I'm building Gundams in America

The office was filled with the smell of tobacco.

Behind a huge desk, Aaron, a blond, bespectacled, and suited agent, was smoking a cigar and making a phone call.

"Mr. Bourne, your men still haven't found Bruce Wayne, and I'm really losing patience with your men... Of course, I don't mean any disrespect, it's just that..."

A short, stout, bald man stood by a window not far away, looking out the window, also holding a cigar.

On the rather extravagantly luxurious sofa next to them sat a middle-aged man with graying hair.

The man had a refined appearance, but his stubble made him look somewhat weathered, and his clothes were ill-fitting and even worn. He was staring blankly at a contract on the table in front of him, looking worried.

The contract prominently featured the title "The Death of Christ (tentative title)".

Wayne's appearance immediately attracted the attention of the three people in the room, and all three turned to look at him at the same time.

Upon seeing Wayne, his former agent Aaron, who was on the phone, paused for a moment, then beamed with joy and said into the phone:

"Mr. Byrne, I think we've solved our problem. I saw him. Our method worked. I told you he's a fucking coward. He would never dare to hide forever... It looks like he's already obediently come to Los Angeles."

"Yes, sir. It's been a pleasure doing business with you. I look forward to working with you again. This project is sure to make us a fortune..."

With that, Aaron hung up the phone, leaned back abruptly, put his legs up on the desk, took a deep drag of his cigar, looked at Wayne in front of him, laughed loudly, and said:

"Look who it is! That fucking Jack! That son of a bitch Bruce Wayne!"

His eyes were filled with an air of absolute confidence, his gaze sharp as he sized Wayne up and down, clicking his tongue as he said:

"Look, look, I knew this kid was an obedient good boy, a fucking coward. Not only did he come here on his own initiative, but he even changed into this outfit...tsk tsk, he came to audition by himself, what a fucking clever little devil..."

"Back when you were still Jack, I thought you were a good kid, Wayne, and I still think so now... You made the right choice, and I think you'll thank yourself for it someday..."

"My ultimatum to you is about to expire. The project funds have already been transferred. If you don't show up soon, I'll have to send Mr. Byrne of the Mexican Mafia to find you. At that point, it won't be as simple as you coming on your own."

As he spoke, he said to the short, stout, bald man standing by the window:

"Victor, my friend, how about it? I told you long ago, that damn Wayne is a pathetic bastard. I just need to send a few emails from the back end, and he'll come crawling over. After all, he still owes me a lot of money..."

The short, stout, bald man, Victor, took a puff of his cigar, looked at Wayne with a greedy glint in his eyes, and said:

"Not bad... Bruce Wayne... No wonder those idiots online call him the Saint, the image is just too perfect... But I think our lead actor still needs an audition, I also need to explain to the investors..."

Agent Aaron stood up, shrugged, pointed his cigar at Wayne, and said to Victor:

"Don't worry, Victor, my friend. That fucking BamJack is a born actor. He was a great actor even when he was a child star, otherwise those big shots wouldn't have taken notice of him. Even now that he's older, he still knows it all, just like that fucking Nicolas Cage. Acting is in his bones..."

"Tsk tsk, look at his beard, look at his eyes, he's like a fucking saint. The life of a homeless man has clearly shaped him..."

Aaron and Victor were commenting on Wayne as if he were an object of sale.

There was no respect for Wayne as an equal in their conversation; rather, it was as if they were commenting on the slave laborers they controlled.

Victor glanced at Wayne, shrugged, and remained noncommittal.

Agent Aaron looked at Wayne, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said:

"Hey, Jake, this is your first audition. Now, right now, immediately, put on your Jesus act, just like you talk in that fucking courtroom."

Wayne remained calm, looking at his agent Aaron and producer Victor, and said in a deep voice:

"Aaron, my friend, there are some things we need to make clear, just as God said before the Great Flood... Your actions deserve punishment."

Upon hearing this, Aaron and Victor were both taken aback. Then they exchanged a glance, and Victor burst into laughter, saying:

"That's it, that's it, that's the feeling! It's like Jesus fucking came down from the cross, I got goosebumps..."

As he spoke, he stretched out his arm to show the people in the room.

