I am the only one who practices magic: I practice magic in the city

Chapter 533 Omniburg (4900)

The driver's side window of the Chevrolet Lake Tahoe was open. Zach Efron had his right hand on the steering wheel and his left arm resting outside the window as he glanced at Alessandra Daddario in the passenger seat.

He was actually in a pretty good mood. After the party last night, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson threw a second party, booking out the nearby Bellos Gaddo Estate and inviting some of his close friends to stay there for the night.

During the second party, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson approached him and said that if he could cooperate with the doctor to control his drug addiction, he could coordinate with CAA to transfer his secondary agency contract to Johnson's company.

Dani will also personally develop a future strategy for him—a movie, an HBO project, and several commercial endorsements, which will be arranged one after another next year.

He was already very marginalized at CAA, and the situation worsened after his agent disappeared. He felt like he was no different from a freelancer.

Agents and agencies are constantly criticized as bloodsuckers, accused of doing little but taking away so much money.

But once they lose their agents and management companies, many celebrities disappear overnight, quickly fade into obscurity, and no one can remember their names or even that they ever existed in the industry.

Signing Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to a Tier 2 contract is the best option Zac Efron could have at the moment.

Of course, Dwayne Johnson also hinted that the Daddario family is quite concerned about his current rumored relationship with Alex, and they do not want Alex to date someone in the entertainment industry.

Zach Efron felt a mix of emotions after hearing this.

He really liked D'Addario, appreciating his purity and innocence, especially the look in his eyes that hadn't yet been exposed to evil.

Daddario was like a ray of light shining on him, inspiring him to yearn for him, yet also making him feel ashamed of his own inferiority.

He starred alongside Matthew Perry, who played Chandler in Friends, in "17 Again," where he played Perry's younger self.

During a break on set, he asked the other person why he broke up with Julia Roberts when they were younger.

Matthew Perry looked down at the ground and remained silent for a while, which was unusual for him, before casually saying, "Some people are like the sun; if you get too close to the shadow, you'll get burned."

He didn't understand then, but he does now.

Even without Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's reminder, he wasn't prepared to get too entangled with Daddario.

“I thought you would go back in the helicopter with Dawn and the others.” Zach Efron glanced at Daddario in the passenger seat, but didn’t say anything.

“I don’t like the noise of helicopters, it’s too loud.” Daddario turned to Zac Efron and forced a smile, then turned back to look ahead, seemingly lost in thought.

Seeing Daddario's expression, Zac Efron felt a pang of sadness.

Anyone with extensive experience in unrequited love knows that when you like someone, even if you've given up hope on the relationship and decided to give up completely, seeing that the other person seems completely indifferent to you still feels like a blow to your heart.

It wasn't excruciating pain, but it made it hard to breathe.

Zac Efron glanced at Daddario again, wondering why the other man's attitude towards him had changed so drastically in just one night.

He could sense that the other person at least had some feelings for him.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken the initiative to come to Santa Barbara with him.

But now, he could sense that the other person seemed to have lost all interest in him. Instead, they kept staring at the map on their phone, looking somewhat confused and... struggling.
What's going on? Why are you looking at the map? Are you afraid I'll take her to some remote place?
Your dark circles are so bad, did you not get enough rest yesterday?
By the way, Anne Hathaway's husband seemed to be in a bad mood today. When I saw them together, Anne Hathaway looked like she had just had cosmetic surgery, while her husband had dark circles under his eyes and a vacant look in his eyes.

Did his wife drain him dry yesterday?
No one spoke in the car. Zac Efron suppressed the turmoil in his heart and was about to say something when he saw Daddario in the passenger seat purse his lips, as if he had made a decision.

"Zack, could you turn at the next exit and drop me off?"

Zac Efron instinctively slammed on the brakes, quite surprised: "Why?"

Does she not want to ride in the same car as me? Did I mess up?

Daddario awkwardly smoothed his hair. "Oh, I'm going to Bellawest Ranch to see... a friend."

Bellawest Ranch? Friends?

Zach Efron was unsure whether he should press the matter.

After D'Addario finished speaking, as if explaining something, he added with a somewhat unfocused look in his eyes, "It's very close from here. You can drop me off nearby. You don't need to wait for me; I can go back by myself."

Zach Efron picked up his phone, set a navigation, and found that it really wasn't far, only four ounces, and he could drive there in ten minutes.

It looks like a manor where you can run horses?

"Are you sure?" Zac Efron felt a little disappointed, but seeing Daddario nod, he had no choice but to turn on the turn signal and indicate the main road.

The road to Bellawest Ranch is easy to drive; there are no intersections after exiting the highway, and you can reach the vicinity of the ranch directly.

Driving up the slope beside the road, it wasn't long before we saw two huge fence gates.

"Is this here?"

Zach Efron peeked out, his eyes twitching involuntarily.

What a huge estate! It must be at least several tens of acres, right?
Through the two fence gates, no buildings could be seen, only two one-way roads, each large enough for a truck to pass through, winding like two gray-white snakes across the hillside and swimming into the distance, their destination unknown.

