka smiled slightly, hugging his arm tightly.


    "The Help" was released on Friday, October 21st, alongside Paramount Pictures'' "Paranormal Activity 3," Summit Entertainment''s "The Three Musketeers," Universal''s "Johnny English Reborn," and "Margin Call" starring Kevin Spacey and the art film "Martha Marcy May Marlene" starring Elizabeth Olsen.


    In addition to these, last week''s science fiction blockbuster "Real Steel" and the musical "Body Language," as well as Weinstein Company''s "My Week with Marilyn," were also strong competitors at the box office.


    "The Help" earned 27.05 million US dollars in 2834 theaters over the weekend, ranking second on the weekly box office chart; the first place was secured by "Paranormal Activity 3," which earned 47.5 million US dollars in 3341 theaters.


    Last week''s box office champion "Real Steel" came in third with 20.24 million US dollars, "The Three Musketeers" ranked fourth with 8.63 million, and "My Week with Marilyn" was tenth with 627 thousand US dollars.


    Other films'' box office performances were quite ordinary.


    "The Help," only three days after release, exceeded its production costs, drawing significant attention in the industry; many media predicted the North American box office for the film would exceed 100 million US dollars.


    Although a hundred million box office is not significant in the yearly rankings, there have already been 21 movies this year with North American box office earnings exceeding a hundred million.


    But this film was the third production by Palm Beach Films; the first made over twenty times the investment, the second had a global box office of 360 million, and the third broke even in just three days, presenting itself as a dark horse of the year, making many peers envious.


    Since last year''s big hit "Scandal Plan," many peers had been anticipating a flop from Palm Beach Films'' next film, but when the second movie was released, they found it performed even better at the box office, and then came the third, still with good box office earnings.


    Everyone was watching eagerly but ultimately left disappointed.


    Besides the box office, "The Help" also received good reviews, with a media composite score of 81. Publications like the Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and The New York Times among 22 newspapers scored it over 85, whereas other outlets including the Los Angeles Times, Variety, Complete Movie, and the Baltimore Sun rated it above 75.


    Rotten Tomatoes freshness stands at 78% with 32 people in favor and 12 against, while Yahoo audiences graded it a B+.


    Overall, the evaluations were very favorable.


    The New York Times commended Palm Beach Films for producing another high-quality movie, describing it as "not just a classic expos¨¦ of the times'' ugliness but should also be hailed as a stunning, warm, and sweet song of hope"... giving them reason to deem it one of the must-watch films of the year.


    The Washington Post commented that the film excellently fleshed out its three female characters, stating in a sense, these characters made the movie... Emma Stone and other actors also delivered outstanding and unique performances, adding many bright spots to the film.... Several leads were also strong contenders for the Oscars acting awards.


    Complete Movie magazine''s review focused on Palm Beach Films.


    "The Help" is the third film from Palm Beach Films following "Scandal Plan" and "Bridesmaids," all three of which, despite their different themes, share a common focus on female roles.


    The first movie dealt with women facing discrimination and prejudice within a group, the second addressed women''s struggles in everyday life, and the third film integrated a discussion on racial issues, giving it a deeper theme than its predecessors.


    Complete Movie believed that Palm Beach Films was at the forefront of exploring women-themed stories, setting a benchmark worth learning from.


    In its second week of release, the number of theaters showing "The Help" increased to 3,141, and rather than dropping, box office earnings rose to 42.17 million US Dollars in North America, surpassing "Paranormal Activity 3" to become the box office champion of the week.


    The movie had a production cost of 25 million and a marketing cost of 12 million US Dollars, earning 69.22 million US Dollars at the North American box office in ten days. Media predictions for the North American box office climbed to over 150 million US Dollars.


    Without a doubt, it was another blockbuster.


    The massive success of "The Help" once again put Palm Beach Films in the spotlight.


    More movie companies, waving their checkbooks, hoped to collaborate with Palm Beach Films. Some even proposed that Palm Beach Films handle the preparation and production of movies while they would invest and afterwards give Palm Beach Films no less than 20% of the box office share.


    Catherine said she received hundreds of calls every day, from film companies, directors and screenwriters skilled in women-themed subjects, as well as many actresses, all eager to work with Palm Beach Films.


    Link also received many calls. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some were from industry peers, like Leon Cavano of Relativity Media, inviting him to parties to discuss film collaboration, and actresses, both acquainted and not, were using various methods to curry favor with him.


    If Link were a careless man, he could wake up beside a different woman every day.


    Comparatively speaking, the greatest beneficiary of the film''s success was Emma Stone.


    Starting from "Scandal Plan" last year, all of Emma''s starring films had passed the hundred-million threshold; "Bridesmaids" grossed 360 million globally, "Crazy Stupid Love" released in July earned 140 million worldwide, and this film "The Help" had a forecasted North American gross of 150 million.


    Four consecutive box-office hits also made Emma Stone one of the most standout young actresses.


    Although not yet as famous as Christine Stewart, her acting abilities displayed in films garnered much recognition, positioning her as a promising actress likely to be one of the new generation to win an Oscar soon.


    For this, Emma Stone had even called specially to inquire about the chances of making an Oscars run.


    Link said there were chances, and the company would handle the PR, but she was still young and shouldn''t set her expectations too high.


