Chapter 6: Future Path

Outside, darkness had fallen, but inside, the lights shone brightly, and the room was filled with continuous laughter and merriment.

After Harris polished off his Monte Cristo sandwich, he grabbed a beer can and tossed one to Martin. Opening another with one hand, he exclaimed loudly, "Martin, my respect for you just went from zero to ninety percent!"

Elena joined them, placing a plate next to Martin and skewering a piece of oxtail meat. She said, "This one's for you."

Martin took a bite of the meat, cracked open a beer, raised it high, and declared, "Here's to you losers!"

"Cheers!" came the chorus from the group.

Even Lily and Hall, the two troublemakers, raised their Cokes in solidarity.

The afternoon's successful endeavor had brought genuine happiness.

The joy was so unadulterated that it even tempted Lily and Hall to reach for the beer.

Elena cast a sidelong glance, and Lily quickly retreated, saying, "It wasn't me; Hall held my hand!"

Hall, not to be outdone, added, "He encouraged me to do it!"

Martin rapped an empty can, warning, "If you two idiots spoil my good mood, I'll toss you out to sleep on the street."

Lily chimed in, "It's on you then."

Martin rose and declared, "Alright, I'll whip up a girly drink for you."

Elena was surprised, "Since when did you, an idiot, learn to mix drinks?"

Martin grabbed a can of sweet water beer and headed to the open kitchen while explaining, "Old bastard Jack is the most versatile guy in Northeast Marietta. Why do you think he kidnapped your mother?"

Harris, slyly sneaking around behind the sofa, added, "There's a ninety-nine percent chance that the son of bastard Jack is also a bastard."

Lily, overhearing this, quipped, "Scott and Jack are both bastards, and Martin is one too. Perfect inheritance!"

Elena's fist landed on Lily's face with a smack, and Lily winced, clutching her nose in silence.

The kitchen was lacking professional equipment, so Martin improvised with whatever he could find. With no cocktail shaker on hand, he opted for Lily's school kettle.

Jack Davis might be versatile, but Martin Davis didn't learn bartending from him. He picked up this skill while auditioning for a supporting role as a bartender.

At the time, Martin was a keen drinker and practiced relentlessly.

Martin poured half a bottle of sweet water beer into the kettle, added sugar, salt, cola, baking soda, cracked an egg, whisked in the egg white, squeezed in some lemon juice, and finally sealed the kettle and gave it a vigorous shake.

Placing two cups on the coffee table, amidst the food packaging boxes, Martin unscrewed the kettle's lid and poured the concoction into the cups, declaring, "Cheers, everyone!"

Elena took a cup and cautiously took a sip, remarking, "It tastes a bit strange."

Lily, on the other hand, grabbed the other cup and sniffed it, exclaiming, "It's absolutely disgusting!"

Martin tapped Lily on the head, admonishing, "You idiot, watch your language."

Harris snatched Lily's glass away and savored it alone, asking, "Is there anything you know that we don't?"

Martin quipped, "I'm also quite skilled at horseback riding."

Lily couldn't contain herself any longer and blurted out, "I knew..."

With a sharp gaze, Martin turned toward Lily, who promptly fell silent.

Martin had once been a knight-errant.

Elena finished her foam-topped drink and remembered something. She retrieved a packaged CD and handed it to Martin, asking, "Copied video."

Harris inquired, "Is it still useful?"

Martin set it aside and responded vaguely, "Even if that loser quits tomorrow, his drug test will come up positive for quite some time."

The others shrugged off the comment, focusing on their meal and drinks.

Once Elena had eaten her fill and enjoyed her drink, she asked, "You're not going to take the money and disappear like that bastard Jack, are you?"

Martin popped open another beer, saying, "It's just a small sum, and going to a strange place to blow it all... life is still tough right now."

Whether this was entirely true or not, Martin was indeed contemplating the idea of disappearing. Whether he would follow through would depend on the circumstances.

Elena stretched her legs onto the sofa, saying, "I'll allow you to postpone the rent and prioritize paying off part of the loan shark debt. I've heard that Vincent, the boss of the Hulk Mansion Strip Club, is a tough nut to crack." She inquired further, "Have you thought about finding a new job?"

Martin had indeed given it some thought. "I'll do what I do best..."

It was late, and after a tiring day, Harris had ushered Hall back to their room to rest.

Elena rose to tidy up the mess on the floor, positioning herself with her back to Martin, and bent down to collect the napkins Hall had carelessly discarded.

...

In the morning, Martin found himself sleeping alone on the couch.

Carter's house wasn't spacious, featuring just two bedrooms. Elena and Lily shared one, while Harris and Hall occupied the other.

Sharing a room with Elena and Lily wasn't a feasible option for Martin. So last night, too lazy to walk to the next door, he simply settled on the couch.

In that half-awake state, Martin contemplated what he excelled at.

What was his forte? Acting, Stuntman and other related skills were undoubtedly paramount in the entertainment industry.

In his previous life, during his youth, he had harbored dreams of becoming the next Tom Cruise, dedicating many of his prime years to the pursuit.

If we spoke solely about his acting abilities, despite his background, he was diligent and willing to put in the hard work. After joining the supporting role, even seasoned actors who had begun their careers in theater would praise him.

However, the domain of acting in theatre demanded talent. In his previous life, Martin had been exceptionally gifted. Yet, in the entertainment industry, success wasn't solely determined by talent and acting prowess.

Martin had long shed his naivety and possessed a thorough understanding of himself.

His predecessor, Martin Davis, had been nearly at the bottom of the societal ladder. He lacked connections, had a negative net worth, and hadn't even completed any type Education.

Martin understood all too well that if he wanted to forge ahead, it was essential to work in an industry where he excelled.

Even the Hollywood film and television sector wasn't straightforward. The reality was that for underprivileged individuals, few alternatives existed aside from making money illicitly or getting involved with a gang as low-level fodder.

Martin's short-term objectives had grown clear: adapt to the traditional society, gain deeper insights into the dynamics of the film and television industry, and earn sufficient funds to eventually seek opportunities in Los Angeles or New York.

Atlanta, for the time being, could serve as a starting point. After all, by around 2015, Atlanta had emerged as the third-largest hub for film and television production in the United States, following Los Angeles and New York.

Primarily, it was all about seizing opportunities, as often, opportunities held greater significance than mere abilities.

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