Chapter 2 Peter's Call
Isabella had only just established a firm foothold with Starlight Media. A high-stakes gambling agreement had been signed just a few months prior, obligating her to earn the company a staggering one billion. The pressure was immense, and she was desperately searching for a new wave of talent.
With quick, decisive steps, she sat down opposite Peter. A faint, expensive fragrance wafted from her, penetrating his senses. She wasted no time.
"Peter, what have you decided?"
For this young man, who had become all but transparent in the company, Isabella felt a flicker of worry. The key issue was the money he still owed her. If she simply fired him, she had no idea when—or if—she would ever see that huge sum again. Still, company standards were company standards. She had to follow procedure.
"I don't want to leave Starlight Media yet," Peter replied, his voice steadier than he felt.
"Ah…?" His answer clearly took Isabella by surprise. It was not what she had expected. She had assumed he would accept his fate after struggling for so long. "And you…" she started, but trailed off, unsure of what to say next. Should she offer comfort? Or something else?
Peter saw the slightly stunned look on her face and understood. "Ms. Vance," he said quickly, "if I work hard, I'm sure I can get a role."
Isabella rested her forehead in her hand and said nothing. He hadn't landed a single part in two years. Did he really think he could get one in a single month? What is he thinking?
As the two sat in silence, Isabella's assistant, Sarah, walked in with small, quiet steps. She approached Isabella and handed her a stack of manuscripts. "Boss, we have two roles available, but the actors haven't been decided yet. The official casting calls are coming soon. Take a look."
Isabella already knew about these two parts. No one had taken them because they weren't a good fit for any of the actors currently on her roster. One was a supporting role in a martial arts drama that required a fierce, rugged appearance. Most of her artists were signed for their pretty-boy looks. The other was a stand-in for a large-scale sex scene, a role that offered no screen time for the actor's face. No one in the company would touch such a part.
"Return both of these," Isabella said after a cursory glance, handing the manuscripts back to her assistant.
In that brief moment, Peter, sitting beside her, caught a glimpse of the words on the top page. He couldn't see them clearly, but two characters stood out, bold and conspicuous: sex scene.
His mind flashed back to the reward from the system. It was a perfect fit.
Seeing the assistant about to leave, Peter spoke up hurriedly. "Miss Isabella, why don't you let me try?"
"Ah?!" Surprise flickered in Isabella's eyes. The assistant froze mid-step.
Isabella looked at Peter doubtfully. After a few seconds, a gentle, knowing smile touched her lips. She frowned slightly and asked, "Are you asking me for the resources to audition for these two roles?"
Peter nodded. They were useless resources to her right now. Since no one else wanted them, what was the harm in letting him try?
"So which one are you going to try?" Isabella continued, her smile widening. "First, your image is completely wrong for the martial arts role. Second…" she paused, her eyes raking him up and down, "do you have any experience in this area?"
As she said the last sentence, her gaze was both amused and appraising. The Peter in front of her was only twenty-two or twenty-three; he was probably still green. Besides, even real-world experience was different from acting. A role like this required a confidence that wouldn't be shaken by the cameras, something not easily faked. She'd heard the production's requirements were incredibly high; they had already gone through more than a dozen stand-ins, and all of them had been useless.
Most importantly, it was just a stand-in role. The actor's body would be on full display, but their face would never be seen. No artist with even a little bit of fame would take such a part. It would be incredibly damaging to their career, a stain that might never wash out.
If this were before, Peter wouldn't have been capable. But now, things were different. He didn't care what the role was. The most important thing was finding an opportunity to stay with the company and complete the system's tasks.
After listening to Isabella's unspoken warnings, Peter nodded again, his expression firm. "Miss Isabella, I can do this scene."
Seeing his determination, Isabella's interest was piqued. She was always on the lookout for new talent, so it couldn't hurt to give him a shot. She hadn't found anyone in the company with this particular skill set. Maybe this kid could actually pull it off. Perhaps she could retain a unique talent for the company, and he could finally start paying back his debt.
But just saying it was useless. If she sent him to the crew and he made a mess of it, her company's reputation would take a huge hit.
After thinking it over, Isabella looked at Peter. "Whether you have the ability or not still needs to be tested." Her voice was low and challenging. "Since you're so confident, get ready. Come and try a sex scene with me. If you're actually any good, I'll consider giving you the role."
With that, she stood up and walked away, leaving behind nothing but her beautiful back and a stunned Peter.
Hearing that Isabella wanted him to audition—with her—Peter's heart began to pound with excitement. He had seized the opportunity. This was the perfect time to test the rewards the system had given him.
He mentally pulled up the system interface. Looking at the words [God-level sex trick], the corners of his mouth turned up. He was both worried and hopeful. He just hadn't expected it to come in handy so quickly.
"What exactly is this 'sex trick'?" he asked the system internally.
The system responded instantly.
[Includes: sex position skills, kissing skills, borrowing skills, sex communication skills, and body data improvement…]
After a few more inquiries, Peter had a general understanding. According to the system's description, he had now fully mastered these skills. With this knowledge, he felt confident he could go directly to Japan and shoot a feature film.
"By the way, what is this physical data improvement?" Peter muttered to himself, subconsciously looking down at his body. Not only did his muscles feel stronger than before, but more importantly, he could clearly feel that other parts of his body had also undergone a great and significant change.
After marveling at his body's new enhancements, Peter refocused his thoughts, continuing to digest the skills he would need for the sex scene.
After all, he was about to go into battle.