America: From a Fallen Child Star to the Head of the University of the West

Two days later, early in the morning, at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

This is the filming location for the movie "Rocky," and those seventy-two steps have always been regarded by countless movie fans as a sacred place of struggle and perseverance.

Sean, dressed in a gray sweatshirt, was climbing the steps, jogging like Sylvester Stallone in the movies. His breathing was rhythmic, and the news broadcast from his headphones mingled with the chilly morning air.

"...According to the latest news from our station, 76ers president Daryl Morey is out of danger. The gunshot wound hit his right shoulder, and doctors say he will face a long rehabilitation period..."

That's Rachel Jones' voice, and as cold as ever.

This was followed by a comment from Fox News: "...This is blatant violence! A trampling of the rule of law in America! While we sympathize with the plight of Chinatown, violence is never the way to solve problems..."

Then, Sean took off his headphones without any expression.

Morey is not dead, that's good.

If he dies, he will become some kind of martyr who sacrificed himself for the development of the city, and capitalists will elevate him to a pedestal and then use his blood to morally crush the opponents.

But he was alive and disabled, which made him a liability.

With that thought in mind, Sean ran up the last step, turned around, and looked down at the entire city of Philadelphia.

In the distance, several burly men dressed in black suits and wearing sunglasses were scattered around the square, seemingly admiring the scenery, but their eyes were actually fixed on him.

That was the security team sent by Musk.

Ever since the Camden shooting, Musk has been sending these people over under the guise of "protecting partners." Sean didn't refuse; after all, the number of people who wanted him to shut up could probably stretch from here to the Delaware River.

"Huff... huff..."

A heavy breathing sound came from behind me.

Sean turned around and saw Matthew standing at the bottom of the steps, holding his knees and panting heavily.

"Mr. Pan... Mr. Pan..." Matthew wiped the sweat from his forehead, "Why are you up so early today?"

"The early bird catches the worm, and the early politician gets the votes," Sean said with a smile, stretching his arms. "And I've recently been studying Kennedy's campaign videos. I've found that a healthy physique and a vibrant appearance mean 'trustworthy' and 'powerful' to voters."

"That makes sense." Matthew straightened up and took a deep breath. "But these steps are too difficult to climb."

"You'll get used to it." Sean handed him a bottle of water. "How's Sarah doing?"

When work is mentioned, Matthew immediately gets into the zone.

He took a sip of water and said, "Sarah and her data team worked two all-nighters. The AI ​​analyzed Philadelphia's commercial real estate data from the past twenty years, traffic flow models, and the 76ers' financial statements. Of course, it mainly relied on human effort."

"And the conclusion?"

"The conclusion is..." Matthew paused, "The best solution is actually to keep everything unchanged."

"Stay in South Philadelphia?"

"Yes. Stay at Wells Fargo Center, or build a new one on vacant land in the South Philadelphia Sports Complex," Matthew explained. "There are existing subway lines, highway exits, and huge parking lots. And sharing the arena with the hockey team would share at least 40% of the operating costs."

"If we build a new venue in the city center, although the theoretical commercial potential is higher, the actual return is actually lower than in South Philadelphia, considering the demolition costs, the hidden losses caused by traffic congestion, and... cough cough, the public relations risks caused by community conflicts."

Sean nodded, looking at the rising sun in the distance.

"A rational choice," he commented. "It's good for everyone. Fans don't have to worry about traffic jams, Chinatown doesn't have to worry about being demolished, and the 76ers can save money."

“But,” Sean added, “capitalists and politicians are often not rational. What they want is not to save money, but growth. The South Philadelphia story has been told to death; they need this new downtown concept to boost stock prices and their political performance.”

"So what should we do?"

"People always like compromises," Sean smiled knowingly. "If I want to open a window in the house, they definitely won't agree. But if I say I want to tear the roof off, they'll be begging me to open a window."

"Morey's actions, though unexpected, have certainly caused a major stir. Now, they should be willing to sit down and talk about other things."

As they were talking, Sean's gaze suddenly froze on the bottom of the steps.

Three black Lincoln Navigators slowly pulled up to the side of the road. The doors opened, and several solemn-looking bodyguards got out first, followed by a powerful Black woman.

It was the mayor of Philadelphia, Patricia Howard.

She clearly wasn't there for a morning run.

"Looks like the person who wants to open the window is here." Sean patted Matthew on the back. "Adjust your expression, Matthew. Don't make us look like kids who've done something wrong."

Mayor Howard, accompanied by her chief of staff, walked straight up the steps. Her steps were steady, each one carrying an imposing air of authority.

She walked up to Sean, took off her sunglasses, and scrutinized him with her eyes.

The number above the head: [55].

It's gotten quite a bit better than when we last met; it seems ordering pizza was worth it.

"Sean Penn," Howard's voice was cold, "you've really gone too far. The investigation into you isn't over yet, and you've already left Pennsylvania without permission, twice!"

