Chapter 193: World Cup Kicks Off

[Chapter 193: World Cup Kicks Off]

June 14.

The plane slowly landed at Incheon International Airport.

The Korea-Japan World Cup had begun, and the group stages were nearing an end.

As for South Korea against Italy match, it wouldn't start until June 18 at Daejeon Stadium.

So Ian had several days to kill.

Along with him on this trip were his secretary Ida, driver Brydon, the newly appointed Butterfly Vincent, a few assistants, and some "special personnel."

These special personnel didn't travel with Ian but arrived on a different flight.

After disembarking the plane, the convoy headed straight to Seoul's finest hotel.

Driving through the streets, fans from various countries walked by, some cheerful, others downcast, drinking beers and loudly discussing their teams' prospects.

Sitting in the car, Ian had a cold, mocking gaze as he observed the scene outside.

Vincent, sitting in the front seat, remarked, "Boss, we found the address of that referee, Moreno, but he's staying in a specially secured hotel; it's hard for the average person to get in."

Ian replied coolly, "Just give me the address."

...

Upon arriving at the hotel, Ian stepped inside quickly.

As soon as he entered the elevator, a beautiful woman with a few attendants rushed in.

"Wait a second!" she shouted as she entered.

Once in the elevator and seeing Ian, she paused in surprise. "Ian Carr?"

Ian recognized her as well and replied, "Ms. Spears?"

Britney Spears! The top pop star in America -- he never expected her to be staying here too.

Initially, Britney's assistants intended to push everyone out to monopolize the elevator, a move often made by stars. However, upon seeing Ian Carr, they quickly abandoned that notion.

Her manager hastily said, "We can take the next elevator."

Ian smiled, "It's not so crowded that we can't fit."

Nevertheless, big celebrities typically preferred their space.

Britney smiled at Ian and asked, "Together?"

Then, turning to her manager, she said, "You can take the next one."

With that, she closed the elevator doors, pressed the button for the 23rd floor, and looked at Ian, "How about you?"

"Funny coincidence; same floor," Ian smiled back.

The elevator went up, and Ian leaned against the wall, glancing at Britney, casually asking, "Been here long?"

Britney replied, "A few days now, running around. Having the World Cup in two countries makes it hectic; you end up flying back and forth. How about you?"

"Just arrived."

Britney was surprised, saying, "You just arrived? The World Cup's been going on for over ten days."

Ian shrugged, "I didn't come to watch the matches."

Britney's eyes widened in realization. "Doing news? Oh my God, you aren't here to follow me, are you?"

She looked at him with wide eyes.

Ian chuckled, "No, you're not my target."

That made Britney breathe a sigh of relief, though she felt slightly dissatisfied. Didn't she deserve attention for a news story?

Ian and Britney had met before at a party, but they were too busy to have a real conversation then, just polite exchanges.

As a major star, Britney didn't need to pour drinks on him, though she had seen a stunning beauty bring Ian to a room to change clothes.

Nothing unusual -- this kind of thing was typical in Hollywood.

Now, she looked at Ian and laughed, "So who's going to be the unlucky one this time?"

Ian chuckled, "Just talking business with some friends. The World Cup is a good place, bringing together many important figures for chatting, talking, and collaborating."

"Ah! Business people are different. For us, it's all about shopping and spending!" Britney giggled.

To her, this trip was simply for enjoyment.

Just then, the elevator dinged, indicating they'd reached the 23rd floor.

...

Ian politely gestured for Britney to exit first before stepping out himself.

Britney smiled, "I'm in 2303, and you?"

"2301."

Britney bit her lip. "So you snagged the last presidential suite? My team is terrible; they even messed up that."

"Sounds like I might have missed out on some opportunity?" Ian raised an eyebrow.

Britney looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Ian explained, "If I had come just a bit earlier, and your people hadn't recognized me, maybe they would have angrily told me to get out of the room... and a punch would have given me some juicy news."

Britney stared at him, speechless. "Oh my God, I'm starting to understand how you always have so many big stories. You're quite terrifying, Mr. Carr... I need to stay away from you."

With that, she hurried towards her room but then slapped her forehead, realizing, "The key card is with my manager!"

As Ian reached his own room, a steward approached to open the door for him.

Ian stood at the door, smiling at Britney, "How about you come over and sit for a bit?"

Britney looked at him, thought for a moment, and shook her head. "No, Mr. Carr. I'm not going into your room. I can wait."

Ian laughed and said nothing more, stepping into his room alone.

...

The steward respectfully said, "Sir, if you need anything, just ring the bell, and if you have any special requests, you can let me know; I'm here to serve you."

Ian understood the steward's hint -- after all, South Korea was home to Asia's largest beauty market.

He shook his head gently. "I'm good, you can leave now."

...

Hanging up his jacket, Ian surveyed the surroundings.

As a presidential suite, it was lavishly decorated, with a bedroom, living room, and a spacious bathroom featuring a bathtub large enough for several people to share a bath.

This reminded Ian of Helen Berry and the others.

They all had projects underway and were busy.

...

A knock came at the door.

Ian opened it to find his secretary Ida and Brydon entering.

Vincent was carrying equipment.

Once inside, Vincent didn't even need Ian to instruct him; he quickly set up the camera by the window.

...

At that moment, Britney walked back over.

"Hey, Mr. Carr!" she called out.

She casually walked into the room, seeing Vincent's actions with a hint of surprise. "What are you doing?"

Ian grinned, "Just a little habit of mine; whenever I arrive at a place, I set up the camera to see if there's anything worth filming. You don't need to worry; you're in the room next door, so I can't get you."

Britney replied incredulously, "To shoot everywhere you go? Mr. Carr, they say even though you're the big boss at Carr Media, you come off more like a reporter than a boss. They weren't wrong."

"That's called staying grounded," Ian said, walking closer. "By the way, is there something you needed?"

Britney casually tossed her hair back, "Just wanted to invite you for a drink."

Ian was taken aback, "But you just turned down my invitation."

"Downstairs at the bar, nothing more," Britney smiled.

*****

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