He then said to Aaron:

"That's him, Aaron. You bastard, you were absolutely right. This fucking Bruce Wayne is just perfect for this movie..."

Aaron took a deep drag on his cigar, exhaled a puff of smoke, and grinned as he said:

"How about that? I told you so, didn't I? I know Bruce Wayne so well, oh... my goodness, you're a natural for this... You passed the audition, now it's just a matter of the contract..."

As he spoke, he pointed to a somewhat disheveled young man with graying hair sitting on the sofa beside him and said:

"This is your director, Josh Wayne. I think you two should fucking get to know each other."

"Speaking of which, your experiences are quite similar. You're a damn child star, and he's a genius director who won awards right from his debut. You're both unlucky guys."

The man who was pointed at suddenly stood up, somewhat awkwardly extending his fist towards Wayne, and said:

"Mr. Wayne, hello, I'm Josh, the director of this film. It's a pleasure to meet you... I used to be a fan of 'Golden Childhood' too... I hope we can both return to our peak with this film."

Wayne nodded calmly, a friendly expression on his face, bumped fists with the other man, and said:

"Hello, Mr. Josh."

Although Josh is only in his thirties, he has been working in Hollywood for over a decade.

When he was in his early twenties, he made a name for himself with a low-budget independent film called "Chronicle," which earned him worldwide acclaim.

A few years later, he gained the favor of a major studio and was selected to direct a big-budget superhero movie.

Unexpectedly, the film was a complete flop, ultimately resulting in a huge financial loss and making it the biggest money-loser of the year.

Since then, Josh has faded into obscurity, completely abandoned by the major Hollywood studios, only able to take on small productions such as independent films, and gradually forgotten by the film and television industry.

From child prodigy to box office poison, all it takes is one movie.

Clearly, his presence here is not due to his superior abilities, but rather because he is easier to control.

Producer Victor and agent Aaron also lacked sufficient respect for director Josh.

In Hollywood, directors are also divided into different levels.

The most powerful are auteur directors, such as Nolan and Spielberg. They wield immense power on projects and are practically emperors on set; investors practically beg them to make their films.

Then there are union-affiliated directors, which is the category of most ordinary directors. Although they are protected by unions, they are subject to the constraints of producers.

Then there are hired directors and puppet directors, who are basically directors with very little say in the matter.

Josh is clearly the last type, someone who encountered this project in dire straits and wanted to turn his life around with it.

"Damn Wayne, now it's time to talk about the contract," Aaron said, cigar in hand and eyes narrowed. "Same as before, this time I've prepared a performance-based agreement for you..."

As he spoke, he opened a drawer, took out a contract, and threw it on the table.

Viktor grinned and said:

"Sign it, little Jack. After you sign it, you can go back to your golden childhood..."

"You know, many people like you, and I think we can collaborate multiple times..."

Wayne remained calm, glancing at Aaron and Victor, then at Josh beside him, silently calculating the force needed to knock them unconscious.

Josh was innocent, and killing him to silence him wouldn't be in Wayne's nature.

It's better to knock him unconscious, otherwise what he does to Aaron and Victor later might drive them crazy.

Wayne took a step forward and instantly selected the Messiah's sword with his mind.

Just then, the office door was suddenly pushed open, and a woman dressed as a secretary looked up and said:

"Boss, the media you invited have arrived."

Aaron smirked, straightened his collar, and said:

"Let them in."

"Bruce, Mr. Victor and I were originally planning a simple promotional event for the movie, but now that you're here, things are even easier..."

As they were speaking, a group of reporters filed in and swarmed around Wayne, taking photos and asking questions at the same time.

"Mr. Wayne, this is your first time working on a big-budget production like this, with a budget of two hundred million US dollars, since 'Golden Childhood.' What are your thoughts?"

"I heard you do charity work on the streets of Seattle and are called a saint. Was this some kind of pre-production experience you underwent for the film?"

"Were your charitable activities in Seattle aimed at better embodying the role of Jesus Christ?"

What are your thoughts on Amy, the female lead in the movie? Is there anything you'd like to say to her?

"Are you grateful to your former agent, Mr. Aaron? After all, he pulled you out of the abyss and gave you a chance to make a comeback..."