Reborn Action Star: Starting in Hollywood

Chapter 530 Buta's New Life Ideal
The two shook hands solemnly and then let go.

Originally, Lin Yuan thought that the scarred man would say goodbye and leave, but he saw him waving his hand, and his younger brothers carried up another big sack.

This sack is bigger than the one that contained the "Lion" Soth, and it looks quite heavy.

"What's this?" Lin Yuan asked in confusion, "Isn't there anyone I'm looking for?"

Lin Yuan instinctively thought that the sack handed to him by the gang members contained another person.

But he really has no enemies in Kisangani, so what is in the bag?
The scarred man smiled and said, "This is a gift."

"Gift? Didn't I receive it just now?" In Lin Yuan's opinion, wasn't Soth the gift they gave him?

The scarred man shook his head. "What Soth gave us just now wasn't a gift, it was just a transaction. This is a gift. There's no ulterior motive, only pure goodwill."

“These are what the Barkawi people wanted to give you, but they were afraid that so many people would rush up to give you gifts and cause you inconvenience, so they entrusted us to bring them to you.

These are all things from poor families, I hope you don’t mind.” The scarred man continued.

Lin Yuan opened the sack and saw it was filled with all kinds of food:
There are dried salted fish made from various fish, baobab fruit, fried scorpions, centipedes and other insects, and dried bats pickled into bacon...

Among them, dried salted fish is the main one, and various types of dried salted fish together account for more than 70%.

A smell of salted fish hit me in the face, filling the air with a fishy smell.

If some big-name stars receive such gifts, they may feel disgusted:

What kind of gifts are these that are worthless, look disgusting, and smell really bad?

Is this really a gift, or something to deliberately mess with me?

Perhaps out of courtesy, they would reluctantly accept it, then turn around and throw the whole sack into the trash, complaining about their bad luck.

But Lin Yuan knew that for the poor Bakawi people, these were the best gifts they could give.

The more a person lacks something, the more precious it will become to him.

For the Bakawi people who can never get enough food, these high-protein foods are naturally the best things in their hearts.

Even if they didn't eat it themselves, they could sell it to buy salt, oil and other necessary supplies for the family, but now they all gave it to Lin Yuan.

In fact, they also knew that these gifts were not very presentable to Lin Yuan, but this was already their limit.

After watching the movie tonight, the enthusiastic Bakawi people used this way to express their goodwill to Lin Yuan in the best possible way.

"I like this gift very much. I will be filming in Xiala Village in a few days. These foods can help me and the crew improve our taste." Lin Yuan did not show any disgust and accepted the gift from the Bakawi people with a smile.

"Please express my gratitude to everyone. But I also know that life is not easy for everyone, so please don't send me anything in the future. I will only accept it this time, and it is enough for me to receive everyone's kindness." Lin Yuan continued.

Lin Yuan was really happy about the gifts from the Bakawi people.

In later life, he had seen too many fans of celebrities who claimed to follow their brothers forever.

But when the brothers' movies were released, it was found that these fans were unwilling to buy even a single movie ticket, they were just talking.

Anyone who is willing to spend real money to express his love is a true fan.

The Bakawi people were so frugal that they would rather starve themselves than not give gifts to Lin Yuan. How could he not be moved?

So Lin Yuan broke off a small piece of dried salted fish and put it directly into his mouth.

When Lin Yuan took a bite of the dried salted fish, the first thing he felt was the thin fish skin that was fully marinated with salt. It was crispy but not hard, and had the salty taste of sea salt.

Then the aroma of the fish blooms in your mouth, and the taste with just the right amount of saltiness spreads.

After being marinated and dehydrated, the rich fat has a unique taste that is fat but not greasy, which is eye-catching.

Lin Yuan was also surprised that the dried fish was surprisingly delicious. He had originally prepared himself mentally for it to be difficult to swallow.

But I didn’t expect that this dried salted fish that smelled a bit fishy would not have any fishy smell when I put it in my mouth, only the purest aroma of fish meat and oil.

But on second thought, isn't it true that the Barkawi slum has grown so large because of the fishing industry?

Normal fishing does not make much money. After all, the climate in Congo is so hot that fresh fish cannot be sold at a high price. Therefore, the local division of labor is that men fish and women make dried salted fish at home.

The salted dried fish of Bakawi is very famous in Kisangani and even in the whole of Congo. Now Lin Yuan has to say that the reputation is well-deserved.

Just don't worry about why the fish in Barkawi are so plump.

Seeing Lin Yuan eating the dried salted fish without any concern, the scarred man smiled happily.

