belamy20

256-260

Added 2024-09-21 07:36:59 +0000 UTC

Chapter 256: A New Plan for the Match

"Honey, look! There's another news article saying it was you. It mentions you were on the flight, you're good at fighting, and you once admitted to knowing Arabic. The evidence is overwhelming, haha. Looks like you can't hide anymore."

Ms. Gisele had a thick stack of newspapers in front of her. These days, when she had nothing to do, she enjoyed reading newspapers and catching up on the news.

"Whatever. I'll keep it under wraps for as long as I can. As long as I don't admit it, everything else is just speculation."

"Honey, if someone else had done something this big, they would have jumped out and claimed credit. You're actually worried about being exposed," Ms. Gisele chuckled.

"If I were a politician, I would have stepped forward already, using it to gain political capital. Maybe I could even become like Reagan in the future. But as a celebrity boxer, what's the benefit of coming forward? Making money from speeches and endorsements? That doesn't even compare to what I earn from boxing and acting. And after a while, people would get tired of it. Besides, I'm a secret agent. I should be like Spider-Man or Batman, staying hidden. Once exposed, I'll be targeted. I just want to live a quiet, normal life, not be treated as an idol or hero, constantly under scrutiny," Richard said, spreading out the newspaper.

"I support you. The newspapers say that many people have infiltrated the US and scattered across the country. You disrupted their plans. If they find out it was you, they'll definitely retaliate. So it's best not to reveal yourself until all the terrorists are caught."

"You should also be careful. Remember to bring bodyguards when you go out. New York is chaotic right now," Richard said, looking out the window at the city.

After the incident, everyone in New York was on edge. No one dared to fly anymore, and airlines suspended their services. Many people drove out of New York to seek refuge elsewhere, while others rented basements. The atmosphere was filled with fear, worried that another plane might crash into a skyscraper.

For the past half month, various industries in New York had been affected. The September New York Fashion Week was forced to cancel, and Ms. Gisele could only stay at home. Movies that were originally scheduled for release were also postponed.

Other sports and entertainment events, including boxing matches, were also suspended.

All news channels focused on the incident, and turning on the TV only showed the tragic scenes at the World Trade Center site. Newspapers were filled with extensive coverage, and the atmosphere suddenly became oppressive. Living in Tribeca, not far from downtown Manhattan, the constant sound of sirens from police cars and fire trucks, "woo woo woo," intensified the feeling of unease.

"Honey, why don't we go to Los Angeles for a few days?" Richard suggested. These days in New York, he couldn't work, and going out was dangerous. It felt like being under house arrest, very uncomfortable.

"How do we get there? By plane?"

"We could. With me there, it'll be absolutely safe."

"No, we can drive there. How about a road trip?"

"That's a great idea."

They decided to act on it immediately, packing their bags for a spontaneous trip.

"Honey, Angela and An An said they want to come too," Gisele said, putting down her phone.

"Sure!"

Their two-person trip turned into a group of four, making the journey even more lively.

The four of them drove a Land Rover westward, from New York to Chicago, taking Route 66, passing through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and Arizona. They traveled and drove, arriving in Los Angeles at the end of September.

"Wow, the air in Los Angeles feels so free!"

Standing on a Los Angeles street, Angela looked up at the blue sky and stretched her arms wide.

The weather in Los Angeles was beautiful today, with bright sunshine and not a cloud in sight. The palm trees lining the streets shimmered with a green luster under the sun. The streets were still bustling and crowded, filled with music and noise.

The atmosphere here was very relaxed, as if unaffected by the events in New York.

"It's wonderful. We should have come here sooner."

Ms. Gisele leaned against the car window, pressing down her windblown bangs with her hand, a relaxed smile on her lips.

"I want to go swimming at the beach," Angela said, leaning on the car window with a smile.

"Me too!"

"We'll join you in a bit!"

"Please don't. You three look like refugees." Richard held the fuel nozzle, filling up the car.

