Chapter 3

The Best Movie Actor In Hollywood!

As he left, few people on set paid any attention to Matthew, aside from his manager, Morris. Even the director seemed accustomed to this sort of thing and didn't find it strange.

Pushing the door open and stepping out of the temporary set, Matthew let out a long sigh of relief at the sight of the blue sky and the wide, quiet road.

For some reason, he felt a sense of gratitude for being alive again—not just for this new life, but also for the relief of having escaped that erotic trap.

He didn't have a car, having arrived at the set in his agent's vehicle, and Morris certainly wasn't going to give him a ride now. So, he had no choice but to start walking down the wide road, guided by the hazy memories in his mind.

The January temperature in Los Angeles wasn't too cold. After walking a short distance, Matthew took off his jacket, letting the breeze cool him through his long-sleeved, threadbare shirt, which made him feel much more comfortable.

Two rows of tall palm trees lined both sides of the road. Matthew regarded them with curiosity as he passed each one.

Finally, he no longer had to swing a sledgehammer for a living, but now he had to worry about how to even survive.

A few dozen dollars and a second-hand cell phone were all he had to his name.

On top of that, the film crew and his agent, Morris, wouldn't let him off the hook so easily. The fifty-thousand-dollar penalty for breach of contract might not be much in Hollywood, but in the porn industry, it was a hefty sum. He figured it wouldn't be long before he received a letter from a lawyer, a court summons, or something of the sort. Even if he managed to settle out of court, he would inevitably have to pay a large sum of money.

He had just arrived in Hollywood, the world's dream factory, only to find himself saddled with a massive debt that he likely couldn't repay anytime soon...

And if he couldn't pay the fifty thousand dollars, what then? Would they force him to keep shooting porn films?

No, that was unlikely. Judging by Morris's attitude, they wouldn't let him off that easily.

"Ugh," Matthew sighed with resignation. "More problems to solve."

He was a little irritated but didn't complain. He was already used to a life of hardship.

A bench stood under a palm tree ahead. Matthew walked over and, ignoring the dust, sat down. He leaned wearily against the wooden backrest, gazing at the blue sky and clouds as he contemplated his future.

To fight and claw his way up the ladder of life, just as he had before, while simultaneously struggling for the bare minimum needed to survive?

"Don't you like money and beautiful women?"

Morris's words suddenly flashed through his mind, and Matthew couldn't help but think of the blonde actress. While her face wasn't as alluring as her voluptuous figure, she had stirred an itch that ran through his entire body.

Matthew's fists gradually clenched. "I want a better life! I want to swim in mountains of cash! I want to sleep with a ton of beautiful women!"

He wasn't highly educated and had no college degree. He was just a little guy struggling to get by, and his goals and ideals were as vulgar as they were realistic.

Once you have a goal, how do you achieve it?

Matthew lowered his head and looked at the wide road. You could set your sights as high as the sky, but to get there, you had to do more than just take one step at a time. You had to find the right path, one that actually led to the heavens.

That path wasn't easy to find. His hard life had taught him that the world was so stratified by class that it was nearly impossible for anyone to cross their social boundaries and climb to a higher rung on the ladder.

Although he wasn't familiar with this version of America, the society he came from was highly digital, a place where you could find endless information—true or false—on a smartphone. Because of this, Matthew suspected that America was even more rigid in this regard than his own world had been.

Even if opportunities did exist, they were meant for those who were prepared and capable, not for a guy like him who had no special skills.

Matthew wasn't arrogant. Having experienced the full weight of life's hardships, he understood that while you could set ambitious goals, the path to achieving them had to be walked one step at a time, with both feet on the ground.

After sitting for a while, Matthew got up and continued walking, analyzing himself as he went. He tried to pinpoint what he was best at. After all, he now had the memories of two people in his head; surely, he could find something useful.

High tech? He knew nothing about it.

Finance and economics? How could someone who worried about his next meal care about things like that?

Write a novel that could be adapted into a Hollywood movie for a big payout? His past self had finished high school with good grades, but the body's original owner hadn't even graduated and struggled with anything more complex than basic texts.

Aside from a good physique and raw strength, it seemed he had no skills to speak of—except, of course, driving.

After analyzing his situation, Matthew sadly concluded that even by combining the knowledge of two lifetimes, he wasn't qualified for any of the high-paying, white-collar jobs.