If he originally only trusted Lin Yuan 90%, there was still a hint of doubt.

Now this last bit of doubt has completely disappeared.

Lin Yuan is really an open and sincere person, and such a person will never let down those who follow him.

"It's really delicious, you should try it too." Lin Yuan broke off another piece of dried salted fish and put it in his mouth, then gave the rest to GAKKI-chan, Buta and Director Eastwood.

The three of them took the dried salted fish handed to them by Lin Yuan and soon began to praise it.

Seeing Lin Yuan and the others enjoying their meal so much, Scarface and the others became even happier.

Everyone likes the specialties of their hometown, and when outsiders truly like their products, the sense of pride makes them smile.

"It's a pity that Meng Tao hasn't arrived yet. I wonder if these dried salted fish will be left when he arrives." Lin Yuan said.

Meng Tao is dealing with the rental issue of African elephants and is on his way with the trainer. It will take several days for them to arrive.

Director Eastwood said with a smile, "With so many people on the crew, if everyone eats a few, they'll be gone quickly. But apart from the salted fish, there should be some left over."

The rest of course refers to "dark ingredients" such as fried insects and bats.

"It's hard to say. Since the Bakawi people gave this to us, it must be something delicious in their eyes. Maybe after everyone tries it, it will be snatched up immediately." Lin Yuan said.

"Of course! The dried bats from Kisangani are super delicious! My wife back then... always ate them especially deliciously!" Buta said with a smile.

"Mr. Lin, should we send you some more?" Scarface asked with a smile.

Lin Yuan shook his head. "I said I won't accept any more gifts. I've asked everyone to be frugal. I can't accept gifts that cost me dearly. But I can buy some. Please help me procure a batch of goods. Let's calculate the amount at $50."

"Ah?" The scarred man didn't expect things to turn out like this.

Wasn't it a gift for Lin Yuan? Instead, he threw in a $50 order.

For the Barkawi people, this is simply a godsend.

$50 is not a small number for them.

In the past, they were always worried that the market near Kisangani would not have enough capacity to absorb the fish, and sometimes the dried fish they made could not be sold, so they had to sell them at a discount and at a loss.

Now that such a large order has arrived, the most troublesome problem can be solved immediately.

As for the scarred man and others, they are responsible for purchasing dried fish, which means they have the power to divide the cake.

They can decide which family to buy from and which family not to buy from. This will inevitably further increase their voice, which can be regarded as a sweet treat given by Lin Yuan to them.

These gang leaders expressed their loyalty to Lin Yuan, and also relied on Lin Yuan to lean towards Kano. They could be considered his own people in a preliminary way, somewhat similar to the several swordsman agents that Lin Yuan found in Japan.

But loyalty needs to be maintained by interests after all, so let’s start with tonight’s order.

For Lin Yuan, this is a good thing that kills two birds with one stone. After all, it is not a free gift of 50 US dollars. The Bakawi people also need to exchange it for supplies such as salted fish.

After arriving in Congo, Lin Yuan may need to recruit more than 1500 temporary workers to help him complete various tasks.

1500 people may not be a big number for a large project, but the trouble is that they need to be provided with food and drink, so the daily consumption of materials is quite considerable.

What gave Lin Yuan the most headache was not the money issue. After all, even if each person was provided with food at a standard of US$2 a day, it would not cost much.

The real problem is food safety.

There is no stable, safe and hygienic food supply chain in Congo. If he purchases meat ingredients from the market piecemeal, he will almost certainly make mistakes.

Lin Yuan shuddered when he thought about the whole camp suffering from vomiting and diarrhea after purchasing some unhygienic ingredients.

In a place like Congo where there is a shortage of medical care and medicine, if there is a large-scale food safety problem, many people will inevitably lose their lives.

If something like this happened and the news spread internationally, Lin Yuan didn't believe that the European and American financial groups waiting to catch him would not take the opportunity to hype it up and try to ruin his reputation.

Therefore, a stable and safe meat supply is very important.

The salted fish and various pickled foods produced in the Barkawi slum seem to be a very good choice.

For Chinese people, they may feel that bacon can only be eaten occasionally to change their appetite, and they are not used to eating it every day.

But in Congo, where food and clothing are a problem, who cares whether it is fresh meat or salted meat as long as there is meat at every meal?
After all, when they are hungry, they will eat any animal they can catch in the jungle.

Some people even contracted deadly viral infections such as HIV and Ebola through eating. The sources of these diseases basically come from the Congo region.

So Lin Yuan finalized the matter and purchased various bacon products worth US$50 from the Barkawi slum within three months.

