Chapter 528: No Trouble on One Side, Support from All Sides

“Fifty million,” Li Wei repeated. “Is that in USD?”

“Of course,” Del Toro said. “I know it’s not a small sum, but we’re in a bit of a tight spot right now…”

Li Wei didn’t speak, instead exchanging a look with Don Quixote.

Don Quixote caught his eye and shrugged nonchalantly.

“I’m good either way. If you want to do it, let’s do it,” he said, unconditionally supporting his nephew without asking why. “It’s your call.”

“Thanks, Uncle,” Li Wei said with a smile. He turned back to Del Toro. “What if I covered that fifty million for you?”

Guillermo Del Toro paused. “Fifty million,” he said. “Are you… sure?”

“Of course,” Li Wei said. “I’m willing to write you that check. I can even give you more.”

His tone was so calm and casual, it was as if they weren’t discussing a massive fifty-million-dollar investment, but rather spending fifty dollars on a PornXub subscription.

“My God…” Del Toro rubbed his forehead. “Just how much money do you have? Are you the goddess of fortune’s lover?”

“I came from nothing,” Li Wei shrugged. “Of course, I worked day and night, slaving away for every single penny (somewhere in New York, Jin Heon suddenly sneezed twice), so my investment comes with a few conditions.”

“Who are you trying to sleep with?” Del Toro asked.

“I’m not trying to sleep with anyone!” Li Wei steered the conversation back on track. “I want to see your script! Understand? I want to be involved in discussions about the content.”

‘Now that this Howard West guy has pulled his funding, I can step in. I’m definitely going to need to make some changes to the content.’

‘I have to film this according to the system’s missions. What if the system gives me a mission, but the director says that scene isn’t in the script? I’d be screwed.’

“…Fine. But as the director and screenwriter,” Del Toro said after a moment’s thought, “I have the right to the final cut and the final say on the script.” He needed to ensure the film was made according to his vision.

“No problem. I just want to have some fun,” Li Wei said. “Certain scenes and plot points can be cut entirely, but the scenes I want to shoot must be shot.”

Del Toro uncrossed his legs and crossed them the other way. He stared at Li Wei for several seconds before speaking slowly.

“On a limited budget, I can’t guarantee we can make everything you want happen,” he said. “You might think a scene is cool and want to shoot it, but in reality, a single shot could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, especially if you want large-scale spectacle.”

“Then if we can come to an agreement,” Li Wei said, “how much money do you need?”

“We’d have to discuss that,” Del Toro said, shaking his head. “Or do you have a script?”

Li Wei shook his head as well. ‘Right now, the system has only given me one mission involving a palace. I have no idea what it might trigger.’

“Then we’ll have to play it by ear as we go,” Del Toro said. “But it can’t be any lower than fifty million. The ceiling is uncertain, but in a perfect world, we’d need at least another hundred million USD on top of that.”

“No problem,” Li Wei said, extending a hand. “I look forward to working with you. We’ll play it by ear as we go. I’ll go back and discuss with my team first to figure out the best way to structure the investment.”

Del Toro rose somewhat slowly and took Li Wei’s hand. “Good. A pleasure. I’ll go back and talk to Netflix about today’s meeting. If all goes well, the three parties will need to sit down for a more detailed discussion.”

Li Wei nodded. ‘Beyond the silver screen, a Hollywood movie is a mature, industrialized project involving hundreds, if not thousands, of people. There’s a lot of capital and various interests at play, so many things need to be clarified upfront.’

Del Toro gave Li Wei’s hand a firm shake, his expression visibly more relaxed than before.

He left the Huntington Library in high spirits, meeting up with his assistant who was waiting outside and getting into his private van.

“So? How’d it go?” his assistant asked impatiently as soon as he got in the van, holding up his hand. “Tell me Li Wei’s in.”

Del Toro glanced at the assistant who had been with him for fifteen years, then suddenly grinned and slapped his hand in a high-five.

“He’s in.”

“YES!” the assistant roared, leaping to his feet. “I couldn’t stand that Howard gu—OUCH!”

He had forgotten he was in a van and slammed his head into the roof.

“Call Sarah Kelly,” Del Toro said, shaking his head with a smile. “Tell her Li Wei is confirmed to invest. He might just have some questions about the plot and want to add a few scenes, but the right to the final cut is still in my hands.”

…

“Really? That’s his only condition?”

Sarah Kelly’s first reaction upon hearing the good news was disbelief.

She knew all too well what kind of place Hollywood was. Every dollar was stained with blood, violence, and desire.

“Are you sure he’s just some rich kid with a bit of a filmmaking bug? He didn’t ask for anything else?” she said. “Like, asking the Netflix VP of Content to go on a date with him? Or demanding a specific star give him a blowjob?”

“Though I have to question who would benefit more from that first request, yes, he’s most likely just a rich kid with a filmmaking bug,” Del Toro said. “So, what’s the situation on your end?”

“The president agreed to add another ten million to our budget,” Sarah Kelly said, clicking her tongue. “So the problem’s solved? You’re sure Li Wei is willing to invest? At least fifty million USD.”