Chapter 38: The Left Eye's Unusual Change

[Chapter 38: The Left Eye's Unusual Change]

As Ian had said, the promise made by the Los Angeles Herald had caused quite a stir.

Countless people were astonished.

Had Ian Carr gone mad?

Did he truly believe he could keep getting such juicy scoops?

"This is the most ridiculous business plan I've ever heard. Ian Carr has put the entire company on the line for a shot at high sales."

"He won't succeed. After a few reports, he's getting ahead of himself."

"He'll lose this gamble, just like a meteor streaking across the sky."

"Our best memory of him will be a good journalist who destroyed everything out of pride."

"He's going to go bankrupt!"

Critiques from various angles immediately made the news circulate wildly.

Ian Carr's name surfed to the surface again, along with the reputation of the Herald.

...

Kate Beckinsale called him, primarily worried that she had accidentally let something slip that could be used by Ian -- Lili Marlene had already begun to suspect her.

Ian reassured her, stating it had nothing to do with her, and the next day he worked hard to prove that, allowing Kate to relax at last.

With Kate's support, Ian finally didn't have to walk around with his hands in his pockets anymore.

...

On another front, Ron Lloyd had contacted numerous sales companies to help promote the Los Angeles Herald based on Ian's direction.

Thanks to the Herald's exclusive news, Ian Carr's reputation, and that crazy gamble, the subscription numbers for the Herald soared -- this meant that its future was set to surpass past peaks!

---

At the same time, Ian was further testing his eye's enhancements.

Through the leads he provided, the other reporters' stories indeed improved their gains, though the effects were weak.

Moreover, the enhancement effects from explosive scoops contrasted sharply with those from regular stories.

The three hundred thousand sales accumulated from regular stories didn't compare to the boost from a single explosive scoop that garnered one hundred thousand sales.

Gossiping news tended to be less substantive, especially in a place like America; while they attracted attention, they lacked sufficient explosive appeal.

Nevertheless, Ian's left eye improved again -- given his location in Hollywood, most of his regular stories were gossip-based; three hundred thousand didn't weigh against ten thousand, but five hundred thousand was significantly better.

Hence, Ian's right eye experienced explosive growth while his left eye showed steady improvements, corresponding to the upper and lower limits of sales.

Not bad.

He looked into the mirror.

Left eye progression was at six hundred points, activating the third copy opportunity.

This surprised Ian, as the second copy ability had activated at three hundred thirty-four points; logically, each one third should unlock one, at three hundred thirty-four, six hundred sixty-seven, and he was unsure if nine hundred ninety-nine or one thousand would unlock or directly upgrade.

So, why had it activated early at six hundred?

His right eye's progress stood at eight hundred seventy-six points; the effect of the Burning Torch was impressive!

He could now copy another ability.

Boxing?

No. The essence of boxing lay not in technique but in physical conditioning and ingrained reflexes from long training.

Shooting might be a better fit.

With that thought, Ian immediately booked a shooting coach.

...

A day later.

Ian left the shooting coach's stunned gaze, with the latter repeatedly exclaiming, "You're a genius, Mr. Carr! You should pursue your shooting training; perhaps one day you could even compete in the Olympics!"

"And then you'll be disappointed to discover my genius is only at a starting point," Ian muttered.

His left eye had granted him three copy abilities, but they were all merely at an initial stage.

How could he upgrade these copied abilities?

Ian didn't have an answer at the moment.

---

In a luxury hotel room at Hilda Hotel, Ian and Kate Beckinsale were intertwined passionately.

Stroking his smooth back, Kate's eyes were filled with yearning, "I think I'm falling for you, Ian!"

During this period of being together, Kate felt increasingly unable to live without Ian.

Ian greedily savored Kate, whispering, "Why do you say that?"

"Because you're a madman -- a truly terrifying one. Only you could pull off something like that," Kate remarked, gazing affectionately at Ian.

From initial resistance to intense infatuation, Kate's feelings for Ian had shifted drastically.

Now, she didn't doubt that Ian could do everything he said; she was merely hoping he wouldn't grow tired of her too soon.

To that end, she put in effort, showcasing her best side.

She murmured, "Don't leave me, Ian."

Ian smiled as he embraced her softness, his tone gentle, "I wouldn't do that... though I'm sorry I can't promise you more."

In a previous life, he too had once hoped for love.

However, living two lives for a total of sixty years had made Ian abandon all the elusive pursuits.

If he could, he would like to be young and innocent again!

But, ultimately, that was impossible.

Kate's gaze turned dreamy, "I know. If you can't love me, then just promise me not to love anyone else, okay?"

Ian wrapped his arms around that soft body, his tone soft, "My life choices are violence, lust, money, and possibly power in the future... Life's path was so crowded, with so many demands that something as fragile and beautiful as love simply didn't stand a chance against them. Yes, I can promise you that what I can't give you, I won't give to anyone else."

With that, Kate smiled contentedly.

She gazed at Ian with a dreamy look, "Well, that makes me feel much better."

Licking Ian gently, she was utterly alluring, "At least you belong to me now; it's your fault I can't love any other man... come on, baby!"

"Of course, babe! I've been working hard, and I hope it will elevate your opinion of me a bit."

Ian smiled as he slid his hands around Kate's back.

---

Today was the weekend.

Ian drove to Montecito.

This was one of the affluent neighborhoods near Beverly Hills, known for its beautiful surroundings and seaside luxury estates.

When night fell, the dazzling lights of Montecito masked the bright moonlight, with artificial lights overpowering nature, transforming the area into a vibrant neon ocean.

Luxury cars darted down long streets, with occasional raucous laughter filling the air like wild echoes.

Upon arriving at a villa in Montecito, the security guard checked Ian's credentials, gazing at him oddly before letting him pass.

...

Entering through the main gate, a spacious hall welcomed him with a group of men and women lounging, sipping champagne and chatting.

They were dressed in glamorous attire while elegant music played in the background, and servants catered to them.

Not far away, Senator Reel Brand stood by a bar, conversing with a few strangers.

Noticing Ian enter, he smiled and waved, "Hey, Ian, come over here!"

Ian walked over, "Good evening, Senator. It's a pleasure to be at your party."

The two exchanged pleasantries.

Ian sipped his drink and casually asked, "Are you going to run for re-election for city council?"

"Of course. Why?" Reel Brand looked at him with curiosity.

Ian set down his glass, "I heard your opponent is Cooper?"

Brand nodded slightly.

Cooper was the union representative from the Ford factory, a well-known advocate for the working class in Los Angeles.

City-level councilors didn't require party affiliation, so anyone could run; thus, the more popular one was, the greater the chance of winning, and union representatives typically found easier support -- this was a common promotional route.

Since city-level elections in America were district-based, it was no secret that Reel Brand's opponent was Cooper.

Ian added, "I can help you deal with him."

*****

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