    Emma Stone happily acknowledged she knew and would be satisfied just to get nominated.


    Link smiled lightly, telling her to remember that statement.


    In October, Director Zhang Yimou called to say that after finishing post-production on "The Flowers of War," he wanted to discuss North American distribution issues with Lionsgate Films.


    Link arranged for Jamie Jones, the head of International Operations, to lead a team to Huaxia to assess the film''s quality and its commercial value, aiming to secure the North American distribution rights at the lowest price possible.


    After Jamie Jones and his team had visited Huaxia, they reported back that the work team rated the movie a B-.


    Its strengths were its high artistic level and Link''s involvement, which guaranteed a certain box office potential.


    The drawbacks were the limited prospects for Chinese anti-Japanese war movies in the North American market, and the war film''s focus on a group of prostitutes due to cultural differences, which might be incomprehensible to North Americans.


    The overall evaluation was that it was worth a try, but the box office might not be very high.


    When acquiring the North American distribution rights, Jamie Jones presented the production side with two options: either a 3 million US Dollar licensing fee or a 25% share of the North American box office.


    After careful deliberation, the producers of "The Flowers of War" chose the second option, eager to take a chance.


    But concerned about possible box office underreporting in the United States, Director Zhang made several calls to Link to catch up, asking when he would come to Huaxia to have a drink, also mentioning that the movie was expected to premiere in mid-November in Huaxia and wanted him to help promote it.


    Link didn''t decline but assured Director Zhang not to worry about the box office sharing with Lionsgate Films, promising that whatever the box office earnings were, that''s what they would report.

 Chapter 662 - 477: Winning Money by Playing Cards

    "All in with 500 US Dollars! Link, do you dare to follow?"


    In a Beverly Hills coffee shop, Leonardo placed down five hundred US Dollars, with one hand over his hole cards, smiling at Link.


    "Just the two of us left?"


    "Haha, yes, everyone else has folded. Now it''s just the two of us. Do you dare to follow?"


    Leonardo laughed.


    "I thought we agreed to just play for fun, what''s this all-in about?"


    Link said helplessly.


    "You''ve got exactly 500 there, it''s not like you can''t afford to follow."


    Leonardo lit a cigarette and said with a smile.


    "Leon, go easy, it''s Link''s first time playing. Don''t bet too much all at once."


    Tobey Maguire laughed.


    "Looks like Leon''s goal today is to win all the change in Link''s pockets."


    Woody Harrelson laughed.


    Leonardo looked at Link with a half-smile, "Link, if your hole cards aren''t good, you can also choose to fold."


    Link glanced at him, picked up 500 US Dollars to follow, then threw out his three hole cards: the Jack of Spades, the 10 of Spades, and the 8 of Spades, adding to the community cards, the Queen of Spades, and the 9 of Spades to make a straight flush that''s only secondary to 9, 10, J, Q, K and 10, J, Q, K, A.


    "A straight flush?!"


    "That big?"


    Leonardo''s eyes widened suddenly, the others also looked at his cards in surprise.


    "Leon, show your cards."


    Link tapped the table.


    "You won."


    Leonardo wordlessly tossed his cards into the deck, and before he could shuffle, Paul Walker grabbed them and flipped them over to reveal a Queen, Jack, and 2, with the highest being a pair of Queens and a pair of Jacks.


    "Just two pairs?"


    "Your cards aren''t even as big as mine, and you dared to bluff?"


    "Are you bullying Link because it''s his first time playing poker?"


    The people at the table started teasing Leonardo.


    Leonardo scowled at Link, "With such a strong hand, why did you hesitate when betting? You''re the real bluffer here."


    "I saw your confidence and thought you were holding a royal flush, so I had to be cautious. So, all the money on the table belongs to me now, right? Haha, I won''t be shy then."


    Link grabbed the pot with more than two thousand US Dollars in it. Although it wasn''t a big win, seeing Leonardo''s glum face felt great.


    After finishing one round, they started the next.


    "Link, your Palm Beach Films did well this year."


    While checking his cards, Leonardo glanced at Link and said.


    "Not bad!"


    Link saw his hole cards were the 3 of Spades and the 7 of Diamonds and decided not to continue, promptly folding.


    "Three hit movies in a row, that''s not just ''not bad'', that''s amazing. Any tips on how Palm Beach Films invests in movies?"


    Leonardo continued the bet and followed.


    "It''s simple, find a few reliable producers, hand over the company to them, and then just wait to count the money."


    Link opened a bottle of water and took a few sips, having gotten thirsty after the workout.


    "Stop joking, doesn''t every movie company have a few reliable producers? The big six studios have even more, but none are as impressive as Palm Beach Films with a return on box office revenue more than tenfold."


    Leonardo said, grinding his back teeth.


    Leonardo mentioned this because he too owns a film production company, Appian Way, established in ''04, which had produced films like "The Assassination of Nixon," "Public Enemies," "Shutter Island," and "The Aviator," most of which incurred losses with only a few making a profit, albeit small.


    This made Leonardo as envious as others of Link''s Palm Beach Films, with three consecutive hit movies generating net profits of two to three hundred million US Dollars, a truly enviable feat.


    "It''s because I have a sharper eye for people."


    Link shrugged his shoulders and laughed.


    Leonardo snorted unhappily, "Link, now that you''re a big star and a millionaire, have you thought about getting involved in charity work?"


