501-505

### Chapter 501: Box Office Brings Good News

While "The Hunger Games" had essentially finished its run in North America with a cumulative box office of $468 million, its overseas box office had slowly surpassed $400 million. Compared to "The Avengers," "The Hunger Games" had relatively modest international earnings.

The media summarized the reasons for this underperformance in three points:

1. *Distribution*: "The Hunger Games" was also distributed by Lionsgate in overseas territories, whose distribution channels were not as robust as those of Disney and the other major studios.

2. *Star Power*: The cast of "The Hunger Games" did not have significant international fame, unlike the star-studded ensemble of "The Avengers."

3. *IP Recognition*: Although "The Hunger Games" was adapted from a bestselling novel, it didn't have the same global recognition as franchises like "Harry Potter" or "Twilight."

However, according to The New York Times, after the release of "The Hunger Games" film, the novel's sales doubled, and in overseas markets, sales increased tenfold.

It can be said that the movie significantly boosted the novel's popularity, whereas the success of "Harry Potter" and "Twilight" films largely benefitted from their already extensive fanbases.

In June, Lionsgate released not only "The Hunger Games" and "The Cabin in the Woods" but also "What to Expect When You’re Expecting," along with three other films: the French movie "The Intouchables," "Lawless," and "Madea’s Witness Protection."

"The Intouchables," which premiered at the end of May, initially caused a stir due to its racial themes, but after a month, under the mediation of the American Film Association, it was screened in six theaters in North America to gauge the reaction of black audiences. Surprisingly, the audience did not find the film discriminatory but rather enjoyable.

"The Intouchables" grossed $30.55 million in four weeks in North America, pushing its global box office to $480 million against a production cost of $12 million. This film proved more profitable than other surprise hits like "Buried" and "The Hunger Games."

Media reports revealed that Link's French film company also invested in "The Intouchables," meaning Link had hit three home runs this year, earning over a billion dollars from these three films alone.

Jealousy and resentment toward Link multiplied within the industry, with some attempting to label the film and Link as racist, only to be met with strong legal responses from Lionsgate's legal department, which issued over 30 cease and desist letters.

Meanwhile, "Lawless," Palm Beach Pictures' fourth film, produced in collaboration with Annapurna Pictures, had a production budget of $26 million. Given Palm Beach Pictures' track record of surprise box office hits, "Lawless" was highly anticipated by many media outlets as another potential hit.

Unfortunately, the film underperformed, earning only $12.28 million in its opening weekend in North America and just $25 million in its first ten days. Its international performance was similarly lackluster, with a first-week overseas box office of only $8.5 million across 12 countries and regions.

The global box office for "Lawless" was projected to be around $50 million. Although this would break even, for Palm Beach Pictures, which had set high expectations with four consecutive hits, merely breaking even was seen as a failure.

Other film companies found breaking even acceptable, but for Palm Beach Pictures, it signified failure.

"Ha! I always said Palm Beach's films couldn't always be hits. Look at them now!" Harvey Weinstein laughed heartily, a cigar between his lips and his large belly protruding.

"Harvey, I don't think this is something to celebrate. Don't forget, we're co-producing 'The Master' with Palm Beach Pictures," Bob Weinstein frowned as he looked at the newspaper.

"What do you mean?" Harvey glared at him unhappily. Since the Oscars in February, Link had been in the news non-stop with good news.

First, "Buried" was a hit, and Link made a killing. Then he successfully poached Meryl Streep to act opposite Jennifer Lawrence in a film that generated much anticipation. Next, Lionsgate's "The Hunger Games" was a hit, potentially becoming the next "Harry Potter" or "Twilight" series, possibly earning tens of billions.

In May, "The Avengers," starring Link, was a hit, making him a top global movie star with the highest number of fans worldwide, commanding over $30 million for his next film. He narrowly escaped a mishap on set, defended his boxing title, and invested in "The Intouchables," which also became a hit, earning him billions more. Not long ago, Link's daughter was born.

Good news related to Link kept pouring in, making Harvey numb with rage and depression. Finally, he had some bad news about Link to rejoice over, but Bob was dampening his spirits.

Bob explained, "Harvey, if Palm Beach Pictures' films continued to be hits, we wouldn't worry. But with 'Lawless' underperforming, what if 'The Master' also falls short? If it doesn't hit big, or worse, loses money, our investment goes down the drain. So, I don't think there's reason to celebrate."

Harvey's face darkened as he glared at Bob, seeking an explanation.

Bob elaborated, "Harvey, if Palm Beach's films consistently succeed, fine. But with 'Lawless' failing, we have to worry about 'The Master' too. If it doesn't perform, we'll lose our investment. We can't celebrate prematurely."

Harvey's expression changed. He glared at Bob. "It's your fault! I never agreed to work with Link in the first place, but you insisted. Now you worry about the movie failing? Damn it, I told you we shouldn't have partnered with Link."

Their partnership had led many to believe they had a good relationship with Link, causing those who had originally agreed to take on Link to waver. This was all Bob's fault.

"What's done is done. We can only hope 'The Master' doesn't perform as poorly as 'Lawless.' Ideally, it should be another hit like 'Bridesmaids,'" Bob said.

Harvey was unhappy. As Link's nemesis, how could he wish for Link's film to be a hit? But not wishing for it could result in their investment going down the drain. Harvey didn't know how to feel about this movie.

"Have you spoken to Warner Bros.? What's their stance?" Harvey changed the subject.

