Chapter 182

After leaving the training grounds, Martin hopped onto the tram and headed to another, larger studio where the scene was being set up.

Several key sets for The Matrix—including subway stations, martial arts halls, and cyberpunk-style hovercraft cabins—were already taking shape.

The Wachowski brothers were there, consulting with the set designers about the optimal camera placement.

The two brothers—one thin and the other a bit heavier—were easily recognizable. The older brother, Larry, was the slim one, while his younger brother, Andy, was the heavier one. Though neither of them had transitioned yet, they already displayed some feminine traits in their appearance, such as earrings, neatly shaped eyebrows, and red nail polish on their hands.

As soon as the brothers saw Martin enter, their faces lit up, and they quickly approached.

"Oh, Mr. Martin, thank you so much for allowing us to direct this film. Did you know my brother and I started working on a similar script back in college?" Larry extended his hand enthusiastically to shake Martin's.

Martin shook his hand quickly, but once their palms met, he pulled away just as quickly.

The brothers' sexual orientation was still a bit of a mystery. Although Larry had transitioned to a woman, she never openly discussed her preferences, which left an air of ambiguity.

At that moment, Andy, the younger brother, joined them and added excitedly, "This idea is incredible! It's amazing, Martin. Even though your script is said to be a spin-off of The Man From Another Dimension, it's actually been so drastically changed that it feels like a completely different story."

Martin chatted with them for a few minutes, then excused himself to find John Schwartzman, the head of Industrial Light and Magic, who was overseeing the set construction.

"Hey, John," Martin greeted.

"Hey, Martin!" John replied, a warm smile on his face.

"John, I hear you've been having some issues?"

"Yeah, Martin, it's with the bullet time effect you mentioned. I watched Stendhal Syndrome, the film you recommended. It's not that the effect is impossible, but your expectations are pretty high. You want not just a bullet flying through the air, but a complete 360-degree scene showing the flight paths of multiple bullets smoothly, along with the protagonist dodging them."

"What's the issue?" Martin asked, intrigued.

"Well, the challenge is in capturing the 360-degree effect with a camera. Even if we use multiple cameras, we still can't get a seamless result. We tried it, but there's always a gap that makes it look like a broken circle."

Martin frowned. "Can't we use computers to simulate it?"

"Unfortunately, we need to have real, physical scenes to work with before we can use computer-generated effects to complete the shot. Right now, special effects can't create something from nothing."

Martin paused, thinking. His mind flicked through memories of Asian Martin (The 2nd soul he merge). He lowered his eyelids, lost in thought.

John didn't interrupt, though he was skeptical Martin could come up with a solution.

Then, Martin's face lit up.

He had it—a solution, thanks to his connections in China's Expo Group Network.

"John, what if we set up an array of cameras around the actor, triggering their shutters either simultaneously or in sequence? We could create a rotating perspective of a stationary object, and then add special effects for the bullet flight paths."

"Brilliant!" John exclaimed, cutting Martin off mid-sentence.

John jumped to his feet, his face bright with excitement. "Damn, this is genius! Why didn't I think of it?! Using cameras like that, just rapid shots in sequence, linked together, would give the effect we need. As long as the frame rate is high enough, we can create a smooth dynamic scene!"

"So, can we make it happen?" Martin asked, a bit unsure.

"Of course!" John slapped Martin on the back. "You're a genius. I'll use computer simulations to optimize the camera setup and determine the best shooting order."

John couldn't wait to get started. He quickly excused himself and rushed to his equipment room, eager to begin working on the new idea.

Meanwhile, Martin's schedule remained packed. Aside from his work on The Matrix, he made sure to visit the Charlie's Angels cast in Atlanta nearly every weekend. The production was going well. The girls—most of whom had a background in dance—were picking up the fighting moves quickly.

Well, except for Drew Barrymore.

Drew had been making money for her family since she was a child and never had the time to learn to dance.

"Damn, my legs almost gave out. But, you know, I pushed through. What do you think? Are they a little firmer now?" Drew said, lifting her legs to tease Martin.

The other three girls were standing off to the side.

Jessica and Scarlett exchanged glances, their expressions filled with annoyance.

Scarlett muttered, "Every time Martin shows up, this B—, she just can't help herself…"

Jessica rolled her eyes. "Martin won't fall for her. She's not really one of us."

Scarlett nodded. "Yeah, I get that vibe too."

(Meanwhile, the "love species" that Martin had implanted caused the women to feel mutual affection, meaning Drew wasn't on their radar as a threat yet.)

Lindsay, on the other hand, smiled and said, "I think Drew's great. She even told me she'd buy me a car when I'm older."

Jessica scoffed. "Yeah, right. She's all talk. If you don't want her, I'll take that car when I grow up."

Lindsay frowned. "Um, I don't think I want a car that badly."

"Where are you from?" Scarlett joked, wrapping her arm around Lindsay's neck.

While Drew continued her flirtation, Martin asked about the progress of their work.

He never allowed personal matters to interfere with business.

Surprisingly, Drew wasn't particularly emotional.

Just earlier, Martin had tried to plant his "love seed" into her again, but she still hadn't responded.

Interesting. Was she really not that alluring? (This was a curious observation based on rumors he had recalled from China.)

He glanced over at Lindsay, suddenly struck with a thought. Could it be that Lindsay was the one Drew actually wanted?

This thought only fueled Martin's desire to gain control over Drew. He hadn't "tasted" his prize yet, and he wasn't about to let Drew steal the show.

The "love type" could prevent betrayal from the opposite sex, but it wouldn't stop feelings from developing between women—especially if the relationship was too intense.

Lindsay was far too innocent, too naïve to compete with Drew, the seductress.

Thankfully, after planting the seed, Martin could continue to plant psychological suggestions in the women's minds, ensuring they wouldn't stray from his control.

"What are you thinking about?" Drew's voice snapped him out of his thoughts as she playfully touched his lower abdomen.

"I'm thinking about how to conquer you," Martin replied, with unguarded honesty.

Drew's eyes sparkled with mischief as she licked her lips. "How about you come to my room tonight?"

"Sounds good," Martin said.

Drew was taken aback. That was way easier than she expected.

But little did he know, the succubus before him was actually a little nervous about Martin's power.