"Good morning, Madam Mayor." Sean gave an innocent smile, completely changing the subject. "Isn't the view here nice?"

"Don't try to dangle the scenery in my head," Howard said sternly. "The Camden incident almost turned into a disaster. If Morey had actually died, or if that gun had accidentally discharged and injured civilians, do you know what the consequences would have been?"

"The consequence is that New Jersey's security situation will be questioned across the country," Sean said without backing down. "Madam Mayor, I warned that Clerk Harold beforehand. It was his arrogant rejection of a legal assembly application that turned a peaceful protest into an out-of-control riot."

"Besides," Sean stepped forward, "you should be thanking me."

"Thank you for creating chaos?"

"Thanks for helping Philadelphia keep the 76ers," Sean smiled. "After this, do you think the 76ers' management will still think New Jersey is a good place? That so-called Camden backup plan is now completely bankrupt. They can only stay in Philadelphia, on your turf."

"Oh no, stay on Philadelphia's territory."

Howard remained silent.

Although she and the mayor of New Jersey both belonged to the Democratic Party, they were fierce rivals in the competition for top-tier resources like professional sports teams.

If the 76ers really leave, it will be the biggest stain on her tenure. Now, despite the bloodshed, the probability of the team staying has indeed become 100%.

She looked at Sean, the sternness in her eyes fading slightly, replaced by a complex look of someone looking at one of their own. Even her favorability rating had risen to [60].

"One thing at a time," Howard sighed. "However, I did call you here today because it's important."

She waved her hand, and the chief of staff behind her handed her a document.

"This is a new memo that Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment sent me last night," Howard said. "They're willing to get back to the negotiating table. And this time, without Morey."

"Oh? You bypassed the 76ers?" Sean took the document and flipped through it casually. "It seems Mr. Morey has become a pawn. The speed at which capitalists discard their tools is always so chilling."

"Alright, stop with the sarcastic remarks," Howard interrupted him. "Mr. Harris hopes that you, as the representative of Chinatown, will agree to their new proposal. In exchange, they will invest an additional twenty million dollars in the community building fund."

"Sean, I sincerely hope you'll say yes," Howard said earnestly. "It's good for everyone. You gain fame, Chinatown benefits, and the team stays in Philadelphia. It's a win-win-win situation."

"If you're interested in taking things a step further in politics..." she paused, then offered a tempting offer, "I can introduce you to some friends on the Democratic National Committee. They have a lot of influence in Washington, and they'd be happy to mentor a promising newcomer like yourself."

This is an attempt to recruit him into the government.

Sean closed the file and handed it back to the chief of staff.

"Thank you for your kind offer, Madam Mayor. But I have no interest in the gentlemen of Washington."

"So what do you want?" Howard frowned.

"I want an autograph."

"What?"

"Signatures," Sean held up five fingers. "Five thousand. I need five thousand valid signatures from registered voters in Philadelphia."

He only needs to collect these 5,000 signatures in Philadelphia, then he won't need to travel to other parts of Pennsylvania, and he can pass the first hurdle.

If he can pass the first hurdle, he can create hype for himself and promote it extensively.

Upon hearing this, Matthew looked at Sean with some surprise, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Howard was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant.

"You mean the eligibility to run as an independent candidate?" She looked at Sean incredulously. "Are you serious? You want to run in the general election this year?"

Why not?

"This is insane..." Howard muttered to himself, "You have no party backing, no campaign team, and not even a decent political resume."

"I have the will of the people," Sean said, pointing to the city below the mountain. "That's enough."

"If Mayor, could you do me a small favor and make the process of collecting these 5,000 signatures a little smoother, without any administrative obstacles..." Sean smiled, "then I think we still have a lot to discuss regarding the 76ers' new proposal."

Howard gave him a deep look.

This man was more ambitious and more pragmatic than she had imagined.

But does he have public support? She couldn't agree with that.

"I'll consider it." Howard didn't agree on the spot, but it was the best answer he could give.

"That's good." Sean smiled. "As for the new plan... at least let me take a look at it first, right?"

"Tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM, in City Hall Conference Room 4." Howard resumed his businesslike tone. "There's a closed-door meeting about city planning. Mr. Harris's representative will be attending, and we'll be discussing new proposals. Please make sure you're there."

"No problem," Sean nodded. "But what if I have a better solution?"

"A better solution?" Howard raised an eyebrow.

"A solution that will satisfy everyone." Sean pointed to Matthew beside him. "My team has done a lot of homework."

"Then we're all ears." Howard put his sunglasses back on and prepared to turn and leave.

However, just as she took her first step, she seemed to suddenly remember something, so she stopped and looked back at Sean.

"Oh, right, Pan, I have some bad news for you."

"What?"

"The New Jersey Attorney General's office just informed us," Howard said, his expression subtle. "They intend to file charges against you in connection with the Camden riots. The charges are... sedition and endangering public safety."