Bob shook his head, "Nothing concrete. They, like us, want to take down Link and Lionsgate. Not just Warner Bros., but all the major studios. No one wants to see an independent studio like Lionsgate eating into their profits.

Warner and the others are eager to crush Lionsgate, but with their current success and solid distribution channels, there's not much they can do. Lionsgate's films this year have performed well, and they have the resources and people. Even if Warner wanted to suppress Lionsgate, they lack the opportunity."

"Not at all?" Harvey was unwilling to hear such pessimism. "Lionsgate is still far behind Warner. If they want to act, they can definitely make Lionsgate struggle in the film market."

"The cost is too high. Jeff Robinov, Warner's president, told me that Lionsgate is doing too well with no exploitable weaknesses. It's like trying to beat Link in the boxing ring—impossible.

The only feasible strategy is to produce more blockbuster films to squeeze Lionsgate's total box office revenue, forcing them to invest more in marketing. For an independent studio like Lionsgate, the higher the investment, the greater the risk. If one or two big productions fail, their cash flow could be jeopardized.

Lionsgate has benefited greatly from 'The Hunger Games.' If they continue investing in big productions, they may face box office flops. When that happens, we won't need to take action; Link and Lionsgate will have plenty of troubles. We just need to be patient and watch."

Bob explained.

Harvey frowned, "Wait? What if Link stays calm and sticks to low-budget films, avoiding major investments? Lionsgate's finances won't be an issue then. How do we watch that unfold?"

"If Link is that smart and lucky, and we still insist on opposing him, it might make us look irrational," Bob countered.

Harvey's face darkened further. He wanted to argue but had no words. If Link was indeed that capable, fighting him wasn't worthwhile. But not opposing him left Harvey discontented.

"Hmph, I don't believe Link will always be lucky. Just look at 'Lawless.' He surely hoped it would be a hit when investing, but he was wrong," Harvey sneered.

"Not necessarily," Bob pointed to the newspaper. "The film was initially Megan Ellison's project. She sought investment from Link due to a funding shortfall. Link probably couldn't refuse, so he agreed to invest. So, this project wasn't really his choice."

"And 'The Master'?" Harvey's expression was grim.

"Joaquin Phoenix approached Link for investment. I'm not sure if Link agreed out of friendship or because he liked the script," Bob hesitated.

"Damn Link," Harvey cursed. He had read "The Master" script and decided not to invest, fearing losses. Later, Link invested, and Bob eagerly sought a partnership. It seemed they had been misled by Link's reputation as a golden film investor, losing basic judgment during investment.

This mistake was amateurish.

Knock, knock, knock!

An assistant knocked on the door.

"What is it?" Harvey asked gruffly.

"Boss, here’s the weekly box office report, including Lionsgate's 'Madea's Witness Protection,'" the assistant handed over a document.

Harvey had instructed to monitor every

 film invested by Link or Lionsgate and provide daily updates.

"What's the box office?" Harvey asked.

"It earned $32 million in its first weekend in North America. By Thursday, it had reached $40 million," the assistant reported.

Harvey snorted, "Just $40 million. Lionsgate must be worried. I don't know why they greenlit this film. It's nowhere near as profitable as 'The Hunger Games.'"

"True. They spent $50 million on production and $30 million on marketing. With this performance, it's hard to even break even," the assistant agreed.

"Breaking even isn't enough. If Lionsgate’s films keep breaking even, they won't make money. I'm curious to see how long they can keep going," Harvey sneered.

As he was about to speak, the phone rang.

"Hello?"

After listening for a while, Harvey's face darkened. "What? You're telling me Warner is canceling our project? Damn it! How could they do this?"

Harvey slammed the phone down, furious.

"What's wrong?" Bob asked.

"Warner canceled our project. They're going ahead with 'The Dark Knight Rises' instead," Harvey fumed.

Bob sighed. "Looks like they’re prioritizing their own big productions. We should have seen this coming."

"Damn it! We need to find another studio for our project. We can't let Link and Lionsgate outshine us," Harvey decided.

Bob nodded in agreement. The battle was far from over.

### Chapter 502: Olympic Gold Medal

While searching for scripts, Link discovered a familiar one in the Palm Beach Films script library, "Whiplash."

The story is about a student at a music academy who dreams of becoming a legendary drummer. To achieve this, he joins a renowned school band and undergoes rigorous training under a demanding mentor. Eventually, unable to withstand the mentor's intense psychological pressure, he decides to break away, leading to a legal confrontation.

The film mainly depicts the hardships and struggles artists face on their path to fame.

The script's author is Damien Chazelle, a director, amateur musician, and also the screenwriter of the future film "La La Land," which won Emma Stone an Academy Award for Best Actress.

This script includes the author's shooting plan, estimating that it would cost only three million dollars to produce.

After reading it, Link felt it was a good project. He remembered that the film had won an Oscar and, with a budget of three million, it seemed to have some box office potential as well.

He called Catherine and told her to acquire the script.

While looking through recently published bestsellers, he also found a familiar work, "American Sniper."

This novel is the autobiography of Chris Kyle, a famous American sniper.

Chris Kyle was a Navy SEAL sniper who served in Iraq four times between 1999 and 2009. He successfully shot 255 people, with 166 confirmed kills acknowledged by the Pentagon, earning him the title of the "deadliest marksman" by the media.

Kyle's most notable achievement was killing an enemy from 1,920 meters away with a single bullet in 2008.

He retired in 2009 and published his autobiography, "American Sniper," last year, which is currently selling well.

Link remembered that a film was adapted from this novel.