    "Isn''t that what my Link Global Charity Fund is for? By the way, you all are wealthy, consider donating to my charity in the future. Since last year, the Link Charity Fund has helped over two hundred athletes troubled by injuries."


    Link said.


    Everyone nodded and agreed.


    "Link, I''m not talking about your foundation, I''m talking about the environment. Don''t you feel that our living environment is worsening¡ªglobal climate deterioration, acid rain, ozone depletion, loss of biodiversity, ocean pollution, deforestation, and so on? If things keep going like this, the earth will eventually be doomed. Even if it doesn''t affect us now, our descendants will face these problems. Don''t you want to do something for your future generations before then?"


    Leonardo said passionately.


    Link nodded and then gave him a look, "Future generations? Leonardo, do you have kids already?"


    "Uh, no [verbatim speech used from the source]. I meant you, but you have a pair of adorable twins. Don''t you want them to live on a pollution-free earth in the future?"


    Leonardo said.


    Link chuckled lightly and picked up the cards from the table to check.


    "Leonardo, have you forgotten? I''m an investor and global spokesperson for Tesla, the first publicly-listed clean energy car company in the world. In a way, I am investing more money in environmental issues than anyone else. Leonardo, if you have some money, I recommend you also buy some Tesla stocks."


    Leonardo blinked, wanting to say that Link''s investment in Tesla was for profit, but Link was right. His investment in Tesla cars would be greatly beneficial for changing the earth''s environment, potentially contributing more than his own investments in environmental projects.


    "Alright, I''ll consider your suggestion."


    Leonardo said unenthusiastically.


    Originally, he wanted to advocate for environmentalism and persuade Link, a wealthy businessman, to invest some money. But after a long talk, once Link mentioned his investment in clean energy vehicles, Leonardo was left speechless.


    "Leonardo, I think your way of doing environmentalism is futile. No matter how loudly you shout, others won''t see or feel it. If I were you, I''d go to the Middle East, buy a dozen oil fields, set them on fire to pollute the air, and then dump nuclear waste into the ocean to pollute the seas."


    "What are you talking about? I am an environmentalist, not a terrorist."


    Leonardo retorted.


    "In advertising persuasion techniques, there''s emotional engagement, rational appeal, and fear appeal. I think the latter is more effective. Like now, no matter how terrible you describe the earth''s environment, even if 2012 was really the end of the world, it''s nothing compared to a comet appearing in the sky, bringing about an even greater shock."


    Link explained.


    "Link is absolutely right."


    Tobey Maguire nodded in agreement.


    The others also thought Link made sense, and some seriously and others jokingly told Leonardo to try burning a few oil fields.


    Leonardo considered it for a moment, feeling it might indeed be more effective, but then he quickly shook his head, feeling that he should never talk about environmentalism in front of Link again, as it would end up taking him down a wrong path.


    "Alright, enough about that. Let''s continue the game, Link, are you in for this round?"


    Leonardo looked at his hand, smiling at Link.


    Link glanced at his sports watch, "I have to pick up Eva from work. This is my last hand, so I''m going all in. If I win, I''ll treat everyone to coffee."


    Link put the remaining 1200 US Dollars into the pot.


    "I fold!"


    Tobey Maguire mucked his hand.


    "I fold too. Link plays very cautiously; he only stays to the last round when he''s holding strong cards,"


    Woody Harrelson also threw down his hand.


    Only Link and Leonardo were left at the table.


    Leonardo glanced at Link, then at his own hand, hesitated for a few seconds, grit his teeth, and chose to fold.


    "Everyone folded? Then I won''t be shy."


    Link laughed heartily, scooping up everyone''s bets from the pot, including his, totaling over two thousand US Dollars.


    "Link, what was your hand?"


    Leonardo asked.


    "You didn''t bet to see the hand, so there''s no need to know. Everyone, I have to go now, we''ll meet again next time."


    Link smiled lightly, called a waiter to pay the bill for everyone, and then left the cafe.


    Leonardo riffled through the deck, finding Link''s discarded three cards¡ªa spade 10, a diamond 7, and a diamond 3. The five community cards on the table were a heart A, a diamond K, a heart J, a heart 8, and a club 2.


    So Link''s highest hand was a high card Ace, the weakest in Texas Hold''em.


    Fuck! Leonardo slammed the table, furious, as he had held a full house with three Aces and a pair of Jacks but was bluffed into folding by Link''s high card.


    ¡ª


    Link drove to the entrance of Lionsgate Films, and after waiting two minutes, saw Eva emerge from the building, dressed in loose-fitting, yet still sexy apparel. Link got out of the car, opened the door for her, and invited her in.


    "Is that bouquet for me?"


    Eva asked, seeing the flowers on the seat and smiling.


    "Of course, who else?"


    Link kissed her, then told her about just finishing training, being pulled into a game of Texas Hold''em by Leonardo, and accidentally making over two thousand US Dollars.


    Eva listened and chuckled lightly, asking if they should go out for dinner since he won some money. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link thought it was a great idea. He called Catherine, and they picked up Anne and Selena on the way to the pier for a seafood feast.

 Chapter 663 - 478 Avengers Start Shooting

    ```


    "The Help" earned $27.47 million at the North American box office in its third week, bringing its cumulative box office to $96.7 million, with the $100 million mark soon within reach.