"We are refugees," the three women laughed.

"Do you need my protection?"

"Yes!"

---

After arriving in Los Angeles, Richard felt a bit more relaxed.

Recently, everything in his life seemed to revolve around the fallen building. It felt like it had become the center of his world, even affecting his boxing training.

But here, he let go of everything and focused on training.

The first match of the tour was originally scheduled for September 15th, but after the incident, it had to be postponed. The exact date would depend on the situation.

Many people were worried about a potential third world war and had no interest in watching boxing matches.

Even though it was delayed, he couldn't neglect his training. He planned to train seriously for a few months and take his skills to the next level.

During the incident on the plane, when he faced the six troublemakers, he was worried they might actually have a bomb. In that moment, he unleashed unprecedented speed and accuracy, even faster than his previous best. This was an opportunity for a breakthrough, and he had to seize it.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

In the boxing gym next to the Punch Bar, Richard, shirtless and wearing red gloves, was fiercely attacking his opponent.

His opponent was Paul. Paul was also afraid of death. The day after the incident, he drove to Los Angeles with Venus, under the pretense of her needing to rest during her pregnancy.

Paul also wore gloves and headgear, both attacking and defending. His defense was decent, but his movements were a bit slow. Facing Richard's quick attacks, his favorite move was to cover his head with both fists, a rather lazy defensive move.

After an hour of training, both of them were drenched in sweat.

"Paul, your defense is your weakness. You need to practice more," Richard said, taking off his gloves.

"I know. Compared to you, my whole body is a weakness," Paul said, pouting.

"Don't say that. Your offense is still pretty good. Your heavy punches pack a lot of power. I could get hurt if I'm not careful."

"But have you ever been careless?" Paul grumbled.

Richard chuckled and poured a bottle of water over himself. The water flowed down his strong body and into his sweat-soaked shorts.

"Hey, how's the training going?" Andy walked in.

"Not bad. What's up?" Richard asked, stepping off the ring.

"We have two options for the match. First, the situation in New York is not good right now, and we don't know when it will return to normal. One suggestion is to hold the first match in Las Vegas or Atlantic City and try to keep the final match in New York. What do you think?" Andy asked.

Richard thought for a moment. "You guys decide that. I'm planning to donate the prize money from the first match to the New York firefighters and the city's reconstruction efforts. What do you think?"

"Donate?" Andy stroked his chin, his eyes lighting up. "That's a great idea, Richard. You're from New York, and New York has suffered a disaster. You have a good reason to donate. We can use this to promote the matches, donating all ticket proceeds from each match to the New York firefighters and the city's reconstruction, contributing to the rebuilding of New York. Haha, this idea is fantastic! I'll go back and discuss it with them right away."

Andy was about to leave the boxing gym.

"Wait, don't play the sympathy card during the promotion. Otherwise, people will say we're using this to make money, and that would be terrible," Richard reminded him.

"Got it. We'll come up with a proper plan. You just focus on preparing for the match, don't worry about this," Andy waved and left.

"Richard, you're going to donate all the ticket revenue? That's millions of dollars," Paul said.

"Yes, I'll donate it. I'm not short on money. Come on, let's continue."

"Alright!"

The two put on their gloves again and resumed their training.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 257: When the Hero Becomes the Dragon

"It's you, isn't it?"

In the hillside villa, Keanu Reeves stared wide-eyed at Richard, his face filled with excitement. "Don't even try to deny it. Even if you can fool the whole world, you can't fool me. You're a psychic, you predicted the hijacking in advance, so you deliberately boarded that flight to step up and save the world at the critical moment, right?"

"You sure have a vivid imagination!"

Richard shook his head, crossing his legs as he gazed at the front lawn. Gisele, Angela, An An, Jennifer, little Ava, Anna's daughter Annie, and the slightly older Scarlett were all playing on the lawn. Some were playing ball, some were teasing the children, and others were chatting.

