```


    The hotel''s private beach had been booked by two film crews for the entire Saturday, with members free to revel on the beach anytime with unlimited supplies of alcohol, drinks, and barbecue.


    The crews made no secret of their discriminatory stance: non-members were males, no entry allowed, while any female was wee to join the party on the beach.


    Martin, in his swim trunks, walked onto the beach alone.


    Aga called out to him, "Martin,e over, let''s y a match."


    On the five-a-side beach ser field, Aga, with the strong pull of a director, had gathered a group of female yers.


    Martin immediately ran over.


    Enclosed within the small field were at least a dozen girls in swimsuits.


    All from the neighboring crew, young actresses ying female footballers.


    Aga said, "We''re both captains, let''s each pick four yers for the field."


    Martin stepped on the ser ball, "Okay."


    The female yers around were all eager, stretching out their hands and jumping as they shouted, "Director Aga, pick me! Pick me!"


    Martin asked aloud, "Who wants to be on my team?"


    Not far away, the famously handsome ke Lively was sprinting towards them, shouting as she ran, "Save me a spot!"


    She was tall and leggy with an impable figure, though her face was a bit mature.


    ke ran onto the field, winked at Martin, but then went over to Aga''s side.


    Aga raised a finger and shook it at Martin, "Buddy, you''re not charming enough."


    Martin turned to the girls, "I''m picking now."


    Several female yers jumped out, "We''re with you."


    Martin randomly chose four Latin female yers, the tallest became the goalkeeper.


    Aga said, "I''ll let you kick off first."


    "Ladies!" Martin stood at the center of the pitch and said, "We''re going to score the first goal!"


    He kicked the ball to the girl in the ck swimsuit on the left, then turned and ran toward the opposing field, and she immediately passed the ball back to him.


    Martin had yed ser back in high school, but it had been many years since he had touched a ball, so when he received it, he fumbled it badly.


    An actress in a gold swimsuit rushed over to steal the ball, seemingly unable to stop and crashed into him, ball and all.


    Martin truly experienced what it meant to get mmed by the ball-carrier.


    No wonder Aga had organized a beach ser match.


    It was ke Lively herself who collided with Martin, and as she seemed about to fall, she grabbed onto Martin''s arm, pressing down hard on it.


    Aga dribbled past Martin.


    Martin couldn''t be bothered to defend against him, only fools defend against men.


    ke got up and rushed forward.


    Martin went back to defend, and as soon as he was in position, he saw ke, who had received the ball, charging straight at him.


    No shot, no pass, not even a feint, just ke Lively barreling into Martin without hesitation.


    Martin let himself fall to the ground,nding on the beach.


    ke also fell,nding on top of him.


    Perhaps it hurt from the fall, or she remembered something, as she rolled over him back and forth.


    Aga was dumbfounded, now understanding why the lead actress from next door wanted to be on his team.


    Her target was clearly not him!


    The dark-haired Latin girl at the side pursed her lips, almost letting slip the words "shameless."


    But considering her current crew was put together by the other party''s old man, she had to hold back her urge to curse.


    "Sorry." ke struggled to her feet, "I couldn''t stop in time, did that hurt you?"


    In front of so many people, what could Martin say? "It''s okay."


    ke struggled up, extending her hand to help Martin, and couldn''t help admiring, "You''re really well-built."


    "You''re very fit," Martin equallyplimented, getting up and brushing the sand off himself.


    ke said, "I yed ser, been the cheerleading captain since sixth grade."


    Martin nodded, so she yed ser and still plowed into people with the ball?


    Aga, getting impatient, yelled, "You two, are we continuing or what?"


    Martin moved around a bit, "Why wouldn''t we continue?"


    Not far away, Vogel was seated on a beach chair, watching everything with full view.


    The disparity in their choices of resources was heartbreakingly evident.


    Vogel didn''t mind stepping on others to climb higher, to him, this was the Hollywooddder, where each step upward was built on the bodies of rivals.


    Rick came over and said, "Better do it in the afternoon, less chance of idents at night."


    Vogel asked, "Is everything ready?"


    Rick nodded slightly, "The snake is ready, just call me on my cell before we leave, and I''ll get things prepared in advance."


    Vogel understood what Rick was angling for, "After it''s done, I''ll give you another payment, just keep your mouth shut."


    Rick smiled, "As a Mexican, I can''t threaten you."


    Vogel waved his hand dismissively as Rick left the area.


    Twenty or so meters away, Bruce, with dark sunsses covering his face, pulled out his newly bought camera phone and took several pictures of Rick in session.


    He then made a phone call to the crew''s security chief, Dallot, and sent the pictures via MMS.


    On the field, the other female yers were no longer focused on the game; these Mexican girls dreamed of going to America.


    ```


    Aga was knocked into the goal by the enthusiastic female yers.


    Martin wasn''t faring much better, having been knocked down by several female yers, with more charging at him with the ball.


    It was terrifying!


    Martin struggled up like a severely wounded soldier in a heavy bombing, crawling out from the barrage of the female yers.


