"Eric, you need eighty thousand, is that right? Did I learn it?"
"NONONO! You definitely learned it, but you can't say the tiles I need out loud. If they hear it, they won't discard them."
Seeing Elizabeth Olsen tipping him off, Eric quickly stopped her.
"Sorry, I don't understand the rules yet, I'll be careful."
As she spoke, she stood behind Eric, made a funny face, formed a scissor hand gesture, and then wiggled like seaweed, indicating that Eric still needed a two of bamboo.
It was clear that after knowing Eric's situation, no one else would let him draw the tiles he needed.
After playing more than a dozen tiles, he hadn't drawn a single one he needed, and it felt a bit off.
Eric suddenly turned around and saw the little girl cupping her not-so-prominent small breasts with her hands.
"I knew someone was up to something! No wonder no one was discarding the two of dots!"
He reached out to grab her, but Elizabeth Olsen laughed, skillfully dodged him, and ran off to play video games with Gadot.
After eating and drinking their fill, they watched an episode of Truth Time. Arthur's mental resilience was still too low, and he eventually gave up, walking away with only $25,000.
Actually, by this point, he had already answered 11 questions. He might as well have pushed harder. After exposing so much dirt about himself, he needed at least $100,000 to break even.
The second contestant was stronger, eventually successfully taking home $100,000. Although the likely outcome afterward was a broken family and losing his wife and children, at least he got the money.
After watching, it was still early, so Eric suggested playing mahjong to bond a bit, as tomorrow was Saturday and a day off.
This villa was very large; even with the Olsen Sisters and their nanny and servants, it was still too spacious, so Eric decided to commandeer it as his temporary palace.
Playing mahjong, of course, needed a prize.
So he suggested playing strip mahjong instead; whoever lost took off a piece of clothing.
In the summer, everyone wore light clothing, so after just three or four losses, they would essentially be in their underwear.
He just didn't expect them to conspire and cheat against him.
Just like now!
"Nine of bamboo!"
"Mahjong!"
"Are you kidding me, another mahjong? Theron also discarded a nine of bamboo just now, why didn't you win then?"
"I like it, none of your business! Hurry up and strip."
"Hmph hmph! I'll strip, I'm not at a disadvantage either way, it's not like no one has seen it before!"
Eric quickly stripped, leaving only his underwear.
He didn't shy away, boldly displaying himself. To last long, fitness was necessary. Although not as explosive as Schwarzenegger, he also had some muscle.
Nicole chuckled, "You only have one piece left. What will you take off if you lose again?"
"Exactly, if your underwear is off, what else do you have to bet?"
Eric's eyes darted around: "I'll bet myself. As long as I discard a winning tile for someone else, the person who wins will get a 'Hot Man Experience Voucher'."
"Ugh! Disgusting!"
"This is absolutely the worst thing I've ever heard."
"Do you think you're Joey?"
"I'm just asking if you want it or not."
"I want it. Maybe I'll get pregnant, hehe."
"Speaking of which, I'm actually very curious, Eric, is there something wrong with your body? The five of us, after three months, not a single one of us is pregnant."
"Even with the lowest vitality, at least one should have conceived. Are you infertile?"
Regarding this question, Eric himself was a bit suspicious. Had crossing over damaged a crucial part?
But when he secretly went to the hospital with Nicole to freeze sperm, the check-up showed everything was normal.
Yet three months with nothing happening—the probability was lottery-winning level. Could it be that even God was helping him? Letting him sow his wild oats for a while longer?
After the rules changed, to win Eric's 'Hot Man Experience Voucher,' the Ladies' Alliance immediately fell apart.
They no longer ganged up on him, which in turn allowed Eric to win mahjong many times.
More than an hour later, everyone was completely naked.
Towards the end, who still had the mind to play mahjong? Everyone was absentmindedly looking at each other.
If Judy were here, she would surely faint with happiness.
Even Gadot and Elizabeth Olsen stopped playing video games and squatted beside them to observe.
Elizabeth Olsen was very shy; she had only ever peeked at such illicit affairs.
She knew that the relationships among these people were very complicated, far more complicated than any melodramatic movie or TV show she had ever seen, but there was still a huge difference between knowing and seeing with her own eyes.
