diymy Chapter 38, "Jaws," takes place on the West Coast.
Chapter 38, "Jaws," takes place on the West Coast.
Here's another piece of news about Hiroki Ishii.
Since acquiring the intelligence system, the information updated daily has been varied and diverse, but this is the first time that the same person's movements have been pushed out for two consecutive days.
San Jose, located just a few dozen kilometers from San Francisco, is another important Chinese community in California.
Qin Han took out a map of California from the drawer and glanced at it: This guy wants to march all the way south, from San Francisco to Hollywood?
"Kyokushin Kaikan... Mas Oyama's apprentice?"
He copied this new intelligence report together with the one from yesterday and muttered to himself.
In 1973, Kyokushin Karate was in a period of rapid expansion, known for its fierce and practical combat, and even proclaimed itself as the "strongest on earth".
And Lorna's report made Bruce Lee famous again, which made these Japanese devils restless.
If this guy really intended to head south, then his ultimate target must have been Bruce Lee, who was in Los Angeles at that time.
"Trying to climb to the top by stepping on your master? Aren't you afraid of breaking your teeth in the process?"
He typed three exclamation marks in his notebook to indicate "caution needed" and then went downstairs.
In the living room, George had finished his morning exercise and was getting ready to leave for school.
The boy's spirit was completely different from when he lived in the slums; his timidity had disappeared, and he was full of vigor.
"Go ahead, but don't get into fights at school, and don't let anyone bully you either." Qin Han waved with a smile.
"Got it!" George rushed out the door.
Bruce Lee was eating breakfast when he saw his apprentice come downstairs, so he put down his coffee cup.
"Ah Han, about buying the script you mentioned yesterday..."
As he spoke, he reached into the pocket of his tracksuit.
"Boom—" Just then, the roar of an engine came from outside the villa.
"It seems our guests have arrived." Qin Han smiled slightly.
He quickly opened the door, and Lorna waved to him, followed by a man wearing a dark blue wool coat and black-rimmed glasses.
Peter Benchley walked into the yard with a smile on his face.
Compared to his disheveled and unkempt appearance at the New York Hilton Hotel, he was now a completely different person.
His beard was neatly shaved, and his hair was combed meticulously. Although there was still a hint of fatigue from the long flight in his eyes, the pride and confidence that belonged to a scholar had returned to him.
"Qin! My friend!"
As soon as he entered, Peter gave Qin Han a warm hug: "You know what? I'm now a contributing columnist for The New York Times!"
"That miser Max offered me this time; the fee he quoted makes me suspect he's printing counterfeit money!"
He patted Qin Han's back forcefully: "All of this is thanks to the gift you gave me!"
"That's what you deserve, Peter," Qin Han replied with a smile, then introduced:
"Come on, let's get acquainted. This is the one I told you about, the King of Kung Fu, Bruce Lee."
Peter immediately toned down his wild behavior, adjusted his glasses, and looked at Bruce Lee with a hint of respect:
"Mr. Li, I've long admired your name. I've read the report about Luo Na, and your philosophical thoughts have left a deep impression on me."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Benchley." Bruce Lee extended his hand, and the two shook hands firmly.
The group sat down at the conference table in the living room, and Andrew served freshly brewed coffee.
After exchanging pleasantries, Peter took a file folder from his briefcase: "Qin, I will abide by our gentleman's agreement."
"This is the complete story outline for my novel, along with a draft of the first three chapters—I've titled it 'Jaws'!"
Qin Han opened the file bag, took out the stack of manuscript papers, and the group began to read them together.
Peter Benchley's writing is highly vivid.
Even in words, the oppression beneath the deep sea, the despair when giant beasts attack, and the powerlessness of the town sheriff are all vividly portrayed.
The description of the monster "Great White Shark" is particularly chilling, even without explicit gore.
A few minutes later, Bruce Lee let out a long breath:
"Excellent. Although I don't know much about monster movies, I can feel that there is a lot of dramatic tension in this one."
Peter's face lit up with undisguised pride upon receiving Bruce Lee's affirmation.
"That's what I wanted to say." He picked up his coffee and took a sip.
"It's not just about sharks eating people, but also about the feeling of insignificance humans have when facing nature. Of course, there's also the ugly face of those damned bureaucrats who cover up the truth for the sake of tourism revenue."
Qin Han closed the manuscript: "It is indeed a good story. Peter, your talent is beyond doubt."
"Since everyone is interested, let's begin."
Peter nodded, adopting a negotiating stance: "I'm very grateful for your gift that turned my life around. However, business is business, and I hope my 'own son' can fetch a good price."
As an elite who once wrote for the president in the White House, his vision is naturally broad.
Even if there was a prior favor, it is impossible to sell one's hard work cheaply.
Qin Han did not respond immediately, but quickly began to calculate in his mind.
Peter's personal visit certainly demonstrated his sincerity, but it also made the previously ample fundraising time suddenly become tight—the best strategy, of course, is to get him to make a decision on the spot.
Right now, the quickest money they can get is from the upcoming release of "The Big Boss".
According to data from the previous life, this film grossed approximately $630 million in North America.
This time, with Universal Pictures' theatrical distribution channels and Lorna Barrett's promotion, the box office will definitely be better than in the previous life.
With Golden Harvest covering the costs of film and initial promotional materials, it's conservatively estimated that they can still earn a profit of 300 million.
Based on a 10% share, Golden Harvest would receive $30.
My own 1.5% is only $45,000.
Compared to the $12 copyright fee for "Jaws" in my previous life, this seems a bit risky!
He stood up and made an apologetic gesture to Peter: "Excuse me, please allow us to leave for a moment."
Then he gave his master a wink, and the two went into the study and closed the door.
"Master, I'd like to discuss something with you. After 'The Big Boss' is released, could you let me use all of the 3% we received to buy the rights to this novel?"
"I just did the math, and that 3% is about $9. Combined with my personal relationship with Peter, it should be enough to sway him."
"Once 'Fist of Fury' and 'Way of the Dragon' continue to be shown in theaters, I'll get my share and then give the money..."
Qin Han suddenly stopped.
He saw Bruce Lee looking at him with a half-smile, holding a somewhat worn bankbook in his hand, which he handed to him.
"Why say so much? I've already prepared the money for you to buy the copyright."
"But every time I'm about to give it to you, something else gets in the way!"
"This is your HSBC bank passbook. There's about two hundred thousand in it, which should be enough for you for now!"