    A pair of long legs approached from the opposite side. ke rushed over to the rescue, pulling Martin up and running away with him.


    "Quick, quick!" Martin threw away any semnce of male pride, but safety was far more important than face.


    After running for a few dozen meters, Martin stopped.


    ke caught up from behind, wiping the sand off his face and staring at that handsome face, "Are you alright?"


    Martin stretched his legs a bit, moving a little, "No major issues."


    ke went to brush off more sand from Martin''s body, and when he turned his head, he saw an outdoor shower area, grabbing Martin''s arm, "Let''s go wash off the sand over there."


    The weather was hot, sweat mixing with sand on his skin was ufortable, so Martin followed him there.


    After the water rinse, not feeling up to more sunbathing, Martin found a beach chair andy under a sun umbre.


    ke brought two cold drinks over, handing one to Martin, "This should suit your taste."


    Martin took it, nodding with a smile, "Thank you."


    key down on the beach chair beside him, draping a towel over his chest and stomach, but with his long legs resting on one side of the chair, purposely swinging them in front of Martin and asked, "When are you joining the cast? I''m looking forward to rehearsing with you. You''re ying my love interest, and I feel nothing rehearsing with the assistant."


    Martin replied offhandedly, "I should be done with my end by next week."


    He saw Old Cloth walking by in the front and said, "I have something to take care of, we''ll chatter."


    "I''ll wait for you here," ke said as he watched Martin walk away, pondering.


    Attractive looking, a priority for thepany to cultivate...


    Though a sucker for looks, ke was from an acting family and thought far more than the average girl.


    Arriving at a changing room, Bruce closed the door from inside, "I''ve notified Dallot, his people are following that stagehand, looks like they went outdoors."


    Dallot was previously hired as the security chief for the crew, and he had a lot of clout locally.


    Martin was surprised, "Outdoors for what? To poach? It can''t be, the outdoor scenes are all shot."


    Bruce suggested, "Best to figure out what he''s up to. Adapt on the fly, I believe you can handle it within the hotel confines."


    Martin emphasized firmly, "Old Cloth, make sure to cover my rear."


    Bruce assured, "Rest easy, I''ve got your back. Dallot and his folks have lots of dealings with Hollywood, paid work, solid reputation. One call from me, and at least a dozen men will turn up."


    That didn''t sound reliable at all, and Martin felt anxious, but he trusted Old Cloth.


    Before leaving, Bruce repeated, "Adapt as needed, figure out his intent—I''ll be near you."


    Martin returned to the beach and discovered Craven, Aga, and Capisce with their female yers, each heading back to the hotel.


    The way things were going, it seemed unlikely they''d be out again that afternoon.


    Martin returned to the umbre to find that ke was still waiting for him toe back.


    ke, watching as Martin approached in the sunlight, felt a pang of pleasure—he was so handsome.


    With a good face and a good physique to match.


    Martiny back down on the beach chair, chatting with ke up until nearly noon.


    Both crews had prepared avish luncheon, set up in the hotel''s grand ballroom.


    But the attendance was sparser than expected.


    The main male cast and crew members had taken their Mexican female yers back to their rooms early.


    Martin, fresh from a shower and changed into new clothes, arrived at the ballroom.


    The luncheon was buffet-style, and Martin grabbed a stack of food and a bottle of wine. Just as he found a ce to sit down, ke, now in a dress, joined him.


    She set a ss down across from Martin, "Pour me one."


    Martin asked out of habit, "You''re not of drinking age?"


    ke said, "This isn''t America." She crooked her finger, signaling a junior actor from the crew, "Get me a bottle of wine."


    The junior actor, acting like a servant, obediently went to get the wine.


    ke seemed very considerate of Martin, "Now it''s not your responsibility."


    The junior actor returned with a bottle, and several others followed, one of them being Mike Vogel.


    He brought two bottles of Mexican tequ, sitting down nearby, "Martin, long time no see. Shall we have a drink together?"


    Martin smiled, his mind spinning rapidly, stirring the news to provoke hispetitive spirit, were they enticing him to drink because people tend to act impulsively with alcohol and then spur him into a fight? He wasfortably tested with alcohol.


    Vogel uncapped the bottles and filled two sses, one he pushed to the edge of the table, taunting Martin, "That time with Andrew Nol, I reminded you that you owe me a favor."


    Martin didn''t touch the tequ, taking his whiskey instead, "I''m not a fan of tequ."


    Vogel nced at the alcohol content on the whiskeybel, "Suit yourself."


    Martin opened the bottle, poured a ss, clinked sses with Vogel, discreetly saying, "Thanks forst time."


    They drank together.


    Once the drinking started, it was hard to stop, and Vogel knew this well, chatting with Martin while looking for any reason to keep pouring and drinking.


    Martin wanted to see what he was up to.


    After a few shots, their boasts began to fly.


    Boasting about the amazing things they had done, their fighting prowess, as if one could single-handedly destroy the and neither would back down to the other.


    ke felt somewhat disappointed—was the idol''s alcohol tolerance not that great?


    Martin boasted that he was the toughest, most formidable fighter in Georgia.


    Vogel boasted he was the most dangerous man in Southern California.