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Chapter 97: Horn City
Chapter 97: Horn City
Chapter 97: Horn City
(Arthur POV)
It looks like my crew is adapting to our new headquarters in Horn City. They're already making themselves comfortable, relaxing in the studio's hot tub as if they've been here for years.
I didn't stop at just acquiring the studio. I also purchased a three-story dorm building nearby for my crew to live in. It's more than spacious enough for everyone. For the actors who came along, I bought the top few floors of an apartment complex. I'll be living in the penthouse at the very top.
I considered buying a house here, but the prices are quite steep. A standard house costs around 60,000 dollars, while luxury homes range from 100,000 to 300,000 dollars. Looking at these prices, I decided to be more economical.
Yes, I have millions in my bank account, but it's wiser to be cautious with spending, at least until my third film, "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly," is released in cinemas and starts generating profits.
This is especially important since I'm still in the process of transferring my money to the local banks in Horn Kingdom. Luckily, there's a branch of a Morningstar banks here in Horn City, which helps, but I'd prefer to have all my funds transferred to a local Horn City bank eventually.
On the bright side, construction of the new VFX Studio is already underway. Horn City's construction equipment seems more efficient than what I'm used to. The old arena is gradually being transformed into my new VFX Studio.
While the new VFX Studio won't have the ghosts that my former VFX Studio in Morningstar had, it's not a problem. Why? Because I actually brought the ghosts with me. They're incredibly useful and can assist with production in numerous ways. I wasn't about to let them go so easily.
***
(3rd Person POV)
The following day, Arthur set out to explore Horn City's notable spots with Firfel, Vivienne, Shafel, Imkrag, and his other actors. His crew ventured off on their own, their excited expressions betraying their eagerness to discover this part of Morningstar Kingdom that felt so foreign to them.
Jerry Yan, an executive from Righteous Film Studio, offered to guide Arthur and his group around the city.
Their first stop was the bustling market. Arthur and his companions noticed how it outshone the one in Morningstar's Ferland City. Jerry introduced them to Horn street foods, some exotic enough to turn Firfel and the others' stomachs. Arthur and Jerry shared a laugh at their reactions.
As they continued exploring, the group found themselves genuinely enjoying the experience. They visited Victory Harbour, alive with ferries and cargo ships. The famous "Twinkle Ferry" caught their eye, shuttling passengers between the Dragon peninsula and Horn.
Dragon was part of the Horn Special Administrative Region, situated on Morningstar's southern coast.
Boarding the Twinkle Ferry, they crossed to Dragon and explored its Walled City. Arthur observed Firfel and the others having a great time, snapping pictures with their Impact portable cameras.
They even caught Arthur in an embarrassing moment, scratching his butt. The girls couldn't stop giggling at the photo.
"You're all having way too much fun with this," Arthur said, his tone a mix of amusement and mock exasperation.
Later, the group visited Sandy District in Dragon. The bustling area featured a lively shopping district where Firfel, Vivienne, and Shafel eagerly browsed the stalls.
"Look at that, Mr. Morningstar," Jerry said, pointing to a nearby stall.
Arthur glanced over, seeing oval or pear-shaped pouches. "What are those?"
Jerry nudged Arthur, gesturing towards Firfel and the others shopping in the distance. "Come on, don't play innocent. Surely you know what they're for. Very useful for your love life."
"What are you talking about?" Arthur asked, genuinely puzzled.
Jerry whispered, "Those are sheep bladders."
"Sheep bladders?" Arthur repeated, still confused.
Jerry sighed, realizing Arthur truly didn't know. "It's what a man needs in bed! They're... protection!"
Arthur's eyes widened as understanding dawned. "What? Why are you recommending that to me?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Jerry pointed at Firfel. "The news says that elf Firfel is your lover, right?"
Arthur was speechless.
"Aren't you using protection?" Jerry's eyes lit up. "Or maybe you don't need it-"
Arthur cut him off, covering Jerry's mouth. "Shut up," he whispered, ensuring Firfel couldn't hear. "We're not in a relationship!"
Jerry nodded, though his eyes showed he didn't quite believe it.
"Anyway," Arthur said, expression perplexed, "Sheep bladders for protection? Really?"
Jerry chuckled. "Why not? They're better than modern rubber ones. More natural and thin."
"Who'd use that? Who even thought of it?" Arthur asked incredulously.
Jerry was surprised by Arthur's ignorance. "You don't know? Sheep bladders are an ancient form of protection, invented by the Romans themselves."
Arthur shook his head, marveling at this unexpected history lesson in the middle of their city tour.
***
Arthur and his companions spent the entire day familiarizing themselves with Horn Kingdom, visiting various locations before finally returning to Horn City. The day had been tiring, but Firfel and the others were clearly satisfied with their excursion.
Vivienne turned to Arthur, her eyes bright with excitement. "We should do this again sometime. It was so enjoyable!"
Arthur smiled warmly. "I'm glad you liked it."
Firfel chimed in, "This kingdom may be small, but it's more vibrant than Morningstar."
Shafel nodded in agreement.
After chatting with them for a while, Arthur saw them off to their new homes in the apartment complex.
Left alone with Arthur, Jerry broached a new topic. "Mr. Morningstar, about your third film... Is the editing complete? The other executives are eager to see it."
Arthur nodded. "It's nearly finished. Should be done in a few days. The move delayed things a bit."
"I understand," Jerry said, unable to hide his anticipation. "I hope to see it soon."
Arthur could see Jerry's eagerness, and he understood why. After all, his first two films had each grossed hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.
They continued their conversation in the studio lobby for a few more minutes before Jerry took his leave.
At 5 pm, Arthur headed to a warehouse under his control. This secretive location housed his computer research team, who had arrived in Horn City a few days ahead of the main group.
Upon entering, Arthur was greeted by his tired but dedicated team, their eye bags testament to their hard work.
"How are you guys holding up?" Arthur asked.
Drake responded, "Everything's on track, boss."
Josh added, "We're still adjusting, but it's not a major issue."
Arthur nodded, "The Electronics Expo is approaching fast. How's the basic operating system coming along?"
"Nearly complete, boss," Drake reported.
After a few more questions and words of encouragement, Arthur left for his penthouse via taxi.
Returning to his apartment, Arthur felt satisfied with how smoothly everything was settling. His thoughts turned to Horn's entertainment industry, which he'd observed was more advanced than Morningstar's in many aspects.
He saw numerous opportunities to establish himself in this new market. The key difference, he realized, was the foreign influence prevalent in Horn.
Major studios from Empirica and Evros held considerable sway here. Horn's demon citizens had developed a taste for foreign content, though their preference for martial arts films remained strong.
Foreign investors, noticing this trend, poured money into martial arts productions. However, the genre's once-unshakeable dominance was gradually eroding.
These investors had attempted to diversify, introducing western films and other genres. While these efforts gained some traction in Horn, they hadn't quite reached the tipping point.
Only a select few foreign or domestic films truly captured widespread attention. But Arthur's own productions, "The Demonfather" and "Lord of the Rings," had shaken things up. They'd brought significant change to the industry as a whole and altered foreign investors' perceptions.