Chapter 158: The Era of Great Entertainment

Lynch had been extremely busy these past few days. After inspecting the club and seeing off the very excited Baron Reynolds, the Fox father and son informed him that James had finished the script.

It was a script that perfectly met the demands of modern audiences—aliens, blood, beautiful women, and continuously thrilling plot twists. Just by seeing this script, the Foxes realized how terrible the earlier script from their old classmate was; it was exactly as Lynch said—it was just a money grab.

James’s script also included many storyboard shots, a writing style that was gradually becoming popular. In the past, most scripts only contained plain text descriptions.

With more and more failed movies and the backstage blame games, screenwriters had become the most heavily scapegoated group. No matter whose fault it was, the blame was always placed on the script.

If the director couldn’t deliver, it was because the script lacked depth.

If the actors performed poorly, it was because the script’s characterization didn’t fit the plot.

Even if the promotional photos were unsatisfactory, makeup artists could claim they followed the script’s instructions.

As a result, more screenwriters began incorporating their own ideas into scripts. They added storyboard shots to express certain scenes visually and included character designs to prove that sometimes the fault wasn’t in their description, but in the makeup artist’s misunderstanding.

Overall, it was a good script, and they planned to start casting actors.

This was a small-budget film. As one of the shareholders, Lynch was naturally consulted by the Foxes, who said they could proceed with the plan for open auditions.

Perhaps related to the economic downturn, more and more beauty and bodybuilding contests were appearing, and some tabletop games suddenly gained popularity overnight.

Even in Sabin City, a second-tier city, related clubs began to appear, creating a contradictory yet harmonious atmosphere.

People spent more time in front of TVs and playing games. Starting Monday, the city government began issuing food and supply vouchers to unemployed families, stabilizing the city’s unrest and noticeably improving public security.

People gradually accepted this lifestyle and no longer worried about survival, as the government issued food vouchers and free TV channels increased from this month. Some were content to stay indoors watching TV.

On TV, various simple-dressed beauties and muscular men covered in shiny oil appeared, offering raw visual impact and occupying more people’s time. Fitness became a trendy topic.

Inspired by TV programs, some unemployed people started exercising, using simple tools at hand as workout equipment to sweat during their free time.

In this rapidly spreading social trend, women’s bodies, alongside men’s muscular physiques, became the center of attention.

Women had only recently won the right to wear short skirts, and now they appeared before the public in the simplest clothes—undeniably attracting much attention.

Whenever bodybuilding or beauty contests aired, ratings soared.

During this time, a notable news story broke: a female bodybuilding enthusiast and her boyfriend broke up, making headlines.

Her boyfriend told the media they’d known each other for over six months, and privately, she showed him less than she did on TV.

Though amusing, these small news items didn’t shake the pulse of the era. Some trends, like hair removal, were spreading in ways that defied common sense.

After a week of preparation, the Foxes reached an agreement with Sabin City TV to broadcast the movie’s female lead audition. The TV station agreed to pay a modest broadcast fee of several thousand Sol.

All advertising and related revenue during the broadcast belonged entirely to the station.

Another weekend arrived. Lynch sat in the living room, marking up the newspaper. Crossword puzzles had recently surged in popularity, even surpassing national tabletop game competitions.

To boost sales, some newspapers rewarded the first 100 readers who completed the latest crossword. This led to crowds gathering outside newspaper offices during new issues, turning crossword puzzles into a craze.

Though simple, the puzzle unexpectedly swept across the Baylor Federation, with local TV stations dedicating an hour weekly to explain how to play.

Entertainment was spreading rapidly and quietly, invading people’s lives in an unprecedented way.

Watching TV, Lynch saw the host passionately explain the crossword board. He filled in the answers on his newspaper—these were last week’s solutions, revealed weekly by the station.

Satisfied, he nodded; completing the crossword gave him a sense of achievement.

Just last month, crosswords weren’t this popular, but cash rewards for top finishers helped attract interest.

In today’s society, any method to earn extra income quickly became a craze—like beauty and bodybuilding contests. Beyond voyeuristic interest, it was the generous prizes driving the hype.

On TV, the Foxes—once hiding in sewers—sat proudly on the judging panel, critiquing young, beautiful girls and asking them to display certain poses.

This female lead audition show had become Sabin City’s top-rated program, with viewers in surrounding areas and states. Not only men watched; girls did too, curious about what made the lucky winner better than them, inspiring courage to join future contests.

Some audience members whistled to express excitement, while girls shed their reserve to show their best, all fully clothed without revealing anything inappropriate.

This was one of the city’s most watched events, along with a women’s football team tryout, which was less popular but still notable.

The audience didn’t know the lead actress had already been chosen, and Lynch had met her.

She was a 19-year-old who had made two adult films, typical for newcomers driven by money.

Born to an ordinary family with three siblings, they could only afford education through high school. Afterward, she had to find her own path.

This was common in society: after high school, people moved out, found jobs, and became part of society without fame or status—just a fleeting presence in the background.

The society wasn’t always fair; jobs for girls were few, and harassment was common.

After trying two office jobs, she resolutely chose the arts.

With youth and good looks, her two adult films performed only moderately, and no new contracts followed.

Many girls like her flooded the industry lately, increasing competition—stripping off clothes had become competitive, a laughable but true reality.

Every day, new bodies awaited discovery. If a girl couldn’t quickly sell well, producers would give others a chance—their own survival depended on it.

Still, the Foxes selected her. Her appearance met James’s requirements—James was also a judge—and she had no objections to contract renewals or transfers.

After Lynch’s final approval, she got the opportunity many found… controversial.

Adult producers had contacted the Foxes, willing to buy her next five unrestricted film contracts for a sum, but Lynch told them to wait, no rush.

As Lynch watched the girls compete on TV, knowing most would fail, his phone rang. The maid brought it over and quietly left.

On the line was George, sounding tired but bringing good news: Lynch had found a new buyer for his land.

A developer offered to buy Lynch’s land for 1.65 million. By market value, the land was worth at least two million, but market value didn’t guarantee the sale price.

As the economy continued to decline, the land’s price would only drop further. Lynch no longer planned to wait—and couldn’t afford to.