America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

Southern California, Death Valley National Park.

A huge convoy drove along the old road, heading southeast, until they reached the desert and wilderness area's campsite and settled in.

Martin stepped out of the business van and found that another film crew had also set up camp.

The camping area was vast, and the crew opposite had at least a hundred vehicles of various types, occupying a large space.

Bruce went over to ask and came back, saying, "What a coincidence, Anna Purna Pictures' 'Lone Ranger' crew is also shooting on location in Death Valley."

It took time to settle the crew, and Martin walked toward the other side.

Bruce hurriedly followed.

On a high rock plateau, director Ridley was observing the surrounding scenery.

Martin hopped up, using his hand as a sunshade to look west.

Ridley took out a viewfinder and handed it to Martin, "Look to the southwest, it's very suitable as a filming location for the Asidalia Plains scenes."

Martin slightly adjusted the viewfinder's focus and said, "We still need to set up a green screen for the background."

After all, the Asidalia Plains are on Mars, and the sky is completely different.

Suddenly, someone diagonally opposite waved over here, "Ridley!"

Martin saw it was a stranger's face.

Ridley Scott squinted for a while, waved back and said in a low voice to Martin, "Bill Wilson, an old-timer producer in the industry, now the Content Director at Anna Purna Pictures."

Because of Megan Ellison, Martin knew who this was: "The producer of 'Lone Ranger.'"

Ridley knew the other person, so he got down from the platform, "Let's go over and talk."

Martin got down, too, and was about to go over when someone started running towards him from behind.

In the summer, and it being the afternoon, the approaching person was wearing a light T-shirt and ran with such force that it gave the impression of a magnitude nine earthquake happening.

Alexandra Daddario ran up and hugged Martin's arm, "I couldn't find you as soon as I got off the bus."

Martin could feel something pressing against his arm, trembling rapidly with her breath as he walked forward with her, "I've been sitting in the car for too long and need to stretch my legs and get some fresh air."

Daddario held onto Martin's arm as they walked over together.

Seeing Martin approach, Ridley introduced him to Wilson.

Martin did not beat around the bush and directly said, "I am very familiar with the project you're currently producing, is there a chance I could come and watch you shoot?"

Wilson, of course, knew that 'Lone Ranger' had been "snatched" from Martin's hands, "Both our companies are shooting in this area, so it's inevitable that we'll drop by each other's sets."

Martin suddenly noticed that behind the trailer diagonally across, a large group of people appeared.

Leading the group was Megan Ellison, with Johnny Depp leading Amber Heard and a following of seven or eight people nearby, including a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl.

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Megan Ellison, probably hearing Martin's words, invited, "'Transcendental Hacker' will be released by the end of this year, and 'Lone Ranger' will premiere early next year. I have already discussed distribution with Warner Bros., and you are welcome to attend the premiere."

Martin's face turned instantly ashen, "I'll be there."

Megan asked on purpose, "Have you seen any good movie projects recently? We could have more discussions."

Ridley, having heard about Martin and Megan Ellison's situation, took the initiative to extricate Martin, "Let's go back."

Martin was about to leave when the girl accompanying Depp and Amber suddenly ran over.

As she ran, she called out, "Sect Hierarch, wait!"

Martin stopped.

"My name is Lily-Rose." The girl said with innocent eyes, "I'm a fan of yours, can you give me an autograph?"

Martin knew it was Depp's daughter and nodded with a smile, "Of course."

Bruce passed over an autograph pen.

Lily-Rose didn't have a notebook, so she turned her back, "Is it okay if you sign on my shirt?"

Martin wrote a line on it: May Angel Lily be happy every day, and then signed his name.

Lily-Rose then took out an Apple phone and asked, "Is that okay?"

Seeing Martin nod, Daddario took the phone and snapped a few photos of Lily-Rose and Martin together.

With Lily-Rose standing by his side, Martin faintly smelled the scent of smoke.

"Thank you, Sect Hierarch." Lily-Rose was particularly happy, "I will always admire you!"

She waved her hand and went back to join Depp and the others.

Martin ignored Megan Ellison and pulled Daddario back, asking as they walked, "Did you smell the funny scent on the girl?"

Young people in America, especially in Hollywood circles, are not strangers to this, Daddario was very sure, "The smell of tobacco and seaweed mixed together when burning."

She looked back at Depp, "That's the most unreliable father I've ever seen."

Martin said, "It's not our place to meddle in other people's business."

He and Daddario walked around the area, returning to the crew's campsite, where the setup was almost complete.

With no hotels nearby, the crew would temporarily live in trailers, and due to the large number of vehicles, the campsite blended into one large area with 'Lone Ranger.'

The crew wouldn't shoot in the camping area, so there wouldn't be much interference between the two sides.