Elizabeth first shrieked, then covered her face, peeked after a while, and finally somehow got used to it.
Hmm, she got used to it.
After all, being in the entertainment industry, she had heard all sorts of rumors, and her threshold had already been raised significantly.
"No, it's too late. I have to go home. If we keep playing, it'll be midnight."
Theron yawned, got up to get dressed, and planned to leave. In reality, she was shy because Elizabeth was watching her.
Seeing her about to leave, Nicole also prepared to depart.
"Then I'm leaving too. See you another day." Gadot looked around, also ready to make a run for it.
But when they reached the door, they found it locked and couldn't open it.
Eric smiled at the three women: "I don't think going home is necessary. After all, it's already midnight, and if anything happens, I'd be worried."
"Besides, this villa is very large, and there are many rooms, enough to accommodate all of us."
"No! I object! This is my house!" Mary immediately shouted loudly.
"I object too! This is the Olsen Family's place, not the Cooper Family's. I don't want to see disgusting things happen here," Ashley also objected.
But since Eric had already conceived the idea of sleeping together, how could he let such a good opportunity pass? Opposition would only ignite his desire for conquest.
He glared at the two sisters: "Objection overruled. I'm in charge here!"
Then there was a crisp clatter as the mahjong tiles scattered on the floor.
Eric was usually very easygoing, but when it came to asserting his authority, he was absolutely firm.
"Elizabeth."
"Ah!"
Elizabeth Olsen was startled; she was already stunned by the sight before her.
"Don't be afraid, Elizabeth. This is just a game, you've known that all along, haven't you?"
Hearing this, Elizabeth Olsen nodded shyly, thinking that he knew everything all along.
"Wait here obediently. I'll go bring your other three sisters over. Later, I'll let them teach you how to play the yin-yang rubbing game."
Innumerable words omitted here!
Undoubtedly, the broadcast of Truth Time sparked widespread discussion across the United States.
Although this variety show didn't belong to the traditional competitive genre, Lionheart Network still released half a season at once, and the discussion volume exploded the next day.
Some people said it was incredibly good, the content was too explosive, and it completely refreshed their worldview.
This is truly the best variety show in human history, possessing unparalleled innovation and breakthrough.
It's legendary!
Absolutely legendary!
But many also criticized the show, especially several TV stations that were at odds with MGM, who finally found a legitimate reason to do so.
Film critics, scholars, experts, professors, and judges took turns criticizing it, lambasting Lionheart Network for lacking social responsibility and having a very bad guiding effect on social morality.
Facing these criticisms, Eric's in-laws promptly helped out.
As a traditional prominent family that had spanned over a hundred years, the Newhouse Family, though not comparable to the most powerful ones, had branched out into various sectors of society.
If you have experts, professors, and scholars, don't I?
Thus, many professors of sociology, communication, and journalism from prestigious institutions like Princeton and Harvard also came forward to refute the smear campaigns.
For a time, the debate was fierce and enjoyable. Negative impacts certainly existed, but the popularity was also very high.
In addition, many people questioned, believing that everything was scripted, and that the production team had hired actors, because would anyone really be that stupid?
However, Lionheart Network didn't even need to prove anything, as netizens quickly exposed the contestants.
Their jobs, families, and identities were all real and would be publicly disclosed on the show. A simple inquiry with a few locals could verify it.
However, several of the individuals involved had already gone into hiding. The scandals had led to their social demise, and they would not be appearing in public for the time being.
Eric was not worried about this, because greed would never change, and this show would never lack blindly confident people.
Now, on one hand, viewers were clamoring for the release of the remaining half-season, and on the other hand, they were discussing whether any brave soul could win the ultimate grand prize, or if anyone could withstand the scrutiny while still taking the money home.
If such a person existed, he could go into politics; he would be a true gentleman!
Some also suggested that the production team invite celebrities to the show, such as notorious figures like Charlie Sheen and Sean Penn.
A good idea, but unfortunately, it was a pipe dream.
After more than two months in theaters, frozen finally saw a large-scale theatrical run end, ultimately grossing $1.187 billion worldwide.
It was just short of the final push, not breaking $1.2 billion.