The director was Clint Eastwood, and the lead actor was Bradley Cooper. The film received multiple Oscar nominations and did well at the box office, grossing over 500 million dollars. It was considered one of the best realistic war films, comparable to China's "Wolf Warrior."

This film also had investment potential.

Link called the production department at Lionsgate Films to see if the film rights to the novel were still available and to secure them if possible.

If time allowed, he planned to play the lead role himself.

“Ahh~”

While reading a script, a clear cry broke the room's silence. Link put down his book and walked over to the crib. Little Margarita had woken up, crying with her mouth open, but stopped when she saw him approach. Her tiny legs were kicking around.

Link smiled softly and checked the wetness indicator on the diaper; the little one had peed again.

He took out a new diaper and skillfully changed her, a skill he had honed while taking care of Alexander and Cynthia. Even though there was a nanny, he sometimes helped out.

"Is Margarita awake?"

Ivanka, dressed in a blue dress, came down the spiral staircase and asked.

"Yes, the little one just woke up."

Since giving birth, Ivanka had been working out to regain and maintain her figure. Judging by her current shape, she was doing very well—slim waist, long legs, and curves more pronounced than before.

“Let me see, Margarita should be hungry.”

Ivanka took the baby in her arms and patted her.

The little one looked at them with bright, shiny eyes, soft golden hair, an upturned nose, and chubby cheeks—utterly adorable.

Link took the warmed bottle from the nanny, tested the temperature, and brought it to the baby’s mouth.

The little one grabbed the bottle and started drinking with gusto, having a big appetite.

Ivanka smiled gently and tapped the baby’s nose.

“Wow, it smells so good, can I have a taste?”

Selena leaned on Ivanka’s shoulder and teased the baby.

"Go away! You’re scaring Margarita. Aren’t you supposed to be filming? How do you have time to come over?"

Link pushed Selena, who was almost nose-to-nose with the bottle.

"Is it time to eat? I came to mooch a meal. Ah, don’t hit me, I really have something to discuss."

Selena covered her forehead, glared at him, and handed him a script. "I got a new script, the filming location is in Miami, and the male lead would be perfect for you. Want to take a look?"

“Is it ‘Spring Breakers’?”

Link glanced at it and sure enough, it was "Spring Breakers."

The movie is about four college girls who rob a fast food joint to fund their spring break trip to Florida. After failing the robbery, the girls are arrested and later bailed out by a drug dealer, who plans to use them to kill his enemies.

The male lead's role is based on the real-life Miami underground rapper, Dangeruss.

The overall plot was decent, but the film was an art piece with a low budget. Casting him would double the budget, and the box office returns were uncertain.

“How did you know it was ‘Spring Breakers’ without looking at the script?”

Selena rested her chin on his shoulder and asked curiously.

“Megan Ellison mentioned it to me, and I declined.”

Link handed the script back to Selena. This film was one of Megan Ellison’s new projects, and she had mentioned it in passing during a conversation. He had politely declined then.

“Alright, this is an art film. Do you think it has a chance of winning an Oscar if done well?”

Selena asked.

“You want to win an Oscar too?”

“Why not? I think my acting is pretty good.”

Selena blushed and said.

“Of course you can. As long as you act well, there’s always a chance to win an Oscar.”

Link laughed.

Selena's timing was perfect; she arrived just in time for lunch with Link and Ivanka, managing to mooch a meal.

Tiffany wasn’t as lucky, arriving just after they had finished eating, so Link had the kitchen prepare another serving for her.

Tiffany was now studying at USC. She had a wide range of interests and was a lively girl. Whenever she and Selena were together, the commotion they caused was bigger than that of ten people.

Link and Ivanka had to ask the two of them to stay away from Margarita to avoid disturbing the baby’s rest.

---

In the afternoon, the Ellison siblings visited the villa to discuss film collaborations.

Currently, "Zero Dark Thirty" had finished shooting, and Megan Ellison was preparing new film projects. She brought the script for "American Hustle," David O. Russell's new project, with an estimated production cost of 40 million dollars.

Megan Ellison’s purpose was twofold: to continue working with Link and to seek his opinion on whether the film had investment potential.

Compared to Palm Beach Films and Lionsgate, Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures was relatively modest, producing two to three films a year, some making small losses and others small profits, without any major box office hits yet.

Because of this, Megan Ellison valued Link’s opinion.

After reading the script, Link felt it was decent and, with a low budget, worth investing in. He agreed to continue collaborating with Annapurna Pictures.

He also mentioned several new projects from Lionsgate and Palm Beach Films, offering Megan Ellison a chance to invest if she was interested.

Megan agreed.

David Ellison brought a commercial blockbuster, "World War Z," with a production cost of 220 million dollars, co-produced by David Ellison’s Skydance Productions, Paramount Pictures, and Brad Pitt’s Plan B.

David Ellison was the producer of the film.

The project required significant investment and carried considerable risk, so they needed several companies to share the burden.

Currently, they still needed 50 million dollars in investment.

Link remembered that the film did well at the box office, being Brad Pitt’s highest-grossing film.

After some thought, he agreed to submit the project to the production department for review and, if funds were available, consider investing.

Nearby, Tiffany noticed zombies in the script and asked when the casting would begin, eager to play a scary role.

Link smiled softly and promised to notify her when filming started, guaranteeing her a zombie role with plenty of scenes.

Tiffany cheered in excitement.

---

In the time since Margarita's birth, besides reading scripts and taking care of the baby, Link had been training in swimming under the guidance of a professional coach, preparing for the upcoming London Olympics.