This was enough to make many residents of the slums a fortune. "Thank you so much, Mr. Lin Yuan. I originally just came to give you a gift, but I didn't expect to receive your care." The scarred man said excitedly.

"No need to thank me, this is a win-win situation. But I have one requirement, which is that food safety must be absolutely guaranteed. If there is a problem, all our previous cooperation will probably come to an end." Lin Yuan said.

Combining kindness and severity is the way to control subordinates. If the superior only gives benefits without imposing corresponding punishments, the subordinates will sooner or later lose their awe.

Hearing Lin Yuan's words, the scarred man immediately patted his chest and said, "I promise there will be no problems. Everyone respects you so much, no one would want to pass off inferior goods as good ones and take advantage of such petty gains. If anyone dares to do that, I will chop off his hands in public!"

He is indeed the gang boss, and his methods of controlling his subordinates are so brutal.

But Lin Yuan didn't say anything, nor did he interfere. In a place like a slum, perhaps this rough management method is the best solution.

At this point, tonight's meeting and exchange has officially ended, and the four gang leaders stood up to say goodbye.

Lin Yuan picked up his phone, walked aside, and started talking to Kano on the phone.

Lin Yuan needs to communicate with Kano about the Bakawi gang's capture of Sos and their desire to get Kano's recognition.

Kano is a straightforward person. The best way to deal with such a person is to be straightforward and put all your thoughts and ideas out in the open.

This will often gain his sincere response. If you hide things and act petty, you will sooner or later completely lose his trust.

Lin Yuan and Kano talked for a long time and finally reached a consensus.

After completing this task, Lin Yuan finally breathed a sigh of relief and hung up the phone.

At this time, Buta came to Lin Yuan's side.

Seeing Buta in a white T-shirt and jeans, Lin Yuan was stunned: "Buta, where's your suit? It can't be ruined again, right?"

"Of course not, the event was over so I took it off and put it away," said Buta.

His words made Lin Yuan stunned:
Don’t the Saps wear designer suits all the time and would rather not take them off even when sleeping?
"Have you changed your mind?" Lin Yuan guessed what he was thinking and asked.

"Yes, that's right." Buta nodded. "When I received the suits you gave me at noon, I felt vaguely that I wasn't as happy as I thought I would be."

"At that time, I thought I was a little numb from being too happy, or maybe when I put on a suit and appeared in front of everyone and felt everyone's envious eyes, I rekindled my passion for designer suits.

But tonight, when I stood in front of thousands of audiences to give my opening speech, they stared at my suit with envy, but there was not a single ripple in my heart.

I found that I really no longer enjoyed this kind of vanity," said Buta.

The word Buta used was "vanity", which shows that he has truly abandoned his past and is no longer a Sap.

Lin Yuan asked: "What are you thinking now?"

"I don't regret having lived through a period of extreme vanity. After all, if you want to dispel the enchantment, you must first have experienced it.

But after what happened these past few days, I feel like life is so short. If you hadn't pulled me out of the whirlpool a few days ago, my life might have ended at that moment.

Looking back on my life, I realize that apart from saving someone at the end, I haven't done anything commendable," Buta said.

Lin Yuan nodded and motioned him to continue. It seemed that Buta had really awakened.

"I found myself truly numb, indulging in the most primitive instincts of material desires. What's the difference between me and an animal who only knows how to eat and drink?
Later, the incident of director Eastwood being blackmailed occurred. I was heartbroken by the shamelessness of my compatriots and sad for their numbness.

Why are my compatriots and I so numb? Can't I live a more meaningful life with them?" Buta said.

"Do you know why I always work so hard when filming a movie?" Lin Yuan suddenly asked.

"Because you don't want to be ordinary?" Buta said.

"Not really. I wasn't thinking about this in such a utilitarian way when I was filming." Lin Yuan shook his head. "The reason I worked so hard was to give myself an explanation."

"Everyone can only live once. How can you be worthy of your life if you don't try your best? I just want to give an account of my life." Lin Yuan said.

"Lin Yuan, you're right," Buta sighed. "I don't know what I should devote my life to, but I've found something I really want to do."

"What?" Lin Yuan asked with a smile.

"Through tonight's event, I want to join your screening team." Buta said: "Together with your screening team, we can bring movies, medical care and food to the poorest villages and make their lives better through our efforts.

I also want to promote you to them and inspire them with your experience. If only one in ten people can stop being numb, then everything I have done will be completely worth it."

"So your new ideal is to officially join the film projection team?" Lin Yuan asked.

"Yes, I'm sure." Buta said solemnly.