As the investor, producer, and male lead of the project, Martin's treatment was, of course, the best, not even Ridley Scott could compare.

The largest and most luxurious Mercedes trailer on set had become Martin's temporary residence.

Hollywood's A-list stars, when they can't stay in hotels for location shoots, often request trailers of this caliber from the production crew.

Next to it was another, more ordinary trailer, set up as Bruce's dwelling.

Originally, Bruce planned to sleep on the Mercedes trailer's big sofa, which was comfortable enough.

But as soon as he saw Daddario's name on the new cast list, he straightforwardly requested his own trailer.

"I'm only shooting location shots with the crew for three days," Daddario followed Martin up into the trailer and said, "Even though I'll be leaving after three days, the place I'm staying in is a bit cramped."

She swung her hips, "You know, I find it very uncomfortable living in tight spaces."

Martin took the initiative to invite her, "There's more space here, stay with me."

Daddario brought up the room fee proactively, "Martin, I brought face wash and can wash your face every night, as the fee for my stay here."

Martin approved this method of payment, saying, "I need to try it first..."

The next moment, two massive weight pressed against his face, and Martin could hardly breathe, let alone speak.

With the twin mountains of capitalism and hedonism that Alexandra Daddario possessed pressing down, what normal man could withstand it?

Martin confirmed the face wash was a viable form of payment!

By the time the face was washed, it was already dinner time.

Fresh and energetic, Martin called Daddario to go to the meal cart for dinner together.

While picking up his meal, he encountered Jessica Chastain.

The latter whispered, "I've asked a few other actors, and Ridley, to have a drink after dinner, okay?"

Martin asked, "Ridley agreed?"

Jessica Chastain smiled playfully, "Just one drink."

Martin nodded, "Then just one drink, I need to go to bed early tonight, we have to get up early tomorrow."

Jessica Chastain turned to glance at Daddario, who had returned to the dining table, teasingly moving in closer, "Are you sure you can go to bed early tonight?"

Martin replied, "My body is strong, it won't affect tomorrow's work."

For the location shots in Death Valley where they would often wear spacesuits, it would take nearly two hours to get makeup and costumes ready, including Martin and the other main actors who were scheduled to get up at six in the morning to prepare.

After dinner, everyone had a small drink and young actors like Martin, Daddario, Jessica Chastain, and Rick Martinez climbed to the top of the small rocky hill behind the camp to watch the stars.

Surrounded by wilderness, with no clouds covering the sky, the stars were exceptionally bright.

Martin stood at the highest point, overlooking the entire camp, where two huge crews coupled with a few tourists' vehicles made up a campsite spanning several miles.

In the "Lone Ranger" crew's campsite, there was also a superbly luxurious Mercedes trailer.

This was Captain Johnny Depp's temporary residence.

However, this model was even more luxurious than the one Martin was staying in, complete with two bedrooms, the smaller of which was temporarily occupied by Lily-Rose.

The larger bedroom was naturally Depp and Amber's temporary love nest.

After dinner, Amber went to meet Megan Ellison.

Megan was an investor who liked to delve into the workings of the set, and Amber was the hand she secretly used to manipulate Depp.

Although Depp was still late, hungover, high, and forgetful of his lines, Jerry Bruckheimer insisted that he was a good actor with strong market appeal.

Considering future business profits, Megan had to temporarily endure, even with a belly full of anger.

Amber returned to the actors' living area, climbed onto the Mercedes trailer, while Depp was showering in the bathroom, and his boisterous friends hadn't arrived yet.

Nevertheless, on the low table in front of the trailer's small living room sofa, there were many things laid out.

A few bottles of golden whiskey, with two glasses filled, heavy metal CD cases in front of Depp's credit card, which was tightly placed beside a metal box adorned with a skull.

The box was open, one side with rolled-up cigarettes inserted and the other with small pouches of powder.

This was Depp's daily nourishment.

Amber glanced towards the bathroom where the sound of running water still prevailed, she took out her phone, and took several photos of the low table, documenting everything.

It wasn't long before Depp came out of the bathroom, wrapped in a bathrobe, and sat on the sofa, pulling out a pouch of powder and saying to Amber, "Help me with this."

Amber replied irritably, "Do it yourself."

Depp had no choice but to do it himself.

The door of the Mercedes trailer opened, and Lily-Rose returned from outside, plopping down on the adjacent sofa and picking up the whiskey to drink.

Amber had seen this many times before and said nothing.

Lily-Rose took a sip of alcohol and, seeing her dad busy dealing with powder, helped herself to one.

Depp glanced at her, as indifferent to her taking drugs as if she were having a meal or a drink, focusing on his own matters.

Soon, the doorway echoed with chaotic footsteps; Depp's group of unsavory friends all arrived.

Like Depp, they drank, got high, and partied to their heart's content, the revelry lasting throughout the entire night.