After over a month of intensive training, Link joined the U.S. swimming team in mid-July to compete in the 30th Olympic Games in London.

Compared to the World Championships and Universiade, the Olympics had more swimming events, with six freestyle events alone.

During the Olympics, Link used his extraordinary stamina and speed to win gold in the men's 50m, 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle events, setting world records in all six.

Additionally, he teamed up with Michael Phelps and others to win two more golds in the 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays.

In the 4x100m medley relay, he and the U.S. team won another gold.

This brought his gold medal tally at the Olympics to an astounding nine, surpassing Phelps' record from the 2008 Olympics and making him the athlete with the most gold medals in a single Olympic Games.

But that wasn't all. In the men's 10,000m open water swim, he set a new world record with a time of 1:32, 18 seconds ahead of the previous record, astonishing the world media.

Link's total gold medal count at this Olympics reached ten.

In the individual medley 4x100m and 4x200m events,

 he beat Phelps and Marchand to win a gold and a silver, with the 4x100m gold going to Sun Yang.

In the 200m and 400m backstroke, he won another gold and silver.

In the 200m and 400m breaststroke, he secured a silver and a bronze.

Due to scheduling conflicts, he did not participate in other events.

In the end, he won 12 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze medals at this Olympics, stunning the world.

Including the boxing gold medal he won at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, he now had a total of 13 gold medals, making him the second athlete to win Olympic gold in different sports.

The IOC also named him the greatest athlete in Olympic history.

### Chapter 503: Envy, Jealousy, and Hate

Bang! Bang!

In the boxing training room, Link alternated punches on the sandbag with focused intensity. His movements were rhythmic and deliberate, his footwork precise.

Oscar De La Hoya watched for a while and couldn’t help but smirk.

Link, now worth forty to fifty billion dollars, a superstar in music, film, and boxing, had just won 12 gold medals in the recent Olympics, earning the title of the world’s greatest athlete and even receiving a Medal of Freedom.

With money, fame, and status, Hoya couldn’t understand why Link still trained so diligently. Most athletes in his position would have retired to enjoy life long ago.

“Hey, Hoya, is Link still training?”

Frank approached with an assistant, asking.

Hoya glanced at the suited Frank, who looked like he had just come from a cocktail party. “What are you doing here? Link said he doesn’t want to be disturbed during training.”

“Okay, I know, just need him to sign a contract, an endorsement deal.”

Frank smiled.

Hoya narrowed his eyes. “I heard Link has taken on a lot of endorsements recently, around forty or fifty? Each deal worth over a hundred million dollars? Is that true?”

“Haha, that’s exaggerated. Not forty or fifty, but about thirty. Adding his previous deals, it’s close to that number.”

Frank laughed.

“And each deal over a hundred million?”

“Haha, not all. Some are over a hundred million, others are tens of millions. Link doesn’t accept deals below thirty million a year. He’s too popular; brands worldwide are waving checks at him. Without a minimum limit, he’d be too busy shooting commercials.”

Frank shrugged.

Hoya gritted his teeth. Most stars struggled to get endorsements, while Link set a minimum fee. Thirty deals at thirty million each meant annual ad revenue in the billions. Link was becoming a money-making machine.

“You must be making a lot too?”

Dynasty Promotions, one of Link’s management companies, mainly handled sports endorsements. This Olympics had boosted Link’s global fame, with over a billion fans worldwide, surpassing even Michael Jackson’s peak.

Link’s popularity meant more endorsements, and Frank and Dynasty Promotions would earn substantial agent commissions. At a minimum of 3%, ten billion in endorsements equaled thirty million in commissions—easy money.

“Haha, not much.”

Frank waved it off and, seeing Link pause, called out and walked over with a file folder.

Hoya watched with envy as Frank approached Link. Years ago, Frank had signed Link for just over ten million plus a 30% share. That contract, worth less than thirty million at the time, had since brought in four to five hundred million, with more to come.

Frank had struck gold with Link, a walking cash machine.

Frank and Link exchanged a few words, and Link signed the document. Frank then left without further disturbance, file in hand.

“Hoya, got time for a drink?”

Frank smiled.

“No, I’m busy training Hopkins. No time for drinking.”

Hoya replied with a sour face.

“Alright, see you.”

Frank hurried off, looking like he was off to make more money.

Hoya huffed with envy and was about to give Link some pointers when he caught a whiff of perfume. Without turning, he saw Emma Roberts approaching with two juices, her golden hair flowing, dressed in a strappy dress, looking cool and chic.

“Hey, Emma, here to watch Link train again?”

Hoya smirked.

“Yes.”

Emma, uninterested in further conversation, walked straight to Link, then turned to Hoya. “Anything else?”

“No.”

“Okay, see you.”

Emma closed the training room door behind her.

Hoya’s face darkened. He could guess what those two were up to without seeing it.

A couple of months ago, after a training session, he went to the locker room to invite Link to a boxing match. As he approached, he heard unmistakable sounds coming from inside. Realizing Emma was there, he knew who was making the noise.

He had planned to wait outside and tease Link afterward, but after an hour, it still wasn’t over. Frustrated, he left with a fire in his belly.

Knowing Link and Emma were involved, Hoya always kept an eye on them. Despite the frequent private sessions, Link trained harder and more focused than ever, always energetic.

That was enviable.

More so, Link always had a beautiful celebrity by his side during training.

Comparing his past training hardships, Hoya realized he had never enjoyed the balance Link did.