Matthew stopped under a palm tree, a sudden realization dawning on him. Coming to Los Angeles to chase the dream of becoming a Hollywood star hadn't just been an impulse. Considering his talents—or lack thereof—and his circumstances, his chances of success in Hollywood actually seemed slightly higher than in any other high-end industry.

Most importantly, the barriers to entry in Hollywood were relatively low. For example, Madonna worked as a cashier in a fast-food restaurant, Brad Pitt was a promotional mascot for McDonald's, Johnny Depp was a telemarketer, and Harrison Ford was a carpenter.

All these big names in Hollywood had been down-on-their-luck nobodies, just like him, before they made it big.

And yet, it was these very same nobodies who became famous and enviable bastards.

There were too many examples to count, and Hollywood seemed to be the best industry for turning nobodies into millionaires.

But he had a feeling it definitely wasn't as simple as it looked; he just didn't know the whole story yet.

After some thought, Matthew realized that the most realistic path to his goal, the one with the highest chance of success, was Hollywood.

A person's station in life determines the limits of their vision. Matthew stood at the bottom of society, and looking up, the only ladder he could see was the one called "Hollywood."

"Oh, Hollywood..." Matthew raised his head and looked toward the Hollywood Hills. "You are beautiful!"

When he thought of Hollywood, a scene of ultimate success immediately played out in his mind: living in the most luxurious estate in Beverly Hills, a garage full of limited-edition supercars, dozens of naked blondes laughing and playing in the pool in front of his villa, and countless reporters lining up for an interview...

Now that's what a fucking life is all about! That's the life he wanted!

Without considering any other ways to change his destiny, Matthew decided to follow the previous guy's dream of becoming a Hollywood star and see if he, too, could transform himself from a nobody into a rich man.

With a goal and a path in mind, he immediately felt more relaxed.

"I'm going to make lots and lots of money!" Matthew suddenly shouted. "I'm going to be a huge star!"

His roar made two young men on bicycles turn to look at him. They gave him a look reserved for lunatics before shaking their heads and riding away.

Matthew finished his shout feeling a sense of relief, even though he knew full well that a difficult road lay ahead.

The guy before him had managed to sign with some small-time talent agency after arriving in Los Angeles, but he never got an offer for a Hollywood film, let alone made any money. He'd had to take a side job as a chauffeur for a party service company before Morris found him.

Sifting through all his Hollywood-related memories, Matthew was sure he wouldn't find a suitable opportunity right away. He would have to do what he'd heard the big stars did: get a job to establish himself in Los Angeles and then do everything he could to find the right opening.

Thinking about work, Matthew decided the driver job he had quit earlier was a pretty good option. He'd work every evening, dropping people off and picking them up again early the next morning, leaving his days free—perfect for an actor looking for opportunities on the side.

The job also offered the chance to meet people in the Hollywood industry. His predecessor just had bad luck and, unable to resist, had tried to take a so-called shortcut into Hollywood.

After some thought, Matthew decided there were good reasons to go back to the job. He pulled out his second-hand phone, glanced at it for a moment, and dialed a number.

"Hello," a man's voice, full of professional deference, answered. "This is Red Penguin Services, how can I help you?"

"Hello, Mr. Lister." Matthew had been around the block enough to know what to say, his voice tinged with a hint of flattery. "It's Matthew, Matthew Horner. I was hoping to come back and work for you again."

The voice immediately turned harsh. "Oh, it's you, kid. What do you want? Actually, don't say anything. I'm hanging up."

"No, no, no!" Matthew said hastily. "I want to come back."

"Huh? Didn't you quit?" The voice was anything but forgiving. "Aren't you off to become a big star and make a fortune?"

Matthew said, embarrassed, "That was just me being ignorant. I was tricked by a scoundrel, but I was sharp enough to see through the scam."

"Ha! I told you, kid. That bald guy was too slick. I saw it right away." The man's tone softened. "You should have learned more from me."

"Exactly! I intend to keep learning from you, Mr. Lister," Matthew immediately agreed. "I didn't realize it before, Mr. Lister, but you've been very good to me."

"Don't say that. You're a good kid." The voice on the phone softened considerably. "So, you want to come back and keep working, huh? I'll give you half an hour, you hear me? Half an hour to get to the office. Don't you dare be late, or I won't take you back."

Matthew hastily promised, "I'm on my way!"