But it wasn't without hope; a few countries like the United States, Canada, and Norway still had scattered screenings, earning a million or two each week.
If it hung on like this, and MGM swallowed its pride to keep it in theaters, it might actually break $1.2 billion in another month or so.
The Titanic, back in the day, was able to stay in theaters for dozens of weeks under similar circumstances.
the conjuring, meanwhile, remained strong, holding its own against the onslaught of films starring award-winning actors and actresses.
Six months after dead silence was heavily criticized, James Wan's fan base rose again, comparing him to the most talented and outstanding horror film director of the younger generation.
The praise for the conjuring was endless, with some even boldly claiming it was on par with Room.
Audiences also noticed a pattern: whenever James Wan collaborated with MGM, the resulting films were guaranteed to be masterpieces, but collaborations with other companies were less consistent.
In an interview, James Wan also stated that he still lacked experience and needed more practice in handling certain plot aspects.
Sometimes he would be too self-indulgent, too eager to express himself, and overlook what the audience wanted to see.
This was a common failing among directors, and the failure of dead silence stemmed from this.
But at MGM, when he was unsure about an aspect, he would choose to consult with Eric and Leigh Whannell. The three would brainstorm a storyline that best suited the market, and thus, audiences saw a resurgent James Wan.
James Wan also stated that he would expedite the preparations for a sequel to the conjuring and expand it into a horror universe, continuously delivering excellent works to moviegoers.
For example, the ghost doll that left a deep impression on audiences—Annabelle.
mean girls, however, had a much tougher time. After nearly four weeks in theaters, its box office was only a little over $46 million, and it had only been released in a few overseas countries, where it was also heavily suppressed.
Andrea specifically apologized to Eric for this, but to be honest, it really wasn't her fault.
The movie's quality was still good, and it even made a small profit. Eric told her to rest and adjust her mood, and he would assign her new work after a while.
At the same time, another huge positive development was finalized.
After a long time, the joint investigation results of various departments into MySpace were finally announced, stating that MySpace involved a large amount of explicit content.
Furthermore, it constituted a serious invasion of user privacy, posed a huge risk of leakage, and had a severely negative impact on sex crimes, especially those involving minors.
The final penalty decision was to thoroughly rectify borderline content, strengthen risk control, and impose a fine of $273 million.
Facebook was also fined $38 million for its 'drift bottle' feature, but only needed to rectify the relevant content, which had little impact on its overall operations.
After the results were out, MySpace services were temporarily shut down; even accounts couldn't be accessed.
The internet was filled with wailing and lamentations. All the old perverts, young perverts, and bloggers who made money from suggestive content were cursing and venting their anger.
Cursing the officials, cursing MySpace, cursing Facebook.
But it was already too late; everyone knew MySpace was finished!
Conversely, Facebook's user registration numbers began to skyrocket, returning to the early days of its launch, with hundreds of thousands of new registrations each day.
When a whale falls, all things grow. A smaller whale is still a whale.
Many merchants who originally advertised on MySpace also began to turn their attention to Facebook.
Start the advertising business, please, brother!
We're actively bringing money to your doorstep, can't you just take it?
Just a little, just a little, okay, brother?
At the same time, not only did various merchants hope Facebook would launch advertising services, but many bloggers who had successfully cultivated their accounts and accumulated a certain fan base also hoped for it to start soon.
When MySpace was still around, they envied the money-making opportunities there and also knew that Facebook, to compete, adopted a user experience-first strategy.
But now MySpace had collapsed, and Facebook dominated the market.
What are you waiting for?
We all know you're a whore, stop pretending, strip!
As August began, this situation had fermented for half a month, and the time felt ripe.
Eric issued an order, and Fitz sent a notification to all Facebook users, stating that Facebook would officially launch its advertising business in three days.
The operation was simple: by merely checking an agreement in the backend, you could become a self-media operator and directly connect with merchants.
The amount of advertising revenue depended entirely on the blogger's ability. Facebook would only meticulously categorize ad placements, avoiding obnoxious phenomena like forced pop-ups or ads that filled the entire screen, striving to balance the interests of users, bloggers, and merchants.
Money, rain down!