"No problem, I agree. I'll let Miss Aragaki make arrangements for you later." Lin Yuan said.

"Thank you, Lin Yuan." Buta replied sincerely.

Lin Yuan looked at Buta, and he didn't know where Buta's life would go in the future.

Maybe become a charity worker, traveling around Congo and bringing hope to the local poor.

Perhaps he will become an ideological worker, striving to provide spiritual inspiration to his numb compatriots who are tortured by poverty.

Perhaps he will accumulate great fame and appeal among the poor through his work as a film projectionist, and thus embark on the path of politics.

All of this is possible, who knows what the future holds?

Lin Yuan could only smile and wish him well: "I am very happy to see that you have completed your transformation. I hope you can become a person with a clear conscience."

Buta was moved and took a step forward and gave Lin Yuan a gentle hug.

Given Buta's personality, he was quite restrained tonight, but perhaps to ease the embarrassment of not adapting, he soon returned to his playful appearance.

"Lin Yuan, my biggest wish is to promote you in Congo and even all over Africa!" said Buta.

"That's a good idea. I originally planned to use Kisangani as a pilot area for film screenings. If the results are good, I'll add 50 more screening teams and expand the program throughout Congo." Lin Yuan replied, "Of course, for now, we can only choose relatively safe areas."

Buta smiled and said, "Lin Yuan, although you were already quite famous in Congo, it was mainly among the citizens who have accepted modern life. But as the projection team goes deeper into the countryside, you will become a true superstar known to every household in Congo."

"The only pity is that you didn't tell me earlier that your ambition had changed. Otherwise, I could have saved the money for those suits." Lin Yuan joked with a smile.

Of course, he didn't care about the money for these suits. What's more, the money was paid by Betty, and Lin Yuan didn't pay a penny himself.

"No way! If I hadn't been wearing a suit like this tonight, would those thousands of people in the audience have stayed quiet and listened to me speak so much?" Buta said, "It was only because I shocked them with the price of my suit that I had the chance to speak to them."

"So, these suits are my battle armor and an effective tool to increase my persuasiveness at work!" Buta emphasized.

Hearing Buta's words, Lin Yuan smiled and sighed, "Is there such an explanation?"

But Buta is right. When communicating with strangers, quickly establishing your own personality is the most important step.

The luxurious and expensive suits are an important means for Buta to establish himself as a "rich man" and attract attention.

So Lin Yuan smiled and said: "Hearing you say that, I feel that my money is not wasted. After all, you are also working for me and helping me promote my reputation.

Then in the future, suits will become part of the production tools, just like companies provide their employees with computers and other office equipment.

If your suit gets damaged, remember to tell me and I will arrange a new one for you."

Buta nodded: "Now I can finally accept your suit with peace of mind."

"Then you can follow the projection team. I will go to Xiala Village with the crew early tomorrow morning. We will contact each other by phone if there is anything." After Lin Yuan said this, he took a mobile phone box from GAKKI-chan and handed it to Buta.

"What is this?" Buta asked in confusion.

"Cell phone! If I don't buy you a cell phone, can you afford it yourself? If you can't afford a cell phone, how can I find you when I need something?" Lin Yuan complained.

Buta had no psychological burden in buying the mobile phone. After all, he had already accepted so many expensive suits, so how much could a mobile phone be worth?

"Not only can I not afford a mobile phone, I can't even pay the phone bill. Are you covering this too?" Buta asked with a shameless smile.

"You pay the phone bill yourself! I can only talk to you for a few minutes, and you have the nerve to ask me to pay for your phone bill?" Lin Yuan complained fiercely: "I pay you a salary! You can definitely afford the phone bill!"

"And there's another advantage to letting you pay your own phone bill. That's because you'll feel bad about the bill, so you'll naturally learn to be brief. You won't have to tell me about one thing for so long." Lin Yuan continued to complain.

"No wonder he can become a billionaire and the richest man in the world! It turns out he is so good at calculating?" Buta screamed in response.

The laughter of the two filled the entire backstage.

Lin Yuan stood up, walked with Buta Gaobian, and then left with GAKKI-chan.

It's already late, they have to get up at 6 o'clock tomorrow morning and then go to Xiala Village with the entire crew.

It is best to reach Xiala Village before the "afternoon rain" arrives.

This makes it convenient to move into temporary accommodation and load and unload daily necessities from the vehicle.

In the night, Lin Yuan's mood was as light as a canoe floating on the water.

After Congo, although there were many unexpected events, things always went quite smoothly in the end.

The same should be true for the filming that starts tomorrow.

(End of this chapter)