"Why are you reacting like that? Calm down."
Luo Zheng glanced at Kevin Feige, clearly amused by his exaggerated reaction.
But Kevin didn't laugh. Instead, his expression turned serious. As someone already thinking like a core member of Marvel's future, he knew he had to speak honestly—even if it meant disagreeing with the boss.
"Boss, the company is currently filled with veteran employees. If we carry out large-scale layoffs now, it will definitely cause internal unrest."
He paused briefly, choosing his words carefully.
"And more importantly… you just raised everyone's salaries. Right now is when employee loyalty is at its peak. If we cut people at this moment, the benefits won't outweigh the risks."
Luo Zheng nodded slightly as he continued walking toward the film set, clearly listening.
"You're not wrong," he said calmly. "But layoffs are unavoidable. Cutting unnecessary comic periodicals is the only way to drain the stagnant water inside Marvel."
His tone gradually sharpened.
"What Marvel needs isn't survival—it needs transformation."
Kevin fell silent.
Luo Zheng continued, his voice steady and confident.
"In the future, Marvel won't rely on simple IP licensing anymore. What we need is IP incubation—creating our own products, controlling our own content, and selling it ourselves."
He turned his head slightly and looked at Kevin.
"You participated in the production of Spider-Man. You should know better than anyone how high its box office will reach."
Kevin nodded slowly.
Of course he knew.
That film would be a massive success—
And it would mark the beginning of a new era for comic book movies.
But that also meant something else.
Marvel was about to enter its "spring"…
Yet inside the company, there were still too many people holding it back.
"I understand," Kevin said quietly.
"Good."
Luo Zheng smiled faintly.
"But I'll take your advice. Layoffs won't happen immediately. We'll wait until after our film is released."
Kevin's eyes lit up instantly.
"Boss… that's a brilliant decision."
"Hahaha."
Luo Zheng laughed, clearly enjoying the praise.
Beside him, Liu Xixi couldn't help but hug his arm tighter, her face showing clear discomfort at Kevin's almost exaggerated admiration.
After a moment, Kevin remembered something else.
"What about the negative press? Do we need to respond?"
Luo Zheng shook his head without hesitation.
"No need."
He smiled faintly, eyes filled with calculation.
"The quieter we are, the more arrogant Old Karl becomes."
Kevin blinked.
"And that's… good?"
"Of course."
Luo Zheng's smile deepened.
"Free publicity is still publicity."
Kevin froze for a second—then suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Right! That's genius!"
Compared to financial manipulation, Karl might be a veteran.
But when it came to controlling public opinion…
He was completely outclassed.
At that moment, Kevin felt something shift in his heart.
For the first time—
He truly believed Marvel could rise again.
As they continued talking, a slightly overweight middle-aged man with curly hair walked toward them from the set.
Anyone familiar with future Marvel films would instantly recognize him—
Jon Favreau.
Luo Zheng had specifically requested his presence.
With Kevin Feige and Jon Favreau both here, the core of Marvel's future had quietly begun to take shape.
"Jon, thank you for joining this project."
"Mr. William, you're too kind," Jon replied with a warm smile. "After reading the script, I have to say… I'm genuinely impressed."
The two shook hands like old friends, chatting casually.
One was twenty-one.
The other, thirty-four.
Yet there was no sense of imbalance at all.
Kevin watched from the side, slightly stunned.
This kind of presence…
It wasn't something age could explain.
Meanwhile, back at Marvel headquarters—
The atmosphere inside the company was far from calm.
During afternoon break, employees gathered in small groups, reading newspapers with increasingly uneasy expressions.
"Do you think the company is really going to lay people off?"
"I doubt it. The boss just gave us raises. The media is probably exaggerating."
"But this news came from Carl Icahn himself…"
"That doesn't mean anything. Capitalists lie all the time."
"Still… what if it's true?"
One man sighed heavily.
"I have four kids to support. I can't afford to lose this job."
Another person tried to reassure him.
"Didn't the paper say? If the new chairman loses the bet, he'll step down."
"Exactly!"
"With a budget of just $100,000, what kind of film can he even make? A hundred times return? That's ridiculous."
"Yeah… there's no way he wins."
Hearing this, the group gradually relaxed.
"If he loses, everything goes back to normal."
"Then we're safe."
Their fear turned into quiet hope—
Hope that their boss would fail.
Not out of malice—
But survival.
From a distance, Avi Arad watched everything silently.
He said nothing.
Because deep down…
He thought the same.
Three days later—
In a quiet suburban area outside New York—
Filming for The Man from Earth officially began.
The set was astonishingly simple.
A wooden cabin.
Minimal equipment.
No unnecessary staff.
The entire crew consisted of only a handful of people.
Everyone took on multiple roles.
Luo Zheng himself handled directing, writing, producing, and even cinematography.
Kevin was constantly busy, running around managing every detail.
He had only brought two assistants from the company.
The rest?
Either unavailable—
Or unwilling.
Most of the older employees were too experienced, too calculating.
Any external assignment immediately turned into negotiations for overtime and bonuses.
Left with no choice, Kevin had to step in personally.
At this point, he fully agreed with Luo Zheng's decision.
Layoffs were inevitable.
As for the actors—
Thanks to Jon's connections, everything went smoothly.
Hollywood was full of skilled veteran actors whose value had dropped with age.
Affordable.
Professional.
Reliable.
Perfect for this kind of project.
Six actors were quickly assembled.
And once they read the script—
Every single one of them signed immediately.
At first, they had doubts about Luo Zheng's age.
But after understanding his role as writer and director—
Those doubts vanished completely.
In their place—
Respect.
Even admiration.
Filming progressed steadily.
At the same time, Luo Zheng was juggling another task—
Maintaining his relationship with Angelina Jolie.
She wasn't just a companion.
She was part of his promotion strategy.
And his recent actions proved one thing clearly—
Effort always brings results.
Julie began visiting the set frequently.
During interviews, she even took the initiative to mention Luo Zheng's film.
Her praise was direct.
Bold.
Almost exaggerated.
Naturally, this added more fuel to the already viral betting story.
She didn't care what her estranged husband might think.
That chapter of her life no longer mattered.
Meanwhile, thanks to a combination of Julie's influence and Luo Zheng's guidance,
Liu Xixi finally regained her mother's forgiveness.
Of course—
Liu Xiaoli wasn't fooled.
She understood everything perfectly.
But she chose not to expose it.
At the very least…
Luo Zheng seemed to be doing something meaningful now.
Still—
Her control over Xixi didn't loosen at all.
By now, Xixi hadn't seen Luo Zheng for an entire week.
Inside a pink bedroom in Douglaston—
Liu Xixi lay on her bed, her legs swinging idly in the air.
Her phone rested in front of her, with Luo Zheng's voice coming through.
"Xixi, did you check on that production crew?"
"Mama said it's called The Story of a Noble Family…"
Her tone turned softer.
"She looked really sad when I asked about it."
"She said it's a CCTV project… something you can only hope for, not chase."
On the other end, Luo Zheng listened quietly.
At the same time, Julie leaned against him, her soft breathing brushing against his neck.
He already understood everything.
So it was that project.
If he wanted to help Xixi—
He couldn't approach it directly.
That would lower his status too much.
After a moment of thought, an idea formed.
The Berlin Film Festival.
That would be his entry point.
His film would be screened there.
If it gained recognition—
Everything else would become easier.
Including connections back home.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
He suddenly felt a bit curious—
Which actresses from the domestic industry would appear at the 2002 Berlin Festival?
After all—
Variety…
Was always more interesting.