    The only regret is that, due to the subject matter, the film performed modestly in overseas markets, earning only $21.42 million over three weeks in 21 countries including the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.


    Despite this, the low-budget film''s global box office neared $120 million after just three weeks, undoubtedly marking it as a very successful movie.


    "Harvey, Link''s film has succeeded again. Predictions from the media suggest that Palm Beach Films will earn at least $100 million from this release, and Lionsgate Films will also rake in tens of millions, making more than the jointly produced ''Bridesmaids,''"


    Bob said, flipping through the newspaper in the company''s coffee room.


    "Shut up! Don''t talk while reading the paper."


    Harvey glared at Bob sitting opposite him, his face dark with anger.


    Bob shrugged his chubby shoulders, "What I mean is we should strengthen our collaboration with Link, earn big money together. Even if you hate him, you don''t hate U.S. dollars, right?"


    "Hmph! Just because three consecutive movies are hits doesn''t mean anything. Palm Beach Films'' movies won''t always be blockbusters. I bet his next movie will flop,"


    Harvey said, disgruntled.


    "Really? The next one is ''Silver Linings Playbook,'' which we also invested in,"


    Bob reminded him.


    "Shut up! I don''t want to hear about it."


    Harvey glared at him fiercely and stood up to leave, clearly annoyed.


    Watching his retreating figure, Bob shook his head helplessly, thought for a moment, and then took out his phone to congratulate Link.


    Meanwhile, Kunas saw "The Help"''s box office numbers, and especially when he read the media''s predictions that Palm Beach Films would make no less than $100 million from this movie, he was so furious he clenched his teeth. The papers had earlier reported that Ivanka was pregnant with Link''s child, and now the media were saying Link would make a hundred million dollars.


    One piece of good news after another about Link made him feel extremely unjust¡ªit seemed like all the good things in the world belonged to Link alone.


    Looking at Link''s photo in the newspaper, Kunas picked up the phone to call Harvey, hoping to discuss a plan to deal with Link. Link liked female celebrities, and Harvey knew many of them; in this respect, he ought to be a lot of help.


    Unfortunately, he had no idea why, but as soon as the call connected, Harvey hung up.


    He felt he should find time to talk to Harvey in person in Los Angeles.


    ¡ª


    By November, Link had joined the "The Avengers" cast to shoot the film which tells the story of S.H.I.E.L.D. Director Nick Fury assembling Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, the six superheroes, to form The Avengers, in order to defeat powerful evil forces and ensure the safety of the Earth.


    Link continued to play Captain America, with a salary of $25 million, second only to Robert Downey Jr.''s $30 million, ranking him second among the cast members.


    The main reason was Robert Downey Jr.''s portrayal of Iron Man in the series, which was most successful and had greater box office appeal.


    Furthermore, Iron Man is the lead male character in "The Avengers," with Captain America being the second lead and receiving slightly less screen time.


    "Hey, Link, great to see you, I''m a fan of your boxing, and my wife is a hardcore fan of your music."


    Robert Downey Jr. greeted enthusiastically when they met for the first time on set.


    "Robert, I''m a fan of your movies too. Your Iron Man is my favorite Marvel movie character." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Link reached out and shook hands with him.


    "Hey, Iron Man and Captain America shaking hands for the first time, doesn''t anyone want to take a photo for keepsake?"


    Scarlett Johansson, playing Black Widow, snapped a photo with her phone.


    Mark Ruffalo playing Hulk, Chris Hemsworth playing Thor, Jeremy Renner playing Hawkeye, Tom Hiddleston playing the villain Loki, and Samuel L. Jackson as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. all looked over.


    Link smiled lightly and went on to shake hands and greet Scarlett and the others.


    The first scene shot was the six superheroes coming together to discuss dealing with Loki and the extraterrestrial monsters. In addition, the production team hoped the main actors would talk more about the script and their roles together, striving for a more seamless cooperation during filming.


    "Hey, Link, is this the second time we meet?"


    After sitting down, Scarlett Johansson, who directly took the seat opposite him, greeted him with a beaming smile.


    Scarlett was dressed in Black Widow''s tight leather suit, sporting red curly hair, and with a voluptuous figure, her face bore a slightly seductive expression.


    Link thought for a moment; it was indeed the second time they had formally met.


    Their first encounter was in a coffee shop in New York in 2009, where he was discussing a new movie "Midnight in Paris" with director Woody Allen, and Scarlett Johansson and her then-husband Ryan Reynolds came over to say hello.


    However, Scarlett and Ryan Reynolds had divorced the previous year.


    Early in the year, Scarlett had also started a ''father-daughter romance'' with Oscar Best Actor Sean Penn, 24 years her senior, which lasted about three months. Rumor has it they broke up because Scarlett didn''t want to have children.


    "It seems like the third time, I remember you were also there at the premiere of ''Inception'' last year,"


    Link said.


    ```


    "Yes, I remember now, Link, you have a really good memory,"


    Scarlett said with a smile.


    As they discussed their script roles subsequently, Scarlett would rest her face on her hands, her eyes unblinking as she gazed at his face, her gaze so intense it was almost tangible. Under the table, Link felt his calf brushed by her several times.


    "Hey, look over there."