Sunlight, a lawn, a group of beautiful women, a gentle breeze blowing... it felt great. The only eyesore was the guy in front of him. Ever since he arrived, he wouldn't stop pestering Richard, even whispering about having a private conversation.

"Richard, I know it's you. It must be you. You're an angel, aren't you? You're an angel sent by God to save the world, right? I didn't have faith before, but now I do. I've started to believe in God. Richard, please tell me, heaven is real, isn't it?"

Reeves grabbed his arm and shook it vigorously.

Richard clenched his fist, wanting to punch him. "Can you stop with the wild imagination? If I could predict the future, I wouldn't have boarded that plane. That's the truth, believe it or not."

"Then could it be God's arrangement? He knew that plane would have an accident, so he let you board it, let you save the 122 people on the flight, and thousands of people in New York. Oh my God, every time I think about how you saved thousands of people, I want to kneel down and worship you devoutly."

"Then kneel down, I don't... Hey, you're actually kneeling!"

Seeing that the guy was about to kneel on the ground, Richard pushed him back into his seat.

"Richard, I'm kneeling on behalf of those you saved. You deserve it," Reeves said nonchalantly.

"Can we change the subject? I came here from New York to avoid talking about those heavy things, but you've been going on and on about it since you arrived. Next time, just let Jennifer and Ava come. You don't have to follow."

Richard said with disdain.

"Alright, alright, I won't talk about it anymore. But Richard, I understand you. You're feeling guilty, aren't you?" Reeves winked and smiled.

"Guilty? Guilty about what?"

"Hey, you predicted this disaster in advance, but you couldn't say it out loud. Even if you did, no one would believe you. So you could only do your best to save half of the people. You feel guilty because you couldn't save everyone. Actually, you don't need to feel guilty at all. Being able to save half of them is already amazing. After all, even God can't achieve perfection, let alone you, an angel."

"..."

Richard glanced at him, got up, and left his seat, not wanting to talk to this person anymore.

"Richard, don't go!"

Bam!

Richard raised his fist and kicked, knocking him to the ground.

"Daddy, Daddy, are you fighting?"

Little Ava saw what was happening and ran over, wearing a little white dress.

"No, we're practicing fighting. Fighting is a kind of game," Richard said, picking up his little girl.

"I want to play too!" Little Ava tilted her head and said.

"Okay!"

Richard took his little girl to the trampoline and watched her bounce up and down.

---

The next day, after finishing his training, he went to New Century Pictures. The filming of "Crash" was completed in 38 days, and it was now in post-production. He came to watch the rough cut, and overall, it looked good.

"Arnold, I heard you were sick a while ago. Are you feeling better?" Richard asked, handing him a glass of water in the screening room.

"I'm fine now, just a bit shocked," producer Kopelson said. In the recent attack, an old friend of his who worked in One World Trade Center unfortunately passed away.

After hearing the news, he was shocked and fainted, spending a week in the hospital.

Richard sighed softly. He was lucky that everyone around him was safe during the incident.

However, he also realized an unfortunate truth: whether in New York or Los Angeles, people couldn't avoid talking about the incident. This situation might continue for a long time.

"Arnold, you should rest more. The atmosphere in the industry is quite serious right now. The entertainment industry will inevitably be affected by the attack. There's no rush for the third project. We can wait and see how things develop."

Producer Kopelson nodded slightly. "I heard there's going to be a war. People are more interested in war news than movies."

"Yes."

Two days after the attack, the government expressed its intention to respond with tough measures. War preparations were underway, and according to surveys, 90% of the public supported this foreign war.

Richard also voted in favor of it in the survey.

Not just him, all New Yorkers wanted to wage war against the terrorist organization, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Only in this way could everyone stop living in fear.

The attack, coupled with the approaching war, seemed to have made the whole world hold its breath, watching the US's next move.

This situation inevitably changed people's lifestyle habits. In the past, they opened newspapers to read about entertainment and sports, but now they were more concerned about politics and social news.