But it was too late; age had taken its toll.

Hoya sighed, shook his head, and left.

---

Link trained for three to four hours at Muscle Beach. After sending Emma off, he drove to the Staples Center to watch the WBO championship match between Morales and Andre Rediel.

Last year, after Link relinquished the four major belts, top fighters in the light heavyweight division divided them. Carl Froch took the WBC belt, Arthur Abraham the IBF, Andre Ward the WBA, and Andre Rediel the WBO.

Last year, Morales challenged Ward for the WBA title but lost.

This year, he entered the WBO championship, winning six matches to become the top contender.

Today, Morales challenged WBO champion Andre Rediel.

After 12 rounds, Morales knocked down Rediel three times, winning by a clear margin and becoming the WBO light heavyweight world champion.

Morales joined the ranks of sparring champions.

“Morales, you were amazing today. Even Link might not beat you.”

As the promoter, De La Hoya shouted happily.

Morales, wearing the championship belt, almost fell off the stage at the mention of Link, showing his white teeth. “Hoya, don’t say that. Link is here.”

“Oh, is he? Where?”

Hoya looked around and saw a man in a baseball cap waving at him from the front row, sitting next to Paul Walker.

“Hey, Link! I got the belt!”

Morales approached Link, smiling.

“Congratulations, you fought well. Your skills have improved significantly.”

Link bumped fists with him.

“Haha, thanks to you. Without your guidance, I wouldn’t have won the belt.”

Morales said.

“No, you earned it through hard work. You don’t owe anyone thanks.”

Link smiled.

Hoya, hearing this, felt annoyed. Morales was his fighter, and he had given him plenty of guidance and tactical help. Now Morales was thanking Link instead.

“Mario, now that you’re a world champion, have you thought about switching management companies? Dynasty Sports might suit you better than Golden Boy Promotions.”

Link said.

“Bullshit, Link, are you poaching right in front of me?”

Hoya retorted.

“Okay, I’ll talk to Mario privately.”

“No, you won’t. Mario is fine at Golden Boy. He doesn’t need a new manager.”

Hoya said.

“Really? I heard Mario only gets 40% of his fight earnings. At Dynasty, a WBO world champion would get at least 60%.”

Link crossed his legs and smiled.

“That was the old contract. Now that Mario is a world champion, we have a new contract ready, better than Dynasty’s. Mario, trust me, Golden Boy is the best choice.”

Hoya grabbed Morales.

“Mario, what do you think?”

Link asked.

“Hehe, I’m good with Golden Boy for now.”

Morales grinned.

“Okay, too bad.”

Link said.

Hoya glared at Link, knowing he was trying to help Morales get a better contract. Golden Boy had planned a 50-50 split for the new deal. Thanks to Link, they’d now have to offer more, making it seem like Link had secured the better terms.

Link, spending nothing, gained Morales’s gratitude.

“Mr. Beck is here.”

“Mr. Beck, can we get an interview?”

“Mr. Beck, someone alleged you used performance-enhancing drugs at the Olympics. Any comment?”

Reporters, originally there to interview the new champion, spotted Link and swarmed like wolves, asking controversial questions to hold his attention.

“Sorry, this is Morales’s moment. If you have questions for me, contact my agent. Please respect the event.”

Link waved them off.

Wallace and Bob stood up to block the reporters.

Unable to interview Link, they turned back to Morales, asking about Link’s influence and if he could beat Link.

“Link, you’re very popular now. How does it feel to be a superstar?”

Paul Walker joked.

“You’re a star too. Why ask me?”

Link and Paul stood up to leave.

“Haha, it’s different. Compared to you, not just me, even Tom Cruise, Schwarzenegger, and Tyson combined aren’t as famous. Many media call you a human miracle, and I agree.”

“Every life is a miracle, not just mine. So, you don’t need to idolize me. Treat me as an ordinary person.”

Link joked.

“Who idolizes you? I’ve never seen you as a superhero.”

Paul laughed.

“Good.”

Link smiled as they left the Staples Center.

(The End)

Chapter 504: Who is the Playboy?

After the Olympics, Link participated in more than thirty media interviews and TV shows, shot over forty commercials and many print ads, mostly for world-class brands and luxury products. This rapidly increased his net worth to over $5 billion.

After earning the money, aside from paying off some debts, he also bought many stocks through Goldenback Investments, including Nvidia, Tesla, SpaceX, and currently holds 14.2% of Nvidia's shares, 18.6% of Tesla's shares, 5.7% of SpaceX's shares, and 1.3% of News Corporation's shares.

In addition, he used the funds from the Link Charity Foundation to buy stocks in several pharmaceutical and genetic biotechnology companies, including Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly and Company, Pfizer, etc. Among these, Eli Lilly, which will become the world's number one pharmaceutical company in the future, currently has a market value of only $38.8 billion, making it highly valuable for investment.

"Link, just how many commercials have you done? Why do I see your ads everywhere I go?"

At the poker table in the café, Leonardo threw down his cards and asked.

"I've noticed the same thing. Turn on the TV, and every few minutes there's a commercial with Link. Walk down the street, and there are print ads of Link everywhere. Even on subways and airplanes, there are ads endorsed by Link. It's overwhelming, it feels like Link's ads have invaded the entire world."

Tobey Maguire said with a smile as he looked at his cards.

"Yes, last week when I was on a business trip to New York, a third of the big screens in Times Square were playing Link's commercials. CK underwear, Dior suits, Nike-Link sportswear, mineral water, KFC, and even Chanel perfume commercials with him as the spokesperson. It made me want to throw up."