    At the other end of the long table, Tom Hiddleston, who played Loki, nudged Chris Hemsworth, who played Thor, and in a lowered voice pointed at Link and Scarlett''s position.


    "Look at what?"


    Hemsworth put down his script and glanced over at Link and Scarlett, "Is there something wrong with them?"


    With a twisted smile, Hiddleston whispered, "I''ll bet that before this movie''s over, those two will definitely hit the sack."


    "Is that even a bet? Just look at the way Scarlett watches Link, she could almost cling to him. I''d say, give it no more than ten days, no, a week, and they''ll become really, really good friends,"


    Jeremy Renner, who played Hawkeye, said with a light laugh.


    "What are you guys talking about?"


    Robert Downey Jr., Iron Man, came over and asked.


    "Oh, nothing, just discussing the script."


    Loki, Thor, and Hawkeye quickly dispersed, picked up their scripts and pretended to discuss intensely.


    Robert Downey Jr. also cast a glance at Link and Scarlett before lowering his voice to Loki, "I bet they''ll hit the sack within ten days. If I lose, the drinks are on me. Anyone want to take that bet?"


    Loki, Thor, and Hawkeye exchanged looks and chuckled, all of them eager to place their bets.


    Some said a month, others said two weeks, but Loki predicted three days.


    As it turned out, they were all wrong; after the first day of filming was done, Link was changing in the makeup room when Scarlett slipped in.


    Despite being gentle enough,


    Scarlett Johansson still took a five-day sick leave afterward.


    She only rejoined the crew after a week, and Scarlett didn''t dare to cling to him like the first day. Her gaze carried a mix of fear and panic when looking at him, coupled with some inexplicable obsession and admiration. Sometimes she would peek at him secretly but didn''t dare to approach anymore.


    This was exactly the effect Link wanted, to prevent the Black Widow from constantly harassing him during filming, hindering his work, and potentially starting unpleasant rumors that would worsen his already not-so-great reputation.


    Now, this was the ideal situation.


    Yet the rest of the main cast was puzzled by the status of the two.


    They had no idea what had happened between Link and Scarlett in the changing room on the first day.


    They had thought that with a sexy male god and a sexy goddess on set, sparks were bound to fly, but aside from the first day when they were away together for a long time, their interaction was distant, like they were strangers to each other.


    Privately, Robert Downey Jr. and Loki, Thor, and Hawkeye discussed the reasons.


    Some thought it was a fa?ade, that the two of them might already be sleeping together away from prying eyes.


    Others believed that Link genuinely didn''t find Scarlett appealing.


    And a few thought that perhaps they had some private conflict and that they should find a way to help mend their relationship.


    "Hey, what are you doing here? It''s almost time to shoot."


    In the studio, Link, dressed in the Captain America suit and holding the shield, strode over, tall and muscular with a handsome face that made the others secretly envious.


    "We know, we''re coming over now."


    The others picked up their weapons too and walked onto the set to start filming.


    Due to the large amount of big scenes and special effects, most of the movie was shot in the studios in Los Angeles and New York.


    The Captain America scenes that Link played weren''t very extensive, mainly featuring the Captain''s awakening, his recruitment by S.H.I.E.L.D, joining the Avengers, and heading to protect the earth. The grand battle ensued below Stark Tower against Loki and the Chitauri army, eventually aiding Iron Man in repelling the alien invaders and closing the space portal, once again saving the earth from imminent danger.


    In addition, to avoid any injuries during action scenes, the crew arranged for three stunt doubles for him and insurance company personnel were present at every scene to supervise and prevent him from performing any risky stunts.


    Compared to shooting art films like "Midnight in Paris" and "The Fighter," filming blockbusters like "Captain America" and "The Avengers" could be quite boring; actors mostly just served as tools without the need for dramatic body changes or superb acting skills. They didn''t have to worry about being tormented by the director and had little space for improvisation.


    "Cut!"


    "This take is good! Moving on to the next one."


    Director Joss Whedon called out from behind the monitor.


    Link and Iron Man, with Black Widow at their backs, stood on the street, looking up at the ''monsters'' swarming in from all directions, ready to start the next battle.

 Chapter 664 - 479: Consecutive Bestsellers

    After more than a month of shooting with the "Avengers" crew, Link''s scenes were essentially wrapped up, with the remaining voiceover work scheduled to commence next year.


    During the filming of the Avengers, in mid-November, Link was invited to perform at Victoria''s Secret Fashion Show, singing three songs and receiving a $2 million appearance fee. At the end of the month, he also made a trip to Huaxia to attend the premiere of "The Flowers of War" in Capital City.


    "The Flowers of War" achieved a first-day box office of 28.75 million RMB, with the first week''s box office reaching 180 million, with more than 58,000 screenings nationwide and an audience of over 3.6 million. This was much better than "Flying Swords of Dragon Gate" released in the same period, but the film was somewhat inferior in terms of reputation, mainly due to many flaws in the plot, which attracted a lot of criticism from the media.


    The film had a production budget of approximately $100 million, which translates to over 600 million RMB, making it the most expensive movie in Huaxia to date. Based on the local box office revenue share, global box office needs to exceed 1 billion to break even. From the current data, the outlook isn''t promising.


    This caused the film''s producers to pay great attention to the North American box office, hoping to leverage Link''s strong appeal in the North American region to recover some costs through ticket sales.


