Chapter 18: Risks and Opportunities

"Hello."

Unlike with the previous people, Kara Faith gave a polite smile and pointed to Murphy, gently declining, "Sorry, my friend and I have some things to discuss. We need a quiet space."

The tall black man was equally courteous. "Can I at least know your name?"

Pretending not to recognize the famous local personality, Kara showed a hint of impatience but still replied, "Kara Faith."

The man seemed to want to say more, but Kara turned to Murphy. "Dear, could you get us two sodas?"

Murphy signaled to a beachside waiter. "Two sodas, please."

After that, he pulled out a chair for Kara and then sat across from her.

The black man, however, didn't leave, seemingly unwilling to give up.

Kara, in her prime, was tall and sexy, and dressed to impress. She naturally drew the attention of any normal man.

In many people's eyes, a beautiful stranger at such an event usually had ulterior motives.

Compared to the black man, both Kara and Murphy were genuine small-timers.

"Hello, Ms. Faith," the black man extended his hand, "I'm Kobe Bryant."

Kara shook his hand politely. "Hello, Mr. Bryant."

She showed no special reaction.

Kobe looked a bit embarrassed, then turned to Murphy. "Hello..."

Murphy extended his hand. "Hello, Murphy Stanton."

"Maybe we'll chat another time," Kobe said, excusing himself. "I have friends waiting for me."

"Goodbye," Murphy waved.

Seeing Kobe leave, Kara curiously looked at Murphy. "He's a hero in this city. Why aren't you excited to see him?"

"Dear, I don't even understand basketball basics..." Murphy shrugged. "Why would I be interested in a basketball star?"

As a basketball novice, he only knew Kobe Bryant was a superstar. That Kobe's name was known even to someone like him spoke volumes about his global influence.

"And you? He seemed quite interested in you," Murphy asked Kara. "Why were you so indifferent? He's Kobe Bryant!"

Taking a sip of soda, Kara looked at the starry sky and gave a strong reason. "I cover social news, not sports news."

"I'm not talking about work," Murphy raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think he'd be a great partner?"

Kara looked at him. "Kobe Bryant is engaged. What do you think he's looking for?"

The answer was obvious. Worldwide, celebrities approaching beautiful women at such events usually had clear intentions.

Murphy wasn't surprised. Celebrities everywhere were pretty much the same, regardless of gender.

Taking a sip of his soda, he changed the subject. "Remember what I told you? Those two black men and the victim might all be drug dealers. That's a story worth digging into."

Kara looked at him strangely. "You're offering me a story for free instead of selling it?"

Murphy adopted a heartfelt expression. "We're good friends. We should help each other."

"Help each other?" Kara rolled her eyes. "I won't say thank you because I don't plan to report on that story anytime soon."

"Why not?" Murphy asked.

"It would weaken the impact of the Beale Street case."

Organizing her thoughts, Kara seriously said, "The ongoing black protests are mainly because the last perpetrator was shot by a white cop while unarmed. Plus, there's an unspoken understanding among blacks: the black criminals killed wealthy whites, creating a unique psychological response. If the two black men turn out to be drug dealers and the case is just an internal dispute, it breaks that understanding and quickly ends the movement in LA."

Facing Murphy, she didn't hold back. "We need ongoing sensational news, not a peaceful society."

Murphy nodded, agreeing with Kara. "We're not the government, and if the black movement calms down, it would negatively affect the documentary."

A city filled with violence, injustice, drugs, crime, and racial discrimination was the documentary's theme.

For such a documentary to gain wide attention, it needed a chaotic social backdrop.

However, the chaos caused by the black movement in LA didn't affect this upscale party. Here, it was always about indulgence. Well-dressed men hit on attractive women, and beautifully made-up women seduced famous men. Some notable gentlemen and ladies even enjoyed marijuana and pills together.

Sex, alcohol, drugs, and chaotic relationships were timeless themes at these parties.

Of course, there were also many self-disciplined attendees.

Murphy saw quite a few people like him and Kara, treating the party as a networking stage and staying away from potentially ruinous temptations.

Murphy knew his path and understood it wasn't time to enjoy yet.

He should be striving, not stopping due to these inexplicable distractions.

At the party, Murphy and Kara met many people, exchanged business cards, and slowly built their network.

By midnight, the party showed no signs of ending, but Murphy and Kara decided to leave. They both had work the next day and couldn't waste the entire night here. As they approached the Audi, Murphy suddenly stopped Kara.

"Look over there," Murphy nodded toward a spot about fifty feet away, where a black man was walking with a beautiful woman. "Isn't that the basketball star who tried to hit on you?"

The man was indeed Kobe Bryant, walking closely with a young, sexy redhead.

Murphy's eyes lit up. "Is that Kobe Bryant's fiancée?"

Kara glanced over and shook her head. "I don't think so. The media reported Kobe's fiancée is Latina, and this redhead clearly isn't."

Watching the pair walk together, Murphy's mind recalled some scandals involving the basketball superstar. Leaving the party with this redhead likely wasn't just for a chat.

Murphy's instincts, honed by his freelance journalism experience, kicked in.

Seeing the two reach a Hummer, Murphy turned to Kara, who was about to get into the driver's seat. "Can I borrow your car for a while, dear?"

Kara paused, then understood. She frowned slightly. "Are you planning to follow them?"

Murphy shrugged without answering.

After a brief consideration, Kara closed the driver's door. "I'll catch a ride with someone else. There's a Nikon D1 digital camera and a telephoto lens in the trunk."

"Thanks," Murphy said, moving to the driver's seat. "You've saved me a lot of trouble."

He had planned to buy a long-focus camera.

Kara's car had camera equipment, which wasn't surprising. She was a dedicated journalist who always carried her tools.

"Murphy, he's not just anybody. You might handle ordinary criminals one way," Kara cautioned, "but be cautious with him."

Murphy nodded seriously. "I'm not reckless. I know what to do."

Even if he captured something, Murphy wouldn't sell it directly to tabloids. With a superstar like Kobe Bryant, he couldn't act recklessly.

Those who thought they could do anything without consequences often ended up crushed.

Murphy lacked funds, and his dollars were far from enough for making movies. He needed ways to gather money and had done many crazy things over the past month, but those were with relatively ordinary people, not a superstar.

Coming from an internet-savvy era, Murphy knew that a superstar wasn't just an individual but a front for a large group of interests, from agencies to teams and sponsors. If he crossed a line, they could easily crush him.

Yes, following Kobe was risky, but Murphy still wanted to try. Opportunities like this were rare, and there were ways to handle it without crossing the line.

The risk was worth it for the initial capital accumulation.

Murphy sat in the driver's seat, buckled up, and gave Kara a thumbs-up. As the Hummer in front started moving, he followed.

With his previous experience, Murphy maintained a distance, following the Hummer as it circled several times, seemingly trying to shake off any potential tails.