"I feel that in the next few years, spy movies, war movies, superhero movies, and disaster movies will all have a strong market. In these movies, people can find a sense of security, the thrill of punishing evil and promoting good, and a sense of crisis," producer Kopelson said.

Richard nodded slightly. It made sense. In recent days, the FBI ace agent had become a globally known figure, his fame surpassing even James Bond's. With such great material, spy movies were bound to be popular in the future.

According to Anthony, the company had received over a dozen scripts for spy-themed movies, all based on the recent hijacking incident, inviting him to star in them with offers of $20 million and over 15% of the box office revenue.

However, Richard hadn't agreed. He didn't plan to act in such films. Whether he did well or poorly, there was a risk of being accused of cashing in on the tragedy, and he was very wary of that.

"Arnold, how about we make these types of movies too?" Richard asked.

"I've had that thought. There's definitely a market for such films, but we haven't found a project suitable for our company to invest in yet," producer Kopelson scratched his head.

"Take your time. And don't focus on work all the time. Your health is the most important thing. Aren't there a few young producers in the production department? You recruited them yourself. You should trust their abilities and delegate some of the more troublesome tasks to them."

"Alright, you're right," producer Kopelson smiled and shook his head.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Finished watching the movie?" Gwyneth Paltrow walked into the screening room, her long hair loose, wearing a milky white dress, greeting the two with a smile.

"Yes, we're done. You guys can watch it again. I'm leaving work now," producer Kopelson tactfully left first.

"Arnold, take care of yourself!" Gwyneth smiled.

"Okay!"

After Kopelson left the room, Gwyneth quickly closed the door, ran over, and snuggled into his arms, staring intently at him.

"What's wrong? Are you cold?" Richard asked, stroking her cheek with a smile.

"Yes, a little cold!" Gwyneth hugged his waist and leaned against his chest.

"Want to watch 'Crash'? It seems pretty good."

"Okay!"

Richard played the movie again. The rough cut was three and a half hours long, and post-production wasn't finished yet, so there were many issues. But overall, it looked quite good.

Through people of various skin colors and races, through their interactions and conflicts, the film showcased the existing racial issues in society and explored the root causes of these conflicts. It was both touching and thought-provoking.

"Hey, Sandra's role is good. I could have played it too. If only I had known, I would have taken it," Gwyneth said with a smile.

"Didn't you say you didn't have time? Is the filming finished?" Richard asked, holding her.

"It's done. Everything has been chaotic lately, even on set. After the attack, everyone was distracted, constantly talking about the news. The atmosphere wasn't good. We were supposed to wrap up filming mid-month, but it dragged on until the end of the month. I had to work for an extra half a month," Gwyneth chuckled.

"Same here. If it weren't for this incident, I should be traveling around the world for matches, not sitting here watching movies. This attack has had a significant impact on everyone."

"Yes."

Gwyneth blinked at him and kissed him. "There's something I want to confirm with you."

"Don't ask about that incident. It wasn't me. I refuse to admit it," Richard said with a stern face.

"Haha, I won't ask because I know it was you. You're an FBI agent, aren't you?" Gwyneth asked excitedly, lying on top of him.

"No," Richard shook his head.

"You are! You must be! You asked me about Weinstein before, weren't you gathering evidence to arrest him? But why haven't you done anything after three or four years?" Gwyneth asked curiously.

Richard's face darkened. Could she please not bring that up?

At first, he thought investigating the case would be simple, but when he actually started, he realized how difficult it was. Not only had he not found any useful evidence, but even if he had, it wouldn't get past the lawyers.

Currently, Weinstein was at the peak of his power, and it wouldn't be easy to take him down.

Since he couldn't rely on gathering evidence, he planned to confront Weinstein directly in the film market.

However, New Century Pictures was developing too slowly, and he didn't know when they would be able to truly compete with Weinstein.