    But Link wasn''t very optimistic about this.


    The film had only made $310,000 at the U.S. box office and was listed among the top ten box office disasters for Chinese language films overseas. With the failed example of "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan" before him, he was unsure if he could drive ticket sales for this ''blockbuster''.


    Lionsgate Films, after acquiring the distribution rights, had already commenced arranging for "The Flowers of War" to screen. It was projected to have limited screenings in the United States in January, with box office performance dependent on these showings.


    After wrapping up "Avengers", Link looked forward to a lengthy vacation. After requesting time off from Ivanka, he first flew to Nashville to spend a few days with Alexander and Cynthia. He successfully taught the two young ones to call him Daddy and also helped Taylor with some physiological and psychological issues.


    By mid-December, Link and Ivanka traveled to Hawaii Island for a vacation, for which he had purchased a beachfront villa on the main island of Hawaii in advance.


    While the couple was vacationing, Lionsgate Films'' work did not cease. By December, "The Help" had been in theaters for over a month, accumulating a North American box office of $140 million, with an overseas box office of over $45 million. It was projected to earn more than $200 million in box office, becoming one of the year''s top-grossing movies.


    On December 2nd, Lionsgate Films, which had invested in "Penalty Kick Into Gold", released it in North America, earning $19.6 million from 2993 cinemas over the weekend, achieving second place in weekly box office earnings.


    Compared to its $50 million budget, the performance was generally average, with expectations it would neither lose money nor be a blockbuster hit.


    However, with good critical acclaim, there was the potential for success at the Golden Globes and the Oscars, expected to add several million to its box office.


    Investing in such movies was also a good promotion for Lionsgate Films.


    On December 9th, Lionsgate Films'' end-of-year flagship movie, "Silver Linings Playbook," began limited screenings in 6 North American theaters. Its premiere box office was $443,000, with an impressive average gross of $18,000 per theater, making it the most successful art-house film of the period.


    The film also received high praise, with a media comprehensive score of 8.3 and a Rotten Tomatoes freshness rating of 79%, better than "The Help".


    In its second week, the number of theaters screening the film expanded to 2449, with a first-week box office of $38.63 million and a cumulative box office of $39.07 million, resulting in a very impressive performance.


    The media estimated the box office to exceed $100 million, making the film unquestionably a blockbuster, especially considering its $22 million production cost.


    Moreover, this film was the fourth production by Palm Beach Films.


    Since last year, Palm Beach Films had had four consecutive blockbuster hits, sparking much discussion in the film industry and establishing Palm Beach Films as the undisputed star enterprise of this year.


    The success of the films led to Leon Cavano of Relativity Media frequently mentioning in various settings that he was learning the ''big data investment theory'' from Link.


    Harvey Weinstein, the CEO of the Weinstein Company, told everyone in multiple public appearances, with a very angry tone, that the film was initially produced exclusively by the Weinstein Company and that Link had obtained half of the investment shares through nearly fraudulent means. He insisted that he never wanted to collaborate with Link, not in the slightest.


    When asked why the film''s distributor was Lionsgate Films and not the Weinstein Company, Harvey turned red with anger and responded with even more fury, calling Link a very cunning and unworthy partner.


    After this story broke, reporters asked Catherine for her opinion on Harvey''s comments and whether Link indeed used fraudulent means to acquire the film''s investment shares, as Harvey claimed.


    Catherine promptly denied the allegations, stating that director and screenwriter David O. Russell had previously collaborated with Link on "Fighter" in 2009, and was prepared to collaborate again, but since Link was not available, he decided to invest in this movie project and recommended actress Jennifer Lawrence from Palm Beach Talent Agency for the female lead.


    In terms of timing, Palm Beach Films was involved in the movie even before the Weinstein Company.


    Catherine also mentioned that Palm Beach Films reserved the right to sue the Weinstein Company for defamation and slander and advised Harvey to be careful with his public statements.


    After the interview was published by the Hollywood Reporter, it sparked a lot of discussion within the circle.


    First, the conflict between Link and Harvey Weinstein erupted again, seen as a war between the ''new king'' and the ''old king'' of the independent film industry. Considering this year''s box office results, Link''s Lionsgate Films and Palm Beach Films came out ahead, but in terms of influence and connections, Harvey had many more advantages than Link.


    Who will prevail between them will be determined by box office performances in the coming years.


    Second was the issue of Harvey publicly accusing Link of using inappropriate means to obtain the investment shares and distribution rights to "Silver Linings Playbook".


    Most people believed Catherine''s version of events.


    First, Link and director David O. Russell had indeed worked together before, so there was a foundation for another collaboration.


    Furthermore, without Link''s investment, Jennifer Lawrence wouldn''t have been able to play the leading role in the movie produced by Weinstein Company.


    David O. Russell also affirmed Catherine''s statements in an interview.


    Moreover, when Harvey accused Link of fraud, he only did so verbally without evidence, which made him seem emotional and rendered his accusations less credible.


    In the end, everyone concluded that Harvey''s accusations were driven by jealousy of the continuous success of the movies Link invested in, rather than by factual evidence.


    "Bullshit! Silver Linings Playbook was mine to begin with. It was Link who blackmailed me with some dirt he had on me and snatched away half of my investment share. I''m not jealous of him. These damn fools know nothing, just making wild guesses. A bunch of damn fools, just like Link should be damned,"


    Reading the discussions in the newspaper, Harvey''s neck and large belly swelled up with anger, resembling an incensed frog.


