Traveling back to 1966, starting by living in a cowshed.

Chapter 229 Another Conspiracy

Ugly country, Hollywood, Los Angeles.

The top floor of a heavily guarded private party venue was dimly lit, and the atmosphere was extremely oppressive.

The large conference table was filled with smoke, and the ashtrays were overflowing with cigarette butts.

Paramount CEO Johnson, his face as black as the bottom of a pot, stubbed out his cigarette in anger.

"Enough! Stop smoking! What's the point of choking to death with a room full of smoke?"

Around the table sat the heads of the eight major Hollywood film studios.

Everyone's face was extremely pale.

Adam, the head of Warner, scratched his head in frustration:

"This isn't the time to talk about that. Europe, Japan, South Korea, Australia... everything's in chaos!"

"We repeatedly warned them not to cooperate with Zhonghua, but what happened? They all ran away faster than anyone else!"

Carter, president of 20th Century Fox, spoke coldly:

"They only care about money, why would they heed our warnings?"

"But we can't just stand by and watch!" Johnson slammed his hand on the table.

"We've completely lost the Asian market, and if we can't hold onto Europe, what will we do then?"

The president of Universal Pictures sighed:

"The issue now isn't whether we can protect it or not; it's that we simply can't stop it."

"Zhonghua's special effects technology is a complete game-changer. Our film is not even worthy of shining their shoes when compared to theirs."

"So we're just going to watch them eat up our market bit by bit?"

"What else can we do?" The MGM executive said with a wry smile.

"Sue them? They're in Hong Kong, backed by mainland China. We can't reach them."

"Commercial suppression? They have more cash flow than any of us right now!"

"Blockade? Sanctions? Ban?" Johnson became increasingly agitated as he spoke.

"Which one is useful? They don't care at all! Even without our American market, they'll still make a fortune!"

The conference room fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone fell silent.

For the first time, they discovered that their pride in their capital, power, and methods were all ineffective in the face of that person from the East.

"We've sent people to Hong Kong to discuss this," the Disney representative said slowly.

"As you all know, the result was three times the agency fee, and 60% of the box office revenue. This isn't a partnership; it's clearly treating us like suckers!"

"He did it on purpose!" Johnson gritted his teeth. "He's getting revenge on us!"

"So what if we get revenge?" Carter suddenly spoke, his voice chilling. "We may have tempers, but what can we do to him?"

All eyes turned to Carter.

Carter is a notoriously ruthless character, cunning and audacious, and in Hollywood, his word is law.

Adam tentatively asked, "Carter, do you have other ideas?"

Carter looked up, scanning everyone present with a cold, emotionless gaze.

"Commercial tactics are useless, blockades are useless, negotiations are useless. So we can only use the simplest and most direct method."

Johnson frowned. "What method?"

Carter spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice extremely low: "Physical elimination."

"boom--"

One sentence caused an uproar in the entire conference room.

Everyone's expression changed drastically.

Adam jumped to his feet: "Carter! Are you crazy?! That's murder!"

"If word gets out, what will become of our company's reputation? Will anyone still want to work with us in the future?"

"So what if I kill someone?" Carter sneered.

"Once Lin Zhou dies, Zhonghua Group will be leaderless and fall apart. At that point, our special effects technology, company assets, and global distribution channels will be completely at our disposal."

Johnson's breath hitched:

"But...but we've already tried twice before, a car accident and a bomb. Which one succeeded? That guy is too tough; he's impossible to kill!"

"We were too hasty before," Carter said coldly.

"They only hired local thugs and amateurs; how could they possibly kill him?"

Adam's face paled: "You want to hire a professional?"

"That's right." Cardi nodded. "Old-school assassin organizations in Europe, mercenary groups in the Middle East—as long as the money's right, there's no mission they can't complete."

"But what about Hong Kong..." The Disney representative hesitated.

"China is watching very closely. If something serious happens, we're all doomed!"

"So it needs to be clean." Carter's tone was icy.

"Leave no trace, leave no clue. Make it look like an accident, like a gang shootout."

"As long as they can't trace it back to us, what can they do to us?"

Johnson remained silent for a long time before finally speaking with difficulty:

"Won't the price be too high? If we're exposed, we'll all be ruined, and might even go to jail."

"The price?" Carter scoffed.

"If we don't do it now, it won't be long before Zhonghua gradually eats us up, leading to bankruptcy, closure, and being kicked out."

"At that point, we'll lose our entire career, a lifetime's worth of wealth!"

He leaned forward slightly, his voice seductive.

"Once Lin Zhou dies, all problems will be solved. His technology, his company, his global market—they'll all be ours."

"We can surpass the past immediately and become the true rulers of Hollywood."

The meeting room was eerily quiet.

All that remained was the sound of everyone's heavy breathing.

Greed, fear, hesitation, ruthlessness...

A mix of emotions swirled in everyone's eyes.

Adam was the first to waver: "Really...can it be completely foolproof?"

"I promise," Carter said in a deep voice.

"I personally contacted and arranged everything. We brought in manpower and equipment from outside, without touching any local forces or leaving any clues."

Johnson swallowed hard. "Where's the money?"

"We'll split the money equally," Carter said without hesitation. "No matter how much it costs, all eight families will contribute. As long as we can get rid of Lin Zhou, it's worth any amount of money."

Another silence followed.

Finally, Johnson slowly nodded, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes disappearing completely.

Okay. I agree.

Once you've got the first one, the rest is much easier.

I agree.

Count me in.

"I agree."

In the blink of an eye, everyone had expressed their opinion.

The eight Hollywood giants, who were once high and mighty and constantly scheming against each other, are now completely bound together for the same dirty purpose.

A ruthless glint flashed in Carter's eyes: "Very well. From today onwards, this matter is top secret."

"If anyone leaks even a single word, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"clear."

Carter continued, "I'll contact the European side immediately and select the top, cleanest assassins."

"Enter Hong Kong in batches as tourists or businesspeople, and do not gather in groups or contact any locals."

Adam asked, "Is Lin Zhou the only target?"

"Kill only Lin Zhou." Carter said decisively. "Once he's dead, the Zhonghua Group will collapse on its own. Killing the others is useless and will only alert the enemy."

"And what about the timing of the operation?"

"The sooner the better," Carter said. "Take advantage of his current momentum and relaxed defenses to strike decisively. The longer it drags on, the more powerful he becomes, and the harder it will be to strike."

Johnson took a deep breath: "What do you need our cooperation with?"

"You don't need to do anything." Carter waved his hand. "Just wait quietly for news. Remember, during this time, you are not allowed to make any unusual moves or have any suspicious contact with Hong Kong."

"clear."

Carter stood up and straightened his suit.

"Gentlemen, our fate rests on this moment. This is our last chance."

"Once Lin Zhou is gone, we can rest easy."

"Can't be eliminated..."

He paused, his eyes turning cold.

"We're all just waiting to be kicked out of Hollywood by him."

No one speaks.

Everyone knows this is not an exaggeration.

That young man from the far East has already proven with facts—

He really could single-handedly overturn their entire chessboard.

A plot to assassinate Lin Zhou is quietly taking shape in the darkness.

Assassin, weapon, route, plan...

Everything was being prepared in secret.

They thought they had done something perfectly.

They believed that Lin Zhou was doomed this time.

None of them expected this.

This time, all the assassins they sent out would ultimately meet the same fate—

There was no return.

And they themselves will pay the heaviest price for this crazy decision they made today.

Night fell over Los Angeles.

A massacre and counterattack spanning half the globe is about to begin.