"Stop overthinking it. I'm not interested in arresting him. I just despise his character."

"Really?" Gwyneth smiled slightly and bit his ear. "You bad boy, aren't you the same kind of person? I think there's a saying that's very true: the hero who slays the dragon eventually becomes the dragon himself. You're a dragon now, that's why you haven't taken action, right?"

Slap, slap. Richard patted her twice. "You're saying I'm a dragon?"

"Aren't you?" Gwyneth blinked and smiled.

"Alright, I'm a dragon."

Richard grinned mischievously and pinned her down.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 258: Am I Too Powerful?

At the beginning of October, the war on terror broke out. Richard, like many others, stayed home and watched TV for half a day. As the military action unfolded, the people, who had been feeling oppressed for over twenty days, slowly exhaled a sigh of relief while watching the news. At the same time, the government announced the deployment of a national anti-terrorist defense system to prevent external attacks, further enhancing people's sense of security.

Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction.

"Richard, this is the match plan. We're planning to hold the first match at the beginning of next month. Your opponent is still Richard Hall," Andy and Bob Arum said, holding a document.

"Okay, there's still a month left. I'll be ready," Richard said, flipping through the plan. "How did the charity donation talks go?"

"We've discussed it with the agencies of the seven opponents. They're also willing to donate their ticket revenue. However, we need to adjust the PPV revenue sharing. Previously, our distribution model was that you would get 80-90% of the PPV revenue, and they would get the smaller share. Now, we need to allocate about 5%, varying slightly, to compensate for their loss in ticket revenue," Bob explained.

Richard frowned. "So, in other words, we're using my money to buy them good publicity?"

"Richard, that's not how it works. Promoting the matches this way will attract more viewers. If we only donate the prize money from a single match, it won't get as much attention. Also, we need the cooperation of the other boxers during the promotion. It's a win-win situation, and we'll benefit more. But the premise is that you can win all seven matches," Bob Arum said.

Richard nodded. "Just mention donating the ticket revenue in the promotion. Don't keep bringing up the attack. It's too sensitive, and it could easily backfire."

"Haha, Richard, you're being a bit too cautious," Andy said, putting down his cigar and laughing. "You're a boxing champion, a big star, a public figure with immense influence. There are many people in this world who like you, and there are also those who hate you. Those who like you will always like you, no matter what you do. Those who dislike you will always find fault, no matter what you do. Making movies is wrong, boxing is wrong, and donating money is just a show. If you care too much, you won't be able to do anything freely. And public figures are never perfect; they're always surrounded by controversy. When there's no controversy, it doesn't mean the conflicts have disappeared, it just means the media isn't reporting on them anymore. In the coming period, your matches will definitely receive a lot of attention, both positive and negative. The dominant public opinion will definitely be positive and supportive. If 100 million people supported you before, there will be 200 million, 300 million, or even more people supporting you in the future. And how many more people will oppose you? Maybe the number won't increase, it might even decrease. You should have confidence in yourself and in us, your partners. We value your reputation more than you do, so all you need to do is train hard and keep moving forward," Andy said, waving his fist.

Richard smiled. "You're right. I was being too cautious."

"Richard, you're just striving for perfection too much. It's impossible to please everyone, especially for a public figure who's constantly in the media spotlight. Achieving perfection is even harder," Andy said with a smile.

Richard nodded and continued to look through the match plans and arrangements, discussing the details with Andy and Bob. They talked for a long time before concluding the meeting.

Once the match schedule was finalized, the promotion company started its publicity campaign, and Richard stayed in the gym to train.

Every day, he trained his speed, strength, and endurance, practicing for ten hours or even longer.

Each time, he would push himself until he couldn't run, jump, or punch anymore, exhausting every last bit of energy before stopping.

Only by depleting his physical strength could he generate new stamina. This was his way of tapping into his potential. For boxers like Paul, this method wasn't very effective.