Casey Affleck said.

Link smiled as he listened and shook his head. "You're exaggerating, it's just forty or fifty commercials, it's not that many. Plus, the ads were concentrated during the hot period after the Olympics, now they're much less, aren't they?"

"Forty or fifty commercials? Mad Men should have cast you."

Leonardo said, pouting.

"It's not my fault, they offered a sincere endorsement fee. Hey, Tobey, are you in or out? If you're out, I'm grabbing the money."

Link smiled, holding two cards.

"I'm out, you win."

Tobey Maguire tossed his cards.

Link smiled, threw down his cards, and collected the money on the table.

"Tobey, why do you keep letting him win? This guy is already a money-making machine, and you still want to give him more money."

Leonardo said with a sullen face.

"My cards were too small, I would have lost even if I showed them."

Tobey Maguire shrugged.

"You have such good luck."

Leonardo grumbled at Link.

"It's skill."

Link smiled lightly, placing $20 on the table, "How's the shooting of The Wolf of Wall Street?"

"Finished. Recently, I started a new movie, an adaptation of Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby. There's a role that suits you, do you want to try it?"

Leonardo smiled.

"I've read that novel. Besides the protagonist, which role suits me?"

"The playboy Tom."

"The man who steals Gatsby's girlfriend? No thanks, it's not suitable for me. Playing such a villain would damage my image."

Link joked as he looked at his cards.

"You care about your image? Compared to you, Tom in the novel is way better. You are the real-life playboy, everyone knows that."

Leonardo sneered.

"You have the nerve to call me a playboy? Although I've dated many girlfriends, I was serious with each one. What about you? You change girlfriends more often than clothes, always with girls under 25, and each relationship lasts less than two years. Compared to you, I could be considered a saint of love."

"Bullshit! Though I've dated many girls, I've never dated multiple girls at the same time. And I was serious about each one. We broke up because of personality differences, not because I'm fickle. But you, dating dozens of girls simultaneously, having girlfriends all over the world, and media saying you have more than ten illegitimate children. Tsk tsk, Link, you're not just a scumbag, you're a scumbag dad."

Leonardo retorted, red-faced.

"Not dating multiple girls at the same time? That might fool fans, but not people in the industry. When you were dating Gisele Bündchen, she broke up with you because she couldn't stand your infidelity. I have Gisele's number, want me to call her now to confirm?"

Link smiled playfully.

Leonardo's face darkened. "You know Gisele?"

Link shrugged. "Last year at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, I was a guest performer. We chatted backstage."

"Just chatted?"

Leonardo frowned, staring at him.

"What else? Besides, Gisele is now Mrs. Brady. Even if there were other things, it wouldn't concern you. Miss, please deal the cards."

Link placed a $50 bill on the table.

"Even so, you're more of a scumbag than I am. I don't have as many illegitimate children as you. I'm in."

Leonardo placed a bill on the table after looking at his cards.

"That's because you don't want to take responsibility and don't have confidence in being a good father. That's nothing to be proud of. Look at us here: Tobey, Casey, Woody, Franco—who doesn't have a few kids at home? I suggest forming a dad's club, bringing the kids to events next time, and discussing their education."

Link laughed.

"Link, that's a great idea, I support it."

James Franco laughed.

"I agree."

Casey Affleck, Tobey Maguire, and Woody Harrelson voiced their support.

Leonardo's face turned black as he listened. When playing cards, they were all peers, but when talking about kids, he became an outsider.

"Don't talk about kids. We were discussing who is more of a scumbag. Since you won't admit it, let's have everyone here judge who is worse between us."

Leonardo asked Tobey Maguire and Casey Affleck.

"Uh, that's a tough question. I suggest you start a poll on Facebook and let the whole world judge who is worse."

Tobey Maguire suggested.

"That's a good idea. The public's view would be more comprehensive."

Casey Affleck laughed.

"No need, I don't want to be compared with the world-famous playboy Leonardo. It would greatly damage my reputation."

Link laughed.

"Bullshit! You're worse than I am, okay?"

Leonardo retorted.

Link shrugged, placing more bills on the table. "Leonardo, it's just us two left. Are you going to follow?"

Leonardo hesitated, looked at his two cards, then the public cards on the table, and bit his lip, choosing to follow.

Link smiled lightly, revealing his two cards, which were two kings. Combined with the two kings on the table, he had four of a kind. The only way Leonardo could win was if he had a straight flush.

"Leonardo, do you have a flush?"

"Bullshit, you win."

Leonardo threw his cards down angrily.

Link smiled lightly, checked his watch, and saw that it was time to end the game. He played a few more rounds, lost all the money he had won, then excused himself, saying he needed to go home to take care of his kids.

"Link has such good luck. It's hard to win against him in cards."

James Franco said, looking at the cards Link left.

"Didn't I win this round? Link must have left to avoid losing more."

Leonardo grabbed the money on the table, laughing. After losing seven or eight rounds, he finally won one, gaining over $300 from Link.

"That may not be the case."

James Franco spread out Link's cards, showing a Queen of Hearts and a Nine of Spades. Combined with the public cards, it formed a straight, beating Leonardo's three kings.

"Bullshit!"

---

Link drove to Lionsgate to pick up Ivanka and head home.

On the way, they discussed the recent movies released by the company. Lionsgate released several movies in July and August, including The Possession and Safe Haven, and recently released The Master.