    "Harvey, it''s already in the past, let it go. Silver Linings Playbook is doing well in theaters, and spreading this negative news isn''t good for the movie''s promotion,"


    Bob tried to persuade him.


    "Just let it go?!"


    Harvey glared at Bob furiously, his short, thick neck bulging as he shouted, "Do you know what you''re talking about? Do you know what Link has done to us? If it weren''t for Link''s lies and blackmail, this film would have been solely funded by us. All of the box office revenue, more than a hundred million, should have been ours.


    Now, because of Link''s despicable methods, we have lost half of the box office revenue, which amounts to tens of millions. Considering the global box office, it could be over two hundred million. Link has stolen over a hundred million US dollars from us. That''s a hundred million dollars we''re talking about. How can you say to let it go?"


    The North American box office for the movie was expected to break a hundred million, while overseas it was only shown in a few countries like Britain, France, and Australia, and although the current revenue wasn''t much, the attendance rates were high, and word of mouth was excellent. The media predicted that the overseas box office could also exceed a hundred million.


    Based on these calculations, Weinstein Company, as the producer and distributor, originally had the chance to enjoy all these earnings on its own.


    Because of Link''s assertive interference, a large portion of the profits was devoured by the two companies under Link, amounting to seventy to eighty million US dollars.


    The very thought of the seventy to eighty million dollars that rightfully belonged to him being snatched away by his rival Link made Harvey''s eyes turn red with rage. If he had a gun and Link was in front of him at that moment, he wouldn''t have hesitated to pull the trigger.


    "But if we don''t let go of this matter, what else can we do? Do you have any good ideas on how to deal with Link?"


    Bob asked, spreading his hands.


    Hearing this question, Harvey couldn''t help but calm down.


    Since the beginning of the year, he had been trying to find ways to deal with Link, disparaging his movies, hyping up negative news about him, using female stars to seduce him... But none of it worked; Link was still the number one idol in the entertainment industry, a world-class superstar, worth three to four billion.


    How do you deal with such a person? S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Harvey thought hard but couldn''t find a way to take down Link, which drove him even crazier.


    "Harvey, let''s not feud with Link anymore. He''s doing well in movies; isn''t it good for us to cooperate with him and make big money together?"


    Bob continued to persuade.


    Harvey suddenly glared at Bob, furiously saying, "That bastard blackmailed us out of over a hundred million on the Silver Linings Playbook project, and you''re saying to let it slide? Tell me, have you been bought over by Link? Why do you always speak for him?"


    "Harvey, I''m considering what''s best for Weinstein Company, not speaking for Link. Also, on the Silver Linings Playbook project, our plan is to trip him up in the Oscars PR campaign. I heard that the PR department at Lionsgate Films is actively working for the movie. If you want to target Link, you can suppress him on this front, and make all his efforts go in vain,"


    Bob said.


    Hearing Bob mention the ''Oscars,'' Harvey''s eyes lit up¡ª he became too angry these past few days and almost forgot their earlier plans. As long as they played some tricks while Lionsgate Films was doing PR for the Oscars, making Link and Lionsgate Films squander their money, it would serve as a release for his pent-up vengeance.


    Seeing Harvey''s expression, Bob guessed his thoughts and quickly added, "Harvey, we also invested in Silver Linings Playbook. If the movie gets an Oscar nomination or wins, it''s good for the box office, and we could make more money in the future.


    What I mean is, you can target the other films under Palm Beach and Lionsgate Films, like The Lincoln Lawyer, The Help, Bridesmaids, Gold, Mr. Tree, and Midnight in Paris starring Link. Targeting these other films will have the least impact on us compared to Silver Linings Playbook."


    "Ha, don''t worry, he won''t be getting an Oscar award as long as I''m around,"


    Harvey laughed heartily.


    Bob nodded, knowing that with Harvey''s connections and clout, achieving this wouldn''t be difficult.

 Chapter 665 - 480 Oscars PR

    ```


    Hawaii Island.


    Blue skies, golden beaches, and the lush leaves of palm trees swaying in the sea breeze, a white yacht floated silently on the clear waters, where one could see schools of fish and reefs from the deck.


    Link, holding two glasses of sparkling wine, walked under the sunshade and handed one to Ivanka, who was reading a magazine.


    Ivanka, in a white bikini, reclined on a lounge chair. Her skin was fair and smooth, and her long legs crossed over each other. Over four months pregnant, her belly slightly bulged, looking plumper when she sat.


    "Dear, any interesting news?" Link inquired.


    "Yes, several movies we''re using for the Oscars PR campaign have come under attack. ''The Lincoln Lawyer,'' ''Bridesmaids,'' ''Tree of Life,'' and ''Midnight in Paris.'' There are leaks claiming that Lionsgate Films is using a lot of money and connections for the Oscars campaign, asserting that we''re bound to win major awards like Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Actress next year. Clearly, someone is mocking and sneering at us," Ivanka shrugged her shoulders and said. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s alright, let them talk," Link responded.


    This year''s Oscars selection process began on December 1 with entries and official nomination lists submitted, concluding on the 26th. Starting on the 27th, voting members of the Academy started to vote for all the actors, with five candidates each for leading and supporting roles, ending on January 13.