He visited Ellen DeGeneres's "Cliff Estate" in Carpintriia, not far away, which he bought for 9600 million dollars, but it didn't look as big as this place!

Daddario glanced at the map location, nodded, thanked Zac Efron, and was about to get out of the car when the two doors creaked open automatically.

"It seems there's still some distance to go. Let me take you inside."

Zach Efron pursed his lips, stepped on the gas, and the Chevrolet Tahoe roared forward, crunching on the granite road.

That's fucking huge!
Zac Efron couldn't help but gasp.

This is not just a few dozen acres, it's definitely more than two hundred acres, the size of one or two hundred football fields!

Who could own such a large estate in Montecito?!
No, if you look closely, you'll find subtle differences in the roads, vegetation, and architectural styles of different areas.

This is a super manor that was created by connecting and reassembling five or six large manors!
How much property tax does this guy have to pay every year?!
Most importantly, looking at satellite maps, there isn't a single estate that big!
There were only some blurry tree shadows, and no grassland or buildings at all!
The image metadata below the map shows that it was taken by Google's satellite a month ago, and it's the latest layer.

But with such a large estate, why are there hardly any people around?
Even though the "Cliff Manor" is less than one-tenth the size of this place, it requires at least 20 staff members every day to keep the manor running normally.

But this place is so big, and I've been driving for so long, yet I haven't seen a single person. It's so strange.

The silence was unsettling.

Just when he thought the entire manor seemed uninhabited, a slight movement finally appeared at the end of his line of sight.

Ah! I see it.

Two or three minutes later, Zach Efron finally saw an electric scooter in front of a mansion that looked to be at least 10,000 square feet, with two women dressed as maids and a burly man in a suit who was at least 6 feet 7 inches tall standing next to it!
Seeing the burly man in white gloves raise his arm, Zach Efron parked the car in front of the mansion. Just as he was about to speak, the passenger door was opened.

“Identity confirmed, Miss Daddario. Please transfer to this electric vehicle.”

The burly man's voice was deep and resonant; why did it sound so familiar?

I remember now, it's Thanos! His voice sounds so much like Josh Brolin's!

Daddario nervously swallowed, unbuckled his seatbelt, and sat on the electric scooter with a woman dressed as a maid. The burly man then took the driver's seat.

Seeing this, Zac Efron also unbuckled his seatbelt, climbed out of the driver's seat, and was about to go up and greet Daddario when the remaining maid stopped him.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Efron, the host only invited Miss Daddario. However, you can stay here tonight and use all the facilities in the Twilight Pavilion.”

The maid maintained a polite smile and pointed to the mansion behind her.

Zach Efron frowned slightly. As a celebrity, he wasn't surprised that the maid called him by his name so readily. Just as he was about to explain that he had only brought someone there, he saw the electric scooter start with a whoosh and continue climbing up the hillside along a small path.

It was only then that Zac Efron discovered that at the top of the hillside, there was another group of manor buildings that were even larger in scale and more unique in design!
My God, where am I?
Judging by its size, the building on the hilltop is almost the same size as the famous Beltemore Estate in all of Mai!

Moreover, it clearly looks more historic and of higher quality than the Beltermore Estate!

Why have I never heard of such a manor before?!

Zac Efron felt the hairs on his body stand on end, as if he were sensing some unknown fear.

I also felt a mix of curiosity, nervousness, excitement, and anticipation.

"Would you like me to give you a tour? This is your communication wristband, which is also your pass to the Twilight Pavilion."

The maid's smile remained unchanged. Zac Efron struggled internally for a moment, then took the electronic bracelet and nodded. Anyway, there was no work lately, and nothing much to do tomorrow.

This place is so mysterious that it makes one want to explore and find out what it is.

Most importantly, I brought Ellie here myself; what if Ellie gets into danger...?

Zach Efron took a deep breath and followed the maid through a three-hole miniature golf course toward the mansion the maid called "Twilight House".

It must be said that the scenery here is actually very beautiful. Standing on the lawn in front of the Twilight Pavilion on the hillside, you can see the vast Pacific Ocean directly. The scenery is in no way inferior to Allen's "Cliff House".

The lawn was as flat as a Persian carpet, the flowers and trees were meticulously trimmed, and the view stretched to the boundless blue sea at the horizon…

He almost forgot that he was in an unknown manor that made his heart race.

The mansion is not dark; it gives people a warm feeling. The layout and furnishings look somewhat old, but they are still luxurious. Various paintings are hung in every corridor and room, and there are many sculptures of different styles interspersed throughout.

"Judging from your physique, you must have a regular fitness routine. This is the gym's equipment area. In addition to the outdoor pool you just saw, there is also a 15-meter indoor heated pool, which you can use."

"This is a private cinema. You can let me know what movie you would like to watch at any time."

"This is a dance hall..."

"wine cellar……"

"The theme of each of the three living rooms is..."

