America achieves both fame and fortune

Chapter 36 Die-hard Conservatives

On a weekend morning, the Carter siblings went out together to repair the fence in their yard.

Mrs. Wood, who lived diagonally across the street, came over from a distance with her trolley and stopped in front of the door. She said, "Last night, I saw Scott being picked up in a car."

Elena smiled and said, "That's perfect, he won't bother us."

Mrs. Wood was a nice person; she simply reminded me, "You can't live without him."

Elena nodded: "He'll be fine."

Mrs. Wood pushed the cart slowly across the street.

Martin emerged from the house carrying his toolbox, glanced at the slightly worn-out timber, and began giving haphazard instructions: "Hall, take your shovel and dig a hole. Harris, find a ruler and measure the height. Lily, help me out."

He found a handsaw and started sawing the wood.

Suddenly someone blocked the sun.

Martin looked up and saw Lily: "Idiot, what are you doing?"

Lily held out her hand: "You're as stupid as a pig, give me the saw."

Martin remembered Elena mentioning that Lily was the best at handicrafts in the Carter family. He handed her the handsaw and asked, "Can you handle this?"

Lily skillfully sawed the wood, her mouth still chattering: "I can make it exactly like you!"

Martin didn't shut her up, but instead said, "I have a craft project to make." Then, thinking of Lily's age, he added, "Never mind, you're not suitable."

Lily raised her voice: "Watch how I saw this piece of wood into your likeness!"

"You better not be bragging, idiot." Martin decided to find James a companion: "If you can't do it, I'll dig a hole in the backyard and bury you."

Lily blinked. "And then listen to you and Elena every night?"

With a whoosh, the torn rope Elena threw hit Lily on the head.

Lily quickly shut her mouth and quietly got back to her craft work.

Martin grabbed a shovel and helped Hall dig the hole.

It's as if my body has muscle memory; I do it with exceptional skill.

Digging a pit to bury a person doesn't seem difficult.

After working for most of the morning, wooden fences were erected to replace the missing sections of the wire mesh in the yard.

All the wooden pieces are uniquely shaped and stand upright in the earthen bed, as if they are confronting the earth.

A masterpiece by Lily Carter.

Martin and Elena then tied it up with rope and connected it to the barbed wire. Although it wasn't very aesthetically pleasing, it was functional.

The main reason is that I'm not afraid of thieves.

Scott probably wouldn't be interested in worthless scraps of wood.

Martin washed his hands, drove off, and said, "Idiots, lunch is on me."

Elena and the other three got into the car, and Martin drove to a nearby fried chicken and burger shop. The average cost was five or six dollars per person, enough to make Lily and Hall, those two idiots, stuffed until their eyes rolled back and their mouths spit out.

After dinner, Harris bought some old magazines from a nearby bookstore.

Back at the Carter's house, Martin sat on the sofa, picked up a magazine, and said to Elena, "Calculate the rent."

Then, he turned and pointed at Lily: "Idiot, shut up!"

Lily's words caught in her throat, causing her to cough, as she tried to defend herself: "I didn't say anything."

Elena went to find the account book.

Martin was flipping through magazines when he picked one up at random. It turned to an astronomy magazine, and the page he was on described a recently discovered star.

It seems like a lot of new stars are discovered every year?

Martin picked up the magazine and waved it at Harris: "Studied astronomy?"

Harris, engrossed in his book, didn't even look up. "Forgot? I'm in the astronomy club. Don't make me explain the stars to you; I'm in a public high school."

Elena came out of the bedroom with a notebook, flipping through it as she said, "I don't know how Emma negotiated with Jack, but it's $1000 for six months' rent."

Martin thought to himself that it must have happened in bed, and said, "I'll transfer it to you on Monday."

Just like Fuck, Elena never minced words with Martin when she got up, immediately glaring at him: "Idiot, are you trying to renege on your debt like that bastard Jack? This is only valid until the end of March, it's almost June!"

Lily finally seized the opportunity: "Because he feels even better when he reneges on his debts and does whatever he wants."

Martin threw the astronomy magazine, hitting Lily in the face, and said decisively, "I'll give you $2000."

Elena generously replied, "I won't ask for interest."

"I have an appointment with a friend this afternoon, you guys continue." Martin got up and left.

Elena picked up the laundry basket and followed Martin next door to collect the clothes he had changed out of.

The washing machine here was sold years ago, and Martin takes his dirty clothes to Elena's place to be washed.

Martin was used to it. Without saying a word, he drove to downtown Atlanta and arrived at the same coffee shop as last time.

Barkley, a reporter for the Atlanta Interstellar, was already waiting there. When he met Martin, he said, "I've gotten some information."

Martin pulled out the $200 he had prepared and pushed it to Barkley: "Here's yours."

Last time, Martin asked Monica's freelance journalist friend about the market price for getting information from journalists and buying materials.

Barkley put away the money and said, "In a few days, a board member of the Atlanta Methodist Association named Milton will be attending a press conference for a large skills training program. He is one of the most hardline conservative opinion leaders in the Methodist Association."

He opened his bag, took out the collected materials, and handed them to Martin: "The statement that sparked the Freedom Society's protests—that women are merely subordinates in the family and must obey the family's will—was publicly expressed by him."

Martin quickly scanned the data: "Has this person made even stronger statements in the past?"

Barkley nodded: "Yes, he's a die-hard conservative."

When Martin went to look at Milton's files, what Barkley provided was hardly anything secret; most of it was information that reporters could find.

One particular detail caught Martin's attention: of Milton's three marriages, two failed due to his wives' infidelity. When she filed for divorce, she gave a media interview, saying that Milton was useless.

Martin thought for a moment and said, "Barkley, my friend, I might need your help with something in a few days."

Barkley glanced at the money, then at Martin's impeccably dressed clothes, and said without hesitation, "We're friends, so I'll definitely help you with this. Give me a call anytime you need me, and I'll be there in a minute."

Martin made a phone call gesture: "Wait for my call."

Barkley accepted the money from the civilized man and left the coffee shop in a good mood.

It's just making stories for tabloids, it's about making money, there's nothing shameful about it.

Martin arrived at the club and went to Vincent's office: "Boss, I've been carefully reading all the newspapers in Atlanta these past few days, and the media has stopped mentioning the House of the Beasts. This is not good for the club to further expand its brand awareness."

Vincent, who benefited from the increased public profile, took it very seriously, saying, "We can't really sue the Methodist Church. Civil litigation is time-consuming and expensive; it's not worth it."

At the last press conference, Martin made a lot of accusations, but in reality, he only sent a lawyer's letter.

Martin said, "Boss, last time the Methodist Association started causing trouble for us, so why can't we start causing trouble for them? Let's go and protest to those bastards in the Methodist Association, and call the media reporters."

"How about we get the media to hype it up again?" Vincent thought it was a good idea: "Are you confident?"

Martin added, "I saved Kelly Gray, a director of the Freedom Society, last time. Ms. Gray hired me as a part-time social investigator for the Freedom Society, so we can use the Freedom Society's name."

Vincent, recalling Martin's crucial role in the club's explosive success, agreed: "Sure, personnel costs will be paid hourly."

Martin thought to himself, "Those who come to me on their own initiative are indeed worthless."

(End of this chapter)