But Richard had exceptional recovery abilities, so this training method worked very well for him.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

In the training room, Richard had 60-pound weights on his arms, 40-pound weights strapped to each thigh, and 100-pound weights on his shoulders.

After throwing his 100th heavy punch, he was completely exhausted and collapsed onto the floor, motionless.

"Tsk, tsk, Richard, is this self-torture?" Charlize Theron walked over, supported his neck, and fed him some water. She also poured water on his shoulders and chest. His burning skin and powerful muscles seemed to emit white mist when they came into contact with the cold water.

"This is special training. Only by training this way can I become even stronger," Richard said in a hoarse voice. His stamina was too good. If he didn't add weights, even training for 24 hours a day wouldn't exhaust him.

This way, there's no way to tap into his potential, so he keeps adding weight, from 100 pounds to 200 pounds, like carrying a person on his back and training for a whole day.

Ordinary boxers would pull a muscle within two hours of training like this, unable to keep up or even get out of bed the next day.

Richard is different. His recovery ability is strong, so he can use this abnormal and brutal method to train.

"Richard, you're already incredibly strong. The way you are, I can't imagine anyone being able to defeat you. Sometimes I wonder, if Superman met you, I don't know who would be stronger." Charlize Theron said with a smile, pressing on his shoulder.

"Definitely Superman. Although I'm strong, I still have opponents. Heavyweight boxers, their punches shouldn't be underestimated. After I finish these seven matches, I'll continue to fight in the heavyweight division. I want to defeat every champion, become the only champion, become a legend," Richard said, clenching his fist.

"You're already a legend, okay? Ace Agent, you're much stronger than James Bond in the 007 series, and much stronger than any other movie agent. In the past, when I watched movies, I always felt that the screenwriters made the agents too powerful, beyond the standards of normal people. But compared to you, those exaggerated plots seem perfectly reasonable. I've never seen a movie agent who can carry 200 pounds of weight and practice boxing for a whole day," Charlize Theron laughed.

"You're right, I seem to be a bit too strong," Richard said, clenching his fist.

"You just realized that?"

"I knew it a long time ago. Every time you begged for mercy, I knew I was too strong."

"When did I ever beg... Pfft, you bastard, you dare to mention that! Every time I begged for mercy, you never let me go. You're such a jerk." Charlize Theron pinched him.

"You only begged for mercy, you didn't pass out. I can't wrong myself."

"Pfft, you stinky bastard, you beast." Charlize Theron punched him a few times, then her eyes lit up and she smiled. "Richard, do you still have any energy left?"

"What for?"

"What do you think!" Charlize Theron pressed on his chest and said, "You used to bully me mercilessly when I had no energy left. Today, when you have no energy, I want to bully you too. Begging for mercy won't work."

"A joke. I would beg for mercy?" Richard said with a smirk.

"Hmph, just you wait!" Charlize Theron smiled mischievously and started her revenge, but in the end, she failed and was bullied again.

During his training days, Richard endured tremendous burdens and pressure every day, pushing himself to the limit. Although he could recover on his own, he still needed some simple relaxation. Sometimes he would chat with Charlize Theron, Gwyneth, Naomi, or Jessica.

In this balance of tension and relaxation, he could feel his progress and became even more confident about the upcoming matches.

After more than a month of solid training, he finally welcomed his first match.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 259: I'm Really Not a Robot

In early November, Richard arrived in Las Vegas to prepare for the match.

By this time, the war on terror was progressing smoothly, with frequent reports of victories. The atmosphere in the country was gradually improving.

The entertainment industry was also slowly returning to its previous state. News about the attack was gradually decreasing on television, and entertainment news was once again occupying more airtime. Movies that were postponed in September and October were also being released at the end of October.

For example, Naomi's new film, "Mulholland Drive," was originally scheduled for release on September 13th. Director David Lynch even invited him to the premiere in Los Angeles. However, due to the attack, the film was delayed for a month.