The Possession is based on journalist Leslie Gornstein's non-fiction work The Dibbuk Box, about a girl named Em who opens an antique wooden box left from WWII, triggering a series of eerie and terrifying events.

The production cost was $14 million, and after more than a month of release, it grossed $49.13 million in North America and $36.31 million overseas. DVD sales were also good, with over 500,000 units sold in North America within two weeks.

The estimated profit is around $50 million, more than many commercial blockbusters.

The second movie, Safe Haven, had a lower box office performance. With a production cost of $22 million, it tells the story of retired police elite Luke protecting a Chinese math prodigy from the Mafia. The lead role was played by Jason Statham, with the Chinese prodigy played by Taiwanese actress Ouyang Nana.

The movie grossed $17.14 million in North America and $22.35 million overseas within three weeks, barely breaking even.

The Master, starring Joaquin Phoenix, was released last week with a production cost of $32 million.

Before its release, the movie participated in several film festivals, including the Venice Film Festival in Italy, the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada, and the Kansas Film Festival in the United States

.

At the Venice Film Festival, director Paul Anderson won the Silver Lion for Best Director for this film. Philip Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix jointly won the Best Actor Award. The film also won the International Critics' Award and was nominated for the Golden Lion for Best Film.

At the Toronto Film Festival, it won four awards, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress.

It also won two awards at the Kansas Film Festival.

From the awards, it's clear that the film is of high quality.

However, due to its complex plot, it received critical acclaim but underperformed at the box office.

In its first week, it grossed only $2.97 million in 442 theaters, with a projected North American box office of less than $20 million. If it wins one or two Oscars next year, it might earn a few more million.

But from the current situation, it's clearly a loss-making film, also the first significant loss for Palm Beach Films.

Fortunately, Palm Beach Films only invested $10 million, so the loss is just a few million, not a big impact.

"When Harvey approached me for collaboration, he wanted to make money with me. Now that the film lost money, he must be very upset."

Link laughed while driving.

"Who can predict such things? Who is he angry at?"

Ivanka hugged the flowers and laughed.

"True."

(End of the chapter)

*Chapter 506: The Second Grand Slam*

"Go Link!"

"Link, one more punch, take him down!"

In early September, the Green Point Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa, a venue that also hosted the 2010 World Cup, was the site of the WBO light heavyweight championship fight. Competing were WBA-WBC-IBF light heavyweight world champion Link and Adonis Stevenson, a Black Canadian boxer.

Stevenson, 35, was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and later immigrated to Canada. He entered the professional boxing world in 2006, participating in 18 professional matches with a current record of 17 wins and 1 loss. In May, he won the WBO light heavyweight title eliminator by technically knocking out Don George in the twelfth round, earning the right to challenge for the WBO world title.

Nicknamed "Superman," Stevenson stands 180 cm tall with a reach of 183 cm. He is known for his powerful punches, having won 13 of his 18 matches by knockout. However, he was unlucky to face Link, the true Superman.

From the start of the match, Stevenson was dominated by Link. No matter how fast his punches were, Link dodged them effortlessly. No matter how powerful his blows, Link absorbed them with ease. Stevenson felt frustrated, as if he were not facing a man but a mountain, an impenetrable wall. No matter how hard he tried, no matter what tactics or killer moves he used, he couldn't hurt Link at all.

Stevenson finally understood why Link was the number one in boxing and why top boxers became so weak when facing him, like children fighting an adult. Link's strength was overwhelming, his boxing skills flawless, and his punches devastating. Each blow to the head left Stevenson dizzy for several seconds. Link's punches were incredibly fast, striking unpredictably and making it nearly impossible to defend.

Throughout the match, Stevenson often felt that he was about to be knocked out by Link's next punch, but Link didn't do that. Amid the cheers of over 40,000 spectators, Link demonstrated superb boxing skills, forcing Stevenson to use all his abilities to deal with him. Despite knowing he would lose, Stevenson didn't want to give up easily. He desperately wanted to defeat Link, the number one in boxing, and rise to fame on Link's shoulders.

If he could accomplish that, he would become a money-making machine, earning millions from each match, billions in a year, living in multi-million-dollar mansions, marrying wealthy heiresses, and having any beauty in the world. He might even cross over into music and film, becoming a global superstar. The thought made Stevenson's eyes red. He looked at Link as the final obstacle to his success. Defeating Link would give him everything.

"Kill!!"

He bared his teeth and shouted in Creole, throwing a punch at Link's face with all his might. If this punch landed, he had a 60% chance of knocking Link down. Once he knocked Link down, he would take control of the match. Stevenson suddenly realized that the pinnacle of his life was just one punch away. As he threw the punch, he silently prayed to all the gods he knew, including Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the voodoo priests, asking them to bless his punch to knock Link down.

Bang! But before his punch could hit Link's nose, Link's left fist appeared out of nowhere, delivering a hook to Stevenson's face from left to right. Stevenson's straight punch deformed instantly, grazing Link's shoulder as it passed. His face was hit hard, jerking to the right with a crack from his neck, sweat flying off his hair and face, even spittle and tears.

Stevenson felt dizzy and lost control of his body, staggering two steps before crashing to the canvas. "Wow, beautifully done!" "Link knocked him down!" As Stevenson fell, the crowd of over 40,000 spectators stood up, raising their fists and cheering loudly.

"Stop!"

The referee stepped in front of Link, crouched down to check on Stevenson, and began counting down: 8, 7, 6, 5... Hearing the count, Stevenson shook his head, propped himself up on his fists, and slowly stood up. But as soon as he straightened his legs, a wave of dizziness overwhelmed him, causing him to fall to the ground again.