    During this time, it''s an active period for Oscars PR. PR companies promote their clients while attacking competitive opponents through the media. The more likely an actor is to win, the more attention they receive during this period.


    For instance, Jean Dujardin for Best Actor in ''The Artist,'' George Clooney in ''The Descendants,'' Brad Pitt in ''Moneyball,'' Meryl Streep in ''The Iron Lady,'' Rooney Mara in ''The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,'' Michelle Williams in ''My Week with Marilyn,'' Glenn Close in ''Albert Nobbs.''


    As well as actresses in films like ''Bridesmaids,'' ''The Help,'' and ''Silver Linings Playbook,'' including Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, Melissa McCarthy, Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain, and others.


    They are all considered hot contenders for next year''s Oscars acting categories, seen as likely nominees for Best Leading and Supporting Actor and Actress.


    Compared to them, Link''s popularity is also high at this stage.


    Many media outlets discussed his chances of winning Best Actor for his performance in ''Midnight in Paris.''


    In conclusion, the media believes that even if the Academy were to award the golden statue to Leonardo, they wouldn''t give it to him, calling him the least likely actor to receive an Oscar at the moment.


    Firstly, he''s too young, too handsome, too rich, and also the boss of Lionsgate Films; the Academy wouldn''t give an award to such a person.


    Moreover, he has too many side jobs, as a boxer, singer, and entrepreneur. The Oscars is an award that values professionalism, and in this regard, Link clearly lacks some, which can be seen in the case of singers like Madonna and Jennifer Lopez.


    Link didn''t care about these comments, instructing the PR company to continue the campaign. He didn''t necessarily need to win the Oscar for Best Actor; stirring up some excitement was good enough.


    While promoting Link, the PR company boldly launched the slogan ''Make Link even better.''


    Claiming that Link is the pinnacle of the boxing and music worlds and the youngest and most outstanding entrepreneur, his impact on the film and music industries is immeasurable. He''s touted as the most exceptional young person born in the 80s and 90s.


    With this in mind, why not set aside biases and award him the Oscar for Best Actor, allowing him to excel even more? To become a representative of a new generation of young people, an idol for all youths, for everyone to learn from.


    His performance in ''Midnight in Paris'' truly possesses the caliber for the Oscar for Best Actor.


    This argument may be a bit far-fetched, but it also garnered some support from public opinion, considering making Link an Oscar Best Actor a meaningful event.


    These promotions and momentum also made Link a popular public figure in the entertainment industry recently.


    ```


    Compared to the Best Actor campaign, the competition for Best Actress seems to be a bit more intense, with Meryl Streep, Rooney Mara, Jennifer Lawrence, and Emma Stone all being highly favored actresses.


    To help Meryl Streep win Best Actress, Harvey quoted famous critic Selma Adams in his PR reports, saying, "Meryl Streep hasn''t won the little gold man in 29 years, and her performance in ''The Iron Lady'' rightfully deserves another win!"


    Meanwhile, Lionsgate Films argued that the future of the movie industry largely depends on the younger generation and the Oscars is the film industry''s most prestigious award. They said that in selecting winners, it should focus more on discovering new talent and leave more opportunities for young actors.


    Meryl Streep had won once for Best Actress, once for Best Supporting Actress, had 14 Best Actress nominations, and three Best Supporting Actress nominations. Her performance in ''The Iron Lady'' deserved an Oscar Lifetime Achievement Award.


    Some media outlets also stirred controversy by claiming that Meryl Streep''s role in ''The Bridges of Madison County'' in ''96 had caused many families to fall apart, leading countless children born in the ''80s and ''90s to lose their parents; she should no longer compete against those actors for the Oscars, to prevent them from losing their honor.


    After these reports were released, they sparked a heated discussion online, and more people started to pay attention to the Oscar nominations and discussed who had a better chance of winning next year''s Best Actor and Actress.


    This kind of discussion also greatly increased the actors'' visibility, adding significantly to their fame.


    "Darling, who do you think has a better chance at winning the Best Actor and Actress awards?"


    Ivanka asked.


    "The Best Actor is uncertain, but for Best Actress, Meryl definitely has a better chance, not to mention that Harvey really knows his stuff when it comes to award PR,"


    Link said as he swiped his tablet.


    "Could you possibly be next year''s Oscar Best Actor?"


    Ivanka said with a smile.


    Link smiled lightly, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and said, "It''s unlikely. I''m too young, too rich, and too likely to cause envy. Plus, I''m Captain America. I''m too famous, I make too much, and those old guys would rather not cast their votes for me."


    "Honey, don''t be discouraged. In my heart, you''re always the Best Actor."


    Ivanka said.


    Link laughed heartily, cradled her face in his hands, and leaned in to kiss her rosy lips.


    Ding-a-ling-a-ling!


    Before he could make his next move, the phone on the table rang. Link picked up the call, and the cry of a cherubic-faced little girl came through the speaker.


    "Link, we''ve all arrived. Where are you two?"


    "Didn''t you say you were coming the day after tomorrow?"


    Link asked.


    "Can''t I come early to play?"


    "OK! Ivanka and I are at sea; we''ll be right back."


    Link said with a smile, hung up the phone, and started the yacht to return to the holiday island.