In the sports world, various ball games had resumed as normal. The music industry had also returned to its previous state of singing and dancing. After all, no one could remain immersed in sorrow forever.

In this environment, the first match of Richard's global tour was gradually kicking off.

"Mr. Brad, this is the first match of the tour. How do you plan to fight?" a reporter from the American Express asked.

"I can't expend too much energy in the first match, so I'll probably go for a quick win," Richard thought for a moment and said.

"Mr. Brad, industry insiders generally believe that having seven matches in two months is a huge challenge for any boxer. Are you worried about being knocked off your pedestal?" a reporter from the Los Angeles Times asked.

"I'm not worried. The name of this tour is 'Seeking Defeat.' I'm looking forward to meeting an opponent who can pose a threat to me. That would make the match more meaningful," Richard said with a smile.

"Mr. Brad, are you the ace agent from Flight 715?" a reporter from The Sun shouted, squeezing to the front.

"This is a pre-match interview. Please ask questions related to the match. Thank you!" Richard said politely.

"Mr. Brad, are you not admitting it because you're afraid of retaliation?" the reporter from The Sun continued to ask.

"Everyone, this is a pre-match press conference. Mr. Brad will only answer questions related to the match. For other questions, please schedule an interview at another time. Does anyone else have questions for Mr. Brad?" Bob Arum stepped forward and asked.

"Mr. Brad, it's said that the FBI received information in advance but didn't notify the airlines in time, leading to the tragedy. Do you have any explanation for this?"

"Mr. Brad, it's said that you carry out secret missions worldwide under the guise of filming and boxing matches. Will you participate in this war on terror?"

"Mr. Brad, there are rumors that the FBI has a special agent organization with superpowers. What's your superpower?"

"Mr. Brad, some netizens claim that you're a robot developed by the FBI. Is that true?"

Several reporters shouted one after another.

"..."

The press conference couldn't continue. Richard waved his hand and left the scene.

---

"Richard, why don't you just come forward and admit it? Many people already know you're the ace agent. At the press conference last time, even the President didn't deny it was you when facing reporters. It's practically public knowledge. There's no need for you to hide it anymore," Kevin Campbell said, approaching him.

"It's not the right time yet. Didn't you hear those reporters saying that the attack was orchestrated by the FBI and the Department of Defense to start a war? If I admit it, I might receive high praise, but I'll also attract a lot of criticism. That would be too troublesome, and it would also affect my career. That's not what I want," Richard said, getting into the car.

"That's a pity. You could have become a hero," Kevin smiled.

"It's not a pity. Heroes always come with tragedy and heavy responsibilities. I don't like tragedy, and I can't shoulder too much responsibility. I just want to live a simple life, like an ordinary person," Richard shrugged.

"Huh, a boxing champion, superstar, billionaire is an ordinary person?"

Kevin shook his head. "But I'm also curious about one thing. Do you have superpowers?"

"No!"

"Hey, I heard that the FBI's research department started working on gene-modifying drugs to enhance the human body a long time ago. Have you been modified?" Kevin tapped his shoulder, as if inspecting goods.

Richard glanced at him sideways. "Stay away from me, or I'll punch you into the sky."

"Haha, you're awesome. So, when Frank took you out before, he was actually conducting experiments, right? Frank is so biased. He didn't even give me a shot of such a good drug," Kevin said, feeling dejected.

Richard clenched his fist. "How about I give you a shot?"

"You have the drug?" Kevin asked in surprise.

"Yes!" Richard rubbed his fist. "Where do you want it?"

"Uh, forget it, forget it. No more shots." Kevin moved away from him.

The car entered the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Along the way, there were reporters and boxing fans following them, but they were all stopped by security at the entrance.

Richard led his team into the backstage lounge, changing clothes and doing pre-match warm-ups.

"Hey, Richard!" Richard Hall from the next lounge knocked on the door and walked in.