"Wow!!"

The audience gasped in unison. The referee restarted the count from 5. Stevenson lay on the canvas, his head still spinning. Even if he stood up, he wouldn't be a match for Link. He might be knocked down again within seconds. Realizing this, Stevenson closed his eyes and listened to the referee count to five.

"Link wins!"

"Link is the Grand Slam champion."

"Link is amazing."

The crowd of tens of thousands roared, and several media reporters stood at ringside, broadcasting Link's victory. The atmosphere was electric. "Hey, buddy, how do you feel?" Stevenson opened his eyes to see Link's handsome face, with his high nose and deep, bright blue eyes. Despite the sweat on his hair and face, he was unscathed and still looked like a movie star.

This guy was not only strong but also enviably handsome. Stevenson felt very upset and, sitting up, gritted his teeth and said, "That punch felt like a woman hit me, soft and did nothing to me." "Okay, glad you're okay." Link shrugged, shaking hands with the WBO World Boxing Organization President Paco Valcarcel and a South African sports official before receiving the WBO light heavyweight world champion gold belt from them.

"Link, Superman Link!"

"Link, I love you."

As Link raised the WBO gold belt, the crowd erupted in cheers, with many of his fans, holding his posters, dancing in the stands. After winning the WBO gold belt, Link had all four major light heavyweight belts, making him the dominant figure in the light heavyweight division. He was now the third person in history to achieve a Grand Slam in the four major organizations, following Bernard Hopkins and Jermain Taylor. He was also the first boxer to achieve two Grand Slams in two different weight classes.

Although Roy Jones Jr., Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, and Joe Calzaghe had won world titles in different weight classes, none had all four belts simultaneously. Link had done it twice. "This guy is a freak," said Hopkins, watching Link on TV at the California Muscle Beach Club. In 2004, he became the first Grand Slam champion in boxing history by defeating De La Hoya. Now, Link had two Grand Slams.

"Indeed a freak. He'll make six or seven million dollars from this fight alone. This guy is a money-printing machine," De La Hoya said through gritted teeth. "Link is getting better and better. Now that he has all the light heavyweight belts, he'll move on to cruiserweight. Maybe in two years, he'll achieve a third Grand Slam. Link is so cool. I wish I were as good as Link," Morales said, clenching his fists.

"Cruiserweight is much harder than light heavyweight. I don't think he can get another Grand Slam," De La Hoya said. "It's hard to say. Last year, when Link moved to light heavyweight, you said he might lose. What happened? He got the Grand Slam," Morales said, spreading his hands.

De La Hoya frowned and asked Hopkins, "Do you think Link can get a third Grand Slam?" Hopkins replied, "Cruiserweight is a smaller division with fewer top fighters. It won't be too hard for Link. The heavyweight division has too many top fighters, so he probably won't make it." "Damn, if he gets a third Grand Slam, all of us will be overshadowed. He'll make over a hundred million per fight, maybe even two hundred million. Damn, if only I had signed him back then," De La Hoya said, envious of Link's boxing skills and earning power.

——

"Haha, Link, congratulations on winning the WBO light heavyweight world title and becoming the light heavyweight Grand Slam champion. How do you feel right now?" At the match venue, HBO host Steve Mandanda interviewed Link. "Pretty good, just like the weather in Cape Town!" Link said, shrugging with four gold belts on his shoulders.

"Link, in three years, you have become a Grand Slam champion twice. This is an unprecedented achievement in boxing history. It's amazing. We know that after becoming the super middleweight Grand Slam champion last year, you announced you were giving up all the belts to challenge for the light heavyweight titles. Now fans are curious if you'll give up the light heavyweight belts to challenge for the cruiserweight title. If so, when? Can you give us a hint?"

Steve Mandanda asked. "Yes, I plan to, but my next challenge won't be cruiserweight. I'll skip that division and go straight to heavyweight and try to win all the heavyweight belts," Link said to the HBO camera. "Straight to heavyweight? Wow, is that true? Did I hear that right? Viewers, I just heard an incredible announcement. Link said he would go straight to heavyweight and aim to become the heavyweight Grand Slam champion. This is huge. I need to confirm. Link, is this true? When will you fight in the heavyweight division?"

Mandanda asked excitedly. "It's true, probably by the end of next year if everything goes well," Link replied. "Viewers, did you hear that? Link said he would move to the heavyweight division by the end of next year and aim to win all the heavyweight belts. Do you think Link can do it? Link, do you believe you can do it?" Mandanda asked excitedly. "Of course, you know I never lack confidence," Link said

 with a smile.

After the interview, Link met with various officials and sponsors, shook hands with Stevenson, and returned to the locker room with his gold belts. There, he saw Didier waiting. "Hey Link, congratulations, you did great!" Didier said, giving Link a high-five and a hug.

"Thanks, Didier, I know I couldn't have done it without you," Link replied.

"Wow, I'm so happy for you," Didier said, looking at the belts on Link's shoulders. "Are you really going to move to the heavyweight division?"

"Yes, Didier, I've made up my mind. After taking a break, I'll start training for the heavyweight division. It's a new challenge for me, but I'm confident I can do it," Link said.

"I'm sure you can, Link. You're the best boxer I've ever seen," Didier said.

"Thanks, Didier. Let's celebrate tonight," Link said with a smile.

The two friends, Link and Didier, looked at each other and laughed, knowing that they had achieved something great today. The journey ahead was still long, but they were ready to face it together.