"The library is right next to the study..."

"This is a small dining area and kitchen; of course, we can also provide dinner service for you..."

"Your bedroom is the first one on the left..."

"Quiet room..."

"Tea room..."

"Billiards room..."

"This leads directly to the horse farm, and the stables are over there."

"If you need to ride a horse, you can let me know at any time using the communication wristband."

In the stable, rows of magnificent horses with exaggerated muscle lines stood quietly. When Efron entered, they merely rolled their eyes and twitched their ears.

Although it's unclear whether they are thoroughbreds, judging from their appearance, these horses are definitely quite powerful.

Even Zac Efron, a former Hollywood A-lister with extensive experience, couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.

The facilities are comparable to any top-tier estate!

And this is just one of the twilight pavilions, not including the larger building above!

"Please be sure to wear your wristband at all times. Your activity area is limited to the electronic fence of the Twilight Pavilion. If you step outside the electronic fence and enter a restricted area, your wristband will alert you. If you insist on entering an unauthorized area, we will take enforcement measures."

The maid bowed politely to Zac Efron, her face still bearing that seemingly unchanging smile.

Zac Efron's expression changed upon hearing this, and his heart pounded: "What do you mean? This is illegal imprisonment!"

The maid looked up, finally changing her expression, her brows furrowing slightly: "Mr. Efron, according to California Statute 236, unlawful imprisonment only occurs when someone is forcibly detained or loses the actual ability to leave."

“This is private property. If you do not agree to abide by the rules here and are unwilling to leave on your own, we will have no choice but to take measures to forcibly evict you.”

"This does not restrict your freedom to leave, therefore it does not constitute unlawful imprisonment, but rather a lawful use of property rights."

Zakev was taken aback: "You're not forbidding me from leaving? If I want to leave, I can leave now?"

The maid smiled and said, "Of course, if you feel uncomfortable in any way, you are free to leave. Omni Castle will not force anyone who does not wish to stay."

"If you need to leave now, please return the bracelet and drive out of the territory within 30 minutes."

Hearing the maid say that, Zac Efron breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

It's good that I can leave anytime; it seems I was just scaring myself.

Omniburg? Is that the name of this place?

When the navigation came, the address entered was Bellawest Ranch, but it turns out that Omni Castle is the real name of this place.

Why don't you try it out first?
No, she's just a maid, yet she can recite legal articles off the top of her head. Do you think all the maids here have passed the California bar exam?

Are lawyers really that hard to find jobs these days?
Zach Efron's mind was in complete chaos.

Oh right, never mind all that for now, I need to call Ellie and ask when she's leaving, and also let her know I'm still here waiting for her.

Zac Efron took out his phone and dialed Daddario's number.

Bye?

What's going on? What are you doing? Is something inconvenient?
Inside the dimly lit domed hall, the walls were covered with Baroque sculptures. At the end of a long table that was 15 meters long and 4 meters wide, a dark figure sat lazily in a large chair.

"Where is this? Who are you? What do you want?"

Daddario, trembling all over, moved forward step by step and asked in a trembling voice.

"You seem to have forgotten that you are not allowed to ask questions without my permission."

A dark figure snapped its fingers, and all the candlesticks on the walls lit up with a "whoosh," casting layers of light and shadow on Fang Yu's face in the flickering candlelight.

D'Addario shuddered, looking at the candlesticks on the walls with suspicion and uncertainty, before finally fixing his gaze on Fang Yu at the end of the long table.

"You're even more ruthless than I expected. I told you to come, and you came right away."

Fang Yu chuckled dismissively and stood up.

"Are you so eager to get %￥#@?"

"No! No! You're lying! I just... I just wanted to tell you to your face that this is disgusting! It's..."

D'Addario's face flushed red, and he awkwardly crossed his legs, his eyes flashing with fear and struggle, as well as a hint of excitement.

"Stubborn to the end? Looks like I'll have to punish you a little."

"I'll give you a little real punishment."

To D'Addario's horror, the man in front of him waved his hand, and a long rope appeared in his hand. Then, he seemed to feel dizzy for a moment and involuntarily closed his eyes.

Daddario opened his eyes in a daze, feeling a splitting headache. He frowned in pain, and after seeing his surroundings, he couldn't help but scream. He tried to cover his mouth, but found that he couldn't control his hands at all.

Only then did she realize that, seemingly in an instant, she had been firmly bound to a cangue by a rope.

This isn't the lobby from before!

This is where?

The opposite wall is curved, and the right half of the curved wall is covered with various rattan, leather weaving, nine-tailed whips, salt-soaked ropes, etc., each of which is engraved with a number and usage level.

The left half of the arc contains different styles of soldering iron molds: snakes, eyes, triangles, gears, characters...

On the walls on both sides, various kinds of torture racks were fixed.

"Welcome to the House of Suffering in Omniburg."

The man in front of me smiled easily.

“You will find your true self here, bitch.”

"let's start."

(End of this chapter)