"Hi, Richard. Are you ready?" Richard stretched out his hands, letting two assistants wrap and secure bandages around his palms and put on his gloves.

"Not yet. I have a question for you, if you don't mind," Richard Hall said with a grin.

"First of all, I'm not the ace agent. Secondly, I'm a normal person, not a genetically modified human, and definitely not a robot. Lastly, I'm just a boxer. I'm here for a boxing match, not for any other mission. So you don't have to worry," Richard said quickly.

"Haha, that puts my mind at ease. I wouldn't want to face a Superman as an opponent," Richard Hall laughed.

Richard shook his head. He didn't want to admit being the ace agent, partly because he was worried it would affect the match. If he admitted it, the entire audience would become his supporters.

This would put immense pressure on his opponents, and even if he won, the victory would be meaningless.

"Richard, don't worry. If Superman participated in boxing, his physical and urine tests definitely wouldn't pass."

"Haha, that makes sense. Then this time, I'll have a serious match with you. I don't think your punches are stronger than mine," Richard Hall said, clenching his fist.

"Good luck!" Richard bumped fists with him.

The match was about to start, and Richard Hall went back to prepare.

The venue started with song and dance performances. The organizers invited many singers and bands to warm up the crowd, including the Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Lopez, and even Kevin's small band, which Richard had squeezed in.

Richard took the stage during the last performance, interacted with the band, and sang a few lines, eliciting cheers from the entire audience.

The performance ended, and the match officially began.

Richard's original plan was to finish Richard Hall in the first round, making him lose convincingly and creating a sensation. But now, if he fought like that, the sensation would probably be about the FBI's gene-modifying drugs.

So after entering the ring, he adopted a defensive stance in the first round. He kept a close eye on his opponent's movements, and the moment his opponent punched, he quickly tilted his head and shifted his feet, precisely dodging the punch.

His movements were smooth and fluid, and even without attacking, he won applause from the entire audience.

In the second round, he launched a counterattack, exchanging punches with his opponent, and the fight became intense.

Through this round, he realized that he had indeed improved a lot. In the past, he needed to be cautious when dealing with Richard Hall, but now he completely outmatched his opponent in terms of speed, punching power, and technique.

After testing his own strength, in the fourth round, he knocked out Richard Hall with a swing punch, defeating his opponent for the second time. His current record was 25 wins out of 25 matches, with 20 KOs.

Since Richard Hall was the champion of two secondary organizations, the IBO and IBA, Richard gained two more championship belts.

He now held six championship belts: WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF, IBO, and IBA, becoming the boxer with the most belts in the boxing world. He had created new history not only in terms of age but also in terms of the number of belts.

At the end of the match, a donation ceremony was held. The entire $1.52 million in ticket revenue was donated to a representative sent by the New York Post-Disaster Reconstruction Foundation, earning applause from the entire audience.

"Hey, great job, Richard!"

After the match, Gisele waved and shouted. Angela, Ambrosio, Scarlett, Liv, Jennifer, and others around her were also cheering.

Richard smiled gently, blew a kiss, and bowed to the audience. This was just the first stop.

"Mr. Brad, can we interview you?"

"Mr. Brad, do you have superpowers?"

As soon as he got off the stage, a large group of reporters surrounded him. Richard secretly broke out in a sweat. Could they please stop asking questions about superpowers? He really didn't want to be sliced into sashimi.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 260: A Series of Battles

In early November, Richard arrived in Las Vegas to prepare for the match. At this time, the war on terror was progressing well, with frequent reports of victories. The atmosphere in the country was gradually recovering. The entertainment industry was also slowly returning to its previous state. News about the attack was gradually decreasing on television, and entertainment news was once again occupying more airtime. Movies that were postponed in September and October were also being released at the end of October.

Just like Naomi's new film, "Mulholland Drive," which was originally scheduled for release on September 13th. Director David Lynch even invited him to the premiere in Los Angeles. However, due